Sins & Virtues

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Tower

Jeremy

Sus Scrofa Forest, Kingsdown

The spaniel darted across the grassland after the fallen grouse, the white top of her tail aloft above the tall grass. Seizing the bird in her jaws, the dog rushed back and dropped it at Jeremy's feet. He ruffled her ears affectionately, her pack mates, his hounds, already sniffing out their next target.

' Brilliant shot, Your Grace.' his squire said enthusiastically, collecting the grouse and helping the steward string it onto the pole with the rest of them. Jeremy smiled, notching another arrow. Winn had personally suggested that Jeremy take Eddie on as his squire. He was a boy of ten, with a baby face and a much happier attitude than any of the other options. The eldest of eight siblings, Winn knew his father from a pub in the city and had confided in Jeremy that the family was struggling. It was unusual for the king to have a common folk as a squire, but not unheard of, and Winn possessed enough notoriety in court that his endorsement was enough.

Far behind them, the rest of their hunting party were in good spirits. The King's Tournament was scheduled for a little over three weeks time, to give the meat time to cure once the young men of court returned from their hunting trip. It was a tradition, one Jeremy had joined his father on many times a year. The young men would leave for the three large forests of Kingsdown; Sus Scrofa Forest, Elaphus Forest and Meleagris Forest, camping by night and hunting all day. All the meat they acquired would be used for the feasting at the three-day long tourney, feeding both the nobility and the common folk. It was a tradition the royal House of Green had always encouraged, to provide food for their citizens.

Jeremy had invited Benedict and Jared too, but like each time before, the Duchess had declined on their behalf, as she did every time their father had made the offer before. The two princes had looked solemn as their party departed the Drey almost a week ago.

Cora had asked if she could go with them, to watch the hunts and escape being alone in the castle with the Duchess and her friends, who were all eagerly awaiting the Tournament as much as the young men of the kingdom. Jeremy had brooded for the entire ride to Sus Scrofa Forest, thinking of her dejected expression when he had to refuse. Fiancees, wives and mistresses weren't permitted on the King's Hunt, a tradition that Jeremy promised her he would eradicate. She had smiled nonetheless as he chastely kissed her hand, waving as he rode off through the gates. Winn and Phineas had only laughed at his expression.

He understood her disappointment and worry at being left at the Drey. Ever since the success of the Cleric's Banquet, the Duchess had been especially cruel to Cora, finding fault in every action and making it her mission to interrupt every moment they shared together. Every walk through the gardens, archery lesson, quiet reading in the library, his stepmother would descend on them, either with her friends or Benedict. She was becoming louder and louder about naming her son the heir, and when she wasn't pushing Benedict at his older brother, she was thrusting her friend's daughters at him. She was brazen, speaking of their virtues and achievements in front of Cora, who just smiled politely until they escaped, then laughed until Jeremy had to beg her to stop.

Fortunately, despite the Duchess's best efforts, Cora was not perturbed.

It hadn't been awkward the day after the banquet and their time on the window sill, though Jeremy felt embarrassed each time he thought back on what he had admitted to her that night. They had fallen into comfortable companionship quite easily, though regrettably not had the opportunity to continue their amorous activities. She caught him often, watching her reading or looking at her out of the corner of his eye, his gaze on the slope of her neck or the way she bit her lip during a particularly interesting part of her book.