The Lady Quill Chronicles - The Promise

The Lady Quill Chronicles - The Promise - Chapter Twelve

 

Chapter Twelve

“Brogan?”

Lord Brogan of Valrek halted in his progress across the courtyard and turned to face the man who had hailed him.

“Ramm, I did not expect to find you here.”

Lord Brogan clasped hands with Lord Drogand smiling.

“I wished to see if my liege had need of me.” answered Lord Drogand.

“And is Leofric with you?”

Lord Drogand shook his head as they continued to walk across the yard together, toward the house.

“No, Leofric has gone to Merrodon to see if he might be of any help to Rafe.” Lord Drogand’s brow clouded a little, “It will do him good to finally be useful to someone.” he muttered.

Lord Brogan did not betray either surprise or dismay at this utterance, but continued in his measured pace.

“Rafe is always telling me the great help and comfort that Leofric is to him on campaigns, the relief that it is to him to have someone on whom he can depend completely.”

“It is nice to know that Leofric has such a solid companion, one who over looks certain….deficiencies.”

Lord Brogan was silent, this was not a subject he wished to discuss with Lord Drogand, for Lord Brogan had always deplored the way that his friend belittled his son, firstly on principle but also because he had a great fondness for Leofric and enough understanding of his mind to know that Leofric was greatly hurt by his father’s manner.

However, it was unlikely that Lord Drogand would submit himself to a homily on this subject and so there was little point in disrupting their friendship with words that Lord Brogan had no doubt would be ignored by Lord Drogand.

“Tis said that war is imminent betwixt Kent and Sussex.” remarked Lord Drogand after an uneasy silence.

“War is always imminent between Kent and Sussex, tis traditional.”

“Almost as traditional as war between Mercia and ourselves.”

Lord Brogan shot his friend a reproving stare and shook his head.

“You should let old grievances pass, Ramm, there is little point in engaging in battle with Mercia. Their strength is as great as our own, we should be stirring a hornets’ nest of unrest.”

Lord Drogand laughed gently.

“I never thought to see you so poor spirited, Brogan. When I think of how it was with you when we were boys…you were never more pleased than when a fight loomed. I distinctly remember that when Lord Fordal buckled under the threat of attack after we all had decided that there was nothing for it but bloodshed you indulged in a fit of sullens that I have never seen equalled. It is my belief that you would still be brooding over it if it had not been that you met Ebba and decided that after all life was still worth living.”

Lord Brogan smiled at this reference to his wife.

“Yes well, as that may be, there is a reason for such behaviour,” answered Lord Brogan, “‘foolishness is tied up with the heart of a boy,’  I have out grown such things.”

“Have you my friend?” queried Ramm with a slight smile. “ Perhaps.”

They walked on in silence again.

“Have you seen King Ine?”

Lord Brogan nodded.

“Yes, I have been with him this hour and more.”