Goodbye to the Knight✔️

1. Banquet Preparations

"NOVELLA! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" Mother shouts at me.

Although I'm taller than her by a good couple of inches, she somehow seems to make herself bigger when she's mad, and it doesn't help that she has a rolling pin gripped in her hand.

I look to the floor, giving off a meek and apologetic stance, hoping she doesn't notice the grin I'm failing to hold back. "Sorry Mother, I lost track of time. I was helping Father."

The lie rolls of my tongue, and I can only hope that she believes it. What I'd actually been doing was exploring the new secret passageway that Maud and I had found yesterday beside the library.

She gives me a long look and sighs. "I don't have time to question you right now, we're needed in the kitchen, immediately."

She starts striding away and I quickly follow her, not wanting to be in her battle line any longer.

The castle kitchen is bustling with servants when we arrive. Anne, a scullery maid around my age, flings me my apron which drops sadly to the floor.

"Nice throw." I laugh at my friend before stepping quickly to the side to avoid a platter of vegetables. "Why is everybody rushing around so quickly? It's a mad house in here."

She gives me a pointed look.

"What?" I whisper, tying the apron around my waist.

"How have you forgotten? It's all anybody's been talking about for the last week," she says.

My eyes widen. "The banquets tonight?"

"Ding, ding," Anne replies. "We have a winner."

I smile sheepishly. "I may or may not have thought that it was next week."

"You Ella, are hopeless!"

"In my defence, there always seems to be something going on. I lose track of it all sometimes."

"I know!" Anne exclaims and we both laugh before catching the eyes of Meredith. "Come on, we better start on these carrots before Meredith comes over here."

Ducking our heads down we turn to the sink where a huge pile of carrots lie, covered in dirt, and waiting to be scrubbed.

~~~

My hands feel as though they are rubbed raw. All afternoon Meredith has been breathing down  necks, making sure everyone is doing everything perfectly.

In celebration of the Earl's thirty-second birthday, he is holding a huge banquet and has invited almost every one of nobility and high importance to this event. Meaning that it is a very big event.

"All right everyone, great work this afternoon. The feast starts soon and so the sewers are here to collect the dishes and take them up," Meredith announces. "I want you all back here after the feast for clean-up. If I catch anyone trying to steal a piece of food as they leave I will take them by the ear and have them do the worst job I can find. Now all of you begone!"

A collective sigh of relief fills the hot kitchen and people start leaving their areas.

"Ella." Mother begins, making her way over to me. "Don't cause any trouble tonight,"

"Me? Cause trouble." I grin. "Never."

"Ella, I'm being serious. Your Father is attending this banquet and if you cause anything to happen, it could ruin us."

"Mother, Father has already built himself a huge reputation amongst the noblemen. I'm certain I couldn't ruin that, and besides you don't need to worry about me anyway, Maud, Anne and I are going to play knucklebones this evening."

"Fine." She continues frowning and then turns away muttering, "Games, she's nearly nineteen and yet she still has time for games! At nineteen I was pregnant with my first child and working away in the house, she needs to be married."

The blood freezes in my body at her last sentence. I haven't thought even for a moment that I would be married off again.

Of course, many people after their partners died found another one, but I on the other hand have no interest in doing that.

I am just fine with things the way they are.

With the plague swooping around nobody has had any time to think about marriages and I am happy enjoying my freedom. I push the thoughts to the back of my mind and rush of to find Anne and Maud; Mother can't have actually meant what she said.

~~~

The banquet is seeming to be a success amongst everyone.

From our corner in the servants passageway we can see the merry faces of noblemen and women through the doors of the banquet hall. Loud music sings out and flashes of colour dance in time to it.

A few drunk lords stumble out of the banquet and the three of us watch them, amused at their foolery. Quickly following them comes out four knights, faces stern and armour on.

"Don't they look handsome in their armour," Maud whispers to us, giggling slightly. "Oh how I would love to be saved by one and ride off into the sunset with them on a white horse."

"They look angry," Anne replies bluntly.

"Angry? Aren't they supposed to be full of honour and courtesy?" I furrow my eyebrows in confusion.

Anne leans her head in close to us, our game completely forgotten beside us. "That's what they're supposed to be like. My cousin, who lives in Bentley Village, told me that a group of knights passed through her village and they demanded to be fed and watered. They treated everyone like they were just dirt on their shoes."

Maud and I share a look of confusion.

"Surely all knights can't be like that," Maud says.

Anne raises her eyebrows. "Can't they?"

"How do you explain all the tales we hear about knights doing grand deeds and saving beautiful princesses then? They sound like proper knights," I say.

"That's because there's a princess," Anne replies. "Of course the knights will treat them right, princesses have a higher ranking then them. Have you ever heard of a knight helping a villein?"

Maud bites her lip. "No."

"Wait, I have." I quickly recount the stories of knights saving entire villages from rampaging beasts and Maud's face brightens again, her dreams of handsome knights not completely crushed yet.

"It's only for their reputation, for fame, for glory," Anne explains.

"Oh." I breathe, the knights before us suddenly appearing rather shadowed.

"But I do agree with you Maud." Anne adds with a grin. "They do look terribly handsome."

A/N

First chapter done and dusted - whoop whoop!

Please vote and comment if you enjoyed :)

SouthernAlps over and out...