The Hill-King's Bride: an Allegory for the Modern Church

The Gift

In the King's Hall, Yestyn was seated by the fire in his favorite chair with his wife seated beside him in hers. Howe approached, fighting the urge to duck out and run. As personal as her gift was to this man, she could only hope she'd made the right choice. "High Elder," Howe said in opening as she approached the couple. They both smiled warmly.

"Happy Midwinter's Day!" greeted Yestyn in good cheer. "My Dear, come and see what we have for you."

Her thunder stolen, Howe went and hugged both of them, each in turn. The Council of Elder meetings she regularly attended had allowed her to get to know them far better than any other way. She'd learned over time that neither high elder had reached their fiftieth birthday, and that Gwyn had had several miscarriages after their wedding. Though the wedding had been purported as for political reasons, it was clear that love had found the couple at some point.

Gwyn reached out, her gift in hand. Howe accepted the hand trowel with joy. The tiny shovel would greatly speed her gardening efforts come spring. From Yestyn, there was a pouch designed to hang from her belt. From the smooth stones inside, it was obviously meant to hold ammunition for the sling she kept tucked in her belt behind her dagger. Gwyn watched Howe slide the pouch onto her belt. "No one would know you weren't born here," the matronly elder observed.

"I beaned an animas on watch last night," Howe told her. "It dropped where it stood, but it was gone this morning, so I don't think I killed it."

"Oh, you did," said Rowen from the doorway. "Wynd burned it before breakfast. He says you caved in the skull."

"I'm sorry," Howe offered sheepishly. "I know I was supposed to wake you for something like that, but it was moving fast and I was afraid it would get away if I took the time. Then, after the fact, it seemed a shame to wake you when there was no danger."

Yestyn nodded his approval. "They don't waste time, so neither should you. Well done, Princess."

"Either way, it's Midwinter's Day," Howe said, prefacing her gifts. She reached into her pillowcase and handed Gwyn her gift. "The embroidery isn't something I thought you'd want to share with the assembly," she explained as Gwyn accepted it. "The torch commemorates how you greeted us first and the other is the vine-covered doorway that you held open for me." Gwyn nodded, still looking a bit confused by the intent. "Gwyn, you welcomed me into your home and you lit the way, as High Elder, for me in the council. Without the doors you opened there, I would still be very much an outsider. I just meant to thank you, and to tell you how much your friendship means to me."

Gwyn stood up and hugged her tightly. "Ah, Princess." Those two words told Howe that she felt the same.

When Gwyn released her, Howe looked down at Yestyn. "My gift for you is surely best given here, in the privacy of your favorite sitting room." Blushing brightly, judging from the heat in her cheeks, Howe allowed the pillowcase to fall free of the boots she'd spent so much time in designing.

Yestyn chuckled when he saw them. "Princess, this is the sweetest gift all year," he admitted, "but I can't wear but one boot."

Howe nodded, having anticipated the reaction. "That's why there's three boots," she grinned. "Here, first put this one on." She handed him the boot for his right foot before offering to explain the left. Once the boot meant for his only foot was on and pronounced comfortable, Howe showed him the left boot. "The inner boot has a wooden foot inside, and it's padded to protect your stump," she explained. "I had to guess at how much padding you'd need and it'll probably pack down as you stand on it, so there's a flap that you can pull up in order to add more wool or take some out if you need to." She showed him the flap inside the boot, allowed him to measure it against the stump of his ankle. "And these straps go up over your knee to keep it from sliding off when you take a step," she finished. "We made it separate from the outer boot so you can wear it no matter what shoes you wear."