the Leathermines

Back to Chapter 26

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The hunt makes a full feast

It was the first time there was a head table at any of the meals.  Laun noticed the change, but chose to ignore it as she came into the Great Hall.  She was flushed with excitement at the decision she had made.  Her internal happiness showed and it made many smile just to see it.

The three of them came in, Fount and Laun holding hands between them, Edgar with his hand interlaced with hers on her shoulder.

Laun did not intend to announce anything.  She knew that word would be spread fast and easily in the open household.  She was focusing more on the men who she had just kissed, letting them know her feelings and intentions.

The smell of roasting bird had drawn most of the people in the keep, early for evening meal.  The sun was not quite setting and the fires were being built up for the evening.  Laun was drifting towards one of the side tables with her newly professed lovers when Dreng motioned her to the head table.  There was a place on the bench next to him with their backs to the fire.  Edgar saw there was not enough room for the three of them.  He pulled Laun gently around and kissed her forehead, the first lover’s kiss in front of the household.

“Laun, I have something to attend to, with your permission.”  Laun smiled and let his hand go and watched as he went to talk to the guards who were about to go out for duty.

Fount would not be shaken from her side.  The benches were shuffled some so that he could sit beside her.  The nobles raised eyebrows but saw that Fount’s grey eyes saw nothing but his Lady.

Dreng was tired and he looked drained.  He also looked like it had been a good day and was content.  Laun heard him talking about the hunt, the amount of fowl they had caught and killed and how he wished he had his hound pack from the Capitol City.  She nodded and made appreciative noises, but if anyone had asked her what he had actually said, she would not have been able to repeat it back.

It finally occurred to the King that Laun was there beside him, but not there in spirit.  He saw how she leaned on the boy next to her and thought he knew.  Helmic’s youngest son had landed her.  The King was not sure about it, but it was as good a match as any he had seen in the nobility, better than most.  Perhaps it would bring her in line, but he felt that would not happen just with a marriage.

The stories of the day wound around the room.  Sharing the adventures of the hunt excited all, and they found that Niles, though he had not been allowed to handle anything but one of the nets, had the best stories to tell.  He told of the first men, sneaking up on the resting fowl, nets at the ready, archers behind them.  The commotion of the birds as they tried to take flight pantomimed with the flapping of his own arms.  He swooped down and caught Emmy and flew her through the air as he told of the flocks that had been above them.  She kicked and squealed her delight as he threw her up into the air and caught her as he told of the first good shot bringing down a gander reportedly almost twice her size.

Laun excused herself from the table when there was a pause between the stories and started to make her now customary rounds through the people.  Fount tried to rise with her, but she put her hand on his shoulder and he stayed.  She was still glowing and many of the men took some advantage to take her hand and kiss not the knuckles but the inside of her wrist as she passed.  A few of the women, too.  No one mentioned anything pressing.  Laun heard several compliments that she had heard before, but now had a different light shining behind them.  She saw how some had been trying to approach her, but with her need to protect, to make sure everyone was treated well, she had not heard what people had actually been trying to say.

The food finally came out and the cheers were for the cooks and the food.  Orgia found Laun in the crowd and presented her with a bread trencher that had morsels from each of the birds that had been cooked.  Laun was bemused, but accepted the food as she stood among her people.  She took a hot, greasy piece of duck in her fingers and blew on it before she put it in her mouth.  She tried to thank the chatelaine, but Orgia waved it off which signaled everyone else digging into the meal.

It was different as Laun carried a trencher with her through her people.  She was now used to being offered bits off of other’s trenchers, but now she had some to offer back.  Sharing the meal with her people was more complete, and many more fingers were involved than before.  She found that it was difficult to cut pieces and put the knife away between, so she tugged at the delicate morsels and offered from her own hand.  She was not sure if it was just her heightened desires, but she found that as people took the bites, many of them would lick or suck, thrilling her in a way she had not been before.  She wondered if, as she was taking bites and licking the juices from the fingers around the morsels offered to her, if the same sensations were being given.

The faces of the people told it all.

The singing started and most of the people knew the harvest song that was the first sung.  She really had brought in the grain that became the bread that she broke with her household.  She did not sing, but she listened and leaned on willing backs as she did so.  The voices filled the hall.  The voices filled her heart.

And then the songs turned bawdy.  Laun turned bright red as she realized that at least one of the songs was being sung because of her.  Her name was not said, but with the references to ‘My Lady of the pale thigh’, many of the men would turn and raise their tankards towards her.  Some of them were summarily smacked on the head by the women they were seated with, but all in good fun.

There was a shift change with the guards and Edgar came in with them.  He saw his Lady being teased good naturedly with song, her face bright as a harvest moon, and smiling as broadly.  She was trying to get to the side of the room but every chorus would make the men stand, blocking her way.  And it looked like new verses were being made on the spot to delay the song.  She finally made it through the gauntlet and the song ended, a cheer and a toast made in good spirits.

Laun made it to the sideboard and poured herself some honey sweetened tea.  She was still flushed with embarrassment, but knew the fun that was being had by the household.  Edgar went to her side and took the tankard that she offered, drinking the tea while looking over the edge of the metal into her eyes.  She smiled and drank her tea, not looking away.

It was not as late as some of the evening gatherings had gone, but Edgar had a bit of a plan as he asked if Laun would like to retire for the evening.  He was close to her and had deepened his voice a little and he saw the slight tremor as he had talked.  She nodded and poured herself more tea.  She could not just leave.  She had to talk and touch with the people she passed.  She knew it would be a few minutes.

Laun caught Edgar’s arm and said, “Perhaps you would select others that could join tonight.  I would like to see...what you do.”

Edgar turned bright pink and had to turn to the wall for a moment before he was able to control his reactions.  It would not do to have the head wardsman blushing at a suggestion from his Lady.  At least not in front of others.

Edgar went straight to the Head table.  He nodded to Dreng and asked to talk with Fount.  The younger man had been watching Laun as she made her way through the household, joining his voice with the singing, but not always liking the way others were seemingly forward with her.  He pushed that down, though, because she had kissed him first.  That made him smile.

Fount was not sure what Edgar was telling him and Edgar had to just say straight out, “She has heard of what I have done with other women.  She wants to see it.  I think.”  Fount looked still confused so Edgar gave it a different angle.  “She would like you to pick out someone else you would like to share.  Do you have anyone else you have had your eye on?”

Fount finally had a glimmer and his eye went to one of the younger servants.  She had been trying to catch his eye for about a year.  He knew that, but had already been quietly pursuing Laun.  Fount nodded to Edgar and went to invite the young woman to join them in the Lady’s sleeping chamber, if she wished.

Knowing looks passed between many people as Edgar and Fount went to certain people in the room and asked for their presence with their Lady.  Subtle ways were cleared as they stood and left the gathering.  A few bets were taken behind sleeves as the people went by.  There were also a few people who had longing glances at the backs of those who left.

Laun had almost approached the door when she realized something.  She found Disa, a few seats down from the head table, and held out her hand to her maid.  Disa finished her drink and stood, her face starting to flush.  Laun saw this and once Disa was at her side, asked, “Do you wish to join us?”

Disa nodded slowly and was having problems looking into Laun’s eyes.

“I do not know what will happen.  I know what I hope happens.  I want to share that with you.”

“Thank you, My Lady.”

“You do not have to do anything you do not want to.  I just...”  Laun held both of Disa’s hands.  “You have been through so much with me.  I want to share what I hope will be pleasure as well as the pain.”

Disa looked into Laun’s eyes.  “Thank you.”  Her face was still flushed, but she did not seem as nervous.  They left the Great Hall hand in hand, hearing the slight hiss behind them.  The common catcall was heard around the room, quieted by Dreng standing and giving a toast.  “To our Lady.  May the woman she is bloom tonight.”  Laun’s name was a cheer and the gathering become more of a revel.

Onto Chapter 28   The Lady Laun is introduced to what she was sheltered from.  Exhaustively.

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