Well dear Reader, there were some of you who wanted more tales from Richard the Minstrel. I made the promise that he would return. Well, the wait has come to an end for he has returned with a new tale to tell. I hope you enjoy it.
Another Minstrel's Tale
Chapter 1
Richard Castle emerged from his office to find the living room lights muted. He had not intended to work for too long but he had become engrossed in the chapter he had been writing and lost track of time. He had wanted to finish the neglected chapter as quickly as possible so that he could spend time with his favourite detective. Before disappearing into his office he had left Kate and Alexis together watching a film.
He saw Kate sitting on the couch resting her arm on the back of the couch with her head in her hand. On reaching the couch he found that Alexis wasn't there. He frowned on finding Kate alone. He was concerned that his daughter had left Kate on her own.
As he walked around the couch he glanced at the television to see what was on. It was some late night show. The sound was turned down low. Kate had her eyes closed. Castle slowly sat down on the couch trying not to wake her for the moment. As soon as he sat down Kate opened her eyes.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."
"I wasn't asleep, Castle."
"Oh really?"
"I was just resting my eyes."
"Okay." Castle chuckled softly. "Where's Alexis?"
"She had some homework to finish." Kate explained. "I sent her off to do it."
"Okay." Castle was not too happy with that but let it slide.
He watched her for some moments and saw her trying to focus on the television but her eyelids were heavy and were drooping constantly.
"Come on it's time for you to go to bed." Castle announced suddenly.
Kate shook her head and continued starting at the television.
"You need to get your rest."
Kate shook her head. "No, I'm not tired."
"Yes, you are."
"No."
Castle regarded her silently for some moments. She still looked pale which was understandable and she was struggling to stay awake. Her eyelids were getting heavier and heavier but she was fighting the urge to close them.
"Right, missy, you're going to bed." Castle said in a tone he had not used since Alexis was five years old and being truculent. It surprised him that it had come to him so effortlessly.
Kate turned sharply to look at the writer surprised at the tone of voice he had just used. She flashed him a glare.
"Don't be giving me that look, missy." Castle scolded gently. "Now you have two options, I can carry you to your room or..."
"I can walk there on my own, Castle." Kate hissed angrily.
"Okay."
Castle rose from the couch and looked down at Kate holding out his hand. She turned her gaze back to the television and ignored the offered hand. A minute passed with neither of them moving. Then another.
"If you want to be treated like a five year old I'm happy to oblige." Castle said breaking the silence.
Kate turned to look at the offered hand. Her eyes slowly moved all the way up to his face. She had been expecting to see a smug grin residing on his face but was startled to see the determined look he wore. Smugness she could have dealt with but sincerity she was having trouble with. It dawned on her that if this was going to be a clash of wills she was going to lose the battle.
Grabbing the remote Kate switched off the television and then tossed it aside. She looked at the offered hand that had not wavered in all that time. Slowly she reached out and took hold of his hand and carefully raised herself off the couch.
Kate allowed him to put his arm around her waist to provide support as they walked slowly towards the stairs. She could have fought him, shrugged off his arm but fighting him would have required too much energy and she did not have the energy, she was tired. She hated that Castle knew it.
The climb up the stairs was slow and laborious. She hated having to rely on anyone's help to get up and down the stairs. She hated this dependence and still she clutched at his free hand as she took each step carefully. Castle said nothing but encouraging words. Her legs were rubbery by the time she had climbed three quarters of the way up the stairs from the exertion. A thin film of sweat had broken across her forehead. Her breathing became shallow and rapid from the effort. She did not resist when Castle seeing her struggling suddenly picked her up and carried her the rest of the way.
Kate studied his face, the look of concern and worry seemed to be etched there as he gently lay her on the bed and then helped her into the bed. He drew the blanket up. A small smile appeared on his face to soften the concern.
"You must be enjoying this?" Kate remarked as Castle tucked her in and seeing the small smile on his face.
"What, getting to tuck you into bed?" Castle said as he sat on the edge of the bed beside her. "I don't mind. I kind of like it."
Kate shook her head. "Me being dependant on you."
The smile vanished from Castle's face. "Seeing you in pain brings me no joy, Kate." He said quietly. "It breaks my heart...to see you this way and yes, I'll do anything in power to help you get better."
Kate knew that he meant every word. It both comforted her and scared her at the same time. They sat there in silence for some minutes.
"I think I should let you get some rest." Castle announced as he rose slowly from the bed.
Kate suddenly reached out and grabbed him by the wrist. Castle was surprised by her action and sat back down.
"Don't go."
"Kate you need to rest."
"Don't go."
"But..."
"Stay...please?"
Castle saw the pleading, desperate look in her eyes. He also saw a flicker of fear. It was in that moment he understood.
"Bad dreams?" He ventured.
Kate nodded her head. Castle released her hold of his wrist and slowly moved so that he could stretch out on the bed beside her, making sure not to jostle or hurt her. He reached for her hand and started to stroke the back of her hand with his thumb like he had done at the hospital. He gazed into her luminous emerald eyes and saw some of the fear ebb away.
"It's going to be all right." He told her.
Castle wondered how he could say that to her. The gunman who had shot her was still on the run and there were no leads. She was still in danger. How could he tell her that it was going to be all right? Was it just to give her some comfort, to settle her fears? Just like the words he had spoken to her as she lay bleeding on the ground in those desperate minutes in the cemetery? No, he was a writer and he believed in the power of the word. He believed that it was going to be all right, just like he had spoken from the heart when he told her he loved her before the darkness reached out to claim her her.
"Tell me a story." Kate whispered, breaking the silence and drawing Castle from his thoughts. "Tell me a tale from the Minstrel."
Castle grinned. "You liked that huh?"
Kate nodded her head. A small smile appeared on her lips.
"All right."
Castle made himself a little more comfortable on the bed.
"But I want an original one."
"An original?" Castle raised an eyebrow. "I thought you said you liked the other one?"
"I did. But I want an original story."
"An original story?"
"Yes. Being a world famous author and all, I would have thought you could easily come up with one." Kate challenged.
"An original, huh?" Castle mused stroking his chin with exaggeration.
"Yes."
"Then your wish my command, my lady." Castle chuckled.
Castle did not have to think for long to come up with a story. There had been many times when Alexis was sick he would conjure up stories at the drop of a hat that would entertain her. He had a large collection of stories he could summon to tell Kate. Yet he did not call upon them. She had asked for an original story so that is what she would get. He thought for a moment and soon the elements of the story began to form in his mind. He smiled brightly at Kate.
"Once upon a time..."
"Do you really have to start a story with 'once upon a time'?" She questioned.
"It's mandatory." Castle assured her. "It's the storytelling rules."
Kate smiled and nodded indicating that he should continue.
"...Once upon a time in a land far, far away Richard the Minstrel came bounding into his kitchen with a spring in his step and boundless energy to confront the new day that had arrived. It was a beautiful morning with the sun shining and the birds singing in the trees. He could not remember the last time he had felt this happy. He was happy because once again he would be assisting the constabulary of the city that he loved in solving crime and more to the point he would be working with the fair Detective Kate Beckett.
For the past few months Richard the Minstrel had been privileged following the fair Detective and her team of the steadfast Detectives Javier Esposito and Kevin Ryan as they went about solving murders.
Truly from the moment he had watched her walking away following the arrest of Harrison of Tisdale, with that seductive swing to her hips that had left him both breathless and mesmerised, not to mention the warm caress of her breath against his ear as she hinted of pleasures unknown when she declined his invitation to join him for diner. Richard The Minstrel knew there and then that he had found the character of his next book.
It had not been an easy task to get permission to tag along with the constabulary for they were not welcoming of outsiders at the best of times. Yet Richard the Minstrel had an ace up his sleeve and he used it shamelessly. He called upon the offices of his good friend his Lordship the Mayor.
Needless to say the fair Detective Beckett was less than pleased to learn the Minstrel would be following her around to get background information and research for the new book he was writing. Yet despite her protestations there was little she could do about it. Sir Roy of Montgomery the Sheriff had told her that orders had come from up on high, his Lordship the Mayor himself and she had to make nice with the Minstrel.
On the outside the fair Kate scowled and complained being lumbered with this most famous of Minstrels but deep down there was a part of her who was secretly thrilled to have Richard the Minstrel following her around to garner his research for the book he was writing. The devotee part of her did cartwheels, figuratively speaking. However, when she learned that he was writing this book about her, the fair Detective Beckett was less keen.
In the time he had spent following the fair Detective Beckett and her team he knew full well that he could be irritating and annoying but he liked to think that was part of his charm. And yet he wanted to see which buttons he could push to get a reaction from her. His inappropriate jokes laden with double meanings could elicit an adorable roll of the eye or get a suggestion of a smile out of the fair detective. Truth be told he enjoyed playing her court jester.
And yet despite his antics and jokes he made valuable contributions to the cases they worked on. Amongst the unconventional theories involving shadowy government agencies and outlandish conspiracy theories that he threw out with boundless enthusiasm were sometimes sprinkled with ideas and thoughts that the detectives ran with and lo and behold they were able to solve the case and catch the murderer.
As Richard the Minstrel sat in his kitchen breaking his fast on this fine morning he gave pause to reflect on the cases he had assisted the fair Detective Beckett.
There had been the case of the dead nanny who as it turned out was murdered by her friend who also happened to be a nanny. The case of the arrogant school boy he took particular pleasure in getting him to confess in the interrogation room by using his storytelling skills. Then there was the case of the murdered councilman.
And with each case the Minstrel learned something new about the fair detective, and with each new discovery he became more intrigued and fascinated and wanted to know more about her. Truly from the first moment he had set eyes upon the fair Detective Beckett he wanted to woo her..."
"Ow!" Castle exclaimed and rubbed his rib where Kate had jabbed him with her elbow.
"I knew you wanted to get into my pants." She said tersely.
"Well, I wouldn't have put it so crudely."
"Really?"
"Given the opportunity, I would have wined and dined you first." Castle grinned at her.
"Castle!"
"What? You're incredibly hot."
"I wish I felt that way now." Kate sighed.
"You will." Castle promised, giving her a tender smile.
Kate did not want to pursue this line of thought right now. "How about you get on with the story, Castle?"
"How about you refrain from hurting me, it kind of spoils my storytelling skills?"
"Okay."
"I was just setting the scene for the story my dear detective." Castle said with a smile. "So impatient."
Kate shot him a glare but there was no anger in the look. He gave her a smile before he returned to the story.
"...Truly from the first moment he had set eyes upon the fair Detective Beckett he wanted to woo her. Yet the more time he spent with the fair Detective Kate Beckett the more he came to realise that she was no ordinary woman. Certainly she was not like most of the women he was used to. Those that battered their eyes at him in the hope that they could bask in his celebrity. The fair Kate fascinated him all the more when she did not swoon and twitter at his suggestive remarks or antics. Much to his delight he found that the fair detective was more than able to hold her own against his antics and more than a few times she had rendered him speechless with some suggestive comment of her own. He was smitten.
On this day where we find Richard the Minstrel in his kitchen he was feeling particularly good. Life was good. He had found inspiration for his new book. His publisher the Lady Gina was more than happy with the book outline he had submitted to her. Her threats of doing him irreparable harm were in abeyance for the time being. His enthusiasm for writing had returned which had he had feared was all but lost lost. All ready in his study his desk was strewn with draft chapters and scenes that would or would not find themselves in the new book.
Yet on this fine morning morning though there was no new case waiting for him he was eager all the same to wend his way the station house.
Richard the Minstrel swept into the squad room with a theatrical flourish that only a son who has an actress for a mother could accomplished. He greeted people with a cheerful smile and nod as he made his way to the desk where the fair Detective Beckett was sitting. In each hand he held a large paper cup of coffee.
"Good morrow, my dear detective." The Minstrel said as he placed a cup before her. "How art thou fairing this fine morning?"
As she reached for the most welcome of morning presents the fair Detective Beckett looked up at the Minstrel and offered him a smile of gratitude. She brought the coffee to her lips and took a big sip of its contents. Her smile broadened as she closed her eyes and savoured the extra strong caffeine hit.
Richard the Minstrel found the look on her face adorable. The bringing of coffee in the mornings had become a welcome daily ritual. There were several reasons for this. One was this was a way of thanking the fair Detective in allowing him to her follow her. Another reason was because the concoction found in the station house that passed itself off as coffee tasted more like monkey urine strained through some kind of acidic substance and to say the least was at best undrinkable. And finally the Minstrel had discovered early on the fair Detective Beckett was a fiend for caffeine.
"There's no reason for you to be here today Minstrel." the fair Kate informed him. "We've solved the last case and the murderer is behind bars, there is only paperwork to finalise."
"I don't mind, my dear detective." The Minstrel replied.
"You don't have anything else better to do to be occupying your valuable time?"
"Nay."
"Not some book signing for your adoring devotees?"
"No."
"Not some storytelling gathering?"
"Nope."
"Not some meeting at the Guild Of Minstrels?"
The Minstrel grinned at her and shook his head. "It appears you are stuck with me, my dear detective."
The fair Detective Beckett rolled her eyes and shook her head before turning her attention to the file that was before her. "Tis what I was afraid of." She muttered under her breath.
The Fair Detective Beckett spent the next few minutes and maybe more trying to concentrate on the paperwork that she had to complete but alas with each passing moment she was finding it increasingly difficult. The source of her difficulty was the Minstrel who was sitting in the chair beside her desk. She could feel his eyes on her. She found it disconcerting, distracting. It must be said that he had been sitting in the chair with nary a peep out of him but he had been constantly watching her as she did her paperwork.
Finally it got too much and the fair detective said something.
"Must you constantly watch me, Minstrel?"
"Does it bother you?"
"It's creepy."
Richard the Minstrel smiled at the fair detective. He watched her for a moment and maybe more as she went about her work before he retrieved his note pad and started to jot down some thoughts and ideas. The fair Detective risked a glance in the direction of the Minstrel only to find he was engrossed in writing in his note pad. She could only wonder what he was writing about but suspected it had something to do with her. The fair Kate was a detective after all. She saw the small smile that was on his face, it brought a smile of her own before she quickly turned her attention to the paperwork.
The morning progressed without the interruption of a new murder to be investigated. The fair Detective Beckett and her team, the steadfast Detectives Esposito and Ryan continued on with their paperwork and Richard the Minstrel continued to scribble away in his note pad.
At the stroke of noon Richard the Minstrel downed his note pad and quill and rose to his feet. He announced to his constabulary companions that he would bring them all lunch. Before the fair Detective Beckett could utter a protest and before Detectives Esposito and Ryan could call out their luncheon orders, the Minstrel swept out of the squad room with the same kind of theatrical flourish that he used for his entrance in the morning.
The Minstrel returned to the squad room a short time later bearing a repast that was fit for a king. Not only had the Minstrel brought food for the fair Detective Beckett and the steadfast Detectives Esposito and Ryan but he had also ensured there was enough food for all the other detectives in the squad room.
The rest of the afternoon appeared for all intents and purposes like it was going to be a quiet one with no body dropping that would have the fair Detective Beckett and her steadfast investigative companions racing out of the squad room to the scene of the crime. It looked like the fair detective and her steadfast investigative companions would remain at their desks dealing with the interminable paperwork, or so Richard the Minstrel thought to himself. He was contemplating that nothing was going to happen and he might bid his leave to return home, pick up his quill and resume working on his new book.
Alas for the Minstrel he had thought the thought a little too soon. While he was putting away his note pad and quill in readiness for his impending departure, a red-faced dispatch orderly came bounding up the stairs, huffing and puffing.
The fair Detective Beckett looked up from her work expecting the dispatch orderly to come to her desk but the man shuffled past her desk and proceeded directly to Sir Roy of Montgomery's office. He bothered not to knock on Sir Roy's door, simply barrelling in.
"I don't suppose he was delivering Sir Roy's luncheon order?" The Minstrel mused, having witnessed the dispatch orderly.
The fair Detective Beckett shrugged her shoulders before she returned to her work.
"We shall know soon enough, Minstrel."
The fair Detective's words had barely left her lips when Sir Roy of Montgomery the Sheriff emerged from his office and came striding to her desk.
"Beckett, Esposito, Ryan, we have a body." He announced. He reached the fair detective's desk and held out the note that the dispatch orderly had just delivered.
The fair Detective Beckett took the note and read it. The name of the victim seemed familiar to her.
She looked up to Sir Roy, a questioning expression upon her fair face.
"It's one of our own." Sir Roy informed her, grimly. "Sergeant Patrick Maloney."
The fair Detective Beckett's face darkened, nodded her head and rose to her feet. The steadfast Detectives Esposito and Ryan were all ready upon their feet having gathered their things ready to depart. The fair Detective Beckett swept past them with purpose in her stride and they fell in behind her. The Minstrel followed close on their heels, trying ever so hard not to show his excitement at the turn of events that provided a new murder to be investigated.."
...Castle paused in his story and looked down to find that Kate had fallen asleep. Her hand was still clutching his and that brought a small smile to his face. He thought about getting up but feared he might wake her. Instead he reached over with his free hand and switched off the lamp on the nightstand and carefully settled in beside her.
XXXXX
Well dear Reader what did you think of this opening effort? I await your thoughts.
Con