The manor was hot a starch contrast to the weather outside, the sounds of cooks and woman chatting gossiping amongst themselves, the kitchen was filled with talk about the young Lord sending his bitter old wife away.
Mothers and maidens talked about the Lord's efforts to feed the people and keep them warm, the eldest not of age but of time, she spoke of how the Lord made a makeshift road that leads to a trap, most of the animals caught were dogs and from time to time a wolf and if luck was present a bear.
She spoke about how he would work alongside the knights to cut wood for the fire and how they took turns digging a deep hole near one of the hills, his excitement when they found something, the woman's grin grew as she remembered how the rule of the house started.
"They all ate together when there were no tables present, the woman's boy took a biscuit and spoke about the lord trying to be friendly with everyone and how the lady just sat there quietly, she neither tried to talk to any of them and when word was given to her, her words were cold.
The woman hushed the boy and told him to hurry and bring in more wood.
"What did they find?'' a woman asked, her belly was large the child she was expecting would soon come.
''To the left coal, to the right gold, the lord was so excited that day all eight of the knights had sacks full of gold, given to them by the lord.'' the woman said as she released a laugh, her face brightening with the memory.
Her expression soon hardened ''She just ignored him.'' the woman spat, her words were bitter and filled with disgust.
"Look at his most trusted knights, see if any of them care that woman left.'' she said as she pointed at a nearby window. No woman present said anything, every knight and elder man both of age and of time did indeed look as if they were relieved to be free of her, in fact, the only one lamenting her loss was the Lord himself, yet even he had a faint smile drawn about.
''Do you think he will look for a mistress or a companion for cold nights?'' a woman said or perhaps it was one of the maidens, her voice was filled with both eagerness-lust and perhaps something more one would think her voice had the slight hint of greed.
''A wet nurse is all, that man will not force anyone.'' the elder woman said her voice filled with anger. ''Should I catch any of you baring her breast swaying her hips….'' the woman said, not finishing her sentence letting all present imagine her fury.
Outside several men stood near a fire none of them said a word but their silence said it all, an eyebrow raised sent more than just a question and foot firmly placed screamed more than just an order until finally, the youngest of them said something.
''So the mean lady is left.'' said the boy after throwing several pieces of wood into the fire.
"'Quiet boy, cut that tongue of yours less someone hears you and cuts it for you'' one of the men scolded the boy.
" But your right let the wench left, better she lay with the wolves, one more of their bitches, the lords a good man and she did him no good''
''She gave him two good boys and a hotbed for the night.'' answered another man, his beard was thick and as black as his hair.
''And what of it, you saw her just like the rest of us, she was so cold and distant, that I wonder why the Lord put up with her.'' responded the first man.
''He probably loved her, the young do stupid things he will probably bed many of the maidens, bet lots of girls will become women, I have a sister that would throw herself at him just to be taken care of, even if she's just a mistress.'' answered another man.
None of them said anything again the boy spoke. ''So what's the problem?'' the boy asked in his naivety.
''The problem lad is that we wish he did that, look around you. You've seen what all this fighting has done and how people are being treated, do you think we would have a warm meal in the lord house at the Lord's table anywhere else.''
''Where else have you seen the rulers do everything to feed the people, do you think there are people watching cages of animals lured in? No boy, a woman can destroy a man and she has hurt him harder than any sword ever could."
"A mistress- our daughters-hell even our sisters- wives and mothers, we all expect them to be attacked, but that man won't and that's a problem. Who knows what woman might force her way in and him in that state might not be able to see past her tricks.'' the bearded man answered.
In the second floor of the mansion the Lord looked out the window, to the onlookers his brown eyes were a little bit darker- his hair a bit messier than usual and the smile that vanished when he thought he was alone, was now completely gone.
"Yeah.'' he said as a knight walked up to him.
''Sir she is gone…..' the knight said, but his voice hinted at something more.
''What is it?'' the Lord asked.
''I beg your forgiveness, but I have a sister she has a boy about a week old, she could nurse the boys she has red hair and somehow kept her figure.'' the knight said, his voice sounding nervous.
''I have known you since I first was given this place what aren't you telling me.'' the Lord said\demanded.
The knight swallowed as if the next set of words held the lines of life and death .'' Well, my Lord, she's a bastard, but she has good hips and her breast are large enough to fit in your hands.'' the knight said quickly adding women attractive figure.
The Lord looked at him and smiled, this was just an older brother desperately trying to keep his sister.
''When does she arrive?'' the Lord asked.
''She will be here soon, by the time the sunsets the knight answered, he saw his master node and stare out the window again he stood there for a moment before speaking.
''Do you think I could have done something more?...forget I said anything.'' The Lord said quickly dismissing the knight, who in turn closed his eyes knowing that the man could have done nothing, the woman was as bitter as they come.
"The infants started crying however their mother was already gone, neither men said anything only the infants crying echoed.
''Is there anyone who has a child or has a little one right now?'' the Lord asked.
''We have a cook.'' the knight answered.
''Go get her, I'll meet you halfway, I'm not going to force a pregnant woman to go up those stairs.'' The Lord said as the knight knocked and left.
The lord was left alone listening to the twins crying, too afraid to carry them, the infants bodies to frail-delicate and easily broken, he stood there listening to their cries as the snow outside fell, the world outside was so white and filled with life, but inside despite all the smiles and chit chat below and the cries of the new life besides him felt so empty and heartbreaking.
Deciding that enough time had passed he began to briefly leave behind his two sons, each step he took somehow seemed heavier than the last and when he began to go down the stairs his feet seemed to somehow lose their strength, almost as if his own body was far too much for them to carry.
By the time he reached the bottom floor his companion- knight and friend waited for him along with the woman. The knight looked at him directly in the eyes and for the briefest of moments, there was a simple understanding.
''Do you have a husband or someone with you?'' he asked the woman.
''No my lord,''she answered.
''There's a room that is connected to two others, one to the right and the other to the left. You will stay in the right one or the left, I will be staying in the one in the middle for now on. Feed my sons and watch them as if they were our own, someone is coming she will help you.'' he told her and the woman simply bowed.
"'Get the men that are available and put my things in the room,'' he told the knight and the man simply left.
For the meantime come with me,'' he told the woman, he noticed her light brown hair-light peach skin that had some freckles here and there despite her grown belly she had a thin figure. The woman struggled to climb the stairs and he soon found himself holding onto her, more than once he found himself caressing her buttocks, considering he couldn't put to much strength around her waist.
Not even halfway up the stairs and the two boys crying could already be heard, however even as they reached the room the woman bore her breast and fed the boys, one at a time the boys were fed and soon slept.
He noticed that the man's skin had bumps all over, signs that she was indeed cold, he didn't say anything and if he wanted or eve had anything to say for that matter he didn't care to say it, he took a coat made of white fur and placed it over the woman, who in turn gasped not knowing what to do.
''I don't have any use for it now, make sure to wear it, I don't need you to be sick,'' he told the woman.
The day passed by quickly and neither the woman nor himself said anything, when the sun sat the woman was about to leave her room, yet he stopped her. He told her to use his bed and that it would be for her use from now.
The woman jumped at those words and attempted to hide from his eyes, yet there was nowhere she could hide before she entered the blankets, she undressed and let her thin figure and large belly be seen by him.