Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Sorry it's taken longer to update but I am back at work and it is hectic.
Part 4
Neal took Mozzie to the garden. "I like it here," he said. They heard Sir Cuthbert shouting orders at the pages and squires. "Let's climb the wall and watch them," Neal said.
Soon they were both sitting on the wall. The tree branches and leaves kept them hidden. Mozzie took a long tube out of his belt. "Here," he said to Neal.
Neal recognised the pea shooter. They picked wild cherries from the tree, sucked the soft fruit and spat the stone into their hands. Neal popped one into his mouth and fired it at Mark. It hit him on the neck. They heard him shout out. They both laughed as Sir Cuthbert whacked him with a wooden staff across the back of his hand. They spent the next 10 minutes picking their targets. They stopped when they saw Sir Cuthbert look towards the wall. They climbed back down the tree and sat on the grass. They were just in time as El came through the door.
"Good come on, both of you. I have material and Mistress Somers has just arrived."
Neal was pulled this way and that by both El and the seamstress. "Stop! Please. I have to go to Father Jerome now."
"Very well," El said.
Mozzie was laughing as they ran to the schoolroom. "Don't laugh, I'm going to suggest they make you some new clothes as well."
"What? Don't you dare."
They stopped outside the door and straightened their clothes. They walked in. Many of the pages glared at Neal. They were not happy that he wasn't expected to work like they had to. "Come in," Father Jerome said. "You can both sit over there by the window. But do not let me catch you staring out of it, you are here to learn. Decline these Latin words, puella, Agricola and terra." He turned to Mozzie. "Can you read?"
"No sir."
"Do you know your letters?"
"Yes sir."
He handed him a small board and wrote some letters. "Try writing these."
"He's a really good teacher," Mozzie said.
As they left Neal was grabbed and spun round. "What makes you so popular? Who is this peasant?" he said sneeringly to Mozzie. "Go back to the kitchen where you belong."
"No!"
"Go Mozzie please. I can handle this." Moz ran off to find Jones.
"What game are you playing?" Mark asked.
"I'm not." A slap across his face stopped him from saying more.
"You are from the gutter, you should have stayed there. I'm going to make you wish you had stayed there." He drew his hand back but stopped when he heard someone say," Just up there." Mark let him go. "We'll get you next time." The pages left.
Jones and Mozzie appeared," Are you alright?"
"Yes I'm fine."
"Who did this?" Jones said pointing to his face.
"It…" Moz started to say.
"No Moz. It was just fun."
"Fun?" Jones said. "I don't think Lord Peter will think so."
"He doesn't need to know," Neal said.
"He has eyes boy."
"I don't want any more trouble."
"I have to tell Lord Peter."
Neal put on his most appealing expression and said," Please."
"I'll give you time to tell him, if you don't I will," Jones said walking away.
Neal tried to sneak Mozzie to his room before anyone could see them but he was too late. El came out of the study. "What on earth happened to you?" she asked putting a hand on his chin to get a proper look at his face.
"It's alright. We were just fooling around and I got hit. It doesn't hurt."
"Neal…"
"Please El, I just want to get on with people. They won't like me if I keep running to you or Peter."
"Very well but if you get hurt again I want to know."
"Of course." El went away to find Diana.
"What are you up to?" Mozzie asked.
"Me?" Neal asked innocently.
"Yes you."
"I'll get my revenge my way," Neal said. Mozzie looked worried. "It won't involve you. I wouldn't put your new job in jeopardy."
El came back. She was carrying pieces of cloth. "Do you like these colours?"
"Yes," Neal put his hand out to touch them. The cloth was very soft. "Do I have to go down to dinner tonight?"
"Yes you do," Peter said from the door.
Neal could tell by Peter's tone of voice that he would not change his mind.
That night Neal followed peter and El to the table. He sat at Peter's right side. Mark glared at him when he saw where he was positioned. Mozzie served Neal his food.
After the meal Peter told Neal to go to bed. "Go on," he said we will be up soon."
Neal's room had some furniture in it. The bed had lovely covers on it. Mozzie followed him in. There was a small pallet bed for him.
"What are you going to do about Mark?" Mozzie asked. He was worried Neal was going to do something stupid and get himself or even both of them into trouble.
"I'm working on it."
The next morning Neal woke up early. He had a great idea to get back at Mark. He dressed quickly, making sure not to wake Mozzie.
Mozzie was just waking up as Neal came back in. "Come on Moz we need to get breakfast and then we have to practise with bows and arrows."
"You're too happy," Mozzie said.
"Hurry up Moz."
"What have you done?"
"Nothing."
They sat in the hall. Peter and El were just entering when Mark ran into the hall and threw his boots in front of Neal. "You did this," he almost screamed.
"Mark!" Sir Geraint shouted. "Leave the hall at once. Meet me in my quarters."
"But he…"
"NOW!" he bellowed.
Peter looked at Neal. "Did you do that?"
"What reason would I have?" Neal said avoiding answering the question. Even in this age Neal could not directly lie to Peter. If Peter had been concentrating more on what Neal said he would have realised he hadn't answered his question.
Neal quickly finished his meal and left. He was on the practice field when he saw Sir Geraint come out and speak to Peter. Sir Geraint walked over to speak to Sir Cuthbert. Neal went to him. "What will happen to Mark?" he asked.
"He'll get a whipping in front of the household."
"What?" Neal said horrified. He hadn't meant that to happen.
"He has disgraced his family and this household. He'll be sent home in disgrace." Neal blanched. As much as he hated Mark he could not allow him to be humiliated like that. He walked over to Peter.
"Lord Peter, I need to speak to you."
"Go ahead Neal."
"I know you won't want me as your son any more when you hear what I did." Neal gulped. "I put the dirt in his boots."
"You what?"
"I put it in early this morning before anyone else had woken."
"Why?"
"I'd rather not say."
"Well I'd rather you did." Peter stared down at him but Neal refused to answer. "Very well, go to your room." Neal turned to go and Peter delivered a stinging swat to his backside that everyone there either saw or heard as Neal cried out. Neal took off not looking at anyone. He ran straight to his room and threw himself on his bed.
Peter went over and spoke to Geraint. "Mark is not to be punished in front of everyone but I expect you to deal with him appropriately as I will deal with mine." Geraint laughed. "It is no laughing matter," Peter said although he couldn't help a smile.
"I don't blame the boy. Mark is a sneak and a bully. I've tried to catch him bullying the other pages but he is cunning."
"Demote him. Chose another boy to be Head Page."
"Yes milord."
"Now to deal with mine."
Peter strode towards the castle. El saw him arrive and grabbed his arm. "Please don't be too hard on the boy. I knew something was wrong." She told Peter about the mark on his face. Peter calmed down as he spoke to her.
"I am still going to punish him."
"I thought you would," she said softly.
Neal heard Peter's footsteps approach his door. He had barely entered the room when Neal said," I know these don't belong to me," he pointed to the clothes, "but I'll send the money for them." Peter looked puzzled. "I don't blame you, I spoil everything."
"What are you talking about Neal?"
"Me leaving." He choked back the tears.
"Do you want to leave?"
"No but I….." He could no longer stop the tears from flowing down his cheek.
"I do not want you to leave."
"But I…"
"Yes you got into trouble again but I'm proud that you told the truth. You could have said nothing and I wouldn't have known."
"I couldn't do that. It wasn't right." Peter smiled. He opened his arms and Neal ran into his embrace. "I'm sorry."
"I know. I just wish you would think of the consequences before you do something."
"Are you going to use the cane?" Neal's voice shook.
"No son I am not." Peter sat down and pulled Neal over his knee. Neal felt his hose being pulled down and not long after a sharp smack hit him. Nine more followed. Neal was crying by the sixth one and begged Peter to stop. The last four were delivered harder than the others. He lifted him up onto his feet and hugged him.
"I'm sorry, I won't…"
"Don't promise something you can't do. I don't expect you to be perfect, I wasn't." He wiped his eyes. "Go stand in the corner." Neal bent to pull up his hose. "Leave them down."
"But Dad.." Neal stopped as he realised what he'd said.
"Corner son."
Neal shuffled over. "What if someone comes in?" he asked.
Peter just signalled for him to turn round. Neal didn't know but Jones was standing outside to stop anyone entering. After ten minutes Peter called him over. El came in. When she saw his tears she pulled him into a hug.
"Are you alright sweetie?" she asked.
"I'm okay," he said bravely.
"Here," she said handing him a sugared sweet.
"El he got a spanking. If you feed him those every time he'll rot all his teeth."
"A mother is allowed to spoil her son."
"You really think of me as your son?" Neal asked.
"Yes," they both said.
"I am not waiting for the King's answer. I will announce tonight that we are adopting Neal."
"No I can wait," Neal said.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
TBC