Constant
Constancy - the quality of being unchanging or unwavering, as in purpose, love, or loyalty.
Chapter One – In Loyalty
'Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed', Jonathon Swift.
The garland was a lovely thing - a mixture of interwoven daisies and dog roses on a bed of ivy that Hunith had got up at dawn to weave for her sister. With a matching bouquet of the same plants in her hand and the garland carefully nestled amongst the soft waves of her light brown hair, Megan was one of the loveliest brides that Hunith had ever seen.
The dress was also simple but pretty; pink with darker embroidery around the neck and cuffs. When slipping it on, Megan seemed to stroke the cuffs with almost a reverence.
"Oh Hunith it's so beautiful," she murmured, following a dark pink rose with a delicate finger. "I can't imagine how long this must have taken to make."
"You silly girl," Hunith replied with a grin, "When am I ever going to be able to spoil you again?" She put her arms around her younger sister. "Meggy, you are my last sister and it warms my heart to see you so happily married. Let me indulge in a little luxury and spoiling for a final time on your special day."
Megan smiled gently, returning the embrace. She allowed Hunith to fuss for a few more minutes - gently braiding her hair and stitching a final hem – before broaching the subject that she had always feared to touch upon.
"Hunith, what about you?"
Her elder sister paused in a stitch. She looked up at her sister. "What do you mean Megan?"
Megan gazed at her sister imploringly, begging her not to turn away. "What of your marriage? What of your future when I am gone?"
Suddenly engrossed in stitching a final stray thread beneath the edge of the dress, Hunith bent her head. "What are you talking of? I shall continue as I always have."
"All alone in this house? But Hunith, you've devoted your life for the past thirteen years to Meredith, Perry and I. Don't you want to start your own life now that you have this chance and I am finally gone?"
With a wry laugh Hunith raised solemn grey eyes to her sister. "I am too old for such things, Meggy. No man would want me now, tired and worn as I am. Please don't worry about me; I am content in my choices. Before she died Mother asked me to care for you all and I have done it gladly."
"But you were only fourteen when Mother asked this of you and I was but three ..."
"And Father was still alive so we did well enough and can praise the gods that he was able to teach Perry the skills of the farm before he died."
"But now Perry is gone and you are left all alone to deal with this place."
Hunith stared at her sister. "Megan where have these thoughts come from? You know that is not true since Lukan bought most of Father's cows. We only have Tella and Nix left and I am more than capable of looking after them and the chickens."
"But won't you be lonely at night and ..."
"Megan." Hunith's tone was firm. "I shall be quite happy by myself and I wish you to stop worrying about me now. This is your wedding day and not a time to worry yourself with silly regrets that don't exist anywhere but in your loving mind."
Megan sighed and nodded, recognising the firmness of her sister's tone from the lessons of childhood. On a sudden impulse, she flung her arms around Hunith, trying to express the gratitude, love and anxiety that she felt for her eldest sister.
Gently, Hunith hugged her back before carefully disentangling herself and giving Megan's dress a final smooth. With a radiant smile she declared that she was ready.
With a sudden twinge of anxiety, Megan swallowed hard and nodded. Hunith smiled softly before kissing her youngest sister's cheek and leading her to her wedding in Ealdor's small chapel.
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As she watched the simple, beautiful ceremony of two young people swearing to share their lives with each other, Hunith was struck anew by the adoration with which Ross beheld his bride.
Although Megan lacked the dazzling green eyes and striking features of her married sister, Hunith felt as though the younger of her two sisters would be happier in marriage than the elder. Though Meredith's Amon was a wealthier man, Megan's Ross was a simple and reliable farmer, besotted with his betrothed and utterly dependable. He would spend his time working the land and building a home for his family, rather than wasting money of the frivolities and luxuries that Amon was able to purchase. Even Meredith had changed since their wedding, seeming more distant and elegant as she sat proudly beside her husband with her dark hair elaborately coiled on top of her head.
But then Hunith had always known the sort of lives that her two sisters would have from childhood. Meredith had always been vain and flighty, swanning around the house and staring at her reflection rather than getting on with the work and wishing to please as her gentler younger sister had. With a wry smile Hunith nodded her head, feeling an odd mixture of relief and sadness now that her long-ago promise to her mother had been fulfilled.
Her elation at the completion of the ceremony was bittersweet as she contemplated the future ahead of her, with none but herself to care and provide for. Although Megan would visit, her place was now a mile away on Ross' farm, and with Perry firmly settled as an apprentice blacksmith in the city of Fourglen, she was most definitely alone. Maybe Megan had actually been right...
With a sudden shake, Hunith thrust these thoughts aside as her practical side once more took hold and she made sure she was among the first to embrace the newly married pair. She kissed her youngest sister and new brother-in-law tenderly, before hurrying off with Ross's mother to oversee the remainder of the cooking at the centre of the village.
It was a communal affair as village weddings always were, with every person bringing something to contribute to the wedding feast and it was always the job of the bride and groom's parents to make some semblance of order with all the different offerings.
Hunith found herself grinning as she watched the attempts of Ross' mother, Nellay to cut a particularly hard wheaten loaf. "I'm going to make a guess that that loaf is Widow Miral's offering?" she queried with a smile.
With a sardonic smile, Nellay nodded. "And you would be right," she replied, shaking her head. "She continues to stubbornly believe that her recipe produces the hardiest loaf, but it is also the most impossible to consume without breaking teeth!"
Hunith laughed. "Place it on a platter next to the dripping. At least if it is soaked in the juices it may be easier to eat."
Nellay agreed to the sensible suggestion. "That makes sense," she replied, her eyes dancing. "But I think I'll avoid that hardiness myself."
Both women laughed as they set about ordering the rest of the meal, aided by Nellay's four daughters. They were just arranging greenery around the table when the young couple emerged from the chapel, an arch of woven tree-branches being held aloft above the couple by Ross' two best friends. The whole assembly clapped as Ross led his young bride towards the central circle and into their first ceremonial dance.
It was a rare treat to watch the pair as they move effortlessly together, twirling and spinning, dipping in time to the music. It was the oldest of rites and meant to symbolise their joining to become one flesh. Hunith was transfixed by them for a time, struck by the look of love and adoration that Ross and Megan shared as they danced. Their eyes never left each other, even as the tune changed to a livelier one that invited others to join.
In that moment, Hunith came to a painful realisation. It was one that she had never before indulged and never let herself dwell upon. But Megan had been right – she did long for love and companionship as any woman.
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The celebration was a great success. The music was merry and bright, the food filling and plentiful and the company warm and amiable. For this one day the whole village had joined together in festivity, allowing themselves a break from the drudgery of real life. With the meal fast disappearing from the table, Hunith had allowed herself to take a plateful and had been relishing the rare taste of roast beef when she had noticed Ross' father, Lukan was standing in front of her.
He smiled at her gently before offering a gnarled hand. "I wouldn't have any woman not dance at my only son's wedding Hunith, least of all my new daughter-in-law. Would you do me the honour?"
She smiled delightedly in response and willingly took his hand. He led her easily across the grass, dipping her and twirling her with a speed that left her at times breathless. Hunith laughed, causing Lukan to grin in response.
"It's nice to see you laughing, Hunith," he murmured, spinning her round. "You always seem so busy and industrious. I seldom see you laughing."
"That's just the pressure of daily life Lukan," she replied. "I laugh a lot with Megan at meal times."
"That's true, but will you now she is leaving you, Hunith? Wouldn't you consider moving in with us? Nellay and I have spoken about it a great deal and we would be overjoyed to welcome you into our family with Megan."
Hunith stared. "But I would be a burden to you. I couldn't bear to be a drain on your already overstretched resources, Lukan. Especially with Megan now moving in, what about when they have children?"
Lukan shook his head. "Ross has almost finished building their cottage at the end of the pasture, Hunith. They'll soon move out and then we'll have plenty of room. As to you being a burden, I don't think that's possible. You are just as good a cook as Nellay and I know she would love your company. We worry about you being left all alone in that cottage by yourself, what if you were to be taken ill? Who would help you?"
Hunith shook her head. "Lukan, I haven't been ill in thirteen years, even when both Perry and Megan had the sweating fever. I'm quite content I assure you. I don't think I could cope with leaving the cottage. It's where we were all born; it's always been my home. Father brought Mother home to it."
"Exactly Hunith, it holds all of these memories for you. But you have fulfilled your promise to your mother. Megan is now married, don't think that you need to stay faithful to stone walls."
Hunith was quiet for a long time as she contemplated Lukan's words. She was about to respond when a sudden movement caused her to glance up the main path of the village. A rider was trotting towards them, his horse's sides were lathered from a hard ride and his own face showed a similar weariness. The music instantly stopped as people stepped forward to aid him. It was a face they all knew well.
"Jacob!" Lukan called as he moved to support his brother. "What news? Have you word from the capital?"
Jacob breathed heavily, struggling to speak. He was hastily pushed into a chair and given a tankard of ale. People gathered around as he drank deeply, waiting with bated breath for his words.
"It is all over the capital!" he declared when he eventually spoke. "King Cenred rides to sign a treaty with King Uther of Albion at the birth of his son Prince Arthur."
The villagers stood in silence, absorbing this information.
"A public holiday has been declared in all of Albion, though there is grave concern about the health of Queen Ygraine. King Uther has declared that this new hope has reawakened his zeal to purge his kingdom of magic entirely. He says that he will not stop until every creature and person who possesses magical ability are crushed from the face of the earth."
It was a familiar message and one that all of the villagers had heard often before, and yet Hunith had never understood King Uther's hatred of magic. It seemed unnatural to wish to kill not only violent and evil men who sought to cast black magic, but also seemingly innocent women and children who had been sent to their death for no more of a crime than being born with some unique ability.
Though it would seem far and removed from her simple life, Hunith had once known a magician and had listened to his stories of the sufferings of magic users. Despite the fact that it had been in the time of her childhood, she had always remembered her father's friend Gaius and his amazing stories. He had stayed with them for a single season, telling great stories of dragons and war lords, of ancient kings and beautiful queens that had enthralled her as a girl. Thus, when she had heard stories of the evil of magic, she had always found it hard to picture the kind and merry Gaius casting dark and evil spells to slay an army or gain himself more power.
"Good thing," Lukan declared, causing Hunith to be drawn from her contemplation. "If Cenred forges alliances with Uther then maybe we shall have a time of peace with no restriction."
Other villagers murmured their agreement.
"It is a blessing on your marriage," Nellay stated as she placed an arm around Megan and Ross both. "May this grant us a new time of peace and a better hope for the future."
A cheer rang out amongst the villagers, causing them to embrace and smile. Hunith found herself warmly embraced by one of her new sisters-in-law. As she hugged the girl back, she fervently prayed that this hope might prove true.
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