OK FOLKS!!!!!!!!!!!! THIS IS FICTION!!!!!!!!! I AM NOT MEANING IT TO BE HISTORICALLY ACCURATE!!!!!!!!!!!! I NEVER WAS!!!!!!!!!!!!! IF you do NOT like it, LIVE WITH IT!!!!!!!!
I do NOT own these characters, BTW!!!!!!
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The ride the rest of the way was one where everyone had let their guard down. They were in a safer part of the forest and were riding toward the village. When they rode into the village, Chandler's eyes narrowed. The village was showing signs of neglect and poverty. He had to find out what had happened. That was going to be the first item on the agenda when he arrived.
Once they arrived in the fortress, Phoebe came running up. "Chandler, it is good to see you!" Evidently, she had heard that he had arrived back at the fortress. As did the captain of the guards. Or Gary.
"Phoebe, my friend! Good to see you as well!" Chandler quickly jumped down from his horse and gave her a hug. "Let me introduce everyone. Joey Tribbianni, who is my newest soldier, Lady Monica Geller and Lady Rachel Green, this is Phoebe Buffay. She is the village healer and mid wife. And when I was growing up, one of my best friends as was Gary, he is now the captain of the guards. When were all younger, we went exploring around the forest, woods and mountains together. " Chandler had helped Monica off her horse and Joey, who also happily jumped down from his mount, helped Rachel off hers.
After helping Rachel, Joey came forward and shook Gary's hand and then Phoebe's hand, which he held a bit longer than Gary's. "How are you doing, beautiful lady?" Causing Rachel to cringe. Try as she might to hide what she felt, there was something about that young Italian man that scraped a raw nerve. She kept telling herself that it was because of his lowly rank and that he had no money.
Phoebe just giggled. Joey was very smooth. She had dealt with men like him over the years. Heck, she and Gary almost married once, but decided to be friends when she saw him kill a poor animal. "Very good, sir. And you?"
"Great! Now that I see there is a beautiful lady around here at the castle." Joey grinned. He really enjoyed flirting with the ladies.
"Oh, I do not live at the castle. I live in a healer's house just outside of the village. Right by the tavern." Phoebe grinned back.
"Well, I will be probably making the tavern my second home so I will see you often." Joey grinned. She was easy going and truly a nice person and he could tell that she would make a good friend.
"Why am I not surprised with your raising?" Rachel huffed then turned away. Joey just shook his head. Why did she have to be so snobbish? She was either going to have too learn to tone down that attitude or someone was going to make sure that she toned it down in the future.
Monica was standing to the side by Rachel ignoring Chandler. She was still very angry at him for kidnapping her from her home and family. Chandler was talking to Gary and giving him some instructions.
"Gary, this is Joey Tribbianni. He is a friend of mine and a new member of the guard. He is to be trained the same way as we were. In short I want him to be trained like a squire." Chandler told his old friend. Although Joey could be trained as a knight, he would never hold a rank unless a king granted him one. But with that training and Chandler's support, Joey could go much higher than he would as a regular foot soldier.
Gary smiled. "Yes, my lord."
Gary had to work his way up the ladder from him being the son of a fletcher, or arrow and crossbow maker, that lived just outside of the castle. That was one of the reasons why he was such good friends with Chandler, he virtually lived inside the castle and was like a brother to Chandler and another grandson to Chandler's grandfather.
Since Gary was the youngest son, he would have probably would have been a hunter. But Chandler's grandfather had something else in mind for him, namely he had Gary trained with Chandler when he was a squire and they both learned how to ride a horse and use a sword and a bow and arrow and to wrestle. And Chandler would do the same thing if he saw a promising young man or woman and had them to go to go and work at different jobs when they informed him that they wanted a new job.
Chandler barely remembered his grandfather and grandmother. But he remembered them as being doting and loving people that he missed. His grandparents raised him as though he were a son to them, since his mother left him there to be raised by them. After his grandparent's died, she only sent word to the manager of the house at that time to watch over Chandler. So she was able to stay at court and did not have to worry about him.
Chandler's grandmother was always looking after the castle and checking on the common folk and helping with the sick and she was very kind and intelligent, in short Monica reminded him of his grandmother. His grandfather was the closest thing to a father that he had. When his grandfather had time, he would take him fishing and tell him stories and he was the one who taught him how to ride. He got most of his opinions from his grandfather about man's self worth.
His grandmother died when he was three years of age because of sickness. His grandfather died when he was five when one of his old wounds opened up and caused an infection. But, Chandler remembered spending time around him and remembered what he taught him about people and to judge people by their actions. Which probably was the reason why he was the way he is.
"Phoebe, will you do me a favor and show the ladies around and to their rooms. Gary and Joey, I need to go and to speak to my schenshal, Douglas Waters. You both are coming with me." Chandler then led the way to the treasury. While Phoebe took Monica and Rachel on a tour of the fortress.
Phoebe showed them around the castle, which looked as though it hadn't been cleaned in a long time. The floors looked as though they had not been swept in some time and they had sticks, bones, dried mud and other material spread across them. The ceilings had cob webs which hung down and made it a breading ground for spiders. The rugs and tapestries were covered with dirt and smoke and charcoal and the servants which were suppose to be working on the fortress were too busy doing really nothing.
In short, what the fortress needed was a good cleaning. The floor needed a good sweeping and scrubbed. The ceilings needed to have the spider webs removed and the tapestries and rugs needed cleaned and aired out. What the castle needed was a good hand to force people to move in the right direction.
Soon after, Phoebe was done with the tour, she showed them to their rooms, which had hastily been swept out and new covers thrown on the beds. The rooms were right next to each other. And they were much bigger than Monica's room back home. Or it took two of Monica's rooms back home to equal one of the rooms that hey were to stay in. And right between the rooms was a sitting room with two doors one each leading to the bedroom for them to entertain guests.
Both of the rooms had huge oak beds that were made by craftsmen from that area and were beautifully carved with heavy covers and fine tapestries covered the walls and beautiful rugs covered the floors. There was also a table near the huge fireplace and two chairs besides the table and a chair besides the bed and a huge chest at the end of the beds. That was how both of the rooms looked on the inside.
Both of the rooms also had a huge window. Monica's overlooked behind the castle to the waterfalls, while Rachel's room was situated besides hers the window was in the opposite position and overlooked part of the village.
They felt much better after being shown their rooms. They were able to clean up and rest from the long ride and some food. But while they were treated like respected guests, they still felt like prisoners.
*********
Doug had no idea that Chandler was there or even coming. So he was not prepared when Chandler and the captain of the guard and another man walked into the office.
"My lord! I was not expecting you! If I knew that you were coming…." Doug was then cut off.
"Then what, you would go through and rewrite the accounting records." Chandler then sat down and looked at the records that were out. "Joey look around every inch of the room and find see if you can find some more records. Gary take Doug to his chamber and lock him in. He is not to leave the room until I have gone over every paper that we have here."
Chandler then started to look over the records. Joey started to gather what papers he could find as well as log books and Gary took Doug to his chamber to watch him. And posted two guards outside the room with orders to kill if he tried to get away.
Over the next three hours, Joey and Chandler had found every piece of paper and log book that were hidden in the room, thanks to Chandler remembering the hiding places around the room from him exploring it when he was younger and his grandfather showing where they were. And he confirmed the fact that Doug was taking the money from the people or embezzling it from the taxes that were suppose to be going to the king or was sending false reports to the king and the revenue agents or bribing them to hold their tongues. And soon enough Chandler had enough evidence that Doug was guilty of creating taxes that did not exist and pocketing the money himself and stealing the money that rightfully belonged to the king.
Then, Gary knocked on the door. Joey let him in. "My lord, there are some representatives from the village who wish to speak to you concerning matters of certain trials that were not fairly conducted."
Chandler yawned since it was late in the afternoon, "Tell them I will hear what they have to say. Show them in."
Gary left to lead them inside. Joey turned toward Chandler. "What do you think has taken place?"
"Since I have been gone? It has been almost thirteen years, since I lived here last. And Doug has been managing the castle for at least a good five years. I mean I have come back a few times for visits, but obviously not near enough. And now to answer your question, I really do not know, Joey." Chandler stood up and stretched.
Gary entered with five men. By their outfits, one was a blacksmith, one a priest, one was a merchant, one a tavern keeper, and one was a dairy farmer.
"Sir, we have some grievances to relay to you about your manager." The tavern keeper spoke. "We are not trying to cast doubt on his character nor his judgment except….."
"Harry, stop beating around the bush. That manager of yours is taking money from thieves and is taking bribes when it comes to making judgments. There is hardly any other lands in the kingdom that are taxed as heavily as ours. My lord, we ask you to please look into the matter and give out different verdicts. There are some men, women and children who have been sentenced to be put to death that are innocent tomorrow. And there is the fact of the tortures and beatings being carried out. And a lot of it to get answers to crimes that people say to stop the torture from occurring. Please at least look into the crimes they have been accused of." The blacksmith spoke.
"I have already begun to look through the account books of the castle. Gary, there is to be no more executions nor any torture of any type given to any people. I will retry them and there will be a fair hearing, starting tomorrow morning at nine at the tavern. Inform the surrounding villagers of my intentions. I will start a day of the week for judgments. And another day to listen to the people about their grievances. Now gentlemen I am extremely tired. I will go and get something to eat and then go off to bed." Chandler then started out of the room, only momentarily to stop. "I suggest that you do the same as well." Before he left he was momentarily stopped by a request.
"Sire, another moment of your time." The Priest asked.
"Yes." Chandler replied.
"There is not much food in the village, thanks to the manager selling the majority of it and no real firewood. Could you please find it in your heart to give at least one handful of cheese and half a loaf of bread to the children and the pregnant women? And let us gather the firewood as well. I fear that some of the old and young will not be able to make it when it gets too cold otherwise." The Priest asked.
"What?" Chandler was mad. "He sold the food that belonged to the village?!!!" Chandler was mad.
"He said that you wanted the money for taxes that needed to be paid." The merchant informed Chandler.
"I do not require much taxes. And the taxes that I require which are a tenth are to go back to the land. And the king does not require much, only one tenth of what you make." Chandler reasoned out.
"And the church. He also taxed the church as well." The priest informed him. "I also knew that the taxes were way too high comparing this lands taxes with others."
"What? The church and it's holdings are not to be taxed at ALL!!!!!!!" A very angry Chandler almost yelled out. Taxing a church was going too far. No one not even the worst heretics would dream of taxing a church.
"But he would not stop with just the taxes. He wanted more and sold the food in the storage house. And left us with just enough to see us through a year, or what would hopefully be enough." The blacksmith told Chandler.
"You are all allowed to take a round of cheese and a loaf of bread from the food stores here at the fortress every day and can go hunting for small animals once a week, until we get some supplies in. I will find a way to also get some extra food here at the fortress. And you will be allowed to cut down some trees and gather the scattered branches on the ground of the forest as well as the bushes. Now that will be all. Until tomorrow."
The five men then were led out. Chandler had a feeling that they next couple of days were going to be very busy and tiring.
First thing was first, for his crimes, Doug Waters would be tried in the public square then he would be put into the dungeon to await transport to the coast for a boat to the capital. Where the king and special prosecutors could make cases against him and then they would punish him for his crimes. Chandler decided that it would be Gary and a few trusted guards that would be sent to take him to the capital and hand the king the evidence.
Chandler was right. But instead of one day taking all of his time, it took three days. And that was just trying to get everything that dealt with the judgments done right and to give another verdict. He then also gave out some extra blankets and firewood to the people.
On the third day, Doug Waters was brought forward from the dungeons. Joey and Gary stood on each side of him as they led him out to the village square. A hastily built bench was sat up and a place where the jury sat at. Consisting of six men of the village and the surrounding farms.
Once arriving, people started to talk, Chandler then called for quiet. He then read a list of charges. "Doug Waters you are guilty of embezzling funds from the king's coffers, creating false taxes that do not exist, putting innocent people to death or attempting to put innocent people to death, taking bribes and giving bribes from bandits among others and for taxing the church. And those are the charges that can be supported by evidence. What defense do you offer?"
"Those people who said that are ALL liars!!!!" Doug screamed out.
"Is that all your defense? Where are your people who have vowed to defend you at now?" Chandler asked.
Doug looked around for his friends and realized that his friends that he accepted bribes from were no longer around and were in the dungeon some waiting to be executed and some in for life and others were paying a heavy fine while others were simply whipped. "I have no defense and you know it. But my other friends will still save me." Doug threatened Chandler.
"Oh really? Who is it? Let me guess, the bandits that you have been harboring in the forest. Well, I have a command straight from the king himself to rid the forest of those bandits and thieves. Anything else to say? No? Alright then, how says the jury?" Chandler asked the men.
The blacksmith that was chosen the leader stepped forward, "GUILTY, on ALL charges!!!!!"
"Douglas Waters, my former manager, I sentence you to the dungeon until the first part of spring then you will board a ship and be sent to the king for the rest of your sentence to be given you." Chandler decided.
Everyone there knew that he would be put to death by the king. For bribing the revenue agents and stealing the taxes from the king and taxing the church. Both of which were punishable by death. With that Joey and Gary dragged a pleading Doug away to the dungeon.
Three days later, Chandler found out where Doug hid the money at. Chandler then used said money to buy more food for the people by filling up the storehouse. And started on some improvements around the village. Like bridges and to make sure that the houses were waterproofed and weatherproof. The rest of the money he gave to the church for the orphanage and the widows and those down on their luck. He then cut down on the taxes considerably, and banished the church from paying taxes at all.
Since he only required the people to pay only a certain amount of taxes, the people had more money and started to save it and then bit by bit started to spend it on items such as clothes and other goods they needed. Then they started to see that they could buy other things that they didn't HAVE to have. Then over an amount of time, clothes slowly became more fancy and the people were able to spend more frivolously on other areas.
Soon after that time, after Chandler bought the food, Joey and some other guards were standing guard over the storehouse, when some thieves came up and tried to steal the food. Joey, and the three other guards fought them off. That was when Chandler decided to start rounding up the thieves and bandits. And to try to make the forest safe again that were on his lands.
IT was not an easy task. There was an abundance of bandits and outlaws because of what Doug did to the villagers and other people. The first action that Chandler did was to send out a proclamation telling the people that all would be dropped if they came back home or entered the king's service as foresters to help patrol the forest and to protect the deer.
The people were a bit cautious when the proclamation came out. But soon enough they saw that Chandler was a fair magistrate and listened to the people and actually tried to help them. And soon enough, people started to come from hiding and join Chandler and his men.
Chandler gave the people two weeks to make up their minds. And in doing so, a lot of good people came from the woods who had enough of being outlaws and wanted to start living life normally again. Soon there were even people who started to give up positions were the outlaws may be at. By the end of two weeks, Chandler and his guards and newly made foresters went to rid the forests of the bandits.
While Chandler was busy with the bandits, the castle was having troubles of its own. Since Chandler had arrived back home he went and fired some of the household help that Doug had picked out to help him skim money from the treasury and household accounts.
And since there was a restructure of the household help, there was no manager or chamberlain or maid of the castle itself. And since there was no one there directing what should be cleaned, cooked, or how the fortress should run, there was nothing but chaos. No one knew their jobs or what to do. And that meant trouble. And that was why the castle was in such a mess . No one cleaned it and they tended to go off and to work at the jobs only a bit or not to do them at all.
Finally, it all came to ahead one evening, when Chandler came home from following a lead where the bandits hideout was suppose to have been at. It had proven a false lead. But they still came home tired, exhausted and sore from all the riding and looking around the part of the woods know as Dead Tree Hallow.
After they arrived, Chandler and the others all went to the great hall and were looking for some food. The cook not told about what to prepare for supper, had not made anything. The maids were not around and had not cleaned up. There was no wood for the fire. Nothing was done. So the castle was a mess. And it looked as though it had not been cleaned in years. Or at least since Doug had started on as the manager.
Chandler, Joey and the guards were tired, dirty, hungry and some wounded. Chandler did not want to be bothered with the mess. Chandler snapped at the cook and informed him to prepare some food. Any type of food. And to also clean up the fortress's main hall, while Chandler, Joey and the guards went to wash up and see to their wounds .
That left the help trying to decide what to do. But they mainly argued and almost got into a fight. No one really knew what to do, with no one leading them or informing them of their duties. The servants could not decide on where to start at. So chaos ensued.
After Phoebe, who was there to help with the worst wounded, heard and saw what had happened, she went to talk to Monica and informed her that the castle was a mess and there was no one to oversee the cooking and managing of the castle. Once Monica heard that, she felt that she couldn't stay up in her room anymore and ignore what went on in the castle. She was raised to manage a castle and make sure that everyone got their orders of what to do. Everyone from the maids, laundresses, cooks and serving wenches.
After going down, she went to the fortress storeroom or cellar and found out what was there and what could be made. Then she took some ingredients out to the cooks and informed them what to make. The cooks then started to make different courses. One the different breads one of which was to hold the cheese and meat while another was a twisted French loaf, which the second cook was in charge of meats and vegetables, and then the last cook which would make primarily pies and fruit and jams, in short deserts.
While the kitchen maids were busy preparing the meat by plucking the feathers of the birds and peeling the vegetables and turning the spits that the meat were on. While the cooks added what ever ingredients to what they were making and the main ones were busy overseeing the kitchen.
Monica then walked Into the hall and seeing how dirty it was, had a meeting with all the maids and started issuing out orders and soon the hall was starting to be cleaned and was soon fit to eat in again and afterward she informed them of what to clean she also had the household help to go after firewood. So that by the time that Chandler, Joey and the guards all arrived back, the food was almost ready and the hall was warm and clean.
So after that, which proved that she could do a good job, Monica officially became the mistress of the fortress or the chamberlain. She gave the orders for the fortress, and was in charge of the managing of the food, cleaning and the daily tasks and she also was given the keys to the storeroom by Chandler who was very grateful to her for her help. And he then informed the staff that she was in charge of the fortress while giving the key to her in front of everyone. The only person who was above her in making decisions was Chandler. But the staff soon learned that Monica was very confidant and learned to trust her to make the right choices.
Within a week, under Monica's direction, the castle had been aired out and cleaned from top to bottom. And everyone of the blankets, tapestries and rugs both material and fur were taken out and beaten, washed and soon were put back where they belonged. The floors scrubbed down before the rugs placed on them again. And the spider webs gone form the walls and the ceilings. The walls had been washed and whitewashed with different colors and then the newly cleaned tapestries were put back up. And the old furniture was repaired or thrown out, considering it's condition. In short, it was a place to be proud of. So instead of a damp, messy, smelly pile of rubble, it became a warm, clean, inviting home.
Monica also was becoming friends with the villagers as well. She would walk to the village and talk to the villagers and say hi and play with the kids. She would exchange news with the women of the village and listen to their commits. The men also started to regard her with a feeling they would of their own daughters. The only person she was indifferent to was Chandler. HE after all was the one who stole her away from her home and brought her up here. She got along with everyone else, but she barely talked to him.
After Rachel, Phoebe was her best friend. Monica had found out that Rachel was a snob and she could hardly stand to be around her at times. She was self centered and haughty. And would spend all of her time, complaining about the food they ate, clothes they wore or that she was bored. Monica tried to interest her in sewing, knitting, crochet, or embroidery. Rachel refused each of them. In short it got to the point of where she would rather be around Chandler. Which she did whenever Rachel walked into a room to complain yet again.
Monica sat at the fire knitting a shawl with Phoebe sitting beside her with yarn around the outside of her hands giving Monica leeway to use the yarn. Monica was smiling at a story Phoebe was telling her about Chandler when he was younger. Phoebe noticed that every time Monica was around Chandler, she was distant and cold toward him,, but away from him, she was interested in him. Hopefully telling these stories would get her to open up more.
Rachel kept pacing back and forth from one part of the room to the other. She finally huffed down in a chair. "I am bored!"
"Would you like some yarn for knitting or some material and thread for embroidery?" Monica asked nicely.
"You may want to associate with the help by acting like them, but I do NOT!" Rachel walked off in a huff. Monica and Phoebe looked at each other and shook their heads.
Since Monica could talk more easily to Phoebe, she felt that while Phoebe was a bit loopy, she was good hearted and well meaning. And found that they both could talk to each other better, usually while walking along the road or in the village, or even at night in front of a roaring fire. Phoebe might have silly ideas at times, but she was not spoiled and was someone she could easily talk to and she would not put her down.
Monica was dressed in a woolen dark blue dress with a midnight blue undercoat, or the colors of the Tyler family. Since it had snowed two days after they had arrived, she and Rachel both had gotten dressed in warm outfits that were made of wool, soft kid leathers, or even furs, velvets and a few cottons. Clothes they did not have a lot of were silks, satins or other light materials. They did have a few of them only not as much as Rachel was used to. Which Rachel howled at yet again.
Rachel whined when she arrived and found out that they were expected to make their own clothes. While she knew how to knit or embroidery, she did not know how to sew, Monica and Phoebe both made the clothes for her. Instead of being grateful, all Rachel did was to complain. The wool itched, she wanted more velvets and silks and satins, the clothes were not up to date and were outdated. She was starting to drive everyone nuts around her.
*********
One week later
Monica sat in the office that was connected to the kitchen and was writing in a journal of what was used and what supplies they needed. Since she took control of the records and the day to day activities, she made that office hers and was often found there, trying to get everything done she could. The journal and the household was well run and the place was almost done being cleaned. The servants all had soon came to love her and trust her.
She even was making plans for an herb garden to be placed besides the kitchen one as soon as spring arrived. Phoebe already promised her starts of the plants. So they could use those plants, not only for helping the flavor of the food but to also help with pains and ailments.
A knock was heard at the door, then it opened. Chandler walked in. "Hello, Monica. Would you like to go for a ride with me this afternoon?" He smiled and hoped that she would agree to go. If she said yes then that would be a first. It would be a slight victory, even though it would be a small one.
Monica looked up from her books, "It is Lady Monica Geller to you, and NO. I am busy." Monica then turned her attention back to the books.
"Oh, I see. Then I will see you later on tonight. Around dinner time." Chandler gave her a slight bow and walked out, shutting the door behind him.
Chandler leaned up against the door and sighed. He had tried hard over the past week to 'court' her. By offering to take her for a ride, a walk, or just to sit and talk to her. But, she even refused to talk to him at times. And would give only short blunt answers. This was not going well at all.
After standing there for a few minutes, he then pushed himself away from the door and walked out to the barracks to get some exercise with the sword. He was going to need to keep in practice to start keeping the bandits down. Even though they had made progress, there was still a lot to do.
During a few of the battles, some of his men were either killed or wounded. Chandler was among them that was wounded. He had a gash on his forehead that knocked him out and an arrow skimmed his right arm. His wounds were not that bad, just bad enough that he was in bed for a bit.
Chandler was not happy with that. But Phoebe who saw to his wounds warned him that she had a lot more worse ones to look after and she was not in the mood to argue with him. And if she had to, she would tie Chandler to the bed to make him stay put. After Phoebe left, he was about to get up out of the bed, but Monica and Joey forced him to stay in bed. And Monica let him know in uncertain terms that she would look after Chandler and that he had better stay put. Joey even agreed to stay outside the door to keep him from leaving the room. In short, he was a virtual prisoner in his own home.
So while Phoebe attended the other men, Monica who knew how to attend battle wounds looked after Chandler. During that time, Monica started to soften in her resolve toward Chandler.
It had been two days since Chandler was wounded. And Monica would still not let him out of the room. Chandler sighed and decided to leave. He was still the lord of this land and no one was going to stop him.
He got up out of the bed and got dressed. He went to the door and opened it. The guard who was there was asleep. Chandler frowned. That guard needed some discipline. He would have to talk to Gary about him.
As he walked down the now clean halls, he felt a surge of happiness at how much it was starting to resemble the fortress when his grandparents were alive and a sense of pride that Monica, the woman that he was going to marry, had made that happen. She was everything that he or any man could possibly want. And he could tell that below her exterior, she was also a passionate woman. With her ideas and attitude. In short, everything was going to work out. He knew it.
When he stepped into the main hall, the talking all stopped and no one said a word. That is until Monica, who was coming from the kitchen saw him. "Chandler!?! What are you doing out of bed?" She put her hands on her hips that Chandler wished that he could take hold of.
"I was bored. Besides, this is my home. I am the lord and master here and I will NOT be cooped up in that room anymore!" Chandler replied as he started to walk out of the fortress.
"Hold it right there! Your fever just broke last night. You can not go outside your room until a week has passed." Monica stepped in front of him to bar him from leaving. "Rachel, get Joey or Gary."
"I can and I will." Chandler then gently pushed her aside.
"Oh no you will not!" Monica blocked his way again. "Rachel get Joey or Gary! Move!"
"No way. This is the most entertainment since I was banished to this forsaken land." Rachel smiled and sat down on nearby bench. Well, to her this was the most excitement since leaving court.
Chandler then tried to leave again, only to be confronted by Monica yet again. "Monica get out of my way."
"NO!!! Melissa, get Gary or Joey." Monica yelled out an order to one of the maids.
"Melissa, do not get either of them." Chandler tried once again to get around Monica only to be stopped by her.
"Uh….." Melissa was torn. She could not disobey Chandler, yet she felt that Monica was right. If Chandler were to go out in this cold weather, then he could get worse.
Monica still would not move from her spot to let Chandler out of there. So Chandler picked her up and moved her aside and started to walk out. He did not get far, Joey and Gary were both returning from the tavern. They took one look at Chandler and one look at Monica who had run up to where they were. Joey and Gary then grabbed hold of Chandler and started pushing him back into the great hall.
"Thank you both." Monica then turned angrily toward Chandler. "You are not to go out until I say that you can."
"I am no longer sick. I can and I will." Chandler then tried to get away from Joey and Gary, but they just tightened their grips.
"You just got over a fever and it is very cold out and I will not have you over extending yourself so that one of your wounds gets infected. Now, get back to bed!" Monica stood her ground, there was no way that she was going to allow Chandler to go outside.
" I will not spend all week in that bed!" Chandler could feel his patience almost at an end.
But, if his patience was almost gone, then Monica's was nearly gone as well. "Fine then. You are confined to your room!"
"Neither will I stay cooped up all week like a bird in a cage!" Chandler was getting riled.
"Oh, yes you will if I have to lock you in there!!!" Monica argued back.
"Oh, no I won't! There is nothing for me to do in there. I will be bored all week." Chandler snapped back.
"Well, find SOMETHING to do!" Monica retorted. "There are books for you to read."
"Read them all." Chandler was starting to enjoy this little difference of opinion.
"I have an idea." Joey offered. "Chandler has to stay in the fortress, no going out. He will not be in the room, but he will not be outside. Well?"
Chandler sighed and crossed his arms, "I guess I could put up with that."
"No, certainly not!!! He stays in bed!!!!" Monica repeated stubbornly.
"I am NOT staying in that bed!!!" Chandler retorted.
"Oh yes you WILL!!!" Monica responded. "If I have to stay up there and make sure you do not leave!"
"I will stay in the room, not the bed! But, you will stay up there and keep me company!" Chandler referred to Monica.
"What?" Monica asked.
"You heard me. Either you stay there and keep me company in that room, and I will stay in it for ONLY two days, or I will go outside." Chandler smiled. He had her.
"It will be three days, and I will not stay in there with you. I have a fortress to oversee. After three days you can go anywhere in the fortress, but not outside." Monica snipped back.
"Ok, fine." Chandler then shrugged and turned around to walk out of the fortress.
"Wait!" Monica and her instincts to help a patient took over. "Fine I will come and visit you. But I will not stay."
"When I get bored, I will leave the fortress." Chandler grinned.
"No you will not!" Monica shot back. Why did he have to be so stubborn? While they were arguing, everyone was watching them with amusement and wondering who would break first.
"Why not, you are not going to be there to make sure that I am not leaving." Chandler's grin turned mischievous. HE had her and he knew it.
"But the fortress!!!!" Monica tried to get out of watching him.
"You can have the head of cleaning and the head cook report to you up there." Chandler taunted her. "AN d I will stay up there for three days, but you have to stay with me."
"Fine!!!!!!! March!!!!!!!!!!!" Monica yelled out as she pointed to the stairs. Chandler, who was grinning, then turned to walk up them with Monica right behind him.
After they left, Joey turned to Gary, "Chandler won in the end, didn't he?"
"Yup. He got Lady Monica to spend time with him." Gary replied.
"He tricked her!!!" Rachel committed.
"I think I heard him call it 'friendly persuasion'." Joey responded. For the rest of the day, Monica would hardly talk to Chandler, until he threatened to leave the room to find someone to talk to. Then she gave in and started to talk to him. But it wasn't until the next day that she started to be more of a friend to talk to him.
A week and a half after Chandler and Joey had rode off with Monica and Rachel, The Geller's had gotten word of what happened.
Jack, stood by the fire and read the message, that was sent by the queen, to Judy, who was sitting down, and to Ross who was getting more and more angry. "Let's get the soldiers and…."
"There will be no and, Ross." Jack Geller stated quietly as he stared into the flames.
"But…"Ross tried get his say in.
"It is winter. The roads will be too muddy in the lower lands where it is milder and in the higher lands where Tyler Fortress is much colder at, snow will be on the ground and the mountainous area through there will make it impassible this time of year. There is no way an army will be able to make it overland and the sea will be too rough to try and come in the other way. So the answer is 'NO'! " Baron Geller sighed.
He knew that before the winter was up Chandler would have talked Monica into marrying him. Talked being the key word. They both knew better than to try and make Monica do something that she would never do.
"Even if you do bring Monica back, her reputation is ruined, and no man of noble blood would have her. It would be better if she stays away." Judy sniffed.
"Fine, then I will go myself and bring my sister back. Even if I have to kill that thief, myself!!!" Ross strode out of the hall, determined to bring Monica back.
"If he lives, it will be too late." Jack Geller once again sighed aloud.
"It already is too late. The appearances will be destroyed. Monica up their alone with that man!!!!!!" Judy then stiffened. "What do you mean if he lives?"
"It is a dangerous journey and there is a chance that he will not make it. A huge chance." Jack Geller sat immobile.
"NOOOOOO!!!!!!!! I will tell him that he can not go!!!!! HE will listen to ME!!!!!" Judy decided aloud.
"No he will not, he is too stubborn.' Jack watched sadly as Ross ran out of the keep with the travel necessities that he would need for the trip. He wondered if he would ever see him again. Jack then tried his best to shut out Judy's mournful voice to try and convince her son to stay.
***********
What will happen next part? Will Monica and Chandler continue to get closer? Will Rachel stop being so stuck up? Will Ross ever get to the fortress alive? When will I ever write it????? HAHA!!! Just joking, I will write the next part soon. Sooner than I wrote this one!!!!!!!!!
I do NOT own these characters, BTW!!!!!!
**************
The ride the rest of the way was one where everyone had let their guard down. They were in a safer part of the forest and were riding toward the village. When they rode into the village, Chandler's eyes narrowed. The village was showing signs of neglect and poverty. He had to find out what had happened. That was going to be the first item on the agenda when he arrived.
Once they arrived in the fortress, Phoebe came running up. "Chandler, it is good to see you!" Evidently, she had heard that he had arrived back at the fortress. As did the captain of the guards. Or Gary.
"Phoebe, my friend! Good to see you as well!" Chandler quickly jumped down from his horse and gave her a hug. "Let me introduce everyone. Joey Tribbianni, who is my newest soldier, Lady Monica Geller and Lady Rachel Green, this is Phoebe Buffay. She is the village healer and mid wife. And when I was growing up, one of my best friends as was Gary, he is now the captain of the guards. When were all younger, we went exploring around the forest, woods and mountains together. " Chandler had helped Monica off her horse and Joey, who also happily jumped down from his mount, helped Rachel off hers.
After helping Rachel, Joey came forward and shook Gary's hand and then Phoebe's hand, which he held a bit longer than Gary's. "How are you doing, beautiful lady?" Causing Rachel to cringe. Try as she might to hide what she felt, there was something about that young Italian man that scraped a raw nerve. She kept telling herself that it was because of his lowly rank and that he had no money.
Phoebe just giggled. Joey was very smooth. She had dealt with men like him over the years. Heck, she and Gary almost married once, but decided to be friends when she saw him kill a poor animal. "Very good, sir. And you?"
"Great! Now that I see there is a beautiful lady around here at the castle." Joey grinned. He really enjoyed flirting with the ladies.
"Oh, I do not live at the castle. I live in a healer's house just outside of the village. Right by the tavern." Phoebe grinned back.
"Well, I will be probably making the tavern my second home so I will see you often." Joey grinned. She was easy going and truly a nice person and he could tell that she would make a good friend.
"Why am I not surprised with your raising?" Rachel huffed then turned away. Joey just shook his head. Why did she have to be so snobbish? She was either going to have too learn to tone down that attitude or someone was going to make sure that she toned it down in the future.
Monica was standing to the side by Rachel ignoring Chandler. She was still very angry at him for kidnapping her from her home and family. Chandler was talking to Gary and giving him some instructions.
"Gary, this is Joey Tribbianni. He is a friend of mine and a new member of the guard. He is to be trained the same way as we were. In short I want him to be trained like a squire." Chandler told his old friend. Although Joey could be trained as a knight, he would never hold a rank unless a king granted him one. But with that training and Chandler's support, Joey could go much higher than he would as a regular foot soldier.
Gary smiled. "Yes, my lord."
Gary had to work his way up the ladder from him being the son of a fletcher, or arrow and crossbow maker, that lived just outside of the castle. That was one of the reasons why he was such good friends with Chandler, he virtually lived inside the castle and was like a brother to Chandler and another grandson to Chandler's grandfather.
Since Gary was the youngest son, he would have probably would have been a hunter. But Chandler's grandfather had something else in mind for him, namely he had Gary trained with Chandler when he was a squire and they both learned how to ride a horse and use a sword and a bow and arrow and to wrestle. And Chandler would do the same thing if he saw a promising young man or woman and had them to go to go and work at different jobs when they informed him that they wanted a new job.
Chandler barely remembered his grandfather and grandmother. But he remembered them as being doting and loving people that he missed. His grandparents raised him as though he were a son to them, since his mother left him there to be raised by them. After his grandparent's died, she only sent word to the manager of the house at that time to watch over Chandler. So she was able to stay at court and did not have to worry about him.
Chandler's grandmother was always looking after the castle and checking on the common folk and helping with the sick and she was very kind and intelligent, in short Monica reminded him of his grandmother. His grandfather was the closest thing to a father that he had. When his grandfather had time, he would take him fishing and tell him stories and he was the one who taught him how to ride. He got most of his opinions from his grandfather about man's self worth.
His grandmother died when he was three years of age because of sickness. His grandfather died when he was five when one of his old wounds opened up and caused an infection. But, Chandler remembered spending time around him and remembered what he taught him about people and to judge people by their actions. Which probably was the reason why he was the way he is.
"Phoebe, will you do me a favor and show the ladies around and to their rooms. Gary and Joey, I need to go and to speak to my schenshal, Douglas Waters. You both are coming with me." Chandler then led the way to the treasury. While Phoebe took Monica and Rachel on a tour of the fortress.
Phoebe showed them around the castle, which looked as though it hadn't been cleaned in a long time. The floors looked as though they had not been swept in some time and they had sticks, bones, dried mud and other material spread across them. The ceilings had cob webs which hung down and made it a breading ground for spiders. The rugs and tapestries were covered with dirt and smoke and charcoal and the servants which were suppose to be working on the fortress were too busy doing really nothing.
In short, what the fortress needed was a good cleaning. The floor needed a good sweeping and scrubbed. The ceilings needed to have the spider webs removed and the tapestries and rugs needed cleaned and aired out. What the castle needed was a good hand to force people to move in the right direction.
Soon after, Phoebe was done with the tour, she showed them to their rooms, which had hastily been swept out and new covers thrown on the beds. The rooms were right next to each other. And they were much bigger than Monica's room back home. Or it took two of Monica's rooms back home to equal one of the rooms that hey were to stay in. And right between the rooms was a sitting room with two doors one each leading to the bedroom for them to entertain guests.
Both of the rooms had huge oak beds that were made by craftsmen from that area and were beautifully carved with heavy covers and fine tapestries covered the walls and beautiful rugs covered the floors. There was also a table near the huge fireplace and two chairs besides the table and a chair besides the bed and a huge chest at the end of the beds. That was how both of the rooms looked on the inside.
Both of the rooms also had a huge window. Monica's overlooked behind the castle to the waterfalls, while Rachel's room was situated besides hers the window was in the opposite position and overlooked part of the village.
They felt much better after being shown their rooms. They were able to clean up and rest from the long ride and some food. But while they were treated like respected guests, they still felt like prisoners.
*********
Doug had no idea that Chandler was there or even coming. So he was not prepared when Chandler and the captain of the guard and another man walked into the office.
"My lord! I was not expecting you! If I knew that you were coming…." Doug was then cut off.
"Then what, you would go through and rewrite the accounting records." Chandler then sat down and looked at the records that were out. "Joey look around every inch of the room and find see if you can find some more records. Gary take Doug to his chamber and lock him in. He is not to leave the room until I have gone over every paper that we have here."
Chandler then started to look over the records. Joey started to gather what papers he could find as well as log books and Gary took Doug to his chamber to watch him. And posted two guards outside the room with orders to kill if he tried to get away.
Over the next three hours, Joey and Chandler had found every piece of paper and log book that were hidden in the room, thanks to Chandler remembering the hiding places around the room from him exploring it when he was younger and his grandfather showing where they were. And he confirmed the fact that Doug was taking the money from the people or embezzling it from the taxes that were suppose to be going to the king or was sending false reports to the king and the revenue agents or bribing them to hold their tongues. And soon enough Chandler had enough evidence that Doug was guilty of creating taxes that did not exist and pocketing the money himself and stealing the money that rightfully belonged to the king.
Then, Gary knocked on the door. Joey let him in. "My lord, there are some representatives from the village who wish to speak to you concerning matters of certain trials that were not fairly conducted."
Chandler yawned since it was late in the afternoon, "Tell them I will hear what they have to say. Show them in."
Gary left to lead them inside. Joey turned toward Chandler. "What do you think has taken place?"
"Since I have been gone? It has been almost thirteen years, since I lived here last. And Doug has been managing the castle for at least a good five years. I mean I have come back a few times for visits, but obviously not near enough. And now to answer your question, I really do not know, Joey." Chandler stood up and stretched.
Gary entered with five men. By their outfits, one was a blacksmith, one a priest, one was a merchant, one a tavern keeper, and one was a dairy farmer.
"Sir, we have some grievances to relay to you about your manager." The tavern keeper spoke. "We are not trying to cast doubt on his character nor his judgment except….."
"Harry, stop beating around the bush. That manager of yours is taking money from thieves and is taking bribes when it comes to making judgments. There is hardly any other lands in the kingdom that are taxed as heavily as ours. My lord, we ask you to please look into the matter and give out different verdicts. There are some men, women and children who have been sentenced to be put to death that are innocent tomorrow. And there is the fact of the tortures and beatings being carried out. And a lot of it to get answers to crimes that people say to stop the torture from occurring. Please at least look into the crimes they have been accused of." The blacksmith spoke.
"I have already begun to look through the account books of the castle. Gary, there is to be no more executions nor any torture of any type given to any people. I will retry them and there will be a fair hearing, starting tomorrow morning at nine at the tavern. Inform the surrounding villagers of my intentions. I will start a day of the week for judgments. And another day to listen to the people about their grievances. Now gentlemen I am extremely tired. I will go and get something to eat and then go off to bed." Chandler then started out of the room, only momentarily to stop. "I suggest that you do the same as well." Before he left he was momentarily stopped by a request.
"Sire, another moment of your time." The Priest asked.
"Yes." Chandler replied.
"There is not much food in the village, thanks to the manager selling the majority of it and no real firewood. Could you please find it in your heart to give at least one handful of cheese and half a loaf of bread to the children and the pregnant women? And let us gather the firewood as well. I fear that some of the old and young will not be able to make it when it gets too cold otherwise." The Priest asked.
"What?" Chandler was mad. "He sold the food that belonged to the village?!!!" Chandler was mad.
"He said that you wanted the money for taxes that needed to be paid." The merchant informed Chandler.
"I do not require much taxes. And the taxes that I require which are a tenth are to go back to the land. And the king does not require much, only one tenth of what you make." Chandler reasoned out.
"And the church. He also taxed the church as well." The priest informed him. "I also knew that the taxes were way too high comparing this lands taxes with others."
"What? The church and it's holdings are not to be taxed at ALL!!!!!!!" A very angry Chandler almost yelled out. Taxing a church was going too far. No one not even the worst heretics would dream of taxing a church.
"But he would not stop with just the taxes. He wanted more and sold the food in the storage house. And left us with just enough to see us through a year, or what would hopefully be enough." The blacksmith told Chandler.
"You are all allowed to take a round of cheese and a loaf of bread from the food stores here at the fortress every day and can go hunting for small animals once a week, until we get some supplies in. I will find a way to also get some extra food here at the fortress. And you will be allowed to cut down some trees and gather the scattered branches on the ground of the forest as well as the bushes. Now that will be all. Until tomorrow."
The five men then were led out. Chandler had a feeling that they next couple of days were going to be very busy and tiring.
First thing was first, for his crimes, Doug Waters would be tried in the public square then he would be put into the dungeon to await transport to the coast for a boat to the capital. Where the king and special prosecutors could make cases against him and then they would punish him for his crimes. Chandler decided that it would be Gary and a few trusted guards that would be sent to take him to the capital and hand the king the evidence.
Chandler was right. But instead of one day taking all of his time, it took three days. And that was just trying to get everything that dealt with the judgments done right and to give another verdict. He then also gave out some extra blankets and firewood to the people.
On the third day, Doug Waters was brought forward from the dungeons. Joey and Gary stood on each side of him as they led him out to the village square. A hastily built bench was sat up and a place where the jury sat at. Consisting of six men of the village and the surrounding farms.
Once arriving, people started to talk, Chandler then called for quiet. He then read a list of charges. "Doug Waters you are guilty of embezzling funds from the king's coffers, creating false taxes that do not exist, putting innocent people to death or attempting to put innocent people to death, taking bribes and giving bribes from bandits among others and for taxing the church. And those are the charges that can be supported by evidence. What defense do you offer?"
"Those people who said that are ALL liars!!!!" Doug screamed out.
"Is that all your defense? Where are your people who have vowed to defend you at now?" Chandler asked.
Doug looked around for his friends and realized that his friends that he accepted bribes from were no longer around and were in the dungeon some waiting to be executed and some in for life and others were paying a heavy fine while others were simply whipped. "I have no defense and you know it. But my other friends will still save me." Doug threatened Chandler.
"Oh really? Who is it? Let me guess, the bandits that you have been harboring in the forest. Well, I have a command straight from the king himself to rid the forest of those bandits and thieves. Anything else to say? No? Alright then, how says the jury?" Chandler asked the men.
The blacksmith that was chosen the leader stepped forward, "GUILTY, on ALL charges!!!!!"
"Douglas Waters, my former manager, I sentence you to the dungeon until the first part of spring then you will board a ship and be sent to the king for the rest of your sentence to be given you." Chandler decided.
Everyone there knew that he would be put to death by the king. For bribing the revenue agents and stealing the taxes from the king and taxing the church. Both of which were punishable by death. With that Joey and Gary dragged a pleading Doug away to the dungeon.
Three days later, Chandler found out where Doug hid the money at. Chandler then used said money to buy more food for the people by filling up the storehouse. And started on some improvements around the village. Like bridges and to make sure that the houses were waterproofed and weatherproof. The rest of the money he gave to the church for the orphanage and the widows and those down on their luck. He then cut down on the taxes considerably, and banished the church from paying taxes at all.
Since he only required the people to pay only a certain amount of taxes, the people had more money and started to save it and then bit by bit started to spend it on items such as clothes and other goods they needed. Then they started to see that they could buy other things that they didn't HAVE to have. Then over an amount of time, clothes slowly became more fancy and the people were able to spend more frivolously on other areas.
Soon after that time, after Chandler bought the food, Joey and some other guards were standing guard over the storehouse, when some thieves came up and tried to steal the food. Joey, and the three other guards fought them off. That was when Chandler decided to start rounding up the thieves and bandits. And to try to make the forest safe again that were on his lands.
IT was not an easy task. There was an abundance of bandits and outlaws because of what Doug did to the villagers and other people. The first action that Chandler did was to send out a proclamation telling the people that all would be dropped if they came back home or entered the king's service as foresters to help patrol the forest and to protect the deer.
The people were a bit cautious when the proclamation came out. But soon enough they saw that Chandler was a fair magistrate and listened to the people and actually tried to help them. And soon enough, people started to come from hiding and join Chandler and his men.
Chandler gave the people two weeks to make up their minds. And in doing so, a lot of good people came from the woods who had enough of being outlaws and wanted to start living life normally again. Soon there were even people who started to give up positions were the outlaws may be at. By the end of two weeks, Chandler and his guards and newly made foresters went to rid the forests of the bandits.
While Chandler was busy with the bandits, the castle was having troubles of its own. Since Chandler had arrived back home he went and fired some of the household help that Doug had picked out to help him skim money from the treasury and household accounts.
And since there was a restructure of the household help, there was no manager or chamberlain or maid of the castle itself. And since there was no one there directing what should be cleaned, cooked, or how the fortress should run, there was nothing but chaos. No one knew their jobs or what to do. And that meant trouble. And that was why the castle was in such a mess . No one cleaned it and they tended to go off and to work at the jobs only a bit or not to do them at all.
Finally, it all came to ahead one evening, when Chandler came home from following a lead where the bandits hideout was suppose to have been at. It had proven a false lead. But they still came home tired, exhausted and sore from all the riding and looking around the part of the woods know as Dead Tree Hallow.
After they arrived, Chandler and the others all went to the great hall and were looking for some food. The cook not told about what to prepare for supper, had not made anything. The maids were not around and had not cleaned up. There was no wood for the fire. Nothing was done. So the castle was a mess. And it looked as though it had not been cleaned in years. Or at least since Doug had started on as the manager.
Chandler, Joey and the guards were tired, dirty, hungry and some wounded. Chandler did not want to be bothered with the mess. Chandler snapped at the cook and informed him to prepare some food. Any type of food. And to also clean up the fortress's main hall, while Chandler, Joey and the guards went to wash up and see to their wounds .
That left the help trying to decide what to do. But they mainly argued and almost got into a fight. No one really knew what to do, with no one leading them or informing them of their duties. The servants could not decide on where to start at. So chaos ensued.
After Phoebe, who was there to help with the worst wounded, heard and saw what had happened, she went to talk to Monica and informed her that the castle was a mess and there was no one to oversee the cooking and managing of the castle. Once Monica heard that, she felt that she couldn't stay up in her room anymore and ignore what went on in the castle. She was raised to manage a castle and make sure that everyone got their orders of what to do. Everyone from the maids, laundresses, cooks and serving wenches.
After going down, she went to the fortress storeroom or cellar and found out what was there and what could be made. Then she took some ingredients out to the cooks and informed them what to make. The cooks then started to make different courses. One the different breads one of which was to hold the cheese and meat while another was a twisted French loaf, which the second cook was in charge of meats and vegetables, and then the last cook which would make primarily pies and fruit and jams, in short deserts.
While the kitchen maids were busy preparing the meat by plucking the feathers of the birds and peeling the vegetables and turning the spits that the meat were on. While the cooks added what ever ingredients to what they were making and the main ones were busy overseeing the kitchen.
Monica then walked Into the hall and seeing how dirty it was, had a meeting with all the maids and started issuing out orders and soon the hall was starting to be cleaned and was soon fit to eat in again and afterward she informed them of what to clean she also had the household help to go after firewood. So that by the time that Chandler, Joey and the guards all arrived back, the food was almost ready and the hall was warm and clean.
So after that, which proved that she could do a good job, Monica officially became the mistress of the fortress or the chamberlain. She gave the orders for the fortress, and was in charge of the managing of the food, cleaning and the daily tasks and she also was given the keys to the storeroom by Chandler who was very grateful to her for her help. And he then informed the staff that she was in charge of the fortress while giving the key to her in front of everyone. The only person who was above her in making decisions was Chandler. But the staff soon learned that Monica was very confidant and learned to trust her to make the right choices.
Within a week, under Monica's direction, the castle had been aired out and cleaned from top to bottom. And everyone of the blankets, tapestries and rugs both material and fur were taken out and beaten, washed and soon were put back where they belonged. The floors scrubbed down before the rugs placed on them again. And the spider webs gone form the walls and the ceilings. The walls had been washed and whitewashed with different colors and then the newly cleaned tapestries were put back up. And the old furniture was repaired or thrown out, considering it's condition. In short, it was a place to be proud of. So instead of a damp, messy, smelly pile of rubble, it became a warm, clean, inviting home.
Monica also was becoming friends with the villagers as well. She would walk to the village and talk to the villagers and say hi and play with the kids. She would exchange news with the women of the village and listen to their commits. The men also started to regard her with a feeling they would of their own daughters. The only person she was indifferent to was Chandler. HE after all was the one who stole her away from her home and brought her up here. She got along with everyone else, but she barely talked to him.
After Rachel, Phoebe was her best friend. Monica had found out that Rachel was a snob and she could hardly stand to be around her at times. She was self centered and haughty. And would spend all of her time, complaining about the food they ate, clothes they wore or that she was bored. Monica tried to interest her in sewing, knitting, crochet, or embroidery. Rachel refused each of them. In short it got to the point of where she would rather be around Chandler. Which she did whenever Rachel walked into a room to complain yet again.
Monica sat at the fire knitting a shawl with Phoebe sitting beside her with yarn around the outside of her hands giving Monica leeway to use the yarn. Monica was smiling at a story Phoebe was telling her about Chandler when he was younger. Phoebe noticed that every time Monica was around Chandler, she was distant and cold toward him,, but away from him, she was interested in him. Hopefully telling these stories would get her to open up more.
Rachel kept pacing back and forth from one part of the room to the other. She finally huffed down in a chair. "I am bored!"
"Would you like some yarn for knitting or some material and thread for embroidery?" Monica asked nicely.
"You may want to associate with the help by acting like them, but I do NOT!" Rachel walked off in a huff. Monica and Phoebe looked at each other and shook their heads.
Since Monica could talk more easily to Phoebe, she felt that while Phoebe was a bit loopy, she was good hearted and well meaning. And found that they both could talk to each other better, usually while walking along the road or in the village, or even at night in front of a roaring fire. Phoebe might have silly ideas at times, but she was not spoiled and was someone she could easily talk to and she would not put her down.
Monica was dressed in a woolen dark blue dress with a midnight blue undercoat, or the colors of the Tyler family. Since it had snowed two days after they had arrived, she and Rachel both had gotten dressed in warm outfits that were made of wool, soft kid leathers, or even furs, velvets and a few cottons. Clothes they did not have a lot of were silks, satins or other light materials. They did have a few of them only not as much as Rachel was used to. Which Rachel howled at yet again.
Rachel whined when she arrived and found out that they were expected to make their own clothes. While she knew how to knit or embroidery, she did not know how to sew, Monica and Phoebe both made the clothes for her. Instead of being grateful, all Rachel did was to complain. The wool itched, she wanted more velvets and silks and satins, the clothes were not up to date and were outdated. She was starting to drive everyone nuts around her.
*********
One week later
Monica sat in the office that was connected to the kitchen and was writing in a journal of what was used and what supplies they needed. Since she took control of the records and the day to day activities, she made that office hers and was often found there, trying to get everything done she could. The journal and the household was well run and the place was almost done being cleaned. The servants all had soon came to love her and trust her.
She even was making plans for an herb garden to be placed besides the kitchen one as soon as spring arrived. Phoebe already promised her starts of the plants. So they could use those plants, not only for helping the flavor of the food but to also help with pains and ailments.
A knock was heard at the door, then it opened. Chandler walked in. "Hello, Monica. Would you like to go for a ride with me this afternoon?" He smiled and hoped that she would agree to go. If she said yes then that would be a first. It would be a slight victory, even though it would be a small one.
Monica looked up from her books, "It is Lady Monica Geller to you, and NO. I am busy." Monica then turned her attention back to the books.
"Oh, I see. Then I will see you later on tonight. Around dinner time." Chandler gave her a slight bow and walked out, shutting the door behind him.
Chandler leaned up against the door and sighed. He had tried hard over the past week to 'court' her. By offering to take her for a ride, a walk, or just to sit and talk to her. But, she even refused to talk to him at times. And would give only short blunt answers. This was not going well at all.
After standing there for a few minutes, he then pushed himself away from the door and walked out to the barracks to get some exercise with the sword. He was going to need to keep in practice to start keeping the bandits down. Even though they had made progress, there was still a lot to do.
During a few of the battles, some of his men were either killed or wounded. Chandler was among them that was wounded. He had a gash on his forehead that knocked him out and an arrow skimmed his right arm. His wounds were not that bad, just bad enough that he was in bed for a bit.
Chandler was not happy with that. But Phoebe who saw to his wounds warned him that she had a lot more worse ones to look after and she was not in the mood to argue with him. And if she had to, she would tie Chandler to the bed to make him stay put. After Phoebe left, he was about to get up out of the bed, but Monica and Joey forced him to stay in bed. And Monica let him know in uncertain terms that she would look after Chandler and that he had better stay put. Joey even agreed to stay outside the door to keep him from leaving the room. In short, he was a virtual prisoner in his own home.
So while Phoebe attended the other men, Monica who knew how to attend battle wounds looked after Chandler. During that time, Monica started to soften in her resolve toward Chandler.
It had been two days since Chandler was wounded. And Monica would still not let him out of the room. Chandler sighed and decided to leave. He was still the lord of this land and no one was going to stop him.
He got up out of the bed and got dressed. He went to the door and opened it. The guard who was there was asleep. Chandler frowned. That guard needed some discipline. He would have to talk to Gary about him.
As he walked down the now clean halls, he felt a surge of happiness at how much it was starting to resemble the fortress when his grandparents were alive and a sense of pride that Monica, the woman that he was going to marry, had made that happen. She was everything that he or any man could possibly want. And he could tell that below her exterior, she was also a passionate woman. With her ideas and attitude. In short, everything was going to work out. He knew it.
When he stepped into the main hall, the talking all stopped and no one said a word. That is until Monica, who was coming from the kitchen saw him. "Chandler!?! What are you doing out of bed?" She put her hands on her hips that Chandler wished that he could take hold of.
"I was bored. Besides, this is my home. I am the lord and master here and I will NOT be cooped up in that room anymore!" Chandler replied as he started to walk out of the fortress.
"Hold it right there! Your fever just broke last night. You can not go outside your room until a week has passed." Monica stepped in front of him to bar him from leaving. "Rachel, get Joey or Gary."
"I can and I will." Chandler then gently pushed her aside.
"Oh no you will not!" Monica blocked his way again. "Rachel get Joey or Gary! Move!"
"No way. This is the most entertainment since I was banished to this forsaken land." Rachel smiled and sat down on nearby bench. Well, to her this was the most excitement since leaving court.
Chandler then tried to leave again, only to be confronted by Monica yet again. "Monica get out of my way."
"NO!!! Melissa, get Gary or Joey." Monica yelled out an order to one of the maids.
"Melissa, do not get either of them." Chandler tried once again to get around Monica only to be stopped by her.
"Uh….." Melissa was torn. She could not disobey Chandler, yet she felt that Monica was right. If Chandler were to go out in this cold weather, then he could get worse.
Monica still would not move from her spot to let Chandler out of there. So Chandler picked her up and moved her aside and started to walk out. He did not get far, Joey and Gary were both returning from the tavern. They took one look at Chandler and one look at Monica who had run up to where they were. Joey and Gary then grabbed hold of Chandler and started pushing him back into the great hall.
"Thank you both." Monica then turned angrily toward Chandler. "You are not to go out until I say that you can."
"I am no longer sick. I can and I will." Chandler then tried to get away from Joey and Gary, but they just tightened their grips.
"You just got over a fever and it is very cold out and I will not have you over extending yourself so that one of your wounds gets infected. Now, get back to bed!" Monica stood her ground, there was no way that she was going to allow Chandler to go outside.
" I will not spend all week in that bed!" Chandler could feel his patience almost at an end.
But, if his patience was almost gone, then Monica's was nearly gone as well. "Fine then. You are confined to your room!"
"Neither will I stay cooped up all week like a bird in a cage!" Chandler was getting riled.
"Oh, yes you will if I have to lock you in there!!!" Monica argued back.
"Oh, no I won't! There is nothing for me to do in there. I will be bored all week." Chandler snapped back.
"Well, find SOMETHING to do!" Monica retorted. "There are books for you to read."
"Read them all." Chandler was starting to enjoy this little difference of opinion.
"I have an idea." Joey offered. "Chandler has to stay in the fortress, no going out. He will not be in the room, but he will not be outside. Well?"
Chandler sighed and crossed his arms, "I guess I could put up with that."
"No, certainly not!!! He stays in bed!!!!" Monica repeated stubbornly.
"I am NOT staying in that bed!!!" Chandler retorted.
"Oh yes you WILL!!!" Monica responded. "If I have to stay up there and make sure you do not leave!"
"I will stay in the room, not the bed! But, you will stay up there and keep me company!" Chandler referred to Monica.
"What?" Monica asked.
"You heard me. Either you stay there and keep me company in that room, and I will stay in it for ONLY two days, or I will go outside." Chandler smiled. He had her.
"It will be three days, and I will not stay in there with you. I have a fortress to oversee. After three days you can go anywhere in the fortress, but not outside." Monica snipped back.
"Ok, fine." Chandler then shrugged and turned around to walk out of the fortress.
"Wait!" Monica and her instincts to help a patient took over. "Fine I will come and visit you. But I will not stay."
"When I get bored, I will leave the fortress." Chandler grinned.
"No you will not!" Monica shot back. Why did he have to be so stubborn? While they were arguing, everyone was watching them with amusement and wondering who would break first.
"Why not, you are not going to be there to make sure that I am not leaving." Chandler's grin turned mischievous. HE had her and he knew it.
"But the fortress!!!!" Monica tried to get out of watching him.
"You can have the head of cleaning and the head cook report to you up there." Chandler taunted her. "AN d I will stay up there for three days, but you have to stay with me."
"Fine!!!!!!! March!!!!!!!!!!!" Monica yelled out as she pointed to the stairs. Chandler, who was grinning, then turned to walk up them with Monica right behind him.
After they left, Joey turned to Gary, "Chandler won in the end, didn't he?"
"Yup. He got Lady Monica to spend time with him." Gary replied.
"He tricked her!!!" Rachel committed.
"I think I heard him call it 'friendly persuasion'." Joey responded. For the rest of the day, Monica would hardly talk to Chandler, until he threatened to leave the room to find someone to talk to. Then she gave in and started to talk to him. But it wasn't until the next day that she started to be more of a friend to talk to him.
A week and a half after Chandler and Joey had rode off with Monica and Rachel, The Geller's had gotten word of what happened.
Jack, stood by the fire and read the message, that was sent by the queen, to Judy, who was sitting down, and to Ross who was getting more and more angry. "Let's get the soldiers and…."
"There will be no and, Ross." Jack Geller stated quietly as he stared into the flames.
"But…"Ross tried get his say in.
"It is winter. The roads will be too muddy in the lower lands where it is milder and in the higher lands where Tyler Fortress is much colder at, snow will be on the ground and the mountainous area through there will make it impassible this time of year. There is no way an army will be able to make it overland and the sea will be too rough to try and come in the other way. So the answer is 'NO'! " Baron Geller sighed.
He knew that before the winter was up Chandler would have talked Monica into marrying him. Talked being the key word. They both knew better than to try and make Monica do something that she would never do.
"Even if you do bring Monica back, her reputation is ruined, and no man of noble blood would have her. It would be better if she stays away." Judy sniffed.
"Fine, then I will go myself and bring my sister back. Even if I have to kill that thief, myself!!!" Ross strode out of the hall, determined to bring Monica back.
"If he lives, it will be too late." Jack Geller once again sighed aloud.
"It already is too late. The appearances will be destroyed. Monica up their alone with that man!!!!!!" Judy then stiffened. "What do you mean if he lives?"
"It is a dangerous journey and there is a chance that he will not make it. A huge chance." Jack Geller sat immobile.
"NOOOOOO!!!!!!!! I will tell him that he can not go!!!!! HE will listen to ME!!!!!" Judy decided aloud.
"No he will not, he is too stubborn.' Jack watched sadly as Ross ran out of the keep with the travel necessities that he would need for the trip. He wondered if he would ever see him again. Jack then tried his best to shut out Judy's mournful voice to try and convince her son to stay.
***********
What will happen next part? Will Monica and Chandler continue to get closer? Will Rachel stop being so stuck up? Will Ross ever get to the fortress alive? When will I ever write it????? HAHA!!! Just joking, I will write the next part soon. Sooner than I wrote this one!!!!!!!!!