Chapter Two
Mathias's Obsession
The large feast had begun and it seemed that everyone in court was present for this joyous occasion. Even the king had come from the north to attend the banquet for the victorious Leon Regiment. The halls of the Belmont castle never looked more decadent then on this night.
Leon and Mathias sat side by side enjoying the night's festivities. To Leon's right was all the proud men in the Calvary and at the head of the table was the King and his Queen, not to mention several high ranking members of court. The king and the queen seemed to be having a most enjoyable evening, much to the pleasure of Lady Belmont. The night was progressing flawlessly.
"I would like to honor the fine soldiers of the Belmont Regiment." The King said holding up his wine glass. "It seems that God has caste a gentle hand on this invincible army, may he continue to protect these honorable men."
"Here, here!" All present drank to the king's fine toast.
"Thank you my Lordship for those kindly words." Leon said. "But much of the credit must go to my dear friend Mathias, who is an excellent tactician. If it weren't for him, we would not be such a powerful regiment."
"No please." Mathias said modestly. "You are the one who leads us into battle with rousing war cries, it is your courage that inspires all of us."
"Gentlemen." The king interrupted. "It is both of you who make the Belmont Regiment the fine fighting force it is. There is no cause for modesty, you are both excellent leaders and all of you are superior soldiers."
"Thank you your Highness." They both answered in unison.
"And you Mathias." The king said.
"Yes your Majesty."
"I was informed today that you are betrothed to distant, but dear cousin of mine. Elisabetha?"
Elisabetha, who was sitting at the farthest end of the table with her father stood up and faced the king.
"Yes your Majesty?" She questioned.
"Please come to the side of your betrothed."
Elisabetha blushed and walked toward Mathias and the king.
"Mathias and my dear cousin Elisabetha." The king said majestically. "I wish to be the one to perform your wedding ceremony."
Both Elisabetha and Mathias were shocked into silence.
"I know that Mathias will have to depart again soon, so I'm putting a reprieve on the Belmont Regiment for two months, so you will have some time to spend with your new bride."
"Your Highness." Mathias said sounding completely shocked. "I. I am at a loss of words."
"Thank you would be appropriate." The king said jokingly.
"Thank you, and God bless you your Highness." Mathias said joyously.
"Yes." Elisabetha said softly. "Thank you your Highness."
"Mathias?" The king asked.
"Yes your Majesty?"
"May I have permission to dance with your lovely fiancée?"
"Yes you may your Highness."
The king took Elisabetha by the hand and the pair began to dance, several of the other guests began to join them. Mathias sat down and watched as Elisabetha as she danced with the king. She was so beautiful, he knew the years they would spend together would be the most joyous of his life.
"So you are to be wedded?" Leon asked
"Yes my friend." He said not taking his glistening hazel eyes off Elisabetha. "I want to be wedded as soon as possible."
"But you heard the king." Leon said. "We will not have to set sail again at least until September."
"I know." Mathias said breathlessly. "But I want to spend as much time as possible with her. Our time together will be all to brief if I choose to wait. If we wed soon, our time may still be fleeting, but at least I will have two months to carry me though until we see each other again."
"I understand friend." Leon said compassionately. "Someday Sara and I will wed."
"Ah Sara." Mathias said taking his eyes off of Elisabetha and onto Sara Trantoul. "She is a beauty, I see why you are so smitten with her."
"Thank you my friend."
Once the dance was over Elisabetha bowed to the king and he hugged her tightly. Mathias looked at the king and a slight sense of rage passed over him. Rationally he would never try to seduce Elisabetha, but he could still impose his feudal rights and take Elisabetha's virginity before he had the chance. Just the thought of those damn feudal rights filled him with rage. If the king tried to impose his rights as lord over him, he would surely kill him.
"Mathias." The king said walking over to him with Elisabetha on his arm. "I am returning your beautiful fiancée."
"Thank you your Majesty." Mathias said softly.
"Mathias?" Elisabetha said noticing the strange look on her betrothed's face. "What is the matter?"
Instantly Mathias looked into her gentle blue eyes and he came back to his normal self in that instant.
"I apologize my love." He said softly. "I. I am not feeling very well. Leon!"
Hearing his name being called, Leon broke away from his other guests and quickly attended to his friend.
"Yes Mathias."
"I must make my departure."
"He has suddenly taken queer." The king said kneeling by Mathias's side.
"Is there anything I can do to help you friend?" Leon asked.
"No." Mathias said standing up abruptly. "I will just take my leave."
"Very well." Leon replied.
"Mathias." The king said stopping him. "Please, take my carriage, I shall remain over night with Sir Belmont."
"You honor me Sir." Leon said bowing deeply to the king.
"Yes Mathias." Elisabetha said gently. "I do not wish anything to happen to you before our wedding."
Mathias looked at Elisabetha face again and a smile passed about his thin lips.
"Yes," He said to her. "I will do it for you."
Leon and Elisabetha escorted Mathias into the king's carriage and watched as it sped off into the night.
Mathias's Obsession
The large feast had begun and it seemed that everyone in court was present for this joyous occasion. Even the king had come from the north to attend the banquet for the victorious Leon Regiment. The halls of the Belmont castle never looked more decadent then on this night.
Leon and Mathias sat side by side enjoying the night's festivities. To Leon's right was all the proud men in the Calvary and at the head of the table was the King and his Queen, not to mention several high ranking members of court. The king and the queen seemed to be having a most enjoyable evening, much to the pleasure of Lady Belmont. The night was progressing flawlessly.
"I would like to honor the fine soldiers of the Belmont Regiment." The King said holding up his wine glass. "It seems that God has caste a gentle hand on this invincible army, may he continue to protect these honorable men."
"Here, here!" All present drank to the king's fine toast.
"Thank you my Lordship for those kindly words." Leon said. "But much of the credit must go to my dear friend Mathias, who is an excellent tactician. If it weren't for him, we would not be such a powerful regiment."
"No please." Mathias said modestly. "You are the one who leads us into battle with rousing war cries, it is your courage that inspires all of us."
"Gentlemen." The king interrupted. "It is both of you who make the Belmont Regiment the fine fighting force it is. There is no cause for modesty, you are both excellent leaders and all of you are superior soldiers."
"Thank you your Highness." They both answered in unison.
"And you Mathias." The king said.
"Yes your Majesty."
"I was informed today that you are betrothed to distant, but dear cousin of mine. Elisabetha?"
Elisabetha, who was sitting at the farthest end of the table with her father stood up and faced the king.
"Yes your Majesty?" She questioned.
"Please come to the side of your betrothed."
Elisabetha blushed and walked toward Mathias and the king.
"Mathias and my dear cousin Elisabetha." The king said majestically. "I wish to be the one to perform your wedding ceremony."
Both Elisabetha and Mathias were shocked into silence.
"I know that Mathias will have to depart again soon, so I'm putting a reprieve on the Belmont Regiment for two months, so you will have some time to spend with your new bride."
"Your Highness." Mathias said sounding completely shocked. "I. I am at a loss of words."
"Thank you would be appropriate." The king said jokingly.
"Thank you, and God bless you your Highness." Mathias said joyously.
"Yes." Elisabetha said softly. "Thank you your Highness."
"Mathias?" The king asked.
"Yes your Majesty?"
"May I have permission to dance with your lovely fiancée?"
"Yes you may your Highness."
The king took Elisabetha by the hand and the pair began to dance, several of the other guests began to join them. Mathias sat down and watched as Elisabetha as she danced with the king. She was so beautiful, he knew the years they would spend together would be the most joyous of his life.
"So you are to be wedded?" Leon asked
"Yes my friend." He said not taking his glistening hazel eyes off Elisabetha. "I want to be wedded as soon as possible."
"But you heard the king." Leon said. "We will not have to set sail again at least until September."
"I know." Mathias said breathlessly. "But I want to spend as much time as possible with her. Our time together will be all to brief if I choose to wait. If we wed soon, our time may still be fleeting, but at least I will have two months to carry me though until we see each other again."
"I understand friend." Leon said compassionately. "Someday Sara and I will wed."
"Ah Sara." Mathias said taking his eyes off of Elisabetha and onto Sara Trantoul. "She is a beauty, I see why you are so smitten with her."
"Thank you my friend."
Once the dance was over Elisabetha bowed to the king and he hugged her tightly. Mathias looked at the king and a slight sense of rage passed over him. Rationally he would never try to seduce Elisabetha, but he could still impose his feudal rights and take Elisabetha's virginity before he had the chance. Just the thought of those damn feudal rights filled him with rage. If the king tried to impose his rights as lord over him, he would surely kill him.
"Mathias." The king said walking over to him with Elisabetha on his arm. "I am returning your beautiful fiancée."
"Thank you your Majesty." Mathias said softly.
"Mathias?" Elisabetha said noticing the strange look on her betrothed's face. "What is the matter?"
Instantly Mathias looked into her gentle blue eyes and he came back to his normal self in that instant.
"I apologize my love." He said softly. "I. I am not feeling very well. Leon!"
Hearing his name being called, Leon broke away from his other guests and quickly attended to his friend.
"Yes Mathias."
"I must make my departure."
"He has suddenly taken queer." The king said kneeling by Mathias's side.
"Is there anything I can do to help you friend?" Leon asked.
"No." Mathias said standing up abruptly. "I will just take my leave."
"Very well." Leon replied.
"Mathias." The king said stopping him. "Please, take my carriage, I shall remain over night with Sir Belmont."
"You honor me Sir." Leon said bowing deeply to the king.
"Yes Mathias." Elisabetha said gently. "I do not wish anything to happen to you before our wedding."
Mathias looked at Elisabetha face again and a smile passed about his thin lips.
"Yes," He said to her. "I will do it for you."
Leon and Elisabetha escorted Mathias into the king's carriage and watched as it sped off into the night.