Hello everyone. Sorry for the long wait. You'll never believe what happened! I had most of Chapter 9 written and saved on my disk over the weekend. When I tried to pull it up on my computer to finish it, Chapter 9 along with five other previously finished chapters had disappeared from my disk! I have no idea what happened to them! So I had to start from scratch with Chapter 9 again. That is why this took me so long. I managed to salvage the remainder of the chapters on the bad disk and transfer them to a new one. Despite the problems, here is the next part of the story. Thanks again for your patience! Enjoy!
Sweet Revenge
By Tatiana
Chapter 9: Forming a Fellowship
The cheerful fire in the hearth warmly lighted John Thatcher's residence. On the rectangular dinner table stood a few wax candles and a pot of stew. William, his father, Jocelyn, and Christina sat on either side of the table on wooded benches.
" William!" A cry came from the stairway.
William stood up. He turned around to face the stairs.
" Will!" Wat cried as he rushed up the stairs.
" What is it?" William demanded, smiling at his friend's eagerness.
" We have news!" Geoff declared, close behind Wat as they entered the room.
William's eyebrows rose. " News?" He gazed at them anxiously from one to the other, his smile fading.
" News of what?" Jocelyn inquired from her seat at the table.
" News of Kate of course!" Wat exclaimed.
" Well?" William prodded.
Wat and Chaucer looked over to Roland who stood with Gunther to their left. William's gaze followed theirs. William stood up a bit straighter. He hadn't noticed the stranger. The man was of mid-height and a muscular build. He had dark hair and brown eyes. He looked tired and dirty. His eyes had bags under them and his skin was spotted with mud.
" He was inquiring after you," Roland said. " He said he had some information to give you."
" Who are you sir?" William demanded of the fellow.
" I am Gunther," the man replied. " And you are Sir William Thatcher."
" I am," William confirmed, eyeing Gunther. " What is your business with me?"
" I have news of your blacksmith," Gunther answered. He shifted nervously from one foot to the other as all eyes in the room were focused on him.
William remained silent for a few moments, watching the muddied, weary traveler. He nodded slowly. He motioned to the seat that he had just vacated. " Please good sir, rest by the fire, fill your belly and tell us all that you know."
Gunther bowed his head in appreciation. " I thank you Sir William. I've not eaten since last eve." He took the seat that William had indicated.
William sat down next to Jocelyn. His father sat across from him, next to Christina. Christina rose and ladled out a bowl of stew for Gunther. Roland went to stand behind her when she sat back down. Chaucer moved to lean against a wooden pole support in the middle of the room, overlooking the table, his arms were crossed over his chest. Wat remained where he stood.
Gunther took a few bites of stew and nodded appreciatively. A glass of ale was poured for him. He reached for it and took a sip to wash the stew down. He glanced up from his food to find that everyone's eyes were fixed on him.
" What news do you have to tell us?" William asked.
Gunther swallowed his ale and cleared his throat. He glanced about the room. " Your blacksmith was abducted," he began." Count Adhemar seized her three nights ago while she was on her way to the Lion's Den."
" Adhemar?" William breathed in surprise.
" That snake," Chaucer scorned.
" The git!" Wat growled, clenching his fists so hard that his knuckles were white.
Roland only shook his head. " Its funny. " He snorted. " I've always known that Adhemar was a liar and a cheat but I never expected him to sink so low as to abduct a woman. It never even occurred to me!"
" Nor to me," William ran his fingers through his hair. " I didn't even consider the fact that she could have been taken. I was worried that she had tired of us. I doubted her friendship and loyalty. I was a fool."
" So she didn't leave!" Wat broke out into a grin. " It wasn't because she didn't like us anymore!" " Perhaps it would be better if she had left. From what I've heard from all of you, Adhemar as a villain of the worst kind." John spoke up from his seat that the table. " There is no telling how he is holding her and what he has planned for her."
" He seeks a new suit of armor," Gunther offered. " She refused him last I knew. But she'll break down. She'll make him one as soon as they get to France."
" France?" Jocelyn asked quietly.
" Yes," Gunther nodded to her. " That's where he is going."
" France," Jocelyn mumbled quietly to herself and bit her lip, staring down at the table with her forehead furrowed in thought.
" Why do you say that?" Chaucer called to Gunther from his place in the center of the room.
" Say what?" Gunther asked.
" That Kate will give in." Geoff clarified. "She would die before she made armor for Adhemar."
" She'll give him what he wants. She must or lose her livelihood." Gunther took a slice of bread nearby and used it to mop up the remainder of his stew.
" What do you mean?" Roland questioned.
" Well you see," Gunther chewed his food with the side of his mouth. " Women blacksmiths cannot be armorers. They can only work with horseshoes and such. Never armor. Its law. Your blacksmith broke the law when she made Sir William's armor. Adhemar has threatened to turn her into the authorities."
William's brows furrowed in confusion. Wat's mouth fell open and he and Chaucer exchanged surprised looks.
John Thatcher had sat silent during their exchange. Now he nodded thoughtfully. " Yes, that is a law. Women can only be blacksmiths if they are the windows of blacksmiths but cannot work with armor and weaponry."
" How could Kate have not known that?" Roland shook his head.
" It is a law that magistrates and officials probably pay little attention to. There are very few female blacksmiths." John sighed. " Chances are that she was indeed aware of it but she chose to overlook it just as the authorities did. But if Kate's offense were brought to their attention they would have no choice but to punish her and take away her privilege to forge even the simplest of horseshoes." He explained.
Gunther nodded in agreement. " That is why she'll give into Adhemar and give him what he wants. He'll ruin her if she does not."
" You're sure that is all Adhemar wants from her?" Wat demanded. " Armor?"
Gunther grinned and gave a snort of laughter. " I can't see he'd want her for much else." He shook his head, chuckling to himself. " Not looking the way she does."
Jocelyn came out of her thoughts at that. She bristled. " And just what is that supposed to mean sir? Kate is lovely." She glared at him.
" Nothing my lady," Gunther shook his head, his smile quickly fading and his voice turning uncertain. " I meant nothing by it."
" That isn't how is to me," Jocelyn murmured, her eyes narrowing as she watched him.
William frowned. "How do you know all of this?" he asked Gunther.
Gunther stared down at his empty plate. " I used to work for Count Adhemar but I was recently dismissed. I was his squire up until last eve."
All eyes in bore into him with newfound suspicion.
" His squire?" Roland asked. " Why did he dismiss you?"
Gunther stayed silent for a few moments, as though thinking of what to say. Beads of perspiration had formed on his upper lip. " He did not agree with the manner in which I handled a piece of equipment."
" What did you do with it?" Wat inquired, half-smiling in bewilderment.
" I dropped it," Gunther replied.
" Dropped it?" Chaucer laughed, his arms still crossed over his chest. " It must have been a pretty valuable piece of equipment." He drawled dryly.
" Yes," Gunther agreed quickly and cleared his throat. " Very valuable." He swallowed.
The room was silent for a few moments. Gunther let out a noiseless sigh, thinking he was in the clear. He reached for his glass of ale and took a long pull of the beverage. He set the mug down. Christina's eyes darted around the table. She half rose and reached for the pitcher to refill Gunther's cup.
" Thank you," Gunther said to her. He picked up his mug again and raised it to William. " Good luck in your quest." He took another drink.
" What was the piece of equipment?" William asked, eyeing Gunther with curiosity.
Gunther, in mid swig, lowered his mug, choking slightly. He avoided William's gaze. " Well…" he began his voice quaking slightly. He glanced warily at Wat. " Your blacksmith." Gunther admitted. He quickly rushed into a hurried explanation. " I didn't mean to! She was struggling and I lost my grip. She fell and hit her head on a crate. It swelled badly and gave her a black eye. It was nothing really." He glanced about at the occupants of the room.
Wat took in a big breath. His chest swelled and he started forward towards Gunther.
" Wat," Roland said flatly in an impassive warning.
Wat ignored him and grasped Gunther's shoulder pulling him around. He struck the ex-squire across the face with his fist and drug him down off of his seat. Gunther slid to the floor, his arms going up to shelter his head and face from Wat's blows.
" I warned you didn't I!" Wat exclaimed in-between his fist's blows.
William waited unit Wat got a few more blows in until he himself rose and put a restraining hand on Wat's shoulder. Wat, with a red face, stood up and stepped back. Gunther peered up at him in trepidation. Wat took a deep breath and went to stand next to Chaucer, who had watched the scene unfold with an amused expression upon his face.
"He did warn you," Geoff declared grinning sympathetically at Adhemar's ex-squire.
Gunther looked to Roland. Roland nodded in agreement. William offered his hand down to Gunther and helped him to his seat again. Once seated, Gunther reached for his mug of ale. William sat down.
" We'll have to keep that boy on a leash," John chuckled and slapped his thigh in an attempt to brighten the mood.
" No good Master Thatcher," Roland replied, putting his hand on Christina's shoulder affectionately. " We've tried it once before. He chews threw the leather when he gets hungry."
Everyone laughed, including Gunther, although shakily. Wat's mouth fell open in protest.
" Despite that show of aggression," William sent Wat a firm glance. " We do appreciate all you have told us." He addressed Gunther.
" Wait," Jocelyn put her hand on William's arm. She turned to Gunther. " There is one other thing that I would like to know." She paused and took a deep breath. " You said that Adhemar was on his way to France. What is his business there?"
Gunther thought for a moment. " He was traveling to the home of a noblewoman. He was going to continue negotiations with her father for her hand in marriage."
Jocelyn sighed with relief. She turned to William and put her arms about his waist in a sweet embrace as they sat side by side. " Then I've nothing to fear. My father has never entered negotiations with him. Your fears of Adhemar snatching me from you were in vain William."
William's face paled. " No, Jocelyn. They were not." She pulled back to get a look at his face, her eyes searching his. " Adhemar revealed to me at the ceremony before the World Tournament began, that he had indeed entered into negotiations with your father. He plans to make you his bride."
Jocelyn's face fell. William held her to him comfortingly.
" Adhemar really has in for you Will! First he stole Kate and now Jocelyn." Wat exclaimed from his place next to Chaucer. Jocelyn's shoulders began to shake with quiet sobs. William sent a look Wat's way. Geoff unfolded his arms and swatted Wat with the back of his hand. " What?" Wat demanded.
" You're not helping," Chaucer accused.
Wat opened his mouth to say something. He watched William comfort Jocelyn, shutting his mouth. Christina rose and went around the table to console her mistress.
Jocelyn's tears soon subsided and she composed herself.
" So what do we do now?" Roland questioned, loudly. The query hung heavily in the air.
William rose from the table and began pacing. Everyone watched him as he reached the end of the room, turned, came back towards them and then repeated the motion again and again.
" We are going after them aren't we?" Geoff called.
William nodded. " We must. We must save Kate from Adhemar hands and Jocelyn from his mantle." Jocelyn raised an eyebrow. He halted and turning to Jocelyn, he excused himself. " It's only a figure of speech, love."
Jocelyn folded her arms over her chest in a halfhearted attempt to show her disapproval of the remark.
" But how?" Roland prompted. " No offense Will but I doubt her father would choose a thatcher's son over a count, even though you are the World Champion and a knight."
" Well put Roland," William sighed. He stoked his chin with his hand and bit his lower lip in thought. He snapped his fingers. " Prince Edward!" He shook his hand in front of him excitedly. " Yes, yes, yes! Of course! I'll go to the prince and ask him to send a message to Jocelyn's father, telling him that he would be in favor of a marriage between Jocelyn and I. Her father could not refuse the prince's bidding!" He grinned at his own cleverness.
" That's all well and good for you and Jocelyn but what about Kate?" Wat reminded them. Chaucer nodded in agreement.
" Hmmm," William sighed, his hand going back to his chin. After a while of thinking he threw up his hands. " I have no idea."
" There must be some way to save her," Chaucer insisted.
" I'm sure there is," William agreed. " The only problem is that we can do nothing about that until we catch up to them. Surely we'll have thought of something by then."
" What harm would it cause if Kate made Adhemar a suit of armor? He would be satisfied and she would be free." John suggested.
" So he says. He claims he would let her go but he could always blackmail her again. " Roland sighed.
" Or he might turn her in anyway." Geoff pointed out. " Once he had his armor he could still turn her into the authorities. That way she wouldn't be able to come back with us and continue to improve her armor for Will. As it is now, William doesn't have a full suit of armor. Perhaps Adhemar thinks he could beat him if Will had to get different armor and he himself had Kate's."
" Then we'll have to kidnap her back from Adhemar," William declared. " It doesn't matter to me whether or not Kate continues to make my armor. We'll have her melt down the rest of it and claim that she never made me any! It will be Adhemar's word against ours. He wouldn't be able to prove a thing."
" It could work," Chaucer nodded.
" I'll go and speak with Prince Edward in the morning. " William declared. " Tomorrow we'll pack and hopefully be on the road by late afternoon."
Wat, Chaucer, and Roland grinned in agreement. Finally they would be able to do something to help their friend and get her back.
" It'll be like old times," Wat declared. " Just the four of us!" He walked over and clapped Roland on the back.
" Not exactly," Jocelyn interjected, rising. Christina stood next to her.
Wat's grin faded as he regarded his master's lady. " What?"
" Well, the four of you, yes. But the two of us as well." Jocelyn motioned to herself and her attendant.
" Jocelyn," William held up both his hands out in front of him. " Maybe you should remain here. We'll catch up to Adhemar faster if it is just us."
" I'll not be left behind like some carpet bag William." Jocelyn protested. " This deals with my future as well. I'll not stand idle while my destiny is to be decided. I love you and my father dearly, but I'm not comfortable putting my future entirely in your hands and especially not in my father's." She finished by raising her chin a notch. Christina mirrored her lady's stance. A small smile played upon her lips.
Wat let out a long sigh and rolled his eyes. " Women!"
William stood still, staring at the woman he loved. A small, rueful smile formed upon his lips. He shook his head. " Yeah, women." He agreed with a sigh.
A triumphant grin lit Jocelyn's face as she rushed forward to give William a grateful kiss. Christina moved to stand next to Roland, grasping the hand that hung at his side. Roland's face reddened slightly and the corners of his mouth turned up with contentment. Wat threw up his hands in disgust. Roland and Christina laughed at him. Chaucer walked to the table and poured himself a mug of ale.
William, with a smile on his face, turned to Gunther.
" Thank-you again Gunther," William said. He walked over to shake the ex-squire's hand.
" Adhemar has it coming to him. He has for a long time." Gunther shrugged and grasped William's hand firmly.
" If there is ever anything I can do to repay you, just let me know." William declared.
He released William's hand. " Actually, there is something."
William laughed with surprise. " Really? So soon? You're a man who knows what he wants."
" You could say that," Gunther nodded. " I am an experienced squire Sir William. But I find myself unemployed because of this whole mess."
William nodded in understanding.
" I am a faithful and hardworking servant. I would be honored if you would permit me to act as a squire for you." he continued.
" Now wait a minute!" Wat protested.
William held his palm up to Wat, silencing him. " Gunther, I already have a herald, a blacksmith and two attendants." Gunther lowered his head in disappointment. William sighed and shrugged. He smiled a friendly smile. " What's one more?"
Wat and Roland's mouths fell open.
" But," William continued, looking to his friends. " You'll take your orders from Roland, Geoff and Wat. And soon enough you'll take them from Kate as well. " William explained. " I've known them for far longer and trust them much more deeply. Do you understand?"
Gunther grinned. " Yes Sir!"
" All right?" William asked his friends.
Wat, Roland and Chaucer glanced at each other. They all shrugged and nodded. As long as they had seniority over him. Wat grinned slyly.
" Wat," William said with a tone of warning. " No beating on him unless he absolutely deserves it."
" Well, that's no fun." Wat frowned.
Gunther sighed with relief, but still regarded the temperamental red head warily. Geoff smiled to himself. At least now Wat would have a new punching bag instead of him.
" So it's all settled?" John Thatcher inquired. " Seven companions on a quest to save the eighth? I wish I could join you. It sounds like an adventure."
William walked over to his father and put a hand on his shoulder. " I wish you were coming too Father."
" Don't worry about me. I'll be here with open ears awaiting your return." John smiled. " May God go with you all on your journey and make it a successful one."
" That, Master Thatcher, sounds like a toast!" Chaucer declared, putting an amiable hand on the blind man's shoulder and a mug of ale in his hand.
Everyone obtained their own drink and they all raised their mugs in a heartfelt salute.
* * * * *
Another thing about this chapter is it is a little longer than my others are and oddly enough only it has one part. I've tried to keep them all consistent, two different parts or points of view per chapter. Chapter 9 only has one. It would have been way too long otherwise and would have taken me even longer to finish. I wanted to get this out to you as quickly as possible. Hope you liked it. Thanks again for your patience.