A/N: this one is replaced by the beta-version!
@HCat: you are my fourtieth reviewer! Thanks a lot. ::WannabeHobbit gives you a great bouquet of flowers, a package of chocolate and a signed drawing of Maureen. When she looks into the puppy eyes of the other reviewers she begins to hand out self-baked chocolate-banana muffins.::
@TheDenierofReality or better: TheAlmightyMasterT-Chan (I prefered TheDenierofReality though...): nice to hear/read from you again. I'm so happy you put up Outlanders again though under a new title.
Oh people, guess where I have been on vacation? To LONDON!!! Woah, that was so cool! The day before we left we've been in Southwark. That was sooooooooooooooooo great! I wished there were more old buildings. I almost expected to see Maureen coming dashed around a corner any minute...
Oh, ere I forgot: Disclaimer: I don't own any of the figures appearing in A Knight's Tale, nor do I own the plot of that wonderful movie. I don't own the lines Geoffrey Chaucer created in the Canterbury Tales nor do I own the songs Das Wasser des Lebens and Der schwarze Gast, two German songs I translated for this chapter and changed just a bit to fit in. They form mainly the told stories...
I now have The Riverside Chaucer (the complete works of Geoffrey Chaucer incl. commentary). Can't wait to begin with it though it's entirely English...
Feel free to review.
Enjoy.
~*~
*Maureen was sitting on a stone just before the edge of the woods looking over the village of Cowfield. In her lap she held Geoffrey's Book of the Duchess. She was halfway through it and loved it a lot though it was pretty difficult to read. She didn't understand all the hints, symbols and words used by the man she loved but the thought that he himself had written those beautiful lines about lost love was enough to warm her heart. It was now at last that she understood what he had meant with being the Master of the Words.
This stone was her favourite place. She liked the way it felt when sun was shining on it. And especially she liked the quiet and peace of the place.
It was the middle of May and the start of the tournament season was drawing nearer. Excited Maureen thought about it. She had learnt to at least go along with horses and how to tend Barney's box. He had been a present of Sir William to the village but was still looked after by the Lord's household as it would have been too expensive for the poor peasents. Barney was old and very docile. It hadn't been difficult to get used to him and Maureen liked him. But as it had turned out to be impossible for her to tend Brutus, Sir William instead had shown her how to handle helping him into and out of his gear and armour, how to tend his utensils and all the other tasks of a proper squire. She had turned out to be really handy in that and Sir William was very pleased. Maureen's confidence was built up a little by that and her success with Sir William's bookkeeping. Now and then she had looked over Elana's shoulder which was now very helpful though she still considered her knowledge very small.
Maureen sighed. It was time for the next squire training. She shut the book, rose from the warm stone and stretched. The hard boy's work had built up her muscles slightly and she looked a lot healthier. The daily routine gave her a comforted feeling and her skin was beginning to get suntanned. Maureen began to walk down the hill towards Sir William's house where Wat and Roland would be waiting for her. She was proud of the change she had gone through but still there was something missing and she didn't need to think very hard about what it was: Geoffrey, of course! It was difficult to bear not to see him every day, though he haunted her mind more than ever. When she had turned twelve and so was of marriageable age she had sworn herself to never ever marry or even fall in love. And now the thing she never wanted had happened. And with it all the consequences she had feared: making herself a fool on every possible occasion, missing him like mad when he wasn't near, crying during sleepless nights like a weak foolish girl.
Maureen was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice a small group of boys coming towards her. Only when their leader called to her she looked at them, startled to see she wasn't alone anymore.
"Hey, daydreamer, leave fairyland and come down to earth for a while!"
Maureen strained herself "Leave me alone, Francis, I have important things to do."
But Francis Smith didn't look like he was intending to leave her alone. He hadn't done so from her first week on. At the beginning all the children and youths of the village had been really interested in that stranger lad from the city. But soon the boys noticed he was as weak and sensitive a city boy as they had supposed him to be. He had no interest in playing football with them, he didn't take part in their wrestling fights, and when they found a cat to play aiming at he would try and save the beast. So Ryan soon had become their new aim and it was fun to torture him. But the matter they had to discuss with him was really serious and they all were looking forward to what Francis was planning to do.
"I am here on an important matter, too." he answered.
Maureen watched him suspiciously. She was due on the yard but they all looked very sober. "So, don't waste my and Sir William's time and tell me what it is! She shot back boldly. They might have thought she was easily to torture but this time she wouldn't give them the triumph.
"I heard you are approaching my little sister, Sarah!" Francis said loud and clearly in a voice he no doubt considered as impressing and mature.
For a short moment the blood fled out of Maureen's face. She knew that 12-year-old Sarah was Francis' sister but she didn't know their friendship could be considered as "approaching".
"I'm not doing any of this kind! She is a fellow employee at Sir William's household and we're friends, nothing more."
"That's what she told me, too. But she's only a child, too young to calculate the position properly. I warn you deeply!"
Maureen was about to answer something rude when suddenly he was over her. She could hear the other boys shout "Fight! Fight! Fight!" again and again. Francis pressed her down with his knees, she had no chance of escape. Although Fancis was a little fish in comparison to Pete Maureen felt panic rising in her throat when the first blows hit her face. She felt blood dripping out of her nose and her left eye swelling. With all her might she tried to wriggle her arms out of the capture but Franics was pretty heavy and very strong, finally his father was the blacksmith of Cowfield. Maureen's vision began to blur and her ears droned from the shouts of the others. Suddenly she heard a distinct call though she couldn't understand the words, then the weight on her chest was being lift off. She opened her eyes (as much as she could) and saw the boys running away. Francis turned and yelled "And that was just the warning, city boy!".
The next second Maureen saw what had caused the sudden flight of the boys: Wat came running up the hill, his face as red as his hair. It was a frightening sight but Maureen had learned not be worried when he was angry on others. And at the moment she was sure he meant the boys which by now had disappeared in the distance.
Maureen had struggled upright when Wat reached her. "By God's teeth°, I went to search for you, angry because you were late again and what do I find? Francis Smith bullying you again! You have to stand up against him!" he slapped her against the stomach with the back of his hand causing her to flinch and cough.
"I have!" Maureen answered weakly while feeling her face "That was until he sat over me!"
Wat sighed. "I see. You will need some wrestling exercise in your squire training…"
"Oh no! I don't like violence, please not."
"Like a girl..." Wat pulled a face and shook his head while Maureen bit her lip and looked determinedly into another direction.
"Was your fight about Sarah Smith?" he asked. Maureen didn't reply. "So it was! Man Ryan, faint heart never won fair lady!"
"Who says I wanna win a lady?" broke out of Maureen before she could help. Wat shot her a strange look but Maureen already was looking away again.
This time's lesson went on rather dully. After Roland had inspected her wounds and estimated them as "not life-threatening" as he put it Maureen was shown into the tasks during an official banquet: the right moves, how to serve her master, how to cut his meat into bite-sized pieces. Maureen thought the imagination of her cutting Sir William's food as pretty ridiculous but nevertheless listened attentively. Roland (who explained) and Wat (who played the lord) were satisfied and soon Maurren was free to go (but not after another offer for wrestling training).
Back in her small chamber she thought about why the other boys were tormenting her that much. She took her small mirror (a broken piece of some bigger mirror she once had found in a backyard in London) and looked at her reflection. The reflecting space was so small she could only see her eyes (the left one was red and swollen) and half of her thin nose. There was no life in her eyes. They looked like dull black pits surrounded by again pale almost ashen flesh.
"Admit it, Maureen," she sighed "You are a lousy boy!"
That evening Maureen lay awake for a long time. How Geoffrey was doing?*
~Geoffrey sat in the dining room by the semi-darkness of a single candle. On the table infront of him were several papers lying: Geoff was preparing his long absence during the National Championship tour through England but he could not quite concentrate. Instead he was musing about the happenings around him. Elana's anger on him had quickly faded - especially after the new butcher boy turned out to be a sixteen-year-old with an angelic face and blonde curls... But now and then she would sigh and say something like "That was Ryan's favourite food." when James was not too hungry or "I could need Ryan's help now." when she had thousand things to do at once. She was right. Everybody felt the absence of his helping pair of hands in the house.
But that was not the only reason Geoffrey was missing him. It was his kind nature and captivating personality which left a big empty space in Geoff's world. He had spent a good many nights thinking about the still mysterious boy and had come to a conclusion: he did not only seem to have a crush on him, he HAD a crush on him, perhaps he even was in love. Strangely it did not come as a shock... He knew that love between men was not as unusual as many considered it to be. Love was free.°° But the church forbid it and society as well. Once, for a moment, he had thought about taking Ryan from Will and flee with him. He did not care about a hunted life as long as he was with Ryan, love was more than two people from different genders having fun in bed and produce as many children as possible. It was about understanding, about protection and many more little details. But the moment he had reached out for his coat he remembered he had responsibility he could not just throw overboard. Responsibility against his employees, against the Crown, against his friends (what would they say?). He felt like a cowardly moron but he could not help, either. Geoffrey did not know how long he could go on without telling Ryan but he also did not dare telling him. Ryan was only fourteen years old. It would be a shame proclaiming his crush (love?) to him. He was too young to deal with it properly. He would only confuse him unnecessarily. In that age there were enough things storming in on a person and Geoffrey did not want to exploit Ryan's such weakened position. He would exercise himself in restraint and observation. No single stone should lie on Ryan's way.
The upcoming tournament season frightened him a bit and left him undecided: on the one hand he wished Ryan to accompany them and fill the gash he had left. On the other hand Geoffrey feared that then it was unavoidable to be alone with him at times. And he feared he could not trust himself then. Probably it was better to leave him in Cowfield though it would probably hurt. Hopefully Ryan did not want to come at all. Such a tour was so against his shy nature.~
*On the day Geoffrey should arrive Maureen woke up very early with a fast bumping heart. She fulfilled her morning tasks as fast as never before and then helped preparing the cart and horses for the trip. As soon as Geoffrey arrived they would have lunch and then start for the season. Everything was seen to: Sally Winters would care for Sir William's father who was too old for such demanding travelling, Wat's pub was looked after by the old inn-keeper who had owned it before.
When everything was ready Maureen had got free time which she used to go to the cool pool in the wood. She did not mean to face Geoffrey after such a long time with dirt anywhere on her body. Roland had sewn her a nice waistcoat in green with Sir William's emblem: the phoenix. Maureen loved that piece of clothing and wanted to wear it with pride – and with her best white shirt and dark trousers (the ones she had got from Geoffrey).
Washing in the pool was always a bit of dangerous. But until now nobody had seen her there and so she scrubbed her hands and feet undisturbed. She bandaged and dressed with extra care hung her pouch around the neck and wished she had a big mirror to see her whole appearance. It was a nice warm day and when she left the shadows of the wood she felt her wet hair begin to dry. Frightened she could stumble and fell into the dirt (or even worse: the grass!) she carefully made her way back to the yard where the cart was waiting for a horse to drag it out into freedom. When she reached the stables she saw Sir William walking out of it – accompanied by Geoffrey! Maureen stopped short and listened to her heartbeat which seemed undecided between bumping a lot faster and skipping beats. She couldn't move and so was forced to listen to their continued conversation.*
~Geoffrey's departure very early in the morning was well prepared and so went rather unspectacular. He could rely on the three to keep his household well in orders. They instructed him with greetings for Ryan and off he was. His journey went as uneventful as his departure. He did not have a lot of time and so urged Troilus fastly forward. He had to restrain himself very hard when he passed The tree. But there was no time. He was expected at Will's by lunch time.
The welcoming was warm and happy but Geoffrey only looked around him if Ryan was anywhere to be seen but was disappointed. He tried to sound casual when he asked "So, how's Ryan doing?" while he and Will led Troilus into the stables.
Will suddenly looked remorseful "Well, he is a real help. Very faithful and handy."
"But?"
"...but I'm a bit worried about him. You know, he is a strange lad. I never saw him playing football or doing something else with the other boys. He even seems to avoid them, they are bullying him – and he doesn't look like he was willing to defend himself. Little girls love him and it's like he is playing the big sister for them. He also seems popular with girls of his own age but he seems blind to it and doesn't show a sign of interest..." William looked into Geoffrey's thoughtful eyes and repeated shrugging "He is strange."
Geoffrey couldn't say he was worried by the news. Actually he rather was a bit excited. Could it be? Or was he reading the signs completely wrong, misled by his own wishes and desires?
"Have you talked to him about it, yet?"
They stepped out of the stables. "No, I thought it better to observe him a bit during the tournaments."
Suddenly Geoffrey was a bit alarmed and stopped short infront of the stables entry. "You think it a good idea to take him with us?" he did not wish anything more than to be together with Ryan again but obviously the boy was a bit confused and now Geoff was more than ever convinced that being alone with him could lead to actions out of his control.
"Of course, you not?"
"I'm not sure. Perhaps it was a better idea to let him here. He is rather unsuitable for a tournament..."
"Nonsense! He has learned a lot in the short time he was here. That shall not be in vain. You will see!"
And they walked towards the house. Geoffrey was too much lost in thoughts to notice the little figure in the green waistcoat stepping out from behind the stables, wiping away the tears in her shocked eyes.~
*Maureen didn't go to lunch her appetite had died within seconds. Wat had called for her but she had told him she wasn't hungry.
Why didn't he want her on the tour? For a moment she had thought of running away but then didn't. Instead she sat on the loading surface of the cart, determined to face the situation this time. She had run away too often throughout her life.
Half an hour later a group of people left the Manor: Sir William, his father, Wat, Roland, Kathy (the old maiden), little Sarah (the young maiden) – and Geoffrey. Maureen pulled herself together and hopped from the cart to greet him. The expression of joy on his face seemed so truthful that Maureen was confused for a moment. For a split second it looked like he wanted to wrap her in his arms but then he just slapped her against the upper arm.
"Fine to see you again, Ryan. And excellent you look. The work does you good as I see. But your hair! Even Elana wouldn't consider it as fashionable anymore!" he grinned toothily and ruffled her grown hair. Maureen blushed and awkwardly brushed a hand through her wild locks which were bound with a leather band in her neck. The tingling on her skin and butterflies in her stomach gave her such a pleasant feeling she almost forgot what she had heard before. Somehow she now couldn't doubt anymore he was happy to see her, too. She must have understood something wrong...
He delivered her greetings and news from London while the rest of the people in the yard prepared for the departure. Another thirty minutes later they were ready. Good-byes were exchanged and Maureen rebelled against Francis by giving Sarah an extra hug. The girl smiled and whispered "I will wait for you." into her ears. Maureen didn't exactly know what that meant (and had a vague feeling that Sarah didn't either) but decided to ask Geoff later.
And so started the tournament season for Sir William and his gang, including a girl who didn't know much of the world around her but was determined to find out.
The plan was first to go to Brighton, a seaport, and fetch Kate, Sir William's blacksmith and the only woman in the gang (well, not anymore...). As they did not want to enter the city with all their package ("Too full and too many pilferers.") Geoffrey was sent in to fetch Kate. He took Maureen with him to show her the lively centre of the town.
Brighton held city rights as London did but it hardly could have been more different. Everything in the town seemed to be related to ships and the sea. There were inns and guest houses with names like The Sailing Mug or To The Drunken Sailor. When they reached the market place the fish-smell which hung over the whole place rose to an overwhelming amount. On the stands you could buy the usual things: bread, veggies, hair bands, ribbons, cloth, tools but there also was a vast selection of fish of all sorts many of which Maureen had never seen nor could guess the name of.
Geoffrey had watched her smiling. "Do you notice the increasing smell of salt in the air?"
Maureen snuffed "Yes, now you mention it."
"That's the sea. We will have a look, later."
Maureen gaped. She never had seen the sea before. She knew it was a great amount of water but had no imagination of how it would look like. "Why does it smell like salt?"
He smiled even wider but his voice wasn't taunting when he answered "Because the water of the sea is salty."
"Why?"
"Oh, look!" they were passing a group of four jugglers. Three were playing simple instruments while one was standing on an upside-down box and telling a dramatic story. They stopped to listen.
"...in the shadows of the Mountains he lived in a village at the border of the world. He was still a boy and everybody called him The Dreamer. Constantly he was looking up to the mountains: there was an old song in his head he wasn't able to shake off easily – and believe me: he tried!" There was laughther in the audience. "It was tempting him and he decided to flee." Maureen shifted attentively. The juggler began to sing to a heavy tune:
"Far away from here
in a dell
flows the Water of Life
May the way be hard
have the guts to follow it
Some of them
who remained lost
found the Water of Life
Who will drink it
Conquers time
Gets free ... so free...
Then the day came that he didn't come home. He had secretly left. Gone on the way to the Eternal Ice, with nothing than his dreams." The audition including Maureen were taking the breath in sharply. There were pitying murmurs about what the mother must have gone through. The speaker continued "They searched for him, three days and nights. But his track was lost where the snow begins. Where he went? Only and alone the wind knew...
Far away from here
in a dell
flows the Water of Life
May the way be hard
have the guts to follow it
Some of them
who remained lost
found the Water of Life
Who will drink it
Conquers time
Gets free ... so free..."
With that the music slowly ended and left an unsatisfied Maureen. While many clapped and gave pennies she was lost in her own thoughts. Was that all? What happened to The Dreamer? Did he find the Water of Life? Why did he leave at all? Did he live a tormented life just as she had been? She wanted to turn to Geoffrey and found him smiling warmly at her which irritated her highly.
"What?"
He didn't stop grinning. "You liked that story?" She nodded "Then wait till you heard mine."
And with that he climbed onto the box and faced the now expectant audience. He obviously enjoyed it greatly.
"My dear people. Listen what I have got to tell. I heard it from an old and dear friend of mine who has witnessed the happenings himself! And if you knew my friend as I do, you'd be sure he didn't witness it through the bottom of a vine bottle..." Laughter. The jugglers watched Geoff half with suspicion, half with attention. Obviously they didn't know that story, yet. "He had been invited to a marriage. Believe me, it was a rich marriage as the father of the bride was a Lord of the North." That made impression.
"So, the guests were assembled. Candles were burning, music was playing and bride and groom began the first dance as it is custom, of course.
Then, the Black Guest entered" sharp breath-intaking "and suddenly the music died. The bride turned pale, he took her hand and held it tight. The paralyzed people stared at the Guest."
Then Geoffrey, too, began to sing.
"He said
'Candles in the wind
have to shine and pass
whoever we are
never time stops by
whatever begins
at the end we have to part'
He said
'Candles in the wind
lights forgotten by the night
everything trickles away
let alone what is stronger
something we don't know
Stronger than the time!'
The mother was in tears. She cried 'Why must it be her? She is so young!' The father called at once 'For her I give you my goods and chattels' But unimpresed the Black guest didn't let go of the bride.
He said
'Candles in the wind
have to shine and pass
whoever we are
never time stops by
whatever begins
at the end we have to part
'
He said
'Candles in the wind
lights forgotten by the night
everything trickles away
let alone what is stronger
something we don't know'
The groom called 'Take me and let her live!' There the Black Guest drew back...and he let her go...and said 'I am defeated – by his love!
'Candles in the wind
have to shine and pass
whoever we are
never time stops by
but what love bonds
nobody can part'
He said
'Candles in the wind
lights forgotten by the night
everything trickles away
let alone what is stronger
that what we call love
Stronger than the time!'"
For a moment there was stunned silence than everybody clapped about the tremendous performance of Geoffrey. Maureen's eyes were shining with excitement. Many thoughts flew through her mind while Geoffrey collected the coins he got from the audience. When he had all he gave them to the group of jugglers. He called it "a little donation for your excellent work" and bowed. Then he and Maureen walked on.
"So – did you like it?"
"Oh yes, I did! I didn't know love could have such a strength. I thought love would only cause pain..."
He shot a strange look at her. "Why?"
Without thinking she answered. "I loved my father and it brought me nothing than pain!" she didn't know why she had told him. Later she explained it to herself that it probably just had been time to do so.
Geoffrey stopped short and looked at her but Maureen avoided eye contact. "Do you want to tell me more?" he asked cautiously. Maureen couldn't control her hands, they were shaking like mad, her knees felt very weak. "Not now...later, ok?"
"This evening?"
Maureen pondered then breathed deeply "Deal."
A short time later they stepped onto the road directly at the haven (Geoffrey called it "promenade"), and for the first time in her life Maureen saw the sea. Nothing she could have imagined would have come near to what she saw and felt in that moment. Never could she describe her emotions. It was a big mixture of what seemed like thousands of little impressions melting into one: the sparkling never-ending water, the busy sailors and haven workers, the impressing huge wood constructions (somehow the word "ship" seemed too weak to describe them properly), the noise the sea gulls were making, the little fishing boats looking like bugs next to the ships and much more. Maureen could hardly tore her eyes away and didn't really notice that Geoffrey was leading her along the road.
She came back to her senses when she and Geoff entered a very warm place. It was a forge and though there was no fire burning at the moment it had left its traces everywhere in the narrow room: it smelled like fire, it felt like fire, everywhere lay burned objects. Once Maureen's eyes got used to the semi-darkness she saw several bundles and packages lying next to the door. No doubt: the owner was ready for a long trip.
They heard footsteps drawing nearer and the next moment a woman appeared in the frame of a door in the dark back of the forge.
"The forge is clo... Geoff? Geoffrey Chaucer!" she laughed then hurried to greet him – with a hearty hug Maureen didn't appreciate too much. So this was Kate.
"Where are the others?" Kate asked
"Out of the town. We didn't want to bring the cart in here."
"Oh sure. Admit it, you just wanted to prevent Wat from having a long date with the fish market." she grinned, then she saw Maureen "And who is this girl?" her grin turned mockingly when she turned to Geoffrey "Your daughter?"
Maureen's eyes widened in shock but Geoff chortled and slapped her on her back. "See, Ryan, I'm telling you for ages you need a decent haircut, fashion or not."
Maureen forced an uncertain laugh and tried to hide her hysteric panting. Kate frowned suspiciously but nevertheless was quick to say "Oh, I'm so sorry- Ryan, right?" Maureen nodded "The light isn't the best in here..."
After the three had rejoined the other three they started to Reading, the first station on the tour. Now that Kate was there, too, Maureen was afraid she would feel like the fifth wheel on the cart but Geoffrey took care she wasn't left outside.
On the first night she sat a little apart from the others, just at the edge of the light the fire cast. After a while she stood up and left the place to wander around a bit.
"Don't go too far from the camp!" Roland called after her. Soon Maureen found a steep slope looking over a vast dell and sat down. She didn't sit long when she heard the grass rustling behind her. She didn't need to look who was coming. Her bumping heart was enough to tell it was Geoffrey.
He sat down next to her and as if they never had interrupted their conversation from the morning he asked "What about telling me now?"
Maureen had more or less pondered the whole day about it so she now didn't hesitate too long with giving the answer: "I loved my father though he didn't seem to love me, nor my sister. Especially not my sister. We were twins, see, and we lived alone with our father as our mother died during our birth as you already know. Most of the time he was mad at us and we received a good many beatings for nothing, and the rest of the time he ignored us. So we had only us and were really tight." She hesitated but strangely had a feeling it wasn't too big a lie "On our fourteenth birthday he revealed to us that he had arranged a marriage which should take place two weeks later. My beloved twin sister should marry some disgusting rich man. She didn't love, or even like that man. I hated my father for that! We were both really angry and for the first time in our live we stood against our father. He went mad...I mean really mad. We only tried to defend ourselves. I..." she blinked back tears "...I threw a block of wood at him. It hit him hard and he lay there, not breathing. We were so shocked." Maureen nervously fingered at the pouch around her neck. "We just ran away. Without taking care where. We didn't take anything with us. The way was hard for people without food – or even shoes. My sister..." Maureen took a deep breath "she died on the path. She had a cut from the quarrel with my father which got dirty. Suddenly she had got a deep fever. Gangrene I guess. It had been too much for her." Now her whole body shook. With nervous fingers she opened the pouch around her neck and took out the necklace. "This had once been my mother's. My sister had taken it with her..." Her voice failed her. Out of her perspective the story sounded so true and it had digged out so many memories and emotions that she couldn't take it any longer.
She was thankful Geoffrey wasn't asking more. He simply laid his arm around her shoulders and with his free hand he covered her hands with the necklace in them. She slumped together and leaned against him. Both of them didn't say a word.*
~*~
° In the medieval times ppl swore by parts of God's or Christ's body.
°° Original: "love is free" – Canterbury Tales, Knight's Tale (I notice I often quote from The Knight's Tale but there are so many cool quotes about love in it!)
Let me know what you think!!!!
