I don't know if I got the French accent right. Well, I guess you will know how I mean it.
@shamrock rocker: thanks for your review! I wanted at least one review to put up the next chappie (yes, my beta is very hard-working, I'm so happy!) and I got it so quick even! Confession was meant in another way...but you will see...
@Evenstar: here you are :)
Fell free to review. I'm very excited about one special scene (you will recognise it!) and what you'll say about it.
Enjoy.
~*~
*Maureen had learnt a few things.
1. She could trust Geoffrey wholly. He had manoeuvred her out of the situation and as far away from her father as possible without asking any questions or trying to find out anything. It was like he was protecting her from whatever might have come onto her. And that was a very pleasant feeling.
2. Travelling by ship made her very sick.
She was kneeling at the railing, arms over it, head on the hard wood and wishing the journey over the ocean would be over already. France better was an outstandingly beautiful country so it was worth all the mess in her stomach.
But this also made her take in a nice experience: somebody was actually and truly caring for her - especially Kate and Geoffrey were pretty much fussing about her state though Geoff was less outgoing in it. But his encouraging shoulder rubs and little story-telling for distraction now and then made her even more happy than Kate's caring motherly behaviour. Sometimes it was painful for Maureen to have Kate sitting next to her stroking the sick girl's messy hair gently and soothing her in a soft tone for it reminded Maureen of Jane. Nevertheless she felt her heart swell with thankfulness she would never be able to voice properly but her companions seemed not to expect anything in reward. They didn't do it for her thanks but because they cared for her!
This thought made her head spin a little faster than it already did and her stomach lurch. Weakly she staggered up a bit and retched, only her stomach was totally empty already and so her sore throat suffered even more from her efforts.
How could she ever have considered ships as impressing? They were awful and nasty, nothing more...*
+++
~Geoffrey took in a deep breath and smiled watching his lively sourroundings. It was midday and they just had arrived at Amiens, a small up-and-coming settlement in the north of France. Here the English Crown held a castle and Prince Edward's private tournament was to take place just outside the city walls. So naturally all kinds of people and stands were scattered around the tournament area: smithies, market stands selling all sorts of stuff, whores, beggars (mostly wounded knights coming from war) ... and gambling stands...~
*Maureen was so excited it was almost painful. They were at a town which she couldn't pronounce the name of and everything around her was so interesting, she didn't know where to look first. So many market stands, so many people (well, that made her rather nervous)...a dice booth? She edged a little closer to Geoff.
Their tent was large and laid out with furs and pillows and other comforts. Maureen loved the place at once. A more suspicious glance she shot at the lake nearby down a steep shore.
"Something wrong?" Sir William inquired. "I can't swim." Maureen glumly answered avoiding his eyes. "Then it's time for you to learn it I guess." Roland who had been in earshot chimed in. "First lesson tomorrow early in the morning I'd say!" and with that it was settled. Maureen knew better than to object.
Soon Kate left for the smithy area and Sir William was to sleep at the castle. Actually together with one servant but none of the others wanted to trade the busy excitement of the camp with the damp dark silence of the defiant stone building. Well, Maureen would have but she didn't want to be that far away from Geoff.
Now she was busy in the stables. She looked after Geoffrey's Troilus and left Brutus to a neat-looking French stable boy with longish brown hair and high cheek bones. He was pretty handy and soon had the temperamental black horse in a box, watered and fed. When he noticed Maureen's awed stare he laughed lightly revealing two lines of healthy white teeth and said something inaudible for Maureen (she guessed it was French as she had heard it pretty often the last days) with an outstretched hand. She stared at it.
Huh?
He grinned then said with a very heavy accent "Ah, you Eenglish? I zaid: 'ello, my name's -" and then a word followed which sounded pretty much like Sean.
Maureen was going to introduce herself when an all too familiar voice made her heart stop for a moment "Making friends already, are you?" Geoffrey stepped behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. Maureen sensed there was more than a friendly manner behind it but couldn't put her finger on it.*
~Geoffrey was plainly jealous. He knew that stableboy from last year's tournament. He was what people commonly called a pervert, meaning he had abnormal likings. In his case it was that his love interest involved men rather than women. Geoffrey knew that for sure. But Ryan was no unprotected game, he would show that to him, no matter if he really wanted the boy or not...
Ryan's answer was just as innocent as ever "Well, we were just at introducing us to each other." He made a presenting gesture which was pretty cute in its fervency. "That's Sean!"
The stableboy chuckled "Ah no! It's Jean, J-E-A-N, zofter speaking, listen: Jean."
Geoffrey watched amused as Ryan nearly broke his tongue trying to get the proper speaking when a newcomer entered the stable. Geoffrey didn't know the young man who was rather short but the way he and Jean locked eyes in the greeting told him pretty much. He introduced himself as Nil (in much better English than his partner though still with an accent) then again shot a glance at Jean. Obviously Nil hadn't expected anybody else to be in the stables with them. So he clapped Ryan's back.~
*"Come on, Rascal, we have some things to do."
Maureen saw no reason to leave. She just had encountered two French who seemed pretty nice very much against her own opinion. So she was eager to find out more about them and compare her expectations with reality. Also they both seemed very cultured, a manner she didn't experience too often about men...
They were some steps away when she noticed she had forgotten the saddle bags with Geoff's writing utensils and the precious bits which were left from Ela's sweet bread. With a small "Moment, please." She turned around and scampered back into the dusty coolness of the stables. What she saw made her stop short and wish she wouldn't have ignored Geoff's cry of "Wait!": in the back she could see the two French stable boys - wrapped in each other's arms - and kissing! And if she wasn't much mistaken there were definitely tongues in action!
Maureen was too shocked to wrinkle her face in disgust. They were obviously too occupied with themselves to notice her and Maureen silently discussed whether she should clear her throat loudly when she felt soft pressure on her upper left arm then was pulled out into the sun again.
Geoffrey peered down at her "That was certainly not necessary!"
"But...but ...the bags - I forgot the saddle...bags." Maureen stammered then plucked up her courage and after she checked twice that they weren't eavesdropped she whispered slightly breathless "Did you see it, too?"*
~His eyes were as big as saucers and Geoffrey felt a little uncomfortable under their intent stare. There was no need to ask what Ryan meant and so Geoff only nodded then made him go on with him.
"They...used...their tongues..." Ryan looked a little dumbfounded.
Geoff suppressed a grin "Well, that's the way it's working..."
"Oh, really?" For a moment the youngster seemed eager to inquire more about that but obviously pulled himself together severely. They passed a dice booth and Geoffrey felt his hands tremble, that was no good sign - additionally Ryan seemed to notice it.
"But..." Ryan argued and stopped in his tracks again "But it's against..." he seemed somehow at a loss of words "aginst the...the rules." And at Geoff's look he added quickly and somewhat sullen "You know what I mean!"
Geoffrey smiled "Who could set love any law?"°
This made Ryan look so strangely at him that he couldn't stand it but quickly marched on. When the curly-haired boy made to follow him he felt he needed some time for himself now rather than feeling nervous excitement because of his presence. So he told him to carry out some made up task then disappeared in the masses. He had to find a quiet place for himself to think.~
*Maureen was worried. Polishing Sir William's armour! Really, he barely could have thought of a more pointless task for her to do! He knew exactly well that she had done so during their first night stop on (satisfyingly steady) French ground.
She walked through the busy lanes following Geoff. She suspected him to be willing to give gambling another chance. He had wide choice here (there even was a rooster fight arena, she had seen). But he was not to do so! She would see to that. It was the best for him, after all. Everywhere around her were people. Maureen could feel the earth under her feet being as hard as bone covered with sharp stones here and there. There was a sweaty stench and a constant string of French in the air. That all made her feel very nervous and tremendously lost. Inside her grew the urgent wish to catch up withGeoffrey and take his protecting arm around her shoulder. But she knew she couldn't and so just kept on staring at his back.
Suddenly somebody else caught her eye: a small girl, age around five, with a raven mane, was playing in the crowd. As if unaware of the many people around her she ran merrily between their legs holding a long blue ribbon which flew behind her. When the girl turned her head to observe the ribbon Maureen could see all the joy of the world lying in the girl's dark brown eyes and the broad smile on her face. The girl looked like life itself. She was so absorbed by the sight of the flying ribbon that she didn't look out for the way. She hit Geoffrey while passing him, stumbled and fell.
The joy in her face was replaced by an expression of shock. When she had hit the hard and stony ground the girl had skinned her left arm and both hands. Maureen could see her lower lip tremble and tears were starting to flow. No one paid attention - no one except Geoffrey. He had stopped short and now bent down to lift the girl up and comfort her. He cleaned the wounds from dirt and her face from tears. All the time he was speaking to the infant. Maureen had taken refugee in a wide gateway to be able to observe Geoffrey without being spotted by him. She couldn't hear what he was talking but wouldn't have understood it anyway. She had heard him talk French pretty often ever since they had entered the ship that was to bring them over the ocean and she always was anewly amazed about his knowledge. He was capable of everything!
Her heart was beating very fast while she kept up her observation. His words had worked: the girl had stopped crying and now was laughing instead. It was a great sight. Maureen was sure: Geoffrey Chaucer was the one who should be the father of her children. Slightly trembling she took a step forward to have a better view.*
~Geoffrey was happy that the small girl laughed about his comical false-French-on-purpose phrases. He knew the children in France enjoyed it greatly when foreigners had their problems with the French tongue.
And he felt good with a child on his arms, too. He began to ponder about why he had no family yet, as he caught a glance of a wild dark shock of hair in the crowd, the face under it belonging to - Ryan! He looked at them with an expression which reminded Geoff of the warm look a mother would bear while watching her husband playing with their children. Annoyed he closed his eyes tightly and shook his head trying to force his mind away from this thought. When he opened his eyes again Ryan was away. Had it only been imagination? Distracted Geoffrey set the girl back onto the ground and with a laugh and a rush of her flying blue ribbon she was away. Slowly Geoffrey made his way back to the spot where he had seen Ryan standing.~
*Maureen had hidden in the dark passageway again while Geoffrey had shut his eyes. Out of the shadows she could see him passing by with puzzlement on his face. Despair and nerves made her cry. She hated herself for being so weak but she had always been close to tears.
The craving in her heart was so strong. Whenever she was near Geoffrey Chaucer she wanted to touch him, to feel his skin under her fingertips. To sense the soft touch of his fingers on her skin. To smell him. His lips caressing her own. She wanted to explore the feeling of his tongue in her mouth as she had seen it with Jean and Nil...
Slowly but unstoppable night was falling around her.
Maureen made a decision: he had to know. She would tell him everything. With a determined look on her soft features she stood up and made her way back to the camp.
Maureen built up a plan: Will was at a fancy dinner with the other knights while the rest of the gang was most likely to be found at the nearest inn. Maureen would first go into their tent, remove the traces of crying from her face, change into her favourite clothes which once had been Geoffrey's and then - no, no, no! She would never muster the courage to ask him for a private talk. Better she removed the bandage from her chest and searched for some tight shirt. Then she would only have to sit down next to them and answer questions... Yes, that plan was - oh shit!
Maureen had entered the tent and had not found it empty as she had thought it to be: Geoffrey was sitting in it - alone, in the semi-darkness of a burning tallow candle, pouring over a half filled piece of parchment. Maureen stood at the entrance frozen to the spot.*
~Geoff had looked up immediately at the rustling sound of somebody entering. Now he fought the by now usual battle between being delighted and excited to see Ryan and hating that feeling. Then he spotted Ryan's swollen eyes and dried streams of tears on his cheeks and his liking on the youngster won. Concerned he stood up and walked over to him, his every movement followed by the wide opened dark eyes of Ryan. Geoffrey could not help feeling nervous under this intense stare. He did not say a single word afraid his voice which usually never failed him could be hoarse.
Geoff just laid his arm around the boy's trembling thin shoulders and led him over to the soft furs. They both sat down and looked at each other - into each other's eyes - and for a short moment Geoffrey was happy. Then Ryan hastily broke the contact and Geoff mentally slapped himself.
"Stupid!" he said to himself.
"What?"
Damn - had he actually said that aloud?
"Never mind - so ... what happened?"
"Nothing." Ryan mumbled. He looked so nervous and miserable that Geoffrey forgot all these barriers he had built up with hard work and drew nearer to Ryan.
"You can tell me. Really! What is it?"
Ryan looked at him, with the strongest lost puppy eyes Geoffrey had ever seen. He could sense the boy was dealing with something which was too heavy for those weak shoulders. He could see little teardrops hanging forlorn in Ryan's long dark eye lashes - silent traces of his ache. His dark brown eyes were so immensely big and they reflected the flickering candle light which was gracing his pale skin and soft almost female features. Ryan's lips were slightly trembling. Geoffrey could feel all self-control slipping through his fingers.
Listening to his loudly beating heart he slowly leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss onto Ryan's lips.~
*A tingling sensation was flooding through Maureen's whole body and she leaned in to answer the kiss. It was not until she felt Geoffrey's tongue caressing her lips seeking them to part that a thought screamed nastily in her dulled mind "He isn't kissing you, he's kissing RYAN!"*
~Suddenly Ryan pushed him away violently. Geoffrey noticed his mistake while pulsating blood was reddening his face. He wanted to say something but was not even quick enough to open his mouth. Ryan had leapt up, an expression of utmost terror on his face.~
*"YOU'RE A PERVERT???" Maureen yelled.
She wasn't able to think anything besides 'Everything's lost!'. Her mind and movements weren't connected anymore. Away - just away. She dashed out of the tent and through the labyrinth of the camp. Her eyes didn't see where she was running in the dark. Her blurred mind hardly noticed that she stumbled over a root. However there was a very small region in her head that wondered why she was rolling down a slope. Her head hit a sharp stone the same moment her body rolled into the cold water. The very small amount of mind and sense which had been inside Maureen now flew away, too, and only her body remained with her.
It was not until the next morning that they found her.*
~*~
°Original: "Who shall yive a lover any lawe?" Canterbury Tales, Knight's Tale (again...^.^°)
Comments are more than welcome!
