Chapter 6
"Well Kate we're about to come to the part of the story where it's start to get exciting." Castle said speaking to Kate. "The fair maid meets the ruggedly handsome minstrel."
"...The launch of the latest and final instalment of the adventures of Sir Derrick Of Storm was a great social event. The Guild of Minstrels had allowed their hall to be the venue for the book launch and anyone who was anyone made sure to be there. Lords and Ladies other high born as well many others from other stations in life were there, as were city officials. The free food and drink was just an added incentive to ensure a large turn out. There was talk that even his lordship the mayor himself would make an appearance.
Richard the Minstrel made his appearance upon the carpet of red that had been rolled down to the street from the Great Hall on the arms of the two favourite women in his life, his beloved daughter and his mother, the Lady Martha. In the carriage ride the Minstrel had a pout on his face like a petulant child as he had not been allowed by these two women to wear the costume he had wanted to wear. He thought it would be a most splendid and humorous idea to arrive at the gathering dressed as Pierrot the clown.
The two red headed women convinced him in no uncertain terms the foolishness of such a fanciful idea. He was forced to wear more sober attire. They assured him that he would still look handsome as he always did. What they did not voice was they would not have been caught dead to be seen with him wearing the white face paint and white costume of that famous clown. The pout on the Minstrel's face vanished the moment the carriage pulled up to the entrance of the Great Hall.
With his two favourite women on either side of him Richard the Minstrel put on his his happy face to the world and acknowledged the applause and greetings from the assembled people in front of the Great Hall. He smiled and waved to the people and paused to give his autograph to some of the people. Eventually the Minstrel made his way into the Hall.
The Minstrel was suitably impressed at the effort his publisher the Lady Gina and her minions at Black Rook had gone to have the requisite number of his latest tome available here at the book launch. In the lobby to the Great Hall there was a large table groaning under the weight of numerous copies of the Minstrel's latest book. It pleased him that a number of people were purchasing the book.
Without further ado Richard the Minstrel, his daughter and mother swept into the Great Hall to more applause and adulation from those gathered.
The lady Gina made a small speech of welcome to all those gathered this evening for the event. Then she introduced the Minstrel. Richard the Minstrel bounded onto the stage to rousing cheering and rapturous applause. For the next hour and maybe more he held his audience spellbound one moment and in fits of laughter the next as he spun tales of his most famous creation, Sir Derrick of Storm. The Minstrel favoured his audience with only small excerpts from his latest book but mere morsels to whet the appetite, that and the fact that he wanted them to buy his new book. There was no way he was going to spoil it for everyone by revealing the twist at the end of the book.
Richard the Minstrel would have stayed on stage for even longer regaling his appreciative audience with more tales of Sir Derrick but the Lady Gina had other ideas and she managed to entice him off the stage where he spent another hour and maybe more signing books for his adoring fans. To look upon the smiling face of Richard the Minstrel you would have thought that he was in his element. And in a way he was. The Minstrel enjoyed meeting his adoring public it was one way to show his appreciation for purchasing his books.
Then there was the meet and great with some of the more important personages who had been invited to this soiree. He had a witty remark for each and everyone he met, and for the ladies there was a saucy remark at the ready that did not fail to bring on some blushing.
Despite the success of the book launch the Lady Gina was not happy. She had managed to drag the Minstrel from his adoring fans and guests. Tonight was as good a night as any to continue the tirade she had given the Minstrel yesterday when he had paid her a visit after his return from his travels.
"Truly, Rick what lack-witted simpleton kills off his bestselling main character?" The Lady Gina fumed. Both the Lady Gina and the Minstrel were making their way to the back of the Hall where a bar had been set up supplying free wine to anyone thirsty enough.
"That would be me." Richard said, grinning mischievously. If the Lady Gina was going to give him a piece of her mind, he would have some fun at her expense.
The Minstrel paused to sign an offered book by a young damsel. He gave the young woman a quick smile and hurried to catch up with his publisher.
"And who not only kills him off but does it in the most gruesome manner?"
"Me again." Richard's grin deepened.
Richard smiled at a passing serving wench pilfering a tasty morsel of food from the tray she carried. He gave her a mischievous wink as he popped the food into his mouth.
"Decapitation, really Rick?"
"I was aiming for something really messy." There was a gleeful tone in the Minstrel's voice.
"You couldn't have him lose an arm or a leg?"
The Lady Gina had reached a quiet area of the Hall where they could be alone. Richard finished signing another book for a young woman, gave her a friendly smile and then walked over where the Lady Gina was standing. The fixed smile upon her face had faded and was replaced with as stern looking visage. It was a look that the Minstrel was all too familiar with. In the last few months of their marriage this was the look that greeted him most of the time it was as if she had forgotten how to smile.
"You couldn't have had him retire to a monastery!"
The Minstrel grinned at his publisher and erstwhile wife.
"Your displeasure is predicated upon the belief that Sir Derrick was the Golden Goose."
"Well, wasn't he?" Lady Gina retorted.
"I wrote a dozen or more bestselling books before Sir Derrick came along. I'll have you know that Sir Derrick is not the Golden Goose here, I am." The Minstrel said proudly. "There is more where Sir Derrick came from I assure you."
Lady Gina looked at the Minstrel with a doubtful look.
"You are late all ready with the latest outline for your next book."
"You can't rush genius, you know."
"You were late in submitting this book and instead of writing an outline of your next book you head off on a month long jaunt around the provinces."
"What can I say, my dear. I have adoring fans both near and far. I simply could not let them down."
"And now you're late with the outline of the your next book." Lady Gina said ignoring the Minstrel's last remark.
"You will get it all in good time." Richard said.
The Lady Gina raised a questioning eyebrow in the direction of the Minstrel.
"Know this well Minstrel that if I do not have a ten page outline of your next project on my desk in two week's time, there will be serious repercussions." Lady Gina warned.
"Will that include some form of spanking?" Richard enquired, hopefully.
Lady Gina glared at the Minstrel, sighed heavily and then stormed off.
Richard the Minstrel smiled to himself as he watched the Lady Gina march away in a huff. He always liked to indulge in a bit of sport with his former wife and publisher, especially when she was angry with him. It amused him to see how far he could push her to get a rise out of her. He had succeeded far better than he thought he would. Knowing the Lady Gina as he did the Minstrel had no doubt that he would pay for it somewhere down the track but for now he would revel in this small victory.
From the tray of a passing serving wench Richard the Minstrel picked up a cup of wine and then made his way into the throng of people to continue with the meet and greet.
The Minstrel spotted a the red headed woman standing by herself surveying the people within the hall. He approached the woman with a smile on his face.
"How is Diana the Huntress fairing this fine evening?" Richard enquired.
The Lady Martha, star of playhouses both near and far, large and small, and mother of Richard the Minstrel turned around gracing her son with a beaming smile.
"Richard dear, a wonderful soiree you have here." Lady Martha said.
The Minstrel leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek.
"Thank you mother." Richard said. "I had nothing to do with it. The kudos should all go to the Lady Gina."
"It appears she has outdone herself this time."
"Indeed."
The Lady Martha continued to cast her gaze over the gathered crowd with a smile on her face. Her sharp eyes were assessing a couple of likely prospects. Richard glanced at his mother with an amused grin on his face. It was always the same when he invited her to these soirées.
"Hoping to get lucky, tonight?" He ventured.
"So many opportunities." The Lady Martha mused aloud, her smile broadening.
Richard the Minstrel almost burst into laughter when his mother spotted someone.
"Don't wait up for me, dear."
"Fine mother." Richard replied as he watched the lady Martha glide in the direction of a handsome looking grey haired gentleman that caught her eye.
"As long as I don't have to call him father!"
Richard the Minstrel placed his half finished cup of wine on the tray of a passing serving wench and went in search of the other favourite woman in his life. He had not seen her since he had gotten on stage.
The Minstrel found his daughter sitting at the corner of the bar with a number of books spread out before her which she was studying. He could not help but smile at the sight of his beautiful daughter who was more intent with the books in front of her rather than the sights and sounds of the book party going on around her.
He approached the bar and signalled to the man behind the bar for two cups of wine, one of which he placed before his daughter.
"Father you do know I am only 15 years old?" Alexis said pushing away the cup of wine that Richard had placed before her, not looking up from the book she was reading.
"Indeed Daughter but you have an aged soul." Richard replied pushing the cup toward her.
"Aged soul or not, I'm far too young to drink wine." Alexis said looking up and pushing the cup back towards her father. Richard took a sip from his cup.
"You should be having some fun rather having your nose buried in texts of learning."
"I have an exam on the morrow and need to study."
"You know when I was your age..." Richard paused suddenly. "Gadzooks I can't tell you that tale."
"Who says 'gadzooks' anymore?"
"I'm trying to revive it."
"A lost cause, I'm afraid to say."
"Not if I can help it." Richard grinned.
"Good luck with that, dad."
Richard took another sip of his wine. He moved closer to his daughter.
"Darling daughter of mine, life should be an adventure. Do you know why I brought on the demise of the valiant Sir Derrick?" Richard enquired of his daughter, as he took a sip from his wine cup.
"I'm sure you're going to tell me." Alexis said, realising rapidly that she would not be returning her studies any time soon.
"There were no more surprises. I knew exactly what was going to happen every moment of every scene."
"Are you not supposed to know what is going to happen every moment of every scene, dad? After all you are the author of the stories?" Alexis pointed out.
"The point I'm labouring to make, darling daughter of mine is that Sir Derrick became predictable.
It's just like these gatherings. They have become predictable. 'I'm your biggest fan' or 'Where do you get your ideas...?'"
"Or the still popular, Will you sign my bosom?"
"That one I don't so mind that much." Richard grinned and took another sip of his wine.
"Well I do."
Richard set his wine cup down on the counter and looked at his daughter. "Just the once, I would like some one to come up and say something new." He sighed.
"Richard the Minstrel?"
Richard the Minstrel picked up a quill from the counter, affixed a smile to his face and turned around to face the person who had spoken.
"Where would you like it?"
"Detective Kate Beckett New York Constabulary. We need to ask you a few questions about a murder that took place earlier tonight."
"Gadzooks! Now that's new." Alexis said as she leaned over his shoulder and took back the quill.
It was not often that the famous Richard the Minstrel was at a loss for words. It was not all that often that he forgot how to breathe. If he had been pressed he would not have been able to recall the last time it had happened. In this moment in time, in the great hall of the Guild of Minstrels, truly the famous Richard the Minstrel had forgotten how to breathe.
His eyes flitted from the shield held up in front of his to the woman who was holding it. Those eyes that held his gaze had him captivated in an instant. Green and full of intelligence with a promise of mischief and an underlying layer of sadness. He found himself lost in them.
In that moment for Richard the Minstrel there was no Great Hall of the Guild of Minstrels, there was no crowd, there was no book launch soiree. It was just Richard the Minstrel and this beautiful young woman of the constabulary..."
Castle felt a hand on his shoulder. He stopped his story and looked up to see that Lanie had gotten to her feet.
"Damn you Writer Man, just when you get to the good part I have to leave." Lanie said, smiling gently at him. He gave her an apologetic smile in return. She gave his shoulder a squeeze and then turned to look at her friend in the bed.
"I swear if I didn't know better I'd say our girl is enjoying your story." Lanie remarked.
Castle looked at Kate and was pleased to see that her lips were curved upwards a little more than previously. His heart lifted at the sight of her small smile. He smiled at her and squeezed her hand.
"Keep it up Writer Man." Lanie said as she released him. "I'll come by later after work."
Castle nodded his head.
"But if there is any change you let me know, okay?" Lanie warned with admonishing finger.
Castle smiled and nodded his head at the medical examiner. When Lanie had gone he rose to his feet to stretch his legs a little. He rubbed at his eyes. Sleep continued to threaten.
"Can I get you another coffee, Mr Castle?" Rebecca inquired. She hovered by the door alone. The other staff had things to do, Castle thought to himself.
"That would be nice, thank you." He said.
He paced back and forth in the room getting the stiffness out of his muscles. He felt a little tired. A part of him told him that he needed to rest but the rest of him would not do that, could not do that. He would plug on for how ever long it would take. On hearing Rebecca return he stopped and turned to her. He accepted the big steaming mug from the nurse with a grateful nod of his head.
"Straight from the nurses' station, Mr Castle."
Castle took a sip of the coffee it was hot but not scolding. It was of good quality he discovered. He nodded his thanks to the nurse. Rebecca moved over to the bed and picked up the chart and moved over to the machines and began to jot things down on the chart. When she was finished she returned the chart to the end of the bed. She looked at Castle.
"My shift ends soon and I wanted to thank you for letting us listen in to your story, Mr Castle." Rebecca said.
"That's quite all right, Rebecca."
"It's a great story."
"That's kind of you to say."
When Rebecca departed from the room Castle took another sip of the coffee. He set the cup on the side table and then sat down in his chair. He got himself comfortable or as comfortable as he could get in one these hospital chairs. Once more took Kate's hand in his.
"Now where was I..? Ah yes, we find our minstrel taken from the party and is now ensconced in the constabulary's interrogation room..."
Your thoughts on this latest effort would be gratefully appreciated.
Kindest regards
Con