Love Beneath The Moon

Chapter 2 - Maynard

The laughter that filled the Circus had died out long time ago. The rain came to lay waste to the carnaval and the villagers left the show to shelter at the comforts of their homes. Maynard and his family were left there to wait for the passing of the rain. The return back to their Mansion were hundreds of leagues away after all, and Maynard does not want to get wet.

Hours ago, his Lady Aunt, refused to shelter at one of the halls the villagers had offered them. She said "Storms come and go, but the Lord does not." A verse taken from their holy books. "The rain will pass, my good people, we have no intent of staying here for too long."

But we did, Maynard thought, and it had been too long.

The gentle rain that had came betrayed them and turn itself into a savage storm that threatened to destroy the Circus. The circus men who stayed behind to tend to the Lord and Lady have started erecting woods to strengthen the defenses of the tents against the storm.

Joseph, his uncle, was outside, taking all their belongings from their coach wagons. Any soft cushions that might serve them well at their sleep inside the Big Top. Maynard does not want to sleep here, no more than Lady Grenda would want to go home, but the rain had left them no choice.

"Little Lord!" Joseph greeted as he lifted baggages inside the tent from their coach wagons. Two household guards followed closely behind him, helping him carry other baggages too, "I believe we might need a hand at this."

"Very much so, uncle." He replied, "But I doubt your Lady Wife would want to lend you either of her hands."

"I talking about your hands, child."

"I'm sorry, Uncle, but I believe mine own baggages are over there. I am well sure of that as I remember the strength I mustered to lift them there myself."

"I didn't choose to bring this much to our journey, child." Uncle Joseph said, "Your Aunt insisted at that. Have mercy on me."

"I have warned you, Uncle." Maynard laughed. "Where is she anyway?"

"She is with the Circus men." Joseph said as he left to fetch more. Probably scolding them to hasten their moves, Maynard thought.

Maynard left himself sequestered inside the Big Top where the clowns and jesters and fire-breathing dancers had performed earlier. He doesn't want to help them, not after when they didn't heed his warnings.

He insisted on going with the villagers to sleep in their halls, he insisted on taking few baggages for their journey as Maynard figured they didn't need a lot, and he had warned them that the winterstorm are gathering so they must expect a few sets of rains to welcome it's arrival. They didn't heed him.

Of course, why would they heed the words of a boy? He was only 18, and only the Lord Warden of Old Icestones. Why should any of my subjects listen to me?

Originally, the floors of this tent were stony and wet, but the Old Man—who seemed to be the owner or an attendant—had been placing cushions and blankets to make it more bearable. He's been anxious, it seemed. Aunt Grenda must have poured her wrath with the rain to that poor old man.

The circus performers went and slept inside their circus wagons, but the Growths had decided it was dangerous to go and sleep there. The wind might toss it away and there they would be, stumbling inside a container with no hopes of getting out. At least if the Tent is blown away, they would be safe immediately on the ground. 

Maynard hoped they would be home soon. He will be joining a Lords Gathering this coming days, and he has to go there. If the rain wont rest for the next days, his travel might get delayed. It will be embarrassing for the other great Houses that the Son of the Lord Supreme was not able to attend. Especially to Lady Thenari! He suddenly recalled.