OLD VERSION! DONT READ!

/Chapter One/ Talking To The Moon/

  My heart pounded against my chest hard with every small step I took. Alexander was looking downwards and smiling as if her were thinking of a happy thought. When he looked up his smile fell. I curtsied for him and said “Good Evening Sir Alexander.”

  “Good evening Madame, care to state your business?” his voice was deep and masculine.

  “I am Mercy Thompson my lord, our fathers arranged-” I introduced myself but he interrupted me.

  “Of course,” he stood up and I saw how much he towered over me, he was a full head taller. Alexander gently took my hand and kissed it. I shivered; this man’s father was responsible for my mother’s death so I was partially disgusted. Although, I did feel a shock of electricity run through me. “Please, sit down with me.” He sat back on the bench and I followed.

  We sat there in silence for a few seconds without speaking. An awkward atmosphere began to form around us. I didn’t know what to say to my fiancé so I blurted out, “this is a beautifully carved seat, whoever could have made it?” I ran my fingers across the carvings. I blushed deeply at my stupid question.

  “Is your father not a carpenter? I believe he made this for my father.” He answered. My father made many pieces of furnisher for high status people like the duke, that’s how he became ‘friends’ with the duke and convinced him to allow me to marry his son. It wasn’t particularly hard job since the long years had not been good to the duke’s mind.

  “Yes, he is my lord.”

  “May I ask you a few questions? I’d like to have some of my worries eased.” He asked, staring into my eyes. I nodded. “How many children did your mother have?”

  I felt an ache in my heart at the mention of my mother. “Why?” 

  “I’d like to know how likely you are to conceive. I am a very family orientated man.” There was no point of planning children, as soon as I marry him I will torture him.

  “My mother had two children, myself and a son who is no longer with us. She died before she could have anymore.” I replied glumly, mother was a touchy subject but I managed to keep myself posed.

   “I see, was that from an illness? Was your mother prone to many sicknesses?”

  “No, she was…killed.” I shouldn’t have let that slip out but I couldn’t contain myself.

  “How so?”

  “She was…pushed…onto a roaring fire…” I mumbled feeling my tears sting in my eyes and threaten to escape.

  “That’s rather unfortunate, maybe she should not have stood so close to the public burnings.” To my relief this man was not very intelligent. If he was he’d known we were under the reign of Queen Elizabeth; only hangings and prison sentences were allowed. Mother's burning was private and kept a secret from the queen.

  I nodded in agreement with him. “May I ask, is this your home?”

  “Not at the moment but it will be once we are married. My father’s days are limited and I’m inheriting the title of duke of Edinburgh. You will be my duchess of course.” He replied.

   Birds began t o gather on the rose overhead arch and cooed at their new surrounding. Alexander quickly jumped up from his seat and waved a walking stick leaning against the arch at them. They flew away with great haste whilst Alexander yelled, “Fowl disgusting Vermin!”

  I was shocked at his sudden response to the birds; they were completely innocent, they hadn’t released their waste upon him or even bothered him yet he shooed them away. That was rather insensitive.