A Knight To Remember - UNCUT R18

Chapter 25 - UNCUT

“So Torcall hid his nobility and to disguise his muscular body he took the role as woodsman, selling cut logs to the village.  We earned enough with that and my needlework to survive.  We did not have the luxuries but we had each other.” 

“Then we found the waterfall.  It was beautiful, God had created perfection in that place and we both believed it to be divine.  So in the absence of the church we came to worship there.  We confessed our sins, committed to each other and consummated our marriage in that place.  Then later we baptised our children there. It is our church.”

“The waterfall?”  I turned to Thomas, “You thought I was marrying you?”

“Yes he did,” Torc replied when Thomas did not, “If you had willingly accepted him in that place I would have honoured your choice Maeb.  You would have been married to Thomas in the eyes of my family.  An oath made in that place is made directly to God.  But it must be made willingly and with knowledge of the commitment.”

“You didn’t tell her?” Grace’s brow furrowed.  “You cannot be married to her Tommy.  Not like that.”

Thomas didn’t answer but his shoulders tightened and his feet moved the straw around on the dirt floor.

“We were married at the waterfall Blossum and we brought up our children to believe in the magic of that place. But a promise made there is only binding if both parties want it with all their hearts.  Such as it was between Torcall and myself.  We loved each other so very much.”

She paused and closed her eyes obviously lost in her memories.

“Mother, I remember how much love Father had for you but,” Torc frowned as if he didn’t know how to phrase the question, “Why did he leave if he loved us so much?  Why did he go to war if he was in hiding?  I don’t understand?”

“He did no go to war Johnny.  We told you this because it was the easiest explanation of why he was leaving.  But it was not accurate.”

“You see, we kept our ears open as we listened for gossip.  This was mainly to protect us and warn us.  The village although far from being anywhere of importance was near a trade route.  The men of commerce would often speak of what was happening in the Kingdom.”

“Word came to Torcall one day that Lord Maine was ill and dying.  With no Heir his widow would be made homeless as his estate would return to the crown.  He loved me and he loved his family.  Eleven years had passed.  He thought he could go home.  For the sake of his Mother and for the chance to ask his father for forgiveness he decided to go.  We spent our savings on a horse and he left me here with you boys.  He promised me he would be careful.  He promised me that he would return.”

Tears rolled down Grace’s face as her voice cracked in her grief.  “I loved him so much but it wasn’t enough.  He never returned.  I never knew his fate but he would have to be dead not to return to us.”

“But you don’t know that for certain?”

“No,” she whispered through her tears, “I was too afraid.  You boys were so young.  I could not leave you and I could not risk you.  I could not search for him.  I had to wait for him.  I had to hope that he would return one day.  He never did.  He would have.”

“I agree he would have if he was able but that does not necessarily mean that he is dead,” Torc eyes were focused towards the distance.

“If you were innocent of my uncle’s murder, who do you suspected killed him?”  Thomas brow was furrowed and his eyes showed the pain he felt on behalf of his mother.

“I don’t know.   Torcall and I never spoke of it.  It hurt him deeply.  Not just due to the dishonour it caused him but it also turned his friends against him.  They clearly believed his guilt.  And after a lifetime of being closer than brothers they turned against him.  They did not seek him to hear his side of the story, they instead believed the lie.”

“I know Blossum,” she smiled at my expression, “He was eloping with me and taking what was rightful Robert’s.  We did look guilty.  But that does not mean we committed the crime.”

“How did you expect to elope without earning my grandfather’s retaliation?  From what I understand he was a harsh man.”

“Torcall had a plan by which Robert and Lord Donnall would never discover us.  Although he no longer felt the same towards Robert they had been friends along with Edward and Percival since they were children.  We never meant to cause any insult or bad blood between the friends or the families.  We were just in love.  Whoever did it was truly evil and I don’t understand what they stood to gain.  My only thought was maybe it was an accident which was misread as murder.”

“But that doesn’t explain the letters,” Torc grumbled, “No Mother, this was no accident. I know Maeb’s Father and Percival but who was the fourth friend, the one you referred to as Edward?”

Grace turned to me and her eyes overflowed with sorrow as she opened her mouth to speak.

“No Grace,” I interrupted her and turned to Torc, “The Edward she spoke of, who was a friend of both my Father and Percy’s Father, is my husband – the King.”