Moonmount Castle - LGBT, manXman - ON HOLD

27

Lodareth

The journey home was incredibly long.

Without companionship, I found myself talking to either my horse or the messenger pigeon.

When I finally returned to Moonmount Castle, it was early evening; the journey had taken me almost eight weeks, not six, because my pace was slowed by the presence of the pigeon strapped to the back of my saddle. Any pace faster than a gentle trot caused him to coo and fuss in displeasure.

The stableyard was empty when I dismounted. I tethered the horse to one of the many iron rings in the stableyard and removed my luggage. I tucked the pigeon beneath my arm, and hauled the other parcels over my shoulder, before going to knock on Henry's door.

He pulled it open a moment later, and startled.

"My Lord," he said, quickly starting to re-lace his loosened tunic. "We weren't sure when to expect you-"

"It's alright, Henry. Even my father doesn't know I'm home yet. I just wanted to let you know I'm home, and ask you to get someone to look after the horse."

"Yes, my Lord."

I left Henry to rouse one of the grooms, and made my way back up to the castle.

I slipped into the castle through one of the servant's passageways, and entered my bedchamber unseen by the servants.

I laid my parcels down on the bed, and settled the pigeon's cage on the dresser beside the window. I fed him quickly, before changing out of my dusty travelling clothes and into clean livery.

I left my dirty clothes over the back of one of the settles, for Espan to take and clean in the morning – no doubt he would be surprised at my changing and organising my own clothes, but I'd improved my pampered routines a little while staying with Coda – and made my way to the small dining hall.

Father, Lady Mirande, Thea and Luande were already seated and eating when I entered the hall.

"Lodareth!"

My father saw me first, and rose to greet me.

"Hello, Father."

I embraced him, and kissed the hands of the Ladies, before sliding into my usual seat, at my father's right-hand side.

"How was your journey?" Father asked, pushing a tall pitcher of ale towards me.

"Very enjoyable, thank you. But longer than I expected."

"Oh?"

"I was delayed when the cart over-turned. I spent three days in a village, waiting for the carpenter to fix the wheels, but he was so busy with other work for his Lord that I sold it to him, just to get underway again."

Father nodded unconcernedly.

"We rarely used that cart anyway."

"I would have stayed, of course, had it been one of the carriages. But the cart wasn't valuable to us," I agreed.

I poured myself a tankard of ale and smiled at the Ladies.

"How are you all?"

"Very well, thank you." Lady Mirande smiled kindly at me; try as I might, I could not think of her as anyone other than 'Lady Mirande'. 'Mirande' and 'Mother' were certainly out of the question.

"We have some news," Thea said, nudging her sister and giggling.

"Yes, we do." My father smiled proudly at Luande.

"I'm betrothed," she told me, smiling broadly. "To Lord Florian's son, Josepe."

"Congratulations," I said, honestly pleased for her; at least there would now be one less Lady and her lapdog to get under my feet at Moonmount. "When is the wedding to be?"