Apples of Gold (complete)

Part 22 - Mother and Father

Part 22 – Mother and Father ©2018 CarolynAnnAish

The streets from the royal castle, across to the Widow Allison's home, sounded with the pounding of boots. Torchlights flooded the area, soon joined by relit street lamps that had been extinguished by unknown criminals, one who was presently in custody and being taken, yelling and cussing, to the castle interrogation chamber.

The city was placed on lock-down and a search ordered, from the outer districts all the way to the king's residence. No one left the city without being questioned. The watch and patrols of the river were increased.

Allison, having pulled the bag off her head, used her scarf to hold her bleeding nose and put pressure on the bridge of it. She sat huddled on the path while her protectors explained the situation to their captain, Delyn. It was the captain's duty to send a guard, or go himself, to the castle to report this travesty to either Randall or Berman who would decide whether take the matter to the king tonight or leave it for the morning.

"Escort Widow Allison back to the castle and check her household that the children and staff located there are all safe. I'll commission guards to take up watch on her house."

Her protectors, one on either side of her, helped Allison to stand and begin the walk back to the castle.

Her head spun in an alarming manner. Suffering shock from the attack, she felt mindless and detached. They hadn't walked far when the guards felt her unstable on her feet. "I'll carry you, Marm," the taller, stronger guard said and hoisted her into his arms, carrying her as a husband would carry his bride over the threshold on their wedding day.

Attended to with her own 'bruise cream' massaged gently across the top of her nose and cheeks, Allison was put to bed in a guest room by castle matrons summoned to care for her. Assured that her household and children were all counted and safe, she was left to sleep. Waking mid-morning with a dull headache she remembered the ordeal of the night and felt glad to have slept and not to feel worse this morning. She longed to go home and be with her children...

One of the castle matrons brought a breakfast tray. Placing it on a side table, she introduced herself, "Good morning, Marm. It's good to see you awake and well. I'm Thelma, Captain Berman's wife. He asked me to inform you, Marm, that the attack last eve is being contained. His Majesty requests, for now, neither the queen nor their son, hears of it, Marm."

Allison nodded and said, "I am awake, but not feeling very well. I'd like to dress and visit Joseph and Lois —her Majesty... it's what I usually do, I go there mid-morning..."

"Yes, Marm, we know."

"Please, I'm Allison. If I call you Thelma, and you have a position in this castle as an important captain's wife, please use my name, Allison. I'll need to dress. I have clean day dresses in a closet..."

"Yes, we know, Marm, and we'll fetch one for you."

Out of sorts with herself and her recent schedule, Allison knew that her nose and face were still swollen so she swept some of her hair across her brow and pulled the scarf further forward on her forehead before entering the chamber where Joseph slept. Greeted by the queen, she realised, as Thelma had said, the queen knew nothing of the drama of the night before. It was a dull day and the room was dimmer than if the sun shone brightly. Allison noted that the long thick drapes had not been fully parted at the doors leading to the balcony.

After changing Joseph's night-shirt and bed linen together, the two women sat, as usual, one on either side of the bed. And as usual, Allison waited for the queen to speak.

"Who taught you about medicine and healing skills?" Lois asked.

"My late husband's parents; and of course, my husband; we learned a lot together. And, as God made every person different, a lot of it is like, taste and see." She laughed lightly; the knowledge that she had been told to keep something from the queen made her feel off-balance.