Coming to vows part of the wedding ceremony, Katherine excitedly awaited the moment when she could state her 'I do's' and become Marcus's bride.
Marcus took in a good breath, squeezing Katherine's hands lightly, while he rolled up on the balls of feet, before settling back to his heels.
Katherine thought that Marcus' impatience to also be about their 'I do's' was adorable.
It was then that Katherine realized, Marcus was winding up to speak.
Marcus saw the light dawn upon her face, as she looked a small amount stricken for a moment.
Katherine was highly aware that she did not do well in a spotlight. She tended to freeze in situations when many eyes were upon her, it was just her nature, her cross to bear. Oh, please, Marcus, she thought, she was just barely hanging on as it was....
Would she be expected to.....? As they had in the churchyard all those years ago?
Then he spoke, "My Katy girl, my dearest love."
Katherine became enthralled immediately with his warm words. Well, really, who would not when he started out such?
She squeezed Marcus's hands tightly, as his eyes shone with emotion.
"I, Marcus, swear to you, Katherine," his voice held passion and conviction, "To be forever yours from this day forward. To cleave unto you...." Marcus's eyebrows wiggled as he smiled wickedly for a second, " To love you most passionately," His eyes then sparkled with promise, "To cherish, care for, and honor you always, in any circumstances we may find ourselves in, as long as I have breath in my body."
Katherine looked up at him, surprised by his humor, touched by his words and overcome by the passion in his voice.
Her mind drew a blank, though she knew it was her turn.
Marcus squeezed her hands and looked to her hopefully.
She gulped, and looked to Violet quickly, as if he may be able to help her.
Violet could see her dilemma, he knew her all too well, having flustered her his own self too many times before. He immediately recognized her panic for what it was. He did not help at all, as he barely controlled his laughter. Vi snorted once. And raised his hand to rub at his mouth.
Katherine flew her eyes back to Marcus's, and she squeezed his hands as she squeaked, "Me too!"
Violet erupted with laughter.
Betsy was confused, as Katherine faced away from her, but Marcus laughed also, and the King chuckled beside her.
Katherine shaded red as a beet, looking down to Marcus's hands that clasped her own.
The reverend waited patiently, quite amused himself, while Marcus and Violet cleared their throats of mirth. The crew, Damien, and Alfred were found to be chuckling also.
Katherine felt Marcus squeeze her hands again lightly, so she looked up tentatively to his eyes, as her blush hopefully began to fade.
"What God has joined together, let not man put asunder." The reverend stated.
Katherine finally heard the words she had waited all these years to hear.... What God has joined.
She was now Marcus's wife, as she had always hoped to be. Violet was now Marcus's son, as he was meant to be. They were finally a true family and Katherine's prayers had been answered.
Katherine threw her arms around Marcus's neck and kissed him soundly, while he tried, but could not quite, smile a little less widely.
Violet then embraced his parents, their friends and family coming forward to congratulate them.
Much kissing and back patting went on, as the boys started wrestling in their pew.
One glance from the King, however, and Elias swatted each of the others, pointing to the Monarch, who leveled his gaze upon them, until all sat quiet as little church mice, looking at the King regrettably.
The King crooked his finger at the boys, who slowly skulked towards him, heads slung low.
Approaching the King, Davey bowed like a good lad, the other boys scrambling to follow suit.
The King nodded at them, accepting their homage, "What say you we act like gentlemen in the house of God, and do our scrapping outside?" The King's royal brow was raised, as his face brooked no argument.
A chorus of sorry's came to his ears, as the King pointed to a side door of the chapel. " That 'tis where you want to go." The boys bowed again quickly, their conversations whispered, as they filed out the door into a lamplit garden.
A bowl of punch and a tray of toast points sat on a table beneath a canopy.
A pair of servants picked up the trays and brought the boys a glass of punch, also letting them select a treat.
Downing both quickly, the boys then set out to investigate their surroundings.
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The man in black scaled the wall behind the firing range. He knew no one would be about at this hour, as he had been watching the grounds for some nights now.
Watching for the occasional strolling, patrolling guard was his only concern.
Dropping down quietly , he crouched for a moment, keeping a low profile. He then moved quickly, as he scuttled along the wall behind the hedgerow, headed west to where he knew the pawn sat.
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Davey and Elias saw the man pop up over the wall.
Extending their arms and putting fingers to their mouths, they kept the other boys from giving them away.
Elias bent down to Jesse, Phillip and Zack, "Go. Tell Violet, and Pete, a man just came over the wall, be quiet and quick."
The younger boys raced back the way they had just come, as Elias and Davey followed the man from a safe distance.
Elias' heart was pumping something fierce. This was why he had not wanted to leave the ship. Elias felt he had enough trouble in his life before Brutus had found him, he had no desire for more.
On the other hand, Elias had come to like the King very well, he did hope that he and Davey may be able to help this man be caught, as the man could be up to no good skulking about as he was.
Davey saw the man approaching the castle, in front of him were a set of doors that led inside. Davey felt he could not let the man get inside the building, for it would be much harder to follow him until help arrived, and none would know where they had gone.
Davey stooped down and grabbed a handful of rocks as he walked.
"What are you going to do?" Elias asked.
"I shall try to keep him occupied, I am guessing."
Elias dropped back to give Davey room.
Loading the strap with tiny pebbles Davey wound up as he walked, only stopping upon the release.
"Ya got him!" Elias whispered excitedly.
Davey took off after the man as Elias followed more slowly.
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The side door to the church banged open, all eyes swiveled to the three boys piling through it.
"A man...." Jesse pointed out the door excitedly.
"Climbed the wall...." Phillip panted.
"An Davey an 'Lias is chasin' em!" Zack finished for the group.
After but one second of stunned silence, Violet, Pete, Brutus, and Sam ran out the side door, one right upon the other's tails.
Pete scooped up Jesse, throwing him atop his shoulders, "Which way?"
Jesse told them which way to go, calling out starboard and port in a quiet voice, while they all travelled through the gardens that ran along the range and beyond.
As the men hurried along the pathways Jesse indicated, it came to Violet that none of them were armed.
He found himself praying fervently that the boys would not be hurt by the man they were following.
Vi felt Brutus' hand upon his shoulder, he slowed, the others catching up, as Elias stepped out from the hedge in front of them.
"They went that way." Elias pointed them in the right direction. "Davey's been keeping him busy for you."
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The man in black veered out into the open, he did not realize he had, he was too busy trying to swat the stinging bees from his neck, head and body.
He ran, flailing his arms to swat them away, which seemed to be working for the moment. He slowed to get his bearings, and see if the swarm was following him, when he was assailed yet again.
Running for the wall, the man prepared to vault over it as he was stung upon the back and buttocks. That lifted him right up and over, he hit the ground hard, rolling outside the castle wall. Coming to his feet as quickly as he could, he resumed running as fast as his newly acquired limp would allow.
Violet and the rest of the group came upon Davey, bent over, panting. He held his sling in his hand that rested upon his knee.
"He is gone?" Violet asked, looking to the wall where Davey had been facing.
"I could not stop him, I could only chase him away." Davey stood, still trying to catch his breath as the adrenaline had winded him.
"A fine job, son." Violet placed a hand around Davey's shoulders, "Let us go tell the guards what you saw." They walked back to the courtyard while Davey and Elias told them what they had seen and done.
All awaited them as they returned. After telling the King's man what had happened, Davey and the rest of the boys were hailed as heroes, while the King stared out into the lamplit night.
"Anything I could, mayhap, help you with?" Violet queried quietly by the King's side .
The King looked to Violet, "Mayhap, I shall think upon it and let you know."
Violet nodded, "I am at your service, my liege, and my men also."
"You mean, Brutus's men?" The King raised a brow.
Violet grinned, "That shall take some getting used to."
The King laughed, glad the boys had come to no harm, glad he had this man beside him. "Mayhap, I should hire your wife, I have heard tales she could make one hell of an assassin."
"Do not even think upon such a thing." Violet stated. "She would make a most terrible mercenary, what respectable felon would surrender due to having his leg wet upon by a barrel? I am not sure Elizabeth could ever find it in herself to shoot a soul."
The King snorted, he had been teasing and he could appreciate Violet's quick wit. He clapped Violet upon the shoulder, "We shall discuss this more later if need be. Go, eat, drink, return to Elizabeth. My men are on the job and know there is a threat. Leave it to them."
The King smiled reassuringly, convincing Violet to join the subdued, yet joyful party, until they would be called in to supper.
The King walked the perimeter, assuring himself the castle was now fortified, as he spied his men from vantage points here and there. They had been slack in their duties. He would have to repeat his warnings and stress that their diligence would be required.
It had been a long time since there had been any attempt to gain the pawn. Apparently the men had grown lax, thinking that the threat had passed away.
We can not have that, the King thought. His eyes narrowed upon the western walls, before he sighed heavily. He wished holding the pawn was not necessary at all.
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For you my lovely readers! ;) A very blessed day to you all!