Ineffable

Chapter 6

"Crispin!" I launched myself into his arms, making us fall to the sandy ground, and gave him a huge hug. He responded back, giving me an even bigger one, almost squeezing me to death.

We were both incredibly in a berserk mood.

He stood up, extended his arm, and helped me up.

I dusted myself off, and chuckled.

Looking up at him, I notice his arms appear bigger. Not oversized, but in a strong kind of way, muscly.

His voice is much deeper too, way deeper than it was 4 years ago.

His face is more defined, and slim, making him more attractive than he was already.

I gaze into his eyes again, which soften, and take notice that he's looking right at me.

"Do I have dirt on my face?"

"Oh no, of course not! You just come across as different to me."

I laugh and pick up the water pail. "Is that a bad thing?"

"No. It's not." He grins.

"Okay..." I start walking to the Maddock house.

Crispin follows me. "Where are you going with that pail?"

"To my master, for I am her servant for now." I made it sound dramatic, though it wasn't at all. Well, it is, but they don't treat me as an object.

Crispin mutters an oh.

"I'm just kidding! I am their servant, but they treat me as if I were part of their family."

A sound of light laughter happens beside me.

Crispin follows me into the house.

"Who is this fellow, Fayre? A beau?" Margery stood up from her chair, emulating her laugh from earlier.

"No, I am not her beau," he said gingerly. "God willing in the future though." That last part was whispered into Margery's pale ears, but I heard it. I giggled while shaking my head.

The way he sounded in his voice, it was clear he was joking, which relieved me.

That will not happen. Due to many, many things. One, being my parents not having enough to pay a dowry, let alone two, for me and Hildegard.

Margery eyed him and me down, as if envisioning me and Crispin being accompanied together, and gave me a cunning expression.

Oh my.

"The pail, please Fayre." Lady Maddock reached her arms out.

"Sorry!" I almost forgot it was in my hand.

"May I be of some use to you?" Crispin politely asked.

Lady Maddock shook her head. "It's okay. Sybil only got cones in her hair. How? It is still a mystery."

"Only, Mother? Only? If you aren't careful you could avidly rip out my hair, leaving a bald spot!" Sybil complained to her mother. 

"Now why would I enjoy ripping your hair? The one enjoying that would be Margery, who has been asked to go into the other room a few minutes ago!" Lady Maddock replied, not looking up from moistening Sybil's pine coned locks.

Margery made a face that was amusing and ran out the room, bringing Crispin's arm with her, dragging him along.

He looked back behind him, at me, not knowing what to do.

I simply waved goodbye, teasingly.

The two disappeared into the other room and I assisted with Sybil's hair.

"Thank you Mother and Fayre! Thank you for me and my hair!"

<~~~~~~~~~~~~>

The next day, Lady Maddock sent me to fetch some wool for her to sew.

Crispin visited again and followed.

We started for the grassy hills, where the sheep were now kept.

We passed by many knolls and small flower beds. The tree branches swayed along with the wind. lol

"Are you going to follow me the whole time, or are you going to visit Lord Ead and Lady Ead? Your parents?" I laughed and nudged him with my left elbow.

He laughed along. "No, not yet. After all, we were to gather some wool."

"Correction, I was."

I did not want him to come with. Crispin being in a higher social class than me and watching me serving a noble family is intimidating.

"Well, I do not want to see them at the moment." He turned his head away from me, dramatic wise.

Putting my hand on his shoulder I asked if he was okay.

"Yeah."

We continued walking and picked up some fleece and strolled back towards the Maddock estate.

Crispin stopped to pick up a daylily. "For you my lady." He bowed and his arm extended with the daylily.

I laughed and played along. "Why thank you good sir."

I accepted the lily, which made me struggle, due to me also carrying the wool basket.

"Here, let me help you." His strong arms took the basket.

"This flower smells lovely Crispin."

"As do you."

Haha. (Cringe idk)

"And about that sir thing you said," Crispin began, " I don't know if I want to be called sir."

"Why?" I ask him.

"Because, it means that you've done great service to the kingdom."

"And you do not want that?"

"Yes, well, only to please my father."

"Mhm."

He continued. "Plus, you get your own land and servants. I dislike someone serving me."

Crispin took a compassionate look at me. "Sorry Fayre."

"No, it is fine. I feel kind of guilty too."

"What for?"

I sighed. "You watch me doing work all the time and it's showing who I am. A peasant. I feel bad that you have noble duties to do, but you waste your time spending it with me."

"Fayre," his warm hands held mine, and caressed the outer part of my fingers and knuckles. "I want you to know that I do not think of you like that. I never have. Peasants do all the land work and because of that, the manor's beauty blossoms. I thought of you as a great citizen of the manor and a sumptuous friend."

"I am flattered by you, Crispin, but even so, I doubt I will ever change my mind. Guilt is a difficult feeling to surpass."

"I understand. Anything can be turned into guilt, like fondness towards someone."

"Yeah."

He squeezes my hands and our fingers part from each other.

The pair of us resume our walk.

"By the way, I was recalling what you said, about me being a sumptuous friend? If anything, I'm the opposite."

He chuckled and grinned. "I meant rich in the appeal of attraction."

I smiled and wondered if Crispin was okay.