All's Fair in Love, War, and Feudalism

Part 1 - Justin

The market place was crowded, serfs and vassals traveling from stand to stand, buying their necessary items. It was a crowd that was easy to get lost in, and I intended to do just that. There was only one thing preventing me: my twin brother, Andy.  

“Justin!” he called. I walked faster. “Justin!”

“What?” I begrudgingly fell back to talk to him.

“Mother says you have to draw our family’s well water.”

“And why can’t you do that?”

“Because… well, because I want you to.”

“Well, that’s a great reason now, is it not?” I asked sarcastically. 

“Yep. Sure is.”

“Fine. Give me that!” I took the bucket out of his hand. I hated drawing water from the well, as the rough rope made my hands hurt. But it was a task that had to be done, and more often than not, Andy passed this bothersome chore onto me. Slowly, I climbed up the small hill that the well sat on. Drawing her family’s well water was the Lord’s daughter.

Lord Cedric Hyatt owned Hyatt Manor and ruled over the manor’s various vassals, knights, and serfs. His daughter, Caroline, was a very beautiful girl. Caroline was my age, and she had fiery red hair and green eyes.  She was wearing a dress of purple and gold. That day at the well was the first time I had ever really had a thought about Caroline. Little did I know that it certainly wouldn’t be the last.

“Hello,” Caroline said, than covered her mouth with her hand, no doubt having been taught to never converse with a serf like myself.

“I won't tell anyone,” I said, smiling. “My name is Justin.”

 “And I am Caroline.”

 "Lady Caroline, it is a pleasure to meet you.”

“Please, don’t call me Lady Caroline. Just Caroline is fine. I hate how everyone thinks that I’m better than you just because of who my parents are.”

“You had best not let your father hear you say that, Caroline. The whole life we have on the manor is based upon the fact that your parents and grandparents have had a higher status than mine, and like it or not, you cannot change who you are, or who your family is.”

 She sighed. “I know. Well, it was nice to meet you, Justin.”

 “The same to you, La- Caroline.”

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

That night, my family had a meager supper of vegetable soup. It was the fifth night in a row that we couldn’t afford to have meat, and there was bound to be many more.

“Justin, are you alright?” asked Father. “You appear to be rather thoughtful.”

“Justin’s in love,” Andy teased, smiling.

“Be quiet,” I replied, clearly indicating that he was right.

“Who is it?” my brother asked. “Sara?”

Sara was a girl who lived in the hut next to ours. She was one of my friends, and I liked her, just not in a romantic way.

“No.”  I said shortly.

“Who, then?” asked Mother.

“Do you have to know?” I muttered.

“Yes!” Andy practically shouted. “Tell us!”

“What if I don’t want to? Besides, she’ll never love me in return, so why does it matter?”

Andy pretended to gasp. “You don’t fancy Lady Caroline, do you?” he asked dramatically.