The White Rose

Prologue

the messenger comes into our hall. At first no one notices him its been so long since any messenger from the court has come here. Once when i was just five a messenger came to tell us that King Eldygande was mounting away and since father was a knight he was duty bound to serve. When father had come back a war hero and he'd been given a title as Baron Syles a messenger had come then as well. So father add gone to court and come back and we'd moved from our tiny fief in the eastern forest to a Barony near the northern mountains. Our fief given to one of father's vassals to manage. I was ten then. Now I am fourteen and feel restless. My mother and father haven't even contracted a marriage for me like they did my sister Leethia. She now is a Lord's wife, a Lady Leethia of Treath. All my days I've been here learning the duties of a housewife of lower noble standing. The stillroom, the lady's bower, the kitchens, the herb gardens, the perfumery. While my sister Leethia manages a household that is hers with a loving husband and three sons and another child in her belly. She was thirteen when she was married off, and now she is nineteen years old.
I have a brother who will inherit the Barony, he will be the next Baron Syles. What will I be? Who will I be? Then mother notices him and he comes forward wearing the livery of the court. His garments of midnight blue and gold. He bows slightly, not enough to show father and mother worthy of the full court bow. they are only Baron and Baroness after all and there are three beneath them. There are Baronet, Lord and knight. So we really aren't high up in standing. In fact the books on nobility say one doesn't really get the honours and the right of nobility. One must be a countess or higher. "Sir Bernald, my Lord Baron Syles." "Madame Ardrid, Lady Baroness of Syles." He says gulping down a cup of ale given him by one of the soundless servants. "Come please, sit." "I thank you." "I came in all haste." "This cannot wait." Mother, a black haired green eyed woman with a full figure rises from her place, green gown billowing and takes charge, "See that this messenger has food and more ale." She sits as the servants jump to her tasks. this castle is well managed. I think as the messenger thanks a servant who places a plate of cold meats cheese and fruit before him. "Queen Felia is near her confinement, there has been a plague in the cities, they have withdrawn to White Oaks palace and there are few ladies to serve her majesty." Says the messenger, "The king has said that he has a knight in your son Benard, her daughter Lady Leethia of Treath does her duty by begetting the kingdom sons who will someday become knights." "He requests that your youngest daughter Kathlynne Syles come to court posthaste." "But we have no gowns for her, no provision." Says mother, "the king says he would make provision for her." I lower my head but I am secretly thinking, at last at last I will go to court, I will serve the Queen. My mother even has not had the honour. She was herself a common woman before she was married to my father.
"When will she be expected?" Asked mother, "My lady she is expected within the week." "Within the week?" I ask myself, "I shall have nothing, nothing to take with me. True our kingdom of Wyngaard is a prosperous one, our king richer than anyone. He could have gowns made for me, he could have anything and everything ready for me. "I am to return with her measurements and of course she will wear the Queen's colours of white and green." "Yes of course." Said mother, "Tell his majesty that we accept." He turns to father bowing slightly acknowledging that he is the Baron here, "Tell his majesty we graciously accept and that Kathlynne is overjoyed to receive such an august position." the messenger bows, his takes up his sack, grunting for its full of skins of cold tea, wine, and lemon water along with food that can last a few days, "You are most generous Lady Ardrid." He backs out of the hall, his horse already fed and watered.
"So Kathlynne you will be going to court." Says father, "Yes father." I say, head bowed, "Are you not happy to go?" He asks, "Oh father I." I say, stammering a reply, "Tell us true daughter." Says mother, "I am very happy to go." I say, face lit with excitement, "It will be full of older women, the queen will be readying herself for childhood." "What you have heard about from those girls who serve me will be nothing." "Still it is court." I say, "You will mind yourself as a daughter of a Baron." "You will do as the Queen says and act with humility and modesty." "You will attend temple services, you will dress in whatever the king puts you in and you will be ever so grateful." "You have lived on our lands for all your life." "the court is a city all its own." "Yes father." I say sighing softly, "I never sent your sister to court but had her married off, and now she is a Baron's wife like your mother, and her children will be nobility." "Remember that in the court you could be raised to the heights, or lowered to the lowest rank." Said mother. "So remember yourself." "At least his majesty provides for her." Said father, "Gods only know what gowns for court would cost." I bow my head. Truly we are not struggling much, the Barony does have a fair income, and so does the Fief father had as a landed knight. "Why didn't you find a man for me?" I ask rising, "Kathlynne Syles you will remember your betters." Says mother sternly. I lower into my seat once more, "We had thought of someone for you." "But he is only a knight and not even a landed knight." Says father, "We wished not that life for you, it is a fair life, for a common born woman to enter into." "but he serves the court and Gods only know if you'd languish there." "You'd have no home of your own." "No we decided you should not be married." "Even though your sister was married at thirteen that is still very young." "Perhaps here, in your place at court you will come away with a match." "Yes father." "You have a patron and matron who will be watching out for you." "They are Count and Countess of Ailshum." "Friends of the kings, and count Ailshum was a friend of mine in the knights training." "But if I am now come to court, how is he my patron." "I will write to him and ask." "If he cannot perhaps he knows of someone." "the point is Kathlynne, if someone proposes you should hurry to your patron and matron and ask, they would known for they are courtiers and have been since King Eldygande was a five year old boy."