All the World (Hand in Hand Chronicles)

Chapter 13: "Thou from this land, I from myself am banish'd"

I am exiled.
That's an odd phrase.
King Edward's words were honeyed enough but the intent is clear. Get out of England. And stay away from Edward. I'm well aware the spirit if not letter of the law was to I'm to put my affairs in order, alone.
The good news is, that April 30th is after a couple of jousts I've entered, and King Edward grants me a reasonable stipend since I'm literally being shipped off.
The bad news is Edward does not take the good news well.
"I'm fine, this is fine, we'll work it out. You come see me, I'll come back someday perhaps, we'll write, I'll write, I'll get a disguise and meet you in Southampton, please stop crying?" I sigh, as he hugs me tightly.
But if Edward's reaction is bad, it's nothing compared to Richmond's.
"What part of 'don't make things worse' was so confusing to your little tiny brain? Hmm? Hmm?" Richmond asks, actually slapping me.
"Ow," I say, even though it doesn't hurt, "That went well."
"Lancaster and Warwick didn't need to know you like standing up to them, but yes it could have gone worse," he sighs.
"How could it have gone worse?" Edward asks, weeping into my shoulder still.
"Ah, he could be dead? We'll deal with this," Richmond says, "This is doable. You can meet in Brittany sometime."
"Why?" Edward asks.
"You know I'm of Brittany do you not?" Richmond asks.
"Oh, I forget that," I nod.
"Heaven help us," Richmond sighs.
Heaven doesn't really listen.
Preparations to leave take an age, I'm glad of the extra time. For one, I have to sort out Aimee and Jean. Jean wants to come, as my squire, but I point out Aimee doesn't have to.
"I don't know where I'm really going, and I don't actually live somewhere," I say, "Nobody said you had to go. Edward will find somewhere for you to stay."
"I'm staying with you," Aimee says, stubbornly, "We don't split up. That's what you promised."
"This is my mess," I sigh.
"No, it's not. I support you. You were right and they were wrong. You're not doing anything wrong in loving Edward it's wrong of them to punish you for it. Their sins aren't worse than yours," she says, "I'm coming."
Everyone else is pretty much glad to see me go, which is a little disappointing. Well, Edward's sisters might care, and of course Alice cares, but that's about all. The knights are glad to see me go.
"I'm only going to say this once: what you did was right. Fuck them," Richmond says, gripping the back of my neck, "Now, stop taking risks?"
"I will," I hug him tightly, "Thank you for everything. Specifically saving my ass but also everything?"
"Write to me," he says, kissing my cheeks.
And the day of my departure comes all too quickly. I finish out well in my last tournaments, that only makes me happy but that's fine, and we ready to leave. I don't know why Edward gets to see me off but he does in retrospect we should have done this in private.
Edward kisses my lips and cheeks multiple times, weeping bitterly.
"I miss you already. I'll write to you. We're fine," I say, gripping his hands, and pressing them to his chest, "My love for you is constant. Distance does not change that. It's still right here."
"I need you here," he whispers, voice shaking.
"I love you," I kiss his cheek, "We will meet again soon, love."
"I will bring you home, I promise," Edward weeps.
I finally must draw myself from him and board the ship. He sends us with a few trunks. I'm assuming for whatever reason it's useful items.  It's not at all, but we'll get to that in a moment.
It's not actually that dramatic. We leave Dover, and go to one of Edward's castles on the continent, Ponteitheu to be specific. I think we were supposed to go somewhere else, where Edward wouldn't know exactly where we were, but that wasn't all that clear. The part where they said 'Go to Gascony' was definitely open to interpretation. So we go to one of Edward's castles, where he has had food and such sent. He thinks he's coming in a few weeks, I don't see his father thinking that an innocent little trip to the continent will in any way not be connected to me.
So, it's me, Jean, Aimee, and one horse, and our crates of belongings which are being taken into the castle at Ponteitheu.
"Odd the turns life takes," I say, staring out at the countryside of France, as we stand in front of the castle.
The other two stare at me.
"What?" I ask.
"This turn was completely to do with you," Aimee says.
"Yeah, I know but it's extreme to say the least," I say, "like this is dramatic."
"It is," Jean says, folding his arms.
"All right it's 90% my fault," I say.
"What do we do now?" Aimee asks.
I sigh, "I don't know. Edward swears he's coming by the time summer comes. But I don't see the king letting that happen."
"No one knows we're here, right?" Jean asks.
"No. How would they know? We got on a ship and left," I shrug, "So we can stay and just—exist I suppose. Again I don't see them letting Edward come."
"We could go to our brothers," Aimee says.
We look at each other and shake our heads, "No."
"Why?" Jean asks.
"They'd ask how he got exiled," Aimee says.
"Yeah, what am I supposed to do? Go home and just say 'yeah, ah, you know the prince of England? It's a funny story'," I start laughing.
"Jesus, Perot," Aimee laughs.
" 'Odd thing, apparently you're not supposed to do this or let this be done to you, honestly nobody told me' ," I say, making us all laugh more.
"Yeah, I guess we're existing here," Aimee sighs.
"Come on, let's go see what Edward sent, hopefully it's food," I say.
It is not food.
"What did that man think we needed sixteen tapestries for?" I ask, lying underneath them in the middle of an empty hall.
"I don't know but definitely not for you to use them all as blankets," Aimee says.
"He was upset," Jean says.
"I don't care! Never let him pack again, remind me never to let him pack me up again."
"Piers Gaveston you are never getting exiled from somewhere again, that is a once in a lifetime experience," Aimee says, severely, "Also get out from under there you're going to burn up."
"God no, it's the only way I'm comfortable now."
"He also sent you two jousting tunics," Jean offers, "So that's helpful."
"Don't negate the sixteen tapestries," Aimee says.
"Well if we can't live off 100 marks a year we can start selling tapestries," I offer, from underneath the tapestries, "Does anyone know how to do that?"
"No," they say in unison.
"Oh well. We tried."
The first sign we get that Edward is Not Doing Very Well in our absence, is when five horses are delivered without explanation.
"Does he know you're one person?" Aimee asks.
"I was going to defend it but, like, he's apparently upset," I sigh, "Maybe they're for when he visits? At least you two have mounts now."
Along with the horses come two more jousting outfits, because apparently in his grief Edward remembers that I like jousting, and that it's my only personality trait. Edward, however, has not voluntarily watched a joust in something like six years.
The outfits, while lovely, are too fine to actually joust in. They're both green because he insists on putting me in green to match my eyes, one has pearls sewn on it.
"Before you say anything no, he doesn't watch me joust," I say, studying one, "I guess I can wear it to a ceremony if I want to be murdered immediately by the people I beat."
"Piers," Jean sighs, he's still consulting with the messengers who brought all this.
He's also sent money, something about five times what I'd normally earn in a year. And my first thought is, "Is he ending the relationship? Is this like goodbye?"
"No. I don't think that's it," Aimee says.
"He's said he's coming," I sigh, "We're still not past the sixteen tapestries."
"Just read the note," Jean says.
I sigh, opening it.
"Well?" Aimee asks.
"No, he's not ending things," I say. It's primarily of no meaning. He's rambling about bringing me home soon. Not to despair (I really am not) that all will be well again. He professes his love over and over.
I'm not comfortable in exile, no, however I'm not entirely worried. The marks from King Edward are enough to live on and yes I'd rather be back with him but we're fine. I have jousts I can enter. I've got my sister with me I'm all right. And I know he's got his sisters as well and we'll reunite when we can. Lovers do this as I understand. Surely by winter or fall he can have an excuse to come or at worst we'll meet in friendly Brittany Richmond already offered to enable a reunion? Worst comes to worst I do actually have to go to Gascony but with the money he's sent we can let a house there and live well.
I pen him a reply, as encouraging as possible. I love him as well. I'm completely fine and we're perfectly well. We'll see one another soon. It's a lovely summer in France and I've entered a joust or seven to pass the time.
I doubt if my reply makes it before the next turn of events.
King Edward has died.