The Unusual Lady

Chapter 3

The baron led me from the hall and through the corridors finally stopping before a door at the end of one hallway that had no other doors. These were obviously his private chambers and I was excited to see them to learn more about this important man.

The door was opened and I was ushered into a very comfortable but masculine sitting room. It was decorated in orange red and brown. It reminded me of fall. There was a roaring fire in the fireplace to the left after we had stepped through the door and comfortable chairs placed in a semicircle to make the best use of the fire. To the right there was a large table with many maps spread on the surface. The table had three chairs around it; I also noticed some papers with seals of state on the bottom of them littered among the maps. I wondered what they were for.

We went to sit by the fire and I noticed that the chairs had been moved recently. I saw the small divots from where the chairs had been before. So the baron had planned to come to the sitting room the whole time. He obviously thought things though with great detail.

Food and drink was brought in by servants and when the last of them had left the baron turned his sterling eyes on me.

"So Lady Elizabeth. Tell me about you."

"What would you like to know my lord?"

"Just general things. Your favorite flower and color and such."

I really didn't want to speak because I feared what would come out of my mouth and the punishment if it was the wrong thing. "My favorite flower would be a white rose and my favorite color is green."

"Father I do believe you are scaring the poor girl. She obviously doesn't wish to speak. But let me try my charm on her" It was the first time I had heard lord Simon speak and he had accompanied this declaration with a wink. I couldn't help but let a small laugh escape my mouth.

"Let us talk about something less boring than colors and flowers. Who is your favorite knight? Well besides me of course." Simon obviously wanted to take control of the conversation and his father leaned back into his chair to let him.

"My favorite knight would be my brother my lord. He is in the guard currently as our prince competes in tournaments."

"I had wondered where good ole Thomas had gone off to. He always did have a thirst for adventure. How is he enjoying being with the prince?"

"He enjoys it very much. We don't receive word from him overly much. But he has nothing but praises for the prince and tells nothing but excitement of his time on the road." We actually hadn't heard from Thomas for over four months and I was starting to worry. We had heard of fighting in France where my brother had been last. But we didn't know who what fighting and what it meant for the prince and my brother.

"Very good very good. So what is your favorite section of a tournament?"

"That would be the archery contests. I enjoy seeing others skills with a bow."

"Jousting isn't your favorite? Most women prefer the excitement of that."

"I would like to think that I'm not most women. I like jousting well enough but there is just something graceful and fluid about archery that I don't see in jousting."

"Graceful and fluid. Father, this girl is completely ridiculous. She should go back and play with her dolls and embroider a pillow instead of wasting our time. I know that you won't marry again and you know my feelings on marriage. This idiot isn't ready to get married at any rate either. Can we please just cut this farce short and send these people packing?" Gregory's outburst was sudden and left an awkward science in its wake. At the start of his tirade Lord Gregory had gotten up from his chair and started pacing before the fire.