A Daughter's Love - Book 2 The Frencolian Chronicles (complete)

Chapter Five

The king and his cousin stopped briefly at the most important home in the village of Chanoine; that of the reeve.

Drawing their horses to the back of the yard, the king watched whilst his cousin and the reeve attached a small, heavy pack on the back of Louis' horse's saddle. Moments later they were on their way.

The company divided at the cross-roads and just four knights rode with King Leopold, Sir Louis, and Sabin.

LJ and Luke successfully by-passed the larger company, undetected. They followed the smaller company as it rode into a small thicket. Drawing their horses off the unmarked path, Louis and Luke hid behind a cluster of boulders, watching in awe. Where was the king going with their father? What was happening?

Sabin returned along the narrow rocky track and out under the waterfall, to crouch and view the countryside over the concealing bush-surrounded boulders. The thicket where the four knights waited was just out of sight from his vantage point. But another movement caught his keen eyesight. He recognized Louis and Luke who both believed they were concealed behind the boulders, but were in view, side on, kneeling down, waiting. Further away, the road was visible and Sabin could see Felix with two soldiers, dismounting to check if, and where, the boys had left the road. Soldiers from the larger company that had ridden back to wait at the crossroads, joined them. Noting the boys had settled down, their faces still turned toward the thicket, Sabin also settled himself to wait.

Deep voices, mingling with the waters' roar, heralded the men's return from behind the waterfall and Sabin hastened to warn them of the danger of discovery by the two disobedient juveniles. The king declared that he could n't bring the boys into focus, his eyesight was too poor; but Louis could make out their forms in the distance amongst the rocks. The irate baron commanded Sabin to go on foot and warn the knights to intercept his sons, to chasten them for their folly, and send them back on the road to Chanoine. The servant was halted in his tracks as the king issued a counter-command.

"No! Don't send them back to Chanoine. They need a lesson, they do. We'll take them with us to Grior. Give them a stiff ride, tire them out." He turned to his cousin, "Your wife needs a rest from the worry of your sons' pranks! I thank my lucky stars that my children don't behave as yours. Mind, my son is only four years old, but I believe in keeping them in line from the start." He stopped, remembering his cousin was rarely with his children, a situation caused by the fact that the king demanded Sir Louis be constantly at his side.

Leopold turned to Sabin and commanded, "Tell my knights that the king said to treat the two lads like disobedient knaves. If they put one foot out of line, the knights have my permission to beat them and tie them up!"

The pair watched Sabin move deftly down through the bushes. They would wait until Sabin came back again to check if the way was clear for them to leave the secret spot.

"The taxes are way down!" the king's voice growled.

"It's just after the winter, Leopold. What did you expect?" Louis spoke sullenly, still frustrated at his wife's reaction to the proposed move to the capital.

"Chanoine brings in the least amount of all the villages! I expected the tax increase to have made the people work harder!" The king sat on a small rock, awaiting his cousin's comments.

"When the baron isn't at his post, what can one expect? If you would give me leave to work the village for a year or two, I believe I could double the income. Chanoine is becoming more and more run down. Reeve Howe is old and past producing much in the way of taxes. With Elissa moving to court, you must expect even less."

Silence ensued. Louis wished everything were different. Drawing a deep breath, he said, "Actually, Leopold, I'd like you to consider it seriously; I mean, allowing me to work the village for a year or so. Elissa, as you know, is not going to be happy in Frencberg."