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

Chapter Eighteen

Eight days after LJ's return, a soldier hurried from the gate tower to announce; "King Leopold and his company are riding towards Chanoine, taking the road to the manor house!"

Lessons had been completed and Luke was working diligently, making new arrows. Most of his practice ones were broken, bent, or lost.

Jobyna was in the kitchen, chatting to Mavis, helping knead bread dough by punching it with her clenched fists.

Ellie worked on a tapestry with her mother and Marcus was with LJ at the back of the house, sorting weaner pigs, selecting a few to be penned for slaughter the next day.

The baron had been with the reeve, but when he heard the news of the king's appearance, he hastened in the back way, urging the family and staff into action to welcome the king in the correct manner.

By the time the king's knight had passed Leopold's standard to the knight in charge at the gate, to be raised in proclamation of the king's presence, the baron was herding his family and some of the staff out the front door, to take their places in the courtyard.

As he took his place at the front of the lineup, with his wife, he spoke from the side of his mouth, "Where's Jobyna?"

"She's coming. She was in the kitchen and had to wash the dough from her hands. She was reluctant to come and I had to tell her to hurry."

The king rode closer and closer. Still the youngest child did not appear.

King Leopold's knights and captains lined up behind him. The baron saluted the king, followed by the knights of the manor house. The king's men returned the salute.

When all had dismounted save the king, everyone knelt, some on one knee, others on both; all hands rose into the air, and every voice joined the salutation, "Long live King Leopold. Long may he reign! God Bless the king. God Bless Frencolia!" As men chanted this with the women and children in the courtyard, Louis Chatelain realized that this saying had been repeated to kings for over two hundred years.

For the first time, he wondered what 'god' the people of the past had referred to? What 'god' were they entreating today? If it were the God of the Gospel Book, then He had been long forgotten. It was empty words; they may as well ask a blessing from the moon.

The baron decided to search the Gospel Book and find out what was written about kings and the homage, if any, which should be paid.

Moving automatically, the Baron of Chanoine gave the traditional personal greeting to the king, bowing a knee before him, kissing the king's ring. Each member of his family followed suit.

King Leopold looked around for the youngest child and his face twitched with frustration to see she wasn't present, with no explanation or apology offered.

With the baron on one side and the baroness on the other, the monarch turned to ascend the six stone steps. As two soldiers reached to swing the doors open, Jobyna, her eyes wide with fear, raced out. Looking back over her shoulder, at the door, which had swung to behind her, she missed the first step and stumbled, landing in a heap at the king's feet.

King Leopold reached down, and as he began to lift her to stand, she screamed, "Pig!"

The king, in dismayed surprise, let go of the child.

Sir Louis, moving to the fore, asked, "Pardon? What did you say?"

A split second after he uttered this question, the baron wished he hadn't asked. He hoped she would not answer.

The father's large hands reached down for her, but froze as she repeated the dreaded word, looking at him, breathing it out breathlessly, as though to describe him, her father!