Aristocrat | ✓

CHAPTER EIGHT

     The Lord only kissed me from time to time. He never went any further. The kisses were closed mouth, quick and chaste, but the memory of such moments would linger with me for hours afterward. I often touched my lips with my fingers, trying to mimic the feeling of his lips on mine while closing my eyes for a brief second.

     I wasn't settled on how I felt about the arrangement. A part of me was pleased and wanted more, and a part of me was convinced I had already gone too far. Helping the Lord change and lingering in his chambers after everyone in the castle was supposed to be in bed were different now. He didn't fail to smile at me when I helped him into his clothes, and sometimes he would push things—just a little. Enough to intrigue me, but not scare me. A brief hand on my hip. Pressing his cheek to mine. A quick hand rest on my chest through the fabric of my tunic.

     A sigh left my lips as I looked out at the stables. I was standing by Bessa, leading her about by her lease. Lord Evenus had told me that it was a good thing to familiarize myself with the horse I would be riding often.

     The winter was coming to an end, and spring was approaching. There was grass on the floor now, and the warmth of the sun was a thing again. Marie told me spring usually came with an increase in war and raiding campaigns, and that the Lord might have to leave for duty in the near future.

     The thought upset me, but I understood that it was his job, and because of it the village got to be safe. I looked out at the low thick mist that had built up over the hills and plains in the distance. It was still morning, and it was common for spring mornings to loom with the gloom of a fog sheet.

     I squinted when I saw a carriage in the distance heading towards the castle gates from the left. I watched, standing in the middle of the courtyard as I watched it come up. The servant at the gate talked to the driver before running into the castle. Lord Evenus was up in the west wing, and the servant was probably going to ask for permission to let the carriage in.

     What I immediately noticed was how lavish the carriage was. It was one of the biggest I'd ever seen. Unlike the ones in the Barcombe castle grounds that were dark and plain, the carriage was made mostly of metal and it had engraved and raised relief designs. The coach itself was large and closed off. It was round, and each end had a curled tip that broke into a vine design. The windows were small, and I couldn't look in to see who was in it. I wondered what kind of person was inside such a thing—I had never seen so much wealth encapsulated in just one object.

     My eyes moved to the castle when I heard some shouting. It was the master. He had followed the servant that had gone to speak to him out. Lord Evenus was grinning from ear to ear and almost seemed to skip in the direction of the carriage. His hair was held back in a short ponytail, and he was wearing a Jerkin jacket over a smock and black breeches.

     The servant ran up ahead of him, opening the gates and letting the carriage to come in. I also noticed the horses were large and decorated in expensive regalia. The carriage didn't move in the direction of the stables. It stopped right after it went past the gates.

     "Alan! I wasn't expecting you!" The excitement in the Lord's voice intrigued me, so I turned to the carriage, eager to see who would come out.

     A chubby man, who looked to be in his late forties or early fifties stepped out with a smile on his face. After him, came a lean person I couldn't decide what gender to assign them. The person was in breeches, but a low line chemise top that hugged around the chest I couldn't decide if it was flat or not. Their hair was long and pulled back into a French braid. Their stature didn't give them away either— broad shoulders matched with a small waist and yet rugged-looking legs.