The House of Oldenrock

Childless

Chapter Fourteen: Childless

            King Gregor Oldenrock awoke before dawn on the cold December morning, as was his custom even though there was no real reason to do so.  He was careful not to wake his beautiful wife Líess, who preferred to sleep in until first light.  He then proceeded to dress and walk his circuit around the hall through almost every corridor and floor, as also was his custom.  Since first light was still far away due to the shorter and shorter fall days, the night guards would still be on duty, and Gregor visited them, which also was his custom, asking them how their lives and families were.  He had to know the men who guarded him, and they had to know him, for men were more apt to protect a man they knew than one who they did not know.

            He returned to his and his wife’s apartments, and was surprised to find Líess already awake and breakfasting, but then he remembered that towards in December his wife would also wake before dawn too so she would spent the same amount for time awake each day.  She was reading reports of happenings in the kingdom, as was her custom.  Sometimes he wondered who actually ran The Olgenoct, him, the King, the Oldenrock, the lawful heir, or his wife.  It made no matter.  She did a good job.

            “A messenger arrived from Chass Isle,” Líess said when he entered.  She did not even have to look up from her work to know that it was him.

            “And?”

            “We are going to have another grandchild,” she said, this time looking at him as he sat down at the breakfast table.  Her hair had a streak or two of gray in it, and her face was growing lined, but the beauty that she had when he first met her, still had not abandoned her.

            “Congratulations to Stierra,” he said.  “The expectation of a baby is always more exciting when the child isn’t yours. Now when is Rodder going to get himself an heir?”

            “Whenever.  He doesn’t need to, not with you still alive and robust.”

            “I’m not nearly as robust as I was when rode to Riverheart to bring you to Rock Hall.”

            “That was over twenty years ago.  I would not expect you to be, but you look younger than I do, and you’re older than me.”

            “I do not-”

            “Your hair is still completely dark auburn, whereas mine is coming closer to becoming gray every day.  I am starting to look like a grandmother, and you still look like a knight just out of your prime.”

            “But notice how you said that I’m out of my prime.  My love, you never left your prime.”

            Líess shook her head and said, “I think the fact that two of our children are having children is making us feel older than we usually do.  Although, we do have a three-year-old grandniece back in Riverheart who we’ve never met.”

             “Now I know how your brother Esner must have felt when young Edrick got his wife with child.  What’s our grandniece’s name anyway?  It has slipped my mind.”

            “Hasalayne.”

            “That’s a pretty name.”

            “You said that the last time I told you her name.

            “Darling, I most certainly am the one who’s getting older.  Your memory’s still impeccable.  It appears that mine’s slipping.”