Knowing Yourself - A Medieval Romance

Chapter 7

Chapter 7  

Kay was almost content as they relaxed during lunch. Anne and Jessica were laughing, joking with each other as they served out the bread pudding. Galeron was working on one of his endless lists, his black curls bouncing as he made another gently teasing comment. Jack’s eyes were sharp as they took stock of the quality of the knives and the sturdiness of the table. And Reese …

She smiled as she turned to look at Reese. He was like a second skin to her, like a half of her soul. He could finish her sentences and know what she was thinking before she began. If there was trouble in one of the villages, Reese was the man she would want at her side, to watch her back, to rely on when all else had failed.

He leant over to her ear. “Would you like to go for a walk along the castle wall?” he murmured. A warm shiver eased down her neck, swirling in her heart, sending ripples out through her body.

Galeron perked up with delight. “That sounds perfect,” he chimed in. “I have not yet made a list of the improvements to be made there! Indeed, let us take a walk along the walls.”

Galeron was up in a moment, leading the way. Jack was right behind him. Kay and Reese followed, walking side by side out the main door and into the courtyard. In an instant Galeron’s tablet was in his hand, and his stylus moved in scribbled activity.

Jack shook his head as they walked beneath the drawbridge. “The drawbridge support is fairly weak on the left side,” he commented sharply. “See how the wood bows out in that spot.”

Galeron’s stylus flew to his tablet, writing out a series of comments.

Reese examined it for a long moment. “Yes, you are right,” he agreed. “I could have a timber shaped for that in a few hours with -”

Galeron shook his head. “No, no,” he countered. “We do not want to start on any random tasks just yet. The first logical step is to catalogue everything, to break out in detail exactly what needs to be done, and then to prioritize everything. That way what is important to do, we do those first.”

Reese glanced at Kay. “But surely, if it would just take me a few hours, I might as well -”

Galeron smiled widely, holding out his wax tablet. “I am almost done with all of my summaries, Kay,” he reasoned. “Surely waiting another day or two for Keren-happuch to come to the proper decision about what should be done would make sense? After all, she should have say in what is done to her keep, yes?”

Kay glowed with pride at his words. It would be her keep. She would have a say in what was updated, in what changes were made. She nodded in agreement. “Yes, we can all review the list together,” she agreed.

They continued to move through the courtyard area, pointing out deficiencies, noting what needed to be improved. They climbed the narrow stairs up to the wall. Galeron’s stylus never stopped moving.

Kay was impressed with Galeron’s methodical attention to detail. She wondered, idly, if there would be any way to keep all three remaining men on staff. Certainly Uther and Alistair had needed to be sent on their way – but the last three? Could she have a perfect keep under their watchful gaze?

A horse became visible on the horizon, and the four watched as he moved at a trot toward the keep.

Kay’s eyes narrowed as he came within range. “That is Jeff, from the village off to the east,” she murmured. She ran down the stairs, curious what would bring him in to the main building.

Jeff drew rein as he clattered into the courtyard. “Kay, it is good to see you,” he greeted as he dismounted. His face was lined – she guessed he was in his mid-forties by now – and his brown hair had faded to grey. “We are mid-harvest, and we are having some issues which we thought -”