07

Petre reached Mairyn.

“What was that all about?” he asked.

“Gideon is not the person I thought he was.”
“And what do you mean by that?”

“He is just different than what I thought he would be.” Mairyn did not want to tell Petre the truth. She knew he would get upset on her behalf and she did not want him to have problems with his Uncle. If what Gideon said was true, she would have to be very careful around Wulfgard. She determined that she would be on her guard and stay very much away from Gideon. It seems her new wonderful life was going to be fraught with new dangers along with the pleasures. She wasn’t sure her own bed was going to be worth what it would take to stay away from Gideon and she couldn’t imagine what things would be like when Lauryn and Gideon married and they moved into Wulfhall.

“Mairyn, what are you thinking? You face is positively stormy.”

“It must be time for the midday meal and I don’t wish to be late and upset your Uncle.”

“I don’t believe you and Uncle Wulfgard is not so easily upset. Why don’t you tell me the truth? You’ve never lied to me before.”

“I’m not lying. We should go. I’m hungry. Now that I’ve had a good meal, I’m looking forward to my next.”

They began walking up the street back to Wulfhall.

“Just remember that I am your friend and you can tell me anything. And Uncle Wulfgard is now your protector…from anyone.”

“I thank you, really, Petre, but everything is wonderful. How could it not be? I have never had it so good. I am happy.”

They walked the rest of the way in silence. Mairyn was worried that Petre was now mad at her because he knew she was not telling her the truth, but he was a good friend and he would wait for her to be ready to tell him when and what she needed. But she didn’t want him to be mad. Petre sensed her anxiety and wanted to lighten the mood up. He bumped his shoulder into her. She stumbled and then pushed him back. They broke out laughing and Mairyn took off running. Petre chased her the rest of the way to the hall, never quite catching her on purpose. They reached the door out of breath and giggling, stumbling into the hall. People were milling around waiting for dinner. They looked towards Petre and Mairyn and smiled. Mairyn was surprised at their response. She thought they would be annoyed, but they seemed to get pleasure from their happiness. She did not see Gideon or Wulfgard. The tables were arranged in a horse shoe shape for this meal. Petre showed her to the center table around facing the center of the room. He pointed to a bench to the right of a center chair which she assumed was for Wulfgard. He sat to her right. No one else was sitting yet.

“Should we be sitting?”

“We can sit before Uncle Wulfgard arrives. When he enters the room, we will rise and wait for him to sit, but the others must wait until he comes. We are family so we can sit.”

“I’m family?”

“Of course. Uncle Wulfgard has legally adopted you. You are now his daughter. He always want a daughter. You will be above Lauryn even when she marries Gideon. She will only be a daughter in law, not a daughter. You are even above me. And even though Gideon is his son, I think Uncle Wulfgard already likes you better than he likes Gideon. Actually he doesn’t like Gideon much at all. I think Uncle Wulfgard suspects there is something wrong with Gideon and it disturbs him greatly.”

Mairyn thought that maybe Petre suspected what had passed between her and Gideon and that Petre was trying to make her feel better, but she was not sure of her position. She had only been here for less than a day and she did not think Wulfgard would appreciate her causing trouble for him so soon. She would just be patient and keep away from Gideon. With that thought she looked up to see Gideon saunter into the hall. He saw her looking at him and he winked. She quickly looked down at the table. Gideon came over to the table and sat in his father’s chair, lounging back. The room became absolutely still. Gideon leaned back, looking at everyone in the room daring anyone to say anything to him. He jumped when his father spoke his name behind him.

“Father,” he said. “I was just talking with my sister.” Gideon stumbled in his haste to get away from his father and his chair.

“It will be many years before you may sit in my chair again, son.” Wulfgard did not yell, but his voice carried none the less and everyone heard his rebuke and knew his meaning. Wulfgard took his seat. Gideon blushed a furious red and sat on the stool to the left of his father’s chair. The rest of the people in the hall took their seats too. Mairyn and Petre had forgotten to rise when Wulfgard had entered with all of the excitement but no one seemed to notice.

Large platters with mutton, chicken and hams were brought in and placed on the tables. Other servers brought in bowls of potatoes, carrots and turnips. Loaves of hearty brown breads were also laid out with pots of sweet butter. The mid-day meal was the largest meal of the day and Wulfgard’s hall boasted a fine array of food.

“Help yourself, my daughter,” said Wulfgard. “You must take what you want and only what you want. I want you to be satisfied. We have many years to make up for.”

Mairyn smiled shyly at Wulfgard. She tried some of everything including the pickled apple relish. Her favorite was the smoked ham and the honeyed carrots. A hearty apple cider was served to drink and this also became one of Mairyn’s favorites. The meal last a long time and everyone talked and laughed and took their time eating enjoying several helpings of all of the food. Once when answering a question from Wulfgard Mairyn looked over at Gideon and he was not eating. He just seemed to be drinking one cup of cider after another and he wasn’t talking to anyone and no one made any effort to draw him out.

It didn’t take long for Mairyn to get full. She wasn’t used to having so much food in her belly. She just spent most of the meal listening to the conversations around her and observing the people. Petre ate heartily and didn’t talk much. He ate like the growing boy he was, with concentration, gusto and joy. Wulfgard ate with good attention, too. Mairyn had no idea what he had been doing during the morning hours but he ate like he had been working hard and she guessed he must have been, like everyone else. There was much to do and she seemed to be the only one, besides Gideon, who had not done any work this morning. She did not like being compared to Gideon, even if it was in her won mind. She would make sure she had received some tasks to do to maintain her upkeep. Her coming dowry payment meant nothing to her. She just knew that she needed to work to feel she deserved the good things she was receiving. She remembered that she was to meet with Wulfgard after the meal to discuss her future and her place in his hall and his family.

Finally, Wulfgard leaned back with his cup in hand. He patted his belly and pronounced the meal a great success. There wasn’t much left on the platters and in the bowls. Wulfgard certainly was not a stingy lord. His people worked hard and he rewarded them with plentiful and good food and drink. People finished up eating and continued to sit a while longer, relaxing. Finally, Wulfgard rose signaling the end of the meal. Everyone else got up and went about their business back to their various jobs.

Mairyn never even noticed Godeon had left.

“We will meet in my sitting room in a couple of minutes,” said Wulfgard. “Take care of any of your personal business and meet me there when you are done. Petre, I want you there with us, so that you know my wishes and can assist Mairyn adjust.”

Mairyn took the opportunity to go to the guarderoom. The toilet was reached by a hallway that ran along the back of the kitchens. It was at the very back of the hall. A room with several stalls like horse stalls each with curtains for privacy; the stalls had holes cut through the bedrock over an underground stream that flowed out to the lake deep under water. Over each of the holes were built benches also with holes in them. These were seats for people to sit on while they relieved themselves. The toilet was reached from the hall and there was also an entrance from the outside from the back of the building. Mairyn walked down the hallway and entered the toilet room. She walked into a stall and turned to pull the curtain closed. Gideon was standing there. He shoved her back into the stall. She began to scream and he hit her in the face with the back of his hand. She stumbled backwards and fell on the seat.

“Keep your mouth shut, bitch.”

Mairyn shook her head to clear her mind. She looked up to see what Gideon was doing. He reached down and grabbed her by the shoulders, spinning her around and bending her over. He grabbed the hem of her dress and began pulling it up. Mairyn began to fight, twisting and shoving backwards. Gideon grabbed Mairyn’s hair and yanked it so her head hit the stall wall. She cried out and he banged her head in the wall again. Gideon pushed her down on the toilet bench, knocking the breath from her body. She was dizzy and felt like passing out. Gideon was behind her fumbling with his breeches. Mairyn gathered a burst of fear and anger, jumping up and rushing into Gideon while he was distracted with his pants. He was caught off guard but he was still bigger and stronger than she was. He was slightly off balance, with his pants around his ankles, but he pushed her back and she fell to the floor whimpering. There was a sound behind them in the doorway to the room. Mairyn cried out. Gideon kneed her in the mouth. He knocked one of her teeth loose and she tasted blood. He stuck his hand in her hair, yanking her up and he threw her over the toilet bench face down again. He tore her dress in two from hem to waste. She no longer had any fight in her. She lay there simple waiting for his next blow. He stroked her hip and buttocks, almost a gentle caress, and then he pinched her butt viciously. She cried silently. She felt him lean against her. And then he moved back and there was a commotion behind her. Gideon yelled out in anger and she heard flesh hit flesh. The sounds of fighting moved further away.

Then Roban was there with a blanket that she threw around Mairyn’s back. Roban helped Mairyn turn around and sit on the bench. Mairyn covered her face with her hands and sobbed. Roban sat down beside her, placed her arm around Mairyn’s shoulder and just held her. Mairyn leaned into Roban and cried like she had never cried in her life, great big sobs. They sat that way for a long time, Roban rocking Mairyn and stroking her hair. Finally Mairyn calmed down and stopped crying. Still they sat there quietly a little while longer. When Mairyn sat up and wiped her face dry on her sleeve, Roban gestured that they leave. Roban stood up and held out her hand to Mairyn. Mairyn motioned to Roban that she still needed to use the toilet. Roban smiled and stepped out off the stall. She pointed to the ground indicating that she would stay there outside the stall until Mairyn was ready to go. Roban closed the curtain. Mairyn sat to pee and felt every sore spot on her body. Gideon had given her a bad beating. She wiggled her loose tooth and gingerly touched her swelling lip. Her thighs had bruises on the front from being pushed into the edges of the toilet bench. Her knees were skinned and oozed blood. She had a pounding headache and lumps were rising in two spots. Her arms ached and her back ached. But all in all, Mairyn suspected she had gotten away from something even worse. She had no idea how she would deal with Gideon. She would have to think of something. She couldn’t allow him to keep sneaking up on her and beating her or worse. She needed a bath and she wanted to lie down. Two bad beatings in as many days were wearing her down. She needed to leave the toilet. She couldn’t hide in here for the rest of the day. She wondered if it would be acceptable to spend the rest of the day in her room, maybe take a nap. She rose and wrapped the blanket more tightly around her, opened the curtain and stepped out of the stall. Roban was still there as promised. She turned when she sensed Mairyn behind. Mairyn walked out of the stall limping. Her legs were very sore. Roban took Mairyn’s arm and had Mairyn lean on her. Roban assisted Mairyn out of the toilet room and down the back hall. They went slowly because Mairyn’s legs hurt so badly. They reached the main hall and Mairyn stopped. She peeked into the hall to see who was there and she saw that it was empty. She was too grateful that no one was in the room to wonder where everyone was at this time of day. Someone should have been around. But she didn’t even think about it. Roban and Mairyn entered the room with Mairyn still leaning on Roban. They walked along the wall, passed the first bedroom door which belonged to Gideon. Mairyn hesitated to pass it but Roban moved her along and she saw that the door was closed. The next room belonged to Petre’s room and his door was closed too. At this point, she did wonder where Petre was but she didn’t think about it too long. She just wanted to lie down. The next room belonged to her. She had been happy that she had her own room before but now she was particularly grateful that she had somewhere private she could go to hide from other people. She didn’t think she could face anyone. She wasn’t sure what she had done for Gideon to treat her the way he wad been but she didn’t want to repay Wulfgard’s generosity by causing problems with his son. She would take some time to recover and then she would figure out somewhere to go so she wouldn’t be messing up the life at Wulfhall.