silver embroidery. She went
on to impress them both with the gowns merits. “It is well worth such a sum.”
Gaston raised a fair brow. “Do you wish to
sell it or laud its virtues, woman? How much will you take for the gown? Tis’
not likely you will get another offer.”
Madeline listened to the knight dicker with
the best of them. The haggling went back and forth. Finally the woman gave an
exasperated sigh and tossed him the gown, snatching the two coins he offered
for it, glaring at him in disgust.
Madeline stared at him in surprise as he
pressed the gown into her hands. He smiled shyly and bowed to her. “The gown
was truly made for you, Mistress Madeline,” he complimented her. “My lord will
be pleased to see you in it.”
“My lord?” she asked in confusion. “Who do
you speak of, Sir Gaston?”
“Sir Gavin is the rightful heir to Rivenhahl.
He comes to the tourney to win back his title and estates,” the knight
explained, his handsome features filled with pride. “He will win all and bring
honor back to the de Mortaine name.”
“And how was all this taken from him?”
Madeline asked with curious round eyes. Gaston went on to regale her during the
drive back with the tale. She was saddened to learn Gavin’s father passed before
he could see his dream to fruition. She now realized how important this
tournament was to all of them. Madeline sat quietly as the cart made its
way through the fairway where more and more tents were erected. She felt a
sense of purpose now. She could help Sir Gavin win back his rightful
inheritance.
Madeline had a fair bit of experience with
spells for luck. She knew the man expected far more than that from her. It was
a bit short sighted when he saved the life of a witch. Her company indeed! What
was the man thinking? He needed far more than her company if he was to win back
his family’s honor. Her smile grew slightly dreamy as she thought of how
handsome he looked in his gleaming armor and shook herself out of such fanciful
thoughts.
She was acting more and more not like a witch
the longer she was in the man’s company. She would have to consult Minerva’s
book of spells to find one to help Sir Gavin in his quest. She usually avoided
following her grandmother’s book. It had landed her in much trouble these last
few months since her death.
Her grandmother often left out certain key
ingredients or words in the spells. As old as she was; it was a wonder the
woman could even recall the spells she’d mastered over the years. Try Minerva
did, to recall it all, but being illiterate and unable to read, she’d had to
dictate most to Madeline to write down for her.
Minerva died of old age in the cottage she
left to her only living relative. Orphaned and left in service at a nearby
estate, Madeline was glad to be taken in by the old woman. The noble family her
mother worked for never treated her well. When Minerva arrived for her after
Alessandra’s death; she was terrified to leave.
She was eight years old when her mother took
her own life at the Viscount of Lunley’s estate. Her mother was his three
children’s nurse. She was to find her mother was far more to her employer than
she could have known. His youngest daughter Sybilla informed her she was the
product of the illicit liaison between the Viscount Lunley and her mother.
Educated alongside his children; it made
sense to her now. When the man died, his wife began to torment her mother. It
became too much for Alessandra to bear. She mixed a potion with poisonous
nightshade in it to induce sleep forever, wishing to be with the man she loved.
The only act of kindness she did beforehand
was insisting the estate’s steward contact Minerva in Valmont to take in her
daughter. Madeline could remember the day the woman arrived in the wagon to
collect her, shivering to think her most strange in her flowing dark robes and
long, unbound grey hair.
“She’s a real witch!” the other children
whispered at the
on to impress them both with the gowns merits. “It is well worth such a sum.”
Gaston raised a fair brow. “Do you wish to
sell it or laud its virtues, woman? How much will you take for the gown? Tis’
not likely you will get another offer.”
Madeline listened to the knight dicker with
the best of them. The haggling went back and forth. Finally the woman gave an
exasperated sigh and tossed him the gown, snatching the two coins he offered
for it, glaring at him in disgust.
Madeline stared at him in surprise as he
pressed the gown into her hands. He smiled shyly and bowed to her. “The gown
was truly made for you, Mistress Madeline,” he complimented her. “My lord will
be pleased to see you in it.”
“My lord?” she asked in confusion. “Who do
you speak of, Sir Gaston?”
“Sir Gavin is the rightful heir to Rivenhahl.
He comes to the tourney to win back his title and estates,” the knight
explained, his handsome features filled with pride. “He will win all and bring
honor back to the de Mortaine name.”
“And how was all this taken from him?”
Madeline asked with curious round eyes. Gaston went on to regale her during the
drive back with the tale. She was saddened to learn Gavin’s father passed before
he could see his dream to fruition. She now realized how important this
tournament was to all of them. Madeline sat quietly as the cart made its
way through the fairway where more and more tents were erected. She felt a
sense of purpose now. She could help Sir Gavin win back his rightful
inheritance.
Madeline had a fair bit of experience with
spells for luck. She knew the man expected far more than that from her. It was
a bit short sighted when he saved the life of a witch. Her company indeed! What
was the man thinking? He needed far more than her company if he was to win back
his family’s honor. Her smile grew slightly dreamy as she thought of how
handsome he looked in his gleaming armor and shook herself out of such fanciful
thoughts.
She was acting more and more not like a witch
the longer she was in the man’s company. She would have to consult Minerva’s
book of spells to find one to help Sir Gavin in his quest. She usually avoided
following her grandmother’s book. It had landed her in much trouble these last
few months since her death.
Her grandmother often left out certain key
ingredients or words in the spells. As old as she was; it was a wonder the
woman could even recall the spells she’d mastered over the years. Try Minerva
did, to recall it all, but being illiterate and unable to read, she’d had to
dictate most to Madeline to write down for her.
Minerva died of old age in the cottage she
left to her only living relative. Orphaned and left in service at a nearby
estate, Madeline was glad to be taken in by the old woman. The noble family her
mother worked for never treated her well. When Minerva arrived for her after
Alessandra’s death; she was terrified to leave.
She was eight years old when her mother took
her own life at the Viscount of Lunley’s estate. Her mother was his three
children’s nurse. She was to find her mother was far more to her employer than
she could have known. His youngest daughter Sybilla informed her she was the
product of the illicit liaison between the Viscount Lunley and her mother.
Educated alongside his children; it made
sense to her now. When the man died, his wife began to torment her mother. It
became too much for Alessandra to bear. She mixed a potion with poisonous
nightshade in it to induce sleep forever, wishing to be with the man she loved.
The only act of kindness she did beforehand
was insisting the estate’s steward contact Minerva in Valmont to take in her
daughter. Madeline could remember the day the woman arrived in the wagon to
collect her, shivering to think her most strange in her flowing dark robes and
long, unbound grey hair.
“She’s a real witch!” the other children
whispered at the
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