separate plate, she spooned a large portion of the boiled cabbage and, with a small loaf of freshly baked bread, brought the feast to Daniel and placed it in front of him. When he looked up at her with gratitude, she smiled timidly.
“We do not have much to share but you are welcome to what we have, my lord,” she said. “I hope it satisfies your hunger.”
Daniel looked down at the food before him. “It looks delicious,” he said. Then, he focused on her face again. “I have never seen such a fine feast.”
Liselotte’s smile turned modest and grateful, and she moved back to the fire to prepare her father’s meal as Daniel dug in to his with gusto. The pea stew was tasty and salty, and the bread was surprisingly good, as was the cabbage. The mutton tasted old but he simply shoved it into his mouth as if it were the most marvelous thing in the world. He would never let his hostess think otherwise.
Soon, Etzel had his meal and the two men were devouring everything before them. Young Gunnar entered the hall just as they were beginning to eat and, sitting on his father’s lap, ate from his father’s meal until Liselotte brought him his own food. But it was clear that Etzel didn’t mind his boy stealing his food. He hugged the child and encouraged him to eat from his plate even when they boy had his own food in front of him. When Liselotte finally sat down next to her father with her own plate of food, she too fed Gunnar off of her plate.
Daniel watched the interaction between the three and he could see how much family love and devotion there was. It was quite clear how glad Etzel and Liselotte were to have Gunnar returned to them, and that knowledge touched Daniel. Being quite close to his own family, he understood those bonds. That love that only a family can have for each other. It also underscored to him the tragedy of the trouble the family had faced against Lord Bramley.
“Tell me, young Gunnar,” Daniel said as he slurped up the pea stew with his bread. “Have you seen an education, lad?”
Gunnar, mouth full of bread, nodded his head. “Papa would take me to Ilkley to the priests,” he said. “They taught me something of reading from the Bible but I have not been back to see them in a long time.”
Daniel was curious. “Why not?”
Etzel spoke. “Because of Lord Bramley,” he said. “He watched the roads, as I told you, and has chased us off when we try to reach the town. We simply stopped trying.”
Daniel swallowed the food in his mouth, eyeing Gunnar. “We shall remedy that,” he said, “because you will have to learn to read and do arithmetic when you become the Lord of Shadowmoor. A good lord must be educated.”
Gunnar had an odd look on his face. “I will not be the Lord of Shadowmoor.”
Daniel’s brow furrowed as he took another bite. “Why not?”
Gunnar collected his cup of watered ale and drank. “Because my brother will be the lord.”
Now, Daniel looked surprised at the introduction of another family member. “You have a brother?”
Etzel simply nodded, lowering his head and shoveling food in his mouth. When he didn’t seem inclined to answer, Daniel looked at Liselotte, who seemed hesitant to speak on the subject.
“Aye, my lord,” she said, eyeing her father. “Gunnar and I have an older brother.”
Daniel wasn’t quite sure why the three of them seemed so subdued with the mention of another brother. “Where does he live?” he asked.
“Here, at Shadowmoor,” Liselotte said. “He is… ill. Sickly.”
Daniel nodded in understanding. “I see,” he said. “A pity. A strong older brother with a good sword might have helped you fend of Lord Bramley.”
Etzel set his cup down on the tabletop, rather heavily. It was a mask for a gesture of frustration. “He used to be a fine sword,” he said. “He used to be the finest in the land. But his sword hand, and his honor, was consumed by drink and that is the way he wants it. When we salvage Shadowmoor, it
“We do not have much to share but you are welcome to what we have, my lord,” she said. “I hope it satisfies your hunger.”
Daniel looked down at the food before him. “It looks delicious,” he said. Then, he focused on her face again. “I have never seen such a fine feast.”
Liselotte’s smile turned modest and grateful, and she moved back to the fire to prepare her father’s meal as Daniel dug in to his with gusto. The pea stew was tasty and salty, and the bread was surprisingly good, as was the cabbage. The mutton tasted old but he simply shoved it into his mouth as if it were the most marvelous thing in the world. He would never let his hostess think otherwise.
Soon, Etzel had his meal and the two men were devouring everything before them. Young Gunnar entered the hall just as they were beginning to eat and, sitting on his father’s lap, ate from his father’s meal until Liselotte brought him his own food. But it was clear that Etzel didn’t mind his boy stealing his food. He hugged the child and encouraged him to eat from his plate even when they boy had his own food in front of him. When Liselotte finally sat down next to her father with her own plate of food, she too fed Gunnar off of her plate.
Daniel watched the interaction between the three and he could see how much family love and devotion there was. It was quite clear how glad Etzel and Liselotte were to have Gunnar returned to them, and that knowledge touched Daniel. Being quite close to his own family, he understood those bonds. That love that only a family can have for each other. It also underscored to him the tragedy of the trouble the family had faced against Lord Bramley.
“Tell me, young Gunnar,” Daniel said as he slurped up the pea stew with his bread. “Have you seen an education, lad?”
Gunnar, mouth full of bread, nodded his head. “Papa would take me to Ilkley to the priests,” he said. “They taught me something of reading from the Bible but I have not been back to see them in a long time.”
Daniel was curious. “Why not?”
Etzel spoke. “Because of Lord Bramley,” he said. “He watched the roads, as I told you, and has chased us off when we try to reach the town. We simply stopped trying.”
Daniel swallowed the food in his mouth, eyeing Gunnar. “We shall remedy that,” he said, “because you will have to learn to read and do arithmetic when you become the Lord of Shadowmoor. A good lord must be educated.”
Gunnar had an odd look on his face. “I will not be the Lord of Shadowmoor.”
Daniel’s brow furrowed as he took another bite. “Why not?”
Gunnar collected his cup of watered ale and drank. “Because my brother will be the lord.”
Now, Daniel looked surprised at the introduction of another family member. “You have a brother?”
Etzel simply nodded, lowering his head and shoveling food in his mouth. When he didn’t seem inclined to answer, Daniel looked at Liselotte, who seemed hesitant to speak on the subject.
“Aye, my lord,” she said, eyeing her father. “Gunnar and I have an older brother.”
Daniel wasn’t quite sure why the three of them seemed so subdued with the mention of another brother. “Where does he live?” he asked.
“Here, at Shadowmoor,” Liselotte said. “He is… ill. Sickly.”
Daniel nodded in understanding. “I see,” he said. “A pity. A strong older brother with a good sword might have helped you fend of Lord Bramley.”
Etzel set his cup down on the tabletop, rather heavily. It was a mask for a gesture of frustration. “He used to be a fine sword,” he said. “He used to be the finest in the land. But his sword hand, and his honor, was consumed by drink and that is the way he wants it. When we salvage Shadowmoor, it
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