Page 21 of While Angels Slept
“I must apologize for my son’s behavior,” she said. “He is, unfortunately, quite stubborn and not quick to obey.”
Val merely grinned. “He is still very young. But that will change when you send him to foster. He’ll have to obey swiftly or risk a beating.”
Cantia’s delicate fingers froze for a moment, then resumed tightening the bandage. Val glanced at the woman, noting that her expression seemed distressed. She wrongly guessed at the trouble.
“Do not worry, Lady Penden,” she said. “He will learn to obey. Have you selected his foster house yet?”
When Cantia looked at her, Val swore she saw tears. But Cantia quickly lowered her gaze, refocusing on the wrappings. “Nay,” her voicewas strangely tight. “He… he is still too young to foster.”
“Not necessarily,” Val said. “My brother was about Hunt’s age when he left for Kenilworth Castle to foster. Our father arranged for that when he was born. Tevin was gone for many years… I did not truly even come to know my brother until his return as a fully-fledged knight. He was eighteen years of age.”
Cantia’s head came up again. “He was gone for thirteen years?”
“Aye.”
Cantia left the bandages. Head hung, she went back over to the table and collected the things she had brought with her– more bandages, a bowl, a small knife to cut the cloth with. She piled them all in the bowl and moved for the door. But as she left, Val heard the distinct sound of stifled sobs. They only grew louder when the woman quit the room and thought she could no longer be heard. Val called out to her, twice, but the lady apparently did not hear her.
When Tevin entered the solar a short time later, he got an earful.
*
“My sister isafraid that she has upset you.”
Cantia was sitting at the well-scrubbed table in the great hall, alone up until Tevin walked into the room. He walked towards the table, slowly, his massive body moving with grace and ease. Cantia watched his approach, hoping there were no tears left on her cheeks but not wanting to be obvious by checking.
“She did not, my lord,” she said, eyes downcast. “I simply… that is to say, I am…”
Tevin plopped his enormous body on the tabletop right next to her. His right thigh was next to her arm and she instinctively pulled away. When she looked up, it was into glittering dark eyes.
“This evasiveness simply will not do,” he said flatly. “If you are upset, I would very much prefer you told me so that it is out in the open. You have been most kind and accommodating to us and I will not see you distressed over things that I would do all in my power toright. What did my sister do that upset you so?”
Cantia shook her head, struggling for courage. She even smiled, weak though it might be. “Any number of things can upset me these days, my lord. It matters not. I am a silly woman.”
“You are not,” his voice grew softer. “You have a great many things on your mind, and rightfully so. What was it my sister said that sent you from the room in tears?”
Cantia struggled with her brave front. “Nothing, my lord. We were simply speaking of my son and she asked me where he was to foster. I said… I said that we had not yet petitioned to foster him because….”
So much for the brave front. The tears returned and she struggled not to fall apart. Tevin was careful to resist his natural urge to physically comfort her in some way. Instead, he sat beside her on the bench, very close, and watched her wrestle with her composure.
“Because why?” he asked gently.
She sniffled into her hand. “Because he’s too young,” she finally blurted. “I have just lost my husband. I cannot fathom the thought of losing my son.”
So there it was. Against his better judgment, he took her free hand in his massive one, rubbing the fingers gently. He knew he shouldn’t, but he couldn’t help himself.
“How old is Hunt?”
She squeaked as she spoke. “Five years.”
He fought off a smile. “Aye, he’s far too young still. You do not have to worry about sending him to foster for two more years at least.”
The hand came away from her eyes, the wet lavender orbs shimmering with emotion. “Why must I send him away at all? Why can he not stay here, with me, and learn to be a knight? Where is it written in law that he must be sent away?”
She was growing more grieved with each passing word. For lack of a better action, Tevin put his enormous arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, his cheek on the top of her head.I would do this for anyone rightfully distressed, he told himself. But he knew, deep down,that he would not. He had, in fact, never done it before. Now it seemed as if he was looking for any excuse to pull Lady Penden into his arms.
“There is no law that says a child must be sent away,” he said quietly. “But the purpose of being sent away to foster is to learn skills and knowledge from those who are not your family. It is a sharing of wealth and knowledge that builds strength of character in men. Wouldn’t you like your son to learn to be a knight from men who have traveled the world doing just that?”
She sniffled. “I don’t like it. I will not do it.”
