Page 10 of Lord of Misrule

“Mother, nay,” gasped Parker. “I don’t want to go to the dungeon, and that will be exactly what happens if you resist.” The poor boy looked as if he were about to cry. Kit realized he thought she was abandoning him, choosing to stay at the bakery instead of living at the castle with him.

“Nay, you don’t understand. I won’t leave you, baby, don’t worry.” She pulled Parker to her in a half-hug. “Oliver, pack up your things as well as a bag for Brenna.”

“What?” Brenna’s eyes opened wide. “You’re asking us to leave here?” Fear washed over the girl’s face. “Where will we go? We have no jobs or any other place to live. Oh, please don’t do this to us.”

“Nay, of course I would never do that.” Kit let go of Parker’s hand and ran over to comfort her sister now. “I only meant that you two are coming with us.”

“We are?” asked Oliver in confusion. “With you...where exactly?”

“Yes,” said Kit with a sharp nod. “And I am talking about you two coming with me to the castle.”

“Nay!” Brenna shook her head so hard she nearly fell from the stool.

“Aye,” said Kit, trying to give a confident nod even though she really wasn’t feeling confident with this decision at all. “Why not? If Lord Tolin demands that Parker and I stay at Blake Castle, then you two, being my family, will just join us.”

“But we’re not nobles. We are naught but common folk,” cried Brenna.

“The royals won’t want us at the castle,” agreed Oliver. “Besides, it won’t be allowed.”

“Why not?” She faked a smile. “The nobles invite all the peasants and commoners to the Christmas feasts. You won’t be asked to leave.”

“But what if we are?” Oliver wanted to know. “Where will we go then?”

“I’m sure Lord Tolin can use the extra help during their Christmas celebrations. That is exactly what we will give them.”

“We will?” asked Oliver.

“Sister, be serious,” said Brenna, shaking her head and still rubbing her large belly. “What kind of job could I possibly do in my condition?”

“Mother, Lord Tolin is mean,” added Parker. “He won’t allow them to stay.”

“We don’t know that.” Kit spied her favorite baking pan and went to collect it from the wall. “And Lord Tolin is not mean. After all, he didn’t harm you or put you in the dungeon. It will be fine.” Kit already started coming up with some sort of plan to make this happen. Lord Tolin seemed to like games and challenges. So that is exactly how she planned on presenting it to him.

“He hates me,” said Parker with a pout.

Kit opened up a canvas bag and started shoving baking pans inside. Then she hurriedly collected any leftover bread and baked goods and started wrapping them with brown paper. “Parker, you’re being silly. He doesn’t hate you. You’re just a child.”

“And a thief,” said Oliver from the side of his mouth, as he headed to the back room.

“I’m not a thief!” Parker huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. Then he ran after Oliver into the other room.

“We must hurry,” Kit called out, wrapping the pastries. “Lord Tolin is sending a wagon to collect us and I know how impatient that guard can be. Brenna, can you please help me put the loaves of bread into the bag?” She helped her sister off the stool and shoved a bag into her hand.

“I’m scared, Kit.” Brenna slowly placed loaves of freshly baked bread into the bag, taking a second to sniff each one first.

“There is nothing to be frightened about. Women have babies every day. It’s a common thing.”

“Not that. Well, not just that,” Brenna corrected herself. “What if Lord Tolin turns us away? Where will we go? I don’t want to birth my baby in a trough inside a barn with cows breathing down upon it.”

Kit giggled, dragging the heavy bag to the door. “Neither will you have to. We’ll be back here in our own home before that baby arrives, I promise you that.” Kit said it aloud to calm her sister, but honestly had the same fears as Brenna floating through her mind.

“Back here?” Brenna looked around the room. “Do you really think the business will still be here if we close up shop from now through Twelfth Night?”

“Yes,” Kit answered, not able to meet her sister’s gaze.

“I know what you’re doing, Kit. What you always do. You are trying to cover up the fact that things are about to change and we can do nothing about it.”

“Sometimes change is good.”