Page 35 of Lord of Misrule

Chapter 10

“Tell me again. What did Lord Tolin say when you told him you wanted to be the Bean Queen?” Brenna asked the next morning, as she helped Kit knead dough for the bread that she’d make for this day’s meal.

“He said he’d never let a commoner tell him what to do,” explained Kit, using the back of her hand to push aside a stray hair as her hands were covered in flour.

“Is he going to punish us? Oh, Kit, now he knows we were trying to deceive him. He’s a noble. He will never let that go.”

“I don’t know and neither do I care.” Kit let out a puff of air from her mouth and looked around the kitchen. “Where is Parker? I told him to take those dirty pans to the scullery and to come right back. This floor needs sweeping. I swear that boy is doing less and less every day.”

“That’s because he has a new friend now,” Brenna told her, stretching and holding one hand on her lower back. “He and King are nearly inseparable.”

“Well, not so today, I guess. Look.” Kit nodded at the door to the kitchen. Parker was standing there by himself staring out at the great hall. “Parker, come here, sweetheart.”

“Yes, Mother.” He shuffled over slowly with his head down.

“What’s the matter?” she asked. “You look so sad.”

“I am sad,” the boy admitted with a sigh, climbing onto the bench, dragging his finger through the flour dusting the table. “Lord Tolin took King away from me.”

“What?” Kit’s head snapped around. “What do you mean?”

“He said he wanted his dog back and that I needed to work off my punishment.”

“Well, this is going too far.” Kit took off her apron and wiped her hands.

“Kit? What are you doing?” asked her sister with concern in her voice.

“I am going right out there to find Lord Tolin and to show him my wrath.”

“About what?” asked Brenna. “It’s his dog! And he’s right. Parker is supposed to be here working off a punishment, not just playing with King.”

“I don’t care. He has no right to take it out on my son since he and I had heated words. I won’t allow him to do this.” She stormed toward the door.

“Please don’t. Kit, come back,” cried Brenna, but Kit kept on walking. Sure enough, when she got to the great hall, she saw Tolin standing there talking to his brothers and his squire. His hand was on his dog’s head. The dog sat at his side.

“Lord Tolin,” she said, storming up to him, not caring that she was interrupting.

“Excuse me?” Lord Tolin scowled at her. “I am in the middle of a conversation with other nobles. You’ll wait until I am finished.”

Kit bit her tongue and waited, knowing there was nothing else she could do.

“Tolin, this has gone too far,” complained Rook. “It has got to stop.”

“I’m the Lord of Misrule, and so it is the way it is going to be. It’ll stop after Twelfth Night. Now go. I’ll be out in the stable as soon as I talk with my baker.”

Daegel and Rook headed off one way, while Jarvis went another.

“Now, what is it, baker?” asked Tolin, giving her his undivided attention.

“Parker told me you no longer are letting him play with King. I want to know why.”

“You do, do you?” He raised a brow. “Walk with me.”

“My lord?” she asked, but followed when he started to walk away. The dog led the way.

“Why is the boy even here?” asked Tolin, not looking at her when they walked.

“That is exactly what I keep asking myself,” she answered.