Page 43 of Lord of Misrule

Chapter 11

Tolin had returned to the hunting party, not sure things had really gone well between him and Kit. He’d felt her passion in the kiss, but after hearing her sad stories, he felt like an ogre for having handed out a punishment to her and Parker to begin with. He’d hunted mainly by himself today, but had been too distracted to focus on catching anything but small game.

“It’s getting dark. We won’t catch much more today,” said Rook, as the hunting party joined together. Between them they had managed to kill a few rabbits, a dozen pheasants, and three wild geese. King barked, having been a good help in retrieving the birds when they fell from the sky.

“Yes, let’s get back to camp,” agreed Tolin, just wanting this day to be over.

“I’m starving,” commented Daegel, leading the way. “I hope Kit has a meal ready and waiting for us.”

“Me too,” said Rook, racing his brother back to camp.

“So? How did it go?” Raven rode beside Tolin, asking him about Kit.

“I talked with her. And kissed her,” he admitted.

“You did? So, did she like it?” asked Raven with a mischievous smile.

“I’m not sure,” he said, his heart going out to Kit. “Raven, she’s had a hard life. I am thinking about lifting her son’s sentence and letting them go back to the bakery, to their home.”

“Is that what you really want? To send her away? I thought you planned on getting to know her better.” Raven said the words that made Tolin question every decision.

“I do want to know her better,” he told his sister. “I am just not sure she wants to get to know me. At all. I think what she really wants is to return to her home and bakery. To make a good life for Parker and her sister. I can’t blame her.”

“Think about this long and hard before you make the decision, because you can’t go back,” she told Tolin. “Remember, you are expected to fill Father’s shoes until his return. It won’t bode well for him or for you or for any of the nobles if you let a thief go free.”

“Parker didn’t steal anything, I know that now and you know it too,” said Tolin. “He’s just a mischievous boy, that’s all.”

“I do agree with you; however you can’t take a commoner child’s word over that of a castle guard. It’s just not right, Tolin.”

“Well, what would you have me do? Put the boy in the dungeon?”

“Nay, of course not. Just let them serve out their time until the end of Twelfth Night as planned. Then when it’s over, make your decision if you want a relationship with Kit or not.”

“I never said I wanted a relationship with her. I just said I was attracted to her and wanted to know her better.”

“So, what does that mean?” asked Raven. “That you’re going to bed her and then forget all about her? The way you do with the rest of your trollops?” Raven didn’t give him a chance to answer. She rode away, leaving Tolin alone with his thoughts. He’d never felt as confused as he did right now.

The night was a long one. And cold. Tolin realized he never should have called for this hunt. They should have all stayed at the castle and continued to celebrate where it was warm and where the ale and wine were flowing freely. Rook hadn’t wanted to come on the hunt, but Tolin played the Lord of Misrule card and made him do it. Rook was also angry with Tolin for giving his pallet to Kit and her family. Tolin’s older brother had barely spoken two words to him the entire trip so far.

The sun had set and it was time for sleeping now. They had three tents. One was for Tolin, his brothers and Jarvis. The second was for the rest of the men of the hunting party, including Oliver. The last tent would be shared by Raven and Kit and the boy.

Everyone retired for the night and disappeared into their tents. That left Tolin at the fire. He stared into the flames wishing and hoping for answers. Life had been so fun and carefree up until recently. He hadn’t liked sentencing the boy, and he didn’t like worrying about Kit and her future. What the hell was the matter with him?

“My lord,” came Kit’s soft voice as she left her tent and came to join him. She grasped her cloak around her while her teeth chattered. “Will there be anything else before I retire?”

“Nay.”

She started to walk back to the tent.

“Aye,” he said, changing his mind. “I want you to come sit next to me by the fire.”

“My lord?” she asked in question, her eyes darting back to the tent with her son.

“Just to talk. Nothing more,” he assured her.

“Of course, my lord.” She padded over the ground, her shoes crunching the snow that had fallen. It had thankfully stopped snowing for now. Kit settled herself next to him on the log that served as a bench. Her teeth continued to chatter.

“Come closer,” he told her, holding out his arm.