Page 65 of Lord of Misrule

Chapter 17

Life at the castle was nothing without Kit.

Tolin moped through his duties the next day, still hurt that Kit wouldn’t return with him to Blake Castle. What did the girl think she was doing? She couldn’t survive without his help. It would take years for her to rebuild the bakery even with the little help she’d get from the townsfolk. Hell, she didn’t even want him to punish the man who burned her place to the ground. Tolin didn’t understand Kit and he probably never would.

It was late in the day and Tolin was in the armory polishing his sword. His squire usually did this, but he was looking for excuses to stay out of the castle because it only reminded him of Kit and how much he missed her.

“Tolin? Tolin, I am talking to you. What’s the matter with you?”

“Raven?” He looked up to see his sister standing there. Her baby was in her arms and she rocked little Sparrow back and forth. “What are you doing here?”

“Looking for you. Everyone is in the great hall asking about the Lord of Misrule. You are supposed to be entertaining everyone through Twelfth Night. You are not doing a good job at all.”

“I suppose not, but I’m not really in a festive mood.” He continued to polish his sword.

The baby fussed, and Raven talked in a silly manner to the little girl until she quieted down again.

“Did you really have to bring Sparrow up here? The armory is no place for a baby,” he complained, just wanting to be alone. “Damn it, I can’t seem to get this smudge off my sword.”

“My daughter will someday use weapons like I do, so I see no problem introducing her to the armory now,” replied his sister. “Brother, you were never any good at doing a thing for yourself. You are lost without your squire.”

“What do you mean?” he asked, looking up at her.

“Here, let me show you how to polish a sword. Hold Sparrow for me.” She shoved the baby into his arms before he had a chance to object. Then she grabbed the rag and the sword and sprinkled a little sand on the blade. Then she started rubbing, spitting on the sword and rubbing that too.

“I thought sand was just to get rust off of armor,” he said, sitting there with a baby in his arms. “And did you really have to spit on it?”

“I am a mother. I know little tricks that men do not. Someday you’ll be a father so start paying close attention.”

“We’re nobles, Raven. We have servants to polish our swords. I don’t need to pay attention.”

“Says the man whom I found polishing his own sword.” Raven looked at him and nodded. “I’m not talking about the sword, you fool.” She held it up and he saw it shine. “I am speaking about babies and marriage.”

“What?” he jumped to his feet, startling the baby. Sparrow started to cry and he couldn’t stop her. “Take her, Raven. I cannot get her to settle down.”

Raven smiled, put down the sword, and took back her baby. She had the child calmed in an instant. “It took me nearly eight months with Sparrow, but as you see, I am getting better. You’ll learn in time too. If you ever get married.”

“I haven’t found the right girl I want to marry,” he said, picking up his sword and inspecting it, not wanting to look at his sister.

“Mayhap you have but you are too much of a simpkin to realize it. You are too busy focusing on things that do not matter.”

“I don’t know what you mean.” He looked at his reflection in the sword and smiled.

“Like that,” she said with a sniff. “You would rather stare at your own reflection in a sword than spend time with a woman who really cares for you.”

“Raven, if you have something to say then come out and say it and stop wasting my time.”

“Kit Baker is a wonderful woman.”

“Yes, she is.”

“She is talented, smart, and a good mother.”

“I agree.”

“Do you even have any feelings at all for the woman? After all, everyone in the castle knows you bedded her.”

Tolin cringed hearing this. He had hoped to keep his personal life private. But between his brothers and Jarvis, there was no chance of having a secret.