A New King

By Johann Fuchs

This is the story of peasant boy William, son of a farmer, who is forced to serve his lord, Robert Peldham of Rochester, where he meets his daughter, spoiled brat Margaret. While training to be a soldier and knight, William and Margaret fall in love. The story follows their romance as they grow up and William learns his father is the cousin to King Edward and he is chosen to succeed his uncle on the throne. It ends with the death of Edward and William being crowned king.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Apr 23, 2020
• ISBN: 9781647010539

Book preview

1

The Beginning

It was a cold evening on the farm belonging to Charles and Victoria Pembrooke of Gillingham, when she began to feel the first sign of labor for her fifth child. Victoria quickly woke her husband and told him it was time for the child to be born. Charles quickly got up and dressed, waking his oldest daughter, Mary, and sent her into the village, three miles away for the midwife, Helena. Charles had walked with his daughter, Mary, a number of times to the cottage, where Helena lived in both daylight and the dark, so the child would be able to find her. So off Mary went to get the midwife, in a hurry, not because she was needed too but because of the unknown dangers that could be lurking along the path. As the children slept, Victoria was getting close to having the child, and there was still no Helena. Charles did not know for sure what to do; he had never seen a person give birth, just livestock. Suddenly, the door opened with a bang and in came little Mary and Helena, just in time. Charles sent Mary back to bed with the children, and he paced back and forth as Helena went in with his wife, Victoria. The night never took so long, and still there was no baby, just continual moaning, crying, and screaming in pain and no child. As dawn approached, there were things to be attended to, and he could no longer wait for the birth of the child. So as Helena tended to his wife, he went into the English mist, he would need help with the children, and he walked to the farm of his sister, Martha, and her husband, Thomas, and returned a short time late with his sister to help with the younger children. The children were up and stirring, but all were still too young to help on the farm; they were just useless mouths to feed. As he went out to do the man’s chores, Martha set about to do Victoria’s chores, getting the children dressed and preparing the meager morning meal. Halfway through the preparation and morning chores, Victoria let out a painful scream that scared the children, but it was followed by a whiny little cry of a baby. With that, Martha sent Mary out to fetch her father, from the barn.

Quickly, they returned, and he asked, What is it, Martha?

A son, Charles, you have been blessed by a new son, and his mother is doing fine, she replied.

All he could do is wait until Helena came out to show him, and what seemed like an eternity was just a few minutes.

Charles, here is your son, Helena announced as she handed to bundle of rags that made up my first clothes for him.

Thank the Lord it’s a son, I need strong sons to help till the land, he said.

After taking a moment to look at the small bundle, he said, This one is a weakling. Lucky for me, he will be the one to join the church.

Nonsense, brother, he is a beautiful child, Martha said.

Return the runt to his mother, I have work to do, Charles replied.

Helena asked, What are you going to name the child?

As he stopped at the door a moment, he replied, I guess William.

So began my life in the village of Gillingham, England. Not an impressive start for me. I was basically shunned by my father, condemned to the life of a churchman. Mother was much happier with me, but I was not sure if it was because I was born and healthy or if it was because I was a boy. So life began on a farm near the small fishing village not far from the manor of the local lord, Sir Robert Peldham. Sir Robert was a knight, granted the land for his service to the crown in defense of the king, and was a good and fair landowner. There was plenty of everything to keep the family going as long as the work was done. For the food Father provided to lord of the manor, he provided protection from the raiders, which was important, but the raiders had not visited in many years because of their last visit. Sir Robert was ready, and they suffered a number of dead and got nothing in return. One early morning, before the others were up, Mother was feeding a fussy child as Father was getting ready to begin the day.

Quietly, she whispered, Brother William, Father William, Bishop William. She liked the sound.

Her baby would be a priest and ensure that they would get to heaven. She knew there was no limit to how well her son could do if he tried. Little did she know. Mother babied me because Father did not. He preferred to keep little Charles and Edward with him. They were big strong kids that could learn to work the land.

As the spring season turned to summer, Mother left me alone more to do her chores and take care of my sisters and brothers. Even as young children, we had tasks to do, and Mother had to make sure the chores were done. As we would get older, we would learn more tasks, things that Mother and Father would teach us to help us along and make us strong. Mary and Madonna were older and were already beginning to learn how to spin wool into yarn and to cook. My oldest brother, who would inherit the farm from Father, was learning how to raise crops and livestock. The rest of us learned to raise food with Mother’s garden. Father had his own piece of land, supposedly granted to him by Sir Robert after his help during the last raid, and he was proud of his land and what he could raise on it. Little did we know of his service with Lord Robert. Father never talked about it.

As tradition dictated, my oldest brother, Charles, would inherit Father’s land, and my brother Edward would become a soldier and maybe gain fame as great warrior. As for me, I was a runt, and as the third son, I was expected to join the church to help Mother and Father get to heaven. I was sure Mother would get to heaven, but I was not sure about Father. He was older and didn’t have much to do with us children, except Charles. This was expected since he was the eldest and would inherit the farm, then he would be responsible for everyone left at home.

Some distance from Gillingham is the manor house of Lord Robert Peldham and his family. It was a stronghold, a walled manor that could protect the locals from raiders but not quite a grand as a castle. They too would call for the midwife, Helena, as the lady of the manor, Diana, was expecting her sixth child herself. On a warm August day, a messenger was dispatched to the village for Helena. Lady Diana was getting close, and she needed to come. There was no delay. Helena left immediately for the manor, even though a young woman, Mathilda, was nearly ready to give birth to her first. It would be some time before Helena would return to the village, and in her absence, Mathilda lost her child. Both mother and child died because no one was with her and her husband was in the fields, and no one knew she went into labor. Only if Helena had been there or if someone like my mother had known and could have helped, but such was life in these times. When Helena arrived at the manor house, Diana was not yet in labor and would not begin to have the child for several days. To Helena, one child was like another, and one mother was like all others, and her job, as she saw it, was to bring babies into the world, like her mother and her mother’s mother before her. After three days of waiting, Helena was about to return to Gillingham to wait. She did have several others in surrounding villages to take care of, and waiting for the lady of the manor or not, she had already cried over the news about Mathilda and did not want to lose another mother.

Once Lady Diana began labor, it would take time since Diana was not known for quick labor. It had been a couple of years for Diana between children, but she was grateful for the help she would get from Helena. The labor went through the night and well into the next day. The entire process was kept quiet as Diana was isolated from the family. In fact, Lord Robert was not even at the manor, as he was in London for a meeting of the nobles. The excitement that many families had was not here, as the children were doing their own thing with their nannies and only Helena and the new nanny were present for the birth. Diana, like all women, cried at the time of birth and then cried with joy went told she had a beautiful baby girl. It was not until the evening meal did the children learn of the baby and that they had a new sister. Everyone was happy, but Helena had a question that there was no answer—what was the child’s name? This was only the second daughter that Diana had, and the poor child would have to wait to be named until her father returned from London. A messenger was sent to Sir Robert in London to inform him of his daughter’s arrival. Sir Robert celebrated his daughter’s birth but never realized that she did not have a name.

Upon his arrival at the manor, Sir Robert immediately went to his wife and daughter. He was happy to see a new daughter and asked the question of Diana.

She’s beautiful, Diana, what did you name her? he asked.

I didn’t name her, Robert. I was waiting for your return to name her, Lady Diana replied.

Holding his daughter, gazing into her eyes, he replied, Margaret, Margaret Jeanette, after my sister.

With that, Margaret Jeanette was christened and would begin journey through life from somewhat humble beginnings. Now, with a name, she was baptized by Father Joseph, and it was a beautiful ceremony for her to begin life with. Margaret’s life was one of privilege, never wanting anything except close contact with her parents, which, like her siblings, she didn’t get. Lady Diana as usual could not feed her children, and a wet nurse had to be found. Margaret may not have wanted for anything, but only her brother James seemed to take an interest in her. As she spent her first few years growing up, she was close to her brother and may not have realized she was supposed to be girl, meek and demure. Instead, she, with her brothers and cousins, roughhousing, wrestled and fought like the boys do. To them, she was just another playmate that was smaller, that they could beat up and get away with it.

As I grew up, I learned my chores, mostly how to feed animals and tend the garden, still a momma’s boy. As Charles and Edward grew into big strong kids and were taken under Father’s wing to learn of life, how to farm. I was being taken care of by Mother, and unlike my brothers, I was taught to write and count since I was considered not worth trying to teach how to farm. Mother taught me how to treat other people, especially women, or maybe it was how she wanted to be treated. One of the only times the family had outside contact was with Father Joseph and Brother Mathew, who came to the village for services and were my teachers since I was supposed to join them. Mother made sure Father Joseph knew I was to join the order when I was old enough and that would be when I was twelve.

All of Mother and Father’s plans crashed down around them one summer afternoon, and it saddened everyone in the village. As I was finally old enough for Father to teach me the basics of farming, tragedy struck. The raiders returned for the first time in a generation and surprised the village. In the past, Gillingham was not their first stop, but this time we were. Father and Charles were in the fields when Edward bought the word of strangers coming into the village from the sea. Father and Charles hurried home to protect the family as the alarm was being raised and calls for help went racing to the Rochester Manor. Several farms were sacked by the raiders, including ours, but Mother had spirited us out of the house and hid us in the woods near home. When Father and Charles reached the farm, they confronted several raiders, who were not a match for Father, but Charles was not ready and was never trained for anything but farming. As Father fought off one of the raiders outside the house, Charles struggled with another as a third raider stabbed Charles in the back. Charles fell to the ground, mortally wounded, and it startled the raiders who were young. When Father saw Charles fall, rage overtook him, and he killed the raider he was wrestling with his bare hands, as the others went to flee. Edward tripped up one of the raiders who fell as the other one fled without helping his companion. Father fell upon the down raider and beat him severely. The raiders fled the area as news was shouted of soldiers from the manor were on the way. The raiders fled with nothing to show for it, other than killing Charles and another farmer, Thomas, leaving one dead and another in father’s hands.

Lord Geoffrey arrived on horseback with soldiers from the manor to see the raiders putting to sea and began to search for stragglers. What they found was Father beating the sole remaining raider and took him from Father. Now came the hard part for Father; he had to search for the rest of the family, fearing they would all be dead, but to his relief, he found us coming out of the woods. Mother broke down and cried when Father told her Charles was dead. Then came the hardest part as Father took us back to the farm to see Charles’s body lying on the ground near the house. As we cried for Charles, Father went into the house and returned with a sword; he was going to avenge Charles’s death by gutting the surviving raider. Lord Geoffrey prevented Father from killing the raider, leaving several men in the village on guard. He took the raider from the village and camped. As Mother and the girls cried, Father took Edward and me to the burial place, where our ancestors we buried and began to prepare a grave for Charles. As we worked, Lord Geoffrey had his men move Charles’s body into the house, where the women continued to cry and pray.

Come morning, everything was ready for a service for Charles and Thomas as Father Joseph arrived in the village with Lord Robert. Lord Robert came to see what happened and pronounce judgment on the surviving raider. Uncle Thomas had craved a maker for Charles; Father, Uncle Thomas, Edward, and I carried Charles’s body to the graveyard, followed by Mother, the girls, and Aunt Martha. Behind us came Father Joseph, Lord Robert, and Geoffrey and the soldiers who rode in with Lord Robert, to watch what was going on. Once Charles was laid to rest, Father Joseph said some prayers, things I would one day learn, among the crying of the women, and then slowly we walked back to the house. Life went on. Once the women and us children were back at the farm, Father, Uncle Thomas, and Edward left with Lord Robert for the soldiers’ camp outside of town. What happened there, we only learned later from Edward and Uncle Thomas. Father never talked about it. When they returned to the camp, Lord Robert pronounced the sentence on the raider, death for the deaths of Charles and the farmer Thomas, and allowed Father to put him to death. With no remorse, Father stabbed the raider in the stomach so he could suffer a slow painful death. Once he was dead, the soldiers broke camp, leaving the raider’s body on a pole on the coast to act as a message to others. It would be years before I would learn what happened and of Father’s history with Lord’s Robert and Geoffrey.

The next few weeks were tough. Mother cried a lot, and Father spent a lot of time in the fields alone, trying to escape the pain of Charles’s death. It was hard for us kids with no support from Mother and Father, but we were young, and we got through it, or so I thought. Now Father and Mother’s plans were different. Now Edward would inherit the farm, but no one knew how it affected Father. Father began to take Edward and me to the fields to teach us how to farm, and what Mother didn’t know, he was also teaching us how to fight. Father blamed himself for Charles’s death because he never taught him to defend himself, and he would not make that mistake again. Father was very good, but we didn’t know how good until after his death.

The raid wasn’t even mentioned again at the manor, except for a short passage written by Father Joseph for Lord Robert. For Margaret, life continued on with everything peaceful and as carefree as possible. As she approached her tenth year, she lost her playmates. Her brothers and cousins were beginning to learn to be lords and soldiers, learning horsemanship and fighting, and she was left out. She wanted to be one of the boys and was not allowed. She was supposed to learn to be a lady, like her mother and sister. Her only worry was her father would send her to a convent, but she wanted to be a knight. Lady Diana had been tomboy when younger and let Margaret have her fun, knowing that she only had five to six years before she would have to grow up and be a woman. She could only hope her husband would find Margaret a husband that she could love like her grandfather had. For the past couple of years, Robert was not happy about Margaret being a tomboy, but Diana hoped her brother could help her with Margaret. Diana had talked to Geoffrey into beginning training Margaret not to be a warrior but to be able to defend herself.

I didn’t know what the future held for me until Edward told me one day as I neared ten. I had noticed Mother spent less time with me and more with my younger brother, Isaac, and Father spent more time with me. I had thought that was how it was supposed to be until that day in the field, when Edward told me. He told me that soon, I would be leaving home to learn to be a soldier, to have better training than Father had given me. After that day, I noticed Mother was crying more. One day Father told me that when the spring planting was done, I would be leaving for the manor of Lord Robert to begin my training. That was when I learned I would become a soldier for Lord Robert, a foot soldier. That was what was making Mother cry. As foot soldiers, you never lived long while at war, but at least we were at peace. Times had been peaceful under Lord Robert, Duke Arthur of Kent, and King Edward. There had been no warfare for decades and only two raids from outsiders, including the one, that killed my brother Charles.

2

Arrival at the Manor

The day came when Father took me to the manor of Lord Robert at Rochester, and Mother and my sisters cried. I cried as Father and I set off for Rochester, leaving Edward to watch over the family until Father’s return, two days later. We walked all day, stopping once to rest and have some bread, then we stopped and made camp. I was still crying.

Stop that crying, boy, Father said. This is your first step to becoming a man.

But, Father, why do I have to leave you and Mother? I asked.

Son, he said with a quiver in his voice, this is what is supposed to happen. If I had done better, Charles would be alive, and you would go to Father Joseph in a few years.

I asked Father, What am I supposed to do?

William, you will do as you’re told, when you’re told and how you’re told, you belong to Lord Robert, Father replied. Lord Robert is you master. Do the best you can, and it will be all right.

When can I come home, Father? I asked.

You can’t, William, you may never see your mother or me again, he replied, causing me to cry harder.

Deciding that he couldn’t talk to me anymore, he quit. It was bothering him to turn me over to Lord Robert. We spent the night in silence, only broken by my occasional sobs. As soon as it was light in the morning, we broke camp and headed out to the manor house, with Father figuring to reach it by midday. When we arrived, we entered the main gate, stopping only long enough to talk to the guards on duty before going in. I didn’t know where we were going, but Father seemed to know where to go. We came up to a large stone building, many times larger than our home, and Father talked to the guards stationed outside. We waited until a large imposing man came for us. He embraced Father. He looked familiar, but I couldn’t remember where I had seen him.

Hello, my lord, Father said. I am have come to see Lord Robert.

Come with me, Lord Geoffrey said as he led us into the main chamber.

We walked down the hall, through a set a large door into a large room with a man sitting alone.

As we walked up, my father took a breath before saying, My Lord Robert, I present you with my son William Edward, for training as a soldier.

It’s been many years, Charles, not since the last raid, Lord Robert said.

Yes, my lord, father replied.

Standing up to get a better look at me, Lord Robert said, This is all you can bring me for a soldier?

My lord, my eldest son, Charles, was killed in the raid, my son Edward would have been a better choice for a soldier, but he will one day be master of the land, he replied. I beg forgiveness for not having three strong sons, my lord.

What do you think, Geoffrey? Lord Robert asked.

We can use him for household staff. He’s much too small to be a soldier, Geoffrey replied.

Very well, Geoffrey, Lord Robert said. Charles, you have my thanks for your son.

I had no idea what was happening as Father got up and embraced Lord Robert and then Lord Geoffrey, saying something to him before leaving, with tears trickling down his cheek. He didn’t even say goodbye. I didn’t know what I did to cause Father to hate me so much.

Lord Geoffrey, I leave the boy in your care, Lord Robert said as he left the chamber.

Come with me, boy, and stop crying, Lord Geoffrey ordered.

I sucked it up and did my best to quit crying as I was led to the kitchen.

Cyril, I have a new kitchen boy for you, Lord Geoffrey said as he left me with a new stranger.

As I stood there, Cyril came over and looked at me over, shaking his head, saying, Another useless kid.

He went over to an older girl and said something before going back to his work.

The girl came over and introduced herself. I’m Madonna, what’s your name?

Meekly I replied, William, ma’am.

Well, William, come with me, I’ll show you where you will sleep and what to do, she replied.

My first day at the manor house would be spent following Madonna around and trying to figure out why Mother and Father hated me. I spent the night crying, not having any idea what I was supposed to do. Morning came very early as Master Cyril came in and dragged me by the hair out of my bed, it startled me, and I began to cry. That got me a backhand across my face from Master Cyril and a grumbled order.

Boy, get out there and get the eggs, he ordered.

I was lost. I didn’t know what to do or where to go, so I cried as Master Cyril left.

Madonna hurried over, saying, Quick, William, let’s go and stop crying.

I was still sobbing as I followed Madonna when she gave me a basket and led me into a courtyard.

William, each morning, you get the basket and come out here for eggs. Can you count? she asked.

Yes, ma’am, I replied.

Good, William, you need to find thirty eggs each morning for Master Cyril and another ten for us, she whispered. You can usually find forty to fifty eggs each morning, but stay near the number I gave you. Once you get them, then bring them to the kitchen. From then on, you do as Master Cyril orders, William. And, William, Master Cyril has a temper and will hit you for no reason.

I had picked up eggs for Mother, so I had an idea of what to do and where to look. I didn’t realize I had to work quickly until Master Cyril hit me with a switch for taking too long. I got the eggs to Madonna in the kitchen and began carrying wood, then water, and then more wood. Suddenly, I realized I had gone from carefree kid who was supposed to be a priest to being a slave. The meal was prepared. Madonna, Mary, and another older boy, Thomas, with Master Cyril served the lord’s family, and I was left alone in the kitchen, which made me cry. It seemed to have taken forever for them to return, and when they did, Cyril hit me for not having brought more wood in for the cook fires. Madonna was right; Cyril was very mean to me and to the girls. He also did things to the girls that I had never seen before, and the girls didn’t like it, but he was in charge. Madonna made sure I knew what to do for the next two meals, which kept Master Cyril from beating me. After the evening meal and cleanup, I was so brokenhearted, I sat in my sleeping space and cried. Madonna felt sorry for me and was trying to take care of me. She reminded me of my mother, which helped me.

I was a quick learner, and in the morning, I was up with the first holler from Master Cyril and went out to fetch the eggs. I got through my second day without a beating from Master Cyril but was worried about how he looked at me. As long as I hurried along and didn’t cry or seem idle, Master Cyril left me alone but not so for the girls. The third day, I was in the kitchen and walked into the storage area and saw Master Cyril with his pants down, and he had Mary bent over a barrel. So I hurried out, looking for Madonna to ask her what was happening. She told me not to worry about, but after the evening meal and cleanup, Master Cyril beat me with a whip, telling me not to tell anyone about what I saw. I had to learn to go only where I was told to and when I was told and, the rest of the time, remain sitting in my sleeping space.

The days passed to weeks and I was learning, and Master Cyril hit me less often and gave me additional tasks to do. One morning after gathering the eggs for the morning meal, Madonna had a new task for me.

William, come with me, Madonna said.

She took me into the cooking area to help carry pots and dishes to the manor house to feed my lord and his family.

I asked, Where is Thomas this morning?

Madonna answered quietly, Thomas is no longer in the kitchen, and left it at that.

It was much later that I learned that Master Cyril was doing the same thing with Thomas as the girls, and Thomas actually had hanged himself.

As we worked, she whispered, William, don’t look around, just look down. Don’t talk to anyone, or Master Cyril will beat you.

Cautiously, I helped Madonna and Mary serve Lord Robert, including a mean little girl, who made faces at us servants. I managed to get through this new task without a beating from Master Cyril. I must be getting better.

3

The First Meeting

The morning broke as it had, and I was still brokenhearted and still did not know why my parents gave me to Lord Robert. Didn’t they love me? Cyril woke me as he had for the last month. I was just learning what to do. I was to get up, collect the eggs from the chickens, bring them to the kitchen, then do whatever Cyril wanted me to. He would have me fetch wood for the stoves and get water while he prepared the morning meal for Lord Robert and his family and once done. I would help Madonna and Mary serve the family. To me this was an insult and showed me that I was no more than a slave. I was doing a woman’s work. What made it more humiliating was the lord’s daughter would make faces at me, making fun of my misery. Today was no different. We bought them their meal, knowing if there were no scraps, we did not get to eat. At least Madonna had enough compassion to make sure Mary and I both got something to eat. What was different today was I would get no morning meal, because by the time the lord and his family was done, I was being summoned by the master of arms, Lord Geoffrey. Not knowing any better I finished my chores so as to avoid a beating by Master Cyril, which was a mistake, for upon my arrival to the training courtyard, I was shouted at by Master Geoffrey.

Boy, where have you been? I sent for you just after dawn, he hollered.

I’m sorry, my lord, please don’t beat me, my lord, but Master Cyril had tasks for me to do, my lord, I replied as I cowered, waiting for my beating.

Come here, boy, he said firmly but not hollering.

Cautiously, I approached him, waiting for my beating. This was how Cyril always began my beatings.

Pull up your shirt, boy, he said.

Slowly, I pulled up my shirt for my beating, but it didn’t come as Lord Geoffrey place his hand on my shoulder to get a better look.

Did your parents beat you, boy? he asked.

No, my lord, I replied, not wanting to volunteer any information.

Who beat you, boy? he demanded, looking as the scars and scabs on my back.

Master Cyril, my lord, I timidly replied.

Do you know why you here, boy? he asked.

Yes, my lord, my father told me as the second son, I was to become a soldier for the lord of the land, Lord Robert, I replied.

That’s right, boy, you are here to become a soldier, but your father sent me the runt of the litter, a weakling to make into a soldier, he said. You’re too young to be trained, but Lord Robert wants you trained, so I will begin your training with my other student, who wants to be a soldier but also is too young. Pull your shirt down, boy, and come with me, Lord Geoffrey said.

I did as I was told and followed him into the courtyard where another was waiting. It was her, the daughter of my lord, who had teased me.

Boy, you are going to help me teach my special student, Margaret Jeanette, he said.

Without thinking, I replied, Train a girl? She’s only good for one thing.

Before Lord Geoffrey could speak, Margaret spoke up, A girl? I wouldn’t be talking about my being a girl. I could beat you with no effort.

She hurried up and stood in front of me, taunting me to speak again, but I stood defiantly, waiting for Lord Geoffrey to strike me.

Well, what do you have to say, servant? she hollered in my face.

Deciding that Lord Geoffrey would not step in, I replied, You’re a girl and don’t forget it, whether you are the lord’s daughter or not. I pushed her back on her shoulder.

I dare you to say it, she challenged.

The only thing you are good for is making children, and for the sake of my lord, they should be men, not girls, I replied.

She stepped into me again and asked, What did you say?

Once again, I pushed her back, replying, The next time you get that close you had better be ready to start having kids.

That remark got me slapped, and I expected to be beaten, but it didn’t come as Lord Geoffrey laughed.

She asked, Well?

Well, was that supposed to hurt? It didn’t, I replied defiantly.

She slapped me again, and I laughed in her face, and she lunged toward me in an attack, only for me to step aside and let her fall on her face. She went down in a heap on the ground in the mud as I stood there, and she quickly got up and charged in again. Again, I let her lunge past and fall to the ground, and she rolled over and looked at Lord Geoffrey and hollered at him, Well, are you going to let him do that to me?

My Lady Margaret, I have been coming out here twice week to work with you, and this servant as you put it is already more advanced in his training than you. That is why woman cannot be soldiers, he replied.

Not sure of what to do, I knew my mother would expect me to do what was right, so I stepped over to her and extended my hand, saying, My lady, in a gesture of kindness.

I don’t need our help, she hollered at me.

Lady Margaret, you need to learn when to accept help and when not to. As a lady, never refuse the help of a man, Lord Geoffrey said.

With that, I helped her up, and that small gesture of kindness changed both of us for the rest of our lives as we began our journey through life together, but for now we began training as soldiers. The master of arms, Lord Geoffrey, began our training, mine to be a soldier and gentleman and hers to be a lady who could defend herself. The training began for me and the spoiled brat, but I wasn’t sure what was supposed to happen with the training. Lord Geoffrey had his own idea of what training was going to be, especially since he had told me I was too young to learn.

Come with me, you two, he said as he walked across the courtyard.

Like little puppies, we followed him across the courtyard to a well-worn path along the wall.

Stand right here, Margaret, I will return. Come with me, William, he said.

I followed him back across the courtyard to the path on the other side and received my instructions.

William, can you count, lad? he asked.

Yes, Master, I replied.

Very well, William. I want you to walk along the path ten times at the same pace. When you finish, stop at this spot, Lord Geoffrey replied.

He walked back over and talked to Margaret and gave her instructions and then ordered us to begin. I made a mark in the dirt so I would know where to stop and I began to walk, not really sure why I was walking. I walked around the path, and after a couple of laps, I could see I was getting close to Margaret and would soon pass her.

On the seventh lap, I came up behind her and remarked as I passed, Get out of my way, girl.

Just a few paces in front of her, she ran up and jumped on my back, throwing her arms around my neck and began to choke me for passing her. Lord Geoffrey laughed as I struggled to get her off.

Get off me, girl, I shouted at her.

With that, she bit me on the ear and held on as I screamed out in pain, and Lord Geoffrey laughed. Before he could say anything, I backed into a post, ramming Margaret into the post, banging her head, which caused her to let go of her grip and bite, falling to the ground.

Quickly, Lord Geoffrey spoke, William, if you have not gotten to ten, then continue your exercise.

Quickly, with a little trickle of blood from the teeth marks on my ear, I began to walk again, leaving her dazed on the ground.

Lord Geoffrey walked over to her, laughing. Lady Margaret, if you want to train like a boy, then act like it. Get up and continue your exercise.

Looking up at him, she asked, Uncle Geoffrey, are you going to let that boy do that to me?

Get up, girl, and complete your exercise, he ordered.

Quickly, she got up and ran up to me and jumped up on my back again and bit me again. This time, Lord Geoffrey hurried over and grabbed her, pulling her back off me, saying, Keep going, William. Margaret, your exercise is to walk along the path, no running. Continue your exercise, he ordered as I passed her again.

I finished my last lap and stopped at the line, but Margaret had two more laps, and each time she passed me, she kicked me in the leg. Finally, after standing there waiting, Margaret finished her exercise. Lord Geoffrey ordered us to do it again. We began again, walking the same steady pace, which meant in six laps I would catch Margaret and I got kicked in the leg and she got hollered at Lord Geoffrey, which slowed her down as he reminded her, no running. Since she was delayed on my last lap, I passed her again and was kicked again, and once I stopped, she kicked each time she passed. Once she finished, Lord Geoffrey had us do it again, and this time, little miss Margaret had to work up a sweat to keep ahead, but I still passed her and got kicked twice. This was the last part of the exercise, as a Madonna came out to tell Margaret that it was mealtime and Lord Geoffrey that Master Cyril wanted me back in the kitchen where I belonged. Margaret went back into the house as Lord Geoffrey sent Madonna back to Master Cyril with the message that I would not be returning. Lord Geoffrey ordered me to walk the circuit again, which was a relief for me, not getting kicked or bitten. As I finished the exercise, as young man arrived and talked to Lord Geoffrey.

William, go with Francis to the stable and report to Ferdinand, he ordered as he began to leave.

William, is it? Come with me, Francis said, and he began to walk toward the gate.

Where are we going? I asked.

To the stable, to work for Master Ferdinand, he replied.

As I caught up to him, I asked, What am I going to be doing?

Clean the stables, Francis replied.

Master Cyril is going to beat me for being missing for a meal, I replied.

Francis replied, All you can do is talk to Master Geoffrey. He is the brother of Lady Diana and is in charge.

When I reported to Master Ferdinand and was ordered to clean the stable with two other young boys. I worked as fast as I could as the other boys were going slow. I needed to get it done so I could get back to the kitchen. Shortly before the evening meal, Master Ferdinand allowed me to return to the kitchen, where I got what I thought I was going to get. When I returned to the kitchen, Master Cyril was more than pissed, and I was beaten badly. When time came to serve the family, only Madonna and Mary served the family because I could hardly move because of the beating. After the meal was finished and cleanup was done, I went to my bed to rest, and Madonna came over and cleaned my wounds and gave me what she saved for me to eat.

William, you should not have upset Master Cyril, she said.

As I sobbed from the pain, I replied, All I did was what Master Geoffrey told me.

You do as Master Geoffrey says, and you should tell him what Master Cyril did, she replied.

No, if I do that, Master Cyril would beat me again, I replied.

The morning came early with Master Cyril waking me for chores, and once they were done, I was in a bad place—go to Master Geoffrey and have Master Cyril beat me or stay here and hope Master Geoffrey didn’t beat me too badly. I chose the unknown and stayed in the kitchen. It was midmorning when Francis showed up looking for me, telling me to come with him to Master Ferdinand. Master Cyril was pissed off. Off to the stables, I went with Francis with Master Cyril following us. I was thinking, they were going to fight over me. I was right; they were going to fight over me, but Master Cyril would win and get the right to beat me for not being where I was supposed to. Right after we left the kitchen, Madonna slipped out to the training yard and found Master Geoffrey already working with Margaret.

Master, may I speak with you? she asked.

What’s wrong, woman? Where’s William? he asked.

Master, William was taken to the stable to be beaten by Master Ferdinand and Cyril, she replied.

What are you talking about, woman? he asked.

William stayed in the kitchen so Master Cyril would not beat him, and Master Ferdinand sent for him to beat him for not coming to the stable, she replied.

Back to the kitchen, woman, he replied as he headed toward the stable.

As he passed Margaret, he waved to her to follow him as he headed for the stable. Sure enough, when they arrived at the stable, he found Master Cyril beating me with a whip, with my back bleeding from the wounds, as Master Ferdinand waited his turn. Margaret was horrified to see me tied to a wagon wheel and being beaten.

Uncle Geoffrey, you not going to let them beat him? she asked.

Quiet, girl, he ordered as he walked over to Master Ferdinand and spoke with him.

After shaking his head, he returned to Margaret and stood to wait. Then Master Ferdinand took the whip and began to strike me to the horror of Margaret.

Uncle Geoffrey, why are you letting them beat that boy? she asked.

He didn’t do what he was ordered to do, he needs to learn a lesson, he replied, then ordered, Master Ferdinand, stop the beating.

Thank you, Uncle Geoffrey, she replied.

Don’t thank me, girl. You see, he didn’t cry out in pain. That’s the sign of a man. Come with me, he said, taking her by the arm.

Holding his hand out, he said, Give me the whip, Ferd.

He took the whip and struck me on the back again.

Margaret asked, Why whip him, Uncle Geoffrey?

He did not do as ordered. He deserves the beating. Take the whip, girl, he ordered, holding it out.

Why? she asked.

He offended you yesterday, he deserves to be beaten, give him five lashes, he ordered.

I can’t do that, Uncle Geoffrey, she replied as she was about to cry.

I didn’t ask, girl, I ordered it. Now give him the lashings, he ordered again.

Taking the whip, Margaret struck me in the back three times before she was crying too hard to continue. It didn’t hurt, because she wasn’t very strong. Master Geoffrey took the whip and threw it at Master Ferdinand, saying, If I see that boy has been whipped again, I will whip the both of you.

He continued, Master Cyril, William will no longer work in the kitchen. He will be there in the morning to serve morning meal and then come to training with me. Master Ferdinand, when William is with you in the stable, he will take care of Lord Robert’s and my horses.

Yes, my lord, they both responded.

Margaret, go to the house and to your weaving, no more lessons today, he said.

She hurried away, still crying, and she was still crying when she reached the house and her mother. She explained to her what her uncle made her do, which would get him an audience with Lord Robert. Master Geoffrey took me back to the training court and was cleaning my wounds, when the messager arrived with the order to come and see him. Master Geoffrey left me with Squire Francis to clean my wounds.

You sent for me, my lord? he asked as he arrived.

Geoffrey, what happened in the stable this morning? Lord Robert asked.

My lord, it was a minor problem, it was taken care of, and it is over, he replied.

Geoffrey, what was my daughter doing in the stables? I believed I told you that she was not to be trained as a soldier, Lord Robert said.

She came down to see the horses, and a servant was being whipped for not working. I told Masters Cyril and Ferdinand that they were not allowed to whip the servants, he replied.

What about Margaret’s part of this beating? he asked.

My lord, she needed to see what it was like, and I assure you she did not hurt the lad. It hurt her worse than him, he replied.

Very well, Geoffrey, but I will say it again, your sister does not make the decisions, and you are not to train Margaret to be a soldier, Lord Robert said. Go.

Yes, my lord, he replied as he left and returned to the courtyard.

When he arrived back to the training yard, he found me walking around the path, doing my lessons. He stood at the gate and watched as I walked, and when I finished the walk, I walked over to the stable and began to clean the stable where I had left off. The daily routine was changed. Now I would do morning chores, and after serving the morning meal, then I would get trained and take care of the horses until evening meal, when again I would serve the meal. I was training to be a soldier, yet Master Geoffrey continued to have me serving meals. I guess it was to teach me humility.

4

My Beating by James

After a couple of weeks of training sessions, I was getting stared at by some of the older boys while cleaning the stables, and I didn’t know why. Some of the older boys would push us younger boys down, just to be mean and because they could. Master Ferdinand turned a blind eye to the abuse because of who the older boys were. As I was cleaning a stall one afternoon, four older boys joined me, not to help but to terrorize me, or so I thought.

Boy, do you know who I am? James asked.

Trying to keep working and not looking at him directly, I meekly replied, Yes, my Lord James.

The other boys backed me against the wall of the stall, so James could have a one-sided conversation with me and do as he pleased.

I don’t know where you come from, boy, or who you think you are, but you stay away from my sister, Margaret, James ordered.

I didn’t say anything because I was too scared to.

Mathias, who was standing in front of me, smacked me across the face sneering, Answer, Lord James, boy.

Do you understand me, boy? Lord James demanded.

Summing up all my courage, I replied, Why would I want to be close to that whiny brat?

For that comment, Mathias looked at James, who nodded yes, and he hit me in the mouth with a fist.

James said, Boy, Margaret is my sister and a lady, and if I find out you looked at her, I will have you put to death.

Looking at the other boys, James nodded for the beating to begin. Louis and Anthony held me by the arms as Mathias beat me savagely, first with his fist, then with the pitchfork I was using. Then they took turns, changing off who was hitting, when their fists began to hurt. Once I was beaten badly enough to be held up, the boys dropped me in the manure and began to kick me mercifully, anywhere and everywhere.

The beating ended when a deep voice called out, What’s going on in there?

The boys hurried out, each getting a last kick in, the only time James would hit me, leaving me bleeding and unconscious in the manure to die. It was many hours before some soldiers would find me and dragged me into the main aisle of the stable.

When chore time was done, I failed to show up for kitchen duty, which infuriated Master Cyril because I was not where I was supposed to be. Once the evening meal was prepared, Master Cyril went to see Lord Geoffrey to see why I had not showed up for my tasks. Lord Geoffrey did not know since combat training was over before the midday meal and I should have been in the stable. I belonged to Master Ferdinand.

Lord Geoffrey, the boy William is missing, Master Cyril said. He must have run off and gone home.

Cyril, William is in the stables in the afternoon, but I will look into it, Master Geoffrey replied.

Lord Geoffrey, Lord Robert needs to know that the boy has run off, Cyril said.

Cyril, I will take care of it, the boy William is under my supervision, he replied, knowing Cyril was right.

Lord Geoffrey sent Squire Francis to Master Ferdinand to see if he knew where I was. The search was on for me, with people looking near the manor. After the evening meal, Lord Geoffrey asked for an audience with his lordship.

Is there a problem, Geoffrey? Lord Robert asked,

Yes, my lord, the boy William is missing, Cyril says he ran away heading for home. I have men looking for him, my lord. In the morning, I will ride to Gillingham and see Charles to see if his son came home, Geoffrey replied.

Find him, Geoffrey, he’s your responsibility. I want him found and punished, and I mean punished, make an example out of him, Lord Robert ordered.

My lord, we are searching the manor and the woods and trails heading to Gillingham, he replied.

Geoffrey, make an example of him when you find him so others understand they cannot run away, Lord Robert said.

Yes, my lord, Geoffrey replied as he left.

The search continued for me, with Master Ferdinand denying any knowledge of where I was, saying I had left