Chapter 42: Chapter 42

THE CASTLE

Since the little story, I've seen Armin completely differently than before. Whenever he looked at me, said something, or caught his attention, I seemed to see a new side of him. Pages that at times contradicted and surprised her.

As we walked the plank, he even grabbed my hand to keep me from tripping. He then helped me into the saddle of his horse, Argos, and procured a cloak which, although thin and probably not very expensive, protected me in the spring showers.

After that we rode incessantly. When it actually started to rain, we just put on our hoods.

When it really got so dark that the overcast moon gave hardly any light, Armin headed for a forest and set up camp. Luckily, the branches of the dense trees kept most of the rain out.

After Argos was taken care of, Armin wrapped his thick red cloak tighter around himself and sat down near the fire.

Without saying much, he warmed wine over the fire.

"I'm sorry, I didn't think of it." I had thought about giving him something back. For thinking of buying me a coat, setting up camp, taking care of his horse... All while I was just sitting here.

But Armin just grinned and shrugged his shoulders.

"Never mind."

"I'll know how to do it next time."

Armin looked at me through his lashes and his dimple appeared in his cheeks. Slowly but surely, I was starting to really like that dimple.

"You don't owe me anything, Isabella."

"I don't see it that way either. But I should also contribute something. To make me feel better."

I look away defiantly and bit my lip. I should stop treating him like a stranger. After all, he made an effort. So I looked at him again.

"Is there anything else besides the wine I can help with? Like food?"

Armin smiled appreciatively, possibly because I was thinking about food. Pig...

"Next time you just have to make sure the fire doesn't go out."

"I think I'll get that together."

"Good. Then finally tell me about my big day." He grinned mockingly and adjusted his voice like a noble lady.

The memory wasn't my favorite as it started out awkward and just didn't get better. Without thinking much, I just let everything that was still in my memory break out of me. And that wasn't very much.

"It was like a bad joke... You were standing between two English Knights who grabbed your hair to imply a yes. And because I was barely conscious, my father answered for me and... yes. If they didn't die, they're still alive today."

Armin first laughed uproariously, then he became calmer until he went completely dark. "Why were you unconscious?"

I didn't want to confess, didn't want to remember. So I waved it off. "That's what bothers you the most. Don't you think that priest is a bastard? That he allows something like that as a true vow is somehow punishable, isn't it?"

Armin said nothing. The flickering of the fire made him seem dangerous, like a wolf in hiding. I almost buckled, then he simply accepted my dismissal and yawned heartily.

Suddenly he got up and fell on his back next to me, stretching his legs out from himself. I stared at him, surprised at how unabashedly he took his seat next to me.

"What is?"

"Nothing." With an effortless calm, I stretched out beside him and wrapped the dark brown fabric of my coat around me.

"If you're cold, let me know." His voice trailed off and after a deep sigh, his breathing became slow and even.

As soon as I opened my eyes again, Armin put me back in the saddle and drove Argos like the devil through the last miles of England.

We stopped at a small hill, over which ran a sandy road with thick wheel ruts. Armin pulled the certificate out of his sleeve. “We are here... Over the hill and through the village. Then we'll be at our castle."

Our castle. Until now there was only the castle of my father or his friends. Being the lady of the castle now was exciting and exhilarating. Hopefully I wouldn't become a bully.

Armin tucked the bow back into his sleeve and leisurely rode over the hill. A few carts with merchant apprentices passed us and arrived in the village before us.

"Oh man... Armin, isn't that faster?"

Armin clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "Let them tell everyone that strangers are coming. Then they'll make sense of it and we might become curious instead of hostile."

"But... Armin, oxen are overtaking us!"

He laughed, but didn't gain a step. Even in the village, he didn't want to go faster. A few women with underwear, brats with balls and apprentices who had just overtaken us looked at us.

The castle I could already see was made of dark stone, small flags hung from the three spiers and apparently there were occasional large windows.

"What do you say to that?" Armin mumbled.

"Well, I don't think it's bad. Doesn't look too big or too small."

Armin grunted but said nothing more. Something was different about him. I wasn't entirely sure, but something about his mood reminded me of what I had seen by the fire last night. Sinister like a wolf that lurks.

Over a short, further hill, which reminded me of a long flat wave, we came to the drawbridge.

And after Armin showed the certificate, we were immediately treated differently. Most of them made a servant conspicuously often, others began to grab and tear themselves away.

We were still standing in the archway, but I saw enough that I was speechless.

In the courtyard the dark morass was ankle high, the stables were run down and only the few horses of the Royal Soldiers were there. Old straw had been pounded into the mud, it stank inhumanly and the fat cook sat with a pot on her tuft next to the toilet and spooned something into her mouth.

Armin growled something incomprehensible and stamped into his yard. The cook eyed him condescendingly.

When I was somehow able to look away, I looked up at the castle. It took my breath away again. At least three windows were broken, two were on their hinges and the shutters were all stolen... Not to mention the absurd state of the castle walls.

Armin stood there like the devil himself. His deep dark red cloak and red sword made his scowl almost deadly.

Well then, long live King Richard.

ARRIVE

Armin's voice reminded me of thunder as he gave his orders.

"Where's the steward? The Reeve?"

A bored soldier in armor rattling around his fat belly wiped beer foam from his upper lip. "We didn't know you were coming, sir."

Armin grinned like a wolf again. "Too bad, isn't it?"

Offended, the soldier said nothing more and exchanged a look with the cook. Armin took a look at them immediately.

"There's the door." He grinned lovingly.

The old one wrinkled her pimply nose. "I'm the cook."

"You were the cook. I can't use a maid who eats more than my horse."

The soldier cleared his throat. "Just because she's not a pretty virgin, that's very unchristian."

Armin raised his eyebrow. "I don't know that I have to justify myself to anyone. But please, I'll do you the favor. I don't need anyone who looks at me with condescension or disrespect."

The cook heaved her body to her feet. "What are you imagining!?"

"I don't want to hear anything. Out."

The cook grabbed the pot and threw it on the ground so violently that the mud spattered up. Then she trotted past me and over the drawbridge.

The soldier seemed a little more reserved, trying not to look too drunk.

Armin regarded him appraisingly for a moment. As if he were considering kicking this guy out too. "The Reeve? The steward?"

"One is in the hall, my lord. There hasn't been a steward for a long time."

That made the soldier uninteresting. Armin gave me a quick look and then moved to the rotten wide wooden door. Nevertheless, he turned back to the fat soldier. "What is your name?"

"Ralph, my lord."

"Good. Tell the boys in the village I need a messenger to ride through the night. Anyone who takes on this task gets a decent salary. And I want to see him today and send him away."

"Yes, my lord."

"And I'm holding a court day in the village square tomorrow. Everyone who wants something or whatever should get an idea of me there."

Ralph nodded and staggered away. Only then did I follow Armin into the hall. A bestial stench greeted us, squeaking noises and rapid rustling in the hay made us suspect the worst, and the worst was the smell of mold.

So that was worth my high dowry to the king!? Well wait you blonde little toad...

We walked down a dark little hallway, turned a sloping corner and spotted on the small table a few men with beers and a fat white-haired one, dressed more finely than the others.

Armin was there in a few steps, knocked over the wooden board and drunkenly yelled at them to go outside.

To the Reeve, the one with the finer clothes, he snarled a dismissal and then was left alone with me.

"There are rats here..." I mumbled as I heard something scurrying around next to me again.

Armin nodded gloomily and tilted his head back.

For a moment he probably calculated something, raised his head again and surveyed the gloomy, small and musty hall. A single window was on the wall and faced the filthy inner courtyard. It was wide, but not enough.

"We should think about where we sleep..."

Armin nodded, but his thoughts seemed elsewhere. A moment later, he did the math again.

"My lord?" I jumped, startled. A young man was standing next to me. His red hair was shoulder-length, but his face was completely beard free. "Ralph said you needed a messenger?"

The red knight nodded and approached him, still thinking. Before stopping in front of him, he ran a hand through his hair and tried to appear friendlier.

"What is your name?"

"Jamie."

"Armin. How long can you ride?"

"All night, sir."

"You will have to. Come with me." Armin exchanged a look with me again and then went outside with the young Jamie.

When something flitted past me again, I decided to move. To do anything to keep those buggers away from me.

I grabbed the wooden board and pushed it back into place, pushed the eight chairs back into order, and gathered up the empty beer mugs.

"You better don't go into a room without me until I've discovered all the pigs that have made their home here."

Armin slowly approached me and sat down on one of the stools with a sigh. "Unbelievable..."

I hesitantly sat down next to him. I didn't know exactly what mood he was in right now. Actually, he was still a stranger to me. "Tell me about your childhood."

"How so?"

"Why not? You said later."

Frowning, he looked up at the window and cocked his head. "There was nothing particularly special about my childhood, Isabella. I was a prankster and one of the youngest in the village."

"Did you have many friends?"

"Nice. But Arthur, he's only a year older than me, was my best friend. It's been a long time too."

"Aren't you friends anymore?"

Armin shook his head and wiped his eyes. "That damn Richard. In this castle we will become impoverished. Not that I own much right now. But what I have I have to put in here and this filthy box won't be able to give me much in return..."

It was easy to see... "Where did you send the messenger?"

"South." Before I could ask what was there, he eyed my dress. "I can't promise you'll get a new one anytime soon. So don't work with it... leave the jugs and everything as it is ..."

We would see that. "Do you already know where we're going to sleep?"

Armin grinned boorishly, but refrained from answering. It surprised me how much I liked that grin. Because I knew what it meant.

We walked through the rooms together and found hardly any people. In a bedroom with curtains in front of the bed, Armin repaired a leg of the bed and threw the rat-infested skins on the fire.

But we had a place to sleep. Unfortunately there were no windows here, so it rained in when the sky started to cloud over.

In the evening Armin fetched bread and ham from the village, sat down with me on our bed with fresh straw and told me everything he had seen in the village.

The next day Armin went to the village alone with Ralph. For this, two women went to the castle and introduced themselves as the new lord's two new maids.

They seemed related, both skinny with one apparently pregnant. Both had red hair and green eyes like mine. You could see and hear them immediately, they were from Scotland.

They didn't want money, they needed a roof over their heads.

I had asked her to put the kitchen and then the hall through the wringer. Meanwhile, I racked my brains about where we should get something to eat from. Even though Armin didn't really like it, I still worked with my dress. What else should I do? Watching others do it for me? Never...

So on my knees in my favorite dress, wedding dress, and my only dress, I scrubbed our new room, washed the bed curtains, put fresh straw on the floor, and racked our brains again. This time about the missing discs. Now in April we would often get wet in our bed if I didn't find a solution...

I spent the whole day scrubbing the other rooms with the two maids, who were otherwise called Jenny and Carina, and chasing the rats away.

In the afternoon Armin was still not back. So I decided to climb up one of the battlements in the courtyard and face it.

As I stepped outside in the dim light, huge white fangs flashed and a deep growl made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up bolt upright...

There was a wolf in front of me, damn it...

AKAY

I suddenly lost my breath. My limbs went rigid and although everything inside me screamed for me to run back into the castle immediately, I wasn't able to even blink.

The animal was so big that it would have reached my navel. His back hair stood up, his growl low and ominous.

The giant wolf took a step towards me with one big paw and bent his body forward as if to pounce on me.

"Okay."

The wolf straightened up immediately, stopped growling and seemed less hostile. Had he dropped his lips again, I might have been more fooled.

Armin walked up to us through the castle gate and stared at the wolf reproachfully. "You should be ashamed to growl at your mistress." Then he grinned at me like a rim. "So pale?"

Wasn't that a joke?

The wolf nudged Armin's fingertips with his wide snout and rubbed his head against his stomach. Akay was big enough. Armin casually put his hand between the beast's ears.

Pale... The animal's head was wider than my thigh. Pale wasn't a description of how I was feeling right now.

Still speechless, I looked at master and ... wolf.

"The messenger will have arrived." Armin grinned affectionately at Akay. "They took off his chain."

Uncomprehendingly I wondered if I still had all my senses. A beast had just tried to attack me? And her name is Akay and she cuddles on my husband's stomach? Why does this one even have such a monstrous wolf!?

Armin misunderstood my look and explained: "When I left, I had to put him on a chain so that he couldn't come to the port with me. They would have killed him in town sooner or later."

Akay let his heavy buttocks slide elegantly to the ground and adored Armin adoringly.

"You could only have prevented him from looking for me with chains. And now, he was even faster than our messenger Jamie. What, aka? You are master's pride!"

Akay's tail wagged in agreement. Then he jumped up and stood on his hind legs, resting his front paws on Arin's chest and about to lick his face. But Armin raised an eyebrow and grinned.

"Would you like something? Forget it."

In fact, the wolf began whimpering and stamping excitedly.

"Well then..."

Like a puppy, the wolf began to lick his master and tease him with small bites before Armin, without any apparent effort, pushed his paws off his chest.

When he looked at me again, he laughed cheerfully. "Say something, Isabella! Just don't faint on me."

Without knowing what to say, I started to stammer. All I could get out was, "Wolf."

Armin looked sternly at his wolf. "What have you done again, Akay? Apologize."

The wolf immediately lay down on his stomach, rolled over on his back and wagged his tail.

"Not either?" Armin asked me in surprise. "You're the first one who doesn't feel drafty. But don't worry, he'll sleep outside."

As if Akay had understood him, he stared at Armin offended. But I waved him off. "I don't mind... aka. For real."

I held out a hand and the wet snout sniffed at it and wagged my tail kindly. As if he had to accept me, not the other way around...

"And Judgment Day?"

Armin smiled wearily. "They are nice, but don't trust my youth. They would never put it that way. But it's different." He shrugged impatiently. "And I hate that."

"Can't you turn that off?"

"Not on the first day." We walked back to the castle while the new companion stayed by Armin's side. "But I told people they don't owe me any money or days for now. At least not this time."

Before I could take an indignant breath, he continued.

"I know we need it. But you didn't see the people, Isabella. They were afraid that I could change everything overnight. And if farmers fear one thing, then change."

I would have liked to say that I didn't care about the farmers' fears before we starved. But I realized it would have been a lie. For we were not starving yet.

In the hall, Armin praised me and at the same time examined my dress. Contrary to what he might have expected, he seemed to feel more appreciative pride than disapproval at the sight of the smeared and already slightly battered thing.

Now, as we stood alone in the hall, where the moon could barely shine in, a sudden tension settled over us. As if something were different without knowing exactly what it was.

"Is there anything to eat?" mumbled Armin.

"Naturally. Jamie and Corina cooked..."

Suddenly Akay pricked up his good wolf ears and surveyed the passage behind me completely silent. It wasn't until a few minutes later that Ralph burst in.

"My lord! You have to come with me quickly! There's a scary guy out there. I have no idea what he wants."

Armin nodded and left without another word. And so, quite unabashedly, I took the right and followed them after a few moments.

Since I no longer saw Armin in the courtyard, I climbed the battlements and held my breath at the sight...

Armin rode next to a broad-shouldered man, both holding torches.

The man looked like Armin. He had a slight beard shadow, appeared to be in his thirties, and his eyes were dark. The sight of him almost made me nervous. Because he seemed to be able to draw his sword at any minute and simply wipe everything out without batting an eyelid. His black cloak billowed around his shoulders, and beneath his doublet he seemed to be in pretty good shape. He also seemed to notice far more than one might think.

Neither of them spoke to each other. When they rode into the courtyard, Armin took both reins, almost embarrassed.

Suddenly I recognized the man. Suddenly I felt hot and cold. I had heard of him before...

The Black Knight. And I hardly have any food in the house...

Armin knew immediately that his father was beside himself with anger and that was the only reason why he was so expressionless and quiet. Not that Arin would otherwise have been a man of many words, but, even if it hardly seemed possible, he was more taciturn than usual.

"I'll take the reins." The son murmured. He didn't have a squire or other servants.

Arin frowned as Armin snatched the reins from him. He's ashamed, he realized. For he is ashamed!?

Akay stopped at the castle gate far away from Arin. He didn't like the mood. The main thing was a wolf, Arin thought.

Armin seemed to think of something. "Would you like to talk before I take care of the horses? What to drink or eat?"

Really wanted Arin. He had been riding like hell all night when his messenger caught up with him at the forge. Armin would urgently need his father's advice and would also have to confess something to him.

But when the black knight looked around the dirty and dilapidated castle courtyard, the thought crept up on him that he might eat his son something too, and he couldn't bring himself to do it.

"All right. And I you will leave my horse to me."

"Father." Armin murmured. Apparently, not even being able to offer his father wine got him down. "Please. I can do it later if you want, but I will."

Arins didn't stand up and he waited for him.

FATHER AND SON

Arin sat down in front of Armin in his modest hall and said nothing for once. His suspicion of how a Campbell deserved such a honour of the king was like a hot stone in his stomach.

Armin wearily ran his fingers through his hair and eyed his father warily. His father was probably really about to throw a tantrum. So he wanted to get rid of it and finally accept it.

"You probably already think so. I am married."

Arin laughed hard. "Congratulations."

"Say it already..."

"What the?"

Armin also felt anger. "Lord God, Father! What should I do!? It is the king who summoned me. Should I just say no!?"

He yelled!? The brat was angry with Arin!?

At this cheek, Arin snapped. Yes, he had promised Elain to leave her boy alone with Arin's wrath. But that went too far for the father.

His fist slammed into the thin wood lying on barrels demonstrating a table.

"That's exactly what you could have done, yes." He snarled. Armin seemed to be boiling over as well. But Arin didn't care.

Because they were too powerful. No king messed with them. Otherwise they kept to the law. Well, except Arin. ... Just the few times ...

"Well, this one does! And I don't think my wife is that bad. Imagine father, I even like them. You're just acting like that because you think I'm just a kid and I owe it to you!"

Arin felt himself getting cold. Avan must have cursed him and wished it on him... It couldn't have been any other way. Some little voice inside Arin felt the urgent need to apologize to his big brother.

“You impossible stubborn fellow. Do you really think so?"

Armin seemed to stand firm as a rock.

"Well, wrong!" Arin laughed mirthlessly. "You're my son, I'm your father. I made you, I'll erase you! No matter how old you are, I don't care if you're a child or not. But you never lose your respect for me. You know yourself that I don't deserve it."

Armin stared doggedly at a spot on the table for a moment. Then his head snapped up. "I haven't lost respect. i'm just desperate With this castle... I'm trapped. Richard gave me a home as a prison."

Because Armin had the urge for freedom just as strong as Arin. Arin had often cursed himself because his son—like him—had felt that urge many times since he was a child. He had often begged Arin to let him ride away. At times their relationship threatened to become exactly like that between Arin and Avan. But because Arin understood the problem and Avan didn't, at least Arin managed to stay on good terms with his son. ... usually.

"That is not true. You can also ride away with a castle. But you have to come back."

"And my wife?" Armin lifted his head dejectedly. "She's really not bad. And I... maybe..." he broke off briefly and then looked stubbornly into Arin's eyes. "It would be selfish of me."

Arin nodded appreciatively. "It's good that you're not just thinking about yourself. But I've found that the right woman... can cast out all demons, Armin. And if it's about wanderlust..."

Arin smiled at many a memory from before. He missed Elaine. He hadn't been away from her that long in years. And although he felt like an old crybaby: he dreaded having to sleep alone tonight. Not knowing how she is doing.

"Do I look like I can enjoy the freedom I love so much? Look Armin, don't drive yourself crazy. It's out of your hands. It's done and it's over."

"That's driving me crazy. This pig just passed me by! He used me like a chess piece!"

“Now you don't even have a squire, so forget Richard. You have other problems."

Armin seemed to want to boil over briefly when he interpreted his father's look. It wasn't pity, it was sympathy. Nor was he annoyed. He understood.

“One more thing, honorable oracle. Would you answer that question for me too?"

Arin grinned defiantly.

"How are you going to do it at home? Don't get me wrong, I was about to move out. But I thought... I'll leave when Joan finishes wetting the bed. Elly finally starts to put her clothes on properly. Jacob at least tries to pay attention to the little ones..."

Big brothers... Arin was the youngest of nine guys himself. It wasn't until he took Syman, his cousin and squire, under his wing that he seemed to understand. But understand? He tried his best. If only because of his brother and foster father Avan. But sometimes it still surprised him how relevant little siblings always were.

"Jacob is ten and did a good job as a brother, Armin. But he can't reach you, ten years younger than he is. And Elly is eight. If it weren't for a big brother to pull her stockings over her lazy feet, she'd be good at it herself." Arin nudged Armin under the table. "You'll be missed come."

Armin thought for a while, and that was just fine with Arin.

He wasn't the person for such emotional conversations. But what don't you do for your children...

And such conversations were three times dearer to Arin than another rescue operation where he had to save his son from a burning chest...

Suddenly Armin smiled rudely and leaned back a little. "Actually, I just want mine, Mommy. I don't care what becomes of the brats."

"Oh, of course."

"What did she say when the messenger came?"

"Release Akay. He seems to have felt Armin for days." Arin thought of his wife's beautiful eyes, which filled with tears as she realized what it meant that their one-time baby received a castle from the king.

"Was she angry? Just like you?"

"I wasn't angry with you, lout. But no, you could be a murderer. Your mother adores you."

Armin stared into the darkness behind the window above Arin's head. "If things are better here, I'll fetch them for a few days. And Syman?"

"He spits fire. But only for appearances."

"As always..." he murmured, laughing softly.

Even when Armin was little, Syman always acted like the big bad guy. If Armin was naughty, Syman indicates he would grab Armin so the boy ran away and Syman could relax again. And he'd spread out for the little one when Arin or Elain had finally lost their temper with the little ones.

"Tell me about your wife."

Arin saw with relief that Armin immediately unconsciously smiled. Then it wasn't so bad.

"Isabella... you will get to know her. She can't be far." He looked around briefly, as if he had only now noticed that someone was missing. Arin shook his head. Sometimes Armin was just a young man. Barely six months a knight. Grew up on a farm instead of in a castle... And then something like that... Richard, you pompous rooster, be careful...

"Aren't you actually shocked, father? You seem to have almost expected it."

Well, guessed it. Maybe almost. Yes, he had guessed it.

"It's kind of a tradition for the Campbells to bring a bride back from a long journey."

I didn't want to listen. But the only way to our room would have been via the stairs that lay behind the hall. So I would have run straight into Arin's hands.

And I thought Arin and Armin should first talk about what Armin had just planned.

But I never would have expected that. That he was angry and desperate and also humiliated. Though he never revealed any of it. Because unlike his father, he seemed to look quite friendly, even when a storm was raging inside him. Was his mother like that?

So now I stood next to the passage against the wall, scratched Akay's ear and grinned like the dumbest dairy cow in the world.

I don't think my wife is that bad. Gosh, dad, I even like her. She's really not bad. And I... maybe...

...What? what could you? Maybe I would want it too, Armin...