“Perceval? I’m worried about Pawl,” Joan fretted while they prepared for the day in their quarters. “He’s not himself. He’s quiet and evasive.”
Perceval sat on the edge of the bed and pulled on his boots. “Isn’t that better than bombastic and ranting?”
“I don’t know. I thought it might be, but I’m worried. What if there’s something really wrong with him? I asked and he won’t say a word.”
Months ago, Court Healer Pawl had confessed to Joan the reason he behaved the way he did – and the reason he drank too much – was because he’d never recovered from his wife’s death two decades earlier. They’d been married for a year when she caught a fatal cough and fever. Even with his healing experience, Pawl could not save her, and to make matters worse, …show more content…
Tell him you’re here for him, but just once, and allow him to come to you. If he needs you, he will. Otherwise, let him work out whatever’s bothering him.”
“Maybe you could talk to him?”
“Not a chance. Pawl scares me a little.”
Joan frowned with concern. She didn’t like the notion of Pawl wallowing in misery without support, but Perceval had a point – to push too hard might cause the Court Healer to withdraw even further.
“What about Gawain?” asked Joan, pinning her hair up and out of the way. “He seems somber these days. What’s going on with him?”
“I don’t know. But he goes through phases of being less exuberant. It’ll pass.” He came up behind Joan, wrapped his arms around her middle, and rested his hands on her swollen belly. “What I need you to do is take care of yourself and our baby and worry about nothing else.”
“But I’m not happy if our friends are unhappy.”
He stroked her belly gently. “But I will not be happy if you keep worrying and wearing yourself out with too much work. I need you to take care of yourself. What did Alis say when you saw her? Your ankles are swollen and you need to put your feet up more. Will you please take care of yourself? For …show more content…
I have to ride out now. But, ah, if you’re feeling up to it later do you think we can” – he tilted his head toward the bed – “you know…”
Joan smiled at laughed.
“What? You’re so beautiful with that round belly of yours,” said Perceval, pulling her close. “I can’t resist. When I look at you and see you’re carrying my baby, I can’t help feeling virile and manly.”
“Oh, you’re virile and manly all right. And yes, later this evening, we can…” she tilted her head toward the bed with a grin on her face.
Perceval left for the day, and Joan collected her herb basket and medicine bag. She’s spend the morning gathering herbs, then rest during the afternoon. Yet even with the distractions, her friends’ behavior remained on her mind.
XXXX
Pawl stared at his reflection in the wall mirror in the infirmary and groaned. When had his hair become so wiry and scraggly? He kept it short, but it still looked as if he’d just hopped out of bed. And the gray… there was so much more of it than there had once been. And those bags and dark circles beneath his brown eyes had been his companion for
Perceval sat on the edge of the bed and pulled on his boots. “Isn’t that better than bombastic and ranting?”
“I don’t know. I thought it might be, but I’m worried. What if there’s something really wrong with him? I asked and he won’t say a word.”
Months ago, Court Healer Pawl had confessed to Joan the reason he behaved the way he did – and the reason he drank too much – was because he’d never recovered from his wife’s death two decades earlier. They’d been married for a year when she caught a fatal cough and fever. Even with his healing experience, Pawl could not save her, and to make matters worse, …show more content…
Tell him you’re here for him, but just once, and allow him to come to you. If he needs you, he will. Otherwise, let him work out whatever’s bothering him.”
“Maybe you could talk to him?”
“Not a chance. Pawl scares me a little.”
Joan frowned with concern. She didn’t like the notion of Pawl wallowing in misery without support, but Perceval had a point – to push too hard might cause the Court Healer to withdraw even further.
“What about Gawain?” asked Joan, pinning her hair up and out of the way. “He seems somber these days. What’s going on with him?”
“I don’t know. But he goes through phases of being less exuberant. It’ll pass.” He came up behind Joan, wrapped his arms around her middle, and rested his hands on her swollen belly. “What I need you to do is take care of yourself and our baby and worry about nothing else.”
“But I’m not happy if our friends are unhappy.”
He stroked her belly gently. “But I will not be happy if you keep worrying and wearing yourself out with too much work. I need you to take care of yourself. What did Alis say when you saw her? Your ankles are swollen and you need to put your feet up more. Will you please take care of yourself? For …show more content…
I have to ride out now. But, ah, if you’re feeling up to it later do you think we can” – he tilted his head toward the bed – “you know…”
Joan smiled at laughed.
“What? You’re so beautiful with that round belly of yours,” said Perceval, pulling her close. “I can’t resist. When I look at you and see you’re carrying my baby, I can’t help feeling virile and manly.”
“Oh, you’re virile and manly all right. And yes, later this evening, we can…” she tilted her head toward the bed with a grin on her face.
Perceval left for the day, and Joan collected her herb basket and medicine bag. She’s spend the morning gathering herbs, then rest during the afternoon. Yet even with the distractions, her friends’ behavior remained on her mind.
XXXX
Pawl stared at his reflection in the wall mirror in the infirmary and groaned. When had his hair become so wiry and scraggly? He kept it short, but it still looked as if he’d just hopped out of bed. And the gray… there was so much more of it than there had once been. And those bags and dark circles beneath his brown eyes had been his companion for