Gawain helped Wallace up onto the mare then mounted the saddle himself. “You ask so many questions!”
“I’d like to get married,” said Wallace, ignoring Gawain’s comment. “I want to marry a woman as beautiful as the queen. And she’d have to be nice and like my jokes.”
Gawain laughed as horse trotted. Perhaps this young boy was onto something. It sounded as if he understood the recipe for the perfect marriage: attraction, kindness, and someone to laugh with.
“Has anyone told you that you’re a wise old soul?”
“No,” replied Wallace with a giggle. “But can I say something serious? It’s a secret.”
“Yes. Go on.”
“Mum was sick a few nights ago and I heard her crying. She didn’t know I heard, but I did, and I was scared for her so I prayed to the gods …show more content…
Midwives only turned up if someone was sick with women-problems or there was a pregnancy… or pregnancy loss. That had to be it. She’d conceived and lost the baby. That had to hurt.
“Sir Gawain, do you believe in the gods?”
He didn’t know. But was that the right thing to say to a child who was still developing his own beliefs and trying to make sense of the world?
“I’m not sure,” he said, sticking with …show more content…
Gawain waited at the threshold as Wallace accosted his mother at her weaving stool, chattering about his ride with a “real knight.”
After Wallace recounted what seemed like every instant of the ride to his mother, he swiped at warm apple fritter from the dining table and raced outside into the garden, while calling out over his shoulder, “Sir Gawain wants to ask you something!”
Drea stood up and wiped her hands off on her apron. “You don’t have to stand there. You can come in.”
She seemed so frustrated, but Gawain now understood why. He wanted to tell her he knew about what happened and he was sorry, but thought better of it.
“I told Wallace I’d stop by tomorrow evening after supper and teach him fighting techniques with his wooden sword. Nothing dangerous!” he added quickly. “Just a few stances and blocks and such. If it’s all right with you.”
“I suppose it would be. I’ll have dessert for you as payment.”
“No payment is necessary. I like boy and we had an excellent time together. If it goes well, I’d like to stop by regularly.” Too much, too much, Gawain!
“We’ll see about that. You may feel differently after
“I’d like to get married,” said Wallace, ignoring Gawain’s comment. “I want to marry a woman as beautiful as the queen. And she’d have to be nice and like my jokes.”
Gawain laughed as horse trotted. Perhaps this young boy was onto something. It sounded as if he understood the recipe for the perfect marriage: attraction, kindness, and someone to laugh with.
“Has anyone told you that you’re a wise old soul?”
“No,” replied Wallace with a giggle. “But can I say something serious? It’s a secret.”
“Yes. Go on.”
“Mum was sick a few nights ago and I heard her crying. She didn’t know I heard, but I did, and I was scared for her so I prayed to the gods …show more content…
Midwives only turned up if someone was sick with women-problems or there was a pregnancy… or pregnancy loss. That had to be it. She’d conceived and lost the baby. That had to hurt.
“Sir Gawain, do you believe in the gods?”
He didn’t know. But was that the right thing to say to a child who was still developing his own beliefs and trying to make sense of the world?
“I’m not sure,” he said, sticking with …show more content…
Gawain waited at the threshold as Wallace accosted his mother at her weaving stool, chattering about his ride with a “real knight.”
After Wallace recounted what seemed like every instant of the ride to his mother, he swiped at warm apple fritter from the dining table and raced outside into the garden, while calling out over his shoulder, “Sir Gawain wants to ask you something!”
Drea stood up and wiped her hands off on her apron. “You don’t have to stand there. You can come in.”
She seemed so frustrated, but Gawain now understood why. He wanted to tell her he knew about what happened and he was sorry, but thought better of it.
“I told Wallace I’d stop by tomorrow evening after supper and teach him fighting techniques with his wooden sword. Nothing dangerous!” he added quickly. “Just a few stances and blocks and such. If it’s all right with you.”
“I suppose it would be. I’ll have dessert for you as payment.”
“No payment is necessary. I like boy and we had an excellent time together. If it goes well, I’d like to stop by regularly.” Too much, too much, Gawain!
“We’ll see about that. You may feel differently after