Osric and Branna

Summer 768

"Me lady, ye sent for me?"

Josephine looked up from her reading to see Rory McGuinness standing on the threshold of her work chamber. "Oh, Rory, aye, I wanted to talk to you and also to ask you to stay while Goodwife Branna brings in the boy Osric to talk about living here." She put aside her small book and indicated a chair, inviting him to sit.

"Och, Osric is coming to live here? That is grand." Rory ambled over to the chair and sat, smiling contentedly. "Shannon will be that glad as well."

"Aye, I sent for him as well, but as he is coming farther I wanted to talk to you first," Josephine explained. Shannon now lived in a cottage on the edge of the capital with his wife and son.

Seeing the minstrel's attentive look, she went on. I wanted to say something about the King's command that you accompany me when I leave the castle grounds. It is not that I do not want your company.. I hope you do realize that.. on the contrary. It's just that… well, it's that I want to choose when and where I go and with whom.. I don't want anyone else making that decision for me. Do you understand, Rory dear?"

Rory paused, then replied, "Me lady, I do understand. 'Tis something of a dilemma for me.. as I cannae refuse him.."

The Queen interrupted, "Nay, Rory, I do know that, and that was not what I mean to say to you. Mayhap my husband thinks I am ignorant of the dangers that lie outside the stone walls of my home.. I am not, and I know that the wise thing is to learn to protect myself but whilst I do that, have someone with me who can guard me. And there is no one in the world I should rather it be than you."

She put her hand on his where it rested on the arm of his chair. He nodded in acknowledgement of the compliment but said nothing.

Josephine sat straighter. "I know you will have to look to me no matter what I want.. but I want you to know that I shall nevertheless do what I please.. whether it is easy for you or not. This is not meant to discomfit you.. only to free myself. And I want you to know that if Lawrence becomes angry with you as a result I will speak for you. I shall not allow you to be punished for my actions. And that is what I wanted you to understand."

Rory seemed neither pleased nor displeased but accepted what she said. "Me lady, I thank ye.. and 'twas just as I should have thought of ye. As it happens, I have already thought of one way I shall be after faillin' in my responsibility. I do not ride…"

Josephine uttered a quiet, "Oh!" Then she smiled, "I had not thought of that.. am surprised that you do not ride.. having been a soldier.."

Rory grinned. "A foot soldier, me lady. And minstrels in both your land and mine dinnae ride.. I have sat on a pony and let it walk about, when I was a boy, but I couldnae ride one of these fine steeds ye have in the stables.. and I most certainly cannae keep up with ye!"

A servant appeared at the door. "My lady, the woman and boy from the town are here awaiting your pleasure."

Josephine replied happily, "Oh, send them in please!" Then she turned to Rory, "So we understand each other then? 'Tis not meant as an offense against you, dear Rory."

By way of answer he just smiled.

The kind goodwife who had taken the boy Osric to care for after his brutal father was led away to be punished came to the door, her eyes wide and her mouth open in awe at her surroundings. The boy seemed more distressed than impressed, but the look of fear and anxiety flew out of his face when he saw Rory. "Rory!" he cried, and letting Branna's hand go, dashed to the minstrel who caught him and stood with him, swinging him up into the air.

Branna gave the Queen an inexpert little bow. "Your grace, please forgive the boy.. he is forgetting himself in all the excitement. Osric, you must bow low to the Queen!"

Rory had hastily lowered the boy to the floor, looking embarrassed. The boy looked at the Queen and put one finger in his mouth. He looked as if he might start to cry.

"Nay, nay, Osric, do not fear. You are my friend, nay?" the Queen said soothingly.

The boy nodded but left his finger in his mouth. "Come Branna, sit with me.. and Osric, come here and let me look at you."

Branna seemed to hesitate, but haltingly came and sat on the very edge of the chair the Queen indicated, looking terribly uncomfortable.

Josephine put her hands on the small boy's shoulders and smiled while examining his bruises. "How are you feeling, today, Osric? Does it still hurt?" Rory was watching the exchange between woman and boy with a look of compassion.

Osric nodded, but otherwise did not move or speak.

Josephine looked into his eyes and said earnestly, "Osric, I have spoken to the King about you.."

Now the boy pulled his finger out of his mouth and said in wonder, "You did? To the King?"

Josephine nodded, "Aye, to the King. I told him what your father did. He is very angry with your father. "

Osric looked at Rory and Branna in turn, then back at the Queen. "Will the King kill my Papa with his sword?"

Rory hid a smile, and Josephine shook her head, "Probably not. But he will never let your Papa hurt you again. Nor will I."

Osric stared at her, not sure what her words meant but also not knowing how to ask for an explanation. Rory saw this and leaned forward to speak to the boy. "If I may, me lady.. The Queen means that your Papa is going to be punished for hurting you, and after he will be told that if he hurts you again he will be punished even more.. so he will stop hurting you to keep from being punished."

He stared at Rory. "How will Papa be punished?"

Rory looked at the Queen questioningly. She asked the boy, "How do you think he should be punished, Osric?"

Osric thought a while and then said matter of factly, "Tie him up and let Shannon punch him."

"Och, now, I think I should be after likin' that indeed," came a voice from the doorway. Shannon O'Neill was standing as he often did, leaning one shoulder on the door jamb, his arms crossed and one leg bent carelessly in a relaxed position.

Osric now turned and dashed to him, "Shannon!" he cried.

Josephine was deeply moved by what she saw next. Shannon kneeled down and took the boy in his arms. He put his hand on the back of the boy's head and pulled the little face into his neck. He closed his eyes and took on a look of the deepest sorrow. "Macushla, macushla ," he murmured. "I am that sorry ye were hurt like this." The boy had his own arms around Shannon and clung to him. The Queen had never seen this side of the minstrel. What a complex fellow he was.

When Shannon and Osric had had their moment, Shannon stood and made a faint bow to the Queen. "Me lady, ye sent for me?" He was not smiling.

Josephine had to clear the emotion from her throat before answering. "Aye, Shannon, I want to talk about Osric coming to live at the castle if he wants to.. and if Branna is willing. I hoped you and Rory would be willing to show him around so he can decide."

Osric had looked uncertain at the idea of living in the castle, but he was easily distracted by the suggestion that he spend time looking around with two of his favorite people. "Oh, aye, please, can we?" he said excitedly.

The Queen saw the two Irishman exchange one of their silent but happy looks. "After thee, fair sir!" Shannon said with a deep mock bow. Rory went to the boy and swept him up and onto his shoulders. Shannon said, "So what shall we see first?"

Osric ventured, "Can we see the King?"

Josephine laughed. "Oh, I do not know about that.. he may be busy. But you can go see his throne!"

"I can?!" the boy said in an unbelieving voice.

Shannon replied in a stage whisper, "Ye can even sit on it, if ye dinnae tell the Queen."

The boy gave the Queen an uncertain look as Rory dipped so the boy's head would not hit the top of the arched doorway. Josephine smiled back at him.

When they were alone, Josephine turned to Branna. "Goodwife, Rory tells me you live alone. Is that so?"

Branna had been taking all the attention to the boy Osric in wonderingly. "Aye, my lady, I do. I am a widow this many a year and have no children of my own."

"How do you live, Branna?" Josephine asked.

Branna was nonplussed by all the interest the Queen was showing in herself. "I make little pies and things to sell at market.. that keeps my body and soul together well enough."

Josephine explained, "Goodwife, I want to tell you what the King and I are thinking. We shall see to it that the boy's father cannot hurt him any more. But we thought it might be good if he came to live at the castle.. and if you would like to also, we could give you work and a place to live here. In reward for your concern for the boy."

Branna looked as if she would not be able to respond.

"We do not want you to do anything you do not want to do yourself.. and we shall take your advice in regard to the child.. if you think he would be better off here or living as he always has, I assume, in the town. If you want time to think it over or have someone you want to consult about this, please take your time." Josephine herself was anxious for the matter to be settled, but she also had been the one to insist the woman and boy would choose. "And I must add that if Osric does not want to live here, we shall not force him either."

Branna sat thinking a moment. She then looked up at the Queen, "Your grace, may I ask a question or two?

Josephine smiled, "Of course."

"Where would the boy and I live? That is, if I may ask, my lady."

Josephine answered, "In the servants quarters. You would have a chamber of your own."

Branna looked relieved. "Oh good, I should not like to live here in the keep.. it is too grand. "

"Do you want to see the servants' quarters?" Josephine asked.

Branna smiled, her missing teeth showing up in the merry face. "Oh no, my lady.. I am sure they are better than the little shack I live in now.. that is not even mine." She paused, "And what work would I do?"

Suddenly a deeper voice came from the doorway. "Are your pies any good, mistress?" asked the King, standing there in all his prepossessing presence.

The woman stood abruptly, terribly flustered to be spoken to by the King directly. "I.. I.. think so, my lord, sire, if it pleases you," she babbled.

Lawrence came in and leaned to kiss his wife's cheek. "May I join you, my darling?"

Josephine smiled her encouragement. Lawrence took the chair Rory had sat in before and reached to hold his wife's hand. "Then would you like to make them for us in the kitchen? Or would you rather do some other type of work?"

Josephine motioned for the woman to sit again. She did. "I should very much like to make pies., sir. " She took on a thoughtful look. "The things you must have here, the good meat, the fine flour, the herbs!" The royal pair exchanged pleased looks.

The King said, "It is settle then. And the boy shall receive instruction.. learn to read, learn whatever trade he wishes.."

Branna looked then as if she was going to faint. "Read? Oh sire, my lady, oh!"

"The thing is decided then. I shall look forward to those pies, goodwife. " The King looked at his wife, "Where is the boy?"

Josephine laughed. "Probably sitting on your throne right now.. Shannon and Rory are showing him the castle."

Lawrence pretended to be offended. "My throne is it? And I thought only my royal behind was allowed in that spot." He reassured Branna whose faintness seemed to be threatening again. "This is all conditional, of course, upon the boy's say so."

Just then all three heard a gasp from the door way. "The King!" a little voice breathed in awe.

Lawrence turned to sit straight in his chair, his demeanor proud and his gaze directly on the boy Osric who stood in front of the minstrels. "Approach, my boy," Lawrence said in his most regal tone.

With encouragement from Shannon and Branna, Osric came towards the King. He bowed deeply, then stood with his mouth open staring at Lawrence.

"Do we understand correctly that you, sir, may like to come live at the castle?" Lawrence intoned.

The boy stared, then answered, "Aye, my lord. Please, my lord."

Lawrence relaxed his posture and reached to put his hand on the boy's arm. "Then welcome, Osric, to your new home."

Osric looked from face to face and then back to the King. He smiled. "Thank you, my lord. And my lord, I am sorry I sat on your throne."

Lawrence continued to smile into the boy's face. "That is all right, Osric. Just, " and he looked sternly at him now, "Don't do it again."

The boy nodded solemnly, causing the adults all to laugh.

Next: Josephine's Sword