Shannon's Stories about Rory

---------------- ORIGINAL STORY FROM THE 1960s- ----------------

June 68

Jo sat at the table in the great hall crocheting. Shannon sat across from her, untangling the yard for her. He smiled and pressed her hand.

"The room seems to be bearin' a touch o' gold, methinks. Could it be merely ye'r radiance, my Queen?" he said.

In the passageway leading to the bedchambers several lords and ladies could be hoard laughing quietly. A moment later the King entered, smiling strangely, and humming a lusty little ditty. As he reached a high note, he leapt up to kick his heels together. In a corner Christophe glared, while others smiled gleefully.

"Well met, my lady!" Lawrence laughed and, unseen, slipped his hand down to touch her stomach. Then he kissed her and bounced into his oaken chair.

Shannon went into his famed hysterics, and rolled about for a while until he was quite out of breath.

Lawrence spoke quickly, "Shannon, what is white, soft and warm?"

Shannon caught Lawrence's meaning long before Jo did. "Not snow, but not chalk. And not a lily. Warm milk? Nay, it may spoil. I give up, '

The King's eyes grew tender as they rested, upon the Queen's face. "Only thee, my love."

"No longer white," Shannon chuckled. "See, she blushes."

Come, my friend. Let us have a gay story." The king settled back into his chair and summoned Jo to sit in his lap.

Shannon reached for his lute and spoke. "It is recently me belief that a man well-beloved would rather be remembered that lamented. So I shall tell a Rory story. You'll remember this one!"

Strumming chords on his lute, he began: "Nearly a year ago, ye may remember, when thirds were both sadder and happier for all, Rory and I arrived, after a journey to Eire, in Connery, I was proud possessor of three broken ribs and a broken arm, presented to me by my dear old da. We were greatly welcomed, especially by the laird A jolly man he and we were quite merrily feasted. Now, most soon went off to their beds, while Rory, Sean, the laird, Heather and me self jested to candlelight.

Another was with us, young Brian, the laird's son and a notorious prankster. He had set it up with Rory to have a girl sent to his room. Rory, impatient, took leave of us and retired to his room, There he found a ^girl asleep in his bed. ^hat Rory didn't know that the room he had been shown to was Sean's room and the girl's name was Emily Sean's wife. Her fumbling nurse had gotten her mistress quite...drunk." Sean grimaced. Christophe glared.

Shannon continued, "Getting into bed, he found the lady was awake. Emily thought, in the dark, that it was Sean and snuggled up to him. Kissing proceeded. Just at that time, Sean grew tired. Going into his room, he swung open the door. Seeing two in his bed, he blew up and Rory, realizing what had happened, took the beating unresisting. Needless to say, it was quite a difficult matter to straighten out!"

For the first time in a very long time, Jo laughed at a tale about Rory. The King had not heard the story at all…

Much later, in their own chambers he pondered a new question: "It should be a. boy…or a girl…"

Josephine laughed, "Well, I hope so!" she remarked,

"I know - thou shalt choose the girl's name and I the boy's!" and he kissed her.

Next: Fight Between Lawrence and Elerde