That Most Precious Gift Page 3
CHAPTER THREE
From behind the princess's chamber, the strings of a lyre sound. Also being sung, a young woman's voice. The queen hearing this, decided to knock on her door.
“It is I sweet child. May I enter?” asked the queen.
“Enter,” sang the maiden.
“You seem to be of much higher spirits than before. Hast thou become ill?”
“Dear mother, I cannot explain my state. But what a glorious state it is,” replied the princess. “Today, a knight just so happened upon my path and has since asked for me to favor his company this evening.”
A small smirk came across the queen's face, yet she continued to hold back any knowledge of such a meeting.
“What, pray tell, has placed a knight in this region? Be it Lord Randall?”
“Lord Randall, most gracious mother? Why No!” said Lenee. “Sir Maxwell, Knight of Maryknoll! As I picked the fruits of our labor in the garden, behold, this knight stands before me likened to that of an angel. Did I not speak to you that subject of chance, dear mother?”
“And what doest thou know of this Maxwell, Knight of Maryknoll?” questioned the queen sternly.
“Oh mother, he is as kind as any knight that I have ever met. Not only brave, he is also an artisan who recites poetry, plays the lyre as I do, and whose voice is as a lark in the meadow. He even questions of my day and doesn't speak solely of his own!”
“Is that a mark of Cupid's arrow which I see?” asked her mother while peering into the child's eyes.
“My dearest mother, if my life were that of thine own, you would have me joined tomorrow. I question not if Cupid's potion is within me, yet I do feel a strange liveliness in my heart!”
“Was he present at the banquet?” continued the queen.
“He was, yet left abruptly due to a call for his services.”
The queen began to find it difficult to suppress the pride of her dealings and decided to leave.
“I must meet this Maxwell, Knight of Maryknoll.”
“You will, my queen. You will,” concluded the fair princess.
When night fell, the knight again approached the castle. Once arriving, he was shown to the music room where he found the princess sitting upon a love-seat. As the minutes passed, they began to share wine and small conversation. Soon time found them becoming closer, falling deeper and deeper with every moment. Finally talk became comfortable as the hours danced around the moon. To spend more time with his new found romance, Maxwell decided to extend his visit within the region. Though among an entourage of sentrys and handmaidens, they shared many a day walking in the forest, shopping at the market, taking picnics, and watching within the castle a special performance by a traveling stage company. Every day seemed to be blessed by the heavens for not one drop of rain fell upon them.
During a picnic in the meadow within the South Forest region, the knight cautiously reached for the princess's hand.
“Fair princess, I must ask you,” questioned the knight; “I have yearned to feel the presence of thy lips upon my own. Might thee grant me my wish?”
The princess shyly giggled, then said, “Maxwell, thou dost not need to ask permission for a dream I have dreampt since we met.”
Then amid the daisies in the field where they sat, the knight took Lenee into his arms and passionately released his emotion upon her lips. It was at that moment, she too realized a love for him.
As his kisses outlined her neck and then softly traveled to the base of her ears, she quietly moaned. Suddenly, as if the world had shaken violently below them, the two stop and retreat from each other - guarded as to how much each had given of themselves. Without a sound, the two began to gather the picnic items and left to the castle.
“Fine knight, if it shall rain tomorrow, come calling early so we may sit and become one with the sound of each fallen drop. I will then fix a meal so we may continue to enjoy each other's company.”
The knight humbly and quickly agreed, then left anticipating once again the morning's glow.
As the God in heaven would have it, the rains fell gently on the valley that next day. James, being well aware of the promise, smiled as he peered out the window of the stable at which they stayed.
“Sir Maxwell, God has blessed you with a most perfect day,” exclaimed the steward. “If I had no reasoning, I would truly state that Cupid has confided with our Lord on certain matters of the heart.”
“You speak truth, my lad. But, who are we to say the reasons for such things. Suit up my horse so we may venture to the castle once the sun is over us.”
As they prepared to ride, other preparations were being addressed in the castle's kitchen.
“Mother, canst thou lend thy time?” questioned the princess. “I need to have this fowl prepared for Sir Maxwell's arrival.”
“Child, why not give this task to one of our kingdom's fine chefs? They are much more knowledgeable of such a request.”
“I feel a need to show the fine knight that I am a master of many traits.”
“If you were to prepare slop from the pens, I believe our fine knight would still find favor in you," said the queen while haplessly checking the bread in the kitchen's oven.
“Lord!” screamed Lenee, “the hours pass quickly when anticipation rules the heart. Mother, please take note of my duties while I prepare for the arrival of my guest!”
“Yes, my love.” The queen then motioned for the chef and servants, who have watched in amazement, to address her duties. “Love is such a tiresome endeavor,” said the queen as she left the area.
Amid a soft drizzle, the princess walked beneath an overhang that protected the small table draped in silk, which lay gently over the edges. Upon it, placed a setting of the castle's finest china. Candles were placed within the nearby stands, a bottle of wine off to one side. The minstrel's soon arrived and prepared in one corner of the garden area. Once in place, the head steward of the castle approached.
“My lady, Sir Maxwell, Knight of Maryknoll has arrived.”
Looking over the full setting one last time, the princess then told the steward to show him in. She quickly adjusted her dress and stood beside the table.
“Lenee, my dearest,” addressed the knight. “Your beauty holds no competition for the roses at your feet. I would not be surprised to see each flower break from stem and leave in embarrassment.”
“Oh, sweet knight, your words touch my heart ever so gently.”
“And thy setting! Indeed set for the presence of a prince and not a knight as is myself,” conceded the lad.
The two embraced, then traveled a short distance to an awaiting bench, placed as was the table, far from the reach of the passive rain. Together they reclined in each others arms with wine, silently reflecting on all that had happened the past few days.
Maxwell carefully broke from stem a nearby white rose, giving it to the girl.
“Thank you, sweet knight.”
Gently she smelled its essence, then gave it back. “Place this next to thy heart, so that thou mayst remember this moment.”
“I shall keep it always, my princess,” promised the knight.
Hours passed before dinner was served. When ready, each went to the table, toasted to the day, then partook in the meal. Lenee watched carefully to see if the knight found favor in her chore.
“This meal which thou hast prepared is unworthy for a palate such as my own,” said the knight sincerely.
Lenee was pleased.
When the meal was finished, the couple returned to the bench. An ornament on the princess became accidentally latched upon the clothing of the knight.
“I guess you must stay,” joked the princess nervously as it became untangled.
The two laughed cautiously, then fell back into each other's arms, neither wanting the moment to end. Soon, the darkness covered them leaving only silhouettes by the candles glow.
“May I see you tomorrow?”
“Let u
s meet at the church to share service with one another,” said the princess.
“Then I must go so to be well rested before the Lord.”
The knight removed himself from the bench, kissed her gently, then parted. Soon after his departure, a guard interrupted her solitude to deliver a message. With one last sip of wine, she then broke the seal upon the envelope.
“Oh. . . dear Lord!” she exclaimed.