She's delighted

As they got closer to the castle walls Christine could see the towering stonework glittering with a gold as the afternoon sun warmed its walls. The streets narrowed in this old part of town, and it felt almost like the Verderer was leading them through a magical tunnel. He stopped in front of a townhouse with stone walls on the lower story and dark wooden beams and white plaster above. The building looked much like all the others on this street, although a rose bush that climbed from the corner of the building and the herbs that lined the upper story windows made it easy to remember. All in all, the modest house was nothing like her father's castle, but it was cozy in its own way. As the Verderer dismounted, the wide stable door swung open and two boys perhaps a little younger than her burst from the house and jumped into the man's arms.

"Da, you're home!" The pair laughed as their father swung them around in a great circle that made their heels swing out almost striking Christine. For a moment she wondered what it might feel like to throw herself into this man's arms and be swept of her feet like that. Immediately she felt a wave of guilt, as she remembered her own beloved father and how he might be suffering in Prince Henry's grasp. Christine was suddenly aware of the curious stares of the two boys, and the Verderer stepped in before the situation became awkward.

"Take Bruno, boys" The father passed the gelding's reigns to the older of the two boys, a handsome young man with his father's eyes, "and see he is cared for." As the pair dutifully led the gelding away, the Verderer motioned for her to follow him through the smaller door to the left of the open stable door. Pulling Erik's hand tightly behind her she followed the Verderer into a large smoky hall with dominated by a fireplace built into the center wall. Moving about the kitchen was a large middle-aged woman with her skirts tucked up into her belt and a large wooden spoon in her hand. A second woman, obviously a servant, was plucking rolls from the hearth and placing them carefully in a basket.

"The boys said you were home my love, but they didn't mention that you bought guests." Still with the spoon in her hand the mistress of the house closed on the three of them like a warm summer breeze. "Who is this pretty lass?" The woman was almost as tall as her husband and maybe weighed as much as him too, but for all her size Christine sensed that this matron was as kind-hearted as her husband. "And a boy too! Werner, wherever did you find these two?"

"I found them in the King's woods," Werner omitted any reference to their dire straits when he came upon them. "My Dear, let me introduce you to Miss -" He stopped awkwardly as he realized he didn't even know either of their names.

"Evelyn" Christine curtseyed as she provided the first name that popped into her head, as aliases go, using her best friend's name was not the best choice, but she did better with her brother. "This is Franklin, but most folks call him Frank." Christine could see the surprise on Erik's face, but hopefully that was because she knew him better than anyone else in the world.

"I promised the lass and the boy that we'd give them something to eat and a bath." The Verderer made the statement into a question, but he need not have worried because his wife didn't even hesitate.

"Yes of course," she agreed with a kindly smile, "but not in that order." It was clear who was in charge of the kitchen because before Christine even had time to thank her the wide-hipped woman directed the servant to move the stewpot to the side and hang a large kettle in its place. "Werner, take the boy out to the stables and show where to wash his handsome frame. Bring his things to Maggie and see if he'll fit in one of the boy's tunics." The mistress turned to Christine and took her small hands firmly in hers. "I'll take Evelyn to our room, where she can have some privacy."

'Thank the merciful Lord,' Christine whispered silently; she had been sorely afraid that she and her brother would be expected to wash up here in front of Werner and his wife. Imagining that dark-haired man with those clear blue eyes watching her as she slipped out of her gown made her blush fiercely as she was led up the steep stairway in the back of the hall. Erik, although still silent, did not seem to mind being separated from her, and she gave silent thanks for that as well.