Post by Rainald de Sennis on Apr 22, 2010 12:13:57 GMT -5
Gernot had delievered the baskets with the collected herbs to Lady Sofia's infirmary, setting them neatly along the wall according to isaiah's instructions. the fish the boys delivered to the kitchen, after which Gernot made up his mind to go wash and change his dress in the chambers he shared with his father.
Whistling, he approached the door and then stopped abruptly. Would his father be inside? If so, would he be angry with him? After all, Gernot had been hiding from him ever since the first trip to the stream which had ended so darstadly. Hesitant, he knocked on the door.
""Who is it?" It was the voice of Lord Rainald. Gernot gulped a bit and then opened the door, stepping inside and quietly closing the door behind him.
"Father! I'm ... I'm back." Gernot tried to sound cheerful.
Rainald was sitting at his desk with his back to the door, quill in his hand, finishing a letter to his old friend Lamont Duchesne at the Frankian court. He didn't turn around when he answered after a long moment. "Where have you been, Gernot?" The Lord's voice sounded strangely detached.
The young lad again gulped and fiddled with his thumbs, taking a few steps closer to the desk. "I was ... we were collecting herbs for Lady Sofia, by the stream with the willows. Four baskets full of..."
His father cut him short before the boy could finish, still having his back towards the boy. "I spoke with Lady Sofia about that ... mishap during your first attempt at procuring these herbs. She told me that you...."
This time it was Gernot who interrupted his father with some panic in his voice. "But it wasn't my fault, father! It was an accident and this time we did everything right. Nobody got hurt, and we also caught some fish and ... and we..."
This time, Lord Rainald turned in his seat, looking at his boy with benign dark eyes, his lips, his face, however, still not betraying his real mood. He repeated. "I ... spoke .... to Lady ... Sofia!" He paused but this time Gernot didn't dare interrupt his father. "She told me that you acted ... quite admirably, and safed that young boy's life!" He now watched the boy most carefully.
Gernot's mouth fell open. "She ... said that?" He couldn't quite believe his ears.
"Yes, she told me so, and I would have appreciated it if you had come to me and told me about your little adventure yourself! Come here, Gernot!"
The lad stepped forward until he was near enough so his father could place his hands onto his shoulders. "You did well, Gernot! You did what you had learned and you showed concern and care for that little boy and the others! I am truly proud of you, and now that you managed to repeat the collecting without incident - well done, my son!"
Finally Gernot permitted himself to smile and when his father drew him near to embrace him tightly, he felt like a huge boulder had dropped from his shoulder.
"Next time you are given a task and something happens, you come to me, understand?" Rainald had released Gernot from the embrace and now looked him into his eyes.
"Yes, father, I will. I didn't know what to do the first time ... thank you, father. i will not disappoint you!"
"Rainald smiled and patted his head. "Be sure to also not treat yourself so hard, not yet. Life and age will do that for you, now is still a time to learn. now ... I hear cook has some nicely fried trout for supper? get dressed and we shall see what you boys have caught apart from some herbs today!"
Both laughed at that and went dressing, Gernot finally coming to terms with his first little mishap.
Whistling, he approached the door and then stopped abruptly. Would his father be inside? If so, would he be angry with him? After all, Gernot had been hiding from him ever since the first trip to the stream which had ended so darstadly. Hesitant, he knocked on the door.
""Who is it?" It was the voice of Lord Rainald. Gernot gulped a bit and then opened the door, stepping inside and quietly closing the door behind him.
"Father! I'm ... I'm back." Gernot tried to sound cheerful.
Rainald was sitting at his desk with his back to the door, quill in his hand, finishing a letter to his old friend Lamont Duchesne at the Frankian court. He didn't turn around when he answered after a long moment. "Where have you been, Gernot?" The Lord's voice sounded strangely detached.
The young lad again gulped and fiddled with his thumbs, taking a few steps closer to the desk. "I was ... we were collecting herbs for Lady Sofia, by the stream with the willows. Four baskets full of..."
His father cut him short before the boy could finish, still having his back towards the boy. "I spoke with Lady Sofia about that ... mishap during your first attempt at procuring these herbs. She told me that you...."
This time it was Gernot who interrupted his father with some panic in his voice. "But it wasn't my fault, father! It was an accident and this time we did everything right. Nobody got hurt, and we also caught some fish and ... and we..."
This time, Lord Rainald turned in his seat, looking at his boy with benign dark eyes, his lips, his face, however, still not betraying his real mood. He repeated. "I ... spoke .... to Lady ... Sofia!" He paused but this time Gernot didn't dare interrupt his father. "She told me that you acted ... quite admirably, and safed that young boy's life!" He now watched the boy most carefully.
Gernot's mouth fell open. "She ... said that?" He couldn't quite believe his ears.
"Yes, she told me so, and I would have appreciated it if you had come to me and told me about your little adventure yourself! Come here, Gernot!"
The lad stepped forward until he was near enough so his father could place his hands onto his shoulders. "You did well, Gernot! You did what you had learned and you showed concern and care for that little boy and the others! I am truly proud of you, and now that you managed to repeat the collecting without incident - well done, my son!"
Finally Gernot permitted himself to smile and when his father drew him near to embrace him tightly, he felt like a huge boulder had dropped from his shoulder.
"Next time you are given a task and something happens, you come to me, understand?" Rainald had released Gernot from the embrace and now looked him into his eyes.
"Yes, father, I will. I didn't know what to do the first time ... thank you, father. i will not disappoint you!"
"Rainald smiled and patted his head. "Be sure to also not treat yourself so hard, not yet. Life and age will do that for you, now is still a time to learn. now ... I hear cook has some nicely fried trout for supper? get dressed and we shall see what you boys have caught apart from some herbs today!"
Both laughed at that and went dressing, Gernot finally coming to terms with his first little mishap.
Enjoyed the read with my 