the haunted kingdom by Charles E.J. Moulton (snow like ashes txt) 📕

his father, he looked dreamily across the field. As uncomfortable as he was, he was still very happy that his father had asked him to take a walk with him. After all, his mother had excused herself on Alexander’s recommendation. Patricia saw a bird take off from one of the branches of the old oak toward one of the clouds in the blue sky. Eleonora picked up a straw and put it in her mouth. Had they really heard him say that?
“Thank the maker that both of us have enjoyed the fruit of a plethora of females. We are both popular men and always have been. Mother should be happy to have a man with balls.”
Patrick nodded, gritting his teeth. It was hard for him getting this out. “I’m sorry I said that.”
Alexander nodded. “Accepted.” He put his arm around Patrick. “Apology accepted, son of mine.”
After a painful silence, he added: “Though I wish I was as organized and as together as you women seem to be. The female genus always seems to have everything under control all of the time.”
“That’s not why you said it, was it?” Alex inquired.
“No, I simply meant that if I flirt with a woman it doesn’t mean I go to bed with her.” Patrick responded. “I just meant that I flirt and people should accept that. Erica does, too, and she understands that. Fruit was a word I used to describe spiritual assets. I know what that scandal did to your soul.”
Alexander shook his head and smiled, cynically. “If you say so. There is a lot to be said for fidelity, Patrick. I learned that the hard way. Don’t say you can do it, because I did. I wish I hadn’t at all.”
”Father, I admire women,” Patrick said. “Their souls. That is all.”
Morgana muffled a laugh. “You admire us? So you sleep with us because you admire us?”
Belinda picked up a bit of grass, threw it in his direction. “You admire the bed sheets, Patrick.”
“Don’t say that.” Patricia laughed. “He is giving us compliments, the lad.”
The other girls giggled.
Maria poked Morgana in the side and shook her head. “He has lived too long with five sisters.”
Ellie joked. “He has had so many girls that he has become one.”
“A girl is what he is?” Belinda mused. “My, my, my … what a masculine girl.”
The king held up his hand. “I think he is serious.” Alex said. “Are you?”
Patrick nodded. “Well, come. All our lives we spend trying to please them. They deserve credit.”
“We all like you saying that.” Ellie chuckled. “We are not making fun of you. You know that.”
Patrick shrugged his shoulders. “Though if you want to throw a joke at my expense I am a willing target,” he said, playacting mirth. “As long as you understand my point. Women … are more together.”
Morgana went to him and embraced him. “I agree, Patrick. We are. All women except Lucinda.”
The two problem siblings stayed behind and embraced, whispering something to each other and then followed the others at a quicker pace. As they turned the corner onto the path by the sunflowers, Alex suddenly felt a stinging pain in his left knee. His children stopped. Maria knelt down and caressed his back. “Are you all right?”
Morgana sighed. “How bad is it?”
Alex closed his eyes and held up his hand. The pain was very bad, in fact it felt like a knife that was being pushed and wiggled around inside his leg. He breathed in slowly and breathed out. “Why does this pain always return when she is mentioned?” His children looked at each other. He raised his back and opened his eyes. He tried to smile. He saw Morgana looking at him, worried, and caressed her cheek.
“I’m getting old.” Alexander said. “Too old for the throne. Too old to be brave.”
Belinda shook her head and chuckled:
“You are younger than us in temper and at heart.”
”Yes” Morgana sneered. “You quarrel with the best of them. There is no age in that rage.”
“Eloquent pun, Morgana,” the king said. “Nonetheless,” he said, raising his hand “when I raise my voice there’s usually a reason for it. I am the King.” He gestured toward Belinda. “At least until this girl wants to take over.” He paused. “Morgana, try not to underestimate Lucinda or mention her in casual conversation. There is nothing casual about my sister. Your aunt is more together than you.”
Alex started walking, at first limping and then walking faster until he walked normally.
Everyone around the king had a hard time finding what to say next. This time Belinda walked up to her father and put her hand around his waist. “What is the matter, Father? Anything I can do?”
“The pain always comes back in bad moments,” Alex said and
smiled, then caressed her shoulder. “I recall her pushing me down the stairs. I can’t help it. Thank for caring, Sweetie.”
”You know what we often do,” Patricia said apologetically “when Morgy’s feet are hurting?”
“What does she do to tire them, Patricia?” Alex mused. “Foot massage the male servants?”
Morgana gave her father a sharp look. “I milk the animals, Father. It trains my feet.”
Alexander laughed heartily. “Bulls don’t produce milk. Their fruit lays lower.”
“Touché, your majesty.” Patrick laughed. Morgana sneered again, louder this time.
Patsy smiled, ignoring the comment. “We put them in cold water.”
“It is very refreshing, Father,” Morgana said. “It’s not as good as bull’s milk, but almost.”
Alexander turned to the other children. “Ah, yes.” He smiled. “I understand. Is it fun at least?”
”We have fun” Morgana nodded. “Great deal of mirth in the abode of the Rose, I say.”
Alexander was interested. “How is it to live with Patricia, Morgana?” Morgana smiled, coldly. “She is good fun.” Patty smiled and said, tenderly, turning the conversation over to Belinda. “I just want the luck of finding a love as sweet as Belinda’s. I lack the adventurous nature.”
“Comes from fidelity when one experiences love as sweet as that,” Alex said tenderly. The erect Belinda gave the sad looking Patricia a short hug and the two girls began holding hands, chatting
about what it might be like to grow old together, sharing secrets with age, obviously talking about their father. “You aren’t turning our precious guesthouse into a harem, are you? Don’t want to infiltrate
Patricia’s virgin soul.”
Patrick laughed out loud and couldn’t stop laughing. “Well, Patricia? Are you a virgin?”
“Father!” Morgana grinned, mirthless. “Richard and I are faithful occupants and live in a different wing than Patricia’s. Non-virginal Patty could move away any time she wanted. We meet at meals.”
“At fencing training,” Patricia called over beside Belinda. “That fencing training is exquisite.”
“I’ve heard of it,” Eleonora mused. “It seems you have made quite an art of it.”
Morgana looked at Patricia and chuckled. “I know of no fencing teacher that would approve, but .we start out in strict formation and end up on the floor tearing at each other’s garments, stark naked.”
”Is that really necessary, Morgana?” Alexander said. “I mean this lifestyle? I disapprove.”
Morgana saw her father’s worried look. “I am just fooling around, good Father. We two are fine occupants of a faithful household and we pray the prayer of chastity every morning.”
“You are like a pair of nuns,” Patrick mused angelically eyeing heavenward. Ellie chuckled. Alexander looked up at the beautiful sky, the sun shining down on the fields.
Patrick smirked in amusement.
“I have taken a liking to this female mysteriousness because of my sisters.”
“Here we go again,” Alex cried. “Not that. Be married for thirty years and see if you still agree.”
“The masterful mystery of femininity,” Patrick stated. “I mean it. You can discard if you care.”
Belinda took a long look at him and shook her head. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
”You women always seem so together, always an answer ready, so much more organized. You know what emotions arouse us. You never admit being wrong. You often are, but you always win because you know how keep your integrity intact, no matter what you do. We men are so bloody unorganized.”
Alexander laughed. “You are right there. Where would we be without the women, the lovelies?”
Patrick nodded. “I guess we just have to learn resisting temptation. Correct, Father?”
Alexander ruffled his hair and cackled. “Rascal! You are not
being completely honest with me.” Patrick hadn’t expected this reaction. “I’m a rascal?” Alex nodded.
Patrick shrugged. Morgana cocked her head and grew sardonic. “Wouldn’t want us just by the stove then, Patrick?”
”Well, you maybe,” Patrick said. “Your talents are incredible, I
have heard. Stick to your assets.”
She threw some grass in his face and cackled. “I have more assets than meets the eye, Patrick."
Ellie had been listening to this discussion escalate and changed subjects quickly.
“Mother told me yesterday that there will be festivities on the hill.”
Alex nodded. “Belinda wanted a birthday outing.”
“I did?” Belinda asked.
Alexander nodded.
She shrugged. “Oh, yes. I did,” she laughed.
“Martin and I invited Ellie and Marcus for a picnic there a week ago. It was wonderful.”
“We shall enjoy it.” Alexander stated.
Shortly before leaving the path next to the sunflowers Belinda discovered a squirrel shooting up one of the stems. Alex tried to get it to come closer to eat some figs from his hand that he had taken with him in his pocket. But the squirrel disappeared and Alex shared his figs with Patrick and Morgana while the four girls walked three paces in front of him laughing at some old song that Belinda had sung years ago. The two men enjoyed the fact that the family member next to them was the only one not hopping and skipping in frilly fashion down the lane like her sisters. But the three of them were laughing, all the same.
Then Belinda was asked to sing Bantrard’s song “Bedroom Roses.” Belinda commented that she thought the title was lousy, a reference, obviously to nuptial lovemaking, but Morgana said she liked the song. Belinda at first refused to sing it, not having sung it for years, but once Morgana started they all joined together in to convince Belinda to take over. Alex rushed up and grabbed his four girls by the waist and sang with in the song. Soon enough, Patrick and Morgana were joining them and skipped along toward the Waterfall Lake for a refreshing swim. This had been exactly what Alexander had prayed for all week. No discussions, just fun. He tried to conceal his pain, but it was a comfort that Belinda was singing. He knew she found it silly. The fact that she still sang it was a sign of her being in a very good mood even though they were a quarrelling family.
Belinda still could not get over her brother having spoken to their father in such a manner.
It was disrespectful and she did not know how to approach her brother regarding the matter.


Friday, May 1st, 1422 A.D. – 166 days left

Alexander woke up the next morning thinking of Alliland. He prayed again for happiness. He prayed that Lucinda stay away, that peace remained a friend. He then kissed his late sleeping wife good morning, Rolf come to clothe him and went to his throne room to overview the day’s duties. The bird passed through his head that day after the speech in the Senate a couple of times and eventually he discarded the thought whilst signing documents and receiving guests.
Belinda, however, thought about her future duties as queen.
Belinda shook hands