The Rightful King
Hereford, England - August 1107
The young girl sat in her raised chair with her feet not able to even touch the floor. She swung them about in their freedom and yet kept a fierce gaze in her eyes as three men were brought before her and made to kneel. One was her uncle and the other two, men that had assisted him in his rebellion. The young Duchess looked at them all with great scorn.
“Hlothere…who be these men?” the Duchess asked.
Her aunt Heregyth stood behind her and bent to her ear, “This be my brother and the men that wished to take from you what is yours.”
The spymaster of Mercia stood tall in front of her, “My lady wife is correct, Duchess…these be your scoundrels.”
The Duchess hopped from her chair and moved to look each in the face, stopping on her uncle, “Why would you try to take this from your brother…my father? Did you not love him?”
“My lovely niece…” Ælfgær began to say until Hlothere swatted him on the head.
“You would speak to the Lady of Mercia with respect!”
As she kept her gaze at him, Ælfgær tried to smile, “My Duchess…I was led into this ill formed. I hold nothing but the deepest regard for your father…my brother…I did not wish this. You must believe me!”
The little Duchess looked to her uncle, “Lord Hlothere…does this man speak true?”
The Earl of Gwent looked to his wife first and then back to young Wulfrun, “He does not, my Lady. He has conspired with poor men to act unkindly towards you. I bring them before you as supplicants so you may tell us what to do with them.”
Wulfrun looked to him with question, “You be my regent, sir…what would you have done with them?”
“It is whatever your desire may be, my great Lady,” Hlothere bowed.
The young girl looked back to the men and then moved to her raised chair. She took a step or two to put herself back into position but then brushed a small hair from her face and looked upon them with a stern frown, “You three have tried to take something that is not yours. I like it not and the King tells me that I should be greatly angered by this action.”
Ælfgær raised his head, “The King likes you not, my Lady!”
“Do not speak to her!” Heregyth moved down the step to look at her brother with fierce eyes. “Your love for our brother was no less so and I question your love for our father after this action!”
Hlothere stood behind him, “The great Duke Eadwin would find your fault, sir. These men have not served you well.”
The young Duchess watched as her uncle tried to move from his chains, “I have nothing but love for you, girl!”
Wulfrun swung her legs again in the tall chair and smiled, “I think my aunt does speak true, as does my uncle. I value their counsel but I cannot value yours. My father would find it wrong in every way.”
“Your father died too young at the hands of this King!” Ælfgær shouted.
The girl twisted her smile slightly but found it again, “I think not. I have met His Grace and he and the Queen are nothing if not kind men and women. They both have been most comforting to this family and it looks to me that you are not.”
“You are a snake, Ælfgær!” Heregyth looked to her brother with anger, “While you wish to stay in the garden, you strike as if you have no home! For shame on you!”
The man looked to his niece with pleading eyes, “I would never wish you harm, sweet girl…my lady.”
Wulfrun looked to her master of spies with question and let Hlothere answer, “You would take this great lady’s place, sir! That is your harm. Look to these men beside you. Did they have your own worth in mind?”
Ælfgær looked again to his niece, “I know them not well, my Lady. I did mean you no offense.”
Heregyth moved back to stand next to her niece and placed a hand on her shoulder.
“Where be your lady mother?!” Ælfgær pleaded to his niece. “Surely she may say what harm I do to your father!”
Wulfrun’s aunt stood tall, “The Lady Maud goes to marry a Norman now and lives amongst the wolves in Duke Robert’s court. He may find her a suitable bride, but we think she not able to counsel our great Lady. Mayhap that be why you speak to her so…do you wish to declare for the Norman?”
“I wish all for Mercia, my Lady!” her uncle bowed his head with tears in his eyes.
The young Duchess simply gave all three men a sharp eye. She watched them all and then finally found some words, “There is naught I may do about this man from Wessex. I have been told that he is not mine to punish. The King may do so in his time.”
The man from Earl Richard’s court bowed his head deeply, “The Duke of Normandy thanks you, my Lady.”
She did not smile as she continued to look on the three men, “I am told the best to do with my Earl of Gloucester is prison and I think it just.”
Æthelsige moved to respond and found his head in pain after the spymaster of Mercia swatted it without mercy.
“But you, Uncle…” the girl Duchess looked at him with a sharp eye, “You wound me, I think. I am but a child and yet you take your advantage. I think I like this not.”
“I wish the best for the House of Hwicce, my Lady,” he attempted to respond.
Duchess Wulfrun looked to her aunt and she responded instead, “The House of Hwicce is sound, sir. And no thanks to you. This child’s cousin in York is sound and so is she. You harm this great family with your actions and she will speak her words.”
“Indeed, it is prison for you, Uncle,” Wulfrun gave a small nod. “You will have time enough to think about my father and all you have done to him.”
Ælfgær gave a heavy sigh and lowered his head, “Mine own father will turn in his grave.”
The young Duchess stopped her legs and looked to him with great seriousness, “You will have time to consider that too…Uncle. Think about that well before you wish to rise against my House again!”
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