A Writers Vineyard Holiday Treat Every day there was something new to do. Edwin and his father and Alfwyn went out to hunt for game for the mammoth feast that Christa had planned for their guests.
There would be duck, rabbits, snipes and venison. Along with the puddings and the jellies of fish.
There would also be the annual lighting of the Yule log at the beginning of the fete. The Yule log would be kept burning all through the celebrations in the main hearth. On the twelfth nigh they would bring the remainder of last years log to burn it with the new one. Out with the old and in with the new.
Aislinn had never been to a feast such as this one promised to be, and she found herself getting excited in spite of herself as the days passed.
A fortnight after Aislinn started helping Christa with the preparations the first guests arrived. She was helping Christa with the pine boughs when Theold came bursting into the great hall covered in snow.
“Look who I found wandering our borders.”
Christa smiled and went to greet their first guests. “Why Lord Dagmar, I did not expect to see you so early.”
Aislinn watched as the handsome lord, about Theold’s age, bowed and kissed Lady Christa’s hand. Behind Lord Dagmar there were two women, one looked to be his wife. The other lady was younger, and Aislinn assumed she was the daughter. The daughter looked extremely agitated as she scanned the room looking for someone. She was a pretty girl to be sure, she was half of Aislinn’s height with long blonde curls that peeked out from her traditional Saxon head covering. Her eyes were blue and her pink lips were turned in a pout.
Aislinn fingered her long braid and realized that she did not wear a head cover like most of the Saxon women did.
“Who is that beautiful creature, Theold?” Lord Dagmar said. She looked up and met his lust filled eyes. He was looking her up and down brazenly. She just stared him down, insulted by his bold perusal. “Is she a new serf?”
“Well, she is my son’s…”
“Edwin!”
Lord Theold was cut off by an ear piercing shriek. Edwin stood in the doorway, shocked as he was almost knocked down by a flurry of skirts as the younger woman hurled herself into Edwin’s surprised arms. Aislinn stood up, her fists clenched, ready to pounce as she watched Lord Dagmar’s daughter hug and kiss Edwin repeatedly.
She had never felt a jealously such as the one raging inside of her now.
“I am sorry father, I am just so happy to see, Edwin.” The young woman sighed, gripping Edwin’s arm. Edwin in the mean time was trying to untangle himself from her. He was obviously embarrassed by the lady’s attention, but she would not give up her hold on him.
“My apologies, Theold.” Dagmar said chuckling indulgently. “My daughter Leonie is just excited that is all.”
Theold cocked his eyebrows in surprise. “Is she excited about something then, Dagmar?”
“Well, it is why we have come early. We would like to make an offer to join our lands, Theold. We would like Leonie to become Edwin’s wife.”
Aislinn watched Theold with interest. He was taken aback and then he flushed red with embarrassment as he cleared his throat.
“I am sorry, Dagmar, but my son is already married.” Theold pointed at her and she stepped forward. She curtsied dutifully. “May I introduce, Lady Aislinn…Edwin’s wife.”
This has been an unedited excerpt from Enchantress The Fey
Amy discovered her love of the written word when she realized that she could no longer act out the fantastical romances in her head with her dolls. Writing about delicious heroes was much more fun than playing with plastic men dolls with the inevitable flesh-colored "tighty whities".
She loves history, the paranormal, and will spew out historical facts like a volcano, much to her dearest hubby's chagrin.
When she's not thinking about the next sensual romp, she's chasing after two rug rats and reading anything spicy that she can get her hands on.
She loves hearing from readers.
Please visit her website at:
www.amyruttan.com
and her blog at:
http://sixdegreesofsexy.blogspot.com
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