Another start (Isabella, Gisborne, Roe, Morgan)

[Morgan]

Morgan smiled a rare toothy grin. This was a game lass after all! He turned back to Eveline. Strangely, Morgan had never quite understood the relationship between the girl and his half brother, John. Sometimes they were as close as siblings and yet other times, they bickered like an old married couple. Of course, it would have been rude to speak of it, but nonetheless it was interesting to watch. "Perhaps, Lady Eveline, we should leave you to finish your repast in peace." Morgan glanced at Isabella. "And, my Lady, might I prevail upon you to give me a tour of the Castle?"

Dipping his fingers into a finger bowl of water to clean them, Morgan dried his hands on a napkin then stood up. Moving with leonine grace, the ex-Knight rounded the table and stopped at Isabella's side. With his hand on the back of her chair, Morgan held out his other hand to her. "Shall we, my Lady?" He smiled again.

[Isabella]

Albeit slightly disappointed that she could not finish the meal – after all, she had only eaten a few grapes – Isabella knew that Fitzroy was leaving, and he wanted her to come with him.
"And, my Lady, might I prevail upon you to give me a tour of the Castle?" he asked.
She reluctantly put the fruit down and replied, somewhat audaciously:
“Yes, you might.”
He smiled and came around the table towards her, placing one hand on the back of her chair. Isabella was a little surprised at this, but took his hand anyway, as he had offered it to her. She was glad that it was Lady Gosford and not herself who was about to speak with Prince John. Almost anyone was preferable to him, but she had to admit that Fitzroy was interesting. What was his connection with the prince? What did he know about Lady Gosford? And who exactly was he? She stood up and was about to leave, but paused, looking at Lady Gosford, waiting politely for her to give them consent to do so.

[Eveline Gosford]

Eveline waved her hand in an almost regal way, dismissing them.
"Enjoy yourselves, if you can. There's no reason why three of us should be affected by my foul mood. I am sure I will be seeing you both again."

She heaved a heavy sigh and then began in earnest to eat the meal before her.

[Morgan]

Morgan raised an eyebrow at Eveline's manner. "Well I hope, my Lady Eveline, that your spirits will be in good measure soon. Give my regards to the Prince and I would be grateful if you would convey my greetings and that I shall present myself for an audience soon?" He turned back to Isabella and was about to lead her from the table when he caught sight of her plate. "I've caused you to abandon your meal, my Lady." Morgan breathed, then quickly, he gathered a couple slices of bread, some cheese and chicken, wrapping it in a napkin. "There, that should suffice as a picnic. Now, where shall we go first?"

Giving Eveline a quick bow, Morgan strode towards the door but didn't pause before leading the Hall and entering the stone corridor which looked out over the courtyard. There, and only there, he waited for Isabella to catch him up.

[Isabella]

Isabella was very grateful that someone had noticed her empty plate, and couldn’t help but think it was a nice thing for Fitzroy to have done. She was starting to like him. Collecting her napkin of food for a picnic, and trying to look genteel whilst carrying it, she curtseyed to Lady Gosford. She really was in a foul mood, and had started to veritably wolf down her meal.
“I hope I shall have the pleasure of your company again soon, Lady Gosford,” she said, smiling as if she actually meant it.
She followed Fitzroy into the corridor.
“Other than the chambers of myself and some other residents of the castle, this floor only contains the Dining Hall and the Great Hall,” she explained, “I will show you the Great Hall first. The lower levels are for the servants, and the upper levels are used for the Sheriff’s chamber and the guest rooms. We have had a great need of them recently.”
Isabella began to lead Fitzroy towards the Great Hall as she talked, glad to be shot of Lady Gosford. She was burning to ask him a good deal of questions, but managed to hold them in.

[Morgan]

Morgan followed closely behind Lady Isabella, looking around at his surroundings and committing the layout to memory. "It must have been busy with Prince John's wedding that wasn't." He replied. "I hope you were not put to too much inconvenience?" Although Morgan was sure that, if his half brother could, he would have caused as much inconvenience as possible. Morgan gave a small, discreet sigh. John, of all his half brothers, was the most predictable.

He reached out for Isabella's hand and held it up as though he were going to kiss her fingers. Instead, he took a step backwards and looked at his pretty guide from head to toe before finally bringing her hand to his lips. "So tell me, what is a beautiul lady like yourself doing here at the beck and call of people like my half brother and that scoundrel Vaisey?"

[Roe]

Roe was supervising several groups of guards through the area of the castle just adjacent to the Great Hall. He had always found that a variety of different routines, as long as they were significantly different, were the best way to to keep guards as sharp as possible. That being considered, he was quite pleased with himself that he had managed to arrange that the maximum number of regular castle guards had been as far away from the wedding proceedings as possible. This, as he had planned, was to give the outlaws as much operating space as they had needed.

Today, however, he had come upon Lady Thornton, giving a gentleman, perhaps a nobleman, a tour of a the area around the Great Hall. He appeared to be behaving himself quite nicely. "It must have been busy with Prince John's wedding that wasn't .... I hope you were not put to too much inconvenience?"

"So tell me, what is a beautiful lady like yourself doing here at the beck and call of people like my half brother and that scoundrel Vaisey?" Roe smiled to himself a the gentleman's first remark. "If the Prince's handlers had not been so determined to handle everything themselves, including security, its very possible that the results of the wedding ceremony might have been different, but alas that was not the case. As to your main point, however, we are fortunate that Lady Thornton has graciously allowed herself to be the social representative of Nottingham, given her presence and her attendant rank. You do not, I take it, have a glowing estimation of our High Sheriff and ..... your half brother would be .... ?," he asked.

[Isabella]

Isabella thought back to the prince’s non-wedding. Inconvenience? Well, that was an understatement to say the least. She’d had to survive the nightmare of the wedding, helping the outlaws to get into the church, and trying not to laugh at Allan wearing a beard and a dress at the same time. And of course, Prince John’s inconsolable fury and humiliation, which still had a hold over him, and was a constant hazard to everyone around him.
“No, not too much inconvenience,” she replied, adding, “If nothing else, from observing others, I learnt a great deal about organising such events. Though I hope that if I ever have the need to do so, the end result will be more agreeable.”
Then Fitzroy took her hand as if to kiss it, but stopped to look at her before he did so. She wondered what exactly he meant by that. Then he asked her what she was doing in Nottingham, and she was just about to answer when Roe suddenly appeared and spoke to him instead. She couldn’t help but wonder if he minded at all that she was taking Fitzroy for a tour of the castle. At his question as to who his half-brother was, Isabella listened eagerly for his response. Finally, she might get some answers.

[Morgan]

Morgan frowned at Roe's interruption. "I'm not sure I like the tone of your voice, Sir," He scowled. "And in fact, I'm tempted to say its none of your business but judging by your appearance." And at this, Morgan gave Roe an up-and-down glance. "I presume that you're in the employ of the Sheriff? I'm sure my Lord Sheriff gives little regard to my views on him."

For a moment, Morgan toyed with the idea of not telling this upstart who he was but then, if he did, he had a good chance of making the knight squirm with embarrassment. He looked at Isabella, a little sadness pulling down the corner of his mouth. He'd have rather got to known this good Lady a bit better first before dropping his bombshell.

Morgan drew himself up to his full height. "My name is Morgan Fitzroy, Sir Knight." He declared. "My father was Henry Curtmantle, foundation stone of the House of Plantagenet, sire also of our Lord King Richard." Morgan paused for dramatic effect. "The half brother I speak of is Prince John. Does that satisfy your curiosity, Sir, or would you perhaps wish to see the papers that confirm my illegitimacy?" Morgan had been one of the lucky ones in that Henry had acknowledged him as his son, albeit on the wrong side of the blanket.

[Roe]

"I'm afraid .... sir.... that whether you like or anyone else likes the tone of my voice or not, really matters very little to me. And I must say, sine I am in charge of security in this section of the castle, unless superseded by orders of higher rank, everything is my business. I would assume that your claim to authority is based upon who you know, and not on real lines of authority then, eh." Roe folded his arms, in that was as defensive posture he wanted to assume, as long as this fellow was verbally assaulting him.

"I'm not sure if I appreciate your tone when it comes to my employment. I've neither been dragooned into my present position, nor been bought-off. My knighthood is not English, but is Frank. I thought that my experience, from a military perspective, might be put to some use. I am sure that, as long as I do my job, the Sheriff won't worry about my leanings, just as I'm sure that I don't worry about his." Roe studied the man for several moments. It almost seemed that he was hesitating to tell them something that was not common knowledge.

"So .... half-brother to Prince John himself. That is quite interesting. You come from uncommon stock then. However, I must say Sir Morgan that accidents of birth mean little to me. I, for example, was born into the nobility, lost everything, then gained it back fighting for a foreign country in Europe and then fighting in the Siege of Jerusalem in '87, in the Crusades in the Holy Lands. I judge a man on his character, on what he does or has done, not who he is. Whether he is legitimate or illegitimate matters not. I am a practical man. Are you not yourself?"

[Morgan]

Morgan looked wryly at the Knight. "It seems practicality is beyond some people, but I have to admit, I would like to think I have a modicum of common sense." He gave Roe a curt bow, "I may not have the authority necessary here in Nottingham and so, in that regards, I bow to your superiority. But I, too, have fought in the Crusades and now that I have returned, I wish only for the quiet life of a country farmer. In fact, I claim no other title than that."

Morgan glanced sideways at Isabella. "It seems I have spoken in haste, Sir. I've been away from England for so long that its customs and manners seem strange to me and I did not expect to meet a Franco Knight here in all places." Morgan held out his arm for Isabella. "My dear Lady, I apologise if my manner has been abrupt or offensive."

[Roe]

Roe looked at this man and sensed he would have both had the charater to lead men well in battle, plus te apparent sensistivity to be affected by the horrors that he had seen. "Though I be a frankish noble now, I was born and raised here in the shire. I sense that you are a man of quick temper, but good character and reasonable by nature. Such as yourself I have no desire to ever claim superior status over. I sense, at the very least, that you were a person that I would have respected as an officer, and not just because of your familial rank, more than likely, in fact, despite it."

Farming .... now that was not something that you expected of a member of the royal family or a returning crusader. "That is an admirable desire and goal to have Sir Morgan. It, in fact, is very close to what I desired. After I had lost the possibility to inherit my family's title and lands, my ward apprenticed me with a local carpenter. It had been my hope upon returning that I would pick up the trade again. That goal has been put off again. However, if you would need any expert advice or local carpenters to recommend I would be more than happy to oblige. After all, I am here to both serve and protect. If you don't mind me asking, whereabouts is your farm located? And I do want to apologize if I offended you in any manner, earkier, that was not my intention."

[Isabella]

Isabella watched Fitzroy and Roe’s conversation with interest. There had been something about what Roe had said that annoyed Fitzroy, and it seemed he had taken a dislike to him. His demeanour completely changed from polite to defensive. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She would have to be even more cautious than she already was about meeting Roe if this carried on.
Still, there were a couple of good things to be had from this. Firstly, she had learnt a lot about Fitzroy. So he was Prince John’s illegitimate half-brother? She noticed his attitude change slightly as he told them this, and realised that this was information he’d rather not mention. Isabella felt sympathy for his position – that had doubtless been a yoke around his neck for his whole life, but his parentage was not his fault, and having the prince as a relative must be almost as restricting as illegitimacy. And he’d fought in the Crusades, and was now simply a farmer. She had definitely not expected him to say that.
And secondly, it was also an opportunity to see Roe in action, which she had to admit, she found interesting.
Roe and Fitzroy gradually shifted back into civility; best not offend the lady with such manners. They both apologised, keeping their honour intact, but she doubted the solidity of the truce between them. However, it was better than an open conflict. There was already enough politics in the castle to juggle with – they were all like court jesters here.
Isabella took Fitzroy’s arm as he offered it.
“There is no need to apologise,” she assured him, with a smile, “I am not at all offended.”

[Morgan]

Morgan gave a small smile. "It seems both of us, Sir, are not what we seem?" With that, he chuckled as well. "I accept your apology with good heart, and thank you for it. My farm is on the outskirts of Clun. Its very rundown but I have been fortunate to find an excellent local carpenter by the name of Scarlett, I hope to have the house habitable very soon. I've recently purchased farm stock, horse and plough. With all hope, I and my dependents will not starve this winter." As much as he'd like to hang around and discuss the proverbial weather with Roe, Morgan was aware of Isabella close by his side. More than anything, he wanted to be with her, just her.

"If you will excuse us, Sir," Morgan added, glancing again at Roe briefly, "The Lady Isabella and I were just about to continue our tour of the Castle and also find somewhere quiet for an impromptu picnic." As courteously as he could, Morgan bowed again to Roe then taking a tight grip of Isabella's hand, started to move away. Ahead was an archway that seemed to lead to the Castle gardens. It was as good a place as any, Morgan surmised, to sit so she could finish her food and then talk.

[Roe]

Roe considered what the royal, or at least a blood-kin to a royal, had said to him. Not many in his position would accept an apology so readily. "Sometimes men such as ourselves have learned to be other people out of necessities. These are strange times in which we live."

"Hmmm .... Clun .... I knew it well when I was a boy, less so now. I wish you all of the best with the farm. Will is an excellent choice. I apprenticed with his father when I was a lad, and Will has all of his skills and more I think. In fact, I could not have referred you to a better one. However, my only warning, is not to broadcast your selection to widely, especially in Nottingham. Treat Will fairly and he will return the favor. Enjoy your tour and the rest of your stay, Sir Morgan, I am here but to serve."