Season 1 Finale - Part 1

Elsbeth cannot believe what she is hearing! There is no way in all of Christendom that she is going to lose her key-courier! It's highly unconventional but The Queen has to step in:
"Velsa Bennett is NOT for sale!"
The King looks shocked so Elsbeth explains:
"Velsa is the only person here who Princess Matilda likes; she is a vital part of our daughter's upbringing."

King Marcadius turns back to Martin, he understands how sensitive Elsbeth is about their daughter's needs and cannot be bothered with another argument.

"You heard my wife!" he declares, "Ask me again in fifteen years!"

It's the next day before Martin finds the courage to tell his beloved the bad news. . .

"I'm sure we will find a way, perhaps you might
fall out of favour with The Little Princess?"

But Velsa knows the truth: Elsbeth's motives have
nothing to do with that spoiled brat Matilda.

Velsa can't think of any option to untie herself from Queen Elsbeth.

The next day however, this happens:

"I'll be with you in a moment Sethy, I just need a strong word with a dis-obedient..." Elsbeth then turns on her loyal servant.





"HOW DARE YOU TRY AND LEAVE MY SERVICE WITHOUT MY PERMISSION? DO YOU THINK I AM STUPID? I know what's REALLY going on!" she seethes.



"Look at you, as if Lord Boatman could be serious about vermin like you! I saw him slobbering over you in the stables, a man with wrongful lust and a serf I cannot trust! Velsa, you are a disgrace to the nobility, and to this castle!"



Elsbeth can't resist exiting without one last nasty comment, just to keep the girl in her place:

"Ugh, Sir Boatman must have no sense of smell! I need to bathe from just speaking with her." She thinks aloud.






This blatant lie from Elsbeth tips Velsa's tolerance 'over the edge'.

"Perhaps it's time to tell my Martin all about you, you.... you.... evil queen!!"

Velsa needs to ask Martin for some better curse words.

                                                                          

"What do you mean you have a plan?" Martin asks at their next secret liaison. 

Velsa's ambition is pumping through her veins now she's realised there is a way out for her.

"Martin, you can read can't you?"

Martin nods, puzzled. After reassurances that Martin really does love her, and won't turn her in for Treason, no matter what! Velsa hands him the latest letter which Elsbeth ordered to be delivered by Velsa to Lord Simpson.

"You do realise we could both be hung, drawn and quartered for even opening this, right?"
"If I'm right, it won't be us who that  happens to. Please, tell me, what does it say?" replies Velsa.

Martin can't believe the words on the parchment he is reading; they're like little pieces of deceit notching their way into his brain. He repeats them back to Velsa who obviously had no idea. An artist's impression of his visual imagination right now might look something like this:

(Nobody said the artist would be any good)

"But. . .but, I would have to petition Marcadius, and who knows what he could do with the news...? Velsa, are you sure you want to go through with this? Her ladies in waiting will all suffer too, and.. and...!"

Velsa shuts him up mid-sentence:

 "Dash them all! I don't care!"
Elsbeth's ladies-in-waiting are always mean to Velsa because of the affections previously bestowed upon her by the queen. Here they were last week, making fun of the new dress Velsa had made with some of the money from Martin. Hearing that they could suffer too, dissuades Velsa from taking Martin's advice, and fuels her passion to become their equal.

"Just do it exactly like I say and we can pull this off my love!" Velsa reassures her stunned fiance.
Her mind is clear and fixed on the prize; before this week is out, Velsa Bennett is sure that she will be a free woman.

A kiss for luck!

 And he's on his way...

                                                                

Hope you're enjoying my story - stay tuned for part 2 of the finale, coming soon!

Chapter 4 - Medieval Knights & The Serfs Of New Praaven

 Catherine is comforting her daughter after the nasty incident with 'Old Boaty'.
"Them two is naught but trouble me little love; they're both as barmy as hungry hogs they are!"
"But how could he seem so real? I HATE SETH FOR MAKING HIM DO THAT!"
"Hush dear, walls have ears you know!"
Indeed.
 Martin's intent was to visit Velsa unannounced and surprise her with not only his master-plan, but a small token of his affections. However, the conversation he stumbled upon has him quite befuddled. Has that rancid friend of his, Prince Seth, been interfering with Martin's plans? If that's the case - who else knows?"He said it straight to The Queen's face, mother, 'I'm on a private mission for The Prince.'"
Catherine shakes her head with dismay but Velsa shrugs it away and gives her a hug.
"Look, I'm done with this now Mater; let me help you cook."
It still takes Martin a moment or so to make the connection. Unfortunately the strength of his brain seldom equals that of his chin.

"Greeting fine ladies. . .I would.." "GET OUT!" Velsa knows she is whacking a wasp's nest by addressing a noble in this way, but Martin has really hurt her!
"YOU AND. . .AND,.."
Yes Velsa you have to say it.
 "YOU AND HIS MAJESTY PRINCE SETH,"
There, despite your loathing for the blockhead monarch, misrepresenting such a title by applying it to a cracked-out crow-brain wasn't that hard was it Velsa? Okay continue, sorry.
"YOU SHOULD NOT INVOLVE MY DEAR MOTHER IN YOUR CRAZY TRICKS!"
Velsa didn't want her fury to sound so lame, but it did.
Despite this, Martin is not good at confrontations with women (it's only his second one ever) and cowers away from Velsa's harsh, accusing words.
After quickly pulling himself together, he turns to Catherine.
"Deepest apologies Madame, it appears you have learned of my motives wrongly and have met me at a disadvantage."
"What do you mean? I met you years ago, here at Praaven Castle!"
Catherine thinks Martin must be just as crazy as his friend.
The pair look at each other for a moment, equally confused by the ambiguity. But Velsa has had enough and brushes past Martin to get to the door.





"I  have an errand to do." She whimpers. Martin grabs her arm. "Please, let me explain!"

"Go on me love, let him explain!" Catherine wants to hear both sides of the story.



"If The Queen knew about us, she would likely have me banished, and worse for you no doubt! Seth can go to Hell, of that, I am sure he will. Please believe me Velsa, I have only you in my heart now!"
 Velsa feels quite stupid for not realising Martin's motives.
"Listen, I have a plan for us," he continues.
Martin then goes on to recount his grand idea.
Velsa's eyes widen as she hears those glorious words:




 "I want to pay your serf's merchet to The King. What do you say?"

"But, but how... we can't just marry, can we?" Velsa stammers.
Martin hushes his heartthrob with a warm embrace hoping to soften the imminent blow. He unties her hair to behold her true beauty once more.
"It's not a marriage merchet as such; I will pay The King for your serfdom, to come and work for me. Then, in time, we shall wed in a left-handed ceremony, with my own... priest... What say you?"
Martin needn't have worried. Velsa is desperate to get away from Praaven Castle and the thought of becoming the lesser wife to a noble is too thrilling to even think about. She nods her reply to him, silently with pursed lips so as not to cry with happiness.

'The First Kiss of True Love?'

Catherine seems to know better.

"Oh, before I depart, I brought you a small gift, I'm sure you could use this."
Martin produces a loaded coin-purse from his garments.
"Just, don't shine so brightly as to question the Sun's force!" he warns. Martin needs to learn how to speak 'Peasant' because Velsa has no idea he is instructing her to spend it wisely, and without creating questions.

 Martin leaves and Velsa turns to her mother. She feels like her body is vibrating with sudden shock, though the look on her mother's face quickly brings her back to reality.
"You stupid girl! Can't you see? He's never going to marry you! You're as paid for as Mary Magdalene with Judas' Silver!"

                                                                

Thanks for reading - Final chapter coming soon!

Chapter 3 - Medieval Knights And The Serfs of New Praaven

Today is King Marcadius' 44th Birthday. The Queen and her ladies-in-waiting have arranged entertainment for The Big Day. The King would rather be doing other things, but resists throwing a tantrum at having to endure such monotonous drivel.

Velsa is becoming increasingly closer with The Queen; Elsbeth doesn't much trust her own ladies as they were all chosen for her by her husband, therefore Velsa has unofficially become Her Grace's most trusted and loyal serf!

And Martin has become The Queen's Serf's most infatuated admirer! In other words - he's now got it bad for Velsa.

The young girl has consumed his waking world and all he ever finds himself  doing is craving her affections. 

Martin watches her, captivated. Her youthful beauty, combined with her 'joie de vivre' attitude and lack of noble manners is something he finds thrilling; it's such a refreshing change from all the usual moralistic, prissy attitudes prevalent at Court. He decides he HAS to find out more about Velsa. Later that day he decides that he must speak to her.                                                                                                                                                                                                

"Excuse me Mi'Lady," No Martin, she's far from one of those, try again.

Martin coughs away his nerves.
"Apologies, sorry, I mean, Girl... Erm, Velsa!"
Well done Martin, you've now broken all Court Protocol and addressed a female servant not only formally, but by her first name.
Velsa is astonished as Martin takes her hand. Devoured emotionally by the moment he starts to blurt out suppressed sentences that Velsa has no understanding of, but had taken what seemed to Martin an age to think of.
Things like: "Forbidden fruit is by far the sweetest, though they say 'Variety is the spice of life!'"
The words might have flown far above Velsa's head but the gaze from Martin's eyes and the delicate caress of his Gentleman Fingers provokes her instincts into sudden realisation."Please excuse me Sir, I am on an errand for The Queen." Velsa has no idea how to react in such a situation so is thankful for the valid excuse to get away from it.
"BUT WAIT!" Martin calls after her, "I HAVE A POEM!"
Several corridors later, Velsa has finally escaped the crazy Lord Boatman. She takes a breath to consider what just happened and quickly convinces herself that 'Old Boaty' has finally followed The Prince down the cerebral rivers of desolation.
"Yes," she thinks, "He's gone stark-raving bonkers! Either that or he's on some crazy dare game with Prince Seth."
Velsa makes a 'note-to-self' and inwardly pledges her hopeful intention to completely stay away from that pair of injudicious nincompoops from now on.
Lord Simpson doesn't look amused with Velsa's message from The Queen but Velsa isn't paying attention; she is remembering the look in Martin's eyes and the touch of his hand, he seemed so genuine. What a gifted actor he must be!

"Were you seen?" Elsbeth asks anxiously.

Velsa responds by spending the next few minutes recounting who she might or might not have seen on the way to their secret meeting place; The Queen can be quite neurotic when it comes to confidential issues.
Elsbeth relaxes and Velsa is free to think about the rest of her chores for the day. But her mind is not on the job.

She is hoping beyond hope that the impossible has happened.

Could it be that a Noble Knight from The Royal Court of New Praaven has fallen in love with this insignificant 'Street-Rat'?

                                                                                         

The next morning Velsa has her question answered.

"Shouldn't be long Your Grace." Velsa is preparing Princess Matilda's Pony for her riding lesson; Elsbeth is a very hands-on mother and likes to involve herself in her daughter's upbringing; letting the nannies do it all, produced Seth.
The Queen is certain that she won't make the same mistake again.


Martin is determined to meet with his new-found love and ambushes Velsa the minute he sees The Queen absent herself from the stables.





Velsa hears the door close behind her so spins around.
To her delight, disbelief and doubtfulness, it's him!


Her heart forces passions through conduits of joy and it's hard to breathe now Velsa can feel the attraction oozing from him. She knows as he walks towards her slowly - Martin Boatman is for real!
"Please, fair, sweet maiden whom they call Velsa, may I take but a moment of your time?"
No grievance presented itself throughout Velsa's nodding reply so Martin takes the opportunity.
He  fulfills the powerful desire to touch her again, to feel her skin and the beauty of her complexion. Velsa is a little freaked out by his forward nature but Martin soothes her with his words:
"Could it be that I have discovered the most alluring of jewels buried beneath such a mire of grime and vermin?"

Again, Velsa isn't sure exactly what that means but she is persuaded that he is comparing her to a fancy necklace.
"My heart needs to know how I can rescue such a prize from so dark and ghastly a taint?" Continues Martin.
Now Velsa is completely lost.
"I don't know what you mean!. .but. .Oh!...THE QUEEN!"

Velsa throws the saddle on the pony just as Elsbeth returns for Matilda's lesson.
"Sir Boatman! What are you doing down here?"
Martin tells his first lie to The Queen: "I'm on a private mission for The Prince."

Big mistake Martin; your ill-chosen lie just confirmed what Velsa was dreading above all!

                                                                                                    

Chapter 4 - Coming Soon! Da dung gonna hit dat der fan!

Suggestions, feedback - all appreciated!