Jonathan and Eryn Verigs - 1333

[Men of Skye]

((( This is the continuing story of Jonathan and Eryn... also know as Anwen Maubrey... Previous history can be found at: The Lady Wounded)))

18 Months… 18 long months… Eryn fought the demons of her past… but at her side remained an adamant and loving man… Jonathan.

It was the late winter, the 2nd month of 1330 that they were married by the Father Patrick Dunovan at Turas Lan Cathedral. Now Eryn of Argania was Eryn Verigs, wife of Jonathan of Verigsburg… and Anwen of Connacht was no more...

Now, for the last 2 years and 10 months, Eryn lived in a small cottage with him as man and wife; She mended his clothes, cooked his meals, and warmed his bed. One thing she did do, and that was be a sexy, sassy, uninhibited lass behind closed doors. Still she longed to bear him children, but God saw fit not to grant such a wish. No longer haunted by the demons of her past... No longer did the headaches pain her so bad as to debilitate her… No longer did the nightmares wake her and her husband…

Jonathan had worked himself thru the rigors of knighthood and was knighted by the Mo’r Triath himself… Jonathan had now learned the trade of a swordmaker from Bolverk… one who specialized in out-of-the-ordinary weapons… Often lending himself to do odd jobs at the Iron Monger Forge for Bolverk and the Turas Lan livery. The months of hardwork, saving every copper gryphon, and with the wedding present Dmitrii gave him, he was able to purchase the forlorned Iron Maiden Forge. He had promised Bolverk not to take any trade from him, but should he have extra, to send it his way. Jonathan did not make much money, but enough to live happily.

Jonathan was a loving husband, who stood by her thru the worst months… and into the best… if anyone could say anything about Jonathan, it was how good he was to Eryn…

It had been a long hard road for the young woman… so much she did not remember and yet she really did not seem to mind for through it all she had found love. Jonathan and Eryn had married a few years ago with the blessings of the Mo’r Triath and her Royal Cousin, Kaelyn.

Jonathan worked hard in his trade and Eryn did as well keeping his home… though she still suffered from headaches they were not as bad… and the missing pieces of her life were perhaps better left that way. At night she would dream that she was round with his child… but even after two years she was still barren in the womb.

She loved Jonathan and admired him for how he stayed with her no matter what… through the headaches and blackouts… the mood swings. She had put him through so much and yet he remained at her side… and through it all they had fallen in love. Life was good now for them both… they visited often with her cousin’s and were becoming once more a true family. Though every once in a while something would tickle the back of her mind like there was something or someone she could not remember.

Kaelyn and Dmitrii were happy for the young couple and told them so often though at first Dmitrii was a bit distant… and on guard… but who could blame him… Kae as well at times though they talked about their childhood and filled Dmitrii in on the details he had missed being raised not with them. They all spent many hours together laughing and just simply talking. Dmitrii’s new wife was there as well Eryn liked her a lot… she was friendly and kind.

There were times when Eryn would get confused about simple tasks… and Kae and Ae would help her… perhaps a lingering effect of her head trauma… or so the healers have said often enough when she went for her check ups.

Meanwhile, in Aosta, William lived basically as a recluse… Bolstering funding from his connections had been very limited, not near enough to fund an army large enough to go against a king. As the Mo’r Triath kept alliances at a premium… going against a strong trade federation was nearly suicide… Though he did keep a boiler pit going in England, funding assassinations, and plots of subversion… though most of those were quickly extinguished by Governor St Laurence…

Three years had gone by and he had almost given up on Anwen… Between him and Gerard, he thought Jonathan had deceived him, and her, and broke the claim he had upon her…. But she never left his mind… He would have her back… somehow, some day… come hell or brimstone… Jonathan would pay for his deception…

Somewhere in the depths of a traumatized mind another lurked always watching always waiting but not able to act. Only half of a whole… a piece of a puzzle that longed to be once more connected to that which made her feel like she was a part of something. Everyday that passed she drifted farther and farther into nothingness…

[Men of Skye]

Jonathan came home with a smile on his face… Laying a gold gryphon upon the table, he took the wife into his arms for a hug, then he released her reaching into his pocket. “Eryn, I have acquired a deal with the Griffin… he has ordered 300 new weapons… and I have half the order…” He holds up a small prototype, that would later be identified as a pistol flintlock… “All I have to do is develop a mold, then the rest would be easy to assemble…” he smiles and sits down happy. “A whole gold gryphon shall last us a whole year, maybe 2…” he smiled.

Eryn had finished with her mending of her husband’s clothes and dinner was about ready when he walked in the door of their small cottage home. She gave him a bright smile and laughed softly when he drew her close and hugged her. Her hands wrapped about his neck as she kissed him… "Hello my husband." she greeted him softly.

Then she saw as he drew a gold from his pocket and her eyes grew wide... it was a good deal of money for them and would last a long time; then Jonathan told her of the commission from the Griffin and she smiled even more… “Oh my love I am so happy and proud of you." she once more kissed him. All his hard work was finally paying off for them and now the life he had talked about with her was well within their grasp. He sat down a smile on his face that warmed her heart as she went to get his dinner for him.

Ahh, the good wife indeed... there was nothing she would not do for him. Though she prayed each night to gift him with a child still she remained barren... her love then would have to be enough or at least she hoped it would be. Setting his food before him she took a seat next to him... they ate and talked about the day’s events, and when they were done with their food, she picked up the dishes and tidied the place.

"Jonathan... I love you and wanted to say thank you for always being there for me... I know it was not easy on you." she hesitated a bit there was so much she did not remember… and she had the feeling that he knew more than he was saying about it all. Eryn could not even remember how they had met?? Just that he was there one day and her heart was his... "Perhaps if you are not too busy tomorrow we could go to the city and pick up a few things??" she hated asking but they did need things like new fabric so she could make him a new shirt and vest... perhaps a even a new dress for herself. "I was thinking maybe I would see if any of the shops could use an extra hand..." she was not sure how he would react to her having a job of sorts outside the home but it was worth asking just the same. She wanted to feel she was contributing something in this marriage, not that she was unhappy taking care of his home and such but she felt she had more to offer as well.

He had kept her from the busy life in Turas Lan as much as possible. He could not chain her to the table… Jonathan smiled… “Aye, we can go to the market… As my own employer, I think I can take off work…” he winked. And now he knew she was bored, if she wanted to work… Swallowing, he nods… “Maybe someone can use yer talent…” After a fine meal and reading from a book from one of the city libraries, she gave him one of her smirks… he took her hand and led her into the back room… There he would make passionate love to her, as he often did…

[Men of Skye]

The next morn would find Jonathan already awake preparing a meal for them both. When she rose, she would smell the stew cooking upon the hearth. “Good morning my lovely…” an exceptional smile upon his sated face. “Sit, eat… then we can go to the market…” as he set a bowl of hot stew on the table.

As he sat next to her, he took up a spoon and looking to her he spoke softly… “I must stop by the forge before the market… It’s on the way and won’t take long…”

Eryn smiled and hugged him when he said that they could go to the market and that he was taking the day off. She watched as he swallowed and agreed to her possibly finding a job. She just wanted to feel as though she was contributing to this marriage as well... and though she was more than content keeping his home... she felt as though she had more to offer. She gave him one of those smirks and before she knew it he took her hand and led her to the back room and she giggled and laughed.

The smell of food cooking woke her... she rose from the bed, dressed, and found he had made breakfast and smiled as he greeted her..."Morning husband." she walked over and gave him a kiss and that ever so bright smile. Sitting as he said and he began to put food on her plate... as he sat next to her. "I am excited about going and spending the day with you. Perhaps we could even picnic somewhere for lunch... the weather seems pleasant enough yes?? " she asked as she began to eat.

Jonathan laughed and leaned over the table… “I am excited as well…” After all the days spent beside her bed though many months, he was more than happy to see a smile upon that beautiful face… “A grand idea my dear… but let us take an extra blanket… for… well…” he just smirked...

He spoke of stopping by the forge and she nodded and smiled again as she took another bite. "It seems you have talent for cooking as well, this is delicious. Perhaps we can visit with Kaelyn on the way home? I have not seen her for some time and it would be nice to see her?" Jonathan indeed was doing well and he seemed to be so happy and for that she was glad... at times he watched her closely like something was wrong... but then he always smiled. Eryn loved him deeply and they were happy and that was all that mattered to her.

“As a man without a wife, I had to learn… besides it was a requirement the Mo’r Triath had for all his squires…” Nodding to her at the suggestion to visit Kaelyn… “M’Lady has been exception good to me o’r the years… but I suspect that is because of yu my dear…”

He always made it a point to avoid mentioning any of her past… always focusing on the present, or future… He always knew that she was much too young for Lord Maubrey, and much too innocent to be the woman he wanted… But that was in the past… maybe.

Three years… three years had William lived the life of what he had considered a pauper… a warrior, a noble, without a realm… His own son had titled him a wanted criminal. His youngest son proclaimed his useless and a hindrance. Now, William and Gerard had made their way into Turas Lan unseen, for the city had grown into a world of its own… William’s main concern was Anwen… Gerard’s main concern was his Lord and Master… and when William found that Anwen had changed and married another, he vowed to kill the young man…

Jonathan and Eryn were happy with their lives. Joyaful and full of prospect for a new future. They had prepared to go into the city proper after a nicely prepared breakfast by the once single knight… but he loved catering to his beloved Eryn… unbeknownst, their lives would change forever…

William and his trusted companion had spent weeks in Turas Lan, under the guise of businessmen, researching information on the new King and other amenities… Now outside the Verigs’ cottage, Gerard peeked thru the window and nodded to William. In an instant, the two old knights burst in the door to the small, quaint cottage, surprising their inhabitants.

As the door burst open, swords drawn, Jonathan’s world exploded. Two aged men, faces from the past stood before him… He knew he was doomed… and in self preservation, he picked up a butcher’s knife and a skillet. The two men laughed evilly at him… as he heard their words…

“Boy yer doom is near… make peace with Christ… Yu have betrayed me and tried to cut out my heart…” his sea-green eyes glanced to the frightened Eryn… then back to the ‘boy’… Meanwhile, Gerard stepped sideways to gain a better position.

“MiLord, I did no such thing… I took care of her… for years… yu never came, and I feared yu dead…” Jonathan looked to Eryn and in such, he saw Gerard move slowly. Looking back to William, he saw ire in his facial expression, and Jonathan knew he would attack.

William grit his teeth and he raised his sword and began the attack… the boy blocked his sword with the steel skillet and plunged the knife at him, missing. William’s sword was too big to efficiently use in the small cottage and he drew his dagger as he tossed the sword out the door. “I’ll cut yer heart out and feed to the pigs on the way to Aberdeen’s castle…”

Gerard saw his Lord’s actions and did the same… It was then that Anwen tried to move into the smaller bedroom of the cottage. Gerard tried to detain her as per his Lord’s instructions, and in doing so received fingernail scratches upon his face. “Bytch…”

William lurched and plunged his blade toward his former custodian and it deflected by the return plunge of the boy’s knife… The skillet swung and landed on his shoulder with a grunt… round and round the two flailed hands bearing a blade… both precisioned attacks and defenses… Gerard was heard and he looked that direction, and because of his inattentiveness, he received a slice to his shirt… a small seepage of blood came forth.

Jonathan had seen the advantage and swung his hand toward William, but the old man spun, and all he could manage was a missed slice at William’s arm. Cursing, Jonathan spun around and prepared for an attack against him.

The hellion now named Eryn, fought Gerard with nail and fist, but yet Anwen would not come forth… and it was Gerard who was lucky, for Anwen would have killed his instantly… As he took her by the arm, she pulled a small hair pin from her reddish pile of hair atop her head and stabbed Gerard on the arm… he let go and tried to grab her again, cursing at her… As luck would have it, he attempted to grab her by the waist, this time, only to be scratched in the face again… anger would prevail and he backhanded her across the jaw… sending the girl flailing across the bed… her head hitting the wall…

Jonathan tried to convince William, he was only saving Anwen’s life… and William cursed him for stealing his beloved wife… and in doing so, tried to cut Jonathan to pieces… When William looked toward where Gerard was having trouble, Jonathan was able to swipe at the old knight, but agility had not left the old man… and was cut across the back of the cloak he wore… as William cursed Jonathan, Gerard came in… The lad saw Eryn go down and presumed her dead, and attacked William with ferocity… William’s blade sinking deep into Jonathan’s stomach… Falling back, Jonathan’s eyes grew large from pain and surprise…

William looked to Gerard… “She lives?” Gerard shrugged… and started to return to her and see.

Outside a crowd had heard the commotion and screaming… but failed to aid the young couple for fear of their own lives… Voices from outside soon began to curse the attackers… the roar soon alerted the city guards…

“Leave her, we shall return to get her… we must leave before we are apprehended… we have more important business…” Gerard nodded and the two men burst thru the door, thru the crowd as they assailed their way to freedom… the guards hot on their heels… But William was wily, and knew Turas Lan much better than the guards… and soon they disappeared into the underground thru century-hidden passages.

Inside the cottage, Jonathan grunted as he lay bleeding upon the floor… with every ounce of strength he could muster, he hauled himself to his feet and stumbled across the room, table and chair his support… in the bedroom, he saw Eryn crumpled against the wall… Was she dead, or unconscious? He thought, fearing the worst. As he entered the bedroom, he fell forward to the floor. Crawling he stretched out a bloody hand to touch hers… “I love yu my deare…” as his hand took hers, he fell forward unconscious.

(( Scene continues in the Griffin Castle ))