Chapter 12: A Trip to Market Part 2

“Do tell, I may be able to help. Good healing takes time, though. I still have to see the wounds, Jenkins. I can’t have you dying from infection. Magic or blessing treated regardless, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I let you run off without checking it.”

Jenkins returned her smile with one of his own. Bending to one knee, he started to unlace the boot of his foot that had seen the tender, loving care of the panicked mob only two days before.

Joclyn saw the two of them conversing congenially, Jenkins going to one knee. And then completely misjudged the situation. An ugly look crossed his face. He stepped back from his lord’s side and crossed the road to where they were conversing, his satchel over one shoulder swaying at his side.

Lord Tom frowned but couldn’t leave his conversation with the furious woman before him. If he turned his back on the woman, she would probably see it as a weakness and lose herself in an ill-advised attack. Mistress Milligan knew better most days, but she was a passionate woman. Better not to risk it. Healer Prisca would have to fend for herself.

Joclyn’s sour expression lent a vile tone to the ugly words he spat at Jenkins,

“You get two years of taxes as a reward for speaking above your station to a peer of the realm, and now you propose an indecent match above the same station as well? What is the meaning of this?”

Healer Prisca’s scowl could have killed the man had she not sworn an oath against violence. Jenkins stood to address the man’s misconception, but Prisca beat him to it.

“Castellan Joclyn, first, your title makes no sense as we don’t have a castle. Second, novice Jenkins is equal to us in standing now that he is an adventurer. Third, you getting shut down by healer Elokwa for being a boring self-centered twit does NOT give you license to stake a claim over every eligible woman in this village like some dog pissing on trees to claim a territory you have no right to.”

Joclyn smiled at her words as his countenance turned on a shilling. In Jenkins's opinion, it was an odd response but not as odd as his verbal reply.

“Healer Prisca, let me respond in kind. First, I am a Castellan from my training and education, not the current state of the county I serve. Second, I point out to “Novice” Jenkins the futility of engaging in courting the morning before he is to leave for two years when he has had ample chance to pursue the fairer sex for three years since the unfortunate passing of his wife.”

“Third, Healer Elokwa can be her own private defender, as she made quite clear to me. Gossip does not become you. As for “staking a claim,” I claim no one. I do have a vested interest in Lord Tom’s investments. Therefore, I must ensure that one of his most prized healers is matched with an…appropriate suitor.”

Jenkins snorted. In his opinion, an “educated” man making bunny ears to outline sarcasm was stupid. His outburst at the guild master, landing him in this mess, had reminded him when not to speak out against people of higher station.

“You’re more of a jackass than Jack, Joclyn.”

It may have reminded him, but this was Joclyn. Prisca had already pointed out they were all of equal standing. What was he going to do?

“Prisca is a person. She’s strong enough to make her wishes known and smart enough to ask for help when she needs it. And I’m sure Guard Captain Lowry would be happy to sort out anything she asks of him.”

Prisca blushed deeply at the mention of the handsome Captain’s name. He had looked over at the sound of his name, smiling at the healer. Prisca slapped Jenkins on the back of the head with her scarlet face telling him she was angry at his presumption, she presumed.

“Yes, I am a person Novice Jenkins. And I do take care of myself. Wipe that smile off your face, Joclyn. I can give you some attention you won’t like as well. Now what is that favor you needed, Jenkins?”

Jenkins looked at Joclyn, waiting for the man to walk away after the dressing down, but the man stood there with a now calm look of thoughtfulness. Ignoring the man, he addressed Prisca,

“I’ve sorted the farm duties with my boys and have faith in all of them, but I’d like you to swing by and check that Jack is treating Fred right every so often. If you have the time, I’d like you to help Sam learn his letters and sums as well.”

“If Jack doesn’t do right by Fred, I want Sam ready to take over from him. He knows my wishes and will turn it over to Sam if you say so. He’ll behave, but it’s better to have these things covered.”

Prisca opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by Joclyn as she winced. She was privy to information Jenkins was not. The man was suddenly furious, and his hands were starting to shake.

“Let me be clear on this. You want a healer to take time out of her busy schedule of caring for your fellow villagers to check up on one of your employees.”

Joclyn calmed the shaking of his hands visibly by tucking them into the sleeves of his robe before he continued in a much quieter voice,

“Then decide on the management of an asset to our county…with no legal backing besides one conversation that cannot be verified. All based on the danger of one of your employees being mistreated due to your questionable treatment of your managerial duties?”

Jenkins was baffled at the man’s fury.

“Lord Tom gave me the care of the land, and I’ve been running that farm for three years. Sam, Jack, and Fred have been with me for ten. What business is it of yours?”

Stolen story; please report.

“The land, you “novice” fucking idiot, is Lord Tom’s. He is lord, not you. Management was entrusted to you by LORD Tom. I have documented the transfer of management to one person, Jack. I have no legal papers on any stupid half-handed attempt at a poorly thought-out contingency on the care of my only family!”

“Family? Fred is-“

“My little brother!”

The whispy clerk had withdrawn his hands from his sleeves and had them tightly clenched at his sides. He was livid. Lord Tom had begun glancing at the trio’s confrontation regularly as Joclyn’s voice had risen.

Jenkins looked at the man seriously. He usually considered the man a wimpy, self-centered, over-educated prat. This was a side he hadn’t expected. Joclyn had never visited the large, slow, dependable farmhand in all his years working for Jenkins.

‘If he cared this much, why did he never visit? Let’s see if a little courtly manners help smooth this out. Not very good at courtly. Maybe polite would be better.’

“Castellan Joclyn, I was not aware more documents would be needed. As you say, Lord Tom put me in charge, so I figured my word to Healer Prisca would be enough. I was unaware Fred was your kin. If we need more papers, let’s stop wasting air and get those sorted so he is taken care of.”

Joclyn was still visibly upset after Jenkins’s brief attempt at mollifying him. He closed his eyes briefly and breathed slowly through his nose. He ripped open his satchel and removed paper and a sharpened charcoal writing stick.

“Turn around. I need a surface.”

Jenkins presented his back to the man. Joclyn scribbled furiously for a minute, using his back as a table. He stabbed through the paper a few times in his anger. Discarding the ruined sheet back into his satchel, he took more breaths and started over with a fresh sheet.

After finishing, he stepped back from the farmer-turned-novice and read over the document. He was scowling at it.

“This is so damn sloppy. I would have preferred to do this last night when I sorted all the rest of the documents. Here’s the agreement that I can back with legal precedent.”

“Sam is to report to me weekly for lessons in writing and arithmetic. I will inspect the farm every two weeks for proper management, and if Jack is doing a satisfactory job, nothing changes.”

“If any production falls or any employee reports mistreatment, Sam takes over. If it falls again or mistreatment continues, control will be transferred to another qualified farmer chosen by Lord Tom. Five percent of your taxes for the years you are absent will go toward the expense of Sam’s education and these inspections. If there is no change of management, then half of that fee for education gets returned.”

Prisca’s face had turned a darker shade of red at this. She shook her finger at the man spouting this nonsense but was cut off as the now smirking Castellan continued blithely.

“If Lord Tom has to get involved, the taxes you would have received at the end of your service get split between who takes over and the employees that have been proven to be mistreated. No, shut up. This isn’t up for negotiation. Sign here.”

Jenkins wasn’t pleased that Joclyn was trying to steal the promised taxes, even if they were all Lord Tom’s funds initially.

He could understand trying to cover his brother in the case of Jack screwing up that badly, but this seemed suspect from a man who never even visited his only family.

Lord Tom had finished his conversation with Mistress Milligan. She didn’t look any happier. She stomped to her son, knelt before him, and fussed at the boy. She adjusted his pack, wiped at his face with a fancy cloth she drew from within her cleavage, and generally did motherly things that so annoy little boys.

The lord looked to be in a worse mood as he approached the trio. Joclyn started to look more nervous than angry.

“What’s the problem? I am in poor humor to tolerate more delays. That woman is more of a she-bear than she needs to be.”

Jenkins handed the paper to Lord Tom, who started reading. His expression grew darker as he did. Joclyn broke into a cold sweat.

“Castellan Joclyn,”

Lord Tom stated with a tone that said, why did you bother doing this when you knew I would beat you with a sack of angry weasels for trying to pull this off?

“The fee for lessons, inspections, and punitive action for them stand—the provisions for replacement of management stand. The punitive fee for replacement does not. If I didn’t know you had a trust in place for your brother that you cannot touch, you would hang for this. Fix it. Now.”

Joclyn stammered for a moment before bobbing a bow to his now-angry Lord, whipping another sheet from his satchel, and motioning Jenkins to turn around again. The now reassured novice presented his back to be a table once more while Joclyn worked at a feverish pace. The castellan finished his work and presented it to Lord Tom.

Tom looked it over, grunted, took the charcoal from Joclyn, signed, and handed both to Jenkins.

“It has been altered as ordered. Fred is covered. Congratulations on thinking of him. That helps me think better of you. Try to think of these things more than a few minutes before a major expedition next time.”

Jenkins took his Lord’s word and signed the document without reading it. Prisca seemed rather amused at the brief exchange. The fading redness of her face gave testament that her anger had passed.

Lord Tom was staring hard at a much chastened Joclyn. He spoke once more,

“Castellan, you will await me in the study. We will discuss this matter further there. I make decisions regarding the funds provided by my subjects. You advise only.”

Joclyn bowed again and replied.

“Yes, my lord.”

The castellan scurried toward the manor house as lord Tom stared after him. He hoped that the man wouldn’t need to be replaced. He was efficient and capable, but watching his social skills in action was like watching an abusive toddler with a modicum of responsibility try to burn ants with a magnifying glass. Five years in Adder County, and the man was still causing problems. Joclyn had grown up here,

‘Why is he such an ass? It must be something he learned from his parents. They were always arrogant too.’

Shaking his head, Tom turned back to his other subjects.

“Healer Prisca, kindly head back to your rounds if your inspection of Robby is completed. I trust Novice Jenkins is fit to travel as well?”

“Robby is well enough, if a little excited about the trip, as expected. I still need to look at the wound tended by the Paladin, my lord.”

“See to it, Jenkins, when she has finished and is satisfied with your fitness to travel, attend Captain Lowry and myself. We will be briefing everyone one more time before you all leave.”

Lord Tom strode away from the pair to the group of soldiers, Captain Lowry and Robby. The luciloos moved to join the gathering, their horses trailing behind them by their bridles.