Bella read the letter from James with great interest. She had never heard about the details of his childhood before. So he had worked in an abbey's kitchens? Did he actually know how to cook? And was he any good at it? Bella wondered, whether she might dare to ask, without giving mortal offense to the duke, next time they were on campaign together and the army's cooks tried to serve them some unpalatable swill. But then Bella regretfully decided that such impertinence might prove a too severe strain, on what so far was an amicable working relationship.

Bella's musings were interrupted by another messenger bearing sad tidings: One of the countesses who had served England longest, the Lady Jadwiga, was dead. Bella knew that Lady Jadwiga had but recently still made a valiant showing in the Aragonese tourney and in the match with the Croatians. But the messenger had not said, whether the Lady had received some fatal wound in battle or whether her valiant old heart, that had beat so long for England, had simply given out.

Bella knew that the Lady had several children, but did not know, whether any of these had received knightly training. Bella fervently hoped that that might be the case, that one of her children would succeed Lady Jadwiga and the family's service would not be lost to England, as had happened in some cases, when nobles had died childless or the children had all chosen religious vocations or moved off to foreign parts instead.

Bella waved off a third messenger awaiting her attention, she would have to see to this matter first, other things would just have to wait a while longer.

Back to London, first thought was to present his homages and personally congratulate the Baroness of North Haven.
James check it if he receive a message from the Chancellor, but the guard says no message.

Maybe such a noble person as the Baroness of North Haven is embarrassed to exchange messages with a boy who use to peeling off the potatoes in a monastery kitchen!
Oh, those noble knights, they think that they was fortunate enough to be born in a castle and receive the best training and education gets dirty just looking down to somebody who suppose to have a commoner origin.

What's my fault that my father (Gregory is indeed my father or he adopted a promising young servant in a monastery in a moment of generosity?) was busy to save the world and did not had the time to take his supposed child with him or assure a proper education?
Do I need to feel inferior in front of those egomaniac nobles, full of themselves but not much better than the potatoes I use to peel off?

No, I won't go to the Baroness to be humiliated by her asking to prepare his dinner or serve on his table..

I don't know to cook after all, only prepare the vegetables for the cook and not skilled enough to serve to the table without reverse the soup. The abbot says that I'm skilled only with the quill, but I doubt even that. Maybe he says that to encourage me copy more books in the library. I would copy it anyway, because I like to read.

Should I send her flowers? But a person with dubious origins sending flowers won't be taken as an insult?
Damn with her, let's wait for her move. I hope she will forget about me, that will be perfect.

Bella heard that several English knights, who had been abroad, including Chancellor James, were back in London.

Bella, busily sorting stacks of letters in Chancery poked her head out of the door.

"Well, where is he?" She asked a passing clerk impatiently. Then, noticing that that had sounded rather rude corrected herself, "I mean has His Grace, the Duke of Kent, been seen at the palace yet?" There were stacks of papers awaiting his signature after all.
The clerk only shrugged, "I have not seen him yet."

Well, if the newly returned knights were staying away from the offices and court, Bella hoped that she might at least see all English knights residing at the palace in the training ring later. There were many young knights who still needed help with their training, while the older knights had to practice and keep their skills sharp.

Bella regretfully viewed her shield, which had suffered some huge dents in her last training bout. She gave it to a passing squire to take it to the weapons smiths, that it might be repaired and repainted.

Then she resolutely turned her mind back to more important matters currently occupying England, namely the French invasion in Flandern and Holland.

Bella set off to meet with the other councillors muttering darkly about kings, who expected the world to believe that they, their advisors and army leaders, all could not find their own asses with a map. That Black Raven must either be turning senile or was a liar.

Meanwhile England at least could maintain the courtesies, Bella stopped on her way to write and send off a quick note:

QUOTE:
To Borna,
King of Croatia, Knez of Arlberg and Salzburg

we were engaged in testing the strength of the English knights against those of your knights. Please excuse us for missing our appointment to the rematch. Our army was unavoidably detained, by the uncouth interruption of the French.

I remain

Bella, Baroness of North Haven, Chancellor of England

P.S. Dear Borna, I'd be delighted to continue our private correspondence at a more opportune time, when matters of state do not interfere. Yours truly Bella

Then Bella continued on her way to the council of war.

With Lady Bella left her at a guestchamber at the palace, Siofra sat at the window looking to the same view as she saw a couple of years ago. She felt her stomache turning. First she thought that it was of her depression, but a few seconds later she vomited and almost passed out. "For the sake of the gods, bring me a druid". She yelled to nobody before she felt into a deep sleep

"For the sake of the gods, bring me a druid," one of the maids at the palace heard the Irish guest call, crossed herself superstitiously and went off to pray in the chapel. Eventually, after considerable delays, the news of Siofra AlIyn Braon's illness did reach the chamberlain responsible for the welfare of the guests at the palace, who roundly scolded the maid for not coming to him at once and sent for a barber surgeon and a priest to tend to the guest.

He also sent news of the lady's illness and the countermeasures taken to Bella. "Ah, so that explains it," Bella thought, who had considered the lack of response to a note she had recently sent to Siofra AlIyn Braon rather rude. "Of course, if she is on her sickbed, she may be excused. No doubt with the aid of the priest's prayers she will recover in time, if it is God's will."

When Siofra woke up she saw a barber surgeon and a catholic priest standing at the end of her bed. What is this, I asked for a druid not for a body cutter and a catholic priest. Because she noticed that she won't received the help that she wanted, she wrote a letter to the local pagan community.

QUOTE:
Dear friends and fellow believers,

First of all let me introduce myself. I am Siofra Allyn Braon, Seansailear of Erin. I am in need of help, help from a druid. I lay sick at my bed in London Castle and I can't get out of bed. Please send me a druid to guide me to this test of the gods.

May Britannia protect you and guide you,

Siofra Allyn Braon
Seansailear of Erin

Bring this to the altar of Stonehenge please and let me be please.

With the last words spoken she turned around and waited for the two to leave her chamber. Then she began with a letter for Gerard

The guard was a bit embarrassed, not knowing in which monastery "the altar of Stonehenge" is, but as soon as he saw James, he lighten up: everybody knows that Sir James was raised in a monastery.
After he explain the task Lady Siofra Allyn Braon gave to him, James, usually sober start to laugh:
There isn't such a thing as "the altar of Stonehenge" to be found in a monastery. Lady Siofra is speaking about the pile of stones on the hill that peasants are using for constructions.

James knock on Lady Siofra's door, hoping to not disturb her. She was still in bed, suffering from the cold catch by the time she use to spend too many days on the sea.

"Why on earth she sat there in the Channel, not moving towards Ireland for weeks, despite the wind was good?"

Dressing his voice, James make an attempt to announce his presence:
Mylady, there aren't any pagans left in England for hundred of years. If you're not comfortable with our healers, write a message to King Tristan and I'll give it to the fastest messenger. In the mean time, maybe you can trust that I take care of your cold. A hot tea near the fire can do miracles."

The barber surgeon and the priest, rudely dismissed, departed from the sick chamber in a cloud of offended dignity.

"She should have been bled. She should have been purged." Said the barber surgeon, sadly eyeing his jar of leeches, his favored cure-all for all illnesses.

"She should have repented of her pagan ways and embraced the one true faith and God might have cured her of her affliction." Said the priest.

But the lady was a guest of the palace and under the protection of the highest nobles in England and there was nothing more they could do.

Together they turned their steps towards the nearest tavern to commiserate.

England had not forgotten the matter of the unprovoked French attack on England's shires Flandern and Holland and set about planning how to get even. Getting practically dared to try to storm the French castle by king Black Raven in various messages exchanged, only increased the determination of the English knights.

It took a while, but finally all allies were gathered, all armies had crossed the channel, this time around the baggage trains and supplies had been efficiently organized by Chancellor James.

So here the English knights and their allies stood before the walls of the French castle - and with grim determination set out to storm them....