“There’s bread,” Drea offered. “And a little jam. I planned to go to the market today, so there’s not much left ready to eat.”
“Sick of bread,” grumbled Gawain.
Drea tapped her chin. “Wait, there’s leftover dried sausage in the pantry.”
“Perfect!” Gawain’s eyes lit up as he hopped his way to the pantry, making little Anna and Percy giggle.
While Joan wrapped Ulrich’s ankle in stiff linen for support, he began laughing. “You ladies had fun, and you deserve it. We’ve no right to complain. While we pranced about the woods, beating our chests and declaring our prowess, you cared for our homes and children as you always do.” He shot Gawain, Lionel, and Perceval a severe look. “We’ve no right to complain. If fact, we should thank our wives for all …show more content…
The parade carried on. There were hunters, drummers, young children reenacting the hunt, and then, finally, Perceval, Lionel, and Ulrich appeared. Ulrich limped, but he managed. Each man paused to kiss his wife.
“Where are Gawain and Wallace?” asked Drea.
Perceval suppressed a smile. “You’ll see. Any moment now.”
There was a deep rumbling sound of tall wheels rolling against the dirt and gravel lane. An instant later, an enormous, open cart crested the ridge. The dozen men on the cart flanked the three dead boars pierced on pikes. In the front stood Sir Daniel, sans tunic, beside Wallace, who was also shirtless, his body covered in black coal paint. Gawain sat on a bench toward the back and kept an on everyone.
With one arm around Wallace, and holding a boar head in his other hand, Daniel cried, “Four years of luck to Camelot!”
He then handed over the bloody head to Wallace, and the child held it high, repeating, “Four years of luck to Camelot!”
Daniel hoisted Wallace onto his shoulders, and the crowd became jubilant, shouting, “Four, four, four, four!”
Drea shook her head at the spectacle, but a faint smile curved her lips. “I cannot believe this. Wallace will talk about this for ages. If he doesn’t perish from cold