"Godmother, I beg to join you tomorrow in bringing the gift to Lord Cumberland's castle." John Neville puffed out his chest and stared at Isabel without squinting.

At this time, William Parr came to his nephew's side and looked at Isabel with apologetic eyes, "I'm sorry, Your Excellency, I... I couldn't stop John. ”

Isabel glanced at him, then calmly looked at her godson, "John, tell me, why do you want to go with me?" ”

Young John, who stood with his hands behind his back and his legs straddled, calmly replied: "Godmother, I think I am ready and it is time to fulfill my duty. ”

Antonia, who was sitting quietly in Madame Jazz's seat, couldn't help but smile dumbly, "John, your... The duty seems to be to learn, train, and grow happily, isn't it? ”

"Ma'am, I... I admit you're right. However, when I learned knightly skills, I also learned the spirit and virtues of knighthood. ”

"Well, you are a good boy who is wise, brave, and not afraid of danger. However, you are not even the age of a knight's squire. ”

"Ma'am, I... I'm physically stronger than the average boy, and I can swim, throw guns, swordfight, ride, and hunt. ”

Isabel, who had been silent, heard the end, and already felt a trace of reluctance from her godson's tone, and seemed to be a little lacking in confidence. He looked at his mother and nodded, then turned his head to look at the boy again, "John, you want me to give you a chance to prove yourself, don't you?" ”

"Yes, godmother." When John answered, there were tears of excitement in his eyes.

"So, are you afraid of death? I'm not talking about the schoolyard of Asker Manor, but like hell, either you die or he lives! ”

"I... I am not afraid, whether my opponents are Highlanders, Frenchmen or Yorkshire thieves, I will not be afraid! ”

Isabel glanced at her mother, and she meant that she couldn't stop her godson's duel either. Then, shaking his head and looking at his godson, "John, I have three requests. ”

Although John didn't hear his godmother's words of approval, he knew he was close to success. The little chest rose and fell a little excitedly, "Yes, godmother." ”

"First, you can't move freely without my orders."

"Yes, godmother."

"Second, you have to follow me at all times, and you can't leave my sight."

"Godmother, if I want to go peeing and ......"

The boy's words made the others laugh softly, and Isabel snorted softly, "Of course you can leave." ”

John hurriedly puffed up his chest again, and heard his godmother then command, "Third, no matter where you go with me, or what you do, you will not be paid a penny." ”

"Godmother, honorarium... I can get it from the enemy, horses, weapons, armor, and personal belongings, all of which can be counted as my honorarium, right? ”

"Well, as long as you can take it, it can count as your trophy."

———————————

Before dinner, Sir Augustine, who had returned from the magistrate's court, expressed little surprise at John's decision. On the contrary, Sir was only a little curious about the Duke of Richmond's gift to the Earl of Cumberland.

At this time, there were only two people in the living room, Sir and his daughter Isabel. William Parr had returned to the 2nd Guard by the time Sir returned to the manor, and his nephew John was tending to the horses used for the next day's mission, and after dinner he was packing up some weapons, armor, and belongings for the mission.

Sir took a sip of a glass of wine, looked at his daughter and smiled softly, "It turns out that His Highness gave Lord Cumberland a gift for this reason. ”

Isabel, who was unfamiliar with the inside story, just sat down in her chair relaxed and nodded, "Yes, sir." Lord Cumberland, who was His Highness's colleague on the Council, replied to His Highness and the Duchess, and it was only a courtesy exchange between the nobles. Unless, there is something else between the two nobles. ”

"Daughter, don't you know your Highness's relationship with Lord Cumberland?"

"Relationship? Sir, what will be the relationship between them? ”

Sir smiled and stroked his beard, "Actually, this is a family matter for the two nobles. It seems that His Highness did not tell you that there is also his own reason. ”

Isabel nodded thoughtfully, "Well, it's natural that things within the family don't easily tell anyone else. ”

"Daughter, I have also heard from other judges, that the mother of Mrs. Cumberland, Her Royal Highness Princess Mary Tudor, is the sister of His Majesty the King. And because Her Royal Highness the Princess is a good partner of Queen Catherine of Aragon, Her Royal Highness the Princess has always opposed the divorce of Her Majesty the King and the Queen. ”

"Well, it seems that this is indeed a family matter between His Highness and his relatives. It's just that how did His Highness get along happily with Lord Cumberland? ”

"Lord Cumberland is the son-in-law of Her Royal Highness the Princess, and he has no bad relationship with Her Highness. So, the two of them were able to work together on the committee until now. ”

Isabel took a sip of wine and smiled at her father, "Sir, I think this is a grievance between my father's generation, and it won't affect His Highness's relationship with Lord Cumberland, right?" ”

Sir just shook his head, "This is a family feud that can't be resolved for a while." God forbid, His Highness did not turn this grudge into force. Child, you know, the use of force to settle grievances is a northern tradition. ”

"Sir, Lord Cumberland is a military nobleman guarding Cumberland?"

"Yes, Lord Cumberland's father, Earl Cumberland I, was an elite knight of His Majesty the King in his youth, and his knightly martial arts were completely on a par with Lord Surrey. Therefore, His Majesty appointed him to guard the border. ”

"Father, don't worry, as long as His Majesty the King is still on the throne, His Highness will not have an irresolvable grudge with Lord Cumberland."

Sir Augustine nodded thoughtfully, "That's true. ”

At this time, the butler came in and announced, "Sir, Miss, dinner is ready, and I have asked Madame to go too." ”

Isabel turned her head to look at the butler, "I see." Well, where is John? Get him back for dinner. ”

"Mademoiselle, Mr. Neville is still tending to the horses in the stables, and I will have him found at once."

"Okay, go ahead."

After the butler left, Sir spoke of tomorrow's escort mission, "Daughter, you have to do your best to keep John from being harmed along the way. Otherwise, his father, Lord Latimer, would have aggravated his illness in the grief of losing his eldest son, perhaps ......"

When Isabel stood up, she looked at her father with a serious expression, "Sir, I will." This is the Duke of Richmond's escort, and I am sure that no thief has dared to rob His Highness of the gift given to Lord Cumberland. ”