Abandoned - Candlelit Castle - Story 21 NWS

[Abandoned]

Chapter 15


  When the young lord became of age, the Lord and Lady informed him he would marry the daughter of the captain of the guards, she was quite a bit older but was a good match.  They would be married in the Cathedral on his 15th birthday.  The young lord had other ideas; he was in love with a village girl he met at the market.  She was a bit younger but was expecting his child, he would have no other for wife.  Yes, eager explorer, it must have been a shock to his parents. 

  The village women could not say for sure what happened, whether the Lord of the Castle threw his son out or whether the young lord left of his own accord, but he and the young village girl slipped away, she left a goodbye note for her parents.  Neither the young lord or village girl were seen or heard from again, as far as the village women knew.

  We pointed out that we had a key to the keep and a deed so there must have been some contact; we doubted those items would have been given to the young lord before he left the castle.  The village women agreed and recalled that 3 young monks left shortly after the young lord and his young lady did; the monks were gone for quite some time, perhaps they went in search of him.

  Dark days fell over the Castle after that, few if any candles were lit. The Lord and Lady of the Castle were rarely seen.   There were no new projects started or repairs being done.  There was no merrymaking at the monk's garden center or the village brewer barrel.  The grape vines were not being tended, and the apple orchard was neglected and overrun with other trees.   More young people left the village and castle.