Lords and Ladies

If you grew up on a dirt road in New England like I did, you know about the fifth season:  Mud season.  In the interest of keeping everyone on the same page, know this:  Mud season is the season sort of in between winter and spring when the snow melts off and everything turns to mud. 

It's not very romantic, and it involves a lot of slogging to the bus stop in boots that come up so high they obscure your vision. 

So... I was thinking about something earlier; lords of yore!  More specifically, Lord Winterfall.  Where did I hear that?  I have no idea, but get this:  What if Lord Winterfall had a family and all their names followed the same theme? 

  **The scene:  A strikingly beautiful castle on a hilltop.  Trumpets sound, banners and other such festoonery are strung with gusto across courtyards, and wreathes of fresh local flora garnish the
usually intimidating battlements.** 

The strong voice of a brightly-garbed herald rises above the general hubbub and the noise of the crowd shrinks to a hushed murmur. 

"Ladies and gentleman may I present Lord Winterfall, and his lovely wife Countess Autumn!"

There is much craning of necks and nodding of heads as the regal couple makes their way through the lavish throne room, adorned in the finest furs and silk.  Lord Winterfall inconspicuously crop-dusts a group of obnoxious merchants whom he knows are only there to score brownie points.  He leans over and whispers to his wife.

"Shazzam!"  She tries not to laugh and snorts a little. 

The herald continues.

"May I present the Winterfall's beautiful daughter, Summer!"

Every teenage peasant boy in the place has his heart broken as the most beautiful girl they have ever seen calmly walks past without looking at any of them and takes her place at her mothers side. 

"May I present Lord Winterfalls son and heir to the Winterfall throne; Mud!"

Mud always hated formal functions. 

TSN