In the days after Ambrosius had spoken to them the village men made plans. They would wait for Samhuinn when the final harvest was gathered. Days were short then and the autumn mists deterred prying eyes. On the morning of the appointed day Wat managed to find a few moments with Hilde. "I am sorry for the way Geoffrey treats thee Wat, it is my fault for looking on thee but somehow thy smile makes my misery bearable." "If Geoffrey did not beat me for that he would find reason. But he beats thee for nothing Hilde, why doest accept that?" "Because I am a woman, try to understand, I fear for my children more than I suffer from his blows." "Thou art a free woman," "What does freedom mean to Geoffrey, none here has the strength to fight him and he cares for nothing except power. In Vanning now his sword is the only law." "I vow to thee Hilde, I will end this misery and suffering, one day soon I will free thee." "Hush Wat, such talk will get the killed. We women know something is afoot, we know Ambrosius came here. It is safer for me if I know nothing of the plan. But promise me, good Wat, do not try to fight Geoffrey alone. I need you here not in the earth." "I know thou mayest never be mine Hilde, I am a serf and thee a freewoman but I would love thee more than my own life. Were it possible I would even be a father to this bastard thou bearest." He placed his hand upon the woman's swelling belly. Hilde stayed him. " The child shames me Wat, I pray each day that God takes it from me." Wat took her hand in both of his, "Precious Hilde, do not lose hope." She smiled and for a second the sadness left her eyes. "Wat, I am an old woman, I have five years on thee. Stop this nonsense. " Slapping his shoulder playfully she walked away before they were seen. * Later in the village Geoffrey asked a peasant named Gyrd and his wife if they had seen Hilde. They told of her meeting in the fields that morning an earned themselves a beating for it. Gyrd was one of the two men not included in the conspiracy, his wife was a sharp tongued scold and the man dared not oppose her. She had demanded they earn the Reeve's favour in order to gain advantage and so the other villagers were pleased by their misfortune. The lightening of the mood did not last long. Geoffrey greeted Hilde with a heavy blow which knocked her to the ground where she received a kick in the stomach. The beating that followed was merciless. Only when satisfied that Hilde would not defy him again Geoffrey went in search of Wat. "The men are gone to the near wood to harvest nuts," one of the village boys told him. Geoffrey mounted his horse and set off. Edwin was attacking a Walnut tree with a strong staff to shake down the nuts when he became aware of the Reeve's approach. He ceased and walked slowly to greet the rider. "Where is Wat, I shall teach him that a serf does not lay eyes upon the woman I took for myself." "Yes, took sire, thou imposed thyself on her and now thou treatest her as thy serf. It is not right, she is a freewoman with no father or brother to speak for her. She mun be allowed to make her own choices." All around the copse the sound of staffs striking branches became quite threatening. "Darest thou tell me what is right peasant?" Geoffrey raised his hand but something in Edwin's stare made him check. "Aye sire, I do dare, for here all men are equal and all of us are of the same mind. Thou mun pay for the wrongs done to us." Suddenly Geoffrey was aware that the other men had closed a circle around him. "I will make you pay," he said, but the great battlesword was only half drawn when a quarter staff swung by Wat felled him with a blow to the kidneys. Tom Smith stepped forward and smashed both kneecaps with a cudgel. "Please," Geoffrey whimpered through his pain, "I had to satisfy the Baron who demanded more taxes. My legs are broken, have pity." "Thou begs pity who showed none," said Peter Shepherd, "Baron Godric was always a fair man." The Shepherd's foot crashed down onto Geoffrey's crotch. The beating went on, as thorough as any Geoffrey had administered. He was still conscious though a bloody mass when Wat knelt beside his former master. "This is for Hilde," he spat in Geoffrey's face. The wounded tyrant switched from pleading to threats. "So this is because of the woman, you would hang for a woman you can never have serf? All of you will hang." "Who will bear witness," a sonorous voice said. Wat slapped both the Reeve's bloody cheeks, "and that is for me." "Thou mayest have Hilde, when I am married to Lady Alise and am thy lord, Wat. Who will want her then with a bastard child? Let me go and she is yours." "To offer Hilde in exchange for mercy insults her once more." Wat cried in fury as he plunged a knife into Geoffrey's chest. "You must all strike a blow," said Ambrosius stepping among them. The men fell on Geoffrey's dying body, eager to plunge their own blades into the flesh. "And now you a free, but none must ever speak of this, not even among yourselves." The ancient man waved and Brand stepped out of the shadows with another forester. The pair loaded the body onto a litter of branches. "We will bury him deep, in a grove of Beech Trees where the swine will forage for nuts. By the morrow there will be no trace of a grave." Brand said. "You will always be welcome in Vanning," said Edwin. The men turned to express their thanks to Ambrosius but he said "what have I done? All of you have found within you the strength of The One and learned to use it. Do not forget this lesson. Blessed be." As the awed villagers murmured their farewells the wise old man took Wat's arm and drew him away. "Thy crime, Wat, was greater because it was born out of anger. Thou must pay a higher price." "Shall I give myself up to the bailiff's?" "And confess all under torture? No Wat, the justice of The One is kinder than the justice of men, thou'll not hang. Often it is to one's benefit to pay the price. To redeem thyself thou must use Geoffrey's silver to buy freedom and then be Hilde's protector. Her wound are deep and they chafe at her soul. Such wounds take long to heal. Thou art a good man, care for her well." Wat grinned, delighted with his punishment, "Thank you Friar Ambrose." "I am no Friar, lad. I serve an older God," Ambrosius said. "We are told there is but one God." "So it is, but that God does not dwell in churches, it can only be found in the hearts of good people. Be true to yourself Wat, and good to others and you serve The One. But go to church and pay your tithes and always remember the punishments of men are more harsh." Ambrosius touched each member of the group on the forehead and then was gone. Back To Fiction Menu RELATED POSTS :

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