by Fiona Faris
“Well, how the hell are we gonna kill ‘im? I havenae even had me lunch yet, I havenae the stomach fer killin’ this early in the day.” The first man grumbled, complaining about having to kill Aithe as if he were simply a rodent to dispose of. He moaned in irritation. The conversation sickened Aithe to his core.
“Aye, I dinnae ken if I want tae kill ‘im now either. Why dinnae we tie him up, leave ‘im behind the stable until we feel like dealin’ with it. I’m mightae hungry.” Aithe prayed internally, hoping they’d be gone long enough to give him a real chance of escaping. One man took a long stretch of rope and began binding Aithe’s hands behind his back. He pulled the rope tightly, cutting into Aithe’s skin. They carelessly rolled him over, his face crunching into the dirt. But he did not move. He knew his life depended on them considering him to be entirely unconscious. It was the only way he would be able to escape. He thought of Alice… he had let her down. He needed to get free to save her as soon as possible. He should have taken her further past the border, where her uncle would not find her. Why did he stop so close? He should have known that man would do anything to get her. He did, after all, treat her as if she were nothing more than property and a burdensome cost. It pained him worse than the bruises and the beating, to know he had let her down. He thought of her, the way she cried out to him as she was dragged into the carriage. It caused his heart to drop into the pit of his stomach. If he didn’t get to her in time, would she be sent off to Sussex? Fear rolled through Aithe. He had to do all he could to escape alive.
Once the men had Aithe tied up, they dragged him in the dirt to the back of the stables. They continued whispering about how they could possibly kill him.
“Aye, I hate tryin’ tae kill big men like this, they always fight ye, and I havenae the will tae fight. That damn Earl isnae payin’ us much either,” one man complained to the other. Aithe could not believe men of his own heritage would turn against him so quickly, for terrible pay too it sounded like. They got to the back of the stables and the men rolled him behind a pile of hay. Aithe felt the ropes around his wrists with his fingers beneath his back. They were tied tightly. There was little he could do to escape, especially given they had bound his legs with the same rope. He waited until he heard the men’s voices fade into the distance before opening his eyes and looking around. He heard them mumble about trying to find a good wench for a short while before dealing with him, making Aithe more hopeful of having the necessary time to get away. As they walked off, they talked about finding a good bowl of stew and ale to wash it down with.
Aithe opened his eyes and looked around. All he could see was the hay that surrounded him and empty space as far as his eyes could see. There wasn’t a soul around to help him. It would be entirely up to him to get away. He moved his hands, but the pain from his head radiated down his neck and arms. He rolled himself around until he was able to use all his strength to sit up. He was close enough to the back wall of the stables and able to guide himself to sit up against it. As he scooched back, using his wounded leg, he almost howled out in pain. The man had hit him good, and wouldn’t be surprised if it was broken and wound up weaker than when he had started the day.
Aithe looked around and tried to find a tool to help him escape. He knew there was a back door to the stables somewhere, perhaps around one of the corners. But if he moved from behind the stables, he risked being seen. He thought, however, that it was likely his only option. He needed to find a way to crawl to the far corner of the stable, where the backdoor probably existed. If he could get inside, he could likely find some tool to cut through the rope. There was always a shovel or something lying around. He would have to pray that the horses were peaceful and would not get restless.
Aithe pushed himself off of the back wall of the stables and onto his stomach. His leg ached with great pain, and he bit his lip to stop from screaming out. But he knew he needed to press on and pushed against the ground and moved forward. Once he rounded the large pile of hay, he would be able to see more clearly where the back entrance was. He inched forward bit by bit, each movement hurting him more than the last.
Once he was past the piles of hay, he rolled onto his back. He took in a deep breath and sighed.
Alrighty, lad, ye can dae this. Ye need tae get tae Alice. He tried to push himself, to tell himself what he needed to hear, but the pain moving through his body was too great. He only needed to do one more big lift to get his body up and sitting. And then he could find the back entrance. He lifted his body, but quickly fell back. The strength in his mid-section had been weakened by the injuries.
“Ach,” he cried out as he crashed back onto the floor. He took in a deep breath and tried again, lifting himself until this time, he was able to balance. Right away, he saw the back door was just to the side of the haystacks. He let out a sigh of relief. It was closer than he thought, and it would only take a few more moments of dragging and pushing to get inside the stable. There, he could likely find something to help him get out of the ropes. He leaned back until he landed with a hard thud on his back again, rolled over, moving back on his stomach as it was easier to push himself that way. He clenched his thighs against the rope and bent his knees, moving his legs to push forward.
He continued like that, pushing again and again, until he was only a few steps away from the back door. But the movements were making Aithe see stars, and he feared he would find himself unconscious again from the pain if he did not stop for a moment. So he paused. But each moment he paused made him fear all the more for Alice. He took a few quick breaths, trying to bring the blood rushing back to his body, willing himself to go on. He pushed forward one more time but felt his body collapse… He was so close to the entrance. Aithe closed his eyes, willing more strength into his body. He feared he would not make it.
Suddenly, Aithe heard the crunch of shoes on the dirt in the stable. His heart raced. Could it be the men had returned early?
“’Ello again, sir, I'm sorry I didnae rush over sooner.” Aithe forced himself to look up and there, he saw the face of the young boy who they had met only yesterday. Aithe let out a loud sigh of relief.
“Aye, lad, is alrigh’. Where did ye come from? Did ye see th’ men?” He grunted out the words, realizing how absolutely weak he sounded.
The boy nodded and squatted down. Aithe tried to still himself so he could give the boy access to the ropes. “I was hidin’ inside. I had tae push myself into one of the small spaces with one of the stallions. I saw what they did tae ye and yer wife, I’m bloody sorry.” The boy was shaking his head as he spoke and Aithe could see the sorrow in his eyes. He had witnessed everything. The poor lad had remained there in hiding, likely afraid of what would happen if they found him.
“Ye did good lad, hidin'. Those men were nay one-bit kind and would nay deny themselves a chance tae scare ye as well. I appreciate ye comin out. Dae ye think ye can undae the ropes?” Aithe asked, feeling pressured for time once again.
“I’ll dae what I can, sir. The ropes are tight, and I dinnae think I can undae them, but I shall go intae the stables and see what I can find. I’m sure there is somethin’ tae cut the ropes with.” The boy spoke in a hushed whisper and moved quickly back into the stables. Aithe heard him looking around and felt some relief knowing the boy was nearby. With his help, he might be able to secure a horse to escape as well. They only needed to get him out of the ropes first.
The boy came back, holding a small hand shovel. He looked down at Aithe confused where to start.
“They tied ye up terribly, sir, ye have ropes all over, and I’m nay sure where tae begin.” Aithe could see the lad was starting to get overwhelmed. He felt terrible, putting him in such a position of danger. As he looked at his young face, he realized just how young the lad must be, maybe only 9 or 10. He couldn’t be much older. For him to witness all of this would likely mark him with fear for life. He needed to hurry and escape and tell the lad to run back home, so he didn’t face the wrath of the two men.
&nbs
p; “Alright, lad, here’s what yer gonnae dae. First, I need ye tae cut this rope here, near me hand. I’ll try tae guide ye. Once me hands are loose, I can dae much of the rest myself. I very much appreciate ye helpin’.” The boy nodded in response and bent down on his knees. He took the small shovel and got to work, pushing it back and forth against the thick rope. Aithe made sure to pull his hands as best as he could to put more pressure onto the rope.
Finally, after what felt like a long while, the rope on his hands broke.
“Och!” Aithe called out. He quickly lowered his voice, “Great work, lad, great work!” He reached over and patted the boy on the arm.
“Dae ye think ye can prepare one of the horses fer me, any horse I can take. I saw the man in the carriage took mine already.” The boy nodded and ran into the stables, leaving Aithe to work at the ropes around his legs and thighs.
By the time he had loosened and undone all of the ropes, the boy was bringing out a quiet mare. “She’s nay as fast as the others, but she is quiet and good. She is me family’s horse. Belongs tae the inn. Me father will understand.” The boy said quickly, giving the horse to Aithe, who took the reins gratefully.
“Thank ye lad, thank ye vary much. Here,” He handed the boy what change he could spare. “Now get on back tae the inn. Ye dinnae want tae be here when they return.”
“Good journey, sir. I hope ye get yer wife.” The boy rushed off without saying another word. Aithe looked at the horse in front of him and patted her on the snout. He knew it would be difficult, but he needed to leave the town as soon as possible. He pulled her reigns and guided her away from the stables, moving towards the border and the small forest near them. His leg ached terribly, and every step only caused a deeper ache to build. But he pushed on.
Once Aithe and the horse reached the edge of the forest, he readied himself to climb on. He knew it would be difficult. His head ached and was causing him to feel dizzy and weak. His leg could barely sustain his weight, but the thought of Alice propelled him, pushed his heart onwards.
Aithe lifted himself and swung one leg over, and the horse seemed to bend for him. On the first try, he landed on its back and settled into the saddle. He clucked his tongue at the beast beneath him, and she pushed forward, speeding into a quick trot.
Aithe tried to think of what might be the best plan, but he had no real ideas. Alice could well be sent off to Sussex at a moment’s notice. There was nowhere for Aithe to go except back to the manor, where everything started, where he and Alice had just escaped only yesterday. If he returned quickly, he might be able to catch her before she was sent away with her promised husband. He wondered if the man would care that she was already wed. Surely Alice would tell them. He hoped the news would buy him time to get there. Having decided where to go, he urged the horse forward. It sped up quickly and obeyed his command.
* * *
The sun was rising high, and Aithe’s body ached. He had been riding for what felt like hours, but he did not know how much longer he needed to push the horse. He was in a calm state of mind when, suddenly, he heard loud shouts behind him. Aithe turned quickly out of fear and saw, not too far off, the two men on horses chasing after him.
“Och! Bloody hell!” Aithe kicked the horse in its sides and urged it with desperation to go forward. He clutched the reins and used all the strength he had left to grip the horse beneath him.
The men followed suit and ordered their horses to go faster. Aithe knew he was not close enough to the manor for Alice to see him, nor for anyone to help him. The men pushed forward, now only a short distance away. He begged the horse to speed up, but she was not made for outrunning horses like theirs. She was a gentle beast, just as the lad had said.
Aithe tried to speed up, but before he knew it, the men had reached his side. He did not know what to do, he tried to outrun them, but they both used a rope to knock him off his horse. Aithe fell to the ground hard, and his mare raced off, afraid of the surrounding horses and men.
They kicked him as soon as he was down and got to work quickly, tying him up and binding him in the same way he was only hours ago. Aithe did not know what to do. He worried they would kill him then and there, so he stilled himself. His horse was gone, he had no strength, there was nothing he could do to escape.
The man who beat him in the head looked down at him, “Well, what are we doin’ with ‘im now?”
Without looking away, the other man replied, “I got a plan fer ‘im, just ye see.”
Chapter Thirteen
Aithe walked, trailing far behind the men, bound by his hands and tethered to one of the men’s horses. He stared forward, trying to think of anything but the future he faced. In front of him, the men joked about his future.
“Well, the man paid us tae kill him, but he didnae ask fer proof!”
“Tis right! He didnae ask fer proof!” The other repeated with laughter in his voice.
“We shall take him, and make even more money off a’ him. I ken what we shall dae. Th’ stupid man, nay askin’ fer proof, we fooled him, didnae we?”
Aithe shook his head. He looked around but had no clear idea of where they were. He wanted to escape, but where would he go? There was nothing for him to do. He needed to move forward. If he used any more energy to fight, he risked them killing him, risked them dragging him on as his body laid unconscious. He couldn’t let that happen. Even as every step ached more and more, he pushed forward.
He tried to use the time to think of a new plan. Surely the men were taking him to another village. Once they settled in somewhere, he could try to find a way to escape again. The two of them seemed dumb enough to leave him alone for a short time. Once he escaped, he could try to find his way back to the manor. If Alice was already gone, he would find out where in Sussex she was, and he would go to her. He swore to himself that if he needed to, he would kill the bloody Earl with his bare hands. He would not allow him to continue controlling Alice. It wasn’t only about responsibility to Christopher, it was his duty as a man of honor, as her husband.
A small tear rolled down Aithe’s cheek as he thought about how excited Alice had been to simply have the time and space to grieve her brother, the time to be herself without being treated like a burden or a pawn. He owed it to her to fight with every bit of his strength. And he would. He would fight until his death if he needed to.
Without warning, the smarter of the men stopped his horse, the one Aithe was tied to and dIsmounted, stumbled over to a nearby tree and proceeded to urinate. Aithe could see the man on the other horse swaying and realized how intoxicated the two of them were. He hoped they would reach a village soon. Since they were recently paid, he hoped they would buy themselves more drink. If they could get even more intoxicated, he might be able to escape and to tie them up, so they did not come after him again. The plan gave Aithe a sense of renewed strength.
Once he was done, the man stumbled back to his horse and swung himself back into the saddle. He pulled out a small canteen and took a swig out of it. His teeth clenched, and he shook his head. Aithe assumed they were still drinking; it was likely whiskey that burned his mouth. He passed it to his partner who took a swig as well. The two of them stood there, which gave Aithe a moment to fall to his knees and rest.
He tried to stay quiet, hoping they would forget about him for a while.
“How far away are we?” The shorter and less intelligent one asked.
“We've got about another hour, nay far at all.” The knowledge both frustrated and excited Aithe. An hour until the village. But the pain in his leg worried him. Would he be able to go for that much longer?
* * *
Aithe stumbled behind the men, following them for about an hour. He wished over and over that he could stop and rest, but that was not the plan they had for him. Finally, they crossed into Northumberland. Aithe was still unsure what they planned to do with him, but knew he needed to keep his head high and to take any opportunity and use it.
On their journey, the men cont
inued drinking and stopping to relieve themselves, so that by the time they arrived just past the border of Northumberland, it was almost dark. The sun was setting, and the weather had cooled.
“What are we doin’ now?” The shorter and less intelligent man asked his partner.
“Well, we shall take ‘im quickly over to the man who owns the mines. He’s always lookin’ fer workers, and I think we shall get a decent amount of coin fer the lad. Are ye ready tae never see the light o’ day again, eh?” He turned at the end of his statement to grin and laugh at Aithe, who simply glared at him. He refused to look down or away and the man met his eyes and snickered before spitting on the ground near him.
“I reckon we shall get a good deal of money!” The other offered.
As they moved towards the village, Aithe hoped there would be an opportunity. He made it a point to focus and look out for any stables where he might be able to steal a horse or to find any person who looked at him with pity and who might be willing to help him. But the village was rather bare, and many of the structures looked the same.
