by Sharon Gibbs
The pots over the fire were dry, and Elle stacked them on the shelves over to the side.
‘Come on, girl!’ the cook yelled. ‘Start taking the water up, they’ll be in need of a wash today.’
It was the first Sunday of the month and today they’d take the prisoner out and parade him around the town, where everyone, even the staff at the manor, would be expected to attend. The soldiers who walked with the prisoner would remind the people of this captive they held, and belittle him whenever they could to show their superiority over him. Their Lord was ruler of the realm and no one could take it away from him. Elle hated the first Sunday in the month. It saddened her heart to see this man treated in this way. Tonight she’d make sure he’d an extra slice of bread in the bottom of his bowl.
One day, she thought to herself, someone will come for him. It surely must happen, right?
The bell in the market square rang and Elle raced down the path and through the gates of the estate. She hurried on to her place in the crowd. The sun shone and the day was warm and Elle waited for the prisoner to be escorted past. No one liked to watch as he was shepherded by, and they cringed as the soldiers poked and prodded him with sticks. As Elle looked towards the manor she could see them. The man wore the collar and was led like a dog as two soldiers followed him with long sticks. The man walked on towards the town to endure his punishment but, because he was so used to the dark, it took a little time for his eyes to become accustomed to the bright sunlight. This caused him to stumble and trip and he had to squint against the brightness that seared into his eyes.
The people of Canameer had always known Clarence as a noble and gentle man. He’d always helped others and had been a great strength within the town, but now this was his punishment so the people could be reminded there was no hope. He was no more than a slave and Elle watched as they made their way towards her. When the man looked up, Elle smile her sunniest smile for him. It warmed his heart to always see her there and it gave him the strength to walk on. As soon as they’d passed, Elle ran back to the manor to clean his cell, change the blankets and stockpile a few things before the prisoner came back.
The time flew by and before Elle was finished the prisoner returned. The guard who had placed the collar around his neck was the one who had to remove it and after doing so, he shoved the man back into the vault and told Elle to hurry up and finish her work.
‘I’m not quite done. I won’t be long,’ Elle said and in reply the soldier huffed and walked away. With the prisoner back in his cell there wasn’t much more he could do. Rarely this happened so Elle took advantage of the time she had.
‘Are you alright, sir?’
‘I’m fine, and stop calling me sir. You know my name is Clarence. Please use it,’ he said in a firm manner. He wasn’t cross with her, but he felt the two of them were friends, and he respected the risk this girl took to provide him with his basic daily needs. If it wasn’t for her, he was sure he would’ve perished long ago.
When she’d first come to work at the manor Clarence had been ill. His treatment had been poor and his health had suffered. He was little more than skin and bone and sores festered on his body due to his malnutrition. Elle had helped him then, and now she made sure he’d enough food and clean water. His chamber pot no longer sat in the room for a week at a time and his living conditions had improved because of her kindness.
As Elle tidied the room she dropped hints about where she’d hidden supplies for him. It wasn’t often that she spoke directly to him, but chatted away as if she was in her own world. The soldiers thought she was odd, but she’d learnt quickly that if they suspected or saw her pay Clarence attention, she’d be removed from the cell and the door would be locked behind her. Elle could come and go from the cell as she pleased while she wore the amulet, and she took advantage that she’d been left alone and the door to the vault had been left open. The cellar door that led up to the kitchen, let light stream through the hole in the floor and Elle knew it would please Clarence to see the sunlight beam through the hatch, so she took her time as she finished her chores.
‘I’m sorry, Clarence, but I have to leave now. Cook will wonder where I am,’ she said and it saddened her heart to have to leave him and close the door.
‘I know, my child, it’s fine. You’ve always done far more for me than you really should. I worry about you, child.’ It did worry Clarence. Every day Elle took risks for him, and he knew if she continued eventually she’d be caught.
‘Don’t you have people that worry about you? Surely you must have someone that misses you?’ Elle said. She often dreamed of the day that someone would come for him.
‘I don’t know of any others left,’ Clarence said. ‘All I can do is wait and hope that one day this will all be over. I believe the One will come and release us all and hope it will be soon, dear Elle.’
‘How will we know the One?’
‘You’ll know when you see him,’ he said.
Elle packed up her bucket and cloths and said she’d see him at supper. She closed the door and slipped the bar across before she reluctantly snapped the locks in place. As the locks clicked closed the sound made her heart ache, but she knew it had to be done. She dragged her feet as she walked back up the stairs to the kitchen and then she closed the hatch to the cellar and went back to her chores.
Chapter Sixteen
The arrow flew through the air as he let it go. It whipped through the thicket until it met its target and struck true. Jack had watched the rabbit as it huddled in the undergrowth. It had been further than he’d thought but he’d been lucky. He’d accounted for the breeze that ruffled the grassland around him. He wasn’t used to the bow anymore, but the lessons he’d been taught as a child had served him well and he’d eat tonight. He walked over to the rabbit and picked it up, and although he felt sorry for the creature, he had to eat. It’d been three days since his last decent meal and he’d survived on the rice and beans he carried with him. Four more days and he’d be home, back in Canameer, to be reunited with his family.
He placed the rabbit inside the canvas bag he carried with him and strapped it on his horse. His sword hung in a leather holder on his back and made for easy access when it was needed. Since he’d left the army, he’d had no reason to draw the sword and it had remained safely ensconced in the leather.
Jack had decided to leave the army in Alberdez and travel back to his family. After he’d been away for so many years, he’d realised that no matter how good a swordsman he’d become, he’d never defeat the Antrobus army on his own. Jack had organised other soldiers, who he’d become friends with, to travel down in a few weeks and meet up with him in Canameer. They, too, had become disheartened with the constant grind in a battle which dragged them further away from their southern roots.
Jack’s childhood fantasy over the years had dwindled and the truth had come to light.
In the army he’d trained hard and travelled up through the ranks to become a Captain before he’d left. He’d finally come to accept that there were no plans for the army to travel south and help the people of Solencia. The army of Alberdez had no interest in the south and pushed north to obtain land and wealth where the climate was temperate.
Many years ago the people of Screin had been pushed from their homelands. They were cast out and wandered the deserts in search of a new homeland. After many years they’d settled in Alberdez, where the people had welcomed them and over the years they’d rebuilt their army. They were now a force that invaded, conquered and took back the lands that had been stripped from them. The people the army encountered were treated well and it didn’t take long before they came to accept the Screin as their own. King Siobian was far more generous than the previous rulers and the people were happy to live within his rule. This King was fair and just.
Jack found a place to camp for the night and lit a small fire. Then he prepared the rabbit for his evening meal. The rabbit smelt good as it roasted on the spit over the fire, and he turned it oft
en to make sure it was cooked through before he placed it on a rock to cool. After he’d eaten his fill Jack settled down for the night next to the small fire. The days were warm and the nights were cold and soon the winter would come. Not long now, Jack thought, as he lay near the fire for warmth and he’d be home in Canameer with his father and sister. He’d thought of them often, over the years and had sent money when he could. The fire burnt down and the stars seemed brighter. Contented, Jack slowly drifted off to sleep.
Chapter Seventeen
As Henry and Eleanor spent time with their family ensconced within the Keep for winter, Arnak and Athena watched as the snow fell and the people of Reist lined up outside the gates just as Arnak had predicted.
They waited to see the Lord and plead their case. Their families were hungry and there was no way they could feed them. Some young men offered themselves in exchange for coin to feed their families and some wanted a warm bed and food each day. Others had no choice but to give one of their sons to the army to save the rest as their hunger grew with each day that passed. And so every day more lined up outside the gates and waited to be paid in exchange for one of their own.
Athena stood to the side of her brother as he saw each family in turn. The contracts were drawn and ready to sign as each stepped forward. If the family’s son was of a good age and looked healthy then the Lord would pay the price offered with no question. But if the son was too young to train or was too thin, the Lord would haggle the price. Most accepted what was offered and only a few turned and left with their family intact. Arnak knew they’d be back later that winter and he’d then offer them less.
As money exchanged hands the son offered would step forward. If he were old enough, he’d mark his name on the contract and be forever beholden to the army of Reist. If he were too young, then the head of the household would sign the contract. Some people could write and read, others marked their names as best they could and hoped they’d only sold their son. As they stepped forward Athena sealed all contracts with magic. She took their hand and bound them to Arnak for a thousand years. She tested the men and boys’ inner souls to see if they carried any taint of evil. If they did she’d drain from them one year’s worth of their life. The enchantment she cast upon them would make them do the Lord’s bidding, whether they wanted to or not.
So the bargains were made and sealed and the army began to grow and they’d continue to build it through the long winter months. The army would train in the spring, but for now these newcomers would work within the grounds and build weapons and carts to take to war.
Chapter Eighteen
Joseph Gala and his sons, Peter and James, had been up at the Ridge for the last few days. After several trees had been cut down they’d used the horses to drag them down to the Meer River and float them down stream. Workers waited down river near the wood-yards, ready to drag the logs in to the edge of the banks. Then, horses were used to pull the logs from the water and stack them to dry and be split later.
Christopher arrived at the Gala’s campsite. He removed his gear from his horse before he turned her out into the makeshift pen near their tents. He’d seen his friends not far from where he entered the campsite and strolled off to catch up with them.
‘Afternoon, Christopher,’ Joseph said as he saw him approach. ‘What brings you out here?’
‘Thought I might come and lend a hand until you finished this evening. Needed to have a word with your lads when you’ve finished for the day.’
‘Aye, lad. Well grab an axe and help James over there to bring the old girl down safely.’
Christopher nodded and went off to fetch an axe. He knew there’d be no time to talk until after the day’s work, but he’d already known this before he’d set out for the Ridge. Christopher needed a good work out to soothe and balance himself before he talked to Peter and James that night. He chose an axe and wished that he’d brought his own. If work was slow with his uncle, Christopher would often travel with Joseph and his boys when they felled trees before winter.
As Christopher sauntered over to James, he greeted him and James nodded in return. Christopher moved around to the opposite side of the tree where they’d work in tandem. James had already sliced a wedge into one side of the trunk, which would dictate where the tree would fall, and now all they had to do was cut into the wedge from the opposite side, slightly higher, and she’d lay down exactly where they wanted her to.
James was warm, but he slowed his pace until Christopher was ready. One by one they cut into the same patch of the tree. It wasn’t long before Christopher was ready and James set the pace. Their axes flew in rhythm in a constant barrage against the tall trunk. They chipped away at the tree’s girth until they sliced into the wedge on the other side.
As the tree creaked and groaned James and Christopher stepped back. James called out and all around stopped to watch, as the giant began her descent. Safety was paramount for all in the area as these trees could crush a man even with the smallest of its limbs. The tree cracked and shifted its weight as the top-heavy canopy toppled. James was pleased. She’d fall exactly where he’d planned. Her giant canopy led her descent and as she fell James and Christopher cleared away from her base. There was the ever-present danger that the trunk would shift and kick out to the side as her limbs and trunk crashed to the floor.
Now the tree was down their task was to cut her into manageable sized logs. All other wood, not suitable for the carpenters, was cut into firewood and would be taken back to the village. They were careful which trees they took and managed the land well. After the soldiers had invaded, many trees and forests had been ransacked, hacked for their limbs and then left broken and battered to rot in the weather. Joseph and his sons had set out to restore the lands where they could and when they’d cut all the wood they needed, they would replant the area so it could rejuvenate. They never took the trees from the same place and always rotated their areas of work.
Armed with the long saw, Christopher and James worked on the length of the trunk. As they cut the trunk into logs, the horses would drag the logs down to the river. It was a long afternoon and as the sun began to set, James and Christopher packed up their tools and wandered back to the camp.
Joseph had finished work earlier and had lit a fire to prepare the evening meal. Peter took care of the horses as Christopher and James returned to the camp. The horses needed to be brushed and have their hooves picked out before they were fed for the night. James carried buckets down to the river to fetch fresh water for the horses, while Christopher and Peter brushed each of them in turn. Peter asked about Christopher’s sudden visit and Christopher briefly explained to him about his grandfather’s visit.
‘I really don’t want to say too much just yet, Peter. I know we’re the best of friends but I feel it would be rude to tell you before your father hears the news, especially because I have to ask him to do me a great favour.’
Peter knew Christopher was holding back, but he also knew Christopher respected his father as if he were his own, so he let the subject drop. James returned with the water and helped feed the horses and settled them for the night. Hot water had been left in a pot for the boys to wash and Joseph stirred their evening meal; he could make any food taste good. As a young man Joseph had been the camp cook for a lumber crew until he’d taken up an axe.
The men filled their mugs and sat down to wait for their dinner. They talked and joked about events of the last few weeks. Joseph’s boys had spoken to him about the armoury stashed in Jimmy’s barn and they were told a slightly different version of the truth. Joseph had said that One would come to unite the people within the towns and villages and when that happened the people needed to be ready. The boys questioned their father on the matter and Joseph had then held his tongue. The time wasn’t right just yet and he’d asked them to let it be, for now. Joseph and Albert were close and they too shared information between themselves and they planned to assist the One when the time came. They’d sent out feelers and made a
ssociations in many other towns and villages and they too built their own pockets of resistance.
After they’d eaten, Joseph turned the conversation to Christopher. ‘Well lad, what brings you out here? I know your uncle has plenty of work for you at the moment.’
‘Yes he does, sir, but I had to speak with you all, and I couldn’t wait until you returned home. I’ll be gone by the time you get back.’
‘Gone? Gone where?’ Peter asked worried. Christopher hadn’t mentioned this earlier.
‘My grandfather wishes me to travel with him to Canameer,’ Christopher said.
‘What! What grandfather, lad? You better start over and fill us in from the beginning,’ Joseph said, concerned. He’d never heard Albert mention Christopher’s grandfather before. Never in all the conversations they’d had was he mentioned. Joseph had treated Christopher as one of his own. Their families had always been close, even before Christopher had arrived to live with Albert and Rose. When Joseph’s wife had died it was Albert and Rose who rallied around the Galas and helped Joseph and his boys through those troubled times. Christopher had fit in with their family from his first visit and the boys had become close. They never bickered, and Christopher’s love of the world had rubbed off on Joseph’s boys, which Joseph was grateful for. This harsh life and the loss of their mother could’ve seen them turn bitter towards life, as Joseph had seen in some.
Christopher retold his grandfather’s story. From his life at the Keep to their escape to Canameer and the binding of his powers, until the time that Henry had left him in Albert and Rose’s care.
They were astonished. They’d always known Christopher was special, but they’d never expected this.
‘How soon before you leave with your grandfather?’ James was amazed. He was younger than Peter and Christopher and he’d always been in awe of them.
