Two young lovers wander through the Poppies and the Rosebay Willowherb that blanketed the Derbershire Meadows. They stopped just at the edge of the Meadow. He grabbed and pulled her to him. He released her after giving her a passionate kiss.
All of this was caught by a soldier positioned at a window in the Northberg Fotress. He envied the man because he has not been with a woman since before the battle of Kent almost a year ago.
The woman lead the man into the nearby forest to the soldier's left.
The gentle summer morning did not help because it tempted him to pull off his chain mail and helmet. The sight of horses with riders stampeding through the meadows from his right brought him back to reality.He wanted out of the fortress' prison where his captain had placed him that morning, but he did want to experience a slow painful death for desertion.
They called to the soldier who peered out of the window, Robert of Meads. Though he came from wealth, he showed no acumen or culture that wealth would posses. Because of his slow wittedness, he could only serve as a soldier and not a knight.
He had been locked in this room under the Captain of the Guards, William. He had Robert confined to this room because has found him drunk while on duty. He wanted him confined there until Sir Richard would return from London, and then, Richard could decide Robert's fate.
The hooves of the horse crushed some of the poppies and ended the pleasantry of the morning.
Before the fortress, eight riders positioned their horses in front of its gate, while the sentries cried out for the Captain of the Guard.
Now Northberg Fortress had no moat for protection just the walls built by the descendants of the villagers of now deserted Roxbury. The villagers had been pressed into the service of the Romans who would later abandon it when the Gothes took Rome.
Northberg Fortress would later be occupied by the Danes who would abandon it because of the lack of protection against King Arthur. It would finally occupied by a group Anglo Saxon soldiers. They had persuaded to move into it by the Bishop of Kent to protect the nearby Monastery of Axleberry.
Robert heard his Captain shout, "On whose business do you come to this fortress."
"We come on behalf of the Lord Alfred of Warren," the leader of the horsemen shouted, "His son Justice deserted our camp in north Humpfred Fields last night."
"Why should a missing son be of concern of us?" the Captain replied.
"The count has offered a huge reward on his son's head."
The Captain turned towards the men standing behind him, "Well, just don't stand there. Open the gates, and let them in." He started to push them to hurry up. The reward motivated the Captain and Robert.
Robert smiled with glee when he comprehended the meaning of reward. He could buy his way out of being a lowly soldier. Maybe with his reward he could be a landowner and get his revenge on his Captain for all the abuse he suffered under his command.
The leader of the horseman, Sir Raymond who served Alfred of Warren, as a friend and confident. Though he accepted the task of finding Alfred's son, he had wished that he had not. For he knew from the beginning that war had not been in the youth's heart. He reasoned to himself that by taking this charge, he perhaps control Justice's fate.
"They have put a reward on his head, you say?" inquired the Captain. "How much of a reward? Shall we say, to make our involvement in this search worth while."
Sir Raymond seeing where this would be heading. "We don't need your help other than just being on the lookout for Justice. Besides Alfred, wants to keep this a family matter." The last thing that Sir Raymond needed would be reward hunters.
"Your involvement is to be on the lookout for this and keep us inform," Raymond replied. "We will continued our search."
"But, we don't even know what this knight looks like, and how do we tell you that we found him."
"At thiis time, a lonely knight should seem odd to you," Raymond said. Raymond tired of this conversation motioned to his men to leave.
"One thing that I must warn that this father may a huge reward for son's return, he will take revenge on those who harm his son," Raymond said. "It won't be a pleasant death."
After Raymond left the room, a soldier noticed the look on the Captain's. "Sir you heard Raymond."
"I'm listening to some old fool," the Captain cut the soldier off. "They put a reward on this cowardly knight, and beside do you know how much this knight is worth to his father, dead or live."
Alfred picked the cup up in his hands, and swirled the wine around. My son has ruined everything. He has shamed me. I will lose everything that I have gained by him being knight. He could not grant his father some pleasure in old age.
The door to Robert's room opens. "Here's your noontime rations," his guard says. "If it was up to me, you would not get this."
The guard throws the plate on the table, and just as he was ab;out to leave, Robert stops him.
"Please don't me here alone."
"I already told how I feel about."
"Who were those men and who is that knight they were talking about.?"
"I could suffer for just talking to about you," the guard replied. "I won't tell you who those men were." He turned and left the room.
"But, wait." Just as the door slammed shut close, leaving Robert alone his room.
He heard sounds of laughter coming form the fields outside. He walked towards the window, and noticed the two young lovers. Desperation for release from his prison filled his heart. The desperation for freedom made him irrational. He really believed that this plan would free him.
"So, Robert you said that you know this Justice and where we could find him," his Captain said. He looked at Robert and then at a soldier who just shrugged his shoulders. He walked over to Robert and grabbed Robert by throat. He clasped his hands around Robert's throat who could barley breath.
"Robert, I don't trust you," the Captain said. "I know this could turn out to be wild goose chase, but I rather have you out of my sight. And though Richard should decide your fate, but to see you die in the hands of Normans or by own men would bring great pleasure. I giving you four men and get out of by sight."
After four days and three nights of searching for Justice, one of the soldiers filled with frustration speaks out.
"I thought you said you knew where he'd be?"
"Now, I know you, " John said. "You are the son of that liar, Harold. He had my sister burnt as a witch. I aught take this knife and fillet you alive."
"You mean Robert the liar," another soldier commented, as he grabbed Robert by his throat. "Four days and three nights in the rain and damp forest for nothing"
They tied Robert to tree, and debated his fate.
"I still think we should fillet the liar alive," John interjected.
"No, that fate though painful would be to quick," another soldier said. "We should leave tied this tree, and let the beast get him or hunger."
They walked over Robert and told him his fate. As they left him tied to the tree, each soldier slapped and kicked him. As they rode back to tower, they could hear his insane screams.
Robert finally realized that free himself from his prison, and now he could enjoy this pleasant Summer morning. He looked at the early morning sun while he felt cool breeze brush up against his face. He accepted his fate and laughed uncontrollably.
While Justice's fellow knights search for him in the south, he took off for the north. He had heard of a Prophetess name Catherine who lived in Scotland. She could heal me.
Article written by John Dmytruk
John Dmytruk
Level: Basic
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment