We were supposedly only spending one night at the farm, but Saul asked us to stay a bit longer.
"Women are disappearing," he repeated to us. "It is not safe for you to go on a trip now."
I was embarrassed to abuse Saul's hospitality, but he insisted that Veny and I stay longer on the farm.
The rumor of the disappearances of pregnant women spread through the villages and towns of the region. I thought I had nothing to fear, I was not pregnant, but Saul insisted that it was better not to take risks until we made sure the roads were safe.
What a nice man.
And the attitude of his wife didn't make things any better. She was cold and distant to the two of us. It was evident that our presence not only made her uncomfortable but also disgusted her.
And I… I kept thinking about my sister. I was so close to finally reaching her ...
Veny and I helped with the farm chores. Anything that made us feel useful helped our guilt about staying at Saul's home for free.
It wasn't fair to him, and I had a mission to fulfill.
One night before I went to sleep, I overheard an argument between Saul and his wife Karet.
"I can't stand that woman in my house anymore!" The woman screamed. "It disgusts me to eat at the same table as her, to breathe the same air."
"What a dark heart you have, woman! Can't you see that she needs help? "
"Why do you insist on having her in this house when your wife disagrees? Do you desire her? Are you thinking of being unfaithful to me with black blood? "
Black blood…
"Don't be ridiculous, woman!" Saul answered him.
The truth is that Saul never went too far with me, nor he made any undue proportion to me. He was very kind and gentlemanly. So Karet's jealousy was out of proportion. Founded only on paranoia and prejudice.
It was time to leave that farm.
"That woman is dangerous," Queen Catherine told me when I was in bed about to sleep.
I looked over at Veny's bed, to make sure he wasn't listening.
"I don't think she is dangerous," I replied.
"Trust me, dark-skin, a jealous person can commit the greatest atrocities."
I gulped and a chill ran down my spine.
What would someone be capable of doing out of jealousy? I had never felt such things. I wondered if Delilah could feel sickly jealousy. Perhaps she could.
I took a deep breath and tried to sleep.
***
"How much longer are we going to abuse his hospitality?" I asked Veny the next afternoon when we were drawing water from the well.
"I think that tomorrow it is time to resume our journey."
"I think the same."
I couldn't wait to see my sister again and get away from Karet as soon as possible.
When the afternoon fell, before dinner time, I plucked up the courage to thank Saul and tell him that we could no longer continue on his farm, that it was time to leave, that there was a younger sister waiting for me, and that she probably was crying and scared.
Veny was in the backyard, rehearsing his lute, there was no sign of Karet so Saul should be at the dining room table where he used to sit and enjoy a hot coffee.
And there he was, motionless, stiff, with his back to me, against the light of the dying sun that went through the window in front of us.
"Saul, what a shame to bother you, but I must tell you something ..."
He did not answer.
"I appreciate all the kindness you have shown to Veny and me. I had never met someone as compassionate as you, but it is time for us to go. "
Unanswered.
"I am very sorry to offend you, I ask you to forgive me, it is nothing personal. I assure you that our time here was more than comfortable and that there is no way to pay you. "
Unanswered.
"My lord Saul?"
It was strange to me that he didn't say anything. He wasn't moving either.
It was then that I realized that his head was tilted slightly back.
"My lord Saul!"
I took a few steps towards him and felt that I stepped on a viscous liquid. I looked down and my heart almost stopped when I realized there was blood on the ground.
I checked Saul's body and gasped when I saw a knife stuck in his throat. I put my hands to my mouth, tried to breathe, but I was short of air and everything was spinning. It took me a few seconds to compose myself and I screamed with all my might:
"VENYYYYYYY! VENYYYYYYYY! COME FAAAAAAST! "
I took Saul's pulse, he was dead, nothing to do. His skin was paler than normal, his lips were purple, almost black, and his eyes were wide, like two large plates, filled with terror and pain.
"No, no, no, no ... how could that happen?"
Karet… It was her.
A woman driven by jealousy and hatred ...
I heard the front door open, followed by metallic footsteps on the wooden floor. It was several people in armor who had entered the house.
I tried to run, but I was quickly surrounded by soldiers from some northern earl.
"It's her! She killed him!" Karet was among them, pointing at me. "That wicked black blood killed him!"
A man in silver armor, who looked like the leader, drew his sword and pointed it at me.
"Dark-skin, on behalf of Count Ortaez, you are under arrest for the murder of this woman's husband."
Saints…
"I told you, dark skin, WHY DO YOU NEVER LISTEN TO ME?" Queen Catherine appeared behind me.
I hated to agree. I know she was the queen of Alba Terra, but I hated it so much that she was right.
Two soldiers grabbed my arms tightly. The fear took over my body. It was over, no way to run that time. No tricks, no plan, no one to save me.
"You will be brought to trial before the Count, for justice to be done," said the man with silver armor.
Justice… I once heard that men call their personal vendettas justice.