They didn't give me much time, Roy brought me straight to Fress's house, I hardly spoke to him, but at least I know that Roy's name is Poart and he is a year older than me, he also told me about Lay who was his half sister and that she was 24 winters old.
As soon as Fress saw me in the middle of the room she screamed when she saw me, I was still covered in Bert's blood.
-Big, are you okay, why are you covered in blood?
-No, I'm not, but I will be, answering about the blood, it's not mine, but Bert is dead....
Saying that, makes me gag, Fress fell silent, tears were coming out of her eyes, she looked at Roy and then at me.
-You know Gran, I knew from the beginning you would be trouble from the moment I let you stay in the barn, if I had known what was going to happen to him... I never would have let you stay.
-Wait, why are you telling me that, I... I didn't want any of this to happen.
My head hurt, it was spinning, my chest felt tight, but why blame me, I didn't do anything?
-That's why you should never trust an Irishman, they'll bite your hand off as soon as they can.
Fress said nothing at Roy's words, he left the room and came back quickly, throwing my coat in front of my feet.
-Get out of my home quickly.
I bit my lip to the point that I was bleeding, my tears were flowing, I was going to bend down to pick up my coat, but Roy did it for me.
-Come on Gran, go out with your head held high.
Roy put my coat over my shoulders, directed me to the door, to remove me from the place, Roy opened the door.
-Fress, I'm sorry to have been such a misfortune.
She said nothing, she looked at me as what I was, an anomaly in this world, I left the house, with a cloud of contradictory thoughts, I couldn't take it anymore, my legs gave out, I just let out the agony I felt in my chest, I cried as if I was a new born baby, I was sorry for myself, at no time was there any sign of me bothering in that house, I thought at least I found a place where I could... I am alone.
-Dude you're making this job harder than it is.
-What's going on now Roy?
-Let's just say he didn't get the sendoff he imagines pa.... I mean captain.
-Take him to the cell.
Roy just nodded, Willfest walked over to Fress's house, pulled a small pouch from his belt and tossed it to Fress.
-Lady, thank you for the information, payment as a reward, for helping the kingdom.
Fuck me, since when did I... how could a person who seems to be so kind be...
-You could at least wait until the boy didn't see it.
-No Roy, it's better he knows what kind of people I deal with.
They put me on a barred cart, I didn't put up any resistance, I really just wanted to be taken out of this place, the cell was empty, they tied my hands and left me there while I continued to wail.
-I'll take care of that in the meantime.
Roy put my knife in his belt, Finley approached as he was escorted by two guards.
-Hey boy, don't worry, I'll take care of everything.
-You knew that, didn't you, you don't need to lie to me.
Finley looked at me in surprise, he didn't understand what I was talking about.
-I don't know what you're talking about, Gran.
-Your mistress Finley sent a letter a week ago telling us that someone strange had appeared in your village, the letter reached Lord Irish, and he asked me to take care of the boy.
-Willfest, you bastard!
Finley ran straight to the cell, put his hands on the bars and with his strength shook the whole cart.
-Gran I assure you I had no idea about any of this, but what the fuck did you do love?
With his last words he looked away from my eyes, his words were sincere, or at least I thought so or maybe that's what I wanted to believe.
-Willfest, do you think the boy could be a danger?
-He is, a nobody faced as an equal to a trained guard.
Lay that little talker had spoken a truth, how was a common boy supposed to have stood up to a trained man who fought as an equal, obviously they suspect I have at least some knife training if they don't think I have military training, which I don't, and made it worse when I mentioned Baron Thomas, I'm an idiot.
Finley was silent until he knew she was right.
-Finley, I am also informed that in this town there is a conspiracy against King Edward, so first I will ask you out of respect for you, tell me, are you in on it, no indeed I am not sure of that.
When Finley was about to answer, I interrupted him, I put aside my suffering and wanted to believe the words of what I considered a friend.
You are wrong Sir Willfest, Finley is not aware of anything, and the conspirator lies dead even on the cold, blood-stained floor, I mean Bert.
-You have proof of this?
-None, just my word, besides the evidence was taken by the guard John when he decided to slit her throat, why, for a bit of gold that didn't even belong to him.
The captain laughed wryly as he stroked his short blond beard.
-Tell me then that you know everything, enlighten us.
-A few days ago, the wife... Fress sent me to milk a cow, in the stable was Bert with a man I don't know, they were talking about attacking the knights of Dublin with someone's help.
Of course everything he was saying was a pack of lies, but I've made up my mind, fuck it all, I'm on my own, I'm going to survive and go home, I'm going to turn the game in my favour, historical facts be damned.
-With whose help, tell me the fucking name?
-The Scotsman! Willian Wallace!
The knights began to whisper nervously, Willfest's face filled with concern, the steadfast knight with the stoic face was finally showing emotion, Finley was stunned.
-William Wallace, everywhere we go we hear that name, it's really become a nuisance, what do you say sister?
Lay shrugged as he lifted a thick piece of wood off the floor.
-Don't listen to him Willfest, he doesn't know what he's saying.
Don't mess with Finley when I'm trying to save your ass.
-No, don't underestimate him, well if you want to play I'll play along boy.
-Finley one more thing get lucky on the range.
-Great...
The meadow was the battle which if my calculations don't fail me will be in 6 months when the Irish ambush Baron Mons' men.
I'm afraid you won't be able to go for a ride on the prairie, I know what I'll do with you Finley.
-I'll take you to Leap Castle, to be tried by his lordship for the crimes of killing a keeper in the service of the Crown of England and seriously wounding two others.
-Tell me Willfest how you will take me to see the Duke.
-Watch out Finl...
-Lay, do it.
She smashed the piece of wood into the back of Finley's head, knocking him unconscious with a single blow.
-Finley!
-Easy Gran, I assure you he won't die for so little, this mock beast is tougher than you think.
-Willfest...
-That boy, hate me if you want, but it won't change anything, the people of this town will continue to reject you, Finley will be judged for his actions and you more than earned yourself a date with Lord Irish.
I got the impression that Willfest somehow hated what he was doing.
-Now listen up, you two get the tax collection done quickly, Roy and the five of you will accompany me to Leap Castle to deliver Finley, Lay will be in charge in my absence, I should be back before sunset, I want everything ready by that time, got it?
They all answered in unison, it didn't take long, they took Finley to be judged, I was left alone while I watched how everyone went from one side to the other, the tax collection went on as quietly as possible, after all, whatever was missing was going to come out of the guards' wages.
The hours passed while I remained in a fetal position in a corner of the cell, constantly repeating to myself what I had done wrong, I have always been weak-minded, when I fell she was always there to pick up the pieces and put me back together again, but I was no longer with Hero, there was even the possibility that I would never see her again.
-You can stop mourning for a second, it's not the end of the world either.
I looked up to see that Lay was talking to me.
-Oh, it's you, am I not allowed to suffer now either?
-You can suffer all you want, but the facts aren't going to change.
-You know, your words are as cold as your gaze.
Strange as it may seem, my empty words managed to hurt her.
-You're an idiot.
She turned on her heels. I sighed as if there was no tomorrow.
-I'm sorry... I'm not at my best, and your words don't help either, plus your eyes....
-They're horrible, I know, but, even if I have this look on my face....
-Don't talk nonsense, that serious look is the only thing that has kept me sane for now, the features of your eyes resemble someone very important to me, you have beautiful eyes.
She turned away.
-I see. It's the first time someone has said they like my eyes.
So even she can blush.
-Let me ask you a question.
Lay looked at my face again with her usual countenance, nodded.
And we're back to talking little, anyway.
-You're knights, I suppose you and your brother are squires or knights in training, tell me how you can stand to kill someone else or just watch someone else get killed.
Although I asked the question bluntly, it cost me a lot more than I thought it would.
-It's not easy, it's best not to think about it.
I answered easily with no hint of regret.
- You've killed people, haven't you?
-Eighteen people if you can call them that, they were all demons, seventeen men and a child... I'm not going to judge you by how you feel, but if you don't get up you're going to let the dead take you with them.
-A child?
She didn't have to say a word to stop him from pursuing the subject, her face said it all, it wasn't a serious look, not cold, it was almost a murderous look.
I will say no more... What shall I call you, Miss, Sir, Squire, or just Lay?
-Lay, just Lay, for all that, you're strange Why?
-Why of what?
-You dress strange, though I can say I like the coat, you fight well enough with a knife, but as soon as you saw someone die you were demoralized, I don't miss you either, that a woman is a guard.
-I won't answer about my way of life, but my father forced me to train from a very young age with the knife, but as you say I never had to use it outside of training, it wasn't really necessary, and answering the other where I come from it's not strange for a woman to do as she pleases.
-You're lying, I'm not going to believe that last one.
-Believe me or not, that's your problem, but if you're good at what you do, then you're where you belong.
-I see, you're interesting, Great Venture, and a very strange one at that.
-I'll take that as a compliment.
I don't know if it was a delusion of mine, but I think I saw a tiny hint of a smile on Lay's lips.
-I saw your fight against John, you're skilled, but you leave a lot of flanks open.
-I don't think it matters much, I'm going straight to a death sentence, right?
-Maybe, maybe not.
-Lord Irish tends to like strangers.
-I don't even know how to answer that, what's Lord Irish like, anyway?
-No idea, what I know about him is only hearsay, I don't know him in person, the only one who's seen him is my father.
-What rumours?
-Some say he's a cruel man, others that he's the most just person they know, others that he's a tyrant, and others that he's a sort of godsend, but the fact is that he's won the king's sympathy.
-I gather from what you tell me that it was the church that put him in office, or at least helped him in it.
-Lord Irish is a Christian who always benefits the church, so your assumptions are correct.
-At least I have an idea from that, but I still don't know what happened to Baron Thomas.
-Gran you shouldn't say that name in front of others.
-I understand people asking questions disappear and blah blah blah blah.... but nobody is able to say anything.
-The baron was a friend of my father's, one day he disappeared and Lord Irish took over, I don't know anything more about it.
-So what happened to John Wagon, was he supposed to take over?
She now looked at me as an enemy.
-You know more than you're saying Gran, that's danger, our conversation is over.
I think I messed up, but at least now I can get an idea, I think Lord Irish rose to power with the help of the church, so he is a dummy and someone controls the strings, but what I don't understand is how someone who never had a historical record, is in such an important position.
This makes my head a mess, but I find it interesting... one moment my mind is calm, now I understand....
-Lay thank you!
He looks at me and as usual just moves his face in an approving manner.
-One more thing Gran, you're a lousy liar, you know too much to have memory problems, if you want to fool my father, you have to do better than this.
I was caught with my hands in the masses.
-I don't know what you're talking about, I really don't remember some things.
I don't know why I'm insisting, it's obvious I'm not cheating on her, wait a minute, she knows I'm lying, she could perfectly well tell Willfest about it, why doesn't she?
-Whatever you say.
The time flew by talking with Lay, I suppose we'll spend the night here, and leave tomorrow.
In the distance the sound of horses' hoofs could be heard running.
Sir Willfest was back, I could tell he was upset about something.
How strange that he was alone with Roy, what happened to the other knights.
-Listen everyone, if you are ready with your work, get ready to leave, we will leave in a few minutes.
-Sir, the men are tired, it would be better to spend the night here, and leave at dawn.
-I don't think I asked your opinion, Wallet, as I said, get everything ready, we'll leave now.
Sir Willfest approached the wagon that held me captive with a very graceful gait on the part of the horse.
-Finley sent you a message, he lives, that's what he told me.
-Finley is dead?
-Unfortunately he has not yet been taken by his pagan gods.
Good news at least.