1st of fragment illegible, Year of Our Lord fragment illegible-“You stand accused of rape. How do you plead?”
“Innocent!” The peasant was wide eyed and struggling as he was dragged to the bailey stump. His fear was understandable. It was an old tradition to use a fresh stump as a chopping block.
It was Rolf who addressed the convict and the gathering crowd. “It matters not for by our laws rape is a crime that leaves no evidence save a child, and thus the victim’s word is enough to convict. You are found to be guilty in the eyes of God.”
This was her cue. “I, Matilda, First of her Name of the House of Dryden, sentence you to death. May God have mercy upon your soul for I shall show you none.”
The man screamed and babbled incoherently mixing pleas for mercy with curses against the “lying bitch”. Two men-at-arms held him down to the stump while Matilda drew her sabre. He had time for one last scream before she brought the blade down and silenced him. The smell of shit filled the air. Blood stained a snow that was grey rather than white.
“Dispose of him,” she ordered. She spared a glance for the victim who stood at the forefront of the crowd. There was nothing but unflinching hatred in her eyes as she watched the twitching corpse. “This court is adjourned.”
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Matilda washed the last of the blood off by dunking her face her personal basin. The water was cold enough to make her gasp but she had long ago insisted that such things built character and if she showed weakness now her family would never let her hear the end of it.
She sagged into the chair in front of her looking glass, drained by the day’s events. She considered polishing her sword. Of course she had cleaned it after the execution but it hadn’t received a true polish in a while and ancestral swords deserved attention. She was so preoccupied with these thoughts that she didn’t notice a familiar figure come up behind her and begin massaging her shoulders.
“Dearest wife, you’ve never enjoyed executions nearly as much as you’d like everyone to believe.”
She sighed contentedly and closed her eyes. “You know me too well, Stephen.”
He gave her a few more minutes of blissful silence before leaning in and saying, “It’s really time we found marriages for the children.”
She sighed. “Are you so eager to see our children gone? It can wait for next year.”
“Next year,” he leaned in close and his hands worked their way down her back. “Next year the crops could fail, the Overlord will be dead, the kings of the center will demand our allegiance, or perhaps the Ordained will march north and kill us all. Our children won’t have a future if we don’t have alliances to protect them.”
Matilda scowled. “Why is it that you only do nice things for me when you need me to do something in return?”
“I was under the impression that you married me for precisely this quality, wife.”
“A lady can at least be permitted to regret her decision. So be it. I’ll have Rolf muster an escort and take Arnulf east to seek potential brides. House Osgar has many daughters.”
“In that case, I’ll handle Leanor’s match. As our closest neighbor, Aidhne makes the most logical choice.” He kissed her cheek. “Cheer up darling. We may yet live to see our grandchildren.
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One week hence-“Your move, Leanor.”
The roaring fire of the Great Hall cast shadows that danced rather than ones that stood still so that Arnulf could imagine the chess pieces before him truly fought and died as Leanor moved her bishop.
It didn’t make the fact that he was losing to his sister any less embarrassing.
“Cheer up, Arn. Mother and father will undoubtedly announce you as the successor this year. You are the eldest by five short minutes and the Vale is rightfully yours.”
He hated when she was sarcastic and winning almost as much as he hated that nickname.
“Five minutes that are meaningless to our parents. No Leanor, you know Mother would love to see nothing more than another woman ruling in the Vale when she is gone.”
He moved his rook.
“But Mother is sensible, Arn. She knows that a male heir will hold more respect among the other lords than a woman ever could. Respect our house needs to survive.”
She moved her knight.
“But hasn’t Mother always praised your ability to remain calm under pressure? Your charismatic orations? Your-”
She moved her queen.
“Checkmate.”
Arnulf looked at the board again frantically trying to find a way out of his trap. It was no use.
“You know if this game were more realistic you could never have won,” he huffed. “Your knight would never have stayed still for as long as he did. He would have called you a coward and charged right into my trap.”
“And your Queen would have called your king a coward for sitting in his keep while a war raged until her hit her, thus convincing her lover the queen-side knight to kill the king for her. If we’re being realistic.”
Arnulf stared open-mouthed. “Do you always come up with such ridiculous stories about our games?”
“Or I could bribe the last pawn who’s just seen all his friends die to look the other way while my men take your king. Since you have no taste for the romantic.”
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“Thank you, Cynbel. You may escort the courier out.”
The knight bowed and turned but Matilda barely noticed. The opportunities presented by the Princess’s escape were far too intriguing to ignore. This was a woman after her own heart, denied her birthright and hunted. The likelihood of another house taking up her cause was slim at best, yet…
There was a good chance the princess would have fled across the border into the Vale. Maybe she even hoped to win Dryden support since their family was known for letting older daughters inherit before younger sons. What harm could there be in talking to the girl? She’d like to see that snake Uthred try to march on her. She’d cut his tongue out and feed it to the dogs.
A woman as Overlord was a dream she had never dared consider. She had to find her.
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-A courier is sent to Aidhne with the following message.
To Amhlaigh Cétchathach, King of Aidhne,
Blessings upon your house and realm. In these dark times of turmoil we of the Vale look to you for order. Both your house and ours has children of an age to be married. We would consider it an honor if you would consider our daughter Leanor as a fitting bride for one of your sons. We hope that bonds of friendship will continue to grow between our people.
-Lady Matilda Dryden, Lady of the Vale.
-A courier is sent to Rytael with the following message.
To Righteous Lord Grindan Osgar, King of the Aaldoren,
Blessings upon your house and realm. In these dark times of turmoil we of the Vale look to you for order. Both your house and ours has children of an age to be married. We would consider it an honor if you would consider our son Arnulf as a fitting husband for one of your daughters. We hope that bonds of friendship will continue to grow between our people.
-Lady Matilda Dryden, Lady of the Vale.
-Father Peppin Dryden humbly suggests himself as a candidate for the bishopric of Daisyfield.
-Criers are sent across the Vale to invite Princess Helen to the court of Matilda Dryden who would very much like to speak with her. Additionally, 100 Light Cavalry are raised and ordered to begin patrolling. They are to escort the Princess safely to the Vale but make it clear that they are not arresting her.