PROLOGUE
Delia walked happily down the hall carrying her pail of water, on her way to clean the shrine, per the master of the houses order. It was her favorite task of her new position. What could be better than cleaning the houses of the gods?
She had been lucky to find work at a nobleman’s estate. Baron Reeves while not a large land holder was a pious man and paid his servants well. He his holdings were called the rectitude by the locals. When one entered the baron’s lands they were upheld to the highest of moral standards.
She still remembered when she had come to the Baron to beg for a position. Her father had been injured when he had been thrown from his horse. He had been left unable to walk and the healer had been unable to heal him. With her father unable to work she was left with a mountain of bills. The baron had taken pity on her situation and had given her work, and when her father passed a few weeks later a place to live. She knew there was no way she could ever begin to repay his kindness so she put everything she had into whatever task she was given.
“Off to clean the shine again? I doubt you could find a speck of dust in there. Why don’t you come and have some fun with me?”
The Baron’s son, a tall young man with handsome features stepped from where he stood in the darkness of a small alcove. He was a nice enough man but he had a bad reputation around the village. Luckily for him it hadn’t got back to his father.
“I can’t Master Galen I am supposed to clean the shine each night so that it is ready for your father’s early morning prayers.” Delia said keeping her eyes focused on the ground.
Galen grabbed her wrist knocking the pail from her hand and socking her plain gray dress in water. “Master Galen you’re hurting my wrist.”
Galen pushed her up against the wall and ripped her blouse, exposing her bare chest. Delia tried to cream out but it was quickly muffled as Galen covered her mouth with his large hand. Tears began to stream down her face as she felt his hands lift the hem of her dress. She bit down on his finger earning a mocking laugh and a sharp blow from his closed fist. She continued to try and fight back but she was no match for his strength.
Delia didn’t know how long the torment lasted before she was saved from Galen by someone who kicked the young lord off of her. Through her tears she couldn’t see who had come to her aid but she feared for them. Hitting a lord was punishable by death.
“You stupid boy, what do you think you have done?” a familiar voice boomed.
Delia felt a gentle hand grasp her shoulder. “Are you ok young miss?”
Choking back her sobs and clearing her eyes, she saw the baron kneeling in front of her. “The young lord….he….” Then something inside her broke and she broke down crying again.
Delia was taken to one of the large rooms on the top floor of the mansion and brought a bowl of hot pottage. One of the maids brought her a dress far finer than anything she had ever worn before. As beautiful as the dress was, she couldn’t find it in herself to take any pleasure in wearing it. The world seemed dark as if the light itself had been stolen from her life.
After eating a few bits of the pottage she lay down on the soft bed and curled up into a ball and began to weep. Tired and emotional spent Delia drifted off into a fitful sleep where the young lord forced himself on her over and over again.
The next morning she was woken by the Baron himself who gently shook her shoulder. When her eyes open and she say his face she let out a shrill scream and backed off the bed and into the corner of the room. The Baron never yelled but his face showed that he was in an ill temper. He never said a word to her he simply motioned for her to follow him.
The baron led her outside to the courtyard where she saw the young lord bound in iron. When he saw her he gave a haughty smirk making her turn around. She would have run back to the confines of her room had the Baron not took a firm hold onto her arm, forcing her to walk beside him. The courtyard was filled with servants of the baron as well as half the town.
They stopped in front of the judgment stone that was set in the middle of the courtyard causing Delia to swallow audibly. The only reason the judgment stone was used was when someone was committed of a crime with a penalty of death.
The baron raised his hand silencing the gathered crowd. “Last night I came across a most disturbing scene. I found my son having his way with one of my servants against her will.” The baron paused a few moments to let the crowd absorb what he had said then called for silence once again. “My family has always held to the laws of honor, and the law is clear on what must happen. Today my son and this woman shall be married so that no sin shall be passed onto her for my son’s indiscretion.”
Delia nearly fainted. It wasn’t fair; she had to marry the young lord. She pulled back trying to break free of the baron’s hold. He turned to her his eyes holding both sympathy and rage. Looking into those eyes all strength left her body and she resigned herself to a life married to a monster.
“After they are married my son shall be put immediately to death. That is the law and not even those of my blood can hide from it.” the baron said as a single tear rolled down his cheek.
The wedding was far from the one she had dreamed of. There was not reciting of vows of everlasting love. There was only the priest reciting of the words then the pleas of the young lord as the axe descended sending his head to rest at her feet.
No comments:
Post a Comment