Greenwood Knight

Chapter 8

"It happened that twenty of Brecken's men were at the Abby seeking information about the rumored heathens when Lord Modoc first attacked. The sisters were completely defenseless of course, but the walls of the Abby were stone and well built. Brecken's men held off the attack until just before dark when Lord Modoc suddenly retreated.

"Brecken's captain sent three men back to Brecken Moors Hall for help while the rest of the men prepared for another assault." When she paused to take another drink, Erec risked another question.

"How is it that a farmer enters into this story?" Erec thought she told an amusing enough story, but in his opinion, it was long past the time to introduce the hero of the tale.

"My father was a younger son. He had not yet taken a wife, so he still lived on my grandfather's farm, a large, prosperous farm to the north of the Abby. There was an unfortunate traveler that had taken shelter at the Abby. As soon as Lord Modoc's men retreated, the traveler fled to Brecken Moors Hall. Father was in the fields and spoke with the traveler as he passed by on the road.

"The next morning Grandfather sent Father with a wagon of produce and a plea. Father was sent to beg the sisters to flee to Brecken Moors Hall until Lord Modoc was defeated and the Abby was safe again. If the sisters left the Abby, Father was to go with escort them and help in any way that he could."

"The produce was a disguise to cover his real purpose." Erec commented with a nod, "Clever."

"Yes. But the Reverend Mother refused to leave. Instead, she gave Father the Abby's cart which was much larger than Grandfather's cart, and two of the Abby's finest horses. The soldiers loaded the wagon with produce, a pig and several chickens while Father followed Reverend Mother to her office. Once there, the Reverend Mother shoved a bag of gold at him.

"Father refused, but the Reverend Mother insisted. When he relented, she escorted Father back to the wagon where he discovered three young noble ladies dressed in plain clothes and waiting on the cart. Father objected heartily, but the Reverend Mother reminded Father of his Christian duty to see the lasses safely to Brecken Moors Hall, even as he would have done for the sisters.

"Father was good and caught. The Reverend Mother pressed a bejeweled dagger into his hand and sent Father out by the West road. The North road was shorter, but it was also the road the soldiers used. In the event that he ran into trouble, she bid him to us the animals, produce, and gold if needed, to buy safe passage.

"Father thanked her for her help and begged the sisters to pray for a safe journey. As he drove the cart from the west gate and they travelled farther from the safety of the Abby's walls, he saw the evidence of the recent attack all around them. Father said it was the most frightened he has ever been in his entire life.

"Mother her companions sent up their own fervent prayers for a safe journey. But it was not to be. Before they even reached the north turn off, Father came upon some heathens that left Lord Modoc in search of easier spoils. None of the men wore armor and carried only daggers on their belts... but there were four of them.

"They promised my father his life if he surrendered the women and goods. My father was good at fighting, but it was not just his own life at risk, so he tried it the Reverend Mother's way first. He offered the goods and gold for safe passage, knowing there was nothing to prevent them from running him through and taking everything anyway.

"Father did not know that Mother also had instructions from the Reverend Mother. So, when the heathens drew their knives and moved toward the cart, Father was just as surprised as the heathens when Mother barked out a challenge: 'Choose your champion! If my husband wins, you may have the goods and the gold, but my husband and I are free to go with my cousins.'