The Forgotten

Days had passed since Suzy had Rolf had pulled it off. Myval had returned the morning after and both of them made themselves busy with any chore that took them as far away as possible, a task that was harder than they originally thought as Suzy was the head maid and Rolf was the personal servant to the King himself.

However, even after encountering him on numerous occasions, nothing had happened. Thinking it strange that he hadn’t noticed, they both thought it best not to mention anything and go about their days as if nothing had happened.

It wasn’t until Suzy came back after the fifth evening where she found their door slightly open, something that never happened before as both were extremely cautious given their personal feelings towards Myval and his reign.

While Rolf was not due back for some time she pushed the door open slowly, looking around the room to make sure no one was there.

Letting out a sigh of relief after finding it empty, and nothing seemed to be broken or taken.

Relaxing, the tired Suzy kicked off her shoes and pulled up a chair next to the fireplace. It had been a long day, her feet ached and although she was dying to get out of her maid’s clothes, there was nothing more satisfying than taking off your shoes after running around all day.

Wanting to make things more comfortable, she went to pull over the small table next to where Rolf sat only to realise the papers they had taken from the King’s quarters had gone. She recalled this morning when they awoke, they were still there as they were not sure if they should burn them or show them to Lynden. They did read the prisoner report but neither knew any more names other than that of Arthur and Rendall. In the end, they left the papers on the stall.

Looking around frantically thinking they might have been placed somewhere else, although the shelves and table were empty apart from the food and a few books spread around the place. They had few possessions so it was not hard to see the papers.

She ran to the table, quickly grabbing a kitchen knife. Her heart was racing, she hadn’t checked the bedroom. Seeing through a crack in the door their bed had been overturned, one of the legs had been broken off and the hay mattress had been split, covering part of the room in the dry grass. Their clothes and possessions had been thrown around the room or torn.

There was a note left delicately on the floor. Suzy bent down to unfold it. Reading it aloud, she said, “I hope you come to the show, Rolf is going to be the star.”

Suzy dropped the note, her legs giving out falling into a heap. Knowing exactly what the message meant, Myval had found out they had stolen from him, and now her husband would be hung for treason. She could not stop the tears leaving her eyes, they had lost.

A few minutes later, steel boots could be heard from the hallway. It was not the footsteps of any servant but soldiers, and a lot of them.

Grabbing the note and stuffing it in her dress, she pushed herself up from the ground using all her resolve.

Moving quickly to the front door she stepped out normally as she hoped they might not have been after her. She was wrong. Stepping out the door she looked at the six soldiers walking in pairs down the corridor, lead by a captain distinguished by the red gauntlets he wore.

The guard captain shouted her at, “Suzy Payne, stop. You are under arrest for conspiracy and treason.”

She didn’t even reply, immediately running in the opposite direction. Making her way towards the small corner tower for servants to navigate the keep unnoticed. She opened the small door running as best she could down the steep, narrow steps nearly losing her footing sometimes.

The guards behind her followed, though they had much more trouble getting down the small spiralling stairs than she did. Their armour and weapons being a problem in such a small passageway. It did work to her advantage, as the terrified Suzy was able to put a small distance between her and the troops.

She ran out the kitchen making it into the courtyard before the men had sight on her again. They were shouting towards her calling for others to stop her. Onlookers watched the scene in front of them, barely moving. They either didn’t want to get involved, or they were in shock as to what was happening.

Up ahead two gate guards looked and one another for a moment as Suzy was running to them. They drew their swords and took a step forward. Fear evident on Suzy’s face, the guard on the right gave her a small nod.

Shaking her head in reply, she did not want anyone to die because of her. The guard looked at her and said with assurance in this voice.

“Don’t argue Suzy, this is not the time. You find Lynden, you tell him to bring hell back with him and burn this place to the ground.”

The two gate guards walked past Suzy, closing the gate on her as she left.

The guards in pursuit ceased their running, the captain raising his voice so all in the courtyard could hear, “It seems treachery runs deep in the castle, we might have to cull some men.”

Raising his sword towards the two rebels, he and his guards attacked.

The gate guards knew they would die here, they were just looking to buy her time for her to help everyone else. As the captain’s first sword swing came towards the first rebel’s torso, he blocked it with a glance from his blade. Immediately launching a counter-attack, dropping to one knee swinging his sword in a low arch towards the uncovered area of the rear of the captain’s knee.

The blow hit cutting bone and muscle. In a cry of pain, the captain fell to the ground.

The training the rebel had received from Lynden over the years had paid off and for a short moment thought that the other guards might hesitate. Alas, they didn’t. Looking over at his fellow rebel, he was not faring so well. Four of the guards had converged on him quickly after the captain had come to him. He was barely deflecting the blows that came from every direction as he became surrounded. He had already been struck, his shoulder and stomach quickly spilling blood and soaking his armour.

Two of the attackers noticed their fallen captain in the corner of their eyes. As they did, they heard him give out muffled wails. Moments later and catching the attackers by surprise, the rebel who just put down their captain charged, shoulder-barging into one of the guards. Before they knew what happened, the rebel rolled off the downed guard with a knife at his waistcoat.

“That’s two down Newt. Let’s finish them now.” The gate guard said as he got back up, ready to strike again.

The other of the two rebels looked back at his brother in arms. With a smile, he replied, “If I’m going down Brendan, I’ll rather it be with you fighting injustice.”

They both launched a barrage of sword blows towards the attacking guards. Newt landed a few blows cutting into one guard’s thigh, but taking too long to recover, and a swing from one of the guard’s great axe cut his head off cleanly. Newt’s head rolls to the floor just a few feet from Brendan.

Brendan, who now stood against the remaining three guards alone, saw his friend’s headless body fall to the floor. It broke him into a wild frenzy as he threw a knife at the axe-wielding guard. Expecting it to miss or be deflected, he stabbed towards the guard’s chest at the same time.

With a clink, the guard wielding the axe deflects the knife but could not stop the second strike. Feeling the warm blade piece his body, he looked down to see the sword go through his ribs. His eyes close to never open again

Brendan, the last rebel, held no position of worth in the army but also learnt from one of the best swordsmen to have ever lived. Despite all the skills he had sharpened, the fatigue of fighting and being outnumbered had proven too much. He stood there panting at the last two guards.

Raising his sword for perhaps the last time he looked at his attackers, but before he could charge, an arrow thunked into his chest. The downed captain, having gained some composure, had a crossbow in his hands.

The captain smiled before shouting to his men, “Finish him. Cut off his head and we’ll feed it to the crows.”

-

Suzy ran, still hearing the sounds of swords hitting metal followed by screams of pain. She took many side streets constantly changing directions to lose any pursuers.

The noise of the swords and the screams of pain got fainter by the moment until they stopped altogether. She couldn’t stop sobbing about the guards that had given their lives to protect her. Willing herself on she ran the final few streets back to Wanderer’s Warren, bursting herself through the doors and falling to the ground as she did.

She laid in a ball refusing to move as patrons of the inn moved to bar the door, Jessica walking over to Suzy and kneeling on the ground towards her ear.

She whispered, “I’m going to guess the commotion out there is for you?”

Suzy nodded her head, not yet willing to move.

“You’re safe here I promise you. No man or woman will say anything, all willing to put their life on the line for you. Now let’s get you up from this floor and get you a drink before you tell me what has happened.”

It took some time but Suzy’s hands stopped trembling and she could focus. She was still wearing the same brown, ankle-long dress, although it was covered in dirt now. Her feet were sore from stones and glass, and covered in blood.

“Those guards, they died for me. Why?” Suzy said though not really talking to anyone, merely voicing her thoughts.

A man’s voice poked up from another table. He was a younger gentleman of around twenty years wearing a sturdy green tunic. “Because you’ve cared for us, all of us. You’ve always given more than anyone would ask without question.”

Over the years she had indeed given shelter, food and clothing to those who needed it, even if it meant that she got nothing in return. Her and Rolf took punishments and buried evidence of wrongdoing. They had saved many from beatings and possibly even death.

“Suzy, why were the guards after you?” Jessica said to her while cupping a hand in her own.

She told the story of the night Rolf and her took the papers from the King’s quarters in an attempt to prevent Myval from seeing Rendall or approve any executions. Explaining how the night had been a success, she hadn’t known how Myval knew it was them. Now Rolf is to be hung and her to follow though she got away.

She showed Jessica the note she found in their room on returning then just sat there not entirely sure what to do next.

“And so the times of change are upon us.” Jessica replied as the story ended.

Continuing, Jessica said, “You have been a mother and a protector for us for years. There was always going to be a time when someone or something would force the King to act.”

Shouts could be heard outside the tavern now, walls being smashed and and stalls destroyed.

“Riots are breaking out, it seems people are taking the chance to fight back.” Said a tall man holding a sword in one hand.

“Bolt the windows and doors. We need to get word to our friends saving who we can. Lynden and our other men at arms are busy at the moment. We must buy some time.” Responded Jessica with a firm voice.

Men and women overturned tables and placed them in front of the doors and windows to secure the inn. Jessica ran behind the bar and pulled up a few creaking floorboards to pull out swords, maces and a few bows with quivers of arrows.

“Blimey Jessica, how long have you been sorting all of this?” One man says, and he and his boy began to hand out weapons to the people in the tavern.

“You lot often drink too much then forget things and never ask for them back, so I just hold them for safekeeping.” Shrugging as she answered.

A group of two men and a woman stood near the barred doors wearing a mix of chain and leather armour, with various weapons held in their hands, all three preparing themselves to rush out the door to help out the people of Tocking Vale.

Before they could leave a man still peering out the window looked back at the group then at Jessica, with a sorrowful expression, he said, “I don’t think we’ll be saving many people Jessica, the soldiers, they are killing all who oppose them.”

“All?” Jessica said with concern layering her tone.

“Yes Jessica, ever man, woman and,” he paused for a moment before finishing the sentence, “Child.”

Silence met the room. Everyone shared a silent prayer for those in the streets.