25th December 1102

“Oh… ah good day to yew gentleman, an a very Merry Christmas.”

The words rushed out of his mouth, despite the fact that the tightness in his throat threatened to choke them into silence. Castle guards… here. Dogs balls. They must have found out about the sacks of grain he had failed, no forgotten to declare. Even now they were stacked neatly away in the cellar beneath his feet. Curses, he should have hidden them better.

“A Merry Christmas to yew too Goodman Rawtharn,” Osras replied.

They stood there, menacing in his doorway, all steely gazes, metal buckles, hardened mail and pointy swords. Ten thousand shitting cockerel, he could slap himself for being such a fool.

“Now, I hope yew gentleman ain’t been listening to the filthy lies them farmhands been telling yew. I’ve right mind to fire em, spreadin’ their stories and rumours about. Filthy liars, the lot of ‘em.”

He was beginning to sweat despite the chill wind that rushing thorugh the open door, bringing with it a swirl of dizzy snowflakes. A drop rolled down his forward, sliding down the side of his generous nose and dripped onto the packed clay floor. Crap, this was it. He was deep in it now.

“I’m sorry Goodman, I haven’t been speaking to any farmhands. We have been sent by the King to collect Father Harndall.”

“Oh, I see,” Engin replied with a relieved chuckled, hurriedly wiping his forehead with the back of his sleeve, “Yew some sort of honour guard.”

“No, not exactly. Can we see him?”

“Well surely yew can.”

He swung the door wide to let them past “Darina love, we got company.”

He heard a faint whimper coming from his feet. Oh the poor little mite. She really did hate it so when they had visitors. And she was just getting used to the Father being there. Engin glanced over at him now, sitting silently at the table, his head bowed, eyes mournfully gazing downwards.

Theysnapped up to meet the faces of the soldiers who tramped in through the door, clouts of snow dropping from their boots onto the freshly swept floor. Darina was not going to be pleased.

“Dada,” a tiny voice mumurmed from the floor.

He bent down towards her scrunched up face. She always squeezed her eyes so tightly shut when she was frightened, as though if she couldn’t see what was causing her fear it would not be there. He wrapped his arms around her small, trembling body and she clung to him desperately as he swung her up into the air.

“Yer alright my girl, yer alright,” he murmured as she buried her face against his shoulder.

“Father Harndall, we have come to collect you at the request of His Lordship the Duke, will you accompany us willingly?”

Though the soldier did not say it, Engin heard the implict threat in his tone at the end. Or will we have to make you.

What in the hairy beast’s name was going on? Darina had been chafing at the bit all morning, desperate to know what had brought priest and the Baroness to their door at such an hour. But to every leading question he had only responded with a soft yes or no and the occasional silent shrug. She had finally given up talking and the silence was broken only by the clicking of the spinning wheel, and the odd irritated sigh from his wife. Aisling had sat on his knee, softly smiling as he brought out his array of funny faces for her amusement. But she did not laugh. She never laughed.

Harndall closed his eyes as though he too believed if he held them shut tightly enough then suddenly the guards would not be there anymore. He opened them with a deep sigh.

“Yes gentleman. I will accompany you willingly.”

He rose unsteadily to his feet, leaning heavily against the table as he staggered towards them.

He turned back to Darina and Engin, “Thank you kindly for allowing me to share this Christmas morning with you. God bless you both.”

“Of course, yew know yer always welcome in our house Father,” Darina replied politely, though Engin could hear the barely concealed curiosity in her tone.

Aisling yawned softly against his chest and he ran his hand soothingly over her golden head.

“Follow me please Father,” Osras led the priest towards the door with Kelgar trailing behind.

They pulled the door shut behind them with a heavy thump, their boots crunching in the fresh snow. Three shadows flitted across the windows, the soft thud of footsteps disappearing into the chill afternoon.

Darina was at his side in an instant.

“What on Earth was that about?” she cried.

“I don’t know love,” he mumbled, absorbed by the warm sleeping body he held in his arms.

“Did yer hear his voice when he said willingly. It was almost though they was arrestin’ him, didn’t yew think?”

“I suppose so.”

“But what could he have done. Father Harndall! A priest! A man of God… arrested. It must have been something’ more than awful.”

“Mmmh.”

“Oh for goodness sake, would yew stop fawnin’ all over Aisling. All that attention’s turnin’ her into a sap. If she’s sleepy put her to bed. Then yew can be cleanin’ that snow off the floor,” she went back to her spinning wheel which started up again with an angry click.

“Alright little mitten. Let’s be puttin’ yew to bed then.”

Rawtharn, Shildfrith, The Church