The Innocent

Prince William’s presence with us will be made known. We will form an English household for him. There will be plenty of eager souls willing to serve my son,' the king said almost grimly. Then he chuckled. 'You will have your hands full with Willie, de Glandeville. He is just past two years, and an imp. Don't let the little devil intimidate you, for he already knows his place as a royal prince. Be as tough with him as you would your own son. He must obey you, else he endanger you and himself. Be firm!' the king concluded. 'You have our permission to do what must be done to ensure the prince’s safety.'

'I will, my liege, for I wish to get home safely to my own wife and child. I swear I will guard the prince as I would my own son’s life, my liege.'

'Good!' the king said. 'Now, you may go back to bed.' He lowered his head again to the papers on his table.

Ranulf bowed himself from the room. The page was gone, and so he found his own way back to the stables. When the king had first told him why he wanted him in Normandy, Ranulf had assumed he would travel in grand style. To learn only he and Pax would be escorting the prince and his nurse was startling. Still, the road from Rouen to Barfleur was not a dangerous road. The child, however, was young. It would almost have been better if he were an infant. Ranulf did not have a great deal of experience with two-year- olds, but as he remembered, they were mobile. He would have to ride with the boy ahead of his saddle. They could not move swiftly. It would not be a simple trip.

Pax was going to have to know. His young squire had proved himself most trustworthy these past months. Still, he would not tell him until he knew when they were going. He made his way to his bed and lay down again. He was going home! Soon he would be with his Eleanore and his son. Simon would be a half year old by the time he returned to Ashlin. He hoped the harvest had gone well, and that the flocks and cattle were safe. Pray God the Welsh had left them in peace. Pray God if they had not, that everyone was safe and the damage slight. With that thought Ranulf de Glandeville finally fell asleep again.

Chapter 15

The men on the walls at Ashlin manor watched with careful interest, then amazement as the ragged figure stumbled across the fields, scattering the sheep. It clambered its way up the hill to the walled manor, hands outstretched in apparent supplication. As it crossed the lowered drawbridge, it became obvious the creature was a female.

'Help me!' she rasped, and collapsed just short of the raised portcullis.

For a moment the men-at-arms at the entry hesitated. Was this some clever Welsh trick? Realizing, however, that there was absolutely no one else in sight and the men on the walls had a clear view of the surrounding countryside, they ran to help the woman.

'Jesu! Mary!' the first man to reach her said. He looked down at the poor creature, who was scrawny to the point of being starved, and black-and-blue with many a severe beating. The man-at-arms didn't know what to do, and stood helplessly looking down at the woman.

'I'll go for Fulk,' his companion said, and ran off leaving the first man with the woman.

'Help me,' the woman said piteously, reaching out for the man-at-arms, who jumped back nervously.

'Sim’s gone for the captain,' he managed to say. 'He'll help.'

The woman nodded weakly, and laid her head upon the ground.

Fulk came running with the other man-at-arms. Looking down at the woman, he shook his head. 'An escaped slave,' he said wearily. Bending, he lifted the woman’s head. 'You're a slave?'

'No more,' the woman said with distinct meaning.

Fulk shook his head despairingly 'Will they come after you?'

'I don't know,' the woman answered. 'I think I killed him.'

'Well, let’s hope you did, lass,' Fulk said, 'or if they think it’s worth their while, they'll be after you soon enough. What’s your name?' Reaching down, he helped the frail woman to her feet.

'Arwydd' came the reply.

'Welsh? You speak good English for a Welsh girl,' Fulk noted.

'My mother was English, from Hereford' was the answer.

'How did you end up a slave?' Fulk began to walk the girl slowly through the portcullis into the manor enclosure.

'My mother was taken years ago. Her captors raped her, and I was born. The man whose slave she became named me. She be dead many years now. He killed her when she objected to his interest in me. I was eleven when he first used me, the pig!' Arwydd spat weakly.

'Is he the one you killed?'

'Aye,' the girl replied. 'He thought it would be amusing to share me with his friends. They did everything to me that a man can do to a woman. So when he was drunk several days ago, I slit his throat and ran away. I haven't eaten in three days, sir, but what berries I could find, and I was afraid to eat most of them, for fear I'd get poisoned. Please, help me!'

'I'll take you to my mistress,' Fulk said. He didn't know if the girl was to be believed or not. She was battered and bruised enough to be sure. She looked as if she had been starved for years, and she probably had been. Her story had a certain ring of truth to it, yet she worried him. She did not quite meet his eye when he looked at her. Was her sudden arrival some clever Welsh trick? He would advise the lady, and he would watch this wench carefully.

He brought her to the lady Eleanore, where Arwydd told her story again. Fulk took his mistress aside while old Ida and Willa took Arwydd off to bathe her. 'I don't entirely trust this wench, my lady,' he sad quietly. 'There is something about her that doesn't seem quite right. I cannot help but wonder how she ended up here at Ashlin when we are so far off the beaten track.'

'Perhaps God directed her to us, Fulk,' Elf said quietly. 'She is fearfully wounded. God knew I could help her regain her health.'

'Perhaps, lady,' Fulk answered. He always wanted to shout with despair when the lady spoke so sweetly. She still did not fully realize how cruel and fierce a world it was beyond the boundaries of Ashlin and St. Frideswide’s Convent. 'Heed my words, however, lady,' he pleaded with her. 'Listen to all the girl says, but do not trust her, I beg you. It is too dangerous to trust a stranger in these times.'

'While I prefer to look on the brighter side of life,' Elf told her captain, 'I am not quite the simpleton you believe me to be, Fulk.' She laughed when he flushed. 'I will heed your words, I promise,' she attempted to reassure him.

He bowed to her, then went about his duties.

'She’s thin as a sapling, lady,' Willa said coming back into the hall. 'Old Ida has bathed her, gotten the nits from her hair. She’s black-and-blue all over, though. How anyone could be so cruel to so frail a lass, I do not know.'

'Has she said any more?'

Willa shook her head. 'Naught, but to thank us for our kindness.'

'We'll keep her with us until she heals,' Elf decided.

'I agree,' Willa said. 'Poor lass has never known kindness.'

Arwydd was settled into the household. Within a few weeks she had lost her pallor and showed signs of gaining weight. Her bruises were beginning to heal, fading from black to purple to yellow, brown, and green, to finally just the faintest shadow before they were completely gone. While Arwydd’s face