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“ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT me to go alone, Valkyrie? You’ve been penned up for over a month now. Spending the day at market will be good for you.
“I’m frightened, Lothar, that I’ll be swinging from the tree in the market square.”
“Ah... Aric. You mentioned seeing him when I was tied up in your bed.”
“I don’t want to end up like him. Or you either, you should stay. We could make the food stores last another month.”
“Dara, my sweet Valkyrie, I know you need seeds and grain for your garden with the early warming of the season. I will go in your stead. Afterwards, I’ll meet Brother Michael for fishing.”
“Will you be safe?”
“Aye. The townspeople are getting to know me after what happened on tax day.”
“I’m sorry about your cuff, Lothar. I wish I could ask my father to return it.”
“That I couldn’t allow. Besides, He doesn’t have it. Ivarr does.”
“You told me about him the morning after last month’s winter solstice celebration. Do you think he’ll return for the other cuff?”
“It doesn’t matter at this moment; he’s no longer around here.”
“Why are you going with Brother Michael? You usually just stab the trout.”
“The last ones have been small and with the stab wounds, there has been little meat on them. He’s going to take me to his favorite spot where he’s caught larger fish and have me wait for them to get hooked.”
“Let me get you a jar of honey for trading.” Dara walked over to the shelf and grabbed the jar of honey and a smaller container.
“You can still come with me. I’ll protect you.”
“No. I’ll prepare the garden while you’re away.” She scooped out some honey and placed it in the smaller jar.
“No, have the two out there work the garden. Tell them what you want done.”
“But it’s their last week.” She walked over and handed him the jar.
“They can still turn up the soil and mix in some of the muck from the sheep and pony stalls for nourishing the garden this season.”
“Will it help?”
“I’d rather you have them do the dirty work, Valkyrie.” He reached down and kissed her hand.
* * *
“HEY, YOU THERE, TELL me your price for these garden seeds,” Lothar said to the man next to the cart with his back to him.
“Name’s Lloyd. What do you have to trade with?” The man turned around.
“You!” Lothar watched Lloyd’s face blanch. “You’re the man with the chickens on tax day.”
“I...I...I...” Lloyd stepped backwards. “Have mercy. They threatened me with higher taxes if I didn’t hand over your cart. I have a family to feed.”
“I know it was Park and Serle who took Sinséar and the cart. They are working to pay off their debt for taking the mead.”
“You can have the seeds, for my part. I truly am sorry for all that happened that day.”
“You have a family, so I will pay you for the seeds, but I need some information.”
“Thank you. What do you want to know?”
“I seek a metallurgist.”
“Guthrie set up his stall over towards the fortress wall. I’m sure he’s still there, if you hurry.”
Lothar gave the man the small jar of honey. He smiled and shook his head when he heard Lloyd exhale as he walked away.
Lothar gazed at the colorful market stalls selling cloth, herbs, live chickens, and vegetables from winter. He waved off the sellers, as he walked towards the fortress wall.
“I was told the metallurgist is near here.” Lothar said to the man sitting on a stool, carving on some wax.
“Name’s Guthrie. What are you wanting made?”
“I want two rings, for a man and a woman. I want them to be made of silver, with spirals and a wolf’s head in the center.”
“A wolf’s head?”
Lothar ignored Guthrie’s question. “I want the wolf to look like this one.” Lothar held out his wrist with the cuff.
“Hey, you’re the man who paid the witch’s taxes.”
“She’s a Priestess. Never mind, I’ll find someone else.” He pulled his hand down and turned.
“I’m the only metallurgist in these parts.”
Lothar took a deep breath, then turned back to Guthrie. “Yes, I paid her taxes. The wolf design is part of my family crest; it needs to be on the ring.”
“Let me have the cuff, so I can make a wax impression of it.”
Lothar gazed at Guthrie, then removed his cuff and handed it to him. He watched as the metallurgist place some wax in a small container then set it above a burning candle on the table. Once warmed, he rolled the wolf emblem over the softened wax, leaving a design in its wake.
“Anything else?”
“I want it inscribed.”
“Here, you better write it down.” He handed Lothar a slap of wax.
Lothar pulled the knife from the sheath on his belt, heated the blade over the candle’s flame, then etched the words, TWO WORLDS BECOME ONE, into the wax. He wiped the knife clean of wax and placed it back on his belt as the wax cooled. After verifying the carved words were correct, he slid the slab of wax back to the metallurgist. He watched Guthrie look at the words and nod.
It’ll be ready in two weeks, and cost three bottles of mead.”
“You know about the mead that was in the cart.”
“I’ve heard that it’s the best around; so, that’s my price for the rings.”
“One bottle, since you said it was the best.”
“Two bottles, for two rings.”
“Done. I’ll have them for you in two weeks.” Lothar shook Guthrie’s hand and departed.
* * *
“PSST. GUTHRIE, IS HE gone?” Lloyd asked.
“Yes, why?”
“That widow woman, Rowena, blames the witch for poisoning her little girl. She’s been waiting for the witch to be alone.”
“Should we tell her?”
“He didn’t look like he was rushing back.”
“For Pegeen, I’d help Rowena.”
“I’ll get the others.”
* * *
“HOW’D WE GET STUCK doing this?” Park asked, wiping his brow after mixing in muck from the sheep and pony stalls into the garden soil.
“Mead,” Serle stood and waved away a few flies.
“It was worth it.” Park smiled. “Hey Serle, why are all those people headed in this direction?”
“We’re here to guard her, so we better find out.”
Serle and Park stepped out of the garden, shaking their boots.
“State your business here,” Serle said.
“We’ve come for the witch,” roared Rowena.
“She’s going to pay for her crimes,” a man yelled.
“What crimes?” Park swallowed and looked to Serle.
“She killed a child with her magic,” another man bellowed
“And Vaughn,” Park whispered.
“See, she’s killed before,” Rowena turned to the crowd and pointed her to the hut. “She’ll come after each and every one of us until we’re all dead.”
The crowd charged forward, knocking Park and Serle to the ground as they stormed the hut.
* * *
“BURN THE WITCH!” THE crowd chanted as they forced Dara to walk in front of them towards the village. Park and Serle followed close behind.
Dara struggled against the ropes that bound her wrists together.
“I trusted you,” Park said holding his hand against his bloody temple. “I guess she did kill Vaughn after all.”
“No,” Dara tripped and was helped back up by Serle. “How can I convince you that I had nothing to do with his drowning?”
“I’d hate to be in your place right now,” Serle said. “They’re probably stacking the pyre in the marketplace right now.”
“You saw the old woman, Rowena’s grief stricken about Pegeen’s death and blames you.” Park turned his head, then winced. “The crowd is on Rowena’s side and wants you held responsible.”
“How can I reason with people who won’t listen?”
“Only one person can save you and he is away from the village”
“He will find a way to stop this.”
“Lothar will be too late, I’m afraid,” Serle confessed.
“I know of another.”
“Do you think he would save you?” Park asked.
“Tell him,” Dara cried. “Please, I beg of you, tell my father.”
“But he follows the will of the people and stays out of these matters,” said Serle.
“Then ask the knee-bender, Abbott Sean, to help. He knows that I’m not capable of poisoning a child any more than he is. Killing goes against my principal of healing, bring no harm to others. Remember, I helped you when your shoulder was injured.”
“She has a point, Serle.”
“I remember, it was Lothar who threw a knife at me.” Serle rubbed the area of his shoulder. “We still need to bring her to the marketplace. Park, you stay with her. I’ll try to get to the king or the Abbott and inform them what has happened... One of them should be able to help.”
“Find Lothar too,” Park said.
“Fine. Any others I should visit on my merry way?” mocked Serle.
“Thank you,” Dara said.
“Don’t be thanking me yet, Priestess. I have a long way to go to find any of them.”
“I thank you for your efforts anyway,” Dara said.
“Good luck to you Priestess.” Serle ran off to the side of the crowd and down the hill. He took a brief look back, then ran through the haunted forest, praying he’d make it out alive.