Chapter 2: The Farm

As they made their way towards the centre of the village, Simon was walking along side Donald leading his horses. When they arrived, they were surprised that Felix’s body was still lying in the street. It was obvious that some animals had gnawed on it during the night.

“Why hasn’t someone moved his body?” Donald enquired of the folk standing around.

“It’s up to the relatives to deal with the body,” one of the men told him.

“So what happens if there are no relatives? Is it just left in the street to rot?”

“Well, no, when the smell gets too bad we’d drag it off to the rubbish dump. Either that, or dump it the river.”

“Why not just bury it? Would be a whole lot easier, if not to mention a lot less smelly.”

The man just shrugged and wandered off.

There were six of them who set off for the farm. As they walked, Donald could see that this was good farmland. If properly managed, it could provide someone with a reasonable living. He noticed also how many fields seemed to be abandoned. He asked about it and was told it was because of all the trouble. Bands of men would turn up in the night, rape and kill the occupants, then burn the fields. So, many had fled. It was all due to the stupid quarrel between the Lord and the Baron. If only they would stop and leave ordinary folk to live their lives in peace!

Donald had to agree. He had seen it too many times, and been a part of it too many times. Ordinary folks lives, torn apart just because of the machinations and foibles of the ruling classes.

It was a warm day, the air was crisp and clear. The road to the farm was rutted and uneven. Donald was glad he was using pack horses, as taking a wagon would have been a nightmare. It didn’t take all that long to arrive at the farm. From a distance it looked like quite a good farm. The house looked to be of a good size, with a large and spacious barn. There was a stable block as well. As he drew nearer, he could see that things were not as good as they first appeared. The place looked really shabby. The gates were broken, and weeds grew up the side of the house. The thatch on the roof looked like it needed replacing. All in all, it looked quite run down.

A large ugly fat woman emerged from the farm house, as they approached. She looked somewhat concerned at the size of the crowd.

“Yes, what do you want?” she yelled

“We’ve come to see you kicked out!” one of the men yelled back.

“What do you mean, kicked out? You wait ‘till Felix gets back. Then you’ll see who gets kicked out!”

Donald stepped forward, holding his stave in his right hand.

“Are you the wife of the former owner of this property?”

“What do mean, ‘former?’ I’m Felix’s wife, and he’s the owner of this place. He’ll kill anyone who says different!”

“Not anymore, he won’t. He tried to rob me last night. He attacked me. As you can see, he lost. His body is still in the main street in town. You might want to collect it, or you may wish to leave it there for the rats. The choice is yours,” Donald told her.

She stood there stunned. “Dead? My Felix, dead? You killed him? You?”

Her face blackened, her head lowered and she bellowed like a wild animal. She charged at Donald, her head lowered like a charging bull. Donald waited until she was right on top of him, then deftly moved to one side and tripped the woman with his staff. She fell face-first onto the ground. She slowly picked herself up, dusted herself down, growled and charged again. This time, Donald not only tripped her, but swatted her hard on her fat arse as she went flying past. She screamed as she hit the ground.

“Had enough?” Donald enquired of her. “You keep this up, and I might be forced to hurt you.”

She slowly picked herself up and again charged at him. Donald did things differently this time. He waited until she closed, then punched her in her belly, driving all the wind out of her. She lay there gasping like a landed fish. Donald stood over her. He lay his stave at her throat.

“I won’t warn you again. Next time I’ll make sure you won’t walk for a week. Now, turn over. You’ve proven yourself to be untrustworthy, so now I’ll have to secure you.”

She slowly recovered her breath. “Fuck off,” she gasped.

Donald shook his head. He quickly tapped his staff down on her throat, then spun it round in his hand and thumped her firmly on her cunt. She groaned and gasped as she fought to breath. She rolled onto her side, her hands clutching her injured privates. Donald grabbed her hands and swiftly tied them behind her back. He grabbed her by her hair

“Get up, get up before I gut you!” Donald snarled at her

She staggered to her feet, tears streaming down her face. As all this was going on more people came out of the house. Two they could see were her children, a teenage boy and a girl. They took after like her, BFU (big, fat and ugly).

“Who are you? What are you doing with our mother?” the boy wailed.

“Your father is dead. I killed him. I’m taking possession of the property. Your mother attacked me. Your father attacked me first, and without provocation. Under the law, all his possessions are now mine. I’ve come to collect them.”

“Daddy? Daddy’s dead?” the girl wailed, then collapsed on the ground sobbing.

Several other men had come out as well. Some of them spread out, making as if to attack. Donald looked at them.

“You have one minute to decide whether to live or die. I’m taking these inside. If you try to attack us I will kill you. This is your only warning. In one minute, any man carrying a weapon will be killed without mercy. Now decide!”

Two of the men decided to lay down their weapons. The other three decided to attack. They drew their swords and moved towards Donald.

“There’s three of us. Let’s see you take all of us at once!” the biggest of the trio shouted, egging on his companions.

Donald stood and smiled. He did not even draw his sword, he just twirled his staff around his head. The first drew near and charged. Those who were watching could not believe what they saw next. Donald simply moved too fast for them to see. He stepped to the side, swung his staff, which connected with the man’s face, shattering his nose and upper jaw. As he did this he also threw one of his throwing knives into the man’s back. The other two, seeing this, hesitated. Knives sprouted from their chests. They collapsed gasping to the ground.

Donald moved towards the first man. He was still alive, making horrible gasping, gurgling noises through his ruined face, futilely grabbing at the knife in his back. Donald moved forwards slamming the staff down onto the man’s unprotected groin. The man convulsed with agony. Donald knelt with his knee in the man’s back. He withdrew his knife then grasping the man’s hair, lifted his head and cut his throat. He wiped his knife and replaced it in his bandoleer. He moved over to the next man. He had sunk to his knees, staring stupefied at the knife in his chest. Donald swung his staff shattering the man’s head. He fell in a heap on the ground. The third lay on his back quietly whimpering. Donald walked over to him, drew his sword and plunged it into the man’s throat.

Everyone looked horrified at the events that had just so suddenly unfolded. Several of the men who had accompanied Donald and Simon were throwing up. Simon looked a bit green, as well. Donald cleaned his sword and retrieved his knives, then he looked around.

“Anyone else? No? Then let’s get these inside. I have some questions and I’d better get some answers.”

Nobody argued. Everyone returned to the house. It was a solid, well built place with thick walls, a stout door and thatched roof. The place was divided into two areas, one for the animals, the other a living space. Within this space it had a large fireplace with a substantial chimney containing two large ovens. In the centre of the kitchen area was a large table around which were several chairs. Donald motioned everyone to sit. He plonked the woman down on a chair. He then sat himself at the head of the table.

“Now then,” he began, “I think you understand that when I say something, I mean it.” He looked at the woman “On the body of your husband I found this key. If you do not wish to join him, you will tell me what it’s for. If not then you, your son and your daughter will join those men outside. Your choice.”

The woman looked at him as if he were the devil incarnate. Her head dropped and she took a deep breath. “It’s for the barn outside.”

“Good. Now then, what’s in the barn outside that needs such a lock?”

“It’s the stuff from all the travellers he, my husband that is, taxed. It’s taxes, for the Baron.”

“I thought this side of the river was Lord Blackmore’s land?”

“Well he said it was for the Baron. It’s for one of those thieving bastards, anyway.”

“What else is in there?”

She looked at him and swallowed nervously. There was an edge to his voice that was frightening, even to her.

“Slaves.”

His face went black.

“I hate slavers” he told her, each word dripping with venom. “I hate slavers with a passion you could only dream of. Now tell me, what are your plans for these people?”

“We, we keep them here to work the land. They were here when we arrived, so we kept them on to do the work around here.”

“What do you mean by ‘here when you arrived?’ Do you mean you stole those people’s farm, their house and just kept them as slaves on their own farm?”

The woman hung her head, and just nodded.

“Well, let’s go and meet these folk and tell them the news, shall we?”

His nostrils were flaring, and the muscles on his neck were standing out in his fury.