Chapter 5

The horses were not happy with the dogs, and the dogs were not happy with the slow pace of the horses. Gradually though, things settled down and they made steady progress. It was mid morning when they found the blasted oak, and despite Tony's reservations, they soon found the farm.

Tony was about to go in to the farm house, well, hovel really, when he thought what effect a strange man suddenly bursting into her home may have. Martha saw his hesitation and asked "What's wrong?"

"Well here we are, we turn up out of the blue, and just burst in. I'm worried that she might think we're slavers, especially with the news we bear, concerning her husband. I was wondering if you would go in first, just to show it's a woman and not a man entering her home uninvited and unannounced."

She threw her arms around him and kissed him. "Of course I will. You really do care for everyone, you are a true hero."

She went into the hut. She found a terrified young woman clutching a small baby to her breast.

"It's all right," she said, removing her hood and revealing her face. The girl relaxed a little when she saw it was a woman that had entered her home.

"Hello, my name is Martha. You're Rachael aren't you?"

The girl nodded

"Would you mind if my companions join us, it is rather cold out there?" Martha asked.

Again the girl nodded. Tony and Gunter entered the hut. It was crowded in there with the four of them. Tony sat on the floor.

"Rachael, my name is Tony. I'm afraid I have some bad news for you. It's Jacob."

"He's dead isn't he?" she wailed.

"Yes he is I'm afraid." said Tony as gently as he could.

"It was those men wasn't it?" she sobbed "I told him not to go, begged him, but he wouldn't listen."

"What men was that?" asked Tony.

"Three men they had a prisoner with them, a woman I think. They came here when Jacob was out hunting, I saw them coming and hid in the woods. They took our packhorse and most of our food. They killed our chickens as well. Just after they left, Jacob came home and he went after them. I got worried when he didn't return. I knew something bad had happened." she told him.

"There was a man, out on the trail, said that that was all the food they had and his wife and child would starve without it. Two of the men kept him busy while the other crept up behind him and hit him on the head." said Martha.

"How do you know that?" asked Rachael?

"Because I was their prisoner, Sir Tony rescued me, and killed all three of them. Your husband's death has been avenged," said Martha.

"But what are we to do now? How will I feed Hannah? We only just had enough as it was. Now it's all gone. We'll starve," she cried.

"You can come with us." Tony told her. "We will find you somewhere safe, somewhere you can be housed and be fed. And it won't be a whore house either."

Rachael smiled a weak smile through her tears. "Thank you" she sobbed, holding and rocking her baby.

They quickly gathered up Rachael and Hannah's few belongings; loaded them on the sled and set off. Martha, Rachael and baby Hannah went on the sled, with Gunter driving it. Tony was riding the cob, leading the donkeys. They made steady progress through the rest of the morning, and decided to eat on the move. It was mid-afternoon that trouble struck. The same four men that attacked them on the way here were standing in the road again. Because they were travelling that much slower this time Tony could get a good look at them. They looked like poor farmers. They had no sharp weapons, just clubs. Tony ordered Gunter to halt and stood out in front with his bow at the ready. Gunter looked at him, waiting to see what he would do next.

"Who are you, and what do you want?" asked Tony.

"We want your pack animals and your food," said their leader

"I asked you who you are. Answer and I might not have to kill you." Tony told him.

The four men looked at each other. Their leader stepped forward. "I'm Karl, This is Hans, and behind him are Michael and his brother Ralf," he said.

"Good, I am Sir Tony. This is Gunter; in the sled are Martha and Rachael with her baby Hannah. Now tell me why men such as you are out on a day like this stopping travellers on the road?"

"Well sir," began Karl "Yesterday morning three men came through and stole our horses and a great deal of our food. They had swords and armour, and as you see we have none. They had a woman with them, a prisoner. They told us that they would rape our wives if we tried to resist them. We need to replace that food or we will starve."

"So you decided to rob the less fortunate than yourselves did you? That makes you no better than the men who did this to you. Do you think you deserve the same fate that befell them?" He asked.

"What fate was that then Sir?" asked Hans.

Tony looked him straight in the eye. "Me." He told him "Now this is what is going to happen. We are coming to your place. We are spending the night with you. You are all going to listen to what we tell you. And you will do as I say; any questions? No. Good. Let's go."

The four men looked at each other, shrugged their shoulders and led the way back to their farm. It wasn't all that far, and when they arrived they were greeted by their women and children.

"Karl who are these people and what do they want?" asked one woman, obviously Karl's wife.

"They're people we er, met on the road. They are staying the night with us." he replied.

"What!" she exclaimed. "And what exactly are they going to eat? Remember we were robbed! They took almost everything. Even your horse! So tell me how are we going to feed them? I told you that going out there was a bad idea didn't I. But would you listen? Oh no. So what trouble have you brought down on us now?"

Tony looked around. The houses were fairly reasonable by Chaos standards. There were three of them. Two log cabins, a round house, a pigpen and a barn made up this farm. There was an outhouse and a well. Beyond that the land had been cleared and a small field lay under snow. All in all, this wasn't a bad place. He smiled at the tirade unleashed on the unfortunate Karl.

"Madame; allow me to introduce myself and my friends. I am Sir Tony and this is Gunter. The ladies are Martha and Rachael and her child Hannah. The same men that robbed you murdered Hannah's husband. Your husband and his friends informed us of your difficulties when we met upon the road. We have come here to see what we can do to help. First I wish you to know that the men who robbed, and threatened to rape you are dead. I have recovered some of those things; unfortunately your husband's horse was not one of them. I see you have a very nice farm here. Tell me, how do you intend to defend the place when the Brotherhood comes through in force? For they will you know. How can you protect yourselves and your children here?"

The woman looked at him. "My name is Dorle," she told Him "We have lived here for many years and we haven't had any problems up until now. Why should anything be different now?"

"Because up to now there haven't been people like the Brotherhood to trouble you. Yes, there have always been bandits, but they were never going to take you into slavery, or keep coming back to steal your crops year after year. This is what will happen. I will say no more, Talk it over and let me know your decision in the morning." He told them.

He gave them back some of the things that had been stolen and a meal was prepared. He asked them about their life here, and they told him that for most of the time it was good. There was game in the forest, they could grow enough crops and raise a few chickens. They kept pigs, and each year they would collect acorns and store them to feed the pigs over winter. Each autumn they would slaughter a pig and that would provide their meat. All in all it was a good life. As they spoke Tony could see this all coming to an end. The Brotherhood was coming and nothing he could do would stop that. He had to organise the people so that they could defend themselves.

After dinner he went for a walk outside. Gunter joined him. "Sir Tony, you seem sad, what troubles you?" he asked

"It's these people. They're good people, they have a good life here; all they want is to be left in peace to grow their crops, raise their animals and see their children grow up, marry and be happy. All that is about to change and there's nothing I can do to stop it. I cannot, by myself, stop the Brotherhood. I wish I could, but I can't." He looked up at the sky and prayed the serenity prayer. "Lord, give me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."