Chapter 24

Shortly after dawn a number of women and two men showed up and knocked on the door. Rolly and Rachel greeted them.

My name is Roland, Prince of Tyndell, Kenty, and Balkat. I came here last night unannounced and found your lord taken ill. Is your reeve a good and honest man?"

Some of the women scoffed.

"I take it the answer is 'no.'"

"What do you want with our reeve, Milord?"

"I have some questions for him about a friend of mine who has gone missing."

Rolly circled his hand over his head. That was the signal for his men to move in behind the small crowd.

"I also have some questions for all of you. Would you please come inside?"

Rolly asked each of the people what their job was there, and asked them about the unicorns and the wounds on them. Rolly found out that Lord Alphonse had spent a great deal of money to purchase the unicorn. The fact that it was pregnant wasn't part of the purchase deal. Other than help bring the animal in they had little to do with it, they said.

Rolly also asked them about the reeve; how old he was, if he were married, what kind of relationship Lord Alphonse had with the man, etc.

Most of the people were rather tight lipped, but one woman said, "If I tell you the truth will you take me with you and give me work?"

"How do you know that I'm a good man?"

"Milord, your men have not been rough, and I see the way your wife looks at you. That is good enough for me to take a chance. I do not like this place, but I have no other options."

"What don't you like about it?"

"Do we have a deal, Milord?

"I will promise honest work around honest men, but you might find yourself as housekeeper at a cattle ranch or tavern."

The woman looked at Rachel, who nodded.

"I accept."

She continued, "The reeve is a snake. He wasn't so bad under the father, but he does as he pleases under Lord Alfonse, just short of taking the food from your mouth. He collects the lord's taxes, and the lord lets him overstep his bounds. I know that the reeve has ruined at least one maiden after her father couldn't pay his taxes."

"I hear that some maidens have gone missing." Rolly said.

"Yes, Milord, Lord Alfonse says that there are wizards in the mountains that come down to take maidens, and in the form of wolves they take children too. The reeve has followed giant wolf tracks, but says that they disappear into thin air. They have captured some of the wizards and have them upstairs, but since you are here you already know that."

I know nothing, as I said, I found Lord Alphonse ill and let him rest. Have you seen these wizards?"

"No, Milord. Lord Alfonse said that it was too dangerous, only a learned man of high birth was safe from them because they lie and change shape. That is why he bought the unicorn, so that he would have power over them."

"Has anyone else in this household, besides Lord Alphonse seen the wizards?"

"No, Milord. Alphonse always takes the food to them."

"What about the reeve. Has he seen them?"

"Of course, he helped catch them."

"What of the reeve's men?"

"Milord?"

"Did they help in the captures?"

"Not that I have heard."

"How many men does the reeve have?

"He rides with four, but probably has around ten more that he can get when he needs them."

"Are they bad men?"

"Some."

"How long have you known Lord Alfonse?"

"I have worked here for three years, ever since my husband was taken ill and died."

"Thank you. What is your name?"

"Joan, Milord,"

Rolly asked a few more questions of some of the people who didn't want to talk. After considering his options he decided to try to get the reeve to come to him.

"Joan, listen very carefully to me. I want you to go to the reeve and tell him that this morning, Lord Alfonse kept you waiting until now before opening he door, and the lord has need of him upstairs. If the reeve asks, tell him that that Lord Alfonse does not look well. If he presses, tell him that you know nothing else. I am not here, and nothing is out of the ordinary. How much time will it take you to find him?"

"It could be a half hour or all day."

"Do your best. After you have told him the message, and you are sure that he is on his way go to the families of the missing people, and anyone who has been wronged by the reeve, and tell them to come here."

Joan left and Rolly spoke to the others, "Lord Alfonse was struck by lightning last night on the top of this tower. He is dead. But his fate did not befall him until after he murdered three innocent women in a heinous way. They were not witches or wizards. I know this for a fact. We will bury one of them this morning and get the bodies of the other two to their families.

"Lady Rachel needs some things from you women for the animals. She will tell you all that she requires. But until the reeve arrives I am afraid that most of you will have to stay here. My men will go with the rest of you."

"But I did nothing wrong." one woman said.

Her comment was followed by a general protest.

"I do not believe that any of you did, but I do believe that the reeve shares in the guilt here and I cannot have him be warned. I tell you now that if any of you does anything to warn off the reeve all will pay with their lives. One of the women who died was very important to me."

The reeve arrived around noon with two other men, and Rachel greeted him at the door.

"Come in, my cousin is expecting you."

"Who are you?"

"I am Lady Rachel, Baroness of Kansas."

The reeve might have had little respect for Alfonse, but he respected nobility. To not respect it was dangerous.

"Forgive my tone, Milady. I did not know that you would be here, and it is my duty to protect Lord Alfonse and his lands."

"Yes, and I hear that you do your job well for my cousin.

"Thank you, Milady."

"Forgive my appearance; I have been traveling hard and just arrived."

Once the three men were well into the great hall Rolly came into the room with two crossbowmen. Another three came in through the front door from outside.

One of the reeve's deputies went to draw his sword, but before it was halfway out of its sheath a crossbow bolt had penetrated his heart.

Reeve Oscen, I am Lord Roland of Kansas. You are under arrest for crimes against Tracia of Cassandra, and Flora and Mary, of the lands under your care.

"I don't know who you are talking about."

"Three women that Lord Alfonse murdered last night. You knew that they were here."

"They were witches. Lord Alfonse said so..."

Roland had the two men bound, and he then freed the household staff.

While they waited for the crowd to arrive they buried Damsel Tracia Bank Loan Officer of Cassandra in a nearby orchard. Rolly said some words about her bravery, and asked the powers of Cassandra to take her back into their arms. He did his best to sound like a preacher, but he had little time to think about what to say. He was surprised that her body had still been there in the morning. Perhaps the powers that be didn't want Rolly's men to be confused by a disappearing body.

Word had gone out that the reeve was to stand trial, so it seemed that most of the village showed up.

Rolly had the two men bound in chairs on the edge of the door stoop with nooses around their necks. If the reeve's men showed up he planned to simply push the reeve off the stoop and remove the source of conflict.

"I am Lord Roland of Kansas. You may have heard of me. I was the man who stopped the maniac, Crimson Jack, in Wentford. I arrived here last night in hopes of saving three innocent women, but I was too late. Alfonse had already murdered them. I found him on the roof, struck by lightning. I also found evidence written in Alfonse's own hand that state he murdered not only his own parents but also children and others. He used rumors of wizards, witches, and wolves to cover his crimes. The reeve knew about all of this, and did not report it to Alphonse's liege, Lord Fadser.

"I have been told that the reeve has committed crimes against some of you. This is your chance to accuse him."

Many in the crowd accused the reeve of demanding bribes, and even rape.

"Does anyone speak in defense of Oscen?"

The crowd was silent.

"Oscen, what do you have to say in your defense?"

Oscen replied by saying that he had simply been following orders.

"Orders from above are no excuse for crimes as heinous and unnatural as have been committed here for so long, and certainly your lord did not order you to steal money from his tenants and to rape their daughters. I sentence you to die for your crimes."

Rolly then pushed the chair off of the high stoop.

Once the lifeless body of the reeve stopped swinging, Rolly moved to the deputy.

"I do not know this man. He accompanied the reeve as his deputy. He did not pull a weapon on me, as did his dead companion. Who can tell me his name?"

"Samuel," was yelled from the crowd by several people.

"Who speaks for this man? Is he a good man or a bad man?"

"He is one of the reeve's riders. They demanded money of me, and they took one of my pigs." said one man.

A few people had similar comments.

"Did he ever strike any of you, or destroy your property. Did he get personal enjoyment out of what he did for the reeve?"

No one said anything.

"Does anyone have anything good to say of Samuel?"

"A few men stated that Samuel had helped them with farm work, and another said that Samuel was a good husband."

"Samuel, what do you have to say for yourself?"

"Milord, I never enjoyed helping the reeve to do what he did, to steal from my friends."