The Hill-King's Bride: an Allegory for the Modern Church

A Triumphant Entrance

Maple knew exactly when the Hill-King had been spotted by the watch. Though no alarm had been sounded, she'd been removed from the patch she'd been ordered to weed and returned to her prison-cabin without a word from the guard, despite her many questions. Maple listened at the door for a while, and then started making ready to leave. She'd been incarcerated in the valley for just over two months.

Her seed potatoes were still useable, if a bit beyond what she would have liked. There were still many dried vegetables and carrots, and her iron pot had been restored to its original state. Maple packed as much as she could fit into her iron pot, then dumped her water pail in order to pack that, too. Finally, with still plenty to pack, Maple turned to the storage chest. It was heavy and cumbersome, but she hoped to convince someone to help her carry everything.

With a bit of maneuvering, Maple was able to fit everything she cared to take with her inside the chest. Finally, the only thing left to do was to be ready. Soon, the voice of her beloved, challenging the watch, drew the attention of the entire village.

With a smile, Maple took out her sling and the pile of suitable stones she'd been amassing from the fields she'd been forced to tend. Her dagger, too, came out from hiding, having been concealed under the sash she'd adopted for that purpose. The trowel she'd received from Gwyn at Midwinter's Day was the first thing she employed, however. Crumbling cabin walls were no match for Maple's determination.

It wasn't long before she'd made a hole large enough to sling stones through. Watchman after watchman fell, some from Maple's stealthy attacks, some from attackers outside. Situated well away from the main gate, Maple's cabin was soon largely undefended as Bryn Ma'ar attempted to negotiate for her release.

The sound of his voice filled Maple with joy, granted her renewed strength to dig a hole in the wall large enough to fit through. The grate of the bar at the front of the cabin made Maple jump. She dug furiously, trying in vain to make the hole large enough before the watch could catch her.

"Maple, it's only me." The quiet voice of little Blossom reassured Maple to no end.

"Sweetie, what are you doing here?" Maple's first thought was for the child's safety.

Blossom's answer was simple. "Going with you." Her answer, so determined, so plaintive, made Maple go and hug her.

"What if you're caught? I don't want you to get hurt." Maple pulled the door shut a little, glad she'd forgotten to bar it from the inside, in her haste to pack.

"I want to go to the hills, too. Come on, they set fire to the wall. It won't be long before your betrothed comes for you." Blossom opened the door again and peeked out. "No one's watching. Come on!"

Together, the two of them left the cabin and made their way toward the front gates. Panic reigned supreme in the village. There was no spring to speak of, so the only source of water was what had been stored in people's homes, not enough to quench the blazing walls.

Panicked and with no way to escape, people ran this way and that, women calling for their children, men seeking only to keep their own homes from burning. The walls collapsed.

Maple caught sight of a metallic shine in the bright, afternoon sun. "Bryn!" she cried, making her way toward where her beloved stood with sword clenched in both hands. She realized that her people had surrounded the walls and merely sought to contain their enemy. "Bryn, you're here!" It was a stupid thing to say, but it burst out before Maple could stop it.

His head turned toward her. "Didn't you think I would?" he asked, sounding as if he were smiling.

"Never doubted it," she shot back. "What took so long?"

"Ma." His one-word answer was enough for Maple, but he endeavored to explain. "Gwyn has a thing about waiting until head-wounds are healed." His tone was wry, telling Maple that she'd hear the story later. "Are you well?"

"I'm fine. Bryn, I'm going to get the girls and I'll be back."

"The others that want to go with you?" He didn't sound surprised. "Be careful. We'll gather everyone in the town square. Have your girls gather up the livestock and we'll meet back up."

"Yes, My King." Maple turned to go, but Blossom, still holding her hand, didn't immediately follow.

The little girl's voice was determined, but neither loud nor soft. "As you command, King Bryn."

Maple turned to look. Bryn was looking at the little girl. "I heard you, you know," he told the little girl. "Every night that you called out for me, I heard you. And yes, you can come, too." He paused for a moment. Blossom was crying. "Go and help the princess for now. All will be well."

"Yes, Sir." The little girl sniffed and turned back toward Maple, who marveled at the expression on her face. She was smiling, more radiantly than Maple had ever seen her before, even before the princess had been Maple of the Highest Hill. "Come on, Princess Maple, I'll help you catch the chickens."

"Let's find Sugar and Rosemary first, all right? They can help too." Together, the two of them walked through the madness of the village.

Soon, Maple had found the rest of the girls who'd been determined to accompany her back to the hills, the girls who'd endured beatings from the watch, from family and random villagers in order to call out to the hill-king for relief.

The five of them went to round up the meager collection of livestock in the village, but a single, feminine voice, calling through the din of battle drove all thoughts of husbandry from Maple's mind. "My Lamb!" Rowen approached at a run.

Maple dropped Blossom's hand. "Ma!" She met her adopted mother and threw her arms around her. "I missed you!"

"Oh, Baby, I've been so worried. Are you all right?" Rowen hugged Maple fiercely, making it hard to draw a proper breath until she was released.

"I'm fine- now that you and Bryn are here. Is Da here too?"

Rowen's smile was magnificent. "He was the first to the wall with a bucket of coals. Bowen was the second, by the way."

Maple laughed. "I'm not surprised," she admitted. "I've seen him different times, watching."

Ever without fear, Blossom approached and tugged on Maple's hand. "Is this your mama?" the little girl asked unnecessarily. She looked up at Rowen, who was filthy with soot, smoke and sweat. Still clutching her sword and with a bow slung over her back, Rowen was the very image of a fierce, hill-folk warrior. "Will you be my mama, too?" Blossom asked.

She winked at Maple and lowered her voice. "I know that Gardener Brooke was once called Lily of the Cliffs, and that she was a princess. High Elder was talking about it when he didn't think anyone but the elders were listening." Pointing unobtrusively at Rowen, Blossom added, "so if she can be your mama, she can be mine, too!"

"You don't have a mama already?" asked Rowen cautiously.

"I did, but she's been gone since I was a little girl. She won't mind if I have another mama, especially not if it's you."

Rowen laughed and hugged the little girl. "It's up to the king, Sweetie, but we'll ask." With a sheepish shrug, she shot a grin at Maple. "Once you wed, your room will be empty again. It seems a shame to let it stay that way, doesn't it?"

Maple laughed until tears leaked from her eyes. "Oh Mama, I missed you so much!" A cow lowed, obviously frightened by the commotion. Reminded of her task, Maple turned her attention to the other four girls. "We have a job to do," she reminded them, reminded herself as she pretended to ignore their whispers.

Most of them were animals that Maple had tamed down and then had confiscated by the elders. The remainder were poultry, a small flock kept by the high elder. To Maple's delight, her animals remembered her. Some had young at side, others made her want to weep at the sight of them, at the neglect they'd suffered under the haphazard care of elders not learned in the care of livestock.

By the time Maple had gathered the animals together and calmed them sufficiently, and then taught her friends to lead them with bits of vegetable as treats, the village had quieted enormously. Maple realized that all of the valley-dwellers had been herded into the town square and headed her retinue in that direction.