A Daughter's Love - Book 2 The Frencolian Chronicles (complete)

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Another year— more birthdays— Spring— Summer —then the final harvest was gathered, and again the last stores were stacked into cellars and barns before the onslaught of winter.

Chatelain began to work more seriously on his neglected gizmo.

Snow was cleared away most days to maintain a narrow path to the woodshed and he began working in the special room, fitting the pieces together, hoping to be able to put the press to test some time in the Spring.

A fire-place had been erected in the small chamber and the room became a snug work-area with large candle-lights around the walls so the inventor could work any hour of the day or night.

The door was rarely locked and the guard had slackened.

Another winter passed...

Spring 'sprang' again, with green shoots and buds bursting through the sodden ground. Spring vegetables sprouted only to be covered up with unexpected, late fresh snow. The swiftly melting mass swelled the rivers and streams, and the following rains kept most people inside by their fires.

The sun rose earlier, and warmth finally dispelled the icy chill from the valleys and hillsides.

April the twenty-second arrived and passed, and just before the month of May commenced, Jobyna's eleventh birthday gift arrived at the gate. It was a gleaming brown horse, a gelding, with a ragged white star-shape on its forehead. Chatelain proudly presented his rapturous daughter with the horse, again causing her siblings an unnecessary bout of ill disguised jealously.

Rainbow was almost past carrying a rider even as slight as Jobyna and the girl knew her father was right when he said that the mare should be sent to 'sleep in the horses' paradise'. However, the old mare fared much better, left out in the field now the weather was warmer. She was free to graze and rest as desired.

Chatelain realized that the arrival of the new gelding would make it easier for her to part with Rainbow when the time came.

"Brownlea. That's what I'll call you." Jobyna unbuckled the brightly polished side-saddle that her father had fixed to the horse. Chatelain was silent, wondering what she would do next.

Fetching a sheepskin, she fastened this on the horse's back, speaking soothingly. Calming gently with her hands, she ducked under the creature's middle to the other side, adjusting the strap about the horse's girth.

A Frencolian knight and his soldiers, entering across the moat bridge, drew the father's attention away. That the military came and went as they pleased did not bother him, but he often wondered what messages they conveyed and how the affairs of the kingdom were faring.

Turning back, he saw Jobyna riding out.

The baron called to Luke, "Hurry, fetch your horse and follow your sister! Jobyna knows she mustn't ride alone," Chatelain said, frustrated, wishing he had the time to fetch his own horse and canter alongside her on this maiden ride; but he had other pressing matters. The taxes were due and the amount that had to be sent off was considerable. The best part of four full days had been consumed, with Elissa's help, checking records, calculating totals and making sure all accounts were in order.

He had so much wanted to apply ink to the printing press, but the taxes had to come first.

Chatelain stayed to watch Luke ride from the stables, before striding back into the house, to meet with his wife in the office.

The final tallies had to be calculated as soon as possible.

Luke did not gain on Jobyna for some minutes and when she realised he was in behind her, yet in the distance, much ground had sped by. She sensed she had traveled further than expedient.

Brownlea was a prize! He had been trained by the baron's top horse trainer especially for her. He responded to the slightest tug and obviously enjoyed the sound of her soft voice. 

Halting the horse to turn and ride back along the road towards the village, she changed her mind, yelling, "I'll race you to Spy Castle!"

Ignoring a company of soldiers approaching from behind Luke, she urged Brownlea into a gallop. Jobyna turned the corner and turned the horse off on an unmarked path, under some trees and around the thicket. She giggled. She was ahead!

Jobyna expected Luke to be right on her track, but realized he likely would have stopped to give way to the company. Chuckling at the thought of his frustration, she rode up the slope.

Several minutes later, her elation turned to fright as she looked down from the ridge.

The company had rounded the village road and were stationary, just south of the manor house, waiting. What for? Jobyna froze, wondering. 

Her heart leapt to her throat, and she gasped to see that the soldiers had Luke in their midst. One soldier was in possession of Speed's reins.

Squeezing her eyes tightly, Jobyna opened them and refocused. This action made no difference to the scene below her hiding place.

Luke's hands were being bound behind his back while another soldier knotted a thick gag around his mouth.

Jobyna saw a large number of knights and soldiers on horseback riding from the manor house. They veered off on the north-bound road. A foot-soldier-scout ahead of the waiting company appeared as though from nowhere and ran back to report to the knights.

The company with Luke moved off along the road and around the corner towards the manor house.

Jobyna watched transfixed as the company rode across the bridge, drawing their swords as they entered. As she gasped for air, she saw the front moat bridge being raised.

She would be locked out!

Take a deep breath! Jobyna remembered these words as she moved from the edge of the ridge. Clinging to one of the large rocks, she held her breath as the ground spun around beneath her. She closed her eyes tightly and prayed for victory over her fears.

She had to reminder herself; Frencolian soldiers had Luke tied up! What were they going to do? Where had they come from? What could she do? As her senses calmed and she succeeded in continuing to breathe slowly, Jobyna made a decision.

Tethering Brownlea to a branch, she moved around the ridge. Lowering herself over the cliff edge and into the crevasse, she climbed down the rocky surface as she had done many times when she was younger, knowing she was out of sight of the manor house.

The path was different as erosion had done its never-ending work and the precipice was slippery. Jobyna ignored how much she slid, she just wanted to find out what was going on at home, but without the invaders knowing she was watching.

With caution, Jobyna moved across the field, sneaking from tree to tree, wishing they had more greenery on them, ignoring Rainbow as he approached her. Climbing over the stile, she rounded the walls, thankful to see the wall top unguarded here. Treading cautiously towards the back entrance, she saw, with gladness that the small ramp-bridge was still down.

Creeping stealthily across the ramp, Jobyna entered the first gate and slowly made her way under the wall arch towards the second gate, flattening herself against the side of the narrow passageway.

She found herself firmly grasped on both sides; the surprise of her capture made her cry out in panic. Her mouth and throat constricted, and she was again aware that she was breathing wrongly.

Struggling between two soldiers, Jobyna found herself dragged around the back of the manor house.