Chapter 18

Neda showed Gwynna the wine cellar, which also contained huge beer kegs. Only at the last door did she hesitate. "Below it goes into the dungeon and the torture cellar. But you don't want to see that. "Gwynna shuddered. "Are there prisoners there?" "No, not at the moment. But the Lord will soon hold a day of judgment, then it could fill up again. "

"A day of judgment?"

Neda looked at her in surprise. "Where do you come from that you don't know that? The Lord decides about law and order, or at least what he thinks it is. He keeps his subjects calm and punishes those who violate the law. These are the duties of a lord of the castle. It seems to me, however, that our master particularly likes these punishments. "Neda pulled her arm. "Let's go back to the Count's chamber. Stay there until I get you for lunch. "

Gwynna, who didn't like the idea of being locked up again, said, "Can't I go outside for a minute? Kurgan doesn't appear to be there so he wouldn't see it. I urgently need fresh air and a short walk would do me good. "

„Absolutely not. The lord is on the training ground with his men. He'll be back soon and has forbidden you to go out. Please don't cause me any trouble! "

"All right then. Let's go. "Gwynna went up the stairs in resignation. After the door closed behind her and she was locked up again, Gwynna had no choice but to sit in the armchair and think. She longed for her hut, for the simple life. She was free and could come and go whenever she wanted. Even if the villagers had viewed her with suspicion and she had never really felt that she belonged to them, she would rather be there a hundred times than locked up like a bird in a cage.

She knew, however, that Kurgan would probably kill her if she tried to escape. Or, worse, throw her to his men. That meant she would have to try to return to her time after her escape. He couldn't follow her there. That was certain. Was her bag of spices still in the cave? Without them she couldn't go back. Perhaps she could somehow get a message to Brother Erland to pick up her belongings from the cave?

But for that she would need allies. None of the servants had spoken to them. Neda had made it clear to her that she would not help her. So she was probably on her own. Yes, she had to contact Erland. Somehow….

Meanwhile in Konrad's house, an angry landlord was yelling at his wife.

"Absildis, have you become foolish? Should I go to the castle and ask for compensation for Jakomina's lost virginity? "

Absildis cocked her chin. "Rape is a criminal offense! Even if the perpetrators were men of the count. Proclaim it on Judgment Day! Otherwise everyone would think she was a loose woman and her honor would be gone. Everyone already knows that she was at the castle! That is your job as a father and as a village elder! "

"Honor! Pah! "Konrad turned purple. „She's only good for the monastery anyway. And even that will cost me a lot of money for the nuns to take her in!"

"That's not true and you know it! If she is officially a rape victim, her honor will be restored and she can be married. She is pretty and she has a good dowry! That should be enough for a good husband."

"Yes, if the bastard Einar didn't get her pregnant!"

Absildis shook her head. "We'll find out soon. But we can handle that too. Then we send her away until the child arrives and then we find her a husband. Konrad, please! "

Konrad went up to his wife and roughly grabbed her arm. „Woman, you don't think I'll risk my head to help your daughter, do you? Ask Brother Erland. The priest might want to play the martyr. You can't expect anything from me! "

Absildis shook off his hand. "You're just a coward, Konrad. And not a man!" Contemptuously, she wanted to turn away, when Konrad cried out and hit her in the face with all his might so that she stumbled backwards and fell. "Don't you dare talk to me like that again, woman! You live in my house and obey my will, do you understand? !" Konrad reached out again when Absildis held her hands protectively in front of her face.

„Father stop!" Gebhard came running and stood in front of his mother. "She is right, you must report the rape. If you don't do it, I'll do it! "

„Be quiet! I will not watch the Count impal you on his lance, you fool! Who knows if he didn't rape your sister himself! Should I charge him as a perpetrator? You are all nuts! "

Angry, Konrad stormed off and slammed the door. Gebhard helped his mother up. Absildis had tears in her eyes and was holding her swelling cheek. "Come on mother. I'll have a cooling compress made for you. "With that he took the crying woman in his arms and brought her into her room. Gebhard's decision was made. He would fight for his sister's honor. He would not subject her to shame or disgrace. He would go to the Count and bring charges. He swore it to himself.

After what felt like an eternity, the door to Kurgan's chamber opened and Gwynna was able to leave the room. In the meantime Neda had put on an apron and led the young woman into the hall. Numerous people had already gathered there. Servants ran around handing out sliced bread and small soup bowls and pouring jugs full of beer. Kurgan and his men were nowhere to be seen.

To Gwynna's questioning look, Neda replied, "Most of the time the Lord doesn't come back until dinner. The men take provisions with them to the practice area. "

"Where can I sit down?" Neda pointed to the table on the gallery.

"Upstairs, there is the Lord sitting with his family. If he had one. I'll send you a servant who can serve you. "

Gwynna felt all eyes on her as she walked slowly to the count's table. There was whispering, some pointing fingers at her. She would have loved to sink into the ground. When she got to the table, she took the outermost chair and waited. A few minutes later, a boy no more than ten years old, came to her table and handed her a mug of beer and a bowl. He didn't look at her and immediately ran away before she could thank him. Finally several kitchen helpers entered the room and carried in the large copper kettles from which hot steam rose. Another scooped the hot stew from the kettle into the served bowls.

The boy returned with a much smaller cauldron which he placed on the table in front of Gwynna. Then he took a trowel and spoon from his belt and held them out to Gwynna. She took both and thanked him. This time he looked her in the face and a trace of a smile appeared on his face before disappearing again. Gwynna scooped the stew into her bowl. It contained numerous pieces of meat in the cabbage-dominated soup, similar to the one she got in Konrad's house, apparently this was a typical dish of this area.

During the meal she was able to take a look at those present. There were mostly men in the room. Soldiers who stood guard in and around the castle. Occasionally a few women were seen in simple maid attire. Stable boys, servants and other people. Very few ate with spoons, but rather chunks pieces of bread in the soup and scooped out the soaked pieces by hand.

After dinner, Neda came to take her back to her room, but Gwynna asked if she could at least sit in the garden for a while. After all, this was only accessible through the kitchen. Neda finally nodded and took her there. Gwynna sat on the little bench between the rose bushes and enjoyed the fresh air. Finally she tried to name the herbs in the bed to pass the time.

When the light slowly faded, Neda picked her up and brought her back into the room. "The Lord expects you to be in the room when he comes back. I'll bring you a bowl of water, then you can freshen up. "

After Gwynna had washed her face and hands, Neda combed her hair again and made a long braid, which she tied with a velvet ribbon.

Then she left the room. Gwynna had no choice but to wait for Kurgan to return.