Disclaimer: Here we go again. I do not own the BBC.
January 5, 1191
I stood hovering over the cradle as Addie lay sleeping. She was small, but I was beginning to believe that she would live. I pulled the blanket over her. Maybe Mother would have her wish. I smiled and went to bed.
Soon I was asleep and I awoke the next morning to find that Father was gone. I walked over to the cradle to see if Addie was awake.
I bent over to hold her, but when I touched her, she was cold. I held my hand just over her small face. No breath. She was dead. My infant sister was dead. My one glimmer of hope…was shattered.
I placed her back in the cradle, and then collapsed and cried. All I had now was Father, and two horses.
Soon, Father came home with two buckets of water balancing on a stick he carried across his shoulders. He dropped the buckets, making sure they wouldn't spill, and said with his normal solemn tone "She must be buried."
I wiped my eyes, forced a smile and nodded. He walked toward me, and hugged me.
"Once your brother returns, we will be a proper family again, I promise." He said.
"You said that before Mother died. How do I know you will keep your promise?" I sobbed.
"This is the promise I will keep forever, my little Ellie, I promise." Promising to keep a promise, this was new.
I broke free of his embrace and turned away to face the cradle.
"Ready the baby for burial. She will be buried at sundown." He then left.
"Wait!" He returned. "Bury her next to Mother. A mother should be buried with her child."
He nodded and left.
I sat down next to the cradle and cried. I raised my head and closed my eyes.
"Oh, Mother, why did you have to leave? If you didn't leave, Addie wouldn't have died! Can't you see that we need you here?" I sobbed. "Mother, I need you!"
April 3, 1191
"I'm going to thatch the roof!"Father shouted. He carried straw tied up on his shoulder and a handmade ladder.
"Father, no! It's too weak! You could fall!" I called as I carried two buckets of water from the village well to the house.
"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine." He assured me. But I knew that he wouldn't be fine. He leaned the ladder against the roof.
"Father, no! It's damp and weak from the rain! It will break!" I cried. I dropped the buckets and ran towards him. He was already beginning to climb. "Father, do you want to die?"
He was on the roof when I started to climb the ladder after him.
"I'll be fine. Nothing will happen. Remember, I still have to teach you how to use a sword- I promised you." He answered.
"Let me do it! It's safer that way!" I cried.
"If something happens to you, I'll never forgive myself. Please, let me. I've already lost two children and your mother." He said. I could hear it in his voice-he was going to die. This was his way of suicide.
I jumped down the second step of the ladder, not caring if anyone saw me. All that mattered was Father. I ran inside and shouted up to him. "Father, no! You're all I have left! Please!" I looked up and cried. I was crying, and I didn't care. All I wanted was for Father not to die.
"I'll see you again in Heaven, child!" There was nothing I could do.
He threw straw over the weakest point and crawled forward. He was crawling over the weak point when-
He fell. The straw wasn't strong enough. Crunch! His neck snapped and his bones were shattered. The back of his head was bleeding and a puddle of blood soon surrounded his body.
Very sad. *Tear* It was supposed to be that way. R&R please!