Three Little Words
Three Little Words
Chapter 1 – Curtains Slowly she woke from a deep and dreamless sleep. She pulled the bed covers up to her neck and tried to get back to where she had come from. Chinks of light stole into the room illuminating the peel plasterwork and the damp smears of what was once an elegant room. Why had circumstances change, why was she alone? Her thoughts raced back to her husband’s arrest. A Royal officer, a Sergeant at Arms no less and his 4 henchmen had dragged him away. At last she rose, shivering as her feet met the cold bare floorboards; she broke the ice on the pail of water left for washing. Was she now a widow? Of that she was certain Elizabeth I had no time for treason. Morose and downtrodden she washed, dressed and tried to make her unruly hair behave and pin it under her quoif. She allowed a long sigh to escape her lips expressing her despair, life was so cruel. At last she stepped to the window and dragged away the rough curtains. It had snowed through the night and a layer of virgin white snow ay all around. Queenhithe was covered in the white blanket. All signs of dirt and degradation was swallowed in this wonderful glowing covering: the small of human detritus was gone, smothered by the snow layer and the room was imbued with a bright silvery glow. Just curtains but life could change.
Chapter 2 – Tomorrow She gazed at the sea of white roofs until her eye was taken by a trail of footmarks were leading along the lane where a trader was trudging his way to the market square. The sun shining off of the snow was responsible for the light and it lifted her spirits slightly filling her with a warm inner glow. She made her way down the rickety ladder and entered into the inn’s main room. The pot boy knelt before the fire feeding small bits of kindling into the newly encourage flame. Soom the blaze grew and he started to feed logs into flames. “Good morning mistress”, the tavern keeper’s voice slipped in from the gloomy back room that she thought was the kitchen. “Would you like to break your fast?” She declined the request but asked for a measure of small ale. Taking a seat in front of the newly remade fire she started to warm herself. The serving brought a mazer and a jug of small ale. She poured a measure and walked away. She took a sip; it was almost unpalatable. “Wait lady”, shouted the pot boy; she paused. He withdrew the poker that he was using to stoke the fire and tapped it onto the heart stone to dislodge any dirt. He then lifted in and plunged the glowing end into her small ale. There were spits, a great hiss and a small cloud of steam. He rummaged in a small purse and dropped 3 pinches of a brown powder into her drink and then stirred the liquid with his eating knife. A delicious aroma of nutmeg and hops surrounded her and played games of hide and seek with her sense of smell. She took a sip, beamed with pleasure and said, ”Thank you”. She passed him a penny that he caused to disappear and he bowed his head in acknowledgement and disappeared. She was just finishing her ale when the Sergeant of Arms arrived. He looked around the room, saw her and walked over. Without leave he sat opposite her and spoke. “Mistress there will be a trial; your husband will stand at the Bailey tomorrow”!
Chapter 3 – The Wish She rose early, prepared herself and was in the main room ready to go. It was half and hours walk to the Bailey especially with the hard-packed snow and ice; she could not afford a carriage. The pot boy had worked his magic with her small ale. She finished it up with relish and wrapped her cloak tightly around her. The inn keeper nodding o her to acknowledge she was leaving. Outside stood a soldier who saw her and walked to her side. “Mistress I am ordered to escort you to the Bailey”. She took his arm to save her from slipping and they went. It was an uneventful trip and they arrived at the Bailey. She took a seat in the public gallery just before the three judges filed in. She scrutinised each of the old men in their black robes and powdered wigs. They had nothing much to distinguish them. The chief judge had a large mole on his chin which sprouted long white hairs. She sat through 3 cases, all petty and all guilty. All three were to hang that day. Her husband was brought to the dock. He looked around and spotted her slowly shaking his head. He was draw in his face and looked pale and exhausted, red wealds surrounded his wrist where he had been shackled. She knew his incarceration had not gone well. “Put the charge”, the chief judge boomed. She looked around as saw the Sergeant at Arms lounged against a wall and he smiled at her with a sort of twisted lear. The prosecutor rose and sais just one word, “TREASON”. “How do you plead, prisoner at the bar”? His voice quavered as he spoke softly, “I am not guilty”. The prosecutor, still standing, began to describe the two witnesses who had denounced the prisoner, what they had said, where that was and when. She listened and knew it was untrue, he was never there. Every sinew in her body scream out for her to act when the chief judge turned to his right and said, “I think we have heard enough. She felt her senses spiral downwards as she realised he would be executed how she wished it were not true. As she tried to reconcile what must surely come she become aware of the stamp of boots. “Hold, I say”. The Sergeant of Arms stepped forward to block the path to this stranger but a large gauntleted hand struck him full in the mouth and he reeled away. She though, the wish please let it be true.
Chapter 4 – The Verdict The Sergeant got to his feet and moved quickly before the stranger but was met by two battle dressed soldiers with swords drawn. The Chief Judge was standing and shouting for the bailiffs to come hither but all that appeared were more armoured soldiers. “What is the meaning of this”, shouted the Chief Judge and the stranger shrugged off his cloak and gloves to reveal the apparel of a Duke. The Duke of Somerset, Edward Seymour, stood before the judge. He nodded to the prisoner and called some of his men, “Seize that sergeant and the two lower judges, hold them all at my pleasure, the Queen will decide their fate”. He looked at the Chief Judge who was amazed by what was happening. He blustered, “Sir you have no jurisdiction here”. Somerset look straight at him, “Firstly you address me as Your Grace, secondly I have arrested your fellow judges for conspiracy and finally the so called prisoner is my cousin and has never broken the law. If I had not arrived you would have whisked him away to a scaffold and that Sergeant of yours would have made fast and loose with my cousin’s wife. You are dismissed My Lord and I will be calling on you very soon”. Turning he ordered his men to clear the Bailey. She stepped down from the gallery and curtsied to the Duke. He promptly took her by the hands and lifted her to her full height. Her husband came forward bowed to the Duke and then embraced his wife. “I am very grateful Your Grace your timing was perfect. Have you arrested all of them?”. The Duke nodded and she interjected, “You knew, you both knew. I have spent the worst two days of my life; this was contrived”. She burst into tears whilst her husband and the Duke looked on dumbfounded.
Three Little Words
Chapter 1 – Curtains Slowly she woke from a deep and dreamless sleep. She pulled the bed covers up to her neck and tried to get back to where she had come from. Chinks of light stole into the room illuminating the peel plasterwork and the damp smears of what was once an elegant room. Why had circumstances change, why was she alone? Her thoughts raced back to her husband’s arrest. A Royal officer, a Sergeant at Arms no less and his 4 henchmen had dragged him away. At last she rose, shivering as her feet met the cold bare floorboards; she broke the ice on the pail of water left for washing. Was she now a widow? Of that she was certain Elizabeth I had no time for treason. Morose and downtrodden she washed, dressed and tried to make her unruly hair behave and pin it under her quoif. She allowed a long sigh to escape her lips expressing her despair, life was so cruel. At last she stepped to the window and dragged away the rough curtains. It had snowed through the night and a layer of virgin white snow ay all around. Queenhithe was covered in the white blanket. All signs of dirt and degradation was swallowed in this wonderful glowing covering: the small of human detritus was gone, smothered by the snow layer and the room was imbued with a bright silvery glow. Just curtains but life could change.
Chapter 2 – Tomorrow She gazed at the sea of white roofs until her eye was taken by a trail of footmarks were leading along the lane where a trader was trudging his way to the market square. The sun shining off of the snow was responsible for the light and it lifted her spirits slightly filling her with a warm inner glow. She made her way down the rickety ladder and entered into the inn’s main room. The pot boy knelt before the fire feeding small bits of kindling into the newly encourage flame. Soom the blaze grew and he started to feed logs into flames. “Good morning mistress”, the tavern keeper’s voice slipped in from the gloomy back room that she thought was the kitchen. “Would you like to break your fast?” She declined the request but asked for a measure of small ale. Taking a seat in front of the newly remade fire she started to warm herself. The serving brought a mazer and a jug of small ale. She poured a measure and walked away. She took a sip; it was almost unpalatable. “Wait lady”, shouted the pot boy; she paused. He withdrew the poker that he was using to stoke the fire and tapped it onto the heart stone to dislodge any dirt. He then lifted in and plunged the glowing end into her small ale. There were spits, a great hiss and a small cloud of steam. He rummaged in a small purse and dropped 3 pinches of a brown powder into her drink and then stirred the liquid with his eating knife. A delicious aroma of nutmeg and hops surrounded her and played games of hide and seek with her sense of smell. She took a sip, beamed with pleasure and said, ”Thank you”. She passed him a penny that he caused to disappear and he bowed his head in acknowledgement and disappeared. She was just finishing her ale when the Sergeant of Arms arrived. He looked around the room, saw her and walked over. Without leave he sat opposite her and spoke. “Mistress there will be a trial; your husband will stand at the Bailey tomorrow”!
Chapter 3 – The Wish She rose early, prepared herself and was in the main room ready to go. It was half and hours walk to the Bailey especially with the hard-packed snow and ice; she could not afford a carriage. The pot boy had worked his magic with her small ale. She finished it up with relish and wrapped her cloak tightly around her. The inn keeper nodding o her to acknowledge she was leaving. Outside stood a soldier who saw her and walked to her side. “Mistress I am ordered to escort you to the Bailey”. She took his arm to save her from slipping and they went. It was an uneventful trip and they arrived at the Bailey. She took a seat in the public gallery just before the three judges filed in. She scrutinised each of the old men in their black robes and powdered wigs. They had nothing much to distinguish them. The chief judge had a large mole on his chin which sprouted long white hairs. She sat through 3 cases, all petty and all guilty. All three were to hang that day. Her husband was brought to the dock. He looked around and spotted her slowly shaking his head. He was draw in his face and looked pale and exhausted, red wealds surrounded his wrist where he had been shackled. She knew his incarceration had not gone well. “Put the charge”, the chief judge boomed. She looked around as saw the Sergeant at Arms lounged against a wall and he smiled at her with a sort of twisted lear. The prosecutor rose and sais just one word, “TREASON”. “How do you plead, prisoner at the bar”? His voice quavered as he spoke softly, “I am not guilty”. The prosecutor, still standing, began to describe the two witnesses who had denounced the prisoner, what they had said, where that was and when. She listened and knew it was untrue, he was never there. Every sinew in her body scream out for her to act when the chief judge turned to his right and said, “I think we have heard enough. She felt her senses spiral downwards as she realised he would be executed how she wished it were not true. As she tried to reconcile what must surely come she become aware of the stamp of boots. “Hold, I say”. The Sergeant of Arms stepped forward to block the path to this stranger but a large gauntleted hand struck him full in the mouth and he reeled away. She though, the wish please let it be true.
Chapter 4 – The Verdict The Sergeant got to his feet and moved quickly before the stranger but was met by two battle dressed soldiers with swords drawn. The Chief Judge was standing and shouting for the bailiffs to come hither but all that appeared were more armoured soldiers. “What is the meaning of this”, shouted the Chief Judge and the stranger shrugged off his cloak and gloves to reveal the apparel of a Duke. The Duke of Somerset, Edward Seymour, stood before the judge. He nodded to the prisoner and called some of his men, “Seize that sergeant and the two lower judges, hold them all at my pleasure, the Queen will decide their fate”. He looked at the Chief Judge who was amazed by what was happening. He blustered, “Sir you have no jurisdiction here”. Somerset look straight at him, “Firstly you address me as Your Grace, secondly I have arrested your fellow judges for conspiracy and finally the so called prisoner is my cousin and has never broken the law. If I had not arrived you would have whisked him away to a scaffold and that Sergeant of yours would have made fast and loose with my cousin’s wife. You are dismissed My Lord and I will be calling on you very soon”. Turning he ordered his men to clear the Bailey. She stepped down from the gallery and curtsied to the Duke. He promptly took her by the hands and lifted her to her full height. Her husband came forward bowed to the Duke and then embraced his wife. “I am very grateful Your Grace your timing was perfect. Have you arrested all of them?”. The Duke nodded and she interjected, “You knew, you both knew. I have spent the worst two days of my life; this was contrived”. She burst into tears whilst her husband and the Duke looked on dumbfounded.
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