Chapter 5 – From Bad to Worse than Worse
I woke up as Momma was placing a cool damp cloth on my forehead. The room began to heave and spin a little so I closed my eyes again.
While my eyes were closed, I spoke slowly to Momma “What happened? Am I sick?”
With a choke in her voice, Momma said “Here Gwynn, drink a little of your tea.”
I took a few sips. Then I struggled against the feeling of being dragged back to sleep.
When next I woke, it seemed like early morning, before the sun is full. Everyone else must be asleep. I tried to sit up but I found that I had been strapped to my own bed. The effort to sit up caused the room to spin again. I tried to calm myself. Why am I tied down? Am I insane? Am I sick with fever? Have I upset someone? Embarrassed myself? Harmed someone? I waited and endlessly questioned myself. No answers would come. All was very quiet until I could hear Momma starting breakfast. I was so hungry, it felt like I was starving. How long had I been sleeping?
Loud enough to be heard in the kitchen, I said “Momma, is that you?”. Something crashed to the floor and all was quiet for a few moments. Again I spoke “Momma?”
Haltingly, she cleared her throat and said “Yes Gwynn?”
Fatigued, I asked “Can I have something to eat… please?”
She replied “In a bit. I just need to get it ready.” In the next hour Momma had left the house and returned, broke something else and I could hear her sobbing now and again.
What was happening? I asked “Are you alright Momma?” No answer. Someone was talking in low tones with Momma. Where was Papa? Now there were several people talking with her. Why?
The sun was fully up now. Momma came in and with great effort put on a smile beneath swollen red eyes. She brought a bowl of buttered porridge and a cup of milk. She fed me without a word. She didn’t free me or even loosen the straps. She looked at me oddly.
Then she told me “You’ve been in bed for a long time. I am all alone.”
With tears, she said “Gwynn you should know that Edburga is dead and was buried a few days ago. Also that Papa and Alvis have been asleep since you collapsed.”
I could not grasp it, Ed is dead? After a long silence, I asked “What day is it?”
She seemed relieved at an easy to answer question, and said “It’s the 1st of Vermilla.”
She paused for a bit, rushing “The council came this morning. They are agreed that you are to be… marked and must leave Frostport, never to return. They… they will return on the morrow to mark your hands.”
The heavy silence of an hour or so passed. She said “Gelund and Katin will not speak to me and Dolmund had twice tried to force his way into the house and attack you Gwynn.”
“Though it goes against the council’s wishes, I’ve readied a traveling bag with rations for you. If I release you will you harm me? Can I trust that you will leave Frostport and harm no one?”
I… I could only weep. No words. Life had just dropped a mountain on my chest. My mouth and throat just dried up. I could only nod.
Next morning, an hour before the sun would greet the day, I found that my restraint had ended. I tried to explain to Momma that I had nothing to do with Edburga’s death. That I loved her more than my own life. Momma would not reply. After a half hour, I gave up. Later, Momma said “Try not to be seen leaving town. And stay away from the grave, her far and mor are probably still there grieving.” She did not utter another word in my presence.
I went to the jetty quickly and silently hid myself below decks on the first ship I could find. I was pretty sure the ‘Blackbone’ was leaving Frostport soonest. The west coast storm season was just ending, so the southbound merchant ships had started their coastal run. As a fully loaded merchant, the ‘Blackbone’ would have started it’s run from Insulomn in the north, just a few days ago. Goodbye Frostport.