My Right and Yours

I rushed into the house and I searched the place but there was no one to be seen. Everything is in its place but not the occupants of the house. I ran out to the yard and also searched the adjoining structures but not a sign of living being was to be seen. Even the servants are gone and so are the animals they reared.

"Its it a plague, my Lord? I pray thy showed me the signs. How can a house of twenty or more with more chattering bosoms than my fingers go missing in one night? I can think of only two things, my Lord; your retribution as I have mentioned earlier with the plague, or I am the cause of it all." I fell down to my knees to asked for his forgiveness.

It was only yesterday, that we were rejoicing on this very ground with the feast of a lavish spread and the music that only a muse could play. I was sitting there on this long table that fills up with twenty merry wishes of my marriage to Elena. Its truly a joyous ceremony as we shared wine and meat while the servants run without stop to filled our goblets and laid on more plates of food. I looked at my bride and see her more beautiful than ever before. She smile at me as I looked at her.

"Thank you, Elena. I know not any man who would be happier than me today to have you as the bride. Thank you, my love." I leaned over to kissed her on her lips which she cringed away in embarrassment. "Why do you run when its my lips who is kissing you? It would be more if you choose to resist."

Her father sitting next to her burst out in laughter as he hears of his new son making a jest of his daughter who is the new bride. I turned to my newly recognised brother who is already half drunk with wine which I was to add ion more to his goblet.

"You have a lovely sister, Micheal. I am proud to be your brother and make you proud of me." I raised my goblet to a toast on my words and he followed with it by finishing his on my call. Its nice to be here among the friendly people of this village and since my arrival not a week ago, I am now one of them.

"Tell me, Peter; how long did you roam the open plains of Spain and France, and what made you come back to England to stake your claim on a local lass?' I looked at the man who raised the most interesting question of the day. He is none other than Elena's uncle, Brian of something my drunken mind could not recalled now. But his question raised to me, I could answer without a thought.

"For over a decade I traveled my journey through France and Spain and then back again. I fought in many battles and for the fact I am standing here, I must be lucky." That bought the merry wishers to bang on the table and roared their approval of my words. I must not be boastful or they would see as one too arrogant. So I take the middle path and remain as plain as possible. "But I found myself always lonely.... And in need of love."

"Surely, there must been some lass who could comfort you well with their bosoms." I knew that was coming but I answered with my look to my wife.

"They cometh alright for a man so vile as me but I resist them like the Sirens of the Reefs as I know if I am to be married, it would be to a love of mine from my native England. I saved it well for this day as she have for his man." That drew more laughter and banging from the merry revelers. The feast drew on to the night while the drunken gets dragged off. I find myself being offered more in my goblet and yet I refused, I had to obliged as these are to be my kin's man. It was morning when I awakened to find myself in the barn. Funny I would lying here as am I not the groom to the bride. Maybe those men are playing their tricks on me as their customs, I pulled myself to the legs and dragged my legs out.

The rest you know.

But what I was to know later makes me asked myself, do I deserved this.

It was past noon when I saw the entourage of my new kins coming back, with my bride's father leading the mount that carried my bride. They looked so solemn as if they have come from a funeral. I rushed out to meet them and I was surprised that my new father held me back.

"She would be cleaned before you can see her." I turned to see behind him as the ladies lead my bride to the house. The men surround me as if to stop me from going forth.

"What happened? Did someone died? Please tell me, father." I looked to the older man whom I am no calling father.

"Peter, you are new to our land. There are somethings which you do not know. And we did not say." He sounded so sad and I had to know.

"Father, is Elena sick? I still love. I have taken to the vow to love and cherish her. So tell me what is wrong." I reached out my hands to hold the older man to speak.

"She is well and strong as her mother. She is not of any sickness but she had undergone a ritual which you may not know as you new to his land." I was relieved and laughed at him.

"Ritual? I seen many in my travels. Nothing scares me anymore. If that is what she gone through, then I am not offended. But why the long sad looks. Surely this ritual does not call for blood sacrifice like some I have seen." I looked around me and none of them are smiling. I looked back at the older man and I asked of him.

"Tell me, father. " The older man shook his head and looked at me.

"Son, she had been given to the Lord as part of the Droit du seigneur. Its his right on our land. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I do."

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I took the man's head who is the Lord of the Land here after I have removed it from his body while he was sleeping. I took it to the fireplace where the night fire still burns with some low warmth. I threw his head into the fire and watched it burned like the Devil at the stake.

"Eye for an eye. This is my way of doing it. You took her most valued item from me, I take what is most valued to you. May you wake up in Hell. In your next life, don't take anything from an assassin. "