My rights and yours.
Authors Note: This is a
short tale on the title above. Please note this is Droit du seigneur ( first time
right ).
Contests rules:
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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 a living being was to be
seen. Even the servants are gone and so are the animals they reared.
"Is it a
plague, my Lord? I pray they showed me the signs. How can a house of twenty or
more go missing in one night? I can think of only two things, my Lord; thy
retribution as I have mentioned earlier with the plague, or am I the cause of
it all." I fell 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 wishers of my marriage to Elena.
It's truly a joyous ceremony as we shared wine and meat while the servants ran
without a stop to filled our goblets and laid on more plates of food. I looked
at my bride and I see her more beautiful than ever before. She give me a sweet smile
when she saw me looking.
"Thank you,
Elena. I know not of any man who would be happier than thee today to have thy
as the bride. Thank you, my love." I leaned over to kiss her on her lips
which she cringed away in embarrassment. "Why do thy run when its only
lips who is kissing? It would be more if they 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 recognized brother who
is already half-drunk with the wine which I was to add on more to his goblet.
"You have a
lovely sister, Micheal. I am proud to be thy' brother and make thy proud of
me." I raised my goblet to a toast on my words and he followed with it by
finishing his wine. It's 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 thy roam the open plains of Spain and France, and what made
thy 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 be recalled then.
But his question was raised to me, I could answer without a thought.
"For over a decade
I have 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 me 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 be 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 thee 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 has for her 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 tried to refuse, I had to oblige as these are to be my
kin's man. It was late morning when I awakened to find myself in the barn.
Funny I would be 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 die? Please tell me, father." I looked to the older
man whom I am not calling father.
"Peter, thy
are new to our land. There are some things which thy do not know. And we did
not say." He sounded so sad and I had to know.
"Father, is
Elena sick? I still would love her. 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 thy may not know as its the custom of the land. " I was
relieved and laughed at him.
"Ritual? I have
seen many in my travels. Nothing scares me anymore. If that is what she has 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. It's 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 thee' way of doing it. Thy took her most valued item from thee, I
take what is most valued to thy. May you wake up in Hell. In your next life,
don't take anything from an assassin. "
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