Sarah's Story Chapter 003 - Scared

Jared explained what had happened since roughly mid-afternoon: how he had sent James on an errand to fetch water from the river, how several hours later, around dusk, Helen had shown up at his home, and how she had dashed off after determining how long James had been missing.

Sarah was in shock. So was Stephen. Helen had been right to worry, and he had wanted to wait…

He felt like the worst father in the world, and the worst husband for doubting his wife like that.

Helen was still unconscious and bound on the ground in front of him.

The Baron’s eyes widened as he rapidly processed the information, confirmed with his skill as the Lord that none of his subjects had died today, and with some guesswork, he turned to Stephen.

“Farmer Stephen, don’t tell me…” he hesitated to speak his conclusion aloud.

Stephen bit his lip, head still bowed, feeling the weight of the Lord’s gaze on him.

“...it is… as you have likely guessed.” Stephen grunted the words out, his reluctance to admit it pressing on him like a fallen ox.

The secret was out.

Instantly the Baron was giving orders, shouting.

“Jeeves, emergency recovery protocol! Break out the potions! Search and rescue in the forest near the smithy, on the double!”

The Baron turned to his son, who was confused and falling behind the rapidly changing situation.

“Christopher, stay in the manor and manage the recovery efforts.”

“But Father, I-”

“You will do as your Baron says, Christopher!”

Everyone present felt an immense pressure, the weight of authority, press down on them. Especially so for Christopher, who was forced to a knee before his father.

Through gritted teeth the boy managed to reply, “Yes, my Lord.”

But the Baron was already moving, striding purposefully towards the knights who were coming to.

“Form up immediately, leave the fallen to Jeeves and Christopher for emergency recovery protocol! Fastest runner to Hunter Alexander’s house, we’re conducting search and rescue in the forest near the smithy, estimated time since last contact three hours! Get moving; the trail’s going cold!”

As he shouted a squire came forward with a single horse, saddled and prepared, for the Baron. The knights would proceed on foot.

“There’s not a moment to lose!” he shouted, and four knights who had managed to recover their wits followed him through the garden, out the gate, and directly towards the search area.

Sarah fell to her knees.

James was… missing? In the forest, at night? Why had mother been so scared she would bother the Lord directly, and why was the Lord taking it so seriously? Why had her mother fought the knights? Why had her father attacked her mother and tied her up?

She was scared. She wanted to run to her father but she was scared to move an inch. She didn’t understand anything.

What was happening?

In less than a minute Jeeves had organized the recovery efforts and handed it off to Christopher, who was dispensing the emergency potions. He approached the kneeling Stephen, with the bound and unconscious Helen between them.

“Farmer Stephen.” He said, as though making a pronouncement.

“Yes.” Stephen replied, head still bowed.

“The Lord will make his judgment at a later date, once this emergency is settled. Take your family home, then join in the search and rescue efforts.”

“Understood,” Stephen replied, before scooping up his wife in his arms.

He jogged over to Sarah, turned around, and crouched down with his back to her.

“Sarah, piggyback.”

“Dad, wha-”

“Sarah! Piggyback, now! We need to hurry!”

Sarah was embarrassed to be riding her father’s back like a little girl – she was already twelve! – but her father’s tone brooked no argument. As soon as she had climbed on and gotten a good grip, her father took off fast, sprinting, faster than she’d ever seen him run before.

With Stephen’s Strength boost from his Farmer class, and his Speed boost from his Brawler class, carrying two people and sprinting through the village was no trouble, and he made it home so fast he was surprised with himself.

If his surprise with himself was one hundredth of his emotions right now, forty hundredths was shame for how he had treated his wife and the rest was concern for his son. He raced to their bedroom, lay his wife down in bed still bound, and crouched to let Sarah slide off his back. He was already accelerating out the door when Sarah spoke up, stopping him.

“Dad! Let me help with the search!”

“No!” he shouted, louder than he had ever yelled at any of his children before.

Louder than he had intended.

He turned and looked at Sarah, her face a mess of tears and fear.

He crouched down to her eye level and placed a gentle hand on her cheek.

“Sarah,” he began, “I need you to stay here and care for your mother. Don’t let her wriggle out of the ropes, tell her the Lord and I are searching for James, and I mean it, don’t let her unbind herself. She needs to stay here.”

He stood and kissed her on the forehead and before Sarah knew it he was already out the front door, once again left ajar.

Sarah spent the night numbly watching her bound and unconscious mother while the dinner down in the kitchen grew cold, forgotten.