Freedom

I stood and watched as they lifted the young woman into her grave. The sound of weeping filled the air, and I myself couldn't help but cry, though I hardly knew her.

Her lover stood beside her open grave, his eyes full of sorrow.

Why her? Why was she murdered? I could only wonder. The priest started to speak. It was in Latin, so I couldn’t understand him, but I had been in enough funerals to know when to close my eyes and bow my head. The priest finished his prayer. I opened my eyes. The crowd had started to leave. I took one last look at the woman and then I too left.

I saw the young woman’s lover stroll sadly and slowly down a path. His eyes were on the ground. Each time he passed someone, they would pat his shoulder. He walked past me; I gave him a small smile. He looked up and saw it. He nodded. In his eyes, I could see pain and anger. He walked past me and to the group of men, which were talking. When he approached them, they stopped their talk and embraced him. I watched curious. They began talking again, explaining their plan to him. I could hear them, the whole village could, and soon more and more men came over and joined the conversation. I leaned against a house wall, and like many of the other woman, I listened. They were planning revenge. Revenge for the woman’s death and to be free. We all wanted freedom. It’s why we have wars.

The men were talking tactics and weapons. They had killed the murders of the woman’s death, but that wasn’t enough, not for them. She was loved in the village. She was a pretty, brown-eyed angel, and would be missed by all.

The crowd of men moved inside the huts as night fell. I had listened all day, and was tired. I walked slowly towards my home.

I was alone, but I could feel someone watching me. I turned in the darkness, searching. I saw no one. I started to walk faster. Suddenly, I was pushed into an open hut. A soldier landed on top of me. I screamed and struggled. The soldier tried to kiss me, but I kept moving my head. He tried to undo my dress, but I managed to push him back with my hands. He was too strong though and he held my hands down to the ground. He tried to kiss me again. I kept screaming, hoping someone would hear me. The soldier suddenly seemed to fly off me. I saw a man behind him, holding the soldier and then throwing him at the wall. I recognized the man; it was the woman’s lover. The soldier recovered and tried to run at the lover, but an axe went into his stomach by another villager. The lover helped me up.

‘Are you okay?’ he asked, quickly helping me out the hut.

‘Aye,’ I said. The lover took me back to the village centre, the other village men behind us. Three more soldiers tried to kill us, but they all found their doom.

We gathered inside a hut, where a wife of one of the men gave me water. She and I sat in the background and listened to the men rebel. Tomorrow, they agreed, they shall go to war. Some would remain behind and protect the village and the villagers. The lover was going to lead them. This was his fight.

The next morning, the villagers left for Falkirk. It had been taken over by the English. The soldiers got ready to leave. I was trying to find the lover. It was crowed in the village centre, wives saying their goodbyes. I finally found him. I hadn’t had a chance to thank him for saving me. I tapped him on the shoulder and he turned around. I handed him a thistle, and thanked him. He nodded and took the thistle.

‘Let it bring you luck,’ I told him. He nodded again and thanked me. He got up onto his horse and rode away. I waved goodbye to all the men, but I stared after the lover. I wondered his name…

Someone was shouting. Nellie and I both got up quickly and ran outside. A boy was running through the village, shouting that he had news of our army. I ran over to him quickly.

‘Tell me, what news have you of William?’ I asked him, ‘Does he live?’

‘Aye, my lady. He lives and he is leading the army farther south towards England. Soon we shall be free, my lady,’ he told me. I smiled, happy at the news. Nellie laughed behind me.

‘You seem happy, Lillian,’ Ellie spoke, suspicious. I nodded and skipped back up to the house. I was very happy. I danced outside and sang. Ellie clapped along. Soon we shall be free. Soon, I shall see William again…