Ascendant Read Free Page B

be
available to grind their grain, with crops planted and harvest time
approaching, spelled disaster for everyone in Crebb ’ s Ford, not just for the
miller. Koren was a menace, a danger to poor, honest, hard-working people who
could not afford any more bad luck in their lives. When Pricella Pettifogger
announced that it was time for action, not more talk, about Koren, no one spoke
against her. When Pricella spoke to the sheriff of Crickdon county, and
explained how much trouble Koren had caused, the sheriff knew his employer the
Baron would care about only two things. First, that tax payments from Crebbs
Ford might be reduced, or delayed, because there was no local mill to grind the
farmer's grain. And second, that Pricella Pettifogger was very upset and worked
up about the issue of Koren Bladewell, and that she was very likely to be
pestering the Baron until he did something about it. The problem with tax
payments was serious, for the Baron had to pay his taxes to the Duke, whether
the Baron had collected taxes from his subjects or not. But the sheriff
remembered the last time Pricella had pestered the Baron about something; the
woman had been so persistent, and so annoying, that the Baron had taken to
riding far out of his way to avoid going through Crebb's Ford, and had even
begun to dread reading his mail, lest he find yet another strident message from
Mistress Pettifogger. So the sheriff was not sure the Baron would care about
the taxes, as much as caring about keeping Pricella from pestering him again. What
the sheriff did know for certain was that the Baron expected his sheriff to
take care of problems in the county. Which is why the sheriff rode directly to
the Baron's castle, explained the problem, and suggested a solution. A solution
the Baron liked, liked very much indeed. The morning of Koren's thirteenth
birthday, the sheriff met a group of scared and angry people from the village
who were assembled at the Golden Trout, and led them to ride slowly up the lane
to the Bladewell ’ s
farm.
    Bodric released
his wife ’ s
hand, and put his hands on her shoulders, pulling her against him. “ You can tell those people
outside, that we ’ ll
not leave our home because ignorant fools are scared of a silly superstition. ” He spoke through clenched
teeth, his jaw set in defiance. “ It ’ s going to be all right,
honey. We ’ re
staying right here. Plain and simple. ”
    The sheriff
shifted his feet uncomfortably. “ It ’ s not that simple. ” He pulled a scroll from a
pocket, and laid it on the kitchen table. “ This
has gone beyond the Pettifoggers, or the miller. My lord the Baron has declared
your son banished
    “ Banished?! ” The Bladewells shouted
together.
    “ And he ’ s offered a fair price for
your land, ” the sheriff continued, pulling another scroll from his pocket, “ a more than fair price. Even
generous. ”
    “ This is outrageous! The
Baron- “
    “ Who is your liege lord, I
caution you, Mister Bladewell, ” the sheriff said quickly, with one finger held up for emphasis. “ It would not do to speak
ill of the Baron in front of his sheriff, I remind you. ”
    Bodric fumed,
but held his tongue from saying what he felt about the Baron. “ We will fight this, ” he said weakly, feeling
he had to say something. “ We
can appeal to his grace the Duchess. ”
    The sheriff
shook his head sadly. “ Bodric,
yes, you can appeal to the Duchess, at the assize court next winter, if you
travel to the castle. By that time, if you haven ’ t taken the Baron ’ s offer, he will force you
off your land, ” the sheriff didn ’ t
need to mention that it would be he and his men carrying out the Baron ’ s orders, “ and sell your land at
auction. And I can tell you, good sir, the Baron will make sure he is the only
bidder at the auction, and you will be the poorer for it. I know him, he ’ ll do it. Do you think the
Duchess will side with you, over the Baron, who is cousin to the Duchess ’