Chapter Ten

**Old Feuds**

The four of them walked into the town hall without a word. The reeve led the way, then came Jason and Vanna, and finally the sheriff tailed them. Once the sheriff closed the door behind them he began to speak. “Now I don’t know what you two did or did not do but you’ll have to forgive me for taking some precautions and have Byron over there take those shiny weapons off your persons.”

Vanna looked at Jason for instructions, but he shrugged his shoulders then roses his arms above his head. Vanna followed his lead. Bryon came behind them and quickly pulled away their weapons.

“Don’t worry once this is all sorted out you’ll get them back,” the sheriff reassured them. “The mayor didn’t get to finish introducing me. My name is Trent, I’m the sheriff in Finchead. We don’t have a resident magistrate so it’s my job to administer the King’s justice in one’s absence. Now you two don’t look like the rough sort so we assume there is more to this story than old Malcolm back there was telling us. So why don’t you start explaining,” Trent finished then rested his hand on his sword hilt.

Jason wasn’t sure where to start, but eventually began his story at when he entered Fallows for the first time. When he was done Byron grumbled a few curses then said to Trent, “if they’re right, they are getting worse over in Fallows. Robbed people on the King’s highway in broad daylight, no shame. And the reeve’s son’s too?”

Trent nodded his head obviously trying to judge the truth of Jason’s story. “If what you told me is true, then you were in the right last night. Normally, you should have gone to the sheriff of Fallows but he’s just as rotten as the rest of them. He wouldn’t have given you a fair hearing. You’ll excuse me one more time but I’m going to have to test your story. You’re going to have to wait in a cell for a moment.”

Jason was put off by the last request, he had felt like the interrogation was going well until that point. He didn’t see any point to resisting so he went along with it. Trent led them to a door at the back of the hall. Behind the door was a small closet cut in half by a metal gate. A small rectangular window near the ceiling allowed the sun to light the room just enough to see. “We’re sorry for the this, but we play it safe around here,” Bryon apologized.

Vanna and Jason funneled themselves into the cell. At least there was a wooden bench and they could sit. Trent locked the door on them and told them that he would return in a few minutes. Byron stayed and sat on a stool outside the cell watching them. Sunbeams juxtaposed floating dust with the air.

“We are sorry about this,” Byron said. “It’s hard to trust anyone in the countryside these days. It wasn’t like this before the drought. Oh, forgive my rudeness, I didn’t even ask your names.” The pair introduced themselves and then Byron continued to talk. “Our row with Fallows goes long back though, since I was a young man,” Byron laughed bitterly. The dim lighting dawned the wrinkles on his face. “Never liked each other much, Fallows and Finchead. Things got bad though when that girl Hannah ran off a few years back. Folk found out she eloped with some herder in Fallows. Hannah’s family tried to visit her when they found out where she was, but they were driven off saying they couldn’t have her back. Poor family, they said the girl looked like a ghost.”

Byron sighed then leaned back in his chair. Jason wondered if Hannah was the wife of either Jeb or his brother. It couldn’t have been, the woman last night was too old, or was she?

“Then,” Byron continue, “when the draught came, everyone was hit hard. They came to us to loan them cattle and sheep. The fools were so hungry they slaughtered even their milking and breeding stock for food. We were worried they’d kill what we loaned them so we didn’t help them. We couldn’t even help them if we wanted to, we were making just enough back then to survive. Well the draught ended but they didn’t forget. They’ve held up our villagers trying to travel to Exton before, but they’ve never tried robbery and murder.” Byron shook his head, “I’m going to have to tell people they can’t travel that way until we know it’s safe.”

Trent returned carrying a small lockbox. Jason was curious about what Trent meant when he was going to test their story and he assumed he was about to find out how Trent planned on doing that. Trent pulled a key from his belt and unlocked his box. “It is very important you are clear with your answers, otherwise you may get hurt. I’m going to ask you,” he looked at Jason.

“Jason,” Byron correct, “and her name’s Vanna.”

Trent nodded, “well Jason I’m going to ask you most of the questions, so stick your hand through the bars and remember to be as clear as possible.” Trent pulled a leather glove from the box and slipped it onto his right hand. On the back of the glove a white gem was affixed below the middle finger. The gem look eerily familiar and Jason realized it must be a power gem like his phoenix power gem. Trent grasped Jason’s hand with his gloved hand.

Suddenly Jason’s brain was slammed as if walls had been constructed around his head. He looked at Trent and saw the sheriff was starting to talk but Jason could hardly hear the man’s words. It was like they were trying to talk on opposite sides of a waterfall. But somehow, in his head Jason knew what Trent was saying.

What is your name?

Jason.

Did you pay for the wool on your donkey outside.

Yes.

Did you kill the people in Fallows last night?

Jason desperately wanted to say no. The more he thought of lying the more the walls around his head began to close in on his thoughts searing pain across his body.

Yes but I had no choice!

Was it out of self-defense?

Yes?

Did you go to take your things back with the intent to kill?

No.

All of a sudden the walls backed away from his head and Jason’s senses returned. He look around and saw that Trent had let go of his hand. “It looks like his story holds up,” Trent said. “Vanna I have just one question for you, can you take my hand?” She took his hand and went stiff. Jason looked at Trent’s face and saw that he was concentrating. After a few seconds he let go of Vanna’s hand and both of them relaxed. Trent looked at Byron and nodded. He unlocked the cells and they all returned to the main hall.

“We’re both very sorry about that,” Byron said, he had gathered their weapons and was handing them back to Jason and Vanna. “You two must be hungry and tired, you’re more than welcome to stay here as long as you need. Trent why don’t you go inform the other villagers about what has happened and warn anyone about travelling to Exton.”

Trent nodded, “Once they have been settle we should talk more about this.”

“Of course old friend,” Byron agreed. Trent grunted then left the hall. Byron waved his hand, “come, come. I believe my wife still has something over the fire from last night’s supper.”

“Right after you sir, I could eat old Skippy out there right now,” Vanna said.

Byron let out a laugh then led them to the cottage attached to the townhall. The cottage was a small one room house with a happy hearth heating in the center with a thick kettle burning over it. Byron grabbed a few bowls from a shelf and filled them with the kettle’s contents. “There should be some hare in there.” He set the bowls down at a table and sat down. Jason and Vanna slinked onto the bench in front of the bowls and Vanna began to devour the food. Jason was more interested in speaking to Byron.

“So what is going to happen now?”

“Well, Trent and I will keep it between us what really happened. So the two of you shouldn’t worry yourselves about last night anymore,” Byron said. “It’s our issue with Fallows and you had the bad luck of being drawn into it.

Jason cast his eyes down at his bowl. Chunks of vegetables floated in the thick brown liquid. “Something needs to happen about Fallows.”

“Everyone agrees, but my power is only limited to what goes on in Finchead. I have brought the issue up to our lord to discuss with the lord of Fallows but nothing has come of it.”

“Well it sounds like they are going to attack Finchead,” Jason exclaimed, surprised and concerned by Byron’s complacency.

Byron waved his hand, “they always make threats like that but have never dared attack us.”

“Well now we can’t go back to Exton, and I don’t even know how far away the nearest town is.”

“Exton is the nearest town but the capitol is also less than a day away,” Byron explained. “But we prefer Exton since it is close enough for a day trip unlike the capitol.”

“I guess that is where we have to take the wool,” Vanna said, finally coming up from her bowl.

Byron cut in, “I can help you find someone willing to sell you wool, before you leave. And if your willing to come back after you sell you wool in the capitol, there are a lot of people looking for supplies that can only be found in a city and in short supply here, I’m sure we can make it worth your while.”

Jason’s attitude started to brighten. I completely forgot that I left the city to find a village to trade with. It may have been a rough time getting here, but it’s almost like an opportunity is being dropped in my laugh. “I’m sure we can work something out,” Jason said with a smile.

“Good,” Byron grinned, “now finish your food Jason you’ve had a long night. I’ll find you two some place to rest and I’ll arrange the proper meetings for later this evening. I’m sure you’re going to get a lot of business.”