A Heart Full of Stars {A Medieval Story} Chapter 70 *Finale* now! 5/28/21

Chapter 1
Life was simple. The people lived content lives in small houses with their families. The seasons changed frequently, crops grew, taxes were paid, babies were born. It was simple, well paced.

Two figures sat outside of the back of a building, one older, the other younger.

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“Now you see, to form the ‘a’ properly, you go around and up in a gentle flourish, like so.” Anwyn showed Joseph, her youngest brother. He was 7 years old, and soon he would be too busy to learn to read and write. He had potential, they all did. Anwyn saw her brother one day having the potential to be a scribe or merchant, but it was hard to teach children when you had a shop to run. She had heard that in the larger villages had schools, but in their quaint little town there was nothing to be done. There could be no schools when the homes were so spread out. They were blessed to have a few nearby neighbors themselves, and didn't have to make a living selling crops that grew when they're wasn't a famine going around.

The Cupshires were the local bakers, making bread and pastries for the locals to save them time in their busy days. It was a safe job, one that paid reliably, and the Cupshires were always warm and well fed. Anwyn helped with her father, mother, and elder sister Lara in the kitchen and shop. The children terrorized the dog and played outside to pass the time.

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As the sun was getting higher above the horizon, Anwyn stood from the bench and dusted herself off. “I want to see twenty beautiful ‘a's on that page by the end of the day, do you hear me, Joseph? Twenty!” She instructed as she entered the back of the house. The kitchen was busy with three sets of hands working to get the work done.

“Anny! Goodness, does that boy know how to write the Bible yet? You spend enough time with him,” chided Mrs. Cupshire. “Get out to the front and fill the orders. We don't have all day to dream of curlicues!”

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“Yes, ma'am!” Anwyn complied as she hugged her mother and went to the front of the shop.

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Master Gibbons was talking heartily with the other patrons who were looking at the goods. In a voice that was accustomed to shouting across fields, Anwyn heard him say “I heard from Master Payhins that the king himself is on his way to town to visit the lord on the hill in two weeks’ time. It’s one of the nicest manors this side of the capitol so it’s no wonder really. If only we had more time to prepare, I’m surprised that the lord hasn’t sent out pages to gather every hand to help him in the preparation.” Master Gibbons turned from the other patrons and hailed Anwyn. “Miss Cupshire! When is my bread ready? I’m not getting any younger!” he heckled in a happy tone.

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“Relax, Master Gibbons, you’re bread is ready, more so than the grain you grow in your pastures! Make way!” Anwyn moved her way into the crowded, small room.

~*~

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“What do you think about the king coming to visit the lord?” Anwyn later asked Lara while they were working in the garden. It had gotten hot outside so Anwyn had changed into a lighter dress. Lara was a beautiful girl who had the fancy of the son of a farmer about a mile away. There was no engagement yet, but it was expected soon. The families couldn’t be happier for them to start a life, as Lara was 25 by this time.

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“It’s not likely. The king travels rather often from what I hear. There’s rarely anything to come of it. Very little, actually. When he gets tired of one location, he’ll take someone else's elaborate manor for a while and then move on. He was here when you were too young to remember, and I barely do. He was barely a man then, but you remember a king coming to town.” Lara shook herself, remembering what she was talking about in the first place. “Still, two weeks is rather short notice. The courtyard alone is under-cared for and the hedges haven’t been trimmed… I’m sure the lord is frantic.” Lara mentioned. She had gone to visit a friend who was a maid in the house the week before last.

“Master Gibbons said he was surprised that no one had come to gather us to be there to help prepare and serve. Do you think that we should be ready to go at a moment’s notice? Should I pack my things? Goodness, listen to me, Lara! I sound like I don’t know my up from my downs!”

“Well, I’m sure everything will turn out as if it never happened. In a year, what will it matter, hmm? The king will be gone again, off hunting in another one of his vast forests-” she laughed and nudged Anwyn, “and he’ll live in history as the king with the most peace ever seen. If one of the worst famines…” she turned back to the garden. “The plants are green, they’re well watered, but they do not fruit. Even the strawberries barely gave us 20 good berries this week. What are we supposed to do with 20 berries? I wonder if some magic is at work here…”

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“Magic doesn't exist, Lara. Don’t be fooled. It’s still the beginning of summer, it will get better soon, I’m sure.” Anwyn reassured.

Lara shook her head. “You’re wrong, it’s full August by now. The fields should be taller, not as green as they are. Grain should be yellow, not green. This is a problem, if a hidden one at that. There is an ill omen here.”

Anwyn was unnerved and worry wiggled it’s way into her mind. “But it could be worse, couldn’t it? Longer winter would be harder on the animals, harder on everything. A longer summer isn’t a problem, could it be?”

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Lara’s face fell. “I wish I could say. I truly do. I’ve never heard of this happening.” She turned back to her work. “Still, as you said, It could be worse. Let’s grab these greens and get inside. I’m sure mother is tired of waiting for us to harvest some greens.”

~*~

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“God, give us the strength to continue with tomorrow’s hardships and trials, bless Dante (the eldest brother among the children) and his wife. May they bear a child soon, may their fields grow tall, and may their lives be on the path of righteousness.” Anwyn’s father finished the prayer and started to eat his meal.

“I learned to write an ‘a’ and a ‘b’ today!” Joseph boasted with wide eyes. “I can do it all by myself, Anwyn taught me.”

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“That’s wonderful, I’m sure the dog is happy that you were otherwise occupied.” teased Mrs. Cupshire. “And what are you going to do with your new skill?”

“I’m one step closer to being able to write like the scribes, I could get a job being a poet maybe! Or a messenger!”

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“Messengers don’t have to read and write,” commented Sophia. “In fact, it’s probably better they don’t so that they don’t know what the paper they’re holding says and they can’t spread the secrets on it.”

“Then I don’t have to be a messenger, I could be something else! Anything else!” cheered Joseph.

“I think that’s a bit far in the future to be thinking. Let’s not forget about tomorrow.” Mr. Cupshire reared the conversation.

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“I heard that the king is coming to stay with the lord and that they may need help cleaning and preparing the manor.” Anwyn commented, placing food into her mouth.

“It’s a right shame the disarray that they let that place get into whenever no one is around to see it. If I could give that lord a piece of my mind… I’d tell him that he ought to right it up until everything is shining.” Mrs. Cupshire said, shaking her head. Everything that Mrs. Cupshire cleaned had to be shining when it was done, that’s how their house stayed so clean. Any dirt was eliminated.

“I’ve never been in the house, I wonder what it’s like…” Anwyn mentioned.

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“It’s a nice house, but you’ll be prudent to stay away from the king,” her father cautioned. “He may seem like a noble king, but I’ve heard tales of other things… Things that no man or woman need to get involved in. I want the two of you-” he looked at Lara and Anwyn “- to stay as far away from him as you possibly can. Besides, he’s a married man, no reason for young women as yourselves to be around him.”

“Yes, sir,” Anwyn and Lara said in unison, turning their attention back to their plates.

Mr. Cupshire looked back at his own plate, then smiled widely as if remembering something lovely. “I have some news of my own. The Winchesters have agreed to the marriage of Lara and William! The dowery is minimal, a few pieces of gold and the promise to have and to hold, ‘til death may you part.”

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Lara cheered and beamed. The rest of the family was cheering and celebrating, and Mrs. Cupshire looked like she was going to cry. Dabbing her eyes, she beamed at her husband and Lara.

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“There is so much arranging to do,” she commented. “People to invite, cooking to be done. Your aunts are going to want to come, I’m sure. No doubt. Congratulations, Lara. William Winchester is a good boy who will love you until the earth crumbles. We can only all be so lucky…” she looked slyly at her husband, and the two of them smiled, then burst out laughing as if something were the funniest thing in the world.

Anwyn looked at her sister. “You’re going to be so happy and have many healthy children, I’m sure. Your life is going to be wonderful, and this is just the beginning.”

Dinner was cleared away and the children went to bed. Anwyn and Lara went to their room and got ready for bed.

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“Just think, soon you won’t be Miss Cupshire, you’ll be Mrs. William Winchester, a farmer’s wife. You’ll never go hungry for sure.” Anwyn sat on her bed, letting down her hair.

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“But, I know nothing about the duties of being a wife. I’ve heard the…” Lara cleared her throat a bit, embarrassed. “How children are conceived. From the other wives in the village.”

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“Really? Who was telling you about how to be with a man? Was it Mistress Gibbons? Or was it Mrs. Campfer?” Rose leaned in.

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Lara had a smirk on her gleeful face, still embarrassed as the moon during the day.“I’m not going to say who, just that if you have a question about it you should ask Mistress Graham.” she giggled.

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“Oh, I should have guessed her!” Anwyn got serious for a moment. “What exactly did she… say about it?”

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Lara also grew a bit more serious. “It was hard to get a straight answer about anything, really. I barely even knew that we were having the conversation, there was so much innuendo and metaphor. Just that it may hurt the first few times, but that it becomes pleasant? But I have always heard in church that it is unpleasant and a woman’s duty as a wife. Both can’t be true, can it?”

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“Childbearing is the painful part, perhaps the sowing is good? I don’t really want to think about it,” Anwyn and Lara had some second hand knowledge of how children were made. The walls in the house weren’t the thickest and while the Cupshires tried to be discrete, it wasn’t easy to do when you had 5 children. Anwyn knew that childbirth was the hardest part of it all, but her mother had made it through each of her births, and Anwyn was sure that Lara would make it as well.

“When my time comes, you’ll have to… give me advice. Oh, my sister, you always know and do what’s best! This new life your starting, though away from me,” she chidded in jest as if it were a flaw, “Will be the very best, of that I’m sure.”

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“A ‘c’ is quite an easy letter to write. You just write a simple arch to the side, like this, and that’s all there is to it. The ‘d’ is only slightly more difficult, with a long line coming off of the right side. Like this-” Anwyn demonstrated in a flourish. She heard horse hooves approaching the house, and while the sound was a common one, it was still a commodity. Most of the patronage at the bakery came from villagers who walked, not rode.

“Practice the letters, I want-” Anwyn started.

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“To see 20 beautiful ‘c’s and ‘d’s by the end of the day.” Smiled Joseph.

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“25 for interrupting.” Anwyn corrected as she entered the house, a smile on her lips.

There was a small group of people milling around, gossiping. Lara looked like she had a bird in her mouth, like she wanted to say something and was just barely keeping it under wraps.

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“So happy to be getting married?” Anwyn asked her quietly.

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“I feel so different. Something huge has happened to me, and none of the people in the room know it, bedsides the family.” Lara beamed. “I- I want everyone to know, but I know that it is the parent’s duty to announce it. I can’t wait for it to be public knowledge.”

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“Cherish this moment. It’ll only last a short while, and you may miss it when you’re bored and lonely on a farm.” winked Anwyn.

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The door, which wasn’t light, was pushed open in a flurry of action. A man in expensive dress entered the room, and the people’s voices dimmed.

“We require citizens to aid in the restoration of the lord’s manor.” hailed the man in a distinguished tone. “Any and all available hands are to be sent.” He noticed the two young women standing in the middle of the room. “Say, aren’t you Cupshire girls? Your mother and father can spare you for the time being, depart with me and you will be home by the end of two weeks time.”

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Anwyn drew closer to her sister, and Mr. Cupshire came out from the back of the bakery, looking at the page with weariness. “Why would I offer my daughters to clean the manor of the lord who taxes everything I do? I had to give him nearly half of my chickens last year.”

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“And if you don’t participate you will lose three fourths this year. I suggest that anyone who doesn’t want their taxes raised send someone over to the manor at once, lest the king be disappointed by its appearance. You have until tomorrow to have someone. And I will personally be checking for your two daughters, Mr. Cupshire.” the page snarled.

Mr. Cupshire’s face was stone as he straightened his back and showed the man to the door. “You will have my family's services, but threatening the people who pay you taxes is never a good idea. Maybe you should read some history books.”

“And threatening a man of the court is never a good thing either, or have you forgotten that lesson?” sneered the page, going back to his horse.

The door closed, and the bystanders went back to what they were doing but it was obvious that they were still listening to the conversation. It was going to be the town gossip that Mr. Cupshire had dared to stand up in the face of the courts again. They all knew what happened the last time he did that, and it hadn’t gone well in his favor.

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He brought his daughters to the back room of the bakery. “Alright, girls, get your things packed for two weeks. As much as it pains me to send you both away, I have little choice. You both know that we can’t afford the tax he is threatening, and I’m sure you’ll be well taken care of while there. In two week’s time we’ll hardly remember it happened at all.” he showed a weak smile. “Go, God be with you. You can be there by dinner time if you are quick in preparing.”

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The duo went up the narrow stairs and gathered their things, chatting about what tasks they thought they may be assigned. “I hope that I am put in charge or polishing the silver. It is one of my favorite things to do.” grinned Anwyn.

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“But you’re so slow at it. You would be better cleaning the floors, doing large motions. You can hardly sit still to garden, you’ll never make it through polishing a whole manor.” teased Lara.

“And you would be best in the library where the dust is an inch thick and covered in spiders’ webs!” laughed Anwyn. “At least you would be as silent as your company.”

“A lady is best seen when she is quiet. Women who are loud and boisterous are rarely seen as anything better than beggars on the corner. You would do well to develop some manners.”

“I have manners,” Anwyn claimed, indignant. “I think that a woman has just as many brains as a man, and even little Sophia has more brains than that page. His head is so far up his horse’s be-” Anwynn started to illustrate.

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“I will have you stop there, before we are both in larger trouble than we began in!” laughed Lara. “As much as an education is good for a woman, it is equally damning to a man.” she sympathized in a soothing tone, trying to subdue her sister from getting overly excited. “Men want to know that they are in charge. They want to know that they will have their woman’s support and that he does right by her. A man without a woman to fear the loss of favor of is a frightening thing, for he has nothing to fear. However, I know that the page is married, so we have slightly less to fear.” smiled Lara, packing her things.

They packed for a few minutes, Lara finishing before Anwyn.

The two girls embraced their mother and father, and walked down the road towards the lord’s manor.

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“How badly does this manor need to be cleaned? And repaired? Does your friend sit on her hands all day doing nothing, playing cards with her friends?” Anwyn asked her sister.

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“She has few comforts, actually. It’s nearly impossible to keep a manor of that size clean with only two maids and a cook. The lord wishes to minimize costs so that he doesn’t have to pay so much to his servants, thus he has few people to take care of the place. It’s a pity, really. Now we have to work just so that we don’t have to be punished. It’s not right….” Lara trailed off.

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They walked for a while in silence, keeping a good pace up the road. “The page said that something bad happened the last time Father tried to stand against the court. What did he mean? I don’t remember anything happening.” Anwyn inquired.

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Lara physically flinched and wouldn’t meet Anwyn’s eye. “You were very young at the time. I’m happy you don’t remember it. I’m sad to say that I do. And that’s all I’ll say. You don’t need to worry about it.” She tried to reassure her younger sister, but the memory was still wearing on her face.

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The hours waxed by, and finally they reached the walls of the manor. The lawn was moderately well kept, but the grass was long and in need of cutting. The windows were dirty, and there was moss growing on the shady side of the building.

The page was waiting in front of the house. “It’s about time, Cupshires. You do know how to take your time getting here.”

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The two girls curtsied. “Not everyone has a horse they can ride, Sir.” Anwyn commented

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“Too bad, makes one without look tardy.” he sneered. “The staff’s quarters are on the third floor. Walk through the courtyard to the back of the house, then take the stairs up. Walk quietly, the lord of the house is sleeping.”

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Anwyn and Lara walked in the front door, and to directly into the courtyard. The stars were sprinkling the sky now, and they were both hungry. There were cobwebs in the corners, and the fires hadn’t been cleaned in some time. The place was lived in, but did not feel formal. It felt worn.

At the third floor, the lights were low, and there was no one to be seen. All of the doors were closed and there was hallway lining the courtyard.

The two girls looked at each other, wondering if they had the right place. Lara walked quietly over to the door and knocked softly, then opened the door. Inside were six beds, all dressed the same, and on the far side of the room was a sleeping woman, but otherwise it was rather empty. It appeared that none of the other helpers had come yet to prepare the manor, so Lara and Anwyn could choose which bed to sleep in. They quietly put down their belongings and Anwyn went to the door to leave.

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“Where are you going?” whispered Lara.

“I need some food, and so do you. Come with me to get some.” Anwyn whispered back.

“We should stay here, wait to be summoned or assigned.”

“That would be tomorrow morning. No one will notice, we’ll be discrete. A shadow in the night.” Anwyn’s eyes flashed and she grinned in a funny way.

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“I’ll stay here,” Lara said, yawning and Anwyn made a face. “But if you bring me something, I’ll owe you a favor.”

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“Fine. Have it your way.” Anwyn turned around the door and tiptoed down the stairs. The kitchen was on the first floor, and she hoped she wouldn’t be caught. It appeared the manor was built in a big ring around the courtyard, so anyone could go around from anywhere to get anywhere. IF she could just get down the stairs without anyone noticing, she should be fine. Where was the other staff anyhow? There was the page, and the cook was supposedly in the kitchen, but where were the maids?

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Anwyn tiptoed down the stairs to the ground floor, trying to keep out of sight. She didn’t see much of anyone. The manor was sparsely populated anyhow, so it shouldn’t have been surprising.

I guess if I had people coming to my home to clean, I would want to greet them or know who they were… Anwyn thought. She tiptoed down to the kitchen, her mouth watering thinking about the food she could eat. Anything to eat after walking for half the day.
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She creaked open the door to find a very white, very old woman standing in front of the fire. She noticed Anwyn right away, and she approached, a scowl on her face.

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“And what do you think you’re doing coming into my kitchen? Thought you’d steal some food from the larder? Oh, where are my manors?” she asked sarcastically. “Do you need food, mortal? Perhaps some mint to chew on for your foul breath?”

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Anwyn covered her mouth with her hand. “I’d- I’d like some foo-”

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The woman covered her mouth in mockery. “‘I’d like some food.’ Ha! I cook three times a day. If you miss a meal, that’s not my fault. Mortals aren’t allowed in my kitchen.” she paused for a brief moment. “Though by the points of your ears… Doesn't matter. Breakfast will be served tomorrow morning, You can eat then. You look like you have enough meat on your bones to last until then.”

Anwyn was pushed out of the kitchen and she walked back up to her room, bewildered. She was upset that she had been insulted, but the conversation was bizarre. Mortal? Everyone was mortal, was this woman not quite right? Was the lord keeping a troll in the kitchen?

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Anwyn returned to her bed, Lara already sleeping in her bed. Another bed had been filled by another sleeping woman, and Anwyn felt that there was simply nothing left to be done besides sleep. She changed, got into the bed, and fell asleep.