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**chaos** · November 18th, 2024, 04:58 PM

Ceridwen tried to disguise her disappointment - she knew it had been a longshot and besides, if what the soldier she could speak to was to be trusted, it may have been a *good* thing that there were no Saxon children for her to play with. She had no idea why that should be the case, but had no reason to doubt him.

Fortunately, the enticing scent of food was enough to distract her from her gloomy thoughts as she looked about the place for a bowl and a spoon...

**Fenrir13** · November 18th, 2024, 07:15 PM

Beorthric smiled as she was handed a bowl and a spoon by the servant. He then bowed and took his leave. "I see you a well taken care for. I´ll retire then. If something is wrong just call for Beorthric. Your tent is over there. Feel right at home. It should be comfortable.", he explained to her. "Oh, tomorrow a bishop from a big city will visit and say mass. He will probably request your presence. But he doesn´t like the Welsh and might try to humiliate you or be otherwise mean. Keep a cool head. He can´t do anything too bad except maybe hurt your pride.", he warned her.

"Good night.", he added and was off. She was indeed well taken care of. Next morning though there was worrying talk. A group of Welsh bandits or soldiers from another lord had been seen close to the palisade. It was quite a force and some had engaged with a patrol. They even had archers, which meant they were better prepared than most armies. But since the camp was so well secured they didn´t risk a direct attack. Could she maybe reach and flee with them? And was it worth the risk??

**chaos** · November 19th, 2024, 09:50 PM

Ceridwen, however, was blissfully unaware of any of this due mostly to her almost total ignorance of the Saxon tongue, but she also hadn't slept very well the previous evening despite the long day and heavy meal - the sounds and smells of the Saxon camp were just too different from home.

Finally, she was just grumpy. The servants who had come to wash and dress her for the morning Mass had been far too rough for a little girl! She knew that her attempts to... express her disapproval at her rough handling nonverbally had probably made her seem like an unconscionable little brat, but she figured she could have that soldier guy, Beothric, smooth things over later and if he couldn't, well... they were just servants.

Ceridwen had never been particularly pious, but despite Beothric's warning about the Bishop's attitude towards her people she was excited for Mass today. She spoke no Saxon, but her tutor at home had taught her a bit of Latin, maybe she could use that to communicate?

(Sorry for ignoring the hook you dropped, but I couldn't think of a way to act on it at this point in time...)

**Fenrir13** · November 20th, 2024, 07:32 AM

(No problem! Honestly, I am hoping I am taking this in the right direction...)

Beorthric caught up with her on the way to mass. They had prepared a big tent extra for that. Unlike Ceridwen the young Saxon seemed well rested. "Good morning.", he said with a content yawn. "There has been an attacked on our forces outside the camp. Seems almost like your people want you back. We dealt with it, though. No welsh rabble can resist our warriors for long.", he said, sounding somewhat more arrogant then the day before. Maybe he was just angry that they had been attacked.
When mass began everything fell silent. The bishop was a gaunt old man with cold narrow eyes. He made the service long and boring for the listeners. Things only got interesting when he started preaching about the Welsh. The bishop pointed at Ceridwen and lectured the people in attendance long and hard about her peoples "vice", and the how justified they were in taking their land. Some of the Saxon lords in the crowd seemed content with that, but Beothric got nervous and glanced into Ceridwens direction to see how she was holding up.

**chaos** · November 20th, 2024, 07:20 PM

Ceridwen was fuming silently in her seat next to the Saxon leader as she was forced to sit quietly and listen to her people being slandered and defamed by the obnoxious Saxon Bishop.

While her meager knowledge of Latin had proved utterly inadequate to understand the service (something she should have known from many whippings she received from her tutor) she was a little girl and like any child insults and 'bad words' stuck fast in her brain and she was hearing them all right now!

To distract herself from the insulting tirade she thought about the morning's attack. She knew her father wouldn't send anyone to rescue her - it would bring grave dishonour upon Ceridwen, himself, and their entire family! She took that to mean that the raiders must be an anti-Saxon faction, but we're they there to rescue her or kill her to prevent a potential alliance?

(Honestly, I'm not sure where this is going either, but am content to find out together. If you want something a little more... regimented, we can discuss via PMs perhaps?)

**Fenrir13** · November 21st, 2024, 07:38 AM

(I´ll send you a pm in a moment...)

---------- Post added at 10:38 AM ---------- Previous post was Yesterday at 11:42 PM ----------

Beorthric noticed how Ceridwen lost focus and got nervous. Better she didn´t give the bishop any excuse to bully her. He gave her a light nudge and whispered into her ear. "Hey, try to pay attention.", he warned. But it was too late. Furiously the bishop wheeled around. "You!!", he said dramatically in broken welsh,"How dare you interrupt the service! I´ll deal with you, yet!", he threatned, using a few words of broken Welsh. Ceridwen then was rudely thrown out into the mudd of the tent by two burly nobleman. It seemed like Beorthric couldn´t help her.

**chaos** · November 21st, 2024, 05:45 PM

Due to her noble upbringing, poor Ceridwen wasn't at all used to being shouted at and certainly had never seen anyone physically thrown out of Mass before!

She could only sit stupidly, trying to figure out what the Bishop thought he was saying to her...

**Fenrir13** · November 21st, 2024, 08:58 PM

Thankfully the mass only took a short while longer. Everyone involved except the clergymen seemed relieved. The bishop left the tent and saw Ceridwen sitting in the mud. "You! On your feet.", he ordered and took her to a place that was relatively isolated from the rest of the camp. The old priest shoved her down on her knees. "Now you must pray. I tell you when to stop.", he explained sternly. His Welsh was still bad, but clear enough.

**chaos** · November 22nd, 2024, 03:47 AM

Defiance flashed in Ceridwen's eyes as she considered getting back to her feet, but she quickly reconsidered - she was alone and the man had already dared to lay hands upon her. What might he do to her if she disobeyed?

With as much dignity as she could manage, she shot the Bishop a wicked glare as she folded her hands, shut her eyes, and began to pray: "Ein Tad yn y nefoedd, sancteiddier dy enw; deled dy deyrnas; gwneler dy ewyllys..."

**Fenrir13** · November 22nd, 2024, 08:23 PM

The bishop noticed the defiance in her eyes and raised his hand, maybe to strike her. But he calmed down when Ceridwen obeyed and lowered his hand again. The man eventually got tired of watching her, so she could probably stop, alltough maybe that was not a good idea?

Beorthric eventually released her, tapping her shoulder lightly. "Come on, we will depart from the camp in less than an hour. Don´t worry about the bishop anymore.", he told her in a friendly manner,"We have to get going."
The Saxon helped her up and lead her to the other travelers and the guard who had gathered at the other gate. A light rain set in, making the road muddy and a mood of light melancholy seemed to spread among the Saxons. No longer did they talk and laugh But at least Ceridwen would no longer be bullied by the bishop.