Deliver Me Safely - Chapter Three

The journey to Bonarame continues, and Valere can hardly contain himself...

Deliver Me Safely

Chapter Three

 

 

      The group stops near a riverbed. Antoine takes out the map he had drawn for the journey and points to a sketch of mountains.

      “The monastery is just passed those mountains,” he tells the men. “But to get there we must first pass through a dense forest, which is here.”

He points to a clump of trees.

      “The total time from here to Bonarame is about three days’ travel. If we make haste we should be able to reach the forest in a day.”

      The men share looks, and nod their heads in agreement. En route again, Etienne sits at the front of the cage, leading the horses that pull it. Valere is beside him. Leon and Antoine are behind the cage, and Leon is feeding his horse and apple. The witch appears to be staring into space, oblivious to the world around her. Leon can’t seem to take his gaze off of her. Antoine exhales deeply.

      “D'où venez-vous? From where have you come?” he wonders, eyeing Leon.

      “Tours.” is his reply. “I left home two years ago, and have since traveled all over France.”

      “Must be an exhausting life.”

      “At times it is,” Leon admits.

      “What have you seen in your days?”

      “Nothing I haven’t already seen before.”

      Antoine chuckles at the comment. At the wagon’s side, Valere gazes upon the witch, his eyes glued to her outgrown breasts, which are extending because of her too-small dress. The witch is not paying attention to him. Valere rides up to Etienne.

      “She’s a real beauty for a witch,” he remarks, looking up at the priest for an answer.

      “Do not let her looks blind you,” Etienne snaps. “She will use it against you.”

 

      The group has traveled all day, and the sun is growing darker. A clump of green and brown comes into the men’s sight. Etienne points to it.

      “The forest,” he points out.

       Riding quickly, they come upon the forest. A road leads them into it. From the inside, it seems darker than it was a moment ago.

      “The sun is setting quickly,” Leon tells the party. “We shall camp here until morning. Valere, get wood for a fire. Antoine, grab the sheets from the wagon.”

      Valere sets off into the forest.

      “Is it all right for him to go alone?” Antoine questions, reaching for the sheets.

      “He will be fine,” Leon responds.

      Soon Valere comes back with the wood. Leon lights the wood.

      “Good,” he whispers to himself.

      The men sit in a circle. They hear the crickets and owls. Quietly, they converse to each other.

      “I have to ask you something, Leon.” Etienne says to Leon, curiously. “You only heard of the Black Witch when you arrived to Avignon. Is this not true?”

      “It is,” Leon answers.

      “Why did you offer to send her to Bonarame yourself? It is though you did it out of random thought.”

Leon falls silent, as though remembering something unnerving. Etienne slants in, waiting for an answer.

      “It is because…,” Leon begins, choosing his word carefully. “My mother was accused of witchcraft. She was tried and pronounced guilty. The whole town was at the dock when she was burned.”

      Everyone is intrigued and yet afraid to hear this. They watch Leon.

      “My mother was not a witch, this I know for sure. Since then I’ve wanted to find out what a real witch was like. It’s like…research.”

‘Research’? he asks himself. Is that the right word?

      “Well, what do you think of the Black Witch?” Etienne examines.

Leon shoots Etienne a look. It takes the priest aback.

      “Que dois-je penser d'elle? What do I think of her?” Leon repeats. “Why, she is no witch. We’ve been through this once before.”

Valere catches Antoine flinching and laughs heartily. He pats Antoine on the back.

      “And you disagree with him?” he roars.

      Antoine does not have the courage to answer Valere. He doesn’t want to get on Leon’s bad side. He flinches again when he hears Leon’s voice again.

      “Whatever you believe, Antoine, is your personal opinion. And personally, I don’t care what you think.”

      Antoine doesn’t know how to take the comment. He feels relieved that he won’t be judged, but at the same time he feels awkward because he is fully aware that Leon knows how he looks upon the witch.

 

      Etienne looks back at the witch, who is sitting in her prison, a ways away from the group. She is staring back at him with eerie detachment.

      “Someone should watch the witch.” he says.

      “Why?” Leon asks. “She is in a cage. She isn’t going anywhere.”

      “Pourtant, nous devons être prudents. Still, we should be careful.”

Leon regards him.

 

      Hours later, Etienne and Antoine are asleep, Valere and Leon are sitting by the fire, utterly quiet.

      “We are going to need our strength for tomorrow,” Leon sighs. “I’m going to sleep. You should do the same.”

With that, he puts the blanket over his head.

      Valere looks at the cage. Now, the witch is fast asleep. He walks over to her. In the pale moonlight, her features appear softer, less dirty; her hair, less tangled. Valere studies her, intrigued. He glances over at the party of sleeping men, then quietly slips over to the cage door. He takes out the key that Etienne had given him when he returned with the firewood. It slips into the lock and the door opens. He steps up into the cage and nears the witch. Now he can hear her raspy breathing. He makes sure that his steps do not wake her, and kneels down when he is close enough to touch her. With a shaky hand, he begins lifting up her dress. The witch wakes up with a frightened gasp and shots her glance to Valere. He stops, surprised. The witch screams, and beats Valere’s hand away. The uproar causes the others to awaken. Leon is the first to shoot up and see what the commotion is. His eyes widen when he sees Valere with the witch.

      “Valere! What are you doing?!” he yells.

Valere steps away from the witch.

      “I’m not doing anything,” he tells Leon.

      “Liar! Then what are you doing in the cage?” Leon demands.

Valere cannot find an excuse to answer him. He jumps down from the cage; Leon strides up to him angrily.

      “Have you any reason for doing this?” Leon challenges.

      “Don’t threaten me,” Valere growls back.

       “Answer me!”

      But Valere does not answer. He merely stands there. The witch is crying. Etienne slaps her. Alarmed, Leon hollers over to him.

      “What are you doing?”

      “Shutting her up!” Etienne answers, glaring back at the witch.

      “Why?” Leon wonders. “You do not think she has reason to be upset?”

      “It matters not.”

      Leon stares at him hard. Then he throws his hands up in the air and begins making his way back to camp.

      “Everyone go back to sleep,” he orders, “And Valere, close the cage.” Antoine barely comprehends what has happened, and walks back to the fire. Etienne and Valere look at each other.

      “Why did you go in there?” the priest asks him.

      “Do not think about it,” Valere tells him, locking the cage door.