2 February 1124

　　William stirred upon the lumpy earthen floor outside the warehouse. He was absolutely exhausted after weeks of slaving away at the mill and his brain urged him to stay asleep. For at least a little longer. But something prickled at his subconscious, dragging his mind from its slumber.

　　Aren`t you supposed to be on watch? it asked. What`s that crackling sound? Is that smoke?

　　A smoky smell cut through the inertia of William`s sleep. His eyes burst open and he sat bolt upright. He pushed himself up from the ground and wrenched open the warehouse door. The sight within made his blood run cold.

　　The millhouse wall at the opposite end of the warehouse glowed with orange light. It streamed through cracks in the doors and out onto the empty warehouse floor, casting a long shadow from the lump of Matilda`s slumbering form.

　　"Matilda!" William cried desperately. "Matilda, wake up!"

　　It was like someone had slowed down time. Matilda must`ve been in a deep sleep as she also stirred, refusing to wake. She only began to move in the same instant William noticed smoke billowing in from the mill.

　　"Matilda! Fire!` William called as he ran towards her.

　　Matilda jerked awake and snapped into action. Time resumed its normal pace as Matilda pushed herself to her feet and stumbled towards the fire without a second thought. William raced to catch up with her.

　　"What the hell William?" she shrieked as she ran. "What happened?"

　　William`s silence spoke volumes. He`d failed his guard duty and fallen asleep. Matilda shot him an anguished look and sprinted on towards the fire.

　　Flames had already started to lick through the doors when Matilda reached them. Not waiting for William, she tore the doors open and was engulfed by a ball of flame that burst into the cooler air of the warehouse.

　　Matilda remained upright when the flames cleared and William smelt burnt hair. Her dark silhouette stared into the hellish inferno on the other side.

　　William drew up alongside her and marvelled with morbid fascination at the sheer energy of the blaze. Plaster fell from the walls and heavy beams crackled. William could see through the charred floor and into the burning machinery below.

　　"What do we do?" he asked, noticing that Matilda`s hair was smouldering.

　　Matilda didn`t respond and stared up at the flames in the loft instead.

　　"Get help," she eventually croaked. Her voice was devoid of emotion but her face was etched with fury and her eyes screamed devastation.

　　Then she ran in. Matilda was darting across the burning floorboards before William could stop her. Dodging piles of fiery debris, she pushed outside through the mill`s main door and quickly returned with a bucket and wet rag. William watched the woman with admiration, dwarfed by the burning building but prepared to fight nonetheless. David versus Goliath.

　　"Go!" she commanded, seeing William rooted in place. "I`ll save what I can but we need help to stand any chance of salvaging this. Go!"

　　William didn`t need to be told again and sprinted back through the warehouse. Flames had started to lick the rafters.

　　He passed through the warehouse door and was running down the laneway towards Holford when he heard a tremendous crack, followed by something heavy crashing through wooden floorboards and a hideous scream. Worried for his mentor, William whipped back towards the mill but when the smoke cleared Matilda`s silhouette dashed out of the building to collect more water.

　　"Go!" her voice echoed across the yard as she ran back inside.

　　William sprinted towards the village, racing until his chest and legs burned. And then some. His was furious with himself.

　　How could he have fallen asleep?

　　William and Matilda had both slept at the mill since Arnold`s thugs` attack, taking turns to watch for any sign of sabotage from the Miller. They`d even informed the Baron of their concerns but received no reply. Just William`s luck that the attack had fallen on his watch.

　　The sun was just beginning to rise and a light drizzle had started when William finally arrived in Holford. He welcomed the cool mist on his singed arms. He circumvented a few of the closer houses and headed straight for the family cottage.

　　Still at full sprint, William pushed through the front gate and burst into his parents` home.

　　"Wake up everyone! Wake up!"

　　Margery groaned and urged him to go away. Pa leaned out of bed, staring up at William with concerned bleary eyes.

　　"Wassup now?"

　　"Matilda`s mill`s on fire! Everyone, please!" William begged. "Arnold set the mill on fire. There`s a chance to save it but we need help."

　　There was a rush of activity as the family assembled outside.

　　"Rags, buckets, shovel!" William urged. "Anything you can get. Head there now and I`ll get more help. Please, as fast as you can. Matilda`s all on her own!"

　　The family hurried off, Pa in the lead with Elizabeth close on his heels. Relieved to have reinforcements on the way, William ran off to find more help.

　　The Carpenter`s house was nearby so William went there next. He decided against barging in but drummed wildly on the door until Walt emerged, wiping his eyes and cursing like a sailor.

　　"What in blazes do you want?" he asked bluntly.

　　"The old mill`s on fire! Total inferno. We`re trying to fight it but we need help."

　　Walt`s expression changed instantly. Fire was a carpenter`s mortal enemy.

　　"Rightio then." He ducked inside and quickly returned with a coat. "You get the Smith, he`ll wanna protect our investment. We didn`t spend these last weeks helping out for nothin`. I`ll gather me boys and meet you there."

　　William was already leaving before he finished.

　　The commotion prompted villagers from their homes and William yelled for assistance as he ran past. He had no idea if they would care but he`d take whatever help he could get.

　　Matthew was already awake and standing outside when William arrived at the forge.

　　"What`s this about a fire?" he asked and was already moving when William answered. "Grab some tools and let`s go."

　　Matthew piled buckets and shovels on William before collecting his own stack of equipment. They raced to the mill together, hindered by their awkward loads.

　　The fire still raged when they arrived, though the flames appeared slightly smaller. The site was a hive of activity and William was pleased to see that several villagers had joined the fight. The millhouse had been conceded to the inferno but several people beat flames up on the warehouse roof and a chain of others passed buckets of water up from the stream. More still darted in and out, salvaging items from inside or clearing debris.

　　Matthew and William approached the crowd and distributed their equipment before joining the fight themselves. It was manic and time passed by in a blur. Other than a roiling sea of orange that gradually calmed to black and grey, William`s only memories were of Matilda.

　　The woman fought like a lion, beating at flames with a wet rag and tossing buckets of water with precision. She bellowed orders, with little regard for the weariness of her volunteers. Her face was covered in soot and chunks of her hair had burned away. Her clothes were covered in holes and skin peeled from her hands.

　　And yet, she was everywhere. Fighting the fire from the front line, improving the bucket bearers` efficiency, guiding the placement of salvaged items. She ran everywhere, slowing only after the flames were completely extinguished. Even then, she prowled around the building to survey the damage while everyone else milled around in the warehouse.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

　　With the fire extinguished, Elizabeth and Margery ran back into Holford to collect food for the weary volunteers. They returned bearing a basket of bread and were soon followed by the Brewers who distributed casks of ale amongst the crowd. Rachel stayed at home.

　　Matilda finally sat down as the last of the bread was being handed out. She`d lost her eyebrows and walked with a limp. Her toes poked through one of her fine leather boots. Most concerning was the peeling skin of her blistered hands and a nasty burn across her upper left arm.

　　Despite Matilda`s harsh directions, the volunteers were concerned for her wellbeing. She dismissed all offers of assistance and sat shaking uncontrollably with her hands in a bucket of fresh water. She ignored everyone`s gaze and smouldered with anger and grief.

　　"How bad is the damage?" Matthew eventually asked gently, coaxing some life from Matilda.

　　"The millhouse is gone. The grinding stone fell when the floor collapsed. The remaining roof fell too. There`s nothing but the stone shell, though the walls should be salvageable." She droned on. "The majority of the warehouse was saved. Whoever thought to remove the roof tiles and fight the fire from above is a genius."

　　Matthew passed her a cup of water and she paused to drink, though her shaking hands made it difficult.

　　"The mechanism is a chunk of charcoal but the grinding stone`s still intact, despite the fall. I hope Walt hasn`t started the new waterwheel yet&" He shook his head. "&because this might be an opportunity to build something even bigger and better than before. More power. More machines. More options."

　　William admired her optimism but didn`t share it.

　　"Just get yaself better," Walt told her with unusual tenderness. "We`ll make whatever design ya throw at us."

　　The crowd sat in silence, trying to absorb everything she said.

　　"But how did it happen?" the Brewer asked bluntly.

　　All eyes turned to William and Matilda. Matilda slouched and avoided William`s eye so he started.

　　"I woke up to the smell of smoke. Next thing I know the whole building was on fire."

　　There were disconcerted murmurs among the crowd.

　　"Did you leave a candle lit?" Widow Beatrix asked. "People say you`ve both been working like dogs, day and night, to get this up and running."

　　"It was all of the dust," Matilda replied mournfully. "We never stood a chance. The place must`ve gone up in an instant." She conceded a look at William. "It was that bloody Miller. He threatened us after beating up Will. Said we`d never fix it. Then he burned it down to make sure."

　　"No!" came the collective cry from the crowd. Some were outraged, others refused to believe Arnold could stoop so low.

　　"We know he`s an evil whoreson but surely not," called another neighbour. "He could`ve killed you and the boy!"

　　Matilda grunted, pulling herself upright and shuffling to the salvage pile. She scrounged around before returning to throw an object into the centre of the crowd.

　　"It`s well within his twisted capabilities. There`s your proof."

　　Everyone peered at the unidentified object.

　　"Oh," Timothy exclaimed thoughtfully. "Yes, that`s his alright."

　　Matilda blinked at Timothy with a vacant expression, taken aback that someone had accepted her theory so easily. "What?"

　　"That`s one of my oil lamps. That glaze was a custom request, tricky to get the colour right. You`re right, it was for Arnold."

　　Matilda blinked twice as she registered Timothy`s affirmation of her theory.

　　Then, for the second time that morning, she ran.

　　She didn`t wait for anyone or say where she was going. She just left.

　　But William knew exactly where she was headed and ran after her, calling back to the others that she was after the Miller. Luckily her limp made it easier to catch up.

　　"Matilda! Stop!" William called, but the Redhead limped on with determination. "Surely this is a matter for Baron Walter?"

　　"You don`t understand William. This man is a parasite, a cancer on the village. Now either come and help me or get out of my way and leave me alone."

　　William continued his pursuit. Several of the villagers raced to catch up and also sought to dissuade Matilda from a confrontation with the Miller.

　　"He`s too powerful."

　　"What can you possibly achieve?"

　　"Give it up"

　　"You`ve still got your health, mostly."

　　But there was no convincing Matilda who continued her resolute limp back into Holford. A crowd swelled behind her.

　　The sun had fully risen by the time Matilda reached Arnold`s house. She slammed against the front door while calling out for the Miller. His daughter eventually opened the door slightly.

　　"Get. Him. Now," Matilda hissed.

　　Joan timidly closed the door and disappeared in search of her father. Matilda paced around the door as she waited, like a big cat waiting to be fed. The crowd continued to swell. Even villagers who hadn`t helped fight the fire started to arrive and asked their neighbours what had happened. Word of the fire was spreading.

　　The door eventually opened. Matilda stopped her pacing and waited with the crowd. William walked over to stand beside her.

　　Arnold emerged, his head held high. His family filed out after him, dressed for Mass and standing in silent support. William saw Margery catch Henry`s eye and give a subtle wave. The blonde boy looked terrified.

　　"What`s the meaning of all this commotion?" Arnold demanded. He saw Matilda standing at the head of the crowd and smirked when he noticed her burnt clothing. "I thought I heard the dog barking. Why have you interrupted our breakfast and brought a mob to harass my family? I thought a strong independent woman like yourself didn`t need reinforcements."

　　Matilda scowled at him.

　　"You know exactly why I`m here, pig. You lit my mill on fire!"

　　The Miller stood unswayed. "I did nothing of the sort. I`ve been here with my family all morning. The sabbath is a day of rest."

　　"Then what`s this?" Matilda asked, throwing the ruined oil lamp at his feet.

　　"That`s your evidence? You`re deranged, woman. Circumstantial at best."

　　It started to drizzle again and yet the crowd didn`t move, not wanting to miss the most monumental exchange in Holford`s living memory. Not a soul spoke up and Matilda raged at their apathy.

　　"Come on people, wake up! You know he did this!" she cried at their vapid faces. "Why aren`t you angry? This man has a stranglehold over your lives. He takes what he wants and you just let him. His family stands before you in their finery while we eat soggy bread and live in fear. He`s nothing without us. For the love of God, wake up!"

　　Arnold`s labourer arrived as Matilda pleaded with the crowd and roughly elbowed his way towards her. William smelled smoke on the bald man`s clothes as he pushed past.

　　Without warning, the brute lunged at Matilda in an effort to silence her. Even with her limp, Matilda deftly dodged his first two blows but his third caught her off balance and struck her sharply in the jaw. She fell to the ground but the bald man dropped and continued his assault.

　　It was the Labourer`s brazen attack on a wounded woman that finally jolted the crowd into action. William and two other men hurled themselves at the bald thug and tore him off Matilda while the crowd hurled insults at the brute. The Labourer broke free and lashed out at the villagers which only earned him greater scorn. Three more men dived into the melee before he was subdued.

　　Pa called for order but the mob was incensed.

　　With the help of a few nearby villagers, Matilda picked herself up from the ground and calmly brushed herself off before turning back to the Miller.

　　"You can`t even do your own dirty work," she scolded before turning to the crowd. "Do you see?"

　　The crowd`s anger grew and their shouts shifted towards the Miller and his family. Concern finally dawned across Arnold`s face and he urged his wife and children back into their extravagant stone house, calling for silence as they fled.

　　"Quiet! Quiet.` He paused and waited for the crowd to listen. "So you`ve sided with the flame-haired bitch? Yes, we burned the mill&"

　　There was an angry ripple through the crowd.

　　"&But what are you going to do? You need me. And more importantly, so does the Baron. There isn`t another miller within a hundred miles of here. This chicken shit doesn`t count," he said, spotting his apprentice in the crowd. "If I go, so does your flour. And the Baron`s taxes. But it won`t happen. Wealth talks so you can`t touch me."

　　The crowd grew silent as his message sunk in. And then the scrawny apprentice threw a stone, hitting Arnold square in the chest.

　　The blow shattered the Miller`s arrogant fa鏰de and he stared at his apprentice in shock. Then a second stone hit him. And another. The crowd`s barrage of abuse resumed, now joined by stones and any other object the mob could find. The villagers took up Matilda`s message and demanded that he leave Holford.

　　"Be gone," they cried. "Never show your face here again!"

　　Arnold fled within the house and barred the door, abandoning his labourer to the angry mob. They surged forward and surrounded the house, beating at the door and window shutters. William looked around in awe, he`d never seen his neighbours so incensed.

　　The crowd turned their anger back to the Labourer but two of Pa`s fellow jurors took the bald man away. Pa eventually managed to restore order by promising to talk to Arnold. William watched with pride as his father calmly knocked on the door and led the remaining members of the village court inside to mediate.

　　The mob`s anger simmered but it wasn`t long before the door opened, reawakening the crowd and their insults. Pa emerged from the house and called for silence.

　　"Holford has spoken and the law of the land is clear. Arnold Miller freely admits that he caused the wanton destruction of our lord`s property and upon that confession the Holford court finds him guilty. He`s to be banished indefinitely and his mill will be passed to the care of his apprentice until a replacement is found."

　　There was a cheer from the crowd. The Apprentice looked dumbstruck.

　　"Now please, allow the Miller family clear passage as they leave. Any additional assault will be handled accordingly."

　　A fragile peace settled over the villagers before the Miller and his family gingerly emerged from their house, laden with all the worldly possessions they could carry. Arnold`s wife wore five layers of clothes, making her look even more rotund than usual.

　　The crowd was on its best behaviour and they followed the Miller family to the village limits with only the occasional outburst of abuse. They formed a line as they reached Holford`s outer boundary. Arnold turned for one final word.

　　"You are the dumbest flock of sheep I`ve ever had the misfortune to meet. You`ll regret this day, mark my words."

　　He defiantly cast his gaze over the crowd before finally settling on his apprentice.

　　"Boy, you`ve been the bane of my existence but come now. We`ll start a new mill, away from this rabble."

　　The Apprentice looked terrified but puffed his chest and answered with a simple emphatic, "No."

　　The crowd cheered and issued one last volley of abuse. They hurled insults and stones as the Miller and his family fled into the forest.

　　The abuse died down and the Millers had almost completely disappeared through the trees when a final cry erupted from the crowd.

　　"Wait!" Margery shouted. "Wait for me! I`m coming too."

　　Before anyone could react, William`s older sister ran off into the forest after the Miller family and her best friend.

　　Just like that, another sister was gone.

　　(C) Jay Pelchen 2023. All rights reserved.