5 August 1124

　　After months of travelling, the Miller family finally abandoned their delusions of reclaiming their previous life. They settled in the large town of Taunton, where Arnold hoped the sheer number of people would mask his history. He took a labouring job at one of the town`s three mills, which provided at least meagre food for his family.

　　They received permission to occupy an abandoned hovel on the outskirts of the town. The floor was littered with droppings from its previous animal inhabitants and large chunks were missing from the walls but it provided most of a roof over the family`s head. The hovel was much rougher than Ma and Pa`s cottage but it wasn`t too large an adjustment for Margery. For the Millers, it was hell.

　　Joan struggled most with adjusting to her new lifestyle. She constantly complained about the smells and her routine tantrums continued even as their new life solidified. Not a day went by that she didn`t remind everyone that she missed her mirror.

　　Her mother also partook in the whining. Edith regularly complained of boredom but did little to help herself. She refused to interact with the townsfolk - fearing it would reinforce her family`s new position in the world - and instead hid away indoors. She only left for Sunday Mass and even then returned home as soon as possible.

　　Edith`s confinement ate away at her. Mind and body. She seemed feebler with each journey and started to remind Margery of Mama.

　　The Millers now viewed Margery with open hostility, despite her continuing to shoulder all of the chores required to keep the house functioning. Edith always watched as Margery slaved away, criticising her technique or choice of ingredients but never helping. Edith always found something that Margery had done wrong and told anyone who would listen that she could`ve done better.

　　"You`re chopping it too small!" Edith snapped as Margery prepared a scrawny rabbit for the evening`s stew. "You`ll ruin it. We won`t be able to taste a thing and you know we won`t get meat again until next week."

　　Margery sighed and adjusted her chopping. It was easier that way, giving in. She let the little woman have her little wins and kept her head down. After all, she was fighting a bigger fight.

　　It wasn`t long after Margery`s evening discussion with the deaf priest that she`d resolved that her days with the Millers were numbered. Speaking her concerns aloud had been liberating and the mere act of vocalising them solidified thoughts that had rattled around Margery`s brain for weeks.

　　Replaying her interaction with the Elderly Priest always brought a smile to her face. A part of her felt uneasy about the encounter but her memory was fuzzy and she couldn`t pinpoint the exact cause. Margery instead savoured the conviction the discussion had provided which always flooded her with a calm sense of purpose.

　　Her feelings of guilt had also evaporated since the conversation. She no longer blamed herself for the Millers being driven from Holford. Merely setting foot within their hovel revealed the true reason. It was a spiteful place, full of negativity and, ever so slowly, regret. Although Margery was often the target of the family`s displeasure, they were also prone to turning upon each other. Even Henry treated her poorly and the former friends barely spoke. Margery realised that the Millers` terrible personalities were the real cause of their problems. Holford had been right to expel such toxicity from their community and now Margery planned to be rid of them too.

　　Having travelled with the Millers for so long, she knew the hazards of the road and just how dangerous it would be to go alone. But it needed to be done, like lancing a boil. Margery prepared by pinching the odd coin from the family whenever shopping at Taunton`s market, telling Edith that prices had been higher than expected. Margery surprisingly felt no guilt at the theft It wasn`t hard to argue that she deserved payment for enduring the Millers` wretched behaviour.

　　Margery still didn`t know how to escape the world she`d so foolishly created for herself but she left the hovel as often as possible and analysed every situation in search of the ideal escape. Washing the Millers` clothes. Shopping at the market. Attending Mass at the church. Each offered opportunities to escape, though none presented a sure enough option to justify the risk. And so she always ended back at the hovel. Washing and cleaning and cooking.

　　Margery finished chopping the chunks of rabbit and slid them into the boiling pot over the fire before starting on the vegetables.

　　"Not the onion, save that for tomorrow," Edith barked. "And carrot tops are garbage, not food."

　　Arnold walked in, covered in dust from his morning`s work at the mill. He sat heavily on the bench that Margery had just wiped down.

　　"Why`s supper not ready? I`m starving!"

　　Margery trembled with pent up anger at his entitlement. She reached around him to scrape the carrots into the stew but knocked the pot`s flimsy handle, causing it to drop and spill the contents into the fire.

　　"Oi!" Arnold bellowed.

　　"You stupid cow!" Edith wailed. "Why`d you do that!?"

　　"Sorry!" Margery cried as she tried to salvage as much as possible. Only half remained in the pot. "I`ve saved most of it. See?"

　　"You dolt," Edith cried hysterically. "You`ve wasted our rabbit! Just after I said it was precious, you did that deliberately. No, we`ll take the pot. You eat whatever you can salvage from the flames."

　　Margery stood dumbfounded as Edith`s words washed across her. Jean giggled and Henry looked away. She snapped.

　　"You`re not serious!?" Margery cried. "Why would I do that deliberately after slaving away for you!? You expect me to eat ash!?"

　　The Millers all looked at quiet-spoken Margery in shock.

　　"Now you listen here," Arnold told Margery, grabbing her tightly by the wrist. "Don`t you ever speak to my wife like that again. You`re lucky to have a roof over your head so be grateful you get any food whatsoever!"

　　Margery ripped her hand free using one of Matilda`s self-defence tricks and shocked the former Miller by continuing her attack.

　　"You call this a roof? You can`t even provide for your family, you impotent old man."

　　Arnold`s face was frozen in fury but Margery pushed the big man hard in the stomach and fled from the hovel before the adults could compose themselves.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

　　Not knowing where to go, Margery ran to the town square and hoped to get lost in the crowd. Taunton was much bigger than Holford, even bigger than Stowey. It still amazed her to see so many people in one place. Every day was like Rachel`s wedding.

　　Margery walked amongst the crowd until her heart stopped racing and she was sure that she hadn`t been followed. She cursed her foolishness under her breath. She definitely wasn`t getting any of the rabbit.

　　Deciding to give the hovel time to cool, Margery retreated to her favourite place in Taunton. The tavern reminded Margery of Holford`s brewery, with its long tables and walls lined with barrels. In a town as big as Taunton, the tavern was always busy and there was a constant stream of people coming in for a meal and a drink or three.

　　Unlike Holford, Taunton`s tavern could afford to hire permanent staff, paying decent coin in exchange for pouring drinks and waiting tables. Margery had proposed working there to bring in some extra money but Arnold and Edith had forbidden the idea, telling her it was an evil place that would corrupt her soul. That only encouraged Margery and she visited whenever she could.

　　Margery stepped into the tavern and was greeted by the familiar attack on her senses. The noisy patrons, the smell of stale ale, the heat of a fire that roared year-round.

　　It was quieter than normal and Margery ordered a mug of mead from a familiar serving girl before taking her favourite seat in a distant corner, out of the way but with a great view of the room and its constant flow of patrons. Margery sipped her drink and watched people pass by. She recognised regulars scattered around the room but a party of four unknown adolescents eventually claimed a nearby table.

　　They were around Margery`s age, give or take a year, which was a surprise as the younger crowd rarely had money and usually only arrived as night set in. Unlike Edith, Margery had made a point to know the townsfolk, particularly those around her own age. Anyone that might aid her escape from the miserable Miller family. Yet these folk were unfamiliar. Intrigued, Margery tried to eavesdrop.

　　"&it`s surely more than two days? Three at least," a brunette girl said.

　　"Yes but they`ll already be on our tail," the older boy said.

　　"Baron Hugo already snatched Paul," a younger girl interjected.

　　"Exactly!" the older boy exclaimed. "He doesn`t want his serfs running away to work another lord`s land. But they don`t know where we`re heading. Taunton was a fair bet, it`s one of the larger towns. But where we go from here, they`ll have to guess. Down to Exeter? Up to Bridgwater perhaps? But surely they wouldn`t guess Nether Stowey."

　　Margery almost dropped her mug when she heard the familiar town.

　　"Shh," urged the smaller boy. "Quietly&"

　　"What I`m trying to say," the older boy whispered, "is it`ll be harder for them to track us if we stick to the forest. It`ll take a bit longer but then we can muddle our way in slower time."

　　"And what about bandits?" the younger boy asked him matteroffactly.

　　"I`d rather risk the possible chance of bandits than the guaranteed threat of Baron Hugo. "

　　"Is this even worth it Guy?" the older brunette asked. "Risking all this just for a chance of better work? Based on nothing but the word of a tinker?"

　　"You saw his knife, didn`t you? Not a speck of rust. Granted, it`s not much to go off. But surely you don`t fancy the life of our parents, slaving away for a Baron who raises taxes each year on a whim. I don`t. The tinker said there`s work in a copper mine. We`ve only just arrived and have already learned it`s near a village that evicted its miller and that there`s a mysterious redheaded foreigner involved. It`s the talk of the town!"

　　Guy`s mention of Matilda was all Margery could take. Emboldened by her mead and the confrontation with Edith, she moved towards their table and interrupted their conversation.

　　"Excuse me," she said timidly. The group stared up at her. The younger boy looked terrified at being interrupted but the older two just looked annoyed.

　　"What do you want?" Guy grunted.

　　"I couldn`t help but overhear. The town with the redhaired woman? It`s Holford, not Nether Stowey."

　　The younger boy was practically fell off his chair but Guy looked at Margery sceptically.

　　"How would you know that?"

　　"I`m from there, originally. I`m living here with their old miller and his family but my little brother was the one who first invited the Foreigner to Holford. Her name`s Matilda by the way."

　　Realisation that she was telling the truth dawned on the group`s faces. The younger boy`s mouth hung open.

　　"I could take you there if you want," Margery offered casually, feeling a little more confident. She gestured to the older girl. "She`s right, it`d only take a day if you really pushed and I can show you a way through the forest."

　　Guy weighed her offer.

　　"Why the sudden desire to go back?" he asked. "Why are you even here in the first place?"

　　Margery felt her face flush with embarrassment.

　　"Leaving with the Millers was a hasty decision. A big mistake. Life hasn`t been pleasant since I joined them but it sounds like things are much better in Holford. I miss my home. And my family."

　　Guy still looked unsure.

　　"I could introduce you to her," Margery added hastily. "To Matilda. My brother and her were close friends. She lived at our house. She could help you get work."

　　 "Ok," Guy said after a pause, "but we leave today. I won`t risk being captured by Hugo, not when we`re so close. We can camp in the woods this evening and make our way to&Holford in the morning. That fine with you?" he asked with a serious stare.

　　Margery breathed a sigh of relief and didn`t need to think twice. Within a heartbeat she promised herself never to set foot in the Miller`s hovel ever again.

　　"Let`s go!"

　　"You`re not going to collect your things?" the younger boy asked.

　　"There`s nothing for me back there but misery and scolding. Best we just leave now. I know a cave where we can set up camp before night falls."

　　The older girl insisted that the group at least finish their drinks before leaving so Margery used the time to get acquainted. Guy was the oldest male and as such, the group`s default leader. The older girl was Gemma. She was slightly older than Guy and the younger boy Adam was her younger brother. The quiet girl was Guy`s little sister Anabel.

　　Although the others quickly warmed to Margery, Gemma remained wary and watched the newcomer closely. The rest of the group happily shared what they`d heard about Holford - most of it fanciful - and Margery told them more about Matilda`s arrival in return. They spewed a flood of questions and their collective excitement continued to grow well after their drinks were gone. Adam squeaked with excitement when Margery shared that Matilda had taught her how to read.

　　Margery was beginning to revel in being among friendly and energetic people, so different to the Millers, when the tavern door burst open. Her stomach dropped to the floor.

　　Arnold.

　　Without a word, she slid under the table and crawled behind her new companions` feet until she was wedged against the wall.

　　"What you doing down there?" Anabel asked excitedly.

　　"That`s the Miller!" Margery whispered, gesturing wildly at the door.

　　Gemma kicked Anabel and resumed their conversation, pretending Margery wasn`t there. Margery looked past Adam`s feet and saw Arnold`s boots marching around the room. The friendly serving girl`s skirt moved to intercept him.

　　"Can I get you a drink sir?" she asked.

　　"No," Arnold responded gruffly.

　　"Would you like anything else?"

　　Arnold stopped scanning the room and looked down at her angrily. "I`m looking for my&daughter. I know she comes here, when she`s trying to hide. Blonde, about your age. Have you seen her?"

　　"No sir, I haven`t. I`ll keep an eye out."

　　Arnold gave the serving girl a dismissive huff and took a final glance around the room before striding outside without another word.

　　"That was close," Margery said with a giggle as she clambered out from under the table. "Thanks for that," she said as the server cleared their mugs.

　　"No problem at all," she said with a wink. "It happens more often than you`d think and us girls have to stick together. You`d better get going, in case he comes back. But remember this if I ever come looking for a mining job!"

　　Margery promised she would. They quickly paid and darted out of the tavern.

　　Margery`s new friends had left their own meagre possessions behind a large rock on the outskirts of the town. They collected their things before cutting across fields towards the Quantock mountains in the distance.

　　Margery felt freer than she had in years, running alongside newfound friends. Towards her family and home.

　　She didn`t look back.

　　(C) Jay Pelchen 2023. All rights reserved.