30 December 1123

　　William wanted to be angry, so badly. But he couldn`t.

　　Matilda was back! The original Matilda, not the depressed mess from the cave. The lively woman who`d ambushed him by the campfire. The intelligent woman with an answer to every question. And she was just in time. At his family`s darkest hour, there was suddenly hope.

　　The family`s situation had miraculously turned around since Matilda`s unexpected arrival on that miserable rainy day.

　　A part of William had been thrilled from the moment he first saw her sitting in the rain. He`d not forgotten her initial refusal to help the family but Matilda`s helpfulness and renewed sunny attitude eroded his lingering resentment away day by day. William spied occasional remnants of her depression but just knowing that she was trying so hard made it infectious. William didn`t know what had caused Matilda`s sudden shift in mood but it didn`t matter. She was back.

　　Matilda had completely abandoned her journey to London and now spent all of her time helping the family instead. Villagers refused to accept a stranger`s medicine so she taught Elizabeth and Astrid how to make concoctions to ease symptoms and threw herself into helping with the harvest while they distributed doses.

　　She claimed to have never farmed before and asked endless questions about the most basic tasks, yet it wasn`t long before she became a fully effective member of the harvest team. Matilda was uncoordinated and awkward when she began each new task but, channelling her determined enthusiasm, managed to match the family`s performance in a remarkably short period of time.

　　With another set of hands to help and some novel new ideas, the family raced through the last of the harvest and lost much less of the crop than William had anticipated.

　　Despite being new to the work, Matilda asked pointed questions about the family`s wheat yield, how much seed they had planted and the rate of crop rot before offering potential solutions. The family didn`t take kindly to a novice trying to improve generations-old methods but Matilda`s tactful demonstrations eventually convinced the family that her improvements made sense. William`s family were bewildered at how she could know so much and regularly quizzed Matilda about her past.

　　"I`m just a quick learner I guess," she`d replied to their prying, suppressing a knowing smile as she looked over at William.

　　He`d kept her time-travelling secret, not that anyone would`ve believed him if he`d blabbed. William still questioned it himself before remembering all of the futuristic trinkets back at the cave that he`d seen with his own eyes.

　　When the harvest was complete and their bags of grain delivered to the Miller to be ground into flour, the family leapt straight into plans to plough the fields and sow their winter crop. They had long since forfeited their position in the queue to use Holford`s sole ploughteam - a pair of oxen that pulled the communal plough. They faced a long wait while the other villagers ploughed their fields and sowed their own winter crops. The plough-team had faced its own illness-related setbacks so the wait was even longer than normal.

　　While Matilda and William transported the last bags of grain to the Miller, the women of the family began futile attempts to turn the fields by hand. They shared a single wooden hoe between them so progress was excruciatingly slow but there appeared to be no other option. Nonetheless, they were all happy to finally work on anything other than their harvest chores and even minor progress was better than a completely untouched field.

　　Back at home, Pa`s fever had broken within days of Matilda`s arrival and he started to regain his strength. He eventually overcame Ma`s protests and rejoined the family in the field. Their compromise was that he remained under the oak tree, providing guidance from afar and helping with menial tasks. Pa took great issue with being outof-action - like some pregnant woman, he said - but the fresh air and human interaction further accelerated his recovery.

　　In complete contrast, Mama`s condition had only worsened. She still suffered from the same nasty cough and had become fully delirious. She spoke to her dead husband, Holford`s former miller, who Pa quietly told William had been even grumpier than Mama. She reminisced about the good old days, when people were God-fearing and had morals. A time before the young had ruined everything.

　　In Mama`s few lucid moments, she praised Rachel as the sole beacon of hope for the future generation. Rachel still stayed behind each day to tend to her grandmother, wiping Mama`s brow with her precious silk handkerchief and scolding anyone who made even the slightest noise.

　　Add some wrinkles and white hair, William thought, and Mama would have a duplicate.

　　Rachel and Matilda were never in the same place at the same time. William had believed that he and Rachel had a strained relationship but it was nothing compared to the thinly veiled hatred between the two women. Rachel tended to Mama during the day while Matilda joined the family in the fields but the moment they returned home, Rachel would finish her task and run away to spend the evening with the Brewers, her betrothed`s family. She often failed to return before the family fell asleep, something that would`ve caused major scandal before Matilda`s arrival. But Rachel`s absence reduced conflict and the family didn`t need to supply food for an extra mouth so no one really complained.

　　Matilda repeated her ritual of leaving for her cave every evening but the family wouldn`t hear it. With the exception of Rachel - and Mama, who was too delirious - the family loved having Matilda around. She became a part of the family and had even joined them at Holford`s Christmas Mass. While her singing voice attracted some intrigued glances, Father Daniel treated her as just another of his flock.

　　No evening with Matilda was boring. She taught the family her bizarre songs and she told the most marvellous stories, the latest about a little man who had to destroy an evil king`s enchanted ring.

　　"And then an apple hit flew out of nowhere and hit his head!" Matilda regaled.

　　Elizabeth and Margery fell into a giggling fit, so common around Matilda, which prompted a hacking cough from Mama and a disapproving groan from Ma. Matilda got up and helped Ma with the final preparations for their supper as everyone gathered around the table.

　　"Family," Matilda declared once everyone had started eating. "I`ve been considering the problems with the plough-team. I think I have a solution."

　　The family`s interest was torn between the food on the table and what Matilda had to say.

　　"There are still four families ahead of you in the queue&" she continued.

　　Pa nodded, his mouth full of bread.

　　"&which will take at least four weeks, by which time our field will be a sloppy mess and practically unworkable."

　　"Mhmm," came their collective agreement.

　　"And you said we`re not allowed to build an extra plough."

　　"Only if the Baron is happy to pay the King more taxes," William laughed.

　　"And there`s no spare beasts to pull one even if we could," Margery added.

　　"So we`re stuck waiting," Matilda continued. "Unless we can get the other families to work quicker."

　　"They`re not going to do that," Pa said as he wiped his bowl clean with the last of his bread. "They`re as worried about food as we are. They won`t risk a tardy job just to help their neighbours, even if it`s the proper Christian thing to do."

　　"That`s so disappointing," Ma chimed. "Even after Matilda helped everyone with their sick."

　　"Well," Matilda said, "I have an idea for a heavier plough, something I`ve seen during my travels. One that would cut through the soil easier and allow the other families to finish sooner."Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

　　"Ha," Pa exclaimed, slapping the table. "Another one of your ideas! Look girl, you`ve been right helpful but we do things our particular way for a reason. And like you just said, we can`t just build an extra plough without risking trouble with the Baron."

　　"Hear me out," Matilda reassured. "The Baron owes me a favour from my journey to Stowey&"

　　William`s ears pricked up. Matilda never said anything about Stowey.

　　"...and we could bend the rules, just a little, and only destroy the old plough if my new one works. If not, we destroy the new plough and noone would ever need to know of the little experiment."

　　Pa`s furrowed brow revealed his disapproval of the planned deceit but Matilda either was oblivious or ignored it.

　　"Is there a blacksmith in the village?" she asked.

　　"There is," Pa relinquished, "but he`s a shrewd man. Fair, but his work doesn`t come cheap. And he demands proof of payment upfront. He charges me an absolute fortune for arrowheads."

　　Matilda paused to think and the family could see that she intended to see through her idea no matter what.

　　"I`ll visit him tomorrow," she said adamantly.

　　+++

　　The family returned to the fields the next morning to resume their attempts to plough by hand. Wishing them luck, William took Matilda into the village square to introduce her to the blacksmith.

　　The pair walked in companionable silence, the frostiness of their relationship almost fully thawed. William caught glimpses of Matilda from the corner of his eye as they walked and savoured the feeling of having his friend back.

　　"But really," he asked cautiously, "were you born able to talk? How are you so intelligent?"

　　"I`m really not," Matilda replied with a laugh. "I guess, I do know more than most. Particularly here. But learning is just about keeping an open mind. Build upon a few basic principles and you can develop an understanding of just about anything. It`s all just one little step at a time."

　　William longed to know what the basic principles were but they rounded the corner and arrived at Holford`s blacksmith, an open leanto with a giant stone furnace out the back.

　　Matthew Smith was already working out the front, beating a stove hook over his anvil. He was a stern man, younger than Pa and built like a mountain. William remained wary of the giant as their limited interactions had always been confrontational. Matthew hadn`t appreciated William and Ralph`s past attempts to play knights and bandits near his forge, particularly when the bandits pilfered his supplies.

　　The wariness was reciprocated and Matthew greeted them with a sceptical look as they approached.

　　"William Archer. What brings you to my forge?"

　　"Morning Matthew. I wanted to introduce you to Matilda, a guest from abroad. She`s been helping my family finish up the harvest and would like to commission some of your work."

　　Matthew unashamedly looked Matilda up and down. His interest in the conversation grew noticeably.

　　"I don`t know what a pretty thing like you would want with my modest work but please, see if there`s anything you like."

　　He emphasised his final point by flexing his arms as he gestured to the assortment of metallic items scattered around the workshop. William cringed at the Smith`s awkward attempts to flirt but Matilda kept a straight face. She picked up some pieces and examined them with an expert eye before turning back to the Smith.

　　"It`s nice, considered work. Not bad."

　　Matthew dipped his head to accept the compliment.

　　"But I definitely don`t see anything I like. I want a custom piece."

　　The Smith feigned disappointment and grinned sheepishly at William.

　　"Your guest really knows what she wants, no beating around the bush. But come now dear, what do you think I make here? Look around, I don`t do jewellery. What could you possibly want customised?"

　　Matilda gave a sarcastic smile before proceeding to outline the plans for her plough in meticulous detail, down to the number of nails and the calculated weight of iron that would be required. The surprise on Matthew`s face grew with each word, shifting from amusement to shock and then to absolute bewilderment.

　　"Right, you know your stuff! But how the hell do you intend to pay for this&contraption?"

　　Matilda shot him a coy grin.

　　"Have you ever made chainmail?" she asked.

　　"Woah, hold up lady," Matthew said, motioning for her to slow down. "Look, your contraption is one thing but if you can`t pay for the plough then I`d bet my forge that you can`t pay for chainmail."

　　"I`d take that bet. Just answer the question. You know how difficult mail is to make?"

　　"I`ve never tried it myself, that`s a job for the castle smiths. My master did show me a shirt he`d inherited when I was an apprentice. Fiddly work."

　　"Good," Matilda said, shocking both William and the Smith as she began to unfasten her top.

　　Matthew looked like Christmas had come all over again. William yelped to object but his warning transformed to a sound of pure awestruck amazement when he saw what was underneath.

　　"Mithril," William whispered in awe, recalling Matilda`s story from the previous evening.

　　"Not quite," Matilda laughed, exposing more of her chainmail shirt. "It`s a titanium alloy. Very high strengthtoweight ratio."

　　Matthew stood frozen in place, his mouth hanging open in amazement.

　　"Here," Matilda said, holding out the hem. "You can touch it."

　　The Smith closed his mouth and delicately grasped the chainmail in both hands. William found it comical for a man so large to show such care.

　　"I`ve never seen anything like it! Those links are the smallest I`ve ever seen. It`s so light! And a four in one weave? With no rivets!?"

　　The pitch of the man`s voice increased with each sentence. He dropped the mail and looked up at her seriously.

　　"What sorcery was used to create this?"

　　Matilda refastened her top.

　　"No sorcery, just additive manufacturing. And it`s actually a sixtoone weave. I won`t be able to show you how to make it for quite some time. Unfortunately."

　　The Smith wiped his brow and leaned back against his anvil.

　　"Lady, that mail is fit for a king. It`s worth a fortune."

　　"You`re right. And it could be yours."

　　Matthew almost fell over the anvil.

　　"You make this plough for me," Matilda continued, "and I`ll help you sell copies to other plough-teams in the region. Provided I get a cut of the profits, of course. That should more than pay for my prototype. And if it doesn`t work, within the year, I`ll give you this chainmail."

　　Matilda`s terms were the final straw and Matthew lost the ability to speak. His mouth opened and closed wordlessly like a fish.

　　"Do we have a deal?" Matilda asked, her hand outstretched.

　　Matthew nodded dumbly and shook her hand.

　　"Good. William, you`re our witness. Now, this is our little secret ok? I`ve heard you`re an honest man but there`ll be no trying to swindle me out of the business or the chainmail. I promise it isn`t the only protection I have at hand."

　　The trio agreed on some final details before Matilda and William left poor Matthew to recover his senses and marched off to join the family in the field.

　　"That was fun," Matilda said with genuine glee. "But he`s a bit of a pig."

　　The exchange reopened the flood gates of William`s curiosity and he hit Matilda with a completely fresh barrage of questions as they walked. What is titanium? Did everyone in the future wear metallic clothes? How did they keep warm?

　　William and Matilda arrived at the field to find Pa wrapped in a blanket under the oak, fashioning a second wooden hoe. The women were still turning the same tiny patch of land but stole the opportunity for a break.

　　"Did you have any luck?" Pa asked as they all approached.

　　"Sure did," William replied excitedly. "Matthew`s going to make the plough for us and in return Matilda will let him copy the design for ploughteams in nearby villages."

　　"That`s&unorthodox," Pa replied with a hint of disapproval.

　　"It`ll work out for him in the long run," Matilda promised. "You`ll see."

　　She sat down and recounted their exchange with the Smith. Matilda explained exactly how her device would cut deeper into the soil and eventually convinced them that the idea couldn`t possibly fail. It took time but eventually even Pa was sold.

　　"It`s often worth spending time to develop a smarter solution rather than pushing ahead with one that doesn`t work very well," Matilda finished.

　　With the harvest complete and Matilda`s plough all but guaranteed, the family`s mood was jubilant. Not wanting to waste a day of work or Pa`s new hoe, they took turns using the tools to turn the soil. Matilda made it into a race and the family were in hysterics as they cheered each other on in the spontaneous relay.

　　For the first time that season, the family decided to pack up early and were in a joyful mood as they returned to Holford. Seeing the ploughteam working slowly in their neighbour`s field no longer induced a feeling of dread and they were further heartened when Matthew gave Matilda an enthusiastic wave as they passed through the village. There was a buzz of energy and excitement.

　　But it all evaporated in an instant when they entered the front gate and spotted Rachel weeping at the doorstep. The family stopped in their tracks and Ma rushed to console her.

　　"She died Ma. Mama`s dead."

　　Ma wailed. Rachel wept into her palms. William felt conflicting emotions, sadness at the loss of his grandmother but also as if a cloud had lifted from their little cottage.

　　"What happened?" Matilda asked delicately. "When did she&pass?"

　　Rachel`s head snapped up.

　　"What`s it to you, snake!? You don`t care about us!"

　　Rachel vaulted from the ground and threw herself at Matilda. She slapped Matilda in the face before anyone knew what was happening.

　　"This is your fault! All your fault! Revenge for not helping you that night."

　　She clawed at Matilda and pulled at her hair. It took all of Pa`s effort to subdue his eldest daughter and he was exhausted by the time he separated the two.

　　"Be calm!" he commanded.

　　"No!" Rachel cried belligerently. "I won`t stay another moment in the presence of this witch, with her loose morals and useless concoctions! I refuse to spend another night under the same roof as her!"

　　Wrestling herself free from Pa`s grip, Rachel fled through the gate and ran off towards the Brewers` house.

　　The family were left standing in stunned silence. Ma stood alone by the cottage, mourning the loss of her mother. Pa dropped the pair of hoes gathered his wife into a tight embrace.

　　Matilda absentmindedly dabbed the scratches on her face. Then, as quickly as Rachel, she turned and fled through the gate. William didn`t try to stop her and knew she was headed back to her cave.

　　William, Margery and Elizabeth stood frozen in place, wondering what had just happened.

　　Mama was dead.