Summary: Autumn Eastlund, also known as Rowan Sinclair, arrived with the Saxon horde invading the Kingdom of Somerset. She was a young woman born to an English lord and his Asian slave. In fear of his wife discovering his secret, the Lord sold his illegitimate daughter off into slavery at the age of 16 because she was showing more of a likeness to him day by day. The Lord went to a slave dealer he had worked with before and paid him well to dispose of the girl. At the slave auction, lords and ladies from all over Europe were present. A Saxon lord saw the girl and was immediately taken by her naivety. He bought her and headed off home. After a year of hard labor, Rowan escaped and stowed away in a wagon leaving with a band of Saxons going to Somerset under King Hengist to claim the land that Vortigern had promised them. Upon arriving in Somerset, the Saxons found Vortigern dead, and a King that would not allow them what they were promised. Insults were exchanged and a fight broke out. Later, after the quest to revive the Queen, the Saxons leave unmolested after presenting their wedding gifts. England then declares war on the Saxons. Somerset is under siege, and the Saxons take over. While living in Somerset, Rowan meets a traveling band of singers and dancers who were paid off by the Saxons. She joins the group to avoid being found and reclaimed by her former master.
The sky was a dreary gray as the wagons trudged slowly along the muddy dirt path. At the head of the caged wagons, a black horse-drawn carriage lurched left and right, as the coachman attempted to keep it upright. Inside of the carriage, two rich and well dressed men sat staring out of the windows, looking out at the dreary landscape. I was in the last wagon. It had been three days since I had last seen my family and the home I've always known. My name was Autumn Eastlund. It had been raining the day I was taken away, and my mother's tears had mingled with the rain as she watched her only daughter being dragged away by the slave traders. My father was the one who had ordered my capture and enslavement. He had to hold my mother back when they took me away. His face was stern and indifferent. I shall remember that face for the rest of my life. Two days later, we arrived in Coventry. The streets were bustling with the common folk and an occasional carriage of a noble. We were lead down a narrow alleyway and then the two men took us into a small backroom at a local tavern to await our destiny. An hour passed, and then the auction began. One by one each of us were called out of the small room. When my name was called, I stepped out into the sunlight and was momentarily blinded until my eyes adjusted to the brightness. By that time, the auction had already started. Three nobles were battling it out for me. One, a rather portly Frenchman, was willing to pay any cost, it seemed, to have me. The other two, a thin Englishman with a thin mustache and a fiery haired Scot, were hesitant at deciding to continue raising the bid. Finally, it all stopped. The auctioneer asked if there were any other bids and was about to say sold when another man raised his hand. This man had a dark and brooding manner about him. He was dressed in dark colors and wore a scowl on his face. A shiver ran down my spine when I heard the auctioneer finally say sold. The thought of leaving this place and living with the dark man for the rest of my life made me sick to my stomach. I decided, right then and there, to escape at the first chance I got. I was lead back through the steamy little room I had started in, and then back outside. The alleyway now had an awful smell which caused me to wrinkle my nose. The guard pulled the rope that bound my wrists to usher me out into the street. The dark man was standing there, still scowling. The guard handed him the rope and reentered the building. We looked at each other. "I am Lord Beckett. and you are...?" The man said. His voice was coarse and deep. "I am Autumn." I responded, trying not to flinch under his persistent stare. "You will serve me in my home as I see fit, so come." He walked off toward a carriage dragging me along behind him. We got in the carriage and headed off for his homeland. I worked for Lord Beckett for about a year when opportunity knocked. A group of Saxons were leaving the town and heading to the Kingdom of Somerset in England. One of the people leaving was a good friend of mine, Cwic. I begged him to take me with him, but he refused to, saying he was only allowed to bring his family with him. "Marry me." I said, trying to hold back my laughter. "What?!" Cwic said. "Marry you? Where'd that come from?" "I want out of here... and you can help me. Please? I promise you won't be sorry..." I pleaded. I was going to get down on my knees and beg, but to my surprise he agreed. We were married the next week. Three days after we were married, the Saxon horde headed off lead by King Hengist. I left with out telling Lord Beckett that I was leaving, and I doubt he noticed. After all, he never knew I got married. We were on the road for quite some time before Somerset came into sight. We camped outside of Somerset's walls, while our king, the king's brother, and the king's vassal, Sir Turquin, entered Somerset to claim the land we were owed by Vortigern. The king, the duke, and Sir Turquin returned from Somerset later that week. They were very unhappy. Rumors started going around saying that Vortigern refused to give us our due, while others said that Vortigern was dead. Finally, I decided to follow the small group back into Somerset and find out for myself. When I arrived in Somerset, I found that King Hengist and Duke Horsa were presenting wedding gifts to Eric and Enid, the Champion of Somerset and the daughter of King Leodegrance and Queen Duella, who were recently married. They presented them with the sword of Prince Palomides, the banner of Prince Gideon, and the tabard of Prince Arthur. Needless to say, King Roland wasn't too happy. I watched as the Saxons left unmolested, fearing the fighting that would come.
England declared war on the Saxons, and every able-bodied man was required to fight, including my husband. During the war, I received a letter saying that Cwic went missing during a recent raid, and was assumed dead. I was devastated. To make matters worse, Lord Beckett came to Sussex where I was staying with Cwic's family. I decided to go into hiding since I had nothing left to lose, so I joined a band singers and dancers who were, for the most part, previously citizens of Somerset who were bought off by the Saxons. I joined their motley crew under the assumed name of Rowan Sinclair.
ButeoJamai: I got it! The portly Frenchman is Brian, the Englishman with the mustache is Deagle, and the fiery haired Scot is Scott! |