Outcasts in Time by Sarah Woodbury

Author:Sarah Woodbury
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: wales, medieval, middle ages, historical fantasy, alternative history, prince of wales, king of england, time travel, teen, young adult
Publisher: The Morgan-Stanwood Publishing Group
Published: 2021-03-20T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-two

August 1295

Day Four

Lili

“What is it, Ieuan?” Lili moved to stand beside her brother, who was deep in conversation with Amaury de Montfort’s steward.

“We have a situation, sis,” Ieuan said in Welsh. “It’s looking like things could get ugly.”

That was a phrase he’d learned from the Avalonians, no surprise since he was married to one.

The boats had made their first concerted effort to stop at Pont-de-l’Arche (Bridge of the Arch) where there was a Templar commandery and massive fortifications on both ends of the bridge across the Seine. But not only had the dock at the commandery been washed away, the bridge was gone as well, having collapsed into the middle of the river. They were lucky the current had slowed a bit by then, because otherwise their boats might have crashed into the fallen pieces. As it was, they had a narrow gap to shoot through, which had given them all some white-knuckle moments.

By road, it was nearly seventy miles from Poissy, the town where they’d collected Christopher, Ieuan, and Darren, to Rouen, their current destination. The distance was more than twice that on the river. Even with the slowing current, they’d made the journey in record time and could be in Rouen before nightfall.

From the look on Ieuan’s face, maybe she shouldn’t have been as happy about that as she’d been a moment ago.

They’d finally managed to stop here, just before Elbeuf. The holding was ancient, founded originally by one Richard the Fearless, who’d been the grandson of the Viking chief, Rollo, who himself had founded Normandy.

Thus, not only was Amaury a supporter of what Dafydd was trying to accomplish in France, but the residents of the area were of Norman descent, and thus possibly less hostile towards English traders, which the boat passengers were pretending to be. A side channel flowing into the Seine had given them the opportunity for a safe harbor, and they’d managed to escape the main current and arrive at the dock without too much trouble.

She’d disembarked to stand alongside many of her fellow passengers, happy beyond measure to be on solid ground for just a moment to stretch her legs. Unfortunately, many passengers remained too ill to rise, Minna and her mother, Esther, among them. Regardless of the bad news Ieuan had to impart, their arrival in Rouen couldn’t happen soon enough.

“Just tell me, Ieuan. Best to hear it all at once.”

Ieuan still looked reluctant, but he gestured to Amaury’s man. “Tell her, please.”

“We have rumors of unrest in Rouen. It seems the people have taken to the streets and been met by soldiers from the castle.”

Lili took in a breath. “Do we think it’s true?”

“We don’t know. One person tells another, who tells another, who told me an edict was read out in the city yesterday. There appears to be a plan to confiscate all English shipping. They know about King Philippe’s attack on Aquitaine.”

Lili’s stomach dropped into her boots. “But not the result?”

“No.”

“And nothing about Jews?”

“Not that anyone said.”

“Where is Amaury?”

“I have not seen my lord since your boats came up the river a week ago.

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