Damien, meanwhile, decided to spend more time with the intriguing redhead. Anna was interesting and fun, everything the nuns he grew up with weren't. And she seemed to like him back.

Damien wasted no chance to pursue the relationship and no opportunity or at least excuse to touch the girl. Even if it meant declaring himself skill in the art of back rubs when in fact he had never done it before.
Anna didn't seem to notice, though. Or if she did, she was just as happy to go with the excuse as Damien was.

She seemed so confident, so perfectly at ease with Damien's touch... He looked once again into her eyes, sparkling with delight like water in a fast-moving stream, and dived in, trusting the water not to hide any sharp stones.
He hugged her, suddenly and hard, smashing their bodies together. Anna laughed and wrapped her arms around him, pressing them even closer together. Damien breathed out in relief.
He didn't know how long they stood like that, pressed together, exploring each other's bodies with their hands. He had never done anything like that before and the knowledge of what would the nuns think of his behaviour made it feel even better.

When they finally let go, Damien's head was spinning. When he leaned towards Anna and kissed heron the lips, he didn't really know himself what exactly he was doing, only that he didn't want to seem as the clueless and completely inexperienced sheltered boy. He was a man, a hunter, and he was bold and daring...
The kiss felt awkward at first, but Damien was determined to make up for his lack of experience with enthusiasm. And it felt good, too, Anna's lips were soft and sweet like honey.

When she left that day, Damien looked after her with his mind full of contradicting thoughts and ideas. He didn't really know what he was doing and much less what he planned to do. He only knew he really enjoyed his new life and feeling rebellious.
Not all of his visitors were as easygoing and free as Anna, though.
Damien had not seen his half-sister for some time, too busy with hurting expeditions and building a house for himself, so when she turned up out of the blue, he was surprised at the sudden change. Her hair was cropped short, her eyes were teary and desperate and she looked like a lost dog. She nearly cried when she told him what had happened to her, every word begging for comfort. It was completely overwhelming.
Damien could say that he rather liked Alysanne, or at least the version of her who had welcomed him to the valley, but he had no idea what was expected of him now. What could he possibly do or say to the girl?
"Do you need a quiet place to meet your priest in secret?" He tried.
"What?" Alysanne's eyes widened in shock. "No, I..."
"Because if you do, I can hide you both here, that's not a problem..." He stopped when he saw her expression, quickly thinking of another approach, but there was no need. The girl excused herself as fast as she could and ran off.

After that, he started actively avoiding Alysanne, telling himself it would be only temporary. Only until the problem blew over. Hunting was taking up all his spare time, anyway. And it wasn't as if he didn't have other friends to talk to.
His unlikely friendship with lord Adrian continued, thanks to the man being more interested in the company of a fellow hunter than in his friend's origins. With their love of freedom and thirst for adventure, they felt like kindred souls.
When Adrian brought Damien to his private hunting camp, set up as a retreat some way from the village and its mundane problems, he should have seen it as an honour. Instead, it seemed only natural to him.
"This is my favourite place and the only way I have found to survive my wife." Adrian laughed when he was shoving his friend around. "It's simple, but only friends are allowed, and definitely no family."
It didn't seem simple to Damien, though, at least not in the most important aspects. Apart from the air of freedom surrounding everything, the tents were big and sturdy, there was fresh meat roasting over fire pit, that would have fit in a castle...

...and then there were the barrels of drink.
"Only the best ale and wine, to unwind after a long day." Adrian said and went to pour himself a cup to demonstrate.

It looked almost too good to be true, but it made sense for the highborn to only have the best. Damien tried to act like he was at home amidst this luxury and didn't wait for a second invitation to sample the drinks.
The wine truly was delicious and the day passed almost too fast, in the middle of friendly chat and freely flowing wine.

Until suddenly Damien's head was spinning and his stomach trying to turn itself upside down and inside out at the same time. It felt like how he imagined being on a ship, only worse than he would expect.
He remembered Adrian saying something he didn't understand but still laughed at, he remembered trying to look as if nothing was happening right until his legs gave way under him, he faintly remembered sitting on the cold ground and then throwing up.
After that, there was just blackness.

He woke up inside one of the tents, his head throbbing terribly. There was no one else around that he could see - not that he had a very good view and he definitely didn't wanted to get up just to check. The only sounds were those of the woods around, but they seemed strangely intensified even through the thick fabric of the tent and they felt like fire in his ears.
He closed his eyes again.
When he felt at least a bit better, he crawled out of the tent. He wanted to at least check what time it was, how long he had slept, but outside he only found rain and a sky so completely grey it didn't tell him anything. At least the water falling on his face helped a little.
For a while he sat next to the tent, trying to catch raindrops in his open mouth, but then he saw a movement on the other side of the camp. He managed to scramble to his feet just as Anna walked into his view, even prettier than ever before.
He muttered something about her being beautiful like the sun. He wasn't sure if Anna heard or understand him, but after taking one good look at him, she just took him home.

Even this experience didn't have any negative effect on Damien's friendship with Adrian. There was just a quick reassurance that this happens to everyone and the two men were back to more amusing things.
"And do you know why Alvin the uptight priest suddenly disappeared? He's actually in love! And he was stupid enough to get caught by the girl's husband..."
Adrian laughed and speculated how many secret lovers does even more uptight and strict Lorentz have to play as perfect as he does.

Damien also met Mertin, another of Adrian's young friends.
Mertin looked like a sporty, adventurous type and he seemed sincerely happy to see Damien, which was still a new and exciting feeling for him. It certainly felt good to be part of a fun crowd.

Young lord Anselm, meanwhile, had to go through another funeral. He tried hard not to cry, to look strong and in every respect to behave like a good and proper lord, but it was so hard when he felt his family was slowly reduced to nothing.
Would there ever be anything else than death? Anselm knew lady Ellara, his aunt and guardian, was expecting a child, but he could hardly imagine it happening. New life and home seemed utterly alien to the life he knew.

He still remembered the times when his older sister would play with him, explain some of the grown-up things he didn't understand, and generally make him feel better when his anxiety took the better of him. It was she who taught him to dance and explained that at least some of his future duties could be pleasant.

When she drew away from him some time later, Anselm had thought it had something to do with both of them growing or that maybe she was in love. Ennelie would spend days just lounging in front of a fireplace, watching the fire absently. It was as if all her energy and life had slowly evaporated from her.
Anselm had tried to approach her a few times, but he was always either ignored or sent away with no more than a few words. After that he left her alone, as his fear that he had done something to offend or hurt his sister grew stronger.

Ennelie had never told anyone what the problem was, never even hinted at sometimes feeling too weak to stand up.
When she died, it was a shock to everyone, her sensitive younger brother most of all.

The house was still in mourning when Ellara's labour came. When the pain started, earlier than she had expected, the panicked lady started calling for help. She had been promised there would be midwives and servants to take care of her every need. She had been promised it wouldn't hurt too much. And then the moment came, her husband was away on another of his hunting expeditions and she was alone and afraid.

It didn't take longer than a few minutes for the servants to come running to her, but she would never forget that moment of fear and not having control.
Luckily for her and perhaps even more for her servants, the whole ordeal was far shorter and easier than would be usual for a first baby and soon Ellara was washed and dressed with perfect style again and her newborn son was put into her arms. A perfect baby boy.
Ellara was fascinated with how small he was, how soft and perfect. And to think this baby could become the new lord should something happen to Anselm... it was this thought that fascinated her most of all, this thought that made her almost giddy when she was lying in her bed that night.

And it was this thought - however improbable it was at that moment when Anselm was in full health - that made her even more demanding towards everyone who failed to show her proper respect.
She was a highborn lady, a daughter of an aristocrat, a guardian of the current lord and de facto the real ruler of the village, and possibly the mother of the next heir. Everyone should greet her properly when they dared to come into her sight and if they didn't, they had to be taught a lesson.

Alysanne had longed for some privacy for a long time. Nothing improper, just a chance to escape from the four walls of her house that had grown so cold to her, a moment to think or to pray. Her husband still looked with suspicion at any suggestion of going to church without him, but his newly found love for his daughter seemed to soften him and he allowed Alysanne to visit her father's grave. The girl took the chance eagerly, happy to take a walk.
Also, as she realised when she stood over the stone she had had made, she had never felt closer to her father than at that moment. Rejected and humiliated for - what exactly? Love? Or just lack of self-restraint? A mistake that never really was what it looked like?
She had hoped for understanding, for a kindred soul, but as she stood there, cursing herself, her choices and her luck, she suspected her father was laughing at her.

And then a kindred soul appeared out of nowhere.
Alysanne had no idea whether Alvin had been following her or whether he had just happened to be at the same place by accident. Nor did she really care when he came up to her and touched her cheek, gently wiping away her tears. She didn't think, she could just smile like crazy at the first truly friendly face in months.
She closed her eyes and let herself relax as she felt Alvin take her in his arms.

Later, Tomas would tell himself he had not really meant to follow Alysanne. It wasn't as if he suspected her all the time. It had been completely by chance that when he went to gather some more wood, he chose a similar part of the woods and by even more chance that he wandered close to where Alysanne was. He certainly didn't mean to spy or to check on her, but what he saw enraged him.
Already when he saw Alvin approach his wife, Tomas wanted to launch at them. He managed to wait long enough for the priest to put his arms around the girl and move to kiss her, but then all his self-control was gone. He ran to confront them, shouting something about utter betrayal.

Alysanne snapped back into reality just in time to jump away from Alvin before Tomas reached them. She flinched, almost sure Tomas was going to hit her. Completely sure she deserved it, even though she was still struggling to understand what exactly was happening.

Tomas just looked at her and it felt worse than a slap. His stare was hard, furious and cold at the same time, and it hurt more than his hand could have done. Alysanne bit her lip, tears coming to her eyes. She was unable to speak, but she didn't think any words would have helped.
"This is it." Tomas said after what felt like hours. "No more lying, no more sneaking out and no more closing my eyes to what you are. Both of you."

Alvin opened his mouth to protest, but Tomas was past caring now, past any respect for his robe. Not when Alvin himself had no respect for it.
"If you have any excuses, you can give them to your superiors. Or someone. But don't try to tell me that what I just saw didn't happen, because I saw it. And so did the Watcher, you hypocrite!"
While Alysanne was reduced to helpless tears just by a look, Alvin still didn't look sorry enough. He was supposed to be begging for forgiveness, not standing there stupidly with his mouth open. Tomas reached over and slapped Alvin hard, and then once more. It felt good, so satisfying.
Tomas took one more look at the hypocrite priest rubbing his stinging cheek, grabbed his unruly wife's elbow and walked her home without further word.

Alysanne had hoped her husband's anger would pass again. She expected to be punished for being weak-willed and improper, but she desperately prayed that nothing would happen to Alvin. After all, all he ever wanted was to help and comfort her...
This time, however, Tomas was determined that no compromise would do. Letters were written, accusations made and both Alysanne and Alvin were dragged before a priest who had come all the way from the city to investigate the matter. The girl's head was still spinning, trying to catch up with what was happening. It still didn't feel real enough.
She watched as Tomas told the new priest all about her infidelity in great detail. The priest was nodding, the look in his eyes and his small smile frightening. She knew she deserved everything that was going to happen to her, but that knowledge only made her fear greater.

When Tomas finished his accusation, Alvin made one last try to beg forgiveness. Faced with the cold righteous stare of father Lorentz, he switched almost mid-sentence from describing what really happened and that nothing serious had taken place to at least trying to gain a lighter punishment for Alysanne.
Lorentz just frowned and shook his head. "You have both sinned and both have to accept the consequences. I don't doubt it was the girl who started the affair."
Alysanne was already sobbing at that point, but she started crying even harder. In her fear and misery she didn't even hear the final smirk directed at her. "Tears won't save you, even if they were genuine. Like parents, like daughter."

She supposed she was actually lucky, but from the pillory it just didn't seem so. All her life she had been desperately trying to find acceptance in the village, to clear her name from her father's transgressions and her mother's supposed loose morals and now she was here, sentenced to public humiliation and to forever being remembered as an adulteress.
At that moment even the convent seemed to her a better option than this, than being stared and laughed at by the whole village, her hair cut short as a symbol of her transgression. She thought she was going to die of shame.
And it was made even worse by the fact that the guard who locked her in there was the same man she had refused in the prison camp, just after her father died. And it was quite clear how much he enjoyed the moment.
Both Tomas and the new cold priest were there to see that everything was just as it was determined. To make sure she learned her lesson. She tried to turn her gaze away, but with her head locked in the hard wooden frame, all she managed to do was to scratch her neck even more.
At least Alvin was not there. She had not seen him since the church and she didn't believe he escaped punishment entirely, but it was a comfort for her that he was at least spared this humiliation.
When the girl was finally released after what felt like months, she almost fainted and was unable to walk on her own, her whole body stiff and aching.
Nobody spoke to her, not even her husband.

Even at home, she couldn't stop crying. The humiliation seemed more than she could bear. How would she ever face the village again? Her hair might grow back in time, but would anyone ever forget her new reputation?
Would anyone ever accept her again, including her rightfully disappointed husband?

Her punishment was not completely over, though. She was still required to do penance and pray to the Watcher for forgiveness, all under the strict eye of father Lorentz.
Alysanne approached the priest, determined to do her best to make things right again, but he just waved her away. She didn't even get to say one word to him.

She knelt at the engraved stone and prayed with all her heart.

Tomas watched as his disobedient wife was kneeling, her head bowed in submission. He knew Alvin had been sent away for some time to do his own penance, that there was no danger of her going astray there and then, but it was satisfying to see her like this.
He got so lost in his own satisfaction that he completely failed to notice when a woman in expensive gown entered the church. She, however, noticed him.
"You! Have you forgotten how to pay proper respect?"
Tomas turned after the voice, only to meet with more anger. "How dare you ignore me, weren't you taught how to properly greet a noble lady? You should at least bow to me." Ellara's voice was full of venom as she stabbed her finger in his chest.
"So? Haven't you heard me?"

"I beg your forgiveness, my lady." Tomas said quickly.
He had only seen the lady Ellara from afar, but from the servants in the manor he had heard that she was proud and demanding. Definitely not someone to insult, even if he had not been taught how to behave to his betters.
"I was saying my prayers and had not seen you. I beg your graciousness to overlook this fault..."
Ellara was frowning, but it was clear she liked what she was hearing, as most of the previous anger was gone from her face.
"I will forgive you." She said after a while. "This time. Take care it does not happen again. I am the guardian of your lord Anselm and a lady in my own right and I will be respected as such.

With that she gave Tomas one last hard look and walked out of the church. There people there who had not bowed low enough when she passed them...