Inside the walls 1

Olivia walked through the gates of the stronghold. She walked into the village and was greeted by a vibrant hub of activities. She raised her gown up so as it will not get dirty by the mud. Everyone was trying so hard to make a living. People with animal crowded streets. The streets were always dirty the villagers threw garbage into ditches and canals or even out of the window.

Life in the village was hard and harsh. Majority of people were peasants. Many work as serfs in fields owned by lords and their lives were controlled by farming year.

Freemen become serfs mainly by owing large amount of money. Serfs are workers who has to stay in a Lord land. Serfs were different from slaves. Serfs could have property, but their lives were dictated by the requirements of the Lord of the manor.

The streets were narrow so she had to force herself through. Once she finally got to where she was going, she let out a sigh. She knock the door and few seconds later Mary opened the door with a smile plastered on her face which was resiprocated.

" You are here! Come in." She moved aside so Olivia could enter.

" Hope I did not disturb you guys."

" No , not at all."

Olivia looked around and couldn't find cath in sight.

The house peasants live in were less attractive unlike the ones belonging to the nobles. The house was small and it has only a room where they cook,ate and sleep.

" Where's cath?"

" She went to fetch so water she will be here soon." Mary explained which made Olivia nod. Mary brought a chair for her to sit and Mary went to stir the pottage that was still on fire. Cath walked into the room and Olivia helped her with carrying the pot off her head.

Olivia helped them with their chores and they shared gossips with her. For the first time that week she didn't feel lonely. She could only come to their place once a week because of their work and most people in the stronghold were somehow hostile to her well except for Katie.

" Mary I heard there will be a celebration in two days time. The Quinn's will be celebrating their fourth hundredth year in Valarie and guess what everyone is invited." Cath exclaimed giggling." Really!" Mary asked excited.

" Yes. There will be plenty to eat at least it will save us a day meal or even more." Cath stated

" So that's why everyone is busy." Olivia said after she realized the cause of what turned the stronghold to beehive .

" You didn't know? It's a surprise you never knew even when u live there. People are still been hostile are they." Mary asked out of concern. Olivia nodded a yes.

" Don't worry it will get better,once they get use to the idea of seeing there "

" I hope so" Olivia looked outside and noticed it was getting late she stood up and bade they goodbye.

Once she left their house she made sure she got to the stronghold before it was late.

The day of the celebration finally came. Olivia was dressed in a red, black Velvet gown. Her hair was covered with a coif. When the maid was done she waited for Ronan to come. When he got into the room, she Curtised. " Mi lord "

" You are ready. Come." He stretched his hands and she took it.

Once the celebration started she had to curtsie to every Noblemen and Noblewomen who came to greet Ronan.

" My lord." Baron Fiach bowed to Ronan

" Welcome, how are you faring? I trust your journey was pleasant." Said Ronan to the Baron.

" It was pleasant." He eyed Olivia who was standing next to Ronan.

" So the rumours were true. The Chief did get himself a woman. But I must say you look you look rather lovely this morning miss------" Olivia looked at Ronan before she could tell the man her name and Ronan nodded on approval which made the Baron chuckle.

" Olivia mi Lord." She said bowing her head .

" Well have a great time." Ronan said and left

Once it's was noon, everyone was sitted at the tables.

Alot of the Nobles were hardly surprised when the king never showed up. They knew there was enimity between them.

Olivia sat on Ronan left while Niall sat at his right. And Baron Fiach sat beside Olivia. The celebration was going on smoothly but it wasn't the same for Olivia. Baron Fiach kept on touching her thighs. She felt uncomfortable this got Ronan attention and he was furious. He would have hitted the mad if he wasn't a Noble.

" Olivia why dont you go and search for your friends." He suggested.

" Yes millord"

Olivia had been so happy when he heard what Ronan said. She stood up and left . When she left Ronan glared at him.

" Pardon me my lord, i didn't know you will be so possessive of her." Baron Fiach stated which got Niall amused.

" I don't mind sparing one of mine if you are in urgent need of one." He said shrewdly.

" I will have to pass my lord." He answered Niall.

Meanwhile Olivia went in search of cath and Mary. When she finally found them, she gave a sigh of relieve.

" How come you are sitting with us don't tell me he dropped dead and you decided to run to us." Cath asked and her eyes were filled with mirth.

" Cath!!" Mary said nodding her head.

" What?"

Olivia smiled when she had this.

" He didn't."

" What a pity."

" Actually he asked me to leave when an inconsiderate old angler tried touching me." She explained and continued." Do you know how happy I was when mi lord said I should leave."

Her friends both gasped at at she said. " Well I don't mind that old angler dropping dead too." Cath said and it made the other girls chuckled.

" Look at your Olivia, you look lovely." Mary commented on her dressing.

" Thank you Mary. You do not look bad yourself."

I must say, mi Lord has been kind to you." Cath said picking a fruit and throwing it into her mouth.

" Kind! You do cannot call him kind."

" With what we have seen, he has been kind hasn't he Mary?"

" Yes," she nodded and continued " even if it's only on his term. Mi Lord has never been lenient with anyone as he is to you."

The girls continued chatting and gossiping until it was the time of evening when everyone had started to dance. A man asked Cath for a dance and Mary went to get something leaving Olivia all alone.

" Why is a lovely lady like you sitting all by herself?"

Olivia turned and was greeted by a man smiling at her.

" Would you believe me if I said I wanted to be alone all by myself." She returned the smile.

" Let me think----- no I wouldn't." The man said then continued. " Pardon my manners my name is Jon and you?" " Olivia." She told the man her name. The man sat done and he began.

" I have never seen you before, do you live in another village?"

" No I do not live in another village, I live here in the stronghold." She answered the man. The man looked at her clothing which were expensive."

" Then you must know someone very important here." Jon assumed and Olivia noddrd. It was the truth the chief was an important person in the stronghold afterall.

" Would you mind if ask you for a dance."

" No. You don't want to dance with me." She immediately turned down his offer remembering what the chief told her.

" Come on, it's not like your Father will match over here knocking me flat out." He stated.

She forced a smile. It was true, the chief might do that.

" Come on, I don't bite" He pulled her up and made way to the dance floor.

Ronan looked around the hall, the girl had been gone for a while now. She could have been kidnap, the head of the slave trade was invited which means by the end of the day alot of people would be declared missing .it wasn't that he cared about her welfare or any of that. To make matter worse the girl is so annoying. He was only keeping her so his brother won't bother him about taking a mistress. Which means Niall with make life bothersome again.

As he kept on looking his eyes fell on pair dancing, he was enrage when he noticed that the little hussy he was looking for was busy having the fun of her life with a peasant boy. He walked to where they were. He had her laughing and the boy won't get his hands off her, this enrage him the more.

" So what happened to the man?" Olivia asked him, Jon was telling her an interesting story about a man caught having an affair with the dukes daughter.

" He got this hands." Olivia flinched, shrinking away from Jon when she had Ronan's voice. The thought of what he could do appalled her. She walked away falling down in the process,the look of shock still evident on her face.