Chapter 41

Way too soon, they both woke up to the sound of the rooster. Nora shot up in shock, while Audrey just groaned.

"I hate that rooster," she mumbled. "I'm tempted to let it accidentally die one of these days."

"Do we have to get up now?"

"I do. I'm expected down there to feed the animals and milk the goat. They would notice my absence, even if the people do not. So, unless you want to lock me in here so I can sleep in, I have to get up."

"Lock you in?"

"Yes, the key is on the chain over there. Last time I had this task, the woman didn't like me and deliberately left me here in the cage. She thought it was uncomfortable for me, but all she really did was give me an excuse to not have to get up until another theow came to clean."

"Do you want to do that now?"

"As much as I would like to, I think the early morning might be the best chance to use that camera. Especially if they have captured the man we heard last night. Besides, the animals will start making noise soon, demanding to be fed."

"Can you leave before I do though?"

"Oh yes, as long as you allowed me to. Especially since I have to deal with the animals. But it might be better if we leave at the same time. There will be breakfast for you as well."

"You won't get breakfast?"

"Of course I will. After I've fed the animals. That's not unusual, it was the same back at the farm."

Nora sighed but got out of bed. Audrey was already out of the cage, and they took a moment to make sure that the camera was still hidden. Then they embraced one last time, before Audrey drew a deep breath and opened the door. Her demeanor had changed completely. She was back to being the meek, obedient theow. Nora hated to see her like that, but she couldn't draw attention to it.

"You had the pig girl in your room?" another one of the women asked. "Didn't she stink?"

"A little. But I'm used to that, so it was actually a welcome smell. It's been too long since I was at a farm. Besides, it wasn't like she slept next to me."

"No, I saw the little cage under the bed. I don't know how they stand that. Mine claimed it was comforting. I would never say yes to something like that, would you?"

"No. These people must be true historians, to want to live like this. One weekend is enough for me."

"Me too. Did you hear the commotion last night?"

"Yes, I think one of the men had a little too much to drink. I suspect they sent him somewhere else to sober up."

"Ugh, yes, I think he tried to hit on me too. But come on, I think I smell breakfast."

The conversation blessedly ended there. Nora made sure to sit with someone else for breakfast.

***

Audrey still wasn't sure this was a good idea. In fact, she was quite certain that it was a terrible idea. But she also knew that this would haunt her forever if she didn't at least try.

She went about her day like normal, feeding the animals before going to the crew area to find breakfast. She managed to turn the camera on as she entered. She was in luck. Just inside, the man they had heard last night, still drunk, was chained in the jougs. The reason he wasn't in the stretch-neck was that another woman was already there. She had clearly been there all night. It had rained and she was wet from that and from the spill of water from above. Audrey managed to get that on camera. Perfect.

"Help me. Please, get me out of this thing! You can't keep me here!"

Audrey didn't know if this thing recorded sound as well, but either way, she couldn't say anything. She went to the kitchen and got some food. She noticed that no one had taken the food for the new theows yet. She pointed to it and then upstairs. They weren't allowed to talk in the kitchen, with a door straight to the Dining hall, where the visitors were. The cook nodded in thanks. Perfect. An excuse to show the people trapped in the cages.

None of them protested anymore, but it was still clear that they were in the bed against their will. Audrey turned especially so that the metal collars would hopefully be visible.

As she went back outside, the man in the jougs had woken up. He started yelling and protesting, so loud that someone could have heard him. Audrey managed to capture the moment Morcefres gagged him.

"No need for more words from you. I have no patience for men like you, who try to take advantage of other women. Despicable. Here, you will learn a lesson the hard way."

The man frantically tried to remove the collar, or the gag, but Morcefres just bound his hands together, in a mitten knot that prevented him from using his fingers. It was all achingly familiar to Audrey, but for the first time in a while, she saw it from the victim's side. She had to be sure Nora got this camera.

Morcefres saw her staring. She couldn't panic! Instead she frowned as she looked at the man in the jougs.

"Is he the man I heard last night?" she asked, low enough that she hoped the camera didn't catch her voice.

"You heard that? Oh right, you were in one of the bedrooms last night, weren't you. Yes, he was trying to sneak into another bedroom, so we had to remove him. He'll learn to regret it. But at least as a theow, he won't have access to any more mead."

Audrey just nodded and turned to leave. But Morcefres held her back, touching her collar. Had he seen something off about it? Was she caught that easily?

"Was it hard for you, to be chained like that again? I was surprised that anyone chose you, that hasn't happened in a while."

"I was surprised too, thegn. But apparently the woman had been on a farm when she was young and thus didn't mind the smell. In fact, she said it reminded her of her childhood. But yes, the chain was uncomfortable, with this new collar. With the metal one, I didn't feel it in the same way."

"You remember that then? I seem to recall that you got your head scrambled pretty badly last time."

"Yes, and there are still some things I don't remember. But going on this tour with the Lady made some of my memories come back." That wasn't a lie. Much of what had happened the last time she was on tour had come back to her even before she met Nora.

"Good. That's good." Morcefres didn't sound like he meant that. Audrey hoped they wouldn't start to watch her more closely again, if they thought she had regained her memories. She liked the relative autonomy of her current position.

"If that was all, thegn, I need to go see if any of the visitors wants to hold the animals." She hoped that would get her out from his direct gaze. It was uncomfortable, especially now that she really had something to be guilty about.

"Yes. Can't let the visitors wait." He let go of her collar. Audrey prayed that the GPS tag was still on. She couldn't exactly check.

Outside, she saw that most of the visitors had just finished eating as well. She turned the camera off as she leaned down to milk the goat. She saw Nora talking with some other woman, not looking at her. Audrey hoped they would be closer sometime during the day. She would look like a stumbling fool again, but at least it would be in character. The question was how badly she would be punished for it.

Audrey waited until right after lunch. Most of the others were waiting in line for the bathroom, but Nora had just been, so she walked around to get one last look. She got closer to the animals, where Audrey was. This was her last chance!

She took a few steps, stumbled and slipped the camera down Nora's underwear. She hoped no one noticed that particular detail, she made sure to stain both above and below that opening.

"I am so sorry, traveller, let me find something to help you clean that off!" Audrey sounded frantic, and she was, but not about the stain. Nora stopped her and held her hands.

"It's okay. It was an accident. I'm not going to be wearing these clothes for much longer anyway."

That was why Audrey had to put it down her underwear. Even if they asked her to strip, they wouldn't remove that. She hoped.

The Lady looked at her furiously though. She would definitely pay for this when the visitors had left. She looked down in shame. Whatever punishment she got; she would deserve it. She had just betrayed her liege, and though she knew that wasn't how the world worked anymore, it didn't make the shame go away. She could only hope they hadn't realized what she had really done.

"Why will she not wear the clothes for long?" she remembered to ask. Ædven was next to her, also watching the visitors leave.

"They are given the clothes to wear here. That is another tradition Earl John instituted. They will change their clothing back in the transport vehicle."

"I see. I didn't know that."

"You really need to watch where you're going. This isn't the first time that has happened."

"Isn't it?"

"No. It happened several times when you first came to us. I really thought you knew better by now."

"I'm sorry, Ædven. I'll try to do better."

"I don't think sorry is enough."

Audrey sighed and looked meek and obedient. But she managed to catch one last look at Nora leaving. She sent a last message with her hands, though it would look like she was just moving them randomly to others.

"Thank you. Let's hope the next time will be better."

Audrey hoped there would be a next time at all. And that no one else here knew American Sign Language.