October 1066
“Toi! La vieille! Tiens toi ici avec les autres. A l’instant!”
Grandmother, my oma, does not move. I know not what the Northman is saying, but his yelling and the flailing of his free hand make it clear enough; she must stand up and join us all by the wall. His hairy fingers dig deeper into the flesh above my elbow, five points of jabbing heat which will show in bruises tomorrow. It scarcely matters, when beyond this braying man, with his honking way of speaking, the dawn light shines through the open doorway and we can see the body of our elderly reeve, lying face down in the dirt. These invaders must have been marching overnight, or camped outside our vill, waiting, watching. They felled our reeve before he could raise the alarm. His boy, the one who never fully had his wits, came running, using one of his few words to say “No” over and over as he threw helpless punches.
From here, I can no longer see his feet, but I saw them earlier, kicking against nothing. It is a strange, unnatural thing, for feet to have naught but air beneath them and only happens when children swing for pleasure from the old oak branches or when men dangle from the gallows. My bowels feel loose and my throat, full of pent-up sobs, is throbbing. Dear God, make Oma see sense. She looks up, not at me but at the soldier, then she grips both sides of her chair, half-stands, lifts the chair, and without a word, turns to face the fire, showing him her back. The pressure upon my arm loosens and he pushes me aside, taking two strides into the room. Oma please, turn around. Do as he says. (read more)
FATE offers tales of history, mystery, and magic—sometimes all three. From Anglo-Saxon conquest to the pursuit of alchemy, from ghostly warnings to hidden identities, these short stories explore the threads of destiny that bind us all. You’ll meet mothers, invaders and long-lost lovers, time travellers and vengeful spirits, each navigating a world where fate plays its hand. Whether you crave historical depth, puzzling mystery, or fantastical wonder, there’s a story here for you.
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