"Hello, Caris." "Hello, Bill." "Here." "Have an apple, love." "Thank you." "Caris." "Caris." "Have you spoken to your father?" "About what?" "Is it true?" "Has the old King been murdered?" "There's a rumour around the market." "I don't want to believe it." "But if I heard it from the head of the Guild..." "Father doesn't trade in rumours much." "Sorry." "Hello , Mary." "Hello , Caris," "Mattie." "Caris." "Mother's got her headaches again." "Don't worry." "I'll make a yarrow tea." "Can you make it stronger this time?" "They keep coming back." "I'll add some chokecherry bark." "And some dried bergamot." "You've been paying attention." "I hear the old King's dead." "Murdered in prison, father said." "God save us." "Come." "That hurt?" "No." "Good." "That was unfair." "But you're dead." "Again." "Get up!" "Hey, hey, hey, hey!" "Hey, we have no fight with you!" "Who are you?" "I'm Merthin fitzgerald, and this is my brother, Ralph." "Our father's Sir Gerald, the Earl of Shiring." "Who fought for the King in the late civil war?" "Yes." "God save His Majesty's soul." "Whose side were you on?" "It no longer matters." "I was making for Kingsbridge Priory." "Can you help me?" "Before I bleed to death." "Is it love, or passing fancy?" "Greetings, Mother Cecilia." "I was just admiring the Lord God's gifts." "Oh, really?" "And I thought that it was merchants' gifts bought with merchants' tithes." "Thank you." "Good day, Mother Cecilia." "It's freezing in here." "Build up the fire for Mother Cecilia." "Goose?" "Well, no reason why our weekly meeting shouldn't be tasty." "Godwyn, when you're done, pour some hot cider for our Mother Prioress." "Gladly, Uncle." "Are we celebrating?" "Today's my nephew's birthday." "He turns 21." "Congratulations, Godwyn." "Thank you, Mother Cecilia." "Has your uncle blessed you with a birthday gift?" "He's sending me to Oxford to study medicine." "How very generous." "How on Earth will you afford that?" "You want me to pay for his education." "Well, since the nuns hold the Priory purse strings..." "Because the widows are generous in their wills and we are thrifty." "But there's a fine line between thrifty and miserly, Mother Cecilia." "Is that supposed to charm me?" "Prior Anthony." "Excuse me, Mother." "There's a knight." "He's in the kitchen." "He's badly wounded." "It's nothing a good purging won't heal." "Hold still." "Blood of Christ!" "What is this?" "What's this commotion?" "Your physician is trying to bleed me out." "It needs to bleed and balance the humours." "And who are you, Sir Knight?" "Sir Thomas Langley, knight to Queen Isabella." "Joseph, do something." "He's the Queen's man." "Oh, well, perhaps a poultice of dung to reconnect the body to the earth." "You need to stop the bleeding." "What are you doing here?" "You're not a physician." "Get out!" "I sent for her, Brother Joseph." "Caris, take that towel." "Come on, now, tie it 'round his arm." "Above the wound." "That towel is used for communion!" "All the better, then." "Tight, draw it tight!" "You, give her a hand." "This is outrageous." "Stop it!" "Mattie Wise, I think it's best you leave." "Brother Joseph knows what he's doing." "You don't belong here!" "You're only a barber's daughter!" "He was also a surgeon." "Wine!" "We need wine to wash the wound." "Wine will imbalance the body's humours." "Dung will clot the wound and help it heal." "Don't worry about the blood, Caris." "Pull it tight!" "It's stopping." "The bleeding's stopping." "Good." "Needle and thread." "We have to make sure all the feathers are pulled from the wound." "Keep it clean." "Brother Godwyn, perhaps you should avoid a degree in medicine if the sight of blood disturbs you so." "No, I'll get accustomed in time." "Well, tell me then, which is correct?" "Dung, or wine?" "If I agree, I'll sponsor you at Oxford." "Wine certainly has its place, but dung is always to be preferred." "A considered choice." "But not, in my opinion, the correct one." "I am Merthin Fitzgerald." "I know." "Prior." "Prior, may I have a word with you alone?" "You wish to make your confession?" "I wish to become a monk." "The Priory is far too poor, Sir Thomas, to take on another member." "Unless you can pay the costs, which are considerable." "I have a sponsor." "Amen." "Amen." "We herewith lay to rest the body of Edward II," "King of England." "The Queen?" "Yes." "Seems she owes him a favour." "How fortunate for us that he chose to come here." "Not fortunate at all, I fancy." "Why?" "With the King recently dead and talk that he was murdered?" "The death was an accident." "The King fell in prison and broke his neck." "You mean he was hanged." "You mustn't say that." "There are darker rumours, too." "Red-hot poker up his ass." "None of this is our affair." "His death, however he died, was God's judgment." "With that Knight here?" "I wish I could be so sure." "I much prefer English to your hideous French, Sir Roland." "What is it you want?" "I merely wish to express how honoured I feel to have played a small role in your glorious victory." "Of course." "The only man from Kingsbridge to have fought in your favour." "Really?" "I'm sure there were many of Kingsbridge who were with you in spirit, but they were simply too busy making money, feeding the King's army." "Kingsbridge?" "Yes." "The home of Sir Gerald, the Earl of Shiring." "Is he here?" "I haven't seen him." "He signed the oath of allegiance." "Of course he did." "But then ink is cheap, n'est-ce pas, Lord Mortimer?" "Are you suggesting that he conspires against me, Sir Roland?" "In Kingsbridge, not just him, but many others." "I have compiled a list." "It would seem that I need new blood in Kingsbridge." "Are you equal to the task, Sir Roland?" "I seek only to serve, Your Majesty." "What a toad." "Toads also have their uses." "Honestly, Godwyn!" "What were you thinking with Mother Cecilia?" "I don't like blood." "Apparently." "Dear God." "If you want to advance beyond being Prior Anthony's lackey, you must learn never to show your weaknesses in public." "How was I to know the kitchen would be running with gore?" "Obviously, we can forget about medicine, but you still need an Oxford education and it's up to me to secure it." "But you've no money, Mother." "I'll sell this house, crumbling though it may be." "Where would you live?" "Why, with you, of course, in Oxford." "No, I'll move in with my brother." "He'll have to take me." "But Uncle Edmund has no room for you." "Then the good Lord must provide." "Lord Almighty, give me strength." "Sorry that I took so long, Father." "Come here, I want your opinion." "Which one would you buy?" "Where did you get them?" "Never you mind that." "Just tell me which one you favour." "The red one." "Much softer." "Well, I was afraid you'd say that." "Wrong choice?" "The blue one is Kingsbridge wool." "The red is from Penzance by way of Shiring." "And what's in it?" "Angora, perhaps?" "All I know is, we need to make our wool as soft, or see Kingsbridge ruined." "Father, you're always exaggerating." "Possibly." "But as head of the Guild, it is my duty to engage in such problems." "You'll find a way." "How's Mother?" "Resting." "It will take weeks for your letter to reach the Queen and hear if she will even accept your offer." "She will." "And where is your home, by the way?" "In case we need to notify." "This is my home now." "Here we are." "A lovely dung poultice, still hot from the privy." "Mother, it's really not that bad." "You'd never get your father to take that." "Remember to sweeten your medicines when you have a husband of your own." "Well, I'm not going to worry about that for quite some time." "Don't say that." "I want to see you married." "Rose." "Caris." "Hello, Petranilla." "Talk of marriage, niece?" "Hardly." "Sadly not a man in Kingsbridge I find interesting." "Will you listen to your daughter?" "When did she become so grand?" "Marry while you still can, young lady." "Yes, Aunt." "How are you feeling?" "Better soon, I hope." "I drank Mattie's potion." "It always does the trick." "And yet the headaches keep returning." "I've paid for a miracle." "Sacred dirt from the grave of Saint Adolphus." "I've baked it into a cake to cure you once and for all." "You shouldn't have." "It's the least I could do." "Thank you." "What's that fire done to you?" "Nothing." "Petranilla and Mother would have me married." "And you don't want to get married?" "Perhaps." "And what will you do instead?" "I've been watching Mattie Wise work." "It's fascinating." "She helps people." "Would that be so bad?" "Edmund!" "Edmund!" "Edmund!" "What is it?" "Rose!" "Rose." "Something's terribly wrong." "I'll get Mattie!" "No!" "No, Mattie's done enough as it is." "Send for Brother Joseph." "No, but he..." "Send for him now!" "Rose..." "I'm afraid it's no use." "Despite the bleeding, she has only become weaker." "You shouldn't have bled her." "Caris." "It's the recommended remedy, but it didn't work because God didn't want it to work." "That isn't true." "Against God's will, all the efforts of medicine are useless." "This isn't God's will, she's sick." "My dear child." "Oh, Christ." "Oh, God, no!" "It's out of my hands, child..." "Can't you do something?" "It's up to God now." "We need Mattie!" "Rose, Rose." "Pray." "Stay with us, Rose!" "All we can do is pray." "No!" "God, no!" "Please, just do something!" "Can't you do anything?" "Do something!" "Please!" "Rose!" "Stay with us." "Please." "Oh, God, no." "Rose." "Stay with us, Rose." "No." "I will never leave you, brother." "It was so beautiful." "What did you hunt today?" "Did you hunt?" "It was." "Not the same story." "That I can't help you with." "It was true..." "What's going on here?" "You, Sir Gerald, are under arrest for plotting against the new King." "That's absurd!" "I swore an oath of allegiance!" "I support the new King!" "Queen Isabella has evidence which informs her otherwise." "Take him!" "How dare you?" "No!" "Ralph!" "Ralph, no." "Get out of here at once!" "This is treason!" "I am the Earl of Shiring." "That is where you would be wrong." "I am the Earl of Shiring now." "Amen." "Amen." "Amen." "Caris." "I'm so sorry." "I can never hope to take your mother's place, but I will do my best." "Thank you, Aunt." "But I intend to run father's house now." "You're just a girl, my dear." "And you were a widow running your own house when you were my age." "Your father has already asked me to move in." "What?" "I've sold my house." "Why?" "I don't..." "Sir Roland." "What is the meaning of this?" "The Queen has a list of Kingsbridge traitors." "She has asked me to see them hanged." "Seize him." "That is an absurdity!" "I have..." "I have done nothing!" "Caris..." "I'm guilty of nothing!" "No!" "Father!" "Father!" "Caris." "No!" "No!" "Father!" "No!" "Let them go." "It's all right." "There's a time and a place." "Next petitioner." "Sir Roland." "Petranilla." "I've come to plead for my brother's life." "Edmund Wooler gave food and silver to the enemy." "There's nothing you can say." "May I approach?" "As I recall, you used to adore my fig pie." "A sweet dish." "But a rotten bribe." "Perhaps the rich spices will appeal to your taste once again." "You understand my appetite very well, Petranilla." "Next!" "I demand my husband's immediate release." "Lady Maud." "The Queen considers your husband a traitor." "There's nothing I can do." "Next petitioner." "Need I remind you, Sir Roland," "I nursed your son William when he nearly died of fever." "Have mercy on me and my sons, as well as my husband." "I cannot spare the life of your husband." "And my boys?" "Be thankful I have let them live." "Take them on as your squires, sire." "I beg you." "I'll take one." "Who here needs an apprentice?" "I do!" "Elfric Builder." "Which one would you choose?" "The strongest, My Lord." "As would I." "So, how should we choose?" "First one to draw blood becomes my squire." "The loser follows Elfric." "Any questions?" "So, we're servants now, is that it?" "Quiet, Ralph." "I'll kill him." "Spare me the sight of dead sons." "Come on, boys, show us which one is most able." "And which one is Cain." "Come on!" "You know you're going to lose." "Enough!" "Pull him off." "My new squire!" "Pathetic." "He's buried." "We won." "England's ours." "Amen." "How can he do this?" "He took our bribe." "Hush." "Is this what we have to look forward to, brother, now that your Queen is in our lives?" "These men are traitors to the Crown." "But Queen Isabella is a merciful woman." "One of these wretches will now be pardoned." "Edmund Wooler." "Your life is spared." "But both of your legs will be broken." "John Constable, take him away." "Yes, My Lord." "Take him to the market square." "Step aside." "Hang them." "No!" "No!" "No!" "No!" "No!" "No!" "No!" "Take the shoes, Gwenda." "No." "Go on." "It's bad luck." "I came all the way from Saxony to fight for their fucking Queen and she paid me nothing!" "It's the least I'm owed." "Take them." "No." "Go on!" "Lie still, Gwenda." "Your father's lonely." "No, no." "Leave her be." "Hey, just trying to get warm, son." "Yeah, try it again, you'll warm in hell." "You've got to leave before you kill him, Holger." "Where would I go?" "I don't know." "Join the army." "What?" "Be a mercenary, like he was?" "He was a drunken foot soldier." "You're a magnificent archer." "Come with me, Gwenda." "No." "I won't leave you alone with him." "I hated life in the army, and I'm tired of running." "I think I'll stay here awhile." "It's as good a town as any." "How will you take care of yourself?" "Don't worry about me." "You need to be on your own, Holger." "You can't look after me forever." "And anyway, I'll slice off his cock if he tries anything again." "For you, My Lady." "Mortimer!" "Come here!" "What is it, my Queen?" "You were in charge of Thomas Langley." "You told me he had been silenced." "Those were my orders, yes." "It seems you were disobeyed." "He's claimed sanctuary in Kingsbridge Priory." "He wishes to become a monk and have me pay for the privilege." "Sanctuary is a veil, not a fortress." "Monks can be disposed of as easily as kings." "If he should die, he threatens that everything he knows will be made public." "This is a poultice of Datura root." "You need to change it every hour." "It will bring down the swelling." "Also, if you bruise the leaves and put them in a tea, they'll serve to induce sleep if he wakes." "Will you be all right?" "I'll help your father." "Thank you." "But I need to do something for myself." "I want to help." "Will you teach me?" "Forgive me." "Mattie, you must come quickly." "The Knight's arm putrefied." "Brother Joseph is going to amputate." "Please, don't touch it." "Don't touch it." "Hold him steady." "No!" "No, no!" "May the hand of God guide me." "No!" "Fuck!" "No!" "Butcher!" "Witch!" "You want his soul for the devil." "I want to save him from you." "Leave her to her job, Brother." "This man's suffering will be on your conscience, Mother Cecilia." "And his death will be on yours." "Caris, come here now." "You want to learn?" "Do as I say." "Twist." "Here." "Tight." "Tighter!" "Tighter." "There." "See?" "There's nothing to be afraid of." "It's only blood." "That's the first lesson." "...the bowel." "That's the lower one, there." "See?" "...and then have a look inside." "What can you see?" "Do you see that?" "Yeah." "And that is the upper intestine." "You can see there's a lung there." "Do you see?" "All of that is the intestine." "Get working, you lazy little bastard." "Now!" "...much more velvety." "Also some of these if you bruise it with a pestle and mortar." "Really, you bash it, bash it!" "Yeah." "You can add a little bit of not any of this in." "You want to dry it out." "Yeah, that's good." "Here you are." "I have some absolutely delicious barley and mushrooms." "It's my pleasure." "Very good." "Are you sure you want to stay?" "Yeah." "I'm done with traveling." "I'm done with him." "You should be done with him, too." "I will be." "Kill him if you need to." "Take it." "Go." "Before he finds out you're leaving." "I love you, sister." "I love you, too." "Go." "Go." "Arrest this man!" "What in..." "What's the meaning of this?" "Edward!" "Take your hands off me." "He stands accused of assuming royal power and other crimes." "What crimes?" "He murdered my father." "Your father died of a fall in prison." "That is a lie!" "This traitor, who lies in your bed, conspired with Sir Thomas Langley to take my father's life." "But, sire, that is not true." "Langley was my father's keeper in prison, under your orders." "Is that right?" "Yes." "Yes." "Langley disappeared on the day that my father died." "Yet only today I saw you trying to burn this letter." "Isabella, tell him what happened." "Tell him, Isabella!" "Just fucking gag him!" "Is this true?" "I know nothing of this treachery." "We have been betrayed." "Take him from my sight." "You know, first and foremost, I am your mother..." "You're a whore." "And my mother." "I suggest you choose which you want to be." "I will not have both." "Do you know who I am?" "Bastards!" "Damn you!" "Isabella!" "Isabella!" "Stop them!" "Isabella!" "I will make Kingsbridge bleed." "Merthin?" "What are you doing here?" "My God, what happened?" "Elfric's a sloppy builder and..." "Well, I told him so." "Your life's changed so much since your father died." "You've lost a parent, too." "I'm not sure what's worse, missing my mother or having to watch my father in pain." "Caris..." "Don't carry it alone." "Seek me out, and if I may," "I'll do the same with you." "I'd like that." "Evening." "What's going on?" "Good evening, niece." "We've planned a little celebration." "A celebration?" "Of what?" "Of your betrothal." "To Elfric Builder." "He's agreed to finance your father's business and make you the wealthiest woman in Kingsbridge." "You've assured our future." "Come here." "Come, let me give you my blessing." "Come." "Thank you." "Petranilla told me." "My ransom ruined us." "Your selflessness has saved us." "Thank you." "You are the most beautiful woman in Kingsbridge." "We'll make such handsome children." "She is young and willful." "She only needs taming." "I want a wife, not a horse."