In a small village in northern England. 865.
A group of small, skinny Englishmen are tilling a plot of land.
Not for profit but survival,
Edwin was a part of this unspectacular group. Though he was the youngest.
Tilling the field was more of a duty than a job for serfs and Edwin was born into the bond between peasant and land. Forced into hard labour to live.
Every strike of the coarse ground spit another drop of sweat from his brow and an ache from his tired young body.
As a 12 year old Edwin was now seen as fresh labour and was forced onto the field.
At the end the day he ate little more than a bowl of watery stew which had turnips and some sort of green leaf.
In his hut contained a fire and a few bundles of straw for a bed.
He lived alone, for now since his dad had been conscripted as a levy for the war which seemed to never end causing massive loss and strain on the rural population.
Higher taxes, raids and conscription.
Edwin was personally affected by the absence of his father. He was his only family member in the village due to a complication in birth his mother had died days afterwards.
Without him Edwin routinely visited the church for guidance from the bishop.
Every Sunday the whole community would gather and pray in the church.
And Edwin would wonder if his prayers for the end of the war would come true?
As mass ended the priests explained that there were more casualties in the recent skirmish.
Edwin's heart dropped as the priest started the list and the first name spoken was Godwick, his fathers.
He thought "what no that's a common name that's surely somebody else's name" denying the possibility that his fathers dead.
After mass he stayed. His mind was working at speed, his father the only one who cared for him gone?
No he's alive he must just be missing, he's too strong to die.
Those excact words were working through his brain in repeat like drums.
*snap*
"Edwin" said the priest with a morbid expression.
He sat next to him with his arm across the boys shoulders.
Looking at Edwin the priest knew that the boy was spiralling hunched with his hands on his head.
The priest wasn't able to give him any empty words of hope or encouragement like he had done for so long.
*Edwin seeing the priest not say anything only comforting him knew that his father has passed.
"What am I supposed to do?"
Edwin mumbled in an echoing despiration.
The priest replied, "believe, believe in god and his eternal sanctuary. Your father was a believer and I know he's gone to heaven".
Edric hearing those words clutched his rosemary and kissed the cross.
No for god not for the church but for his father.
Out of his despair Edwin lifted himself up and thanked the priest and joined the other mourning families.
He approached a fellow grieving lad a boy named Leo, both of them looked equally distraught and Leo along with his mother were in more trouble than himself. As a widow Leo's mother would join an Abby somewhere across the parish.
Leo and Edwin had known each other from birth as they were only born days apart and ended up the clossest out of the group of young men in the village.
Edwin always felt a twisted feeling of jealousy towards Leo as he would always mention his mother.
But he always felt close enough that she was the mother to both boys and Edwin was sad that she'd have to leave and join a monestery as an abbess.
"It's not easy is it Edwin?" Said the mother.
"No" "No it isn't" he grumbled.
Those were the only words they could muster, with greif pulling on their faces if more was said.
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Hours later as Edwin had made his way through the crowd sharing sollem words with all the families.
As they all started to leave the dark oaken door of the grey stone clad church, Edwin noticed that the crowd became much larger.
Nobody had left the whole village was standing outside still.
He had no idea why but as a short and skinny boy he couldn't see past the first head.
A quick realisation came to him, the last time this happened his father was conscripted as a levy for the Lord whom benefited from owning the village and its people.
Edwin heard clamering and a mothers cry which all but confirmed his guess.
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Idk what I'm doing but I'll keep on rambling for a few more chapters