Chapter Four
The horsemen got nearer and louder and the girl pulled Matthew behind some bushes. They both crouched down. Matthew could still not believe what was happening and felt himself freeze with fear. What if they had seen them? he thought to himself. But he forced himself to watch the horsemen, to see if they were as bad as he felt they were, all the time hoping that they would not stop.
There were over twenty of them and they all looked the same. They wore helmets which looked like those of welders and brown leather jackets with breast plates. They had blue baggy trousers on with long leather boots and had swords at their sides. One of them in the middle was different from the others: he was quite evil-looking with a black uniform on.
Matthew then looked at the girl as they finally passed by, wondering if he should be scared of her as well. She was blonde with a big head but pretty face and about the same age as him. She had a brown old fashioned dress on under a cape with some kind of blouse underneath, which showed a little of her ample cleavage. He looked away embarrassed when she stared back at him. The horsemen disappeared down the road in the direction where Matthew had come.
The girl looked after them and said, ‘Quick. We’d better hurry. They’ll return this way.’ She then got up.
‘Er, who were they?’ asked Matthew as he nearly stumbled in his just-woken-up state behind her.
‘The Baron’s men. They’re probably going to the clearing, looking for you,’ the girl replied, moving quickly.
Matthew did not feel shocked at this because he remembered the image of the horsemen coming for him in his first experience of the picture but he still felt scared, now having seen them for real. ‘Me. Why me?’
‘I don’t know exactly. But maybe like me they knew you would be there,’ replied the girl.
‘You mean you saw me at the clearing?’ asked Matthew
‘Yes, I dreamt you would be there,’ she said as she got back on the road.
‘So it was you who broke a twig?’ Matthew asked rushing behind her.
‘Yes. I’m sorry I didn’t reveal myself to you sooner but I didn’t know if you were dangerous. Dreams don’t always give the whole picture,’ she said, ‘even though I dreamt you would save us. Come on. We must hurry before it gets dark.’
Dreamt I would save them, thought Matthew. This is crazy. I can hardly even save myself. Then it occurred to him that she must be the girl asking for help in the image he had in his first experience of the picture. He followed her, after looking in the direction of the horsemen.
‘Wait. What’s your name? Mine’s Matthew,’ he said.
‘I am Hannah,’ she replied.
‘Who am I supposed to save you from?’ asked Matthew, now beginning to feel a little out of breath with his dry throat.
‘The Baron, of course,’ Hannah replied.
‘Who’s he?’ asked Matthew as they briskly walked along the road in the opposite direction to the horsemen.
‘He rules our land. He is evil. He was banished by his father but returned two years ago. After this no one saw the old Baron or his other family again. Then bad things began to happen with the Baron demanding more taxes, food, and materials from us. He has built up a big army in his castle and anyone who complained or tried to fight against him disappeared. There are rumours that he performed some kind of experiments involving magic against them.’
Hell, thought Matthew What have I got myself involved in? An evil Baron who uses magic and has a big army. This is too fantastic to believe, he thought, as he saw that it was now getting dark. Hannah then interrupted his thoughts by saying, ‘We’ll go to my grandfather’s farm and have some food and rest. But tomorrow we’ll visit Martha, the Wise woman, who will tell us what to do next.’
This was getting worse, thought Matthew, now there was a witch as well. Why didn’t I just forget about the crazy picture this morning and return home and try to live a “normal” life? But he kept his thoughts to himself as they came to a cross roads in the dense forest. There was a bigger road in front of them going left and right and a narrow one going straight on. Hannah looked right. ‘That’s the way to the Baron’s castle,’ she said with a look of fear and disgust. ‘Come on. My grandfather’s farm is straight on.’ Matthew’s mood lifted a little; at least he would get some food and water.
As if reading his mind, Hannah stopped on the narrow road and got out a leather flask from her bag. ‘You must be thirsty. I didn’t see you drink anything when I was following you. Have some water.’
Matthew gulped it down with great relief. ‘Thanks,’ he said. ‘I needed that. He then took off his winter jacket now smelling a little of sweat and held it while they continued. He felt safer now that he was with Hannah who he now saw was about five-and-a-half feet tall and had a buxom, shapely body. They walked on for another hour or so until Hannah took them into a narrow path into the forest. Then about half an hour later, it gave way to some farm land.
‘We’re here,’ said Hannah. ‘Come on, let’s go and meet my grandfather. He won’t believe you are here.’
That makes two of us, thought Matthew who was still finding it very difficult coming to terms with being in this new world.
It was now dark and Matthew could see a small cluster of buildings ahead. Hannah led the way to a small farmhouse amongst them. It was two storeys high and there was a light in one of the windows. ‘Grandfather. I’ve found him. My dream was true! I’ve got the stranger who is going to save us.’ she said loudly, as they entered the building through the kitchen door.
The grandfather looked surprised when he saw them. He was sitting at a big table, eating some hot soup. He was about seventy, thought Matthew. He had a thin, wiry body and was wearing some kind of shirt which was white and had brown baggy trousers on which only went down to above the knee.
‘Hannah, where’ve you been?’ I’ve been worried about you.’ he said loudly. His worried but sceptical face then looked at Matthew and he said, ‘You and your dreams. This boy doesn’t look like he can even look after himself, never mind save us. Look at him. I’ve seen more fat on a sparrow.’
Matthew felt completely drained of his remaining energy and any confidence, which he had acquired while talking to Hannah. He looked for the nearest chair. Hannah beckoned him over to one opposite her grandfather and took his jacket away.
‘Oh, now I see who he is,’ said the grandfather noticing Matthew’s hoodie, ‘a novice monk who has run away.’
‘Grandfather, Matthew is from another world and has run away from no one. And you shouldn’t mock my dreams. Matthew is tall and brave. We nearly got caught by the Baron’s soldiers today,’ said Hannah.
The grandfather reacted nearly choking on his soup. ‘How many times have I told you to keep away from danger! If the soldiers are after this boy then they will come here. Hannah, why do you do such things. You’ll be the death of me one day.’
‘Don’t worry grandfather. They didn’t see us. Anyway, tomorrow I’m going to take Matthew to Martha. She’ll tell us what we have to do next,’ said Hannah trying but failing to appease her grandfather.
‘You will not go to see that old witch, my girl. She is nothing but trouble. Look, the boy can stay here tonight but tomorrow I’ll take him to Tobias who will guide him back to where you found him. And in future I don’t want you leaving the farm. Times are not what they used to be with this young Baron in charge of things,’ said the grandfather.
‘We’ll talk about it in the morning, grandfather,’ said Hannah as she got them both some soup and bread and winked at Matthew. This made Matthew feel a little better. Just like in his own world no one thought much of him, but Hannah seemed to have other ideas.
After they finished eating, Hannah took Matthew upstairs to a small bedroom. ‘Don’t worry about my grandfather. He doesn’t like strangers and is very protective of me. He likes you really. Anyway, here is your bed. I’ll wake you in the morning. We’ve got a long journey so get as much rest as you can,’ sh
e said as she left him a lamp and closed the door behind her.
Matthew had no more energy to think and just took off his boots and hoodie, turned the lamp off, and fell straight to sleep in the small bed with his feet hanging over the end.