Merthin, the Notary

“Merthin is that you?” She blinked in the sudden light trying to see the man also acutely aware of what she must look like chained to the wall and barely covered by a rough spun linen rag. It shouldn't really matter anymore, not after being stripped and groped by the bishop's men, but Merthin was no stranger. He knew her father ... he knew exactly who she was.

Chuckling softly to himself, the stranger reached up and pulled his hood down, revealing to Christine that he was indeed Merthin, the notary. “Christine, you astonish me! Here I was, thinking I’d be savvy and surprise you! The good Baron was right, you are intelligent. How’d you know it was me?” He exclaimed.

“You were wearing the same outfit as last I saw you in, the beard is the same, and your voice was familiar too.” Christine said, head bowed as she tried to pull her legs even tighter so a little less of her flesh was on display. “How in the name of the Good Lord did you find me?”

“Let's get you up and out of this shit-hole.” Merthin took the keys that had last been in the officer's care. She still didn't understand what was happening, but she wasn't going to complain. Less than a minute later, Christine was climbing up out of the hole and she looked around the empty room curiously.

“What happened to the man that was here?”

“We agreed that it would be best if he was not here when you were freed.” Merthin handed her a heavy cloak to cover her barely covered body and Christine gratefully slipped her arms into the robe. It was too big for her slight frame, but a huge improvement over the linen rag that she was currently wearing.

“Cover up, girl.” Merthin pulled the hood up over her head even more until her face was nearly completely hidden from any curious bystanders before he was satisfied. “We don't want anyone recognizing you.” As he guided her to the door to the small tower, closing and locking it carefully behind him, Merthin explained her miraculous rescue. “I had to send you away, yesterday. My guardsman Gregory is in the pay of the Black Prince. He doesn't know that I discovered his lack of fealty a while ago, but I could hardly welcome you into my house while he was watching.”

“Why don't you sack him?” Christine didn't understand why anyone would put up with that uncouth man, especially if he was not loyal.

“Better the spy you know than the one you don't, Lady Christine.” Merthin's mouth tightened, “Anyways, I hired a couple of youths to find you, one of them saw you enter the cathedral. Well, I know enough about our august Bishop Anthryl to figure out what was likely to happen.” Christine almost stumbled when she heard Merthin's matter-of-fact assessment of the highest-ranking cleric of the region. Did everyone know what a lecherous pig the man was? “My lads followed you to this spot and then one of them ran back to get me.”

“I have to find Erik.” Christine suddenly realized that her younger brother was still waiting for her by the fountain.

“Already taken care of, my Dear.” Merthin assured her, “You did well to protect him, but I've found him a safe place where Henry's crows won't easily find him. Now I just have to do the same for you.”

“But where?” Christine looked around again, they were not travelling on the broad boulevards and main throughfares, instead Merthin was guiding her through a maze of narrow alleys and covered walkways. “Where can I be safe if Prince Henry has spies everywhere?”