I Promised You - William and Ophelia by Carol Colbert

murder the Great Evil and had
happily watched him die.

    No one was home at her mother’s house when
she returned. She laid on the bed and fell into a heavy deep sleep.
She did not know how long she had slept, but the sun was high in
the sky when she awoke. Ophelia was surprised she had slept all
night and she walked into the kitchen, forgetting for a moment that
her family was gone.

    The kitchen was also empty. She wondered
where her mother and William were. Ophelia had some tea and bread
and set out to the Village.

    She was passing the waterfall when she saw
two women cleaning their garments in the clear water. “Good day”
she said. The two women stood up and immediately ran over to
Ophelia.

    “Ophelia! We heard about ye house and Alma
and ye mother. Twas awful! Ye bein alright? Wot with all the fire
an’all?”

    Ophelia still was wearing the same shift that
she had on when she gave birth to her daughters. She wondered
briefly if these women thought that she was still with child.

    “My mother?”

    “Aye, such a shame, such a lady!”

    “You are confused, it was Alma who died. Do
you know where my husband is?” He was not in the house when I left
a moment ago.” Ophelia tried to explain.

    The two old women shook their heads sadly and
went back to their washing. Ophelia felt as if she were in a bad
dream. She sat on the rock where she and her sister Gertrude had
sat so many times before and stared at the same waterfall that she
had stared at and played in for so many years. She sat there until
the sun started to go down and she heard a voice.

    “Ophelia?”

    Ophelia looked up and saw her husband.
“William! Oh William!” She said and ran into his arms. They held
each other a long time and William looked at her with many
questions in his eyes. “Let’s go home.”

    They walked to her mother’s house, leaning on
each other for support and both afraid to ask the other the
questions they were holding inside.

    Ophelia finally spoke. “Where is my mother?
Did you find her?”
    William looked sad and told her that he did
find Rose, but not before the Great Evil had. Ophelia felt as
though her heart was breaking into little pieces.

    “Did you make it to the clearing in time? Did
Luna and Thelma leave this place with Gertrude?” William asked,
fear showing on his face.

    “Yes. I gave the girls to Gertrude and they
are safe now.”

    “I would ask you why you did not leave with
them, but I know you too well. I know it is wrong to have such
hatred in one’s heart, Ophelia, but all I can think of is the man
who is responsible for all of this. The fire, the murders, us
losing our daughters and the rest of our family. I want him dead.
Forgive me, but I want the man dead.” William said, placing his
head in his wife’s lap and finally giving into his grief and
crying.

    It would have been a great relief to tell her
husband that the monster was indeed, dead. But she vowed to protect
her family at all costs. It would serve no purpose to let him know
that she had stood there and watched a man die. Even a man as
horrible as the Great Evil. Besides, there was also a wine
container which either Mathew or the King would be drinking soon if
they had not already. Perhaps they would share the bottle. She
could only hope. No, it would do no one good to speak of such
things.

    “We must leave here, William.”

    “But how? Isn’t Gertrude and Julia far away
by now?”

    “Yes, but we can go as well. Not to the same
place, not as far, but we have the wagon and the pearls. We also
have a few coffee beans left over and Julia handed me a red stoned
necklace before they left. We will be fine.”

    “There is nothing left for us here.” William
agreed.

    “More evil will come, we have to leave now,
but we also have to be smart. I need you to walk until you meet
someone, two or three people would be better. Look pleased and tell
them that you are the father of a son, as yet unnamed. If they ask
about me, tell them