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The danger, of course, is considerable, yet your cousin seems confident that he will come out of it a hero and in that confidence you place your entire trust.
Your Gran, however, rails against your cousin for always bringing his "wild ways" (which she plainly tells him must be an inheritance from his heathen father) to your doorstep. Though she could see him drowned at the bottom of a sea and not shed two tears over it, she would not have him take her only grandson with him to perdition.
Sharper words than these are exchanged between the two and your cousin leaves in a huff. Your Gran "forbids you" from participating in this "harebrained scheme", but you remind her who is the master of this house. You are not like your cousin nor (so you've heard) like your mother. Your blood runs cool. You tell her simply that you are going without even bothering with the reasons (which she herself knows very well). The longer the siege goes on the greater the likelihood of a battle and with battle, injury, death and suffering. And besides, you shall hardly be in harm's way. Your task is merely to shuttle the men to their objective, a task that lies entirely within your powers. In the end, she must acquiesce. But not before reminding you of your promise to take a wife upon the conclusion of the war, which you are now helping to expedite. She always knows exactly where to stick the knife.
The preparations are completed within a few days. Your cousin and six of his best men board your best boat (your own) and set sail for the enemy castle. You arrive within half a day and drop anchor till night comes. The night has been specially selected for its full moon but you must wait till it is nearly the witching hour for the clouds to part and the light to shine through. The cliff-face is formidable and the waves crashing on to it moreso, so that you cannot bring the boat the full way but only close enough for the men to swim to the rocks. Luckily, none are swept away, but the effort exhausts them before they have even begun and for one of the men it proves too much: about midway in the climb, he slips, falls and is dashed against the rocks. The others make it up safely and disappear. Your task is done, the rest is up to your cousin and the will of God.
Back at home, you are beset by fresh troubles. The priest has been bothering your Gran (herself a fairly religious woman on account of her present proximity to death) about housing some of the new orphans in your "palatial residence", plying her with promises of future salvation and reminding her of past sins. She eventually brings the matter to your attention, hoping for your approval.
You decide to:
>Refuse, on the grounds of having no one to look after the orphans--especially not your Gran
>Accept, on the condition that it is temporary and that some help is hired by the church
>Sit down with the priest and see if you can't work out a favorable deal.
>Write-in