Publication Date: 10th April 2021
Publisher: Crowvus
Page Length: approx. 118,000 words – approx. 350 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Twitter Handles: @DaysDyingGlory @CrowvusLit @maryanneyarde
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Hashtags: #HistoricalFiction #TheYearWeLived #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub
The Year We Lived
By Virginia Crow
It is 1074, 8 years after the fateful Battle of Hastings. Lord Henry De Bois is determined to find the secret community of Robert, an Anglo-Saxon thane. Despite his fervour, all his attempts are met with failure.
When he captures Robert’s young sister, Edith, events are set in motion, affecting everyone involved. Edith is forced into a terrible world of cruelty and deceit, but finds friendship there too.
Will Robert ever learn why Henry hates him so much? Will Edith’s new-found friendships be enough to save her from De Bois? And who is the mysterious stranger in the reedbed who can disappear at will?
A gripping historical fiction with an astonishing twist!
“It is a shame you did not arrive two days ago,” de Bois said, opening his arms wide as though he was greeting a friend rather than his sworn enemy. He stopped three feet from Robert. “I was married then. There are only scraps left from my feast, but your curs are welcome to them.”
Robert dropped his bow to the ground and reached for his sword.
“Before you do that,” de Bois mocked. “You should know, I have given orders to have your sister’s throat slit the moment you draw any weapon. Then she will hang from the walls of my garrison, as an ornament for the crows.”
With great reluctance, Robert released his hold on the sword hilt. “You know why I’m here.”
“Of course,” Henry laughed, amused by the expression of restraint on the face of the man before him. “I heard your sister was abducted by a changeling, though. Then who is she?” he asked, pointing back to Edith.
Robert turned to look at Dunstan and found he was no longer there. Trying not to show his confusion to the man before him, he steadied his thoughts and moved his hand away from the sword’s hilt. “You killed my men, you framed a simpleton, and you kidnapped my sister. I shall not forgive any of these things.”
“Your sister is no longer your concern,” de Bois said scornfully. “But your eyes tell me you do not believe me, so ask my wife.”
Robert tried once again to mask his emotions from the scheming, cruel man before him, but his confusion was beyond his ability to hide. “Your wife? What has she to do with me?”
“What indeed?” Henry chuckled and motioned to the soldier who still held Edith. “Look there,” he continued as Edith walked forward. “There are twenty archers ready to fire on her if you should try to take my wife from me.”
The realisation of what Lord de Bois meant seeped into Robert as he watched Edith walk towards him, while Henry took a step back and watched the pair thoughtfully. Edith’s fragile features ventured a slight smile as she reached her brother and, almost at once, ten of Robert’s men stepped forward to form a protective ring around the pair. Robert watched the archers on the wall as they drew back their bows but Henry, who stood outside the circle of men, never gave the order to fire.
“Edie,” Robert whispered as he took her hands in his own. “What is this?”
“It is our chance at peace, Robert,” she sniffed, trying to maintain a sense of calm.
“You married him?”
“Two days ago.”
“What happened on the fen?” he demanded, suddenly uncertain his sister had not intended to flee to the Normans. “Dunstan said it was an ambush.”
“He’s alive?” Edith croaked, tears of relief bursting into her eyes. “He tried to save me, Robin,” she wept. “And Egbert, and-” the tears streamed from her eyes as she lowered her face before sobbing, “and Alan. I watched them kill him with my own knife. It should have been used to save his life, not take it from him.”
“Why did you marry such a man?” Robert asked, lifting her chin gently to look into her eyes.
“To save my child from eternal damnation.”
“What?”
Edith took a step towards him so that only her brother would hear her words. The shame she felt in them, though there had been nothing she could do to defend herself, was too great to share with anyone else. “I’m carrying the child of Henry de Bois. To become his wife was the only way to secure its soul.” She watched his eyes narrow and, believing it to be out of disappointment, she hurriedly explained. “I had no choice, Robin. I tried to stop him. With God as my witness, I swear I tried.”
“This is not your fault, Edie,” Robert replied. “It is mine. I’ll kill him with my own hands.”
“No,” Edith begged, snatching his wrist. “Peace, the bishop said. Peace, at whatever cost.” She rested her head against his chest and felt his arms wrap around her. She was safe. For that moment, fleeting though it was doomed to be, she felt entirely safe. Henry could not reach her and, in her brother’s arms, she returned to the child she had been until so recently.
“I will have justice on de Bois for what he has done.”
“Yes,” she answered. “And I swear I shall send you everything and everyone you need to see it done. But not yet, Robert, for he wasn’t lying when he told you about the archers, and all you will achieve here in combat is your own death. I can’t watch it. Is…” her voice trailed off as she looked around the circle. “Is Dunstan safe?”
“He has his own ways of protecting himself. He arrived with us tonight, but he has not seen fit to stay.”
“He tried to save me, Robert. It was I who broke your command, not he.” Edith gave a flash of a smile before it fell, and she shook her head. “I loved him.”
“Changeling on one side, Norman on the other,” Robert tried to laugh, but the strain caused a tear to fall from his eyes where, until now, he had kept them guarded. “How do you manage to find them, Edie?”
“Thank you for coming to find me, Robert,” she said, emotionless formality taking her tone. Robert turned to look at what she had seen to cause this change. De Bois stood next to the ring of men. “I doubt I’ll see you again for some time, but I’m pleased to have explained it to you.”
“Come, my wife,” Henry snapped. “The dawn is not yet here, and my bed is growing cold.”
At this, one of the men closest to the Norman reached to draw his sword. Robert rushed forward and snatched his wrist.
“No, Sweyn. Liebling Edith has requested her safe return to the garrison.”
“You don’t learn, do you?” Henry sneered, snatching Edith’s hand and pulling her from the ring. “She is no longer Liebling Edith. She is Lady de Bois.” He pushed her forward and watched as, with hunched shoulders and faltering step, Edith returned to the garrison. She never looked back.
“You don’t want peace,” Robert snapped. The ring of guards formed a semicircle behind him as he addressed Henry. “Why did you do this?”
“Peace?” the lord scoffed. “That’s my brother’s notion. But it hurts, doesn’t it? To see her, this fragile, delicate creature, who you were meant to protect. And to know that another man has taken her. Whatever she told you, it was true. She all but begged me to marry her.”
“I will have justice for what you have done to her.”
“No. What I have done to her was done as justice for what you did to Matilda. I want her child,” he snapped. “I want the child Matilda bore you. It should be raised in a Norman court, not with Saxon savages.” He paused long enough to spit on the ground at Robert’s feet. “If I do not get the child, I’ll make sure your Liebling doesn’t survive birthing my own. I won’t need a wife once I have an heir.”
Obeying Edith’s request was the most difficult moment of Robert’s life. He longed to draw his blade and thrust it into the chest of the man before him. But it would accomplish nothing, for Edith would still die in the barbaric fashion Henry had contrived for her. Instead, he was left to watch as Henry de Bois returned to the garrison and the gates were closed behind him. Robert turned and, without offering his men any words, he led them away.
Purchase links
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08TWYNBCP
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08TWYNBCP
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B08TWYNBCP
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08TWYNBCP
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-year-we-lived-virginia-crow/1138704747
Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-year-we-lived/virginia-crow/9781913182274
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/the-year-we-lived
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1066348
Crowvus: https://www.crowvus.com/product-page/the-year-we-lived
Author
Virginia Crow
Virginia grew up in Orkney, using the breath-taking scenery to fuel her imagination and the writing fire within her. Her favourite genres to write are fantasy and historical fiction, sometimes mixing the two together such as her newly-published book "Caledon". She enjoys swashbuckling stories such as the Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas and is still waiting for a screen adaption that lives up to the book!
When she's not writing, Virginia is usually to be found teaching music, and obtained her MLitt in "History of the Highlands and Islands" last year. She believes wholeheartedly in the power of music, especially as a tool of inspiration. She also helps out with the John O'Groats Book Festival which is celebrating its 3rd year this April.
She now lives in the far flung corner of Scotland, soaking in inspiration from the rugged cliffs and miles of sandy beaches. She loves cheese, music and films, but hates mushrooms.
Social Media
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BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/virginia-crow
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Virginia-Crow/e/B078QBNYFB
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16049964.Virginia_Crow
