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Azof and the Farmer's Wife	By : kspence Category: Lord of the Rings Movies > AU - Alternate Universe Views: 9835 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: Disclaimer: I do not own the Lord of the Rings book series and movie series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 11
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- 13
Day after day stretched into a week. Julienne tended to the livestock and her vegetable plot. Then she set about cleaning her cottage from top to bottom, removing, weather-proofing then re-hanging her shutters and patching the worst of the leaks on the roof.
She received just one visitor and that was her farmhand, Coppey Drew. The farmer’s wife sent him packing, saying she had no work for him to do.
Next she set about clearing the lean-to and the garden. She collected the debris, piled it into a bonfire and set it alight. Sitting by the embers in the evening she was paid another visit.
It was only Coppey again.
“Not come to work today, Missus Drew,” he said, sitting down beside her.
They watched the bonfire for a while, neither of them willing to speak. Then Coppey cleared his throat and announced:
“Dunno if you knows this, but I always been a little bit sweet on you. Never could decide, though, if I wants you more as a sweetheart or for my mother, if you get my drift.”
“Oh!” Julienne exclaimed with some dismay. “Well, no. I certainly – didn’t know that.”
“I mebbe don’ mean that the way it’s come out,” Coppey continued. “Sure an’ you’ve seen all sorts of carry-on and what bed-jumping goes on, but mother to sweetheart ’ud be stretching it, even for round here.”
“It’s just –“ he went on, “you’re not from here are you?   Don’t think the way we do. An’ I’ve always – admired you for it, like. See when you lived down in town? Didn’ even know you, but I’d hear them lot going on about you. Gossiping. Sayin’ how awful you was, being so set on sending your boys away.”
“That’s fine!” Julienne said stiffly. This was nothing she didn’t already know about but it was still unpleasant to have it said to her face. “Very good of you to tell me, I’m sure.”
“I didn’t mean it like that!” Coppey replied. “When they talked about you I used to wish our mam would’ve done something like that – seeing me and the little ’uns set up somewhere better. But she’s like the rest of the family. Never thinks of being anywhere but here.”
“I don’t know about other places being better,” Julienne said. “I wanted my boys to have a chance to see somewhere – else, that’s all. They can come back and marry their cousins later on if they want, just as long as they’ve been out in the world a bit first. So they know that’s not the only thing people can do.”
“That’s what I’m saying,” Coppey said. “It’s what I like about you, Missus Drew - how you’re not scared to try something different. Setting up all alone when everyone said you’d’ve been better taking on as second woman with her and your husband, and as for trying new things -” he broke off for a moment, avoiding Julienne’s eye and stared carefully at his feet. “I suppose the same goes for you and your – your foreign fella, doesn’it?”
“I see!” the farmer’s wife jumped to her feet, immediately on the defensive.
“Don’t go taking the huff! I’m only saying ‘cause I know you a bit. An’ - worry about you. You should know you got friends here, Missus Drew, even if you don’t want to admit it.”
“It’s kind of you,” Julienne replied coolly. “But I’m fine. Everything’s perfectly – fine. Really.”
“So you say. But I seen how you was before that fella came then how you were when he was here. An’ what you’re like now he’s gone again is worse than you was before!”
“And how’s that?” Julienne demanded.
“Bloomin’ miserable again, missus.”
“Many thanks for your concern,” the farmer’s wife said, “but as you see, I’m managing to muddle along all right by myself. No husband, any other man – or ‘foreign fella’ - required.”
“Yes, you’ve done fine by yourself. Shown everyone you can manage. But are you sure you still want to? Seemed you were – happy, when that black-skinned bloke was with you. That’s the truth, isn’it?”
“It doesn’t matter either way,” Julienne said shortly. “There’s no point talking about it. He’s up and left.”
“He hasn’t,” Coppey replied, shaking his head seriously. “Our cousin’s got him.”
**
Next afternoon found the farmer’s wife waiting at her Cousin Drew’s house. The large farmhouse he’d inherited from his wife’s family on his marriage stood on an isolated plot outside of the village and were the main premises from which he conducted his business. The livestock trade might have been booming of late but the home building, grounds and ramshackle barns had a neglected look, with tall weeds growing in the cottage garden and the soft stone frontage of the house crumbling and falling into disrepair. At first Julienne was sure she could hear someone moving around inside, but any sounds of activity ceased as soon as she knocked at the door. There was no answer from the house or sign of life around the many cowsheds, so she sat down on the garden wall to wait.
Early in the morning Julienne had set off down the valley to the nearest settlement, intent on taking her cousin to task. He appeared to be taking an overzealous interest in Azof’s business – or so Coppey had told her the previous evening, relating that for the past week or so Azof had been seen only briefly in the village and always in her cousin’s company, a set of circumstances unusual enough to cause comment.
The Orc wasn’t trying to get away from him, exactly, but the livestock trader did seem to be placing certain restrictions on his movements; where he’d go, and with whom he could and couldn’t speak. Matters had come to a head three nights previously in the village pub: Azof had been involved in a disagreement with one of the local farmers leading to a scuffle that had developed into a full-blown fight. Julienne’s cousin and two of his hired men quickly stepped in, put an end to the hostilities and then forcibly removed the Orc, taking him to Cousin Drew’s premises where he’d been installed in a livestock crush in one of the cow-sheds, to give him “time to cool off.” There’d been no sign of him since.
**
Righteous indignation had been fuelling Julienne’s actions since yesterday night. She was fuming inwardly after what Coppey told her and not only on the Orc’s behalf: Julienne’s resentment of her cousin was already of long standing and she and viewed his interference at this point – no matter how unintentional or inadvertent – as something that could only have served to deepen the rift between herself and Azof, compounding her heart-ache and making a bad situation worse.
As she sat waiting on her wall however, Julienne began to doubt. She’d been made a fool of before. Past experiences had left her wary and distrustful and the thought occurred to her that rather than being held under duress, it was quite possible that Azof was staying with her cousin as a more-than-willing guest. After all she’d expelled the Orc from her cottage and they’d parted on uncertain terms. Julienne could hope she represented more to him than a simple meal-ticket yet couldn’t deny that Azof’s view of their situation might be different, and that he might well be on the lookout for another household into which he could insinuate himself. Now it occurred to her, that worrying idea seemed to make more and more sense. Surely he couldn’t have been out slaughtering livestock all the while, and Azof had never really told her what else he did during his frequent trips down to the village. His explanations were always so lightly-sketched and facile and wasn’t it possible – wasn’t it more than likely - that the Orc, who in could be quite a personable fellow in his way – could have been visiting more than one lonely farmer’s all this while?
Alone with these unsettling thoughts, Julienne waited outside the livestock trader’s house for a good hour or more. She had almost convinced herself that her errand was an embarrassing mistake when the slow tread of cartwheels sounded on the track that led to the farmhouse.
It was her cousin approaching, lounging in the back of an open two-wheeled wagon. Cousin Drew had a pair of his cronies with him and as they drew level with Julienne the one sitting in the driver’s slowly reined their horse to a stop.
The farmer’s wife stood up. “I’m here to see Azof.”
“Azof?” Cousin Drew said. “Don’t believe I’ve ever heard of an ‘Azof’,” and then addressing his companions, “you two?”
The men dutifully shook their heads. “No? Seems we’ve none of us heard of him, Mistress Drew. Now tell me, who might this person be?”
“Azof’s an Orc,” Julienne said. “He’s the Orc I know for a fact that right this minute you’ve got sitting in one of your lock-ups.”
“That his name?” Drew did seem genuinely surprised to hear it. “I never knew! Well I’ll tell you, you’re not the first come here wanting to have a look. Azof is visiting, but he’s tired at the moment good cousin, so if you’ll come back later we’ll see what we can do.”
“Visiting,” Julienne repeated. “That what you call it? I heard he didn’t have much say about coming to ‘visit’.”
Spreading his hands the livestock dealer went on in an easy, reasonable tone. “I’ve business to settle with that Orc, that’s all. We made an agreement and he was giving me the runaround. It was starting to cost us – cost all of us, and I couldn’t have that!   Makes sense he’s staying some place I can keep an eye on him, doesn’t it?”
“Yes, I’ve heard about your ‘business,’” Julienne said, “and I’d say Azof would be better out of it, if you ask me. So if he’s visiting that means he’s free to come and go as he pleases, now, is he?”
“Maybe,” Cousin Drew said, “He may be. You can see for yourself when you come back. Later, Julienne.”
It was a dismissal, but nothing final as yet. Saying no more the farmer’s wife was turning to go when her cousin called after her.
“Now, how are you finding it up on that mountain, Mistress Drew?” He clambered down from his horse-cart, signalling the driver and driver’s mate to be off on their way. With an ominous feeling Julienne watched the men departing, leaving her with her husband’s cousin alone.
The cattle trader stood in front of Julienne, blocking the way. “There’s been no end of talk round the place about you,” he told her. “What you’ve been doing, who you’ve been seeing - whether it’s really been such a lonesome time you’ve been having. Everyone’s just fascinated! Most of ‘em reckon on that delivery-driver, but I don’t see it. I’d’ve said the old Drew-boy or maybe that half-wit nephew of his. The way them two’s always sniffing about.”
He was watching closely for a reaction, but the farmer’s wife kept her face impassive and gave nothing away.
The cattle trader tried a different tack. “And why might you wish to see my Orc, Julienne? Is it curiosity? Or something else? Bit more of a – prurient interest, perhaps?”
Colouring up, Julienne had already started shaking her head, a picture of demure, compliant womanhood. But straightening her back she looked the cattle trader in the eye said –
“It is a prurient interest, yes.”
Her cousin drew back, astonished.   Now it seemed he’d only been trying to shock her and was genuinely surprised by her response. “You and - him? Really?” He stared at Julienne for a moment. “I heard some wicked, nasty rumours I wouldn’t care to repeat - but I’d never have credited it.   Not knowing you.”
“So what have you got to say for yourself?” Aren’t you even going to deny it?” Cousin Drew exclaimed. “Oh, Mistress Drew!”
Too late, Julienne realized what a mistake it had been for her to pick a quarrel with him at this point. She stepped sideways to get round her cousin - but he was too quick for her and placed himself smartly in her path.
“What about that Orc?” he asked eagerly, as Julienne tried again, and failed, to be off on her way. “Come on now – we’re old friends. You can tell me. What did it take to persuade you down off that high horse of yours, eh? What’s he got so special, eh, Julienne? What’s that Orc having you do?”
“I don’t see why you’re so interested in what I do and who I see. It’s really none of your concern.”
Cousin Drew caught hold of Julienne by her shoulder and spun her round to face him.   “I say it is my business – it’s everyone’s business - if you’ve fallen so far as to think you can stand there, bold as brass, and say you’ve been sticked by that – beast!”
“I said nothing of the sort,” Julienne blustered, “I –“
“It’s what you come here for, isn’t it?” The livestock trader exclaimed. “You’ve come here sniffing round after that – thing, begging to be tupped.”   Abruptly his curiosity gave way to disgust and his expression darkened as he looked at Julienne, face twisting with loathing. “You’re a disgrace!” he spat. “Women like you want locking up. You must’ve lost your wits, to come here whining after him like a bitch in heat.”
“Going to go, now,” Julienne said faintly.
Cousin Drew ignored her. “Maybe you have,” he muttered, regarding her intently. “Maybe you’ve really gone and lost your wits.”
“Have you seen what your ‘Azof’ can do?” he asked suddenly.   “Ah! Seems he’s been keeping that side of things quite well hid. You’re fond of animals, aren’t you Julienne? So I’ll tell you, shall I? How he deals with those poor, dumb beasts?”
“You set him up, off he goes and there’s not much left once he’s done. Just - bits and pieces, and all of them well spread out. After he’s finished the field’s nothing but guts and entrails; you feel your feet wet, look down and see you’re stood up to your ankle in a puddle of blood. Bones split open, chewed upon –an’ animals ain’t the half of it. You know how I hear it was before?   They say their kind dealt with men, womenfolk – any poor fool they could catch - the same way too. And when he’s done your fancy friend’s like he’s painted in it, dipped in red from head to foot. Want to know what he’s doing now, Mistress Drew? He’s sleeping it off, Julienne, slathered in gore from his last frenzy, sleeping off his feast. That - thing’s - not a man - not even wild animal. It’s something far, far worse.”
It was a shocking account. Even forewarned as she had been, Julienne was still unprepared to hear these grisly details at first-hand. Trying to rally she said - “in that case I’m surprised you’re prepared to have him anywhere near!”
Cousin Drew rounded on her. “We’ll all sleep better in our beds knowing that monster’s locked safe away!”
“Then he’s not stopping here by choice?”
“What’s the difference?” Cousin Drew demanded. “Didn’t you hear me telling you? That Orc’s no more than a savage beast and I know how to deal with animals, Julienne – that’s the line I’m in. Locking your ‘Azof’ up’s no different from stalling cows in a byre or putting a halter-rope on a horse. Someone’s got to take charge.”
“So you’ve decided that’s you is it, the one who’s going to be in charge? You can’t go capturing people up whenever you feel like! Folk won’t stand for it.”
The stock trader snorted, amused. “And who, round here, d’you think is going to do anything about it? Folk won’t stand for it, you say.” He pulled the farmer’s wife up to his side and made a show of whispering in her ear. “People, Julienne, don’t care.”
“It’s not right!” Julienne exclaimed, pushing away from him. Her cousin however made a grab for Julienne and shook her violently, rattling her teeth.
“Ain’t right what you’ve been doing either, Mistress Drew. Don’t know who you think you are, turning your nose up and curling your lip and still putting on airs like you’re better than everyone, and after what you’ve done! You’ve thrown over any right you ever had to be treated decent. Don’t get to hold you head up among decent folk either, ‘cause you can’t count yourself as one of us no more.” He stared narrowly at Julienne, regarding her through baleful, bloodshot eyes. “No better than flesh for sale,” he muttered, “that’s all you are. An’ like I told you before: there’s no one to look out for you and that makes you fair game, but it’s worse because you’re no better than him, now, are you? Flesh for sale. Livestock. Just – meat on the hoof.”
Cousin Drew cuffed her with a sudden back-hander across the face and caught her again as she reeled sideways, stunned. Then his hands went in a practised movement to the sides of her neck where his fingers dug in deep, pinching off the supply of air. Julienne flailed frantically, ineffectively, trying to fight her cousin, and scratched at Drew’s hands, then his face. That made him let go for a moment - but he came back and delivered a hard punch upwards into Julienne’s stomach, using exactly enough force to double her over, incapacitated. Seizing a handful of her hair he wound it around his fist and began dragging her backwards by it, back down the lane towards his house.
“Treat ‘em mean and keep ‘em keen,” he said, tossing the comment over his shoulder as he pulled Julienne through the garden gate. “Isn’t this the way you like it, Mistress Drew?” He was hauling her round to the back of his house, towards the low door that as Julienne knew in houses of this type led down a short flight of steps to an underground cellar. Reaching the entrance he threw her through, but the farmer’s wife, panicking at the threshold, seized hold of the doorway and resisted, kicking at her cousin and clinging on for dear life.
She was no match for him. Drew struck her again, driving a buffeting blow into the side of Julienne’s head that made her ears ring. He threw her onto the cellar stairs, following after and knelt across her, pinning her arms to her sides. One of his hands twisted up under Julienne’s skirts, probing and pinching its way up her leg as with the other he struggled to unfasten his flies. “You’ll hold still for this, you vicious bitch,” he spat. “High time you took what’s coming to you.”
“I could keep you an’ all,” he muttered to her, “couldn’t I? How long d’you think it’d take to teach you to be nice? I could keep you down here as long as I like, and nobody’ll be any the wiser, will they, Julienne? Or if they knew, think anyone would bother themselves to help you? You’re an embarrassment, Mistress Drew.   You’d be better off hidden away. The whole town knows it.”
It was too much. Julienne, injured and sick with shock could scarcely grasp what was happening. Even with the tangible weight of her cousin bearing down on top of her she felt afraid, almost, of trying to free herself - in case of it all turning out to be some ghastly mistake –
The absurdity of staying still for Drew – and out of ridiculous fear of making a scene was what brought Julienne back to herself. With a weak shout of revulsion she thrashed violently back and forth, using the cellar steps under her for leverage. Her cousin’s bulk lifted off her momentarily as he lost footing and at that Julienne made a grab for the stone step above her and heaved mightily, pulling herself up onto the threshold and halfway out through the open door. Struggling along on hands and knees, the farmer’s wife pulled herself forwards on the grass and stones with Drew only a step behind her -
– and all at once found herself faced with bony pair of bare ankles above a pair of broken shoes.
Cousin Drew’s wife was standing in front of her on the path.
TBC
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Azof and the Farmer's Wife