Piercing Time Podcast

At the Abbey, Cynewyn struggles to create the images for the Bayeux Tenture while Thurstan wanders across Europe, Russia and Turkey looking for hunting birds.  At the Emperor’s palace in Constantinople, Thurstan finally faces his past and is tempted to join the Varangian Guard.

Cynewyn loses her baby in a tragic accident caused by Thurstan.  At the same time, Isabelle is safely delivered of her son, who she rejects and refuses to care for.  Before she runs away to her Abbey in Normandy, Isabelle arranges for Cynewyn to leave Drayton for the court of Queen Edith.

Cynewyn successfully pleads for food for her people, who are slowly starving because of the predations of Thurstan’s men.  Thurstan’s wife Isabelle, who is pregnant,  arrives from Normandy but is deeply unhappy to be in England.  Then, tragedy strikes.

Cynewyn, chatelaine of Drayton manor, is ejected from her home after her cousins Morcar and Edwin rebel against the new King William and their lands are confiscated.  The new lord, Thurstan de Basset, the Grand Falconer to William, angers and alienates his new subjects.

At the end of the Battle of Hastings, two Norman soldiers wonder about the legacy of the Battle and their part in it.