The Girl with No Name Ch. 31

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Vesna resumed her journey towards Novo Sumy Ris and the pass. She changed into her guard outfit and approached the main road. She pulled back when she heard the galloping of a platoon of mounted guards. They sped by, carrying black mourning banners. In the Vice-Duchy, a black banner was the sign that an important person had died. It wasn't hard to figure out the news of the deaths of the Bishop and the Vice-Duke's oldest son had just caught up with her. As if to answer that suspicion, Church bells rang all around her to announce the Vice-Duchy had just entered a period of mourning. The roads were closed and anyone attempting to travel along them would be arrested for disrespect, so Vesna would have to give up her plan to return to the western valley through the pass.

She remembered a possible alternative route, which might actually be better if it allowed her to avoid the Vice-Duchy's guards. When she was living with the Followers of the Ancients and visiting the cave-charcoal mines, the elders had mentioned a couple of paths going east through the forest and eventually leading to another set of mines. Beyond those mines, even further to the east, were several small silver mines the Followers avoided because they were under the control of owners from the Vice-Duchy. It seemed the paths could all be traveled by horse. Assuming the information was correct, it would be possible to ride from Plátnackt Dék, the northernmost town in the Vice-Duchy, to Sevérckt nad Gorádki, the northernmost town in the western valley. Vesna figured the alternate route was worth investigating. Going over the main pass was no longer an option, and probably wouldn't be for the rest of the year.

Vesna avoided the main road as she moved north. She traveled along country lanes as church bells continued ringing all around her. She traveled at a casual pace, more interested in keeping Moonlight healthy than she was in moving quickly. She'd have to take proper care of her horse. She'd have no way of escaping the Vice-Duchy if anything happened to him.

She had traveled about half the distance between Rika Chorna and Plátnackt Dék when a strange urge hit her. The night was hot and she was tired of sweating in her guard outfit. The paths were deserted, so she didn't see any harm in dismounting, taking off her clothes, and walking naked for a while. Her legs were stiff from so much riding, and Moonlight needed a rest anyway. For several hours she walked in the dark, enjoying the peaceful night air and the gentle breeze caressing her body. She led the horse by his reins and followed a dark trail that was barely visible between fields of wheat. She ascended a hill, and tied the horse to a fencepost. She stood alone, trying to make out what lay ahead and what kind of countryside she'd be traveling through the next day. It occurred to her that she should pray to the Ancients. She received no answer, apart from confirmation she was where she should be and going in the right direction.

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Plátnackt Dék was the most recently founded of Danubia's major cities. Today it is a pleasant place full of unique architecture from the late nineteenth century, located at the base of the Northern Mountains. However, in 1759 the town had existed for only twenty years and was a raw, primitive settlement of wooden shacks and ore processing kilns. The town's name, "The Silver is Here", reflected both the main source of income and the population's total lack of imagination for naming things during the first decades of its existence. However, during the late 1700s Plátnackt Dék was of vital economic importance for the Vice Duchy. Its mines produced not only silver, but also iron, copper, and nickel.

During the early years of Plátnackt Dék, small farmers supplied most of the food eaten by the miners. Landless peasants from other parts of the Vice-Duchy had moved in, filling the region with ramshackle homesteads. The area was poor, but the people had a culture of independence that contrasted with the tightly-controlled society of the rest of the eastern valley. That was not to say life was safe for a single woman, especially a young one moving about, because it was not. Vesna's plan was to stay in the town as briefly as possible. However, she did have to go in and find someone trustworthy to ask about the trails going up into the mountains. She could not afford to become lost as she worked her way past the metal mines towards the cave-charcoal mines. She wasn't worried about surviving in the forest, but she was worried about what would happen if roving groups of miners found her traveling alone. She was very glad to have her guard disguise, which she'd have to wear during the first part of her journey along the trails.

Before going into the town itself, she decided to find a farming family with whom she could stay so she could reconnoiter the region and figure out the route she needed to take. She had to re-supply herself with food and rest Moonlight before subjecting him to a rough trip through the forest. She prayed to the Ancients to assist her. Shortly after she finished praying, she approached a farm with a garden and some fruit trees. An old man on crutches was outside, directing a teenaged girl and five children to weed the garden. There were no young or middle-aged adults on the property and it was clear the family was not doing well. The children did not look healthy, and the old man's condition seemed even worse.

The group was frightened when they saw a guard entering their property. The children instinctively clustered behind the old man and the teenager. Vesna considered leaving, but she remembered her prayer. Was it possible the Ancients had led her to that particular farm? She decided to take a risk and remove her helmet. The family stared at her with bewildered shock.

"It looks like you could use some food, and I need a place to stay. Maybe we can help each other."

"You... have food, Mistress?"

"No, but I have a have a silver piece." Vesna held up a coin. "It's yours if you give me a safe place to set up my tent and rest my horse."

The old man tapped the teenager with one of his crutches. Very reluctantly she approached the stranger.

"You're offering us silver, Mistress?"

Vesna looked around the farm. There was a chicken coop, but it was empty. There was a pen for keeping pigs, but that was empty as well. It was clear the first thing the group needed to do was eat, so they'd have to procure some food. Vesna realized that going to the village market with a local girl to buy a meal would be a perfect way to have a look around.

"Let's do this. I want to go to the local market anyway. We'll buy a pig and you can help me cook him. I'm sure you wouldn't mind having roast pig?"

"Mistress, you shouldn't be taunting us. We've done you no harm."

"I'm not taunting you. I'd like a good meal, a safe place to eat it, and companions to share it with. I can't eat a whole pig by myself."

After convincing the teenager and the old man she was serious, Vesna unloaded Moonlight and piled her belongings next to the cottage. She excused herself to change into her worker's dress. She decided to take her longbow with her.

Vesna led her horse, the teenager, and the oldest boy, who was ten, into the closest village. The townspeople seemed surprised to see the destitute children accompanied by an armed young woman who was considerably healthier. The food merchants had no problem accepting Vesna's money, however. She bought the pig and ingredients needed to roast him, but she knew that it would take at least a day to prepare and cook the animal, and the family needed to eat right away. She bought a half-wheel of cheese, eight loaves of bread, a bag of apples, vegetables and salt to make stew, a cage containing six hens, and grain to feed them. She ended up spending not one, but four of her silver coins. As the sun set, the stranger and the children returned to the farm with the pig and the loaded horse. She ate a good meal with her astounded hosts before setting up her tent. She announced they'd slaughter and cook the pig the next day.

The pig took two days to properly prepare, so the family continued to feast on the food their guest bought at the market. Vesna sent the girl back to the village to purchase more hens to re-stock the chicken coop so everyone could have eggs. She examined the old man's legs and treated an infection. Over the following week the children recovered from being malnourished.

Vesna talked at length with the old man about the surrounding area and the new silver-mining town. She found out that his name was Plámenckt and the teenager's name was Margíckta. The children were all Plámenckt's grandchildren. Margíckta and the oldest boy were the orphans of a daughter who was executed by the True Believers for prostitution. The other four were the offspring of a son who went into the mountains with a group of prospectors and never returned. Plámenckt's daughter-in-law had moved in with him, bringing her children. However, in the spring a neighbor found her dead along the lane leading to the village. She was killed by a musket-ball, but no one knew why. After burying the daughter-in-law, Plámenckt tried to keep the farm going over the summer, but his health was failing and he did not have the resources to take care of six children by himself.

When Vesna was alone with Margíckta, the girl provided additional details about the family's history. She also confessed she was planning to run away to the mines and work as a prostitute, in spite of what happened to her mother. Vesna responded:

"Well, you'd better not try doing that while I'm here. You won't need the True Believers to separate your soul from your body. I'll track you down and execute you myself."

"But...what can I do?"

"Braid your hair and find a husband. That had better be the only Path in Life you think about."

"But, I... can't. I don't have a dress... or anything else..."

"We'll see what we can do about that. Don't assume you're the only girl who's ever faced that difficulty. But I'm warning you not to try running off. Be patient."

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The days went by and Vesna's instincts as a peasant took over as she started addressing many of the farm's longer-term problems. Without giving much thought to what she was doing, she directed the children to start cleaning up the homestead. The house was in deplorable condition, so she returned to the market to buy some tools and nails to make repairs. She addressed the family's lack of cleanliness by converting an old barrel into a primitive bathtub. She oversaw a bathing and teeth-cleaning regimen. She inspected the children's clothing and made sure it was at least reasonably clean.

By the beginning of the second week she began working in the garden. She couldn't help it: she just couldn't bear looking at a farm in such deplorable condition without doing something about it. When she was outside in the dirt, she returned to the western Danubian custom of wearing nothing but shoes and a broad-brimmed hat to reduce the amount of time she had to spend washing and drying her worker's dress. To save time dealing with their own clothing, the older children followed her example while performing their chores. At the end of each day the visitor insisted that everyone use the improvised bathtub before going into the house.

Vesna spent August exploring the area around Plátnackt Dék when she was not trying to fix the problems with Plámenckt's farm. She took Margíckta with her a guide and companion, but also to keep the girl under her watch and make sure she didn't try leaving the farm in her absence. Vesna inquired about the mines and paths going into the mountains. She discovered there was a book-seller in Plátnackt Dék who was able to provide her with what she needed; a map of the paths and lanes surrounding the silver mines, including the trails going west towards the cave-charcoal excavations. He warned her not to go into the mountains, however. Recent rainstorms had washed out one of the mines and some of the trails. Unemployed miners were repairing the area, but the men were destitute and a single woman attempting to ride through the area on a horse would be a tempting target.

"It won't be so dangerous after they fix their mine and go back to work. But right now those men are starving and blocking the road. Your horse would make a fine meal and you'd provide the after-dinner entertainment."

"So, when do you think the road will be clear?"

"Not till the end of August, at the earliest. Whenever you come into town I'll update you with anything I find out."

Meanwhile, Margíckta was paging through the books, looking at the text with bewilderment. Vesna glanced at her, then at her map in frustration. The end of August. Knowing how the Realm of the Living worked, the date was optimistic. Probably those workers wouldn't have the road fixed until sometime in September. It would take at least another month to navigate the paths to Sevérckt nad Gorádki, meaning the best she could hope was to finish the trip in mid-October. She wouldn't make it before the first snowfall in the higher elevations stranded her. So, she'd have to wait until the following year. She sighed in frustration. She had wasted her time, coming to Plátnackt Dék.

There was more bad news awaiting Vesna when she and the girl returned to the homestead. Plámenckt was in bed, unable to talk, with the kids gathered around him. When Vesna examined him, it was apparent he had suffered a stroke. Vesna questioned Margíckta about the old man's health over the summer. The girl related he had suffered a previous stroke, the one that forced him to use crutches. The second stroke was even more serious. It was obvious he was not going to recover.

Vesna sat by the old man's bed. He struggled to talk. He was able to nod, but not much more. After looking around the room at his grandkids, Plámenckt looked at her with a pleading expression. It wasn't hard to figure out what he wanted. Vesna took a deep breath and accepted the responsibility the Ancients had given her. She took his hand.

"I'll stay with the kids over the winter. I can't promise you anything more than that, but I'll help them make it through the spring planting. I know a few things about surviving and I'll teach them what I can while I'm here. And I'll watch Margíckta. I already told her what will happen if she tries to run away. I know how to use a switch and she'll find that out if she tries anything stupid."

The old man continued looking at her. She didn't know what else to do, so she continued talking to reassure him.

"I came here because I wanted to go through the mountains to get to Sevérckt nad Gorádki. I'm a fugitive from Rika Chorna and I can't risk going over the main pass. I just found out I can't go this way either, because I can't go past the mines until next spring. So, I'm stranded. I couldn't leave even if I wanted to."

Vesna's cold logic reassured the old man more than any promise she could have made. Vesna called Margíckta to her side. She placed the girl's hand onto that of her grandfather.

"You heard me tell your grandfather that I'll watch over you. I will keep that promise. Do you understand, Margíckta?"

"Yes, Mistress Vesna."

Vesna figured it would be best to let the grandkids be alone with the old man during his final moments in the Realm of the Living. She carried a new pickax to the gravesite of the murdered daughter-in-law. She took off her dress and started a new grave next to the one already there. She began hacking at the ground halfheartedly. However, as the memories of the Vice-Duke and his hideous palace and the hideous people who filled it took over her thoughts, rage built up inside her. This... right here... this was the price of what that group of degenerates was doing to the Vice-Duchy. She grunted and perspired as she wildly swung the implement. She was sick of her life and sick of the Realm of the Living. At that moment everything disgusted her. The face of the weakling Prince Hristóckt, as he lay in his bed beneath her, filled her imagination. She savagely swung at that offensive apparition, landing the pick squarely into his nose. Oh, how she would have liked to use that pick on him for real. He had died suddenly, in an explosion or a landslide. That was way too good for him. Why couldn't he have suffered like that old man inside the cottage?

As she swung the pick, the faces of other people she hated came into view: Enockt, Oana, the Vice-Duke's family, the women from the palace in Rika Chorna, the nuns, the matrons from the Grand Duke's castle, Guard Anníkki ... and the Crowned Prince of her bitter memories, Bagatúrckt. She grunted in rage as she swung the pick into each of their faces.

Before she realized what she had done, Vesna was standing in a grave that was as deep as her chest. Sweat poured down her naked body, she was covered in mud, and her hands were full of painful blisters that already had broken. She looked up to see the bewildered children standing above her. Margíckta made the announcement that her grandfather's soul had separated from his body. Vesna climbed out from the muddy hole and told the others to wait until she could bathe and get dressed. A half-an-hour later the patriarch of that sad family was laying in the ground, holding the remains of a broken mirror as the dirt piled on top of him. The funeral consisted of a prayer to the Ancients and three hymns of mourning sung by Vesna in archaic Danubian.

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Later that night, after the children were asleep, Vesna returned to the grave. She silently stared at the mound of dirt for a long time. As pathetic as it was, the funeral for a stranger was more than she had been able to give either her dead husband or her dead lover. She decided a prayer to the dead was necessary. Yes, she had prayed for Plámenckt, but it had been a while since she prayed for the souls of Ermin and Ilmátarkt.

Before she could kneel, an owl flew over her head and landed on a fence post. The bird turned his head and stared at her with cruel yellow eyes. The world slowly went black and the ground grabbed her feet. She was immobilized. The eyes grew until they filled her entire range of vision.

"Danka... Danka... Danka Síluckt. Answer me. Do not try to ignore me."

"Why are you calling me that? I'm using the name Vesna Rogúskt right now."

"Not with me, you're not. To me, you will always be Danka."

"So, what now? What are you taking from me this time? Or are you here to tell me something awful about the old man?"

"I'm not taking anything from you, Danka Síluckt, and I'm not here to tell you anything awful... at least not about anyone you care about. I'm here to congratulate you. I tested you, and you were one of the few mortals who've ever survived that challenge."

"Tested me? You're... you're talking about the Bishop's gold?"

"Exactly. You saw the gold for what it is. It took you a while, but you realized what that fortune would do to you. You were smart enough to get rid of it. I'm impressed. It's not often I can say that about a mortal. You impressed me."

"So, I guess... I should thank you for the compliment."

"If you wish. I know you're curious to know what's happened to the gold, whether you care to admit it or not. So, I'll tell you, and in doing so I will give you some insight of the true stupidity of humans, and why I see fit to torment them. As you know, the gold was indeed cursed. The Bishop collected it over the years, making life miserable for tens of thousands of people in doing so. That gold was his purpose in life, so I saw fit to destroy him. Would you like to know what happened to your co-conspirators in Rika Chorna?"

"Yes."

Very well. As soon as you gave them the coins and departed, you're companions argued over what to do with my fortune. The smartest member of your group argued for taking it to the Great Temple in Danúbikt Móskt and handing it over to the Prophets. Had they followed that advice, they would have rid themselves of my curse. Unfortunately for them, Enockt overruled that member and asked, what else should they do with the gold? Buy land? Weapons? Use it for bribes? Construct a better safe-house? As the arguing continued through the night, your companions lost trust in each other. Each began to wonder how he or she could take away a portion of the gold for personal use. They became greedy, so no one had the common sense to admit the coins should be evenly split up. The quarreling turned into an open fight. Finally, close to dawn, Enockt snuck out, retrieved a flash-bomb, and tossed it into the room to paralyze the others. Your leader killed his companions, people he had worked with for years, with a short-sword. He gathered all of the purses, stole the Bishop's stallion, and departed to return to his home in Pívdenkt Tók. Shall I continue?"