The Red-Haired Knight Ch. 04

The Red-Haired Knight and The Next Day

Part four of the Red-Haired Knight saga.

Malle awoke with the dawn; clear-headed, energized by the dreams and the experiences of the night. Things that fed her soul, and the things no mortal should ever know. She was supported by Hell with its demons, and by Heaven, with her martyred husband and sons.

The camp stirred...fire tenders stoked the camp's fires to prepare food, to heat water for washing, and for tending to wounds. Soon, Gwyneth would come to see Malle.

After Gwyneth washed and clothed her, fed her the same breakfast as the lowest spear bearer, Malle sent for her Marechal, Julian. She blushed slightly, remembering how the younger man sometimes entered her dreams, but face to face, they were all business. Julian had other interests.

Julian arrived with maps and arms. They discussed the good fortune of the victory. Victory won by having good intelligence, patient planning, and the devotion of troops fighting for their homes. Julian went over his favorite topic— training. "Our people did well, but we can avoid needless casualties by ensuring that our people are fitter, more prepared than their opponents."

"Agreed, and what of our new recruits, those of the enemy that have joined us."

"Generally, they are weak, their Lords did not gather sufficient supplies for the war, and they starved for days before we met them on the field."

"They will eat as our men eat, but at half rations to begin with, our people must not see that we favor those who were mortal enemies just the other day."

"Their stomachs rebelled on just the gruel that kind souls gave them after the battle...they will take some time to make it fit and then they must be trained to our standard of fighting."

"Our troops must be trained to endure fatigue. I saw several die because they were too tired to lift their weapons. All swordsmen must not only practice their skillful use of the weapon, but they must be able to wield it without fatigue. Have posts sunk in the practice fields. Hours of chopping at a post the size of an enemy will harden their arms and give them endurance. One thing this battle has taught me is that war is slaughter, and we have to be the best butchers on the field."

"Yes, my Lady."

"What threats do we still face?"

"My Lady, we met the rashest and most ill-prepared of our enemies, those that underestimated you and hated you the most. Our greatest danger is from the cautious ones, those who waited out this battle: Oisin and Lugh.

"Ah, both wise men, poets and magicians as well as shrewd warriors."

"Indeed, my Lady."

"Strength, endurance and skill may not be enough to defeat these two...especially if they cooperate."

"Yes, my Lady...they have, however, always been cautious and frugal, their war bands are small, though well-trained. They will look to increase their forces before they challenge you, my Lady."

"How much time do we have? A season, will they attack by this fall?"

"Their land is rugged, though well-managed, comparatively poor...they have few peasants they can add to their armies."

"But they do have the mines at Lemovici? They could hire warriors from further east, the Rhenish folk of the Dark Wood are greedy for gold, their land is poor for farming, but the women produce many sons who train as mercenaries."

"Yes, my Lady...they hire out as companies, so a lord gets a band trained to fight as a unit with a leader they know and respect."

"I know, Marechal, the independent men at arms often have a very high opinion of themselves, and barely concealed disdain for their employers, who they see as amateurs at war."

"These Rhenish warbands are costly, and are lightly armed, though they do have a fearsome reputation."

"Are they what we should expect from Oisin and Lugh?

"Unless they are very patient and wait for the hussars of the Magyars. These will come because they are on a crusade against devil worshipers."

"Marechal. We are not devil worshipers!"

"Forgive me, my Lady...your reputation abroad is...to be polite...not good."

"I think, Marechal, we must summon what spirits we can to keep our heads on our shoulders."

"And our toes from scorching, my Lady."

Julian's dark humor got a laugh from Malle. "I must see other advisors...our salvation is not purely military."

"You seek the advice of Ecna, my Lady?"

Malle merely nodded.

Julian, bowed himself out, knowing he was dismissed. He would send scouts to watch the borders of the valley...even though any threat seemed far removed for now. For the future, he would rest and train the men of the valley...the valley could easily outnumber any foe on the field of battle, but against professionals...but war was always a game of chance. Still, it was best to make the odds favor one's own side as much as possible.

Malle went to Ecna, her wise woman.

"My Lady, one cannot 'plan' a spiritual victory over one's enemies, but it is best if still dangerous to have both the light and dark powers favorably disposed to one's cause."

"The Dark Lord filled me with an icy thing of dread, but also made me wish it as something pleasurable. This frightens me, Ecna...that I want something evil so much."

"Then tonight, my Lady, for tonight you must be the Lady to your departed Lord...The love you bore your Lord Edward was from the light and from the Mother. It will balance the temptations of the Dark One."

With no moon ...the night was cold and dark. Ecna and the Lady left the estate ...as always guards preceded and followed them.

On reaching a freshly plowed field, the guards dispersed to surround it. Trusted men, nevertheless, they had been warned by their captain they would be blinded if they breathed a word of the night's mission, or even glanced in the direction of the Lady, once Ecna's chants had begun.

The Lady was dressed in her finest linen shift...with a heavy, velvet cloak completely covering her. She was barefoot. And the cold earth caused her to shiver as she walked.

Ecna checked all around...no interlopers, no spies, and all of the guards held to their duty. Ecna started a keening...a preliminary to the chant, but enough to stiffen the guards to the diligent.

The Lady removed her cloak.

Ecna began the spell:

Mahday, eelohtah sahn. Serloh, eelohtah.

At the last of the preliminary summons, Ecna drew a knife from her belt and split the Lady's shift from neckline to hem. The Lady's backside completely exposed...the next words:

"Lie now on Mother, your flesh on Mother.''

The Lady fell into Ecna's arms as Ecna gently laid her Lady between the soft furrows of the field...spreading the shift so all of the flesh on the Lady's back touched the soil of the Mother.

As a ward against Father Sky...

"Your cloak protects you from any demon male roaming the night. Open your eyes, my Lady, and see your Lord!"

And there before them stood the shade of the slain Lord Edward. But now perfectly unwounded.

"See your Lady, my Lord! She needs healing from the beyond, healing only you can give."

The shade of the Lord Edward nodded solemnly. And became the man again.

Ecna lifted the cloak covering the Lady to allow the man-shade to join his wife.

The Lady's eyes widened as he entered her...the coldness and the darkness within her replaced with warmth and light.

(Thanks to kenjisato, my editor!)

_______________