the Leathermines

Back to Chapter 35

 

The curtains shaded the lamp light into the sleeping area.  Laun woke and was aware that she was watching the flickering of the lamplight on the sheer curtains.  She could not tell what time it was, but it must have been early as the lamp seemed to be the only light in the room.

She started to carefully turn under the covers.  Her back was a low tone in her body, her legs singing of the fatigue that had set in.  Her bladder, on the other hand, was the loudest of all.  She had to get out of the bedding or else it would be a very wet morning.

She listened for other breath sounds so she knew how to move.  She did not want to disturb whomever might be in the bed with her.  She heard the slight pop coming once in a while from the lamp, but that was it.

Laun moved the covers aside and pulled herself upright.  She was alone.  It was the first night in over a month that she did not have at least one person in under the covers with her.  She panicked for a moment, thinking that there had been an emergency in the keep and that she had been left behind.  Then the sleepy, but more reasonable, part of her mind took over and she thought about it.

From piles of people to alone.  It was natural for people to change and since coming back into the castle and keep, there had been a drift to have people pair up and sleep in the traditional places, such as the room full of stacked beds for the wardsmen. Edgar had started to spend most nights outside of the sleeping chamber.  Even Fount had been absent more before the last week.

Laun missed the touch, the warmth in the middle of the night.  The nightmares had not cropped up for a while, but the ghosts always seemed to be just on the other side of her eyes if she did not ward herself against them.

Thinking about who was not next to her of the one hundred and three was not getting her into the privy.

She found that crawling on hands and knees was the most stable way to get out of the bedding.  She was able to use the wall to get up onto her feet.  She stood, leaning against the wall for a moment.  Her legs still had a slight twitch to them, but held her up.  The back was telling her which way she couldn’t move, and she tried to avoid those movements.

There were slippers in the anti-chamber that she was able to kick into place on her feet.  She made her way through the dark, quiet corridors to the privy, not meeting anyone at that early hour.  She was able to relieve herself, and get back up off the split bench, without any pain.  She made her way back through the dark, deciding to see if the fires in the Great Hall were burning.

She was going slowly and stopped just inside the door when she heard voices.  Leaning against the stone, she waited for her mind to understand what was being said in the next room.

“... is a good point.  Of all the plans, if we combine those two, it may be the best way to go.”  That was Dreng.  Laun had generally gone to her chamber after the nightly meal and did not know what people did in the evenings.  What time it was did not really matter as she had a flash of being left out, of being sheltered from something.

“The foundations that were there are still good.  It will take resources, but with the harvest coming to the peak...”  Laun could not hear the next few words.

“It is always hanging over us.  We need more information before-”

“If we don’t do it now, it won’t get done before the snows come.  There won’t be any in or out at that point.”  Edgar’s voice was full of finality.

Laun heard a loud yawn.  “It must be far past midnight.”  There were positive grunts from the men.  “I am going to go check on the patrols and then find someplace to sleep.  Good night.”  Laun heard Edgar move and head out of the Great Hall.  There were a few other grunts between the men and benches scraping on the stone floor.  Laun stood against the wall and several of the men passed right by her as they left to their beds.

There was one figure still in the room that she could see.  Wrapped up and propped up against one of the benches, the man was asleep on the floor in front of the fire.  Laun made her way through and picked up a few stray tankards along the way.  She put them on the sideboard and peeked into the kitchens.  She could not see anyone there.  Laun did a few minor things while warming herself by the fires she was stoking.  She sat on the bench just inside the kitchen door for a while to let her legs stop trembling, but the need to move brought her back out of the kitchen.

She turned from the small warmth of the banked fires and went towards the outside door.  She did not know what, or who she was looking for, but she felt like she needed to walk, to see what was happening.  Even at that early hour.

She made it outside and found that the mud was still there.  It had stopped raining, but the mud was still thick.  She left the slippers inside and stepped out into the night.

She could see just a bit of color along the Eastern horizon.  The morning was cold, the mud between her toes making the point well.  A few clouds were over the stars overhead, but most of the sky she could see was clear.  A slight breeze was coming in over the wall, a scent of marsh grasses and livestock coming with it.

Laun made it through the mud and dark to the stable.  One of the stablehands was asleep against a post.  He didn’t even stir as Laun went past him and to the stall the bay palfrey was in.

The horse stamped a few times and snorted when Laun stopped at the edge of the stall.  She had watched Laun come in and knew that the Lady was coming towards her.

Laun just stood and looked at the horse in the low light.  The horse looked at Laun.  The palfrey stepped forward, the large nose quivering as it sniffed the air.  Laun held out a hand and the horse pushed into it.  The soft nose was damp and the horse’s lips sought out Laun’s fingers.  Laun pulled back, thinking that it may bite.  The horse stepped forward again and pushed her nose into Laun’s neck.  Laun felt the horse mouthing her hair and the warm breath on her neck.

Laun’s hand went up to the horse’s nose, stroking between the eyes and then under the chin.  The horse moved and tried to move sideways towards Laun in the stall.  The horse’s eye blinked and looked at her.

Laun stepped back, thinking to go and find Edgar or just go back inside.  The horse stepped sideways towards her and then could not go any further because of the reins being tied to either side of the stall.  The horse tilted her head and pulled against the leather strap.

Laun reached out and untied one and then the other of the leads.  The horse backed up slightly and then pushed past Laun and into the courtyard.  Laun followed.

The mare stuck a hoof into the mud and stopped.  She pawed at the mud a few times and then slowly went around the edge of the courtyard until she found a more solid place.  The gate into the outer courtyard was closed and Laun thought the horse stopped and looked at it for a moment before continuing around the courtyard.

The place where the horse stopped was under one of the scaffoldings that had been made next to the tower.  There was a good four pace square under the planked structure, and tall enough for the horse to stand in.  Laun followed the horse after it stopped and seemed to be waiting for her.

Laun had mud up to her ankles again, and it was cold.  She was not particularly happy with following the horse, but she had let it out of the stable, so she had to get it back.  Laun went under the scaffolding and watched as the horse went down on it’s knees and then onto it’s side.

Laun started to panic.  What if the horse was sick, or some sort of injury had happened when they had been out in the rain?  She went over to the mare and started to stroke the mare’s neck.   The mare lifted her head and seemed to be watching her.

With her tunic lifted to around her waist, Laun went to step over the mare to get to the other side and the horse rolled under her.  Laun was surprised as the mare rose up under her.  The palfrey’s legs seemed to all straighten at once, raising Laun up so she had to lean forward not to hit her head on the scaffolding.

Her hands were holding onto the mane and her knees were behind the mare’s front legs trying to squeeze in as much as she could.  She really wished that she had on breeches or a blanket between her and the horse, but it was too late by then.

“Well, now that you have me up here, what are you going to do?”  Laun felt silly talking to a horse, but since no one else was around, she felt she had to say something.  The horse’s ears went back when Laun talked, so she continued with, “You are such a pretty horse, but I think that you may also be much smarter than I am.”

The horse turned her head and looked at Laun with one of the big brown eyes the mare had.  “Since it is just us girls, horse, I guess it is all right, for now.”  Laun’s feet pressed in slightly and the horse shook her head.  “Well, I don’t know how to direct you.  You will have to show me some how.”

The horse snorted and tossed her head.  Laun relaxed her grip on the horse’s mane and leaned into the neck.  The hide was warm under her skin. The horse smelled strongly, but it smelled like horse to Laun.  No fancy oils or soaps like she had on herself.  The mane still had the little braids throughout the coarse hair.  The mane was not the longest she had ever seen, but it was not cut stubble short like many of the working horses were.

Laun could feel the breathing, the hide twitching as if there were flies.  If she put her ear to the neck, she thought the mare’s heartbeat could be heard.  It was strong and Laun could feel it in her legs under the rise and fall of the ribs.  Then she saw the reins hanging off the halter.

Laun reached forward and tried to get the one lead she could see.  “Let me have it.  If I am going to be up here, at least let me think I am in control.”  The horse tossed her head and the lead almost went onto Laun’s palm.  “Once more.”  The horse flipped her head and Laun had that side of the reins.  Laun reached on the other side and they did the same thing.

Laun still had very little idea what the heck she was doing.  She could not sit up straight and her back was starting to tell her about it.  Even though it caused a little odd sensation on her bare skin, she scooted back on the horse’s back and laid down on her front.  Laun still had the leather straps in her hands on either side of the horse’s neck.  The horse seemed to take that as a signal of some sort and started to go sideways out from under the scaffolding.

There was more light in the sky.  The few clouds that had been over stars were now getting painted with colors only found on early, and usually cold, mornings.  Laun could see some of it from where she was, but not well.  She could see the mud below her, the horse’s legs moving in a dainty manner and then the bottom half of someone passed by as the mare made a circuit of the courtyard.

She moved her elbows back to try to get back up and the mare stopped. Instead of trying to sit up, Laun, pressed her feet into the mare’s sides and she started walking again.  Laun pressed in, moved around and experimented with various things her feet, hands and legs would do to make the mare do things for a few minutes until Laun had made the mare go sideways, back up and then stop in front of the legs she had seen.

There were several sets of legs at that point.  Laun thought she could recognize Edgar’s as having been the first legs.  Other protectors were now standing at the gate from the outer courtyard, watching.

“Um...  Lady?”  One of the protectors had an unbelieving edge to her voice.  “Are you all right?”

“Yes.  How was your night?”  Laun was really feeling very comfortable laying on the back of the horse right then.

Edgar tried to step forward to grab the harness.  The horse moved sideways away from him until Laun held her feet and knees in.  Edgar stopped, sinking slowly into the mud.  “How can I get you down from there if the nag keeps moving away from me?”

Laun moved her head until she saw Edgar’s face.  “Who said I wanted to get down?”  Laun moved her elbows and had the horse walking around the courtyard again.

She had the horse walking and then doing some other simple things for a few more minutes.  She prodded the mare back to the solid ground under the scaffolding.  It took another moment until she found what made the mare lay down, but she did do it.

The horse let Laun off and stood again.  Laun held onto the harness with one hand and the mare’s mane in the other.  They made their way back to the stable through the mud, the horse supporting Laun through the slippery stuff.

The stablehand who had been asleep was at the entrance, was ready to take the horse from his Lady.  The mare was led to the stall and a strap was tied across to try to keep her in.

Edgar came up behind Laun and held her.  He put his face into her hair and breathed in without saying anything for a while.  Laun put a hand over one of his and the other out to the palfrey.  The horse put her nose in Laun’s hand and snorted.

Laun moved her head until she could see the side of Edgar’s face.  “See what happens when you leave me alone?”  She heard a snort almost as loud as the horse’s from Edgar.  “What does the paper say her name is?”

“Butterflies Grace.”  The horse snorted and shook her head.  “I know many people who will be upset you were out of bed, My Lady Love.”  He kissed her ear.  “I am one of them.”

Laun leaned back and let his voice melt her.  “May I ask for an escort back to the chamber, then?”

“I think it is the only way to keep you out of trouble, young lady.”

Laun’s back was twinging, but she was still in remarkable shape for having strained her back the day before and having just been on the same beast that had caused her pain.  She turned into Edgar’s arms and said, “If you didn’t, I think I would look for trouble.”

It took a few minutes to get into the keep, the mud starting to get very slippery and deep.  There were a few more people in the Great Hall.  Edgar did not let Laun do more than wave at the people before gently directing her out of the room and to the sleeping chamber.

“It feels like I go between the Great Hall and this room and that is about it,” Laun mumbled to herself.

Edgar grasped Laun’s shoulder.  “You spend more time out of the keep than Lady Hellon ever did.  And more than Lord Vami, as I remember.”

Laun shook her head sadly and said, “They knew how to do this.  I am still learning, and I am not them.”

“You are right.  You are not them.  I don’t think Lady Hellon ever was up to her knees in the fishing stream to get food for the household.”

They were at the door of the sleeping chamber.  Laun leaned against the wall and looked up at Edgar.  She could see the tiredness in his face that was from the early hour, and the shocks she kept putting him through.

“Will you join me for a lay-down?”

His eye flicked away.  “I-”

“If you have duty that calls, I understand.  If you wish to spend time with someone else, I also understand.”  Laun started for the door handle.

Edgar put his hand over hers.  “You are the only-”  Laun’s eye turned sharply to him, “-one who matters right now.  I would be pleased to join you.”

There were a few people in the bed when Edgar and Laun went in.  She was glad that there had been water to wash her feet because the mud would have been bad in with these people, and Orgia’s scowl flashed through her mind.  Fount was not one of the people asleep under the covers.  They were able to dig in and Laun was held tightly by Edgar as she felt the cover of sleep take her down.

She was dreaming, and she knew it.  It was the same keep, the same castle...  But the colors were wrong, the angles of the walls strange.  She could hear people, but no one was around her.  Footsteps echoed in the corridors.  Tankards were set on tables as if people had just left.  Fires were bright and burning in colors Laun did not ever remember seeing in real life.

Then she saw Falmir.  He was lording over women from the Salam-Dir household.  She saw a giant phallus coming from his crotch which he was pushing into the women and, as they were struggling, slashed their throats.  The blood drained out of them, filling the room.  Laun soon found wherever she looked, there was blood.  And then she looked and her hands were covered with blood.  Her hands were holding the knife.  She was Falmir.

She pulled herself out of the dream.  She was still in Edgar’s arms, his steady breath on her neck.  Her own breath was fast and ragged.  Her heart was racing and seemed to be trying to pound it’s way out of her chest.  She concentrated and made her breathing slow, the heartbeat calm.  One of the people stirred and Laun saw an eye under blonde hair blink at her.

“Did you sleep well, Heather?”  The smile showed in the maid’s eye.  “It has been a while since you have been in this bed.  Who did you bring with you.”

The eye smiled again and Heather had to lift her head to respond.  “Marc.  I am glad you finally came to bed, Lady.”  Her hand went to Laun’s cheek.

For some reason, Laun flinched, but covered it by turning her head into the hand and kissing the palm.  “I think I am awake, now.  Stay and enjoy the warmth.”

Laun pulled herself from the clutch of Edgar.  She really wanted to just go back to sleep, but it was getting later and she had not missed a morning gathering, yet.  If the light coming through the window was any indication, there was time.  She lit the candle on the table and went through some of the papers that were there from the usurpers’ scroll case.  Most of the papers were lists of supplies or resources - one being the other Falmir nobles who had taken over the various landed noble’s lands.

She recognized several of the names.  She uncovered the journal and paged through it until she saw an entry from the year before about a visit Lady Hellon had taken to another noble.  It was somewhat unremarkable, but those names were in there, one dot and several slashes behind the names.  Lady Hellon knew something and Laun was hoping that through the pages of the journal, Laun would be able to figure out what.  It was more than annoying and a flash of disappointment for failing her Lady went through her.

The others in the room were stirring.  Laun saw Edgar watching her through the curtains.  Laun smiled at him but was not sure if he smiled back.

It was so inviting.  The bedding already warm with her lover’s body.  To just drop back into his arms...  She smiled again, but it was wistful.

“I’m going to the Great Hall.  Rest.  You deserve it.”  Laun thought she saw Edgar start to sit up and reach for her, but she left before she could be tempted more than she had already been.

Most of the household seemed to be there already.  A mug of hot tea was pressed into her hand and a piece of fresh bread with fruit baked into it was in her other hand before she had stepped more than a few steps into the room.  She moved around the room and found that the mood was good.  She had many people congratulate her for taming the horse, though she really could not take any real credit.  She felt Grace had tamed her.  A few people approached about the King’s birthday with ideas.  They were all good and Laun suggested different people to coordinate with, sending them off with slightly secretive smiles towards Dreng.

Laun stood and turned, as she had for more than a month.  She looked at the faces that were there, remembered ones that were not.  The almost boisterous feeling in the room quieted, focused on Laun as she met the eyes of everyone in the room.

“Good morning!”  There was a call back that filled the room, almost every voice in the Great Hall.  “It is a beautiful day, at least so far.  This is just a personal thing, but, if we could find some flat stones to go from the gates through the mud, I think it would be an even better day.”

Laun saw several of the men who had been at the quarry nod.  “Thank you.  Orgia has already chastised me for getting mud all over the place-”  A laugh started up as Laun saw Orgia at a kitchen door, looking stern, except for the smile she flashed.

“Yesterday...was it just yesterday?  Yesterday, we received word of some of the things Falmir and his people are doing.  It includes who is supposed to be at what land.  I ask that anyone who went with our Lady Hellon on some of her trips over the last year come and talk to me, as some of those lands were our trading partners and I would like to know what was seen on those trips.”  Laun saw a few nods in the crowd.

“The harvest is mostly done.  There is always something to do, but with the time we have been spending in the fields and woods being turned to other things, I ask that everyone who can, talk to the Dance Master and Edgar about training.”  She saw a few confused looks.  “Many of us have been training, mostly because it is the primary activity of the wardsmen.  But, if I can be quite serious for a moment, we are at war.  We have been lucky.  Many of the households we have known have either been destroyed or taken over.  I do not want that to happen to us.  We all need to know how to defend ourselves.  We need to be able to defend each other.”

A fist went up.  “Lady, I am just a-”  Laun really wanted to stop him right there, but staid her tongue, “-servant.  I don’t know if I can hold a sword.”  There was a change in the room, and Laun felt a few grumbles under the low talk.

Laun looked at her feet and shook her head.  “Just a servant.  Ked, you are one of the best climbers I know.  You are able to go up and down the apple trees faster than anyone in this room.  You don’t have to hold a sword to be a protector.  You don’t have to be an archer.  You do not have to be able to kick ass.”  There was a chortle from some of the older men.  “You could be a scout, a spotter in a tree.  You could run from team to team with information or supplies.  You don’t have to hold that sword, but I would like you to be able to defend yourself, if it comes to that.”

Laun turned.  Her hand went to her scarred shoulder without realizing it.  “We all are part of the household.  We depend on each other.  We are depended upon.  It is not if, but when Falmir brings the fight to us, your hands will be needed to support those around you.  Our everyday jobs are important, but with the battle on the horizon, we cannot ignore it.”

Laun saw that the talk of battle and war was upsetting people.  It was meant to shake them up, but Laun wanted to leave them with hope, not blood, on their minds.  The dream flashed through her head and she shook her head to clear the vision.  She looked around and caught on an idea.

“To change subjects...  As many of you know, I seem to be riding horses, now.”  Laun heard the mood lighten with the laughs.  “Because of that, I think I need to start wearing breeches.  If anyone has a pair that I may use, I would be entirely grateful.  As will...my nether regions.”  A full laugh erupted.  Laun nodded to several people and the group started to break up.

Gismar was one of those who came forward to talk to Laun as the group was breaking to go to their jobs of the day.  He stepped back and waited as others came up and greeted Laun or talked to her briefly about something.  Laun reached out and, even though she was talking to others, kept a hand on the young man’s arm.

The people approaching her had ended.  Laun turned to Gismar and tilted her head.  He seemed to have something to say, but it was just a look on his face, not words.  He took her hand and kissed it and kept looking at her.

“Yes?”  Laun was not sure what to expect, but the look in Gismar’s eye did not change from the worried darkness that seemed to be there.

“Lady, If we can go to your chamber to talk, I think I would feel much better about what I need to talk to you about.”

Laun nodded and took his arm, starting to walk.  She touched shoulders of people around her as she went, smiling as calmly as she could.  The smiles given back were warm.

Laun came to the sleeping chamber and took her sandals off.  Gismar also took his boots off, and then held the tapestry back for Laun.  She sat on the chair and had not realized that her back had been trying to get her to sit for a while.  The relief of not moving, not standing was wonderful.

There was a giggle from the bed area.  “I hope you are having fun in there.”

Several voices said in chorus, “We are!”

Laun smiled.  She was content at the moment.  She just hoped that she was not resting on that too much.  The chair from the anti-chamber was brought in and Gismar sat, his back to the bed.

Laun took his hand and leaned into him.  “I know that Edgar is in there, and what you have to say may or may not be of import to him too.”  She tilted her head and said, “What do you have to say?”

He looked at her hand and raised it to his lips again.  “I think that our Lady Hellon was a smuggler.”  He glanced up and saw that Laun’s face was still expecting something.

“...and?”

His eyes went wide.  “You knew?”

She shook her head.  “I suspected.  With the list of names, the information I am starting to piece together from the journal, and what I remember seeing, it does not surprise me.  What brought you to thinking it?”

Gismer sat back.  “I think I found a secret chamber within her apartments.  Not too big, but it has papers and items that seem to have been hidden in there for a reason.”

Laun nodded.  “Thank you for telling me in private-”  A gasp from the bed sounded.  “Semi-private.”  Laun thought about her childhood.  “Behind the outer wall, next to the window with the colored glass panes.”

Gismar nodded.  “The latch was slightly askew or else I never would have seen it.”

“What were you doing up there?”

He looked straight into her eyes and said, “Looking for anything that could help you, Lady.  You were so intent on the journal from our Lady that I thought, since her rooms were in part of the tower not damaged, there may still be something there.”

Laun stood, with a little difficulty.  Gismar was on his feet, still holding her hand.  “Show me.”  With a parting look over her shoulder, Laun said, “Orgia will not hold food for you for much longer.”

She could hear a mumbled, “Thank you...” as she left.

Next chapter, 37