by D. J. Butler
“The lightning bolt for electricity?” Cal asked.
Cathy nodded. “T is for the Tarock, C for the Compact of 1784, and B for the Bishopric of Philadelphia.”
“I’ve been told by certain inveterate gamblers,” Sir William interjected, “that the Shield is unlucky. Occult meanings.”
Cathy frowned. “That may be, but Franklin’s Shield is carved all over Philadelphia’s great buildings. It’s on all four exterior walls of the Lightning Cathedral, for instance.”
“Why, Mrs. Filmer,” Sir William said, “I was unaware you had ever been to Philadelphia.”
Cathy Filmer winked at the Cavalier. “Why, Sir William, a lady must have her mysteries.”
“And the second thing?” Sarah inquired.
“Ja, dat also did niet make much sense. He said ‘het is niet help for the widow’s son.’”
Freemasons. She turned and looked around at her companions, who all shook their shoulders and shrugged.
“Jerusalem,” Calvin muttered. “He sounds crazy.”
Cal was hiding something. Not something evil or treacherous. His aura looked…embarrassed. Was Calvin Calhoun a Mason? It was the sort of thing you didn’t talk about much on Calhoun Mountain, but any man who wasn’t no-account and got old enough, most likely got inducted. Cal seemed to care about the privacy of the thing.
“Did he say anything else?” Sarah asked Jacob Hop.
Hop shook his head. Sarah could tell from the tones of his aura that he was telling the truth. He was as confused as she was.
“Thank you, Mr. Hop,” she said. “From here I ride north. I’m grateful for your services, and if you wish to ride your separate way, I’ll send you with horses, food, money, and weapons.”
“Ja, dank u. And if Ik wish to come with Your Majesty?” Hop stood straight and faced Sarah, but his eyes flickered to Sir William.
“I can use honest men in my service,” Sarah conceded with a smile. “What skills do you have, Mr. Hop?”
“Ik have had many jobs, Your Majesty,” Hop said, “including, recently, prison guard. Also, though Ik was under an enchantment at the time,” he added shyly, “Sir William had begun to teach me soldiery.”
Sir William looked astounded. “But you were Simon Sword, suh.”
“Ja. And Ik was ook me.” Hop looked at his shoe buckles. “Only Ik was in control niet. But Ik would graag like to be your squire again, Sir William, if dat is a possibility.”
Sir William considered the request. “How do I know you’re not Simon Sword? How will I know in the future you’ve not become Simon Sword again?”
Hop shrugged. “Ik know that Ik ben hem niet. How do Ik know that you are Simon Sword niet?”
The older man laughed. “Touché, as they would say in New Orleans.”
“Neither one of you is Simon Sword,” Sarah informed them. “I am confident. Mr. Hop, you are welcome into my service, if Sir William will have you, then as his squire, and if he will not, then as my quartermaster. I have recently come into possession of a herd of horses that needs management.”
“Ja, Ik ben good with animals,” Hop said, brightening.
Sir William laughed again. “Very well, suh, I’ll have you as my protégé, and one of your duties shall be managing the horses. And between us, you may call me Bill.”
Hop bowed. “Dank u wel! And you may call me Jake, graag.” He rushed off down the hill, presumably to see to the animals.
“I’m going to have to teach that young man to speak English.” Sir William sighed. “He keeps gargling in the middle of his sentences.”
“Graag,” Cal said cheerfully.
“Graag,” Sarah agreed.
“Apparently what I had mistaken for Dutch is in fact a tonsil disease of some sort,” Sir William growled. “I only pray I do not myself succumb.”
“You’re not likely to, Sir William,” Cathy Filmer told him. “You of all men.”
“It is Dutch,” Sarah said. “It means a lot of things, but basically it’s please or gladly.”
“I see,” Sir William nodded. “Well, then, would Your Majesty care to review her new household guard? Chraarch?”
“Now that, Sir William,” Sarah told him, “sounds like a disease of the tonsils.”
Sarah rode down the slope of Wisdom’s Bluff with her four companions. Beside her rode Calvin, and as they clopped down the ancient road Sarah reached out unsteadily to touch his elbow.
“Careful, Sarah,” he urged her.
“It ain’t fair to you, Cal,” she said. “I know you love me, and it ain’t fair to you, but I gotta ask you to wait.”
He nodded.
“I don’t know where I’m a-goin’ or what’s gonna happen to me,” she tried to explain, “and they’s folks—well, you seen ’em, the chevalier and Simon Sword both—as seem to be interested in me or willin’ to leave me alone, iffen only they reckon I might could marry ’em. That’s an advantage, and I gotta preserve it as long as I can, but I know it ain’t fair to you.”
Cal nodded again. Sarah saw a single tear in his eye.
“Besides, I’m young yet,” she added. “Even for an Appalachee I’m young to marry, and who knows what the Philadelphians and the Cahokians do? They’s lots of time for you and me, Cal.” She watched his face carefully.
“I promised the Elector I’d see you safe on this journey,” Cal said slowly. “I reckon the journey ain’t over yet.” He turned to smile at her, and she felt relieved. “Besides, Lord hates a man as can’t hold his horses.”
At the foot of the hill waited her sworn guard of beastfolk. She held her head high as Sir William presented them.
“Their weapons and armor are mixed, Your Majesty,” he told her, “and their tactics are quite direct. However, their discipline is impeccable and their individual valor is of a positively heroic scale. With Your Majesty’s permission, I’ll take time on our march to drill them.”
“Of course, Sir William,” she agreed.
“Also,” he added, “there is this. One of our scouts, that coyote-headed fellow over there, I believe his name is Chikaak, found it on the trail ahead of us. I thought you might want to look at it, as a matter of setting your expectations for the days ahead.”
He handed Sarah a crumpled broadsheet.
!! ~ Men of the Ohio ~ !!
Do not believe FILTHY LIES that are told by seditioneers and regicides lurking in dark corners. HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY, THE EMPEROR THOMAS PENN is your Friend. His Heart is full of Love for the bleeding people of the Ohio, and he wants nothing better than Peace for ALL Ohioans.
The rebels and troublemakers are the Enemies of Peace. They murdered the King of Cahokia, and they plot against His Family! Help the King’s Brother, THE EMPEROR THOMAS PENN, bring Peace. Show your Love for Your Emperor. Report troublemakers. Obey the Law. Assist Imperial officers. Trade with Company-approved merchants. Pay all requested exactions. Bring Peace to the Ohio at last.
Sarah finished reading the broadsheet and laughed. “Very well. We know what we’re getting into.”
She crumpled the paper and tossed it into the long grass.
“Let’s go bring peace to the Ohio at last,” she said, and she turned her horse north.