by Jane Glatt
It made Brenna angry and more than a little sad, to know that the church had all but abandoned these men. The priests who had gone to Kingsreach should be back right after the coronation but that meant over four weeks of struggle for those who were left behind.
Brenna promised the best of care for the elderly residents - they could take their meals with the healers and with an infirmary operating, a little more laundry and cleaning wouldn’t be a burden. The priests would move to one small area of their quarters and let the healers use the rest of the space as they saw fit.
“Cleric Azel, you realize that many of the women follow the old gods?” she asked.
The elderly man had just shown her their food stores. There were dried beans and cheese, along with fruits and vegetables from the fall harvest, but they had no meat left at all.
“Yes I do, Mistress Brenna. I also understand that you are training healers in preparation for war.”
Brenna looked up at him in surprise and he smiled.
“I’m an old man but my mind works just fine.” He sighed and looked around. “There was a time when it was assumed the church would help the poor and ill regardless of their beliefs, but that sentiment seems to be in the past. In the last dozen years I’ve seen the church become an instrument of intolerance and I’ll say to you that I am glad to remain in Fallad.” He smiled sadly. “And I’m glad to have this building being used to aid and teach the people in the city. Long ago, when I first became a cleric, those were tasks the church of the One-God felt were its duty to perform. Now come, I’ll show you where we keep the extra linens.”
Kane smiled when Gwylym stopped a man who was carrying a load of wood and pointed him across the field. Organizing the men had been surprisingly easy. Once they’d heard that they were building shelters for their families, they’d all been eager to get to work. Dasid had found a few who had experience building houses and barns and the rest were diligently following orders. As he’d thought, it was a good way to get the men used to the hierarchy of command
“We’ve had some good news,” Dasid said.
Kane lifted his end of a stack of planks. He and another man followed Gwylym’s directions and carted the wood towards a partially framed house.
“We’ve just had a messenger,” Dasid said. “Sergeant Murdoch and his men from the training school will be here by dark.”
Kane looked up at the sun high in the late afternoon sky. “Do we still have room to house them?” He set his end of the stack of wood down and stepped back out of the way.
“Yes. There are still some bunks in Ewart’s barracks,” Dasid said. “And some of the men will be staying close to the forge. The messenger indicated a larger force than we’d expected.”
Dasid looked around at the field and Kane followed his gaze. Small tents dotted the far end but they were barely enough to house the more than two thousand men who had volunteered.
“Do you know how many more?” he asked Dasid.
“Sounds like almost double. More than five hundred trained men are arriving.”
Kane nodded, pleased. Trained men could be deployed. “We can send some of the experienced men to replace those holding the ferry crossing. I expect Thorold to try to take it again, but not until after the coronation. It would also be good to find out what our old friend Westley Stobert is up to.”
“You still think he’s a threat?” Dasid smiled.
“By this time he’s realized that Thorold has cut him loose,” Kane said. “That could make him desperate.” Dasid nodded and Kane grinned. “And I am very glad that Sergeant Murdoch is almost here. Babysitting two thousand raw recruits is now his task.”
It had taken only a few hours for any ill refugees to be settled in the church. Brenna walked from room to room, checking to make sure that each patient was comfortable and that each healer had the correct herbs and healing potions. Neemah had gone to help Mother Lyran clean out her shop and they were in the process of moving her considerable supplies here. Brenna poked her head into another room and smiled when she recognized the woman standing there.
“Mistress Ventris, isn’t it?” Brenna walked into the room. It was what she was starting to think of as basic quarters for a priest - a small cot, a single wooden chair and a small table that held a wash basin. There were no rugs or mats on the stone floor but the space was neat and clean.
“I hope your baby is well?” Brenna asked.
“Mistress Trewen, I was hopin’ to see ye,” Mistress Ventris loosely held a broom. “My child is fine, she’s off being fussed over in the kitchen. I’m just helpin’ to get this room ready for anyone as needs it.” She smiled. “I’ll be heading to see my babe as soon as this room is clean.”
Brenna looked around the room. “It looks clean enough to me.”
“Well, I suppose it might be. After sleeping in the alley for a few days I don’t think anything can be clean enough,” Mistress Ventris said and sighed.
“Here, I’m heading to the kitchen myself, why don’t you come with me?” Brenna took the broom from her and led her out the door. “I would love to see your little girl.”
five
Brenna contentedly watched the bustle in the kitchen. Mother Lyran was a bit of a terror, though she always had a smile on her face - and the woman’s ability to know what everyone was up to was astounding. She’d already warned about a pot that was about to boil over and told a woman to watch her step on the wet floor.
Besides the healers, eight in all, there were another ten women like Mistress Ventris who had volunteered in order to be helpful. Along with the women there were children, of course, more than a dozen.
Brenna had again thanked Cleric Azel for being so welcoming but he’d shaken his head and smiled widely. He felt years younger already, he’d said, and couldn’t remember when there had been so much life and laughter within these walls.
Brenna’s worries about the cleric and Mother Lyran had proved to be groundless. The two of them had greeted each other warmly and ever since they’d been on the best of terms, despite the fact that one was a priest of the One-God and the other followed the old gods.
As she entered the dining hall Brenna’s her knife tingled. Smiling at the thought of Kane contacting her she gripped her knife and reached out.
“Brenna, are you there?”
It was Jemma, not Kane. And she’d contacted her sooner than Brenna had dared hope. She sat down in a chair near the entrance to the hall and nervously placed her knife on her lap.
“I’m here Jemma, is Beldyn with you?” Brenna held her breath. They still had time to make things right.
“Yes, but he wants to talk to you directly and I’m not sure how to do that,” Jemma replied.
“Are you somewhere safe?” Brenna asked.
“As safe as we can be,” Jemma said.
“Good. I should be able to contact Beldyn through you and your knife but I’ll need help,” Brenna said. “I’ll get Kane and then contact you then. I should only be a few minutes.”
Brenna broke contact with Jemma and immediately sent Kane a message to come to her. Once he confirmed that he was on his way, she went in search of Neemah. Having Kane beside her boosted her power when she contacted Yowan and Marcus Brunger - she expected it to work the same with Jemma and Beldyn.
“Neemah,” Brenna said as she entered the kitchen. “Come with me, please. I need you to do something for me.” She took hold of the other woman’s arm and walked her down the hall. “Kane will be here in a few minutes. I need you to show him where I am.”
Brenna entered the unoccupied room that Mistress Ventris had just cleaned. “But after Kane comes I need you to keep anyone else away.”
Neemah nodded before she left to watch for Kane. Brenna sat down on the bed to wait, her unsheathed knife in front of her.
Brenna followed Kane’s progress as he hurried through the streets towards the church. He had Dasid with him - she could sense the other man’s borrowed sword. She’d quickly checked on Jemma
but had resisted the urge to reach out to Kane while he was on his way. She wanted to conserve all of her energy for her attempt to contact Beldyn.
As with Yowan, she hoped that her and Beldyn’s shared blood would help make the contact easy, but she was worried. If she couldn’t talk to him, if the connection wasn’t clear enough, they might lose him. And that thought caused sensations of dread and despair that threatened to overwhelm her. She heard boots on the polished stone of the hall and Kane came through the door.
“Beldyn’s with Jemma still?” he asked. He unsheathed his sword, placed it on the bed beside her and sat down
“Yes. Jemma said Beldyn was certain he hadn’t been followed.” She looked up at Dasid. “I may need you as well. Though your sword is mismatched I think it has attuned itself enough to you over the last few weeks.”
Dasid placed his sword on the bed alongside Kane’s before pulling the chair over to the bed and sitting down.
“Neemah, please close the door and bar it. We cannot be disturbed.” She looked up and met the other woman’s wary eyes. “You’re welcome to stay and watch.” Brenna smiled ruefully. “There won’t be much to see I’m afraid. We’re contacting a friend in Kingsreach.”
Neemah hesitated for a moment before she closed the door, slid the bar across and leaned back against it.
“Let’s start,” Brenna said. She took a deep breath and laid her hand on her knife and Kane’s sword. Kane touched both his and Dasid’s swords - Dasid completed the circle by touching his sword and Brenna’s knife. She felt the surge in her energy as she reached out to Jemma.
“Jemma, we’re ready,” she said. “Have Beldyn hold onto your knife.”
“Like this?” someone said.
Brenna remembered that voice. It was older now, and deeper, but it still sounded like the Beldyn she’d known.
“Beldyn, hello. Are you are well?”
“Brenna, is that really you? Who’s with you?”
There was distrust and alarm in his questions and she quickly replied. “Friends. I need them to help me reach you. Their names are Kane Rowse and Dasid Addems.”
There was a brief pause before Beldyn answered. “From the Kingsguard. Yes, I’ve heard of both of you,” Beldyn said. “Most of the men still hold you in high regard.”
“They’re part of the Brotherhood. Jemma told you about the Brotherhood didn’t she?” Brenna asked.
“Yes. She said you were the one who is to set things right again.”
“Do you think things need to be set right?” Brenna held her breath, waiting for his answer. If he didn’t see the need, he wouldn’t be willing to help them. Brenna did not want Beldyn as her enemy.
“Yes,” he said finally. “More things than just me becoming king are wrong. My father,” he paused for a moment. “My father has done some terrible things.”
“Yes. He allowed the High Bishop torture Neal Ravershaw,” Brenna said. “We – the Brotherhood - rescued him.”
“You did? I hoped someone would since I couldn’t.” Beldyn’s tone was bitter. “That must be why my father was so angry.” He paused. “It was right before King Mattias died, wasn’t it? He received some messages that made him furious.”
Brenna could feel her energy waning but she needed more time with Beldyn - she didn’t yet know if he would help or hinder their cause. “Beldyn, if you know about the Brotherhood, then you know what I’m supposed to become.”
“You’re to rule as queen.”
For the first time since they were children she heard Beldyn laugh.
“If you want it, I won’t stand in your way.” Then his tone turned serious. “But I’m not sure I can agree to anyone killing my father. As terrible as he is, he is still my own flesh and blood.”
“As he is mine,” Brenna said.
“Brenna, someone’s here.” Jemma sounded afraid. “They’re pounding on the door – they say they’re the Kingsguard. They’re coming into the shop!”
“But they can’t have followed me, they can’t.” Beldyn sounded anxious.
“Jemma, where are you,” Brenna asked. “You said you were safe. Are you?”
“Safe, there’s no real safe place in Kingsreach anymore,” Jemma said and Brenna could feel the girl’s fear. “We’re upstairs in my shop but the Guard is inside, downstairs, and they’re calling me by name!”’
“That’s my father,” Beldyn said. “What’s he doing here?”
Brenna’s heart stuttered. All was lost if Thorold found Jemma and Beldyn together. Had they followed Beldyn?
“Oh no,” Jemma said. “Marcus warned me after the gifting. He said Duke Thorold was looking at both me and Carolie and that I should take care.”
“What do you mean he was looking at you?” Beldyn asked.
Brenna gripped her knife tight against the force of his anger.
“They are the same age as my mother when he first bedded her,” Brenna said gently. “You know what he’s like Beldyn.”
“But not with people I know, people I …” Beldyn broke off.
“Care about,” Brenna finished. “He would be worse if he knew you had people you cared about,” she said sadly. She felt Beldyn’s agreement – and his fury - through their link. “Take a deep breath. I need you and Jemma to be calm and very still. I’m going to try something. Get somewhere near the wall or under a table, somewhere out of the way where you won’t be tripped over.” She turned her attention to Kane and Dasid.
“I’m not even sure I can do this but if I can I’ll need to draw from you both.” She felt Kane’s resolve through the old steel.
“Take what you need,” Kane said. “May the gods aid us.”
“Jemma,” Brenna called. “Are you out of the way?”
Jemma replied that they were hunched in a corner, half under the worktable. Brenna took a deep breath and recited the words to the invisibility spell. Gently she drew energy from Kane and pushed the spell across the link to Jemma and Beldyn.
Brenna looked up - the colors of the room were muted and she could no longer see Kane sitting beside her. Dasid was still visible where he sat on the chair, hunched over the weapons on the bed. Again she pushed the spell across the link. She drew more power from Kane before she gently tapped into Dasid’s strength. His eyes widened as she siphoned energy from him - soon he too was invisible. She heard a sound and glanced over at Neemah, who was staring their way, her eyes wide and one hand covering her mouth.
“We’re still here, Neemah,” Dasid assured her. “You just can’t see us.”
“Jemma, what’s happened?” Brenna called.
“Please help,” Jemma called. “They’re coming up the stairs now.”
There was panic in the girl’s voice and Brenna prayed that the spell was working.
“Jemma, listen to me, this is very important. Can you see Beldyn? Do colors look muted to you?”
“I can’t see Jemma,” Beldyn said. “But I can feel her right beside me. What’s happened?”
“Jemma can you see Beldyn? No? Thank the gods.” Relieved, Brenna sucked in a shuddering breath. “I’ve spelled you invisible. I don’t know how long I can hold it but you both need to be very quiet and very still.” Brenna paused to repeat the spell and push it towards the two, out along the connection through old steel. “You both must keep holding onto the knife. Don’t let go.” It was her only link to them, if they let go of it her spell wouldn’t reach them.
“We’re really invisible?” Jemma asked.
She sounded so afraid - Brenna closed her eyes. This had to work, it had to.
“Yes,” Brenna replied with more confidence than she felt. She looked at the empty spaces where she knew Kane and Dasid sat. “Just stay calm and quiet. They’ll leave soon.” They had to leave soon. Brenna didn’t know how long she could hold this even using Kane and Dasid’s energy.
Duke Thorold wandered around the shop while his men checked the storage areas and the upstairs. The lamps were still lit so the wench couldn’t have gone far.
“Guard, are you sure there’s no back way out of here?” he asked the Kingsguard who stood at attention near the front door.
“My men have found none on this floor, my Lord, but there may be one on the second floor.”
“See that you check carefully.” Thorold said. “No, I’ll look myself.” He started up the stairs.
Finding out where the little weaver lived and that she was alone in her shop had been simple. It seemed her father had been out of Kingsreach when the edict had been proclaimed and had chosen not to return. No doubt she would be ready for some company, he thought as he reached the top floor. The single room upstairs contained two beds, a work table and chair and a wardrobe. There was yet another lit lamp, but no sign of the girl.
“If there’s another way out I want to know about it,” he said.
Two Kingsguard looked under the bed and inside the wardrobe.
“She couldn’t have gone far,” Thorold mused. “One would think she wasn’t interested in a little bedroom sport.”
Another Guard came up the stairs and bowed to him.
“None of the neighbors know where she is,” he said. “It seems her father’s been out of town for some weeks and she’s been running the shop herself.”
“I know her father’s out of town, that’s what made her perfect. I hate dealing with fathers,” Thorold said. “It can get so … messy.” He turned toward the single window. It looked too high and too small for even this wench to climb through. “Let’s go. I’ve lost my taste for this one tonight. I’ll come back another time. Then I’ll make her suffer for making me wait.” He smiled as he thought of what he would do to her. She was sturdy - he’d seen that by her work hardened hands. She would last a long time, he was sure.
It was all Brenna could to do keep sending energy across the link to reinforce the spell - she had no strength left to spare for the raw emotions emanating from Beldyn and Jemma. It wasn’t wild panic – she didn’t think they’d been caught - but Jemma was terrified, and Beldyn was furious. She’d never felt anything quite so strong through old steel and it was affecting her ability to maintain the link. She gritted her teeth and held on, drawing more and more on Kane and Dasid as time wore on. Finally, she felt Jemma’s fear subside and she reached out and called to her.