Engaging Evil (Warriors of Vhast Book 2)

by Cary J Lenehan

  “Come—even we wear them for festivals—you can as well,” said Anahita. “You should not be fighting tonight, and you can still carry blades beneath them.”

  ~~~

  Rani

  Rani agonised. Should I set a watch and keep someone away from the festivities? It seems wrong not to, but tonight, of all nights, we should be safe. We have dealt with all of the threats that we know about. Ratri, goddess of the night, surely you will give us at least a few uneventful nights. She eventually compromised and asked Ayesha to organise an occasional visitor up to the roof to look around with the magic sensing device. At least the one I have to do this task will be sober all night. Surely that should do for the now.

  ~~~

  Father Christopher

  Father Christopher looked into the hall. Astrid may not know it, but Sajãh has taken care of her wedding celebrations. I am Christian, but otherwise it is looking awfully like what I imagine a Caliphate wedding might be like. The hall smells cleaner than it did last night. When I wandered in earlier it had been stripped of everything and the floor was being washed, but apart from a few large chairs up the front, it now looks like everyone else will be sitting on the floor. They have added something to the washing water as there was a lingering fragrance to it. When I asked, being told ‘tea-tree oil’ left me none the wiser. It doesn’t smell like tea.

  The floor is covered with carpets, and some even go up on the walls. Women and girls are running everywhere and all the rooms must have been ransacked. The men are curiously absent; I suppose they are on watch; someone is on the roof. There is a profusion of cushions around the room…big ones, little ones, golden ones, blue ones…they don’t match in the slightest. Every few minutes one of the children appears with another. Are they making them somewhere? I wonder if we will be allowed wine tonight? I hope so. Even the candelabras have been hauled down and fresh candles set in place in them even though the room seems well enough lit with the enchanted sconces on the walls. At least I will be able to see well to read my words.

  A few tables are set up along one side and heaps of clean plates, which mostly match, stand on one. The stage is bare and I suspect it will be used a lot tonight. I had better tell Sajãh what she might not know about several of the ladies of our party…she looks a little shocked at my information…not used to Princesses dancing like that I suppose…she had better get used to it.

  Eventually, just before the Muslims had evening prayer, Sajãh emerged and stood with her arms crossed looking around. She surveys her domain. That one is a beauty, when she gets older she will be formidable. Now she chases everyone away and tells them to have prayer, find all of the others, and to dress. She then looked panicked and asked where the groom was.

  One of the little girls piped up. “He is with the men and the horse women in the barracks. I don’t know what they are doing, but there is a lot of music and singing and they are all laughing a lot…even the executioner.” She looked around as she said that. “Shall I get them?” Sajãh nodded and the girl ran away.

  The executioner? That would have to be Bianca, or was it Ayesha? No they have not seen Ayesha at work. At least that explains what I saw earlier. I wonder if I should tell her and how she will feel at that.

  Ayesha came into the hall at the hour for her prayer. She obviously knows what will be happening tonight, from the way she is dressed. She has scandalised a few of the other women with her clothes. They obviously already have their own ideas about how a woman holy warrior should dress for prayer. Ayesha, equally obviously, realises what is on their minds. “If you are going to work after prayer, you wash, make sure you are clean and you wear your work clothes. I will be dancing tonight, so I am wearing my work clothes…at least as I wear them out here among the barbarians. Allah, the All-Knowing, knows what is in my thoughts. That is all that is important.”

  ~~~

  Stefan

  Stefan came in from the lookout at last light. It is nice to see that they have not forgotten the watch and the valley gate in their preparations. Why am I relieved to see Bryony at the village gate? We have done nothing yet. She has her dress back on and is carrying something. She really is very pretty, far too pretty for me to land normally.

  “I didn’t know if you had clean clothes. These should fit you and everyone else is dressing up. It will be a big night. Come, I will help you.”

  ~~~

  Father Christopher

  Eventually all is ready. Father Christopher took his place at the head of the hall, with Bianca’s Testament in his hands, and looked around. Most of the women are drawn up in two blocks with a gap between them. I suppose the rest are with Astrid or in the kitchen. A few are sitting on the stage with a variety of instruments. They are dressed in what are obviously their best clothes, even if a couple scarcely cover the nipples of the women who wear them, even with a pulled up chemise to help in concealment. The styles vary, just as do the places they come from. They look like a cross between some upper-class tavern and what I imagined a bordello might look like. This is what they have and at least they are probably the handsomest set of women I have ever seen. In my very limited experience, that is.

  He had a chair behind him and a table covered in crisp white linen where he had put a crucifix and his chalice and a silver plate that had been found for him. There were two stools and two matching cushions in front of him. At least one of the women knows what is needed. I am not sure if this was exactly what the Abbot had thought of for me as a village priest, but you take what God gives. I am nervous. Apart from that rushed ceremony on the way into Evilhalt, I have never performed a wedding before. I hove only seen a couple. Mind you, it is likely that no-one else will know if I err and I am sure that God will forgive me. I have chosen the text with care thinking about my audience. He looked at Sajãh and nodded. She sends two of the little girls running out of the hall. Fear is standing with Rani. She is shifting around to see what she can. Where is Theodora?

  There was a little wait with women nervously talking among themselves and shifting around. Eventually they could hear some drumming and then a flute. The music sounds, well, wild somehow. The drumming surges and pulses and the flute sounds around it. A singer has joined in an odd fluctuating song. It is in Khitan. It is a wedding song. Well he supposed it is, given the context. I wonder if Basil knows what is being sung about him. It gives him a lot to live up to at any rate. He smiled. It was not the sombre music he was used to in church, but it was full of life.

  The men’s party came into the hall. The girls came first. Anahita was singing and moving her arms and shoulders around, Kãhina was the drummer, playing a long drum hung on one hip with a small beater and two smaller skin-clad cylinders hanging off her belt on the other side, and Bianca was playing her flute. That must have been the music that the little girl heard. They were teaching her the tune. The three women moved in the same exaggerated steps as if a part of a dance and sometimes turned themselves around. He looked again. Is that what Khitan wear to weddings? The three girls, including Bianca, had jewelled veils and wore embroidered dresses that flowed low from the hips. Bianca had her veil lifted a bit to play. On their tops they only wore a brief and tight embroidered bodice with bare arms, a plunging neckline and a very exposed midriff to just under the breasts. Well it is tight on the Khitan girls. They obviously had to adapt one for Bianca, and her smaller frame and…more generous other proportions does not just make it snug. I hope she does not fall out. Oh dear. She looks embarrassed and she skipped a note when she saw me watching her. I am certain she has never appeared in public wearing so little since she was born.

  He smiled at her to reassure her.

  Is that a smile back around her flute and through the veil? I cannot see even one weapon on the three of them. This would give the village women a new view of their ‘Executioner’. It certainly gives me a new view. I think that the Metropolitan was right. I was not meant to be a monk.

  Behind the girls were the men. Basil came first. One
of the dead bandits must have been a Freeholder fop. I am positive that Basil has never worn so many colours in his life. He is basically still clad in black leather, but on each leg and each arm—and even on the chest—the leather has been slashed and cut in a different pattern and the lining has been pulled partly through to show off its colour and fabric. The lining on his left leg is gold, his right leg is a vibrant green, the leather on his arms is lined with blue and white, and his chest is lined with red. He is wearing a codpiece and even it was coloured. Half of it is red and half is green. He has hose on the lower parts of his legs in green and red, and on his feet are, of course, slashed shoes…black with gold lining. In place of the rapiers a fop would wear he wears his shortswords, but they are worn low, hanging on his waist in the Freehold style, his hands resting on the pommels…fingers with jewelled rings. On his head is a hat. It is a good pace across and has three huge feathers stuck in it, gold, red and blue. His vest is open nearly to his waist and he has a white undershirt that is so voluminous under the vest that it emphasises his wiry build. A golden chain is glinting around his neck. His normally homely features are transformed and he walks several hands taller than his normal height. He is strutting like a bantam rooster.

  Christopher heard a soft sigh rustle through his audience.

  I suspect if Astrid says ‘no’ during the ceremony, I will easily be able to find a few volunteers to take her place.

  After Basil came Hulagu. It seems even Khitan men dress up for weddings. He also has an embroidered vest on, although he walks in a similar way to the women. He is fully armed and looks around as if expecting attack. His hand sometimes shades his eyes as he seems to look far away, even though he is inside. It all seems to be a much-stylised dance of vigilance. This must be what the Khitan expect their attendants to do for them. The four village men came behind in an assortment of clothes, all of good quality and, by the fit, with new owners. All wear hats of one sort or another. The hats were swept off as they entered the hall together and then broke up to take a place to sit.

  The girls moved up to the stage, but kept playing and singing until the men took their positions to Christopher’s right. Basil stood behind a stool and Hulagu stood beside him.

  Suddenly when they were all in place it went silent. On stage Verily began to play a harp, its soft liquidity contrasting with the wild exuberance of the barbarian music that had preceded it.

  ~~~

  Three of the young village girls came into the hall, their faces wreathed in smiles and wearing ribbons through their hair. For once they wore longer dresses, even if they were all plain and similar in cut and fabric. Had the women made those especially for today? They came to the front and stopped. The next in were the rest of the village women, those who had been preparing Astrid, dressed as the other women in the hall were. They hurried to join the audience. Ayesha came next. She is undulating more than walking. She is in her dancing clothes, but has found a lot more jewellery, mainly gold and silver bangles around her arms and around her ankles, but she also has silver bells braided into the ends of her hair. There are so many that even Ayesha cannot avoid making a soft tinkling noise as she moves. She reached the front and took up a position mirroring Hulagu’s. Despite her dancing clothes, she still wears two of her blades. Is she supposed to defend the bride?

  The harpist changed tune and the joyous music became more processional. Theodora came into the room with Astrid on her arm. So, the Princess would give the bride away, would she? The Princess must have hidden one of her Court dresses from home on her pack-horse. No-one here would have been able to produce such clothes on short notice…even if they had the materials handy. He looked her up and down. There is a long and voluminous floor-length robe in white silk, another over it, equally as full, in red with no belt, but a sash. The white one has a painting around the hem and a band of lavish embroidery around the end of the long sleeves that are just visible under the red. Another wide band of embroidered fabric is around the hem and cuffs of the red. Around her neck she has a yellow silk collar, over a hand wide. It is embroidered with gold thread and simply covered in jewels and pearls and golden beads. It matches the hem and sleeves of the red. It sort of looks like a Metropolitan’s robe, only it is a lot more spectacular. Wound tight around her waist is a long sash of gold and purple and red and green with small gems sewn onto it. Over her heart is embroidered in gold the chi-rho symbol. That is a surprise. On her head is a band of metal three fingers wide, it may be gold, but I can’t really be sure what sort of metal it is as there are so many gems, of different sorts, attached to it. Strands of pearls hang in loops from it along the sides of her head. The red robe is embroidered with pearls in many patterns. Red slippers are sometimes seen peeking out from under the hem. They probably have pearls sewn on to them as well, from the look of them. She is obviously of Royal birth, and she is showing it.

  Astrid does not look like a woman of Wolfneck. What is more, to my mind she only just misses out on not looking like Astrid at all. The few women from Wolfneck that I have seen have worn shapeless loose dresses with long aprons that go over the head to the back and front and with strings of beads of amber and jet and coloured glass. The Cat looks like a lady, a high lady, from Freehold. She has a long rich red velvet dress, also covered in pearls and with gold thread embroidered in it. It is cut low at the front and her breasts are pushed up and struggled to be contained by it. How had the women done this so quickly? On her head is an elaborate close fitting hat, also embroidered, covering her hair and from it, covering her face, hangs an almost sheer red silk veil. I can just see a feline smile through it. She walks very upright. She must be wearing a corset. That explains why her breasts are so pushed up. It must have been a fight to get her to wear that. Just visible under the veil there is a necklace. It must have come from among the bandit’s loot. It is made of linked red crystals that match her dress, or are they rubies?…They couldn’t be that…they are far too large and a single huge stone, in the shape of a heart, sat resting near flat between her breasts. In her hands she carries something that looks like a small bunch of flowers. They must be made of material as there would be no flowers around at this time of year.

  Basil was staring at her, entranced, and with his jaw almost hanging open until Hulagu gave him a dig with his elbow and he closed it.

  Astrid came to a stop in front of Christopher and looked shyly down at Basil. He reached out, equally shyly, and took her hand and the ceremony began.

  ~~~

  With no-one to stand as Astrid’s father, Theodora gave the bride away. You would think that Darkreach still owned Wolfneck and she is giving the head woman of the town to a loyal noble. If any had doubted her claim to her heritage before, they wouldn’t do so now.

  Astrid’s and Basil’s rings were also of a dark red stone. I am no expert on such matters, but they do look a lot like rubies.

  I hope that I have given adequate thought about my text. I don’t have the Gospels so I have to work with what I have. I hope that what I have will work, not just for the wedding, but for everything around me.

  “Go thy way,” he intoned, “eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works. Let thy garments always be white; and let thy head lack no ointment. Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all of the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour, which thou takest under the sun. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.” He stopped there, fearing that the rest of the verse was too gloomy.

  It seems to be working…as is the rest of the ceremony…despite having a Khitan groomsman and a Muslim maid of honour. I wonder if I should tell the couple that it is traditional at Christian festivities for them to dance together afterwards. I may leave that to the people who have arranged everything else for the rest of the night.

  ~~~

  After the ceremony was over and everyone had kissed everyone else
, Theodora disappeared along with the kitchen staff, and the musicians started playing. The party has started. The seats are for Astrid and Basil, me and Rani and, presumably, for Theodora when she returns, as that one is hard against Rani’s seat. Two broad stools, probably more comfortable for both of them than chairs, were put opposite the bride and groom, and Ayesha and Hulagu have been sat down on them. All of us at the front have small tables in front of us.

  Servers began circulating with pitchers of wine, ale and water. Plates began to appear with small pieces of food on them. Sajãh stood up and announced that she would be running things tonight.

  “What is new in that?” one of the younger women called out cheekily from the crowd. Sajãh glared briefly at the area the comment came from and continued, “Food and drink are coming around now. Many of our dishes will be served from common bowls and I ask those who are not familiar with the customs of the Khitan and the Caliphate to only use your right hands to eat with…if you don’t know why, ask a neighbour. Bowls of rose water and towels are also coming around. Take your ease on the cushions. We should have enough room. I ask anyone who wants to entertain us tonight to see me and we will work out what time we are all going to get to bed tonight, if at all.” This was greeted with laughter. “And for my sake, if any of you men,” she turned towards them, “want to teach me the dancing of this side of the mountains when the dancing starts, then I am available to learn.” This prompted more laughter. Ayesha is surprised at that last comment.

  So, the village has installed the two mages as their headwomen, have they? I wonder if Rani and Theodora realised what role the women have given to them? I doubt it. I have noticed that the two are sometimes so wrapped up in magic and each other that, unless something serves to focus their attention, the world seems to pass them by in its more subtle moments…and that is from me. Even more important than them realising their role, who among the women had thought this through, or was it an accident? Unlikely when you consider that someone in a village full of women had chosen two noblewomen, each from different cultures, to sit in the position that would indicate a symbolical rule over them. They could have just as easily not had anyone there at all. Theodora has unintentionally reinforced this by being the formal Princess at the wedding and giving the bride away as if it is her right to do so. Someone here must have a big smile over that. I will bet on Sajãh. Whoever it is, it indicates that someone is planning for the village to continue as it is and for it to stay independent. If they can use their symbolic rulers to get guarantees from their homelands, then they should be able to hold this independence…that is if they can fend off bandits and the wild tribes and any attempt by these Masters to take them back. If they stay independent, unless I can get a replacement to fill in for me—despite my commitment to the others—in the long run I will be staying here. He smiled inside. At least I will be easily able to find the wife I will need as the village priest. I thank the Lord that the text forbids me from taking more than one.