Engaging Evil (Warriors of Vhast Book 2)

by Cary J Lenehan

  “Giles Ploughman. I hope that you can dance better than you can milk a cow,” said Naeve. “You are going to do a pavane. I hope that you know how. The rest of you can stand up as well and we will go down the back and find out if you are worth keeping around.”

  Looking over her instrument as she played Bianca could see the men looking from one to another. It is obvious that they had enjoyed the Caliphate dance and then the Khitan sabres on top of that, and had been hoping for more as the women competed with each other. They don’t expect to be putting on an exhibition themselves.

  ~~~

  Ayesha

  Verily has obviously realised that her harp will not be needed for the pavane, whatever that is, and there are enough drummers already. She is sitting watching the others getting ready and is looking bored. Straight away she is up and pulling some knives from a bag near the wall. Now she is juggling them. Ayesha’s interest was sparked. This girl does have potential. Let us see how good she is with the blades. She stood up and moved to stand beside Verily, facing her two paces away.

  “Throw them to me,” she ordered.

  Verily looked surprised, but obeyed.

  Ayesha plucked them out of the air and started cascading them and then sending them back to Verily. Verily’s catch is not as fluid as mine, but she is managing. She has obviously not done any throwing with another person before, but she isn’t bad for a beginner. They managed a few passes backwards and forwards. “Enough. We need to practice together. You keep going,” and she made a last pass back to Verily.

  Ayesha returned to her seat. “I think I will train that girl. She has some ability.”

  “Are you allowed to do that? She is a Christian, isn’t she?” said Hulagu.

  Ayesha laughed. “That is simple. I just have to ask Theodora if I can. She will not know why I ask and so she will say yes. I must follow her orders and if she says no, then I cannot—but, perchance by the will of Allah she will say yes and I will have to obey.”

  ~~~

  By the time Verily had sat down to applause, the Freeholders were ready. They are clearing more carpet and people at the front. They must need a lot of room for this. Fortunata signalled to Bianca, who gave the beat leading in with the end of her flute, and the musicians began to play. The beat is very…stately. The couple moved back and forward and then around each other in pairs and then a refrain and then in fours, the refrain again and then all together before reversing the process. Except for Giles the men are obviously less skilled than the women, but all are enjoying it. Even I like it although it is wrong for men and women to dance together like that.

  After the dance Naeve kissed Giles. “That is the first time I have done that in seven years. Thank you.”

  Others are coming forward to learn. It may be a while before the men sit down again. They are short of partners. Stefan, Thord and Hulagu will be up soon.

  “Go on,” said Ayesha to Hulagu, when he was asked. “You wanted to dance.” I am enjoying sitting up front watching the interplay of people unfolding in front of me far too much. Who talks to who, who is flirting with another…it is like a training session where you have to just sit and watch and listen and then answer questions about the dynamics…only now I can do it for fun…or to work out how these people may act later…it seems that the mages are not the only girls who like each other, for instance.

  The women are looking around for their next victim. Basil declining in case his wife grows jealous that he dances with such obviously beautiful women on his wedding night is hilarious. Beside him his wife is laughing at him. Father Christopher gets dragged up instead.

  “But I am a priest… I have never…”

  “Then it is time you did,” said Sajãh, who had grabbed him. “It will be a first for both of us. I have never danced with a man and you have not done anything with a woman.” She has him cold on that. He is lost for words.

  With two sets going the men get no respite. They just finish one dance and then are grabbed by another woman for the next.

  A Freeholder, Eleanor, went up to Bianca. “Can you do any other dances? Perhaps a galliard or a tavern bransle or even a canarios?” A dog? She is dancing a dog?

  “I can do all of them. Kãhina, get your oud, we have enough drummers. You can go back to the drum when we do the canarios, although I suspect you will want to learn to dance that one.”

  Eleanor called for attention. “We are going to learn more dances.” The women are cheering and the men are groaning. Father Christopher may try to cry off, but he is not going to be allowed to. He is very different from any mullah I know. They would all have gone off in a huff by now.

  ~~~

  The night continued with alcohol flowing freely and the dancing changing between styles. Speeches and toasts…many speeches and even more toasts…more juggling and singing and storytelling and yet more drinking. Except for her visits to the roof Ayesha managed to just sit there and watch and listen. I am sure that, except for the children and even including the other women of the Faith, I will be the only fully sober person in the entire place by the end of the night…even including the priest…although he, at least, is moderate. Just as well Rani gave me charge of the watch.

  The dancing is stopping…of course…more food. Soup in two styles, bezelye çorbasi and havuç çorbasi, in bowls…hummus and tabouleh with flat bread, keftethes, and borani chogondar. I have not eaten so well since leaving home to start my training. The cooks here are absolute gems. If they choose to return home, I am sure I can help find them work.

  ~~~

  Eventually everyone except Bianca and me have, willing or not, joined in the dancing. Once he decided to dance with his wife, Basil scarce has a chance to do so with his wife again and he and Hulagu are being passed from woman to woman in the same way as the priest is. At one stage they had three sets on the floor at once. Basil may be graceful, but Hulagu is obviously more suited to riding a horse than to capering on the dance floor. He balters. His legs are those of a horseman. That doesn’t stop him being passed around among partners…

  Stefan tries to dance as much as he can with Bryony. What is more, when she is not dancing with him she doesn’t dance with anyone else, except once with Basil—as all the women have—and a couple of times with the priest.

  Even Thord is having a good time, although his dancing is not graceful, may Allah forgive my laughter—but he is worse than Hulagu. As he gets more and more drunk, his laughter is getting louder and more infectious. His partners sometimes stop dancing to laugh with him.

  ~~~

  Bianca

  All of the other musicians, at one stage or another, have put down their instruments and danced. I am seeing them all take turns with the men. I am the only one who hasn’t. I want to dance. She puts down her flute. “You all know the tunes well enough now. It is my turn to dance.” She rose and grabbed Father Christopher. Did I cut someone off? Oh too bad. She gave ground quickly enough…Lord pray forgive my temerity. Saint Ursula, patron of virgins, care for me and guard my thoughts. I am dancing with a priest and I feel that I am nearly naked. Lord, please forgive my lewdness… Mind you, it is fun. He is clumsier than me, and so much larger, but it is fun. Here am I worried about how I am dressed and the poor man doesn’t know where his hands should go. He doesn’t want to put them on my skin and I am mainly skin at present. He should put them where they are supposed to go.

  After that dance he insisted that seeing she had been without a dance, and all of the others had danced with him many times, he would dance with her again. That is nice of him. They had two more dances before she let him go.

  Is it wrong? I like him and his eyes scarce look at anyone but me. But he is a priest…not even really mine. Will I go straight to hell over this? He is now even my confessor, so I cannot even raise it with him and seek help. He is gentle with me and he does have nice hands, and they feel good on my waist.

  ~~~

  Astrid

  Hello…that is interesting. Seated at t
he front, and looking out over the floor, the Cat nudged Basil. “Our priest may need a priest soon. I think he likes seeing Bianca like that.” She grinned.

  The last remove is all sweet and sticky things. Basil tells me they are baklava, kataifi and rakis lokum. Some smell of roses and some of oranges. As well there is also kaf, thick, hot and sweet. My husband…I like that word…blows on his to cool it down a little. I could easily get used to this drink. It makes you feel a bit more alive, without getting you drunk. I will have to watch out for the sweet things though. I love sweet things and they are far too delicious to be good for me.

  ~~~

  It is late enough…now is time to go to our bed and enjoy a few other things beside food and drink. I will see if I can remind him of the first dances. Astrid nudged Basil. He nodded. He has taken my meaning. They both rose.

  “Does that mean that the party is over?” said Valeria, a young girl from the south coast.

  This is my night. I can say what happens. “Only if you want it to be,” replied Astrid. “You young things can continue as long as you like, but I am sure there will be some work to do tomorrow, or rather, later today. We old and married women have a bed to go to and a husband who we need to make sure is rested.” She grinned. There are cheers, whistles and more music as we leave.

  It would be fun to stay, but I mean to wear my little man out tonight.

  ~~~

  Theodora

  It has been a long night. Most of the children have already gone to bed and now Fear is asleep at my feet. She pointed down and Rani rose. “I think it is time we put her to bed and went ourselves.” I am still feeling wide-awake, but I suppose that will wear off soon the bed is a good idea. My dark beauty is stronger so she can carry Fear. “I don’t know if we have gained a serving girl or a daughter,” she said, laughing. “Get my light from around my neck and we will put her to bed.”

  ~~~

  We made it back to our room and I may have had more to drink than I thought. Let us look at that book again before I forget. Theodora got out ‘My Travels Over the Land and Beyond’ while Rani undressed. We have never really looked in the book after finding its mention of Dwarvenholme. She and Rani lay on the bed and Theodora began leafing through the book. It feels good her trailing a finger over my back and bottom…and lower…no I want to concentrate.

  “Stop that…for now,” she said. “Look what it says here. I knew that there would be something. ‘After two days on the track at the base of the mountains we crossed a torrent coming from a gap in the hills by an old bridge. On the other side was a short and poor track that led to the hidden village of Mousehole…’ that must be here. It means there is a way up to Dwarvenholme from close to here. We must have missed it.”

  “What else does it say?” asked Rani. She has left off with her play and wriggled up beside me now.

  “Where was I…‘There is a rock in the middle of the river with an old set of standing stones on its top. No-one knows who put them there or what they are for or even how to get to them.’ See it is here he means. ‘At the end of the ravine is a valley that opens up. There they run herds and have a mine for rubies of the highest quality…’ so it might even be from here in the valley that the Cat’s necklace came from…‘Where the river lies quiet in the valley they also pan for antimony. This is one of the most pleasant places that I have been to. The cliffs and mountains that surround it make access difficult from anywhere but the ravine so the inhabitants live happy and secure lives. We stayed in their inn, the ‘Hall of Mice’, for the night. Next morning we continued south.’ Well, it seems that we are now living in the Hall of Mice.”

  “Even better, the Cat now lives here among the Mice as well,” said Rani, and giggling, they put the book away to concentrate on other matters for a while.

  ~~~

  Ayesha

  The night is winding down; morning prayers are only an hour or so off. I am just heading off for a last look from the roof and two women start having a disagreement about a man. What will happen here? Of course…Sajãh is striding over and she grabs them like a mother chiding naughty daughters. “At least for the present we are not going to have enough men for us all. We are going to have to learn to live together—without fighting. Life will work differently here to the way it works in other places for some time. You have both had too much to drink. It is time to go to bed for you. There will be more parties. While you are going I have something for you to think about. Ayesha was telling me about Hulagu and the arrangement that he has with his girls…” Oh yes, I did. I know where she is going now. She can continue while I go up to the roof.

  Chapter XVIII

  Stefan

  Despite having had a late night Stefan woke early after only a couple of hours of sleep. My head is still a little fuzzy from the night’s festivities. Now if I can get my eyes open…someone is beside me. He turned. There is a head on the pillow beside me. He checked. Red hair—it has to be Bryony. I remember drinking a lot and dancing with her and…nope…after Basil and Astrid left the rest is a complete blank. I wish I could remember what happened and how she got here. This could be embarrassing. I can remember hoping she would come back. The first night we actually just slept, on top of the bed even, with a huge sleeping fur around us and she was almost naked in my arms—after she told me her story in full. By the time she was finished she had cried herself to sleep while I just held her tight. Did we do any more than that after the wedding? At least this time we are sleeping under the covers.

  He left her sleeping and snuck out of his bed and quickly dressed before grabbing weapons and going downstairs. I wonder if anyone has thought about a watch…silence greets me in the courtyard…it is worse…I wonder if anyone else has thought about being awake.

  He heard some noise in one of the buildings beside the hall and wandered over to where it came from, which led him to the kitchen. There he discovered Lãdi and a couple of others hard at work. Lãdi wore an apron over her dress from last night and did not appear to have gone to bed.

  “Good…you are starting to wake up…here…isn’t it time for someone to think about guard duties? Take this basket with you…it is your breakfast.”

  Feeling chastened Stefan thanked her and headed to the roof. Without the spider I cannot get out of the gate and without the magic detector I would be almost useless anyway, but at least I might give a bit of warning. He sat down and looked in his basket. Despite her tone, Lãdi had provided well for whoever came out. There are warm rolls and pastries, a little crude pottery tub of butter and another rough jar, a quite hot one, with a wooden lid, a leather seal and with a leather strip holding it all shut tight. He opened it and smelt it. That stuff from last night…what did they call it?…kaf. It smelt good in the morning, even better than the tisanes I am used to. He inhaled appreciatively. Even the smell clears my head just a little bit. I could get used to it its thick sweet taste.

  ~~~

  He sat on the roof. I’m gradually seeing the village come to life below me. Bianca was off to the stables and is now back. She soon joined him on the roof.

  “I thought that you would be…occupied for most of the morning,” she said.

  “You obvious be a knowin’ more t’an me. What be a happenin’ last night? I mean did I…did she…oh damn. I canna remember a t’ing after Basil ’n’ t’ Cat left.”

  Bianca laughed. “You and Bryony danced some more and then she whispered in your ear and you led her off. There was a lot of cheering and after you left there were some toasts in your honour. If you appear in public too soon you will disappoint a lot of people.” Stefan felt himself blushing. “What is it with the men here? We seem to be able to get you blushing easily. At any rate, how do you feel about her?”

  “I don’t be a knowin much. She be nice to be with an’ feels good in my arms. I said I canna remember much else.”

  “I tell you what. It looks like you got that basket from the kitchen. I didn’t think about that. I will go down now and get one my
self and take it over here. I will also get another for you to take to her. When you wake her with it, the two of you can see what happens…I don’t know if I should tell you this, but I have had a talk with her. She doesn’t know what she wants from you either. At the moment I would say, and Lord please forgive me, I cannot believe that I am saying this, as long as you are both comfortable, do it and if you need to see Father Christopher, then you should do so then. I know for certain that he does not think that we can only enjoy ourselves in marriage if the circumstances are proper.” From her face she has just realised what she had said and how it could be taken and it is her turn to blush. He smiled. “I mean, I went to him with a question and that is the answer he gave to me.” She did no better with her second try. It is amazing how quickly she just stood and left.

  Interesting…I may not be the quickest, but I think that our horsegirl Bianca has feelings for the Father and does not want them to be known. She may not even know them herself, or at least be allowing herself to know.

  ~~~

  When Stefan went back to his room he took a refilled and augmented basket with newly baked hot pastries and jam. Bryony was still soundly asleep in his bed. Putting the basket down, he gently lifted the blanket and looked underneath. She is naked beneath the covers and lying face down. Nice bottom. It has freckles on it as well. I don’t think that I have seen it before. I am sure that I would remember. He put the blanket down again, this time lower down her back. Her back is very pale and also covered in freckles. He started to gently kiss her back along the spine. She is murmuring a name…not mine…it sounds like Conan…that is her dead husband. Shit…what am I doing…I should go.

  She came awake with a start and turned over. “I just had the most beautiful dream,” she said sleepily. After a slight pause her eyes opened. She has just realised where she is… Her eyes are looking down her own near-naked body…now she is fully awake and her hands are flailing about to grab hold of blankets.