“Stop!” Morcar roared. “The next blow will not be with the hilt,” he said as he held the blade to Claire’s throat.
William took a deep breath. There was no need to decide. As he exhaled, he dropped his sword.
Morcar let the unconscious Claire fall and stepped toward William. “You and your lieutenant put up a good fight,” he said, his voice sounding like gravel being dragged across a tile floor. Then with a nasty smile, Morcar said, “To put your mind at rest, I shall give her nothing but the best.”
Bracing himself, William looked at where his lovely Claire lay. As Morcar raised his sword, William let the vision of her fill him.
The young man felt a slight breeze … then heard a loud thud. The black stallion was standing over Morcar. He had barreled in, slamming his thousand pounds of muscle and fury into Morcar. The sword that was meant for William’s neck flew harmlessly over the stable manager’s head.
The Lantian landed headfirst against a huge boulder. He lay there quietly, his multiple wounds and traumas finally overcoming the immortal’s natural ability to heal quickly. He would not be getting up for some time to come.
William looked up at the snorting stallion. The animal was prancing and passaging in an animated circle. Suddenly he blasted toward the prone Lantian. Rearing up, he slammed both front hooves down on the Lantian’s head. That seemed to satisfy the stallion. Luto walked over to William and sniffed him a couple of times before deciding he was okay. Then he trotted to Brunneis, who was down and lying on her side.
William shot to Claire’s side. Dropping to his knees, he held her against him. “Claire, Claire,” he whispered, patting her face. “Come on, my sweet lady. Wake up.”
“Mmmpht,” Claire groaned. “My head.” Her eyes opened and closed several times. Finally, she was able to look up at him. “Will … are you okay?”
“I am. How are you doing?”
“What’s that smell?” she mumbled. Then, sniffing the shirt her head was pressed against, she exclaimed weakly, “Will, you stink.”
“I know. It’s monster blood. I promise the next stream we come to I’ll scrub it off. But first, we need to see to Brunneis.”
“Oh God, Brunneis … Those claws!” Claire gasped, struggling out of William’s arms.
Together they ran to the horse. Dropping down beside her, they could hear her labored breathing.
“What can we do?” William asked.
“Get the antidote. It’s in my pack. I’ll check her wounds.”
Claire’s pack was on Brunneis’ saddle. With the horse lying on its side, Brunneis had most of the pack pinned to the ground. William tugged at it to no avail, and the mare seemed unable to move. Pulling his knife out, he sliced the pack open and dug through it until he had the eight antidotes. Setting them down beside Claire, he asked, “How is she?”
“The injuries aren’t horrible.” With her hands an inch above the wounds, she moved them over the damaged area. “But the poison … it’s stronger than the monster’s that wounded you.” Looking at William with eyes full of anguish, she said, “Will, we don’t have enough antidote for her.”
“What do we do?”
“I don’t know,” Claire whispered.
Chapter 31
“Claire, do the best you can for her. I’ve got to see to the men. Call if you need me.”
William checked on Lassiter who was starting to stir.
“How are you doing?” William asked as he knelt by his side.
“Umm, I think I’m good,” the stalwart lieutenant replied. William helped him sit up. Lassiter shook his head. “You know, William, I’ve been kicked by horses that didn’t hit as hard as that brute did. What is he?”
“I don’t know, but I mean to find out,” William said as he checked Lassiter for wounds. “He didn’t cut or bite you, did he?”
“No, just bruises and a bugger of a headache. But he bit Tad.” Lassiter nodded toward the soldier. “Look what’s happening to him!”
William walked over to the soldier. The man was twitching and moving fitfully. William’s eyes widened when he saw the soldier’s leather armor stretch, then rip apart as the man’s chest grew larger and larger.
“Claire,” William called, “leave the horse. I need you here.”
When Claire reached his side, she looked down at Tad. Then, shifting uneasily, she looked up at William.
“Claire, tell me if I’m wrong, but this soldier is looking more monster than man to me.” Taking her arm, William turned her to face him. “You know what’s happening here, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do,” she replied, forcing herself to keep eye contact. “Morcar’s bite turns men into monsters.”
William nodded. “Can you do anything for him?”
Claire bit her lip, then said, “It’s not a poison, Will. I don’t know how to deal with what does this.” Claire looked down at the man. “Something needs to be done with him soon.”
“Something?” William asked.
“He’s almost completely a monster. Soon, he will get up and do what these monsters do.” Claire swallowed with difficulty. “We need to kill him before that.”
William abruptly turned away from her, shaking his head. “There’s got to be something. We know this man. He’s a good man!”
Claire grabbed his arm and said firmly, “He was a good man. But that man is gone now. What he is now, only knows to kill. That’s all they live for. I know this is my fault, Will. I’ll do it.” She turned away to retrieve her silver sword.
“No,” William said. “He was my man. I’ll take care of this. You see to Brunneis. I take it that it must be the head?”
“Yes, just as Jorunn taught you … Will, I’m—”
“No!” he said. “I don’t need an apology from you. I’ll want to know more, but I understand the position you were put in.”
Claire nodded and turned away.
“Lassiter!” William roared. “If he is still alive, tie that beast up before he comes to!” He pointed to Morcar. “Bind him as you would a wild bull. He’s not to be let loose for any reason.”
Grabbing the changing soldier by the shirt collar, William dragged him behind a tree. The man was now huge, and William could pull him no farther. Pulling out his silver sword, he did what needed to be done, then stood back from the explosion.
Next, wanting to get all the grim business over with, he checked the other two men. Both their neck wounds were mortal. Not having anything to bury them with, he dragged them to a ravine in the woods and covered them with leaves and branches.
Then William remembered Tad’s horse. The animal was up but looked a sad sight. The knife still protruded from its chest. It was buried in the muscle so William knew the wound should close up without too much loss of blood once the knife was pulled.
Calling Luto over to him, he explained what he was going to do, and asked him to help. Luto faced the other horse then moved forward so he could reach the horse’s back and started scratching him with his muzzle. The horse rubbed its head against Luto’s shoulder.
‘He’s distracted. Do it quickly,’ Luto said.
William grabbed the knife and yanked. The animal snorted and threw its head up. It stood looking about wide-eyed for a moment, then went back to rubbing Luto’s shoulder.
‘He understands, and it feels better now,’ Luto told him.
William checked the wound and patted the horse, then turned back to Brunneis.
“Any change?” he asked Claire.
“She’s failing. I need more antidote.”
“Whatever you need to make that, I’ll find a way to get it,” William said, stroking the mare’s neck.
“Will, the only place I know to find all the ingredients is surrounded by Morcar’s army.”
“Your parent’s keep?”
“It’s not theirs anymore,” Claire growled in disgust.
“Hmm,” William thought for a moment. Looking over at Morcar, he said, “Lassiter trussed him up so he must be alive.�
�
“Probably,” Claire said. “What he is, doesn’t die easily.”
“That I gathered,” William said, wondering how much else he did not know. “Okay, I’ve got an idea.”
He strode over to the Lantian with Claire on his heels.
“Give me a hand,” he said as he pushed at the giant’s shoulder. With Claire’s help, they rolled him onto his stomach. Lassiter had tied Morcar’s hands behind his back.
“Ah, here we go,” William said as he fumbled with the Lantian’s hand. Tugging roughly, he pulled a large signet ring off his little finger. He held the ring up for Claire to see.
“I do believe we have the key to your pharmacy, Claire.”
***
Clutching tightly to saddle and mane, Claire, on one of the soldier’s horses, raced after Luto. The stallion was flying down the trail to Claire’s old home. William glanced over his shoulder to see how Claire was doing. Claire’s horse was losing ground with every stride.
‘Luto, Claire’s horse is falling behind. We should slow down.’ William hoped he had gotten through with his projection. He was still struggling with animal-speak.
‘Brunneis saved me from the mud. I wish to save her,’ Luto shot back.
‘But—’
‘Claire’s mare is tough. She will know to follow even if she can’t see me,’ Luto said as he increased his speed even more.
The castle came into view. Morcar’s army was still in disarray but not enough to leave the keep without guards.
William, who had been crouched low over Luto’s neck and withers, sat back some, asking him to slow. Luto responded, one ear back attentive to William, the other forward, listening for any danger that might be there.
“Halt!” a guard challenged them. William inhaled and lightly sat back. Luto’s hind end dropped and he slid in a cloud of dust, stopping before the guard.
“Morcar has sent us for healing supplies,” William proclaimed. “We must hurry. There are wounded!”
“What proof do I have that the earl has sent you?” the guard demanded as he was joined by two others.
“I bear his ring,” William announced holding up his left hand for the three to see. “And the Lady Claire, who is betrothed to Morcar, comes behind me. She is a healer, and needs the supplies.”
Rapid hoofbeats could be heard coming down the trail.
‘Luto,’ William projected, ‘tell the mare to slow gently. I don’t think Claire will stay on if she stops too fast.’
The mare transitioned from a run to a canter and was trotting by the time they reached the guards at the gate. Both Claire and the mare were breathing in great gulps.
“Have someone walk the horses while we gather the supplies,” William ordered the guard. “Give them just a few swallows of water every few minutes, so they are ready to go when we are.”
Stepping down, they handed the horses over to the guards and rushed up to the keep. Claire led William into the storeroom and started tossing what she needed into her bag.
“Claire, wait,” William said. “The horses need to rest. You’re going to have to mix up the antidote sometime. You might as well do it while we’re here rather than when we get back to the others.”
“Now?” Claire looked around uncomfortably. “Yes … you’re right … Now would be better.” She started yanking the ingredients from her bag.
“Claire, what’s wrong?”
“Oh, nothing. I just,” Clair stopped, her head hanging down. “I was so terrified that I was to be his wife. And my family … It’s just horrible being here!”
William wrapped her in his arms and held her until she stopped trembling.
“I’m okay,” she said, pulling away. “I can finish.”
She soon had the ingredients mixed together and packed in her bag.
“Actually, it was much easier doing this here where all my equipment is. Much faster.” She smiled at him.
Minutes later, they were racing out of the main gate, Luto leading the way.
Chapter 32
The mare was struggling. Luto kept calling back to her, encouraging her to go faster. Claire, for her part, tried to stay off the mare’s back, clinging to her mane as she struggled to balance just on the stirrups. They all wanted to get the antidote to Brunneis as fast as they could. But none more so than Luto. He pushed himself and demanded that Claire’s horse keep up.
When they reached Brunneis and Lassiter, the exhausted mare stood, her head hanging, gasping for oxygen. Luto looked almost as spent as the mare.
William gave Luto’s reins to Lassiter. “Walk him for me, then take him back to the stream we crossed for water. Give the mare a few minutes and do the same for her.” Lassiter nodded and took the reins.
“Lieutenant,” Claire called, “there’s a willow tree near the stream. Cut a chunk of the bark off and bring it to me. I need the inner part of the bark.”
“Is that for Brunneis?” William asked.
“No,” Claire answered, “it’s for me. I have an awful headache from where Morcar knocked me on the head.”
“If you don’t mind then, milady,” Lassiter said. “I’ll bring enough for myself, too. Getting hit by Morcar’s fist is like getting hit with an anvil.”
They heard a chuckled coming from where the Lantian was bound.
“All right then,” Claire said. “I’ll need one last thing. Will, I need a cupful of Morcar’s blood.” She handed him a container.
“Ah, Claire,” William said and shook his head, “my pile of questions just keeps getting bigger and bigger.” He took the container and walked over to Morcar.
Bound up as if he were five men, Morcar watched William approach with an amused smile on his face. “She still hasn’t told you who I am, has she?” he said. “Or why she needs my blood.” Morcar watched at William pulled out his knife. “She’s kept a good bit from you … Lady Edyth has kept even more.” He chuckled dryly.
William, his anger getting the better of him, jabbed the Lantian’s forearm sharply. Morcar did not even flinch. The container filled quickly. William watched the blood dripping for a moment, then, overriding his angry urge, tied a bandage over the wound.
Morcar laughed. “Good man,” he said. “But even if you tried to let me bleed to death, I would make more blood faster than I could bleed out.” He laughed again at the look on William’s face. “Tell me, William. Am I to be released?”
“If I were you,” William spat out, “I’d just be glad that I haven’t killed you.”
“Oh? And how would you accomplish that?”
“You’d have a hard time recovering from a lopped off head,” William growled at him.
“Do you think your puny sword could get through the bones in my neck?” Morcar sneered at him.
“The edge on this silver seems to work quite nicely,” William shot back, tempted to give it a try. But just then, with time against them, William added, mostly to himself, “Claire needs this blood,” and quickly left.
Claire took the blood, mixed it with her concoction, and with William’s help, got every bit of the antidote into Brunneis.
“Now what?” he asked.
“We wait,” Claire sighed.
‘Will she stay with us?’
‘If it works, Luto,’ Claire answered the stallion, ‘Brunneis will feel better, and she’ll tell us.’
‘When will we know?’
‘When she tells us, Luto ... When she tells us.’
Claire settled down to wait. “Will,” she said softly, “did you hear Luto?”
“I did.” William smiled as he stroked the mare’s neck. ‘Stay with us, Brunneis.’
‘I think I may,’ a thought whispered to him.
‘Brunneis?’
‘Yes … I’m better. Weak … but better.’
William and Claire looked excitedly at each other. With a wild whoop, they fell into each other’s arms. Then, laughing, they hugged the horse.
Brunneis snorted as she lay there. “What is that horrib
le smell?’
***
A few hours later, after William had bathed in the stream and buried his good clothes, Brunneis managed to get to her feet.
“She’ll recover,” Claire told William. “We’ll just have to go slow.”
“I assumed that would be the case,” he replied. “That’s why we’ll have to bring Morcar with us. He’s going to be our safe passage through Mercia.”
“Are you taking him to Harold?” Lassiter wondered. “Doing so might bring the Mercians into Wessex.”
“You’re probably right,” William nodded.
“What would you think of leaving him at the border?”
William grinned at him. “As long as he’s trussed up enough that we have a couple days start on him.”
“I know a few good knots that will keep him for three days, at least,” Lassiter bragged.
***
William’s small army rode slowly across Mercia. They were able to travel a bit faster each day as the poison left Brunneis’ system. They had a couple of close calls, but Luto was able to warn them of the proximity of the approaching Mercians, and they were able to avoid them. Leaving the tied and scowling Lantian at the border, they happily passed into Wessex.
After they had ridden for a way, Claire turned to William. “I think we have ridden far enough that Morcar should not be able to push his way into my mind. So … William … if you have any questions, I will try to answer them.”
She was not expecting the question he asked.
“Claire, I was hoping to ask your father for your hand in marriage. But the way things worked out ... I’m not sure what to do now.”
“You no longer want to get married?” she asked sadly. “Is it because I lied to you?”
“God, no!” William gasped. “I … with all my heart, Claire, I want to be your husband. If it were up to me, we’d be married tomorrow. It’s just that, now there isn’t anyone to ask for your hand.”
Claire smiled happily at him. “Oh, Will. I’d like nothing better. And as far as who to ask, I’m an orphan now. So, it’s easy. You have only me to ask, and my answer is still yes.”
Werewolves of Wessex Page 18