A Blink of an Eye

by Troy A Hill

  Underneath me the girl sobbed. Osbert snarled, but bobbed his head ever so slightly. His fingers released his swords, and they dropped back into his scabbards.

  I backed my blades off but let them rest on the curve of his wide neck. He untwisted the thumbscrew. The girl let out a wail as blood returned to her injured hand to amplify her pain. She screamed then went limp.

  “You are both witches,” Osbert snarled and grabbed for his swords.

  I flicked Soul’s pommel against his chin. I let my demon add to the blow. Osbert went limp before his swords were even half-way out of their scabbards.

  “Lady Mair,” a familiar voice boomed behind me. I leapt down from the table. Sawyl stood in the doorway, his broadsword bare in his hand. Pedr stood just inside the door, blade out as well, his attention on the three fighters I had dropped.

  “Good timing, Sawyl,” I said. “This young lady was tortured by these Witch Hunters. Lord and Lady Penllyn need to know.”

  “They will indeed,” he said, sorrow evident in his every feature. “Lord Penllyn will not deal kindly with the men who harmed his daughter.” Sawyl brushed the hair back from the girl’s face.

  Deodamnatus! I hadn’t recognised her. Cadoc’s sister, Lady Seren. She had been at Cadoc’s wedding.

  4

  Damages

  Pedr grabbed the legs of the one whose crotch I had kicked, then pulled him through the door. Sawyl was none too gentle as he hoisted Osbert up by the tunic to strip him of his baldrics and swords. He dropped the guild’s sword master onto the floor. Osbert’s head bounced with a thwack. Sawyl proceeded to drag the Witcher out the door while Pedr returned for the next. Afon stood outside and tied the guilders by the hands and feet.

  I sensed magic behind me. A red slit appeared on the wooden wall and Cadoc stepped out, followed by Gwen.

  “Seren!” Cadoc’s anguished voice cried out. He strode across the room and began to untie her.

  I set my blades on the table and worked on the knots that held her other arm to the table. The fingers of her right hand were swollen, purple. There were bruises on her wrist where they had grabbed her roughly. Even her neck showed signs of bruising. Crap. How long had they been here with her?

  Gwen moved to my side. The glow of The Lady’s magic spilled from her hands as she traced the unconscious girl’s mutilated fingers. Seren let out a loud moan as her eyes flicked open.

  “Are you an angel?” she asked me. Gwen touched her forehead. Seren’s eyes closed.

  “She needs to sleep. Her injuries don’t appear grave beyond her hand, but I will need to examine her further.”

  Cadoc looked at Gwen, the unasked question on his face.

  “She will be fine. We’ll take her to Caer Penllyn soon.”

  Cadoc reached out to stroke her cheek, then carried her to the bed along the wall. He eased a folded blanket under her head. Gwen watched Cadoc brush his sister’s hair back from her face.

  “Dewi needs to be told,” Gwen said.

  Cadoc’s mouth twisted, then he clenched his jaw. For a moment, he didn’t move. Then he sighed through his nose—snorted, rather – and whirled toward the door. “I’ll ask Pedr to take word of this to Lord Mechain,” he said, his voice hard. “Lord Dewi should be near him and will hear it as well.”

  As he disappeared around the corner, Gwen ran her hands along Seren’s form, searching for injuries invisible to the eye.

  “How did you get here so fast?” I asked across our link.

  Her hands finished their exploratory touches on Seren.

  “You left the link open. I narrated what I saw to Bleddyn and Rhian. Once I realised the girl was Seren, Rhian commanded me to get here as fast as I could.” Gwen chuckled. “If Cadoc hadn’t had a death grip on his sword, Rhian probably would have grabbed it and started running this way. Could you stand in the door? I want to examine her to see if they harmed her in any other way. We don’t need men walking in during that.”

  I leaned against the doorframe and watched Sawyl and Afon finish searching the guilders.

  “It’s a long walk to the grove.” I sent.

  “I acted without thinking.” She gave me a sly grin. “Perhaps your impetuous attitude has rubbed off on me.”

  I gave her my impression of her stern look. She giggled.

  “I opened a portal on one of the log timbers inside Bleddyn’s quarters. I’ve had occasion to use those walls to enter undetected when Bleddyn’s father was Lord.”

  “You entered the Lord Penllyn’s chambers undetected?”

  She didn’t say a word as she kept her attention on Seren. Her cheeks were turning scarlet.

  “You’re blushing,” I sent. Her cheeks grew even warmer.

  “I just wanted to get here quickly,” she sent, tactfully avoiding my probes. “I’ve never run through the mists before. But we did. The Lady’s raven was hard pressed to stay ahead of us. Fortunately this house is wood and not stone.”

  Gwen gestured toward the bed.

  “Can you come steady her while I roll her to look at her back?”

  I did so. Gwen pulled the girl’s high-necked dress and underdress away from her back. More bruises showed on her back, dark, dark, angry, with yellow tinges.

  "They were not kind,” she sent.

  We eased the unconscious Seren onto her back again. I supported her arm so Gwen could splint and wrap her injured hand. More white healing magic shone where she touched. The lesser of the red marks on her fingers began to fade.

  “Bone breaks are the most difficult to heal,” Gwen sent. “I’ve stopped the bleeding, and repaired the tissue, but her finger bones are splinters. At least I’ve got them aligned again, ready to knit together on their own.”

  Sawyl came in and gave a start at the sight of Gwen. He blinked, then simply knelt beside the last guilder left on the floor. I liked Sawyl for his ability to accept the extraordinary without question.

  “I should set that man’s arm and splint it before you take him anywhere,” Gwen said.

  “Afon is fetching some now,” Sawyl said, but let her take charge. He held the man’s shoulder and bicep. Gwen knelt on the floor next to the Witcher and pulled the broken arm apart. The man woke and screamed once. His head rolled to the side and he once again fell unconscious.

  “He’ll sleep for a while,” Gwen said. “Just like with Seren, I’ve got his bones aligned to heal well on their own. You did quite a bit of damage to him.”

  “Well, I had cause, didn’t I?”

  Gwen smiled and gave a nod. “Most definitely, dearest. Lord Penllyn will insist on a trial. Such is his nature. But I have no doubt he will find these men guilty and give them a severe punishment.”

  Afon walked in and dropped a couple of wooden slats and cloth strips next to her. He knelt and helped her wrap the splint on the man’s arm.

  “Ouch,” Afon muttered. “I’d never wish a broken arm on a man. Live by the sword…” He paled. “Still, beats being dead.”

  Under normal circumstances, I’d agree with him. But I was a special kind of dead.

  Sawyl and Afon dragged the last of the Witch Hunters outside. The rest, stripped of weapons and tied securely, were slowly regaining consciousness. Sawyl and Afon set to questioning them.

  Lord Mechain and his son Dewi arrived soon after. Einion was gruff, but likeable enough.

  Dewi, on the other hand. I wouldn’t mind strangling him. Seren had caught him… in a familiar way with one of Caer Penllyn’s servants. He had lashed out and punched Seren, then choked her. I heard the ruckus and intervened. It was safe to say he didn’t like me very well.

  Lord Dewi took one look at his sleeping wife and her damaged hand, now wrapped and splinted by Gwen, then glanced at me. An angry flame sputtered in his eye before he diverted his glare to the floor.

  He stepped toward her to smooth her dress around her ankles. No one should see his wife’s flesh, I suppose. He didn’t touch her in any other way. I sighed. Political marriages could be a rough ride. Dew
i and Seren’s jolted over every rock in the path. I suspected the biggest rock in the way was Lord Dewi.

  Dewi’s eyes jerked toward me as I sighed. Crimson lit his cheeks, and his hands flexed. He shifted his gaze to Gwen.

  “She will be all right?” he asked. His tone was flat.

  “Yes,” Gwen said. “A few damaged fingers that will heal in time, and bruises where they struck and bound her. She’ll sleep for a while.”

  “Pedr says you are the one to thank for protecting my son’s wife?” Einion said and reached an arm out to me.

  I wasn’t sure what to say, so I just nodded and grasped his outstretched arm.

  Dewi looked my way as well. Instead of thanks, he gave a simple, short nod. Then he spun for the door. “They will pay for this,” he declared. His hand moved towards his blade.

  His father slid in front of him and held his eyes. “Lord Penllyn will decide their fate,” he said. “Lord Cadoc has ordered Sawyl and his men to escort the Witchers back to Caer Penllyn for trial. We’ll send Pedr with them.”

  Dewi frowned, his face growing red. I could hear his heart pounding when I paid attention to my undead senses. “We should try them here, now,” he snarled.

  That was awfully thoughtful of him to finally care about her. I almost called him out on his past behaviour.

  Einion shook his head. “We’re on Penllyn soil,” he said. “Even though I’m sure Bleddyn wouldn’t mind if we sent him just their heads.” He drummed his fingers on the pommel of his sword, almost longingly. “It’s to Penllyn they will go—and to Bishop Heilyn. Since these Witchers are consecrated by the Roman Church, the church needs to be involved.” He glanced at Cadoc, who nodded. “But we’ll make sure a good Cymry bishop is the one to oversee the trials.” He flashed a wink, and Cadoc smiled.

  He’d left it unsaid that Heilyn was not only the Bishop in question but also Rhian’s brother, uncle to Lady Seren.

  Dewi, still fuming, held his father’s eyes. He finally nodded.

  “Why was she here in the village?” I asked.

  “She wanted to help,” Dewi replied. He glared at the half-drawn glyph in the door. “I didn’t know she dabbled in the old Celtic ways.” He shook his head. “Better to kneel and pray at each door. Those old signs have no power.”

  Funny, the glyph had stopped me. But I wasn’t about to announce that.

  “Seren was interested in the old ways when she was young,” Gwen said with a glance at me. “I steered her towards the herb-women who understood the glyphs. I didn’t realise she had learned so much though.”

  “I would like to return to Caer Penllyn with Seren as soon as possible,” Gwen told Einion.

  “You didn’t bring horses?” he asked, with a glance out the door.

  Gwen looked at me. I shrugged. Too many people were learning of our talents when we had the damned Witch Hunters in the cantref.

  “I have other ways to travel,” she said. “Once Sawyl is on his way with the prisoners, we will take Seren back. It will be faster and more comfortable for her.”

  Einion cocked an eyebrow, perplexed.

  “Lady Gwen has the blessings of The Holy Lady,” Cadoc intervened. He glanced out the door towards the prisoners. Dewi stood over them, hands clenched. “It would be best, I suppose, to ask Dewi to come along. We’ll make a litter and he can help me carry Seren back.”

  “He should be there to care for his wife. My son had best learn that soon.” Einion shrugged, but nodded at Cadoc. “Please let your father know,” Lord Mechain said, “that I hope his justice to those… men… is swift and fair. I shall remain here a few more days.” His eyes slid over to me, and dropped to my sword.

  “I’m not sure how to protect our people. But I’ll be here to try,” Einion said, his gruff tone shifted to one of a man unsure of his prospects. “Just in case the dead return.”

  5

  Discussions

  Afon and another Penllyn guard would stay to help with the brin's defences at Nant Bywyd, as would I. Once the Guilders had regained their wits well enough to stand, Sawyl, Pedr, and the other guards left to march them back to Caer Penllyn. Each of the Guilders walked behind one of the guardsmen’s horses, their hands tied before them. Unlike my treatment from Onion Breath and Hunchback, the Guilders who had captured and tortured me, Penllyn’s prisoners kept their sight. No bags covered their heads. They would not stumble along the road.

  After we had watched them ride away, Cadoc and Dewi carried Seren on a litter to a nearby grove. Einion and I accompanied them to bid farewell. Once we were into the trees, out of sight of Lord Dewi’s hill fort, Gwen reached into her dress and pulled out her cross, decorated with Celtic patterns.

  “Too many people have learned of our talents,” she projected. “Remember to use your cross if you need to access The Lady’s magic.”

  “We never know who is watching,” I added, “who might have connections to the guild.”

  “Lady Mair will stay here for the night,” Gwen told Einion.

  “If her skill at arms is half-as-good,” he replied, “as what I just saw, then I welcome her to help protect our people.”

  Gripping the cross, Gwen reached towards the tree and opened the portal.

  Einion’s eyes went wide and he swallowed hard. Dewi took a step back and almost dropped his end of the litter.

  “Holy sweet mother of the Saviour!” Dewi gasped. Then he must have realised he swore. He lifted his knee to balance the litter so he could raise a hand to cross himself. Latin tumbled from his lips as he recited a prayer I was all too familiar with, the Ave Maria

  Cadoc glanced at Gwen. She pressed her lips tight together then motioned Cadoc into the slit. Dewi, eyes clamped shut while he whispered entreaties to heaven, walked into the slit.

  Gwen stepped through, and the portal closed behind her.

  “If that were anyone other than Lady Gwen,” Einion said, “I’d piss myself and contact the Witch Hunters to chase them down. And I despise the Witch Hunters.”

  He led me to the brin, where the displaced villagers huddled inside the fort. They had assembled makeshift tents, and many small campfires littered the bits of open ground in between. Children laughed, but the adults all had a haunted look to their gaze. Now and then, one would catch a look off at the gate, cross themselves, then return to their chore.

  Gwen checked in with me once, to let me know that Seren was awake and recovering. She was distraught, though. Little wonder.

  “Bleddyn and Rhian have called a council to discuss the trial,” she sent. “They've requested that Bishop Heilyn attend.”

  “Bishop?” I repeated, eyebrow raised. “Not ‘Abbot Heilyn’?” It was the same man, but with two titles. “Is Bleddyn that serious?”

  “I’ve never seen him more irate,” she replied. Her tone had gone sombre. “When he gets quiet and his eyes go cold, there will be hell to pay.”

  “And I’m stuck here in Mechain. I have to miss all the fun.”

  “Help protect our people first,” she replied. “I will bring you back to Caer Penllyn in the morning so you can lend your voice to the council.”

  “My advice on just punishment for the Guilders will make Bleddyn’s ideas sound peaceful.”

  “That is why you need to be here,” she replied. “You have more experience with the Guild than the rest of us. Though the abbot doesn’t know of your true nature.”

  “We’ve shared our secrets with too many people. How did Dewi survive the walk in the mists?”

  Gwen sighed.

  “Not well,” she sent. “He insisted we stop as soon as we arrived in the grove at Caer Penllyn. He collapsed in prayer and had to recite the full Rosary before he’d pick up his wife’s litter again.”

  “I’m not very impressed by him as husband material,” I sent back. “You should be cautious about showing magic around him.”

  “Agreed,” she sighed. “Just make sure you keep your cross handy if you need to use The Lady’s power, I’ll ask Heilyn to sit
with Dewi. Our abbot has a knack for explaining miracles to the pious.”

  “You know that Dewi will tell him all?” I asked. “Are you sure we want to reveal such things to a Bishop of the church?”

  Gwen’s chuckle came through the link.

  “Yes, dearest. Abbot Heilyn is one of the few clergy I trust to handle this,” Gwen’s tone, even in our mindspeak, was confident. “He was with me on several occasions when I used what he calls ‘The Divine Miracles of The Holiest of Ladies.’ He is most accepting of miracles to help the people of his flock.”

  “I know you said that the bishops here don’t hold with the Roman church…”

  “They don’t,” Gwen reassured me. “There is not one all powerful church, no matter how much the Bishop of Rome wants to have one. The Cymry bishops have been on their own for over two centuries. Rome may command, but our bishops listen only to their own counsel.”

  Still,” I replied, “circumstances have forced us into revealing too much.”

  “Only those who needed to know,” she replied. “We will deal with what comes, but I trust the abbot, as well as Bleddyn and Rhian.”

  Later, I joined the Mechain guard for the night patrol outside the brin. Afon and I would rotate shifts with the rest. One of the Mechain guards suggested I’d be better off inside. Afon laughed and slapped the man on the shoulder.

  “If you had seen the men who accosted Lady Seren, you’d be more worried about our enemies than Lady Mair."

  I wasn’t happy with the reputation I had developed. But I cared for the people of Penllyn. I was the child of my master. Just as he always taught. Love wins. I remembered what The Lady had asked when I lay in the mists and fought my demon’s hunger. Did I love her people? My answer still held true. Even more so. I loved this land. Penllyn was my home now.

  The guard changed shifts every few hours. After last night’s horrifying assault by the armies of the dead, our nerves were on edge, and I called upon every undead sense I had. But we detected nothing all night, to our relief, and I communicated such to Gwen.