(Warning: Group violence against individuals.)
It was early morning. The promise of a bright spring was all around me that day. As I walked down the narrow path to sit by the lake and eat a breakfast of berries and cream, I looked up at Parnard’s empty house on the hill beyond the trees. I wished him ‘Spring’, wherever he was. I wished the three of them ‘Spring’ in their lives. Around me the birds were warming to and welcoming the light; crocuses were saying ‘farewell’ to their season, the daffodils and iris still in full bloom swaying gently to catch the rising sun, while the lilacs were just coming into their short weeks of flowering. I loved the fragrances that surrounded me, and thought that this year I would distill a perfume from the harvested lilac blossoms. Ceuro liked the smell of lilacs.
Thinking of him easily brought a smile to my face. Was I certain? Almost. I had known few with whom I had such an easy and enjoyable relationship. It had not been like a lightning strike, no…but like a slow realisation that he was where my ‘spring’ began. And the more we walked and spoke with each other, the more my certainly grew.
I had spoken just a little with Barahirn about the relationship, for there was no other with whom to speak unless I rode to Duilond or Celondim. He squeezed my hand, told me he very much liked Ceuro, and that, for what it was worth, I had his best wishes for the future.
“Another smith,” he had said. “If there is seriously a build up of arms beginning in Mithlond, we could be much needed.”
“We?” I teased him, knowing how he longed to be included.
He laughed. “I will help where I may, Aearlinn. As you know.”
“I think Lord Estarfin will instruct you if you show promise, and if there is time.” I knew little of any metalcraft, but I knew Barahirn to be a conscientious and eager learner. That was a start.
“At this rate I shall be the only one here who is not a smith.” I chuckled as I headed towards the house. “Have you had breakfast?”
“Yes, quite early. But what do you mean, only one?”
“Well,” I cast my mind back a couple of months. “If Lord Estarfin, Ceuro and yourself are all working at smithing, and Lady Danel is a jewel smith..though I tell you I overheard her speaking with Filignil about learning blacksmithing..yes, it is true….and even Filignil saying she may turn her hand to making knives again…why that only leaves..”
“Parnard and yourself?” Barahirn said with a smile.
“Oh yes. Parnard is not a smith…yet.” The thought amused me. Parnard’s skills lay in other areas I believed.
We laughed. Barahirn and I laughed a lot at a variety of things.
Then we both turned at the unexpected sound of riders approaching. Two riders, lightly armoured on light, fast horses. The regular plod of hooves crossed the small bridge, and riders and horses came into sight.
There was a cry from our stables as some of our horses gave warning. No reply was uttered by the two neglected mounts. But their riders….
Barahirn moved to stand in front of me, “Go to the house and fetch swords,” he whispered far below the hearing of any Man.
I was momentarily frozen. Both men had the look of the rough wild sort. Thieves or brigands was the words that came to mind. Plainly garbed in dark leathers, but with a small armoury of knives strapped to them, their eyes searched Numenstaya, looking for…?
The foremost rider spat on the ground. “Where are they?” he barked in a thick Breeland accent.
“They? For whom do you look,” Barahirn whispered ‘go’ to me again.
“For the red haired female and the killer in black. For the High Lord Parnard. The rat told us they were here. Where are they?”
The second rider saw me make to move, and urged his mount forward to cut me off. He leant forward from his saddle and roughly grabbed a handful of my hair.
I saw the flame in Barahirn’s eyes, as I had never seen it before. “They are not here,” he stated firmly, then “And let go of her. She is only a serving maid. She knows little of consequence.”
The man tightened his grip, and pulled me up onto the saddle in front of him by my hair. It hurt. Trying not to scream or struggle I looked to Barahirn. We were unarmed, but we still stood a chance, two against two. He blinked and very slightly inclined his head.
In that moment I moved my head back swiftly giving my would-be captor a broken and bloodied nose, I slipped from his grasp, grabbing one of his knives as I dropped to the ground.
“Estelio nin. Drego!” I shouted to the horse (Trust me. Flee) The confused animal did as I said, bolting back the way it had come, leaving its rider clutching at its mane and at his nose. It was stopped by five more incoming riders crossing the bridge.
Barahirn had pulled the second man off his mount and the two were rolling on the ground together, each seeking the upper hand. Barahirn may well have succeeded, but one of the new riders hurried across and kicked him aside, then moved his horse to trample on him time and again. Though the horse itself was reluctant, I saw him writhe under those hooves, trying to curl up to avoid them, but to no avail. I closed my eyes at the unbearable sight.
“Where is the Lady and the Lords, “ the man leered at me, as my original captor returned and pulled me to his saddle by my robe. He struck me across my face, bringing blood to my lips.
The ‘leader’ nodded at the rest. “Search the houses, but be careful. We are looking for killers.”
The men dispersed, looking in the workrooms. They moved about Lady Danel’s house, and I could hear smashing.
I gasped, as two of the men took turns in kicking the stricken Barahirn in the ribs, I think he was unconscious. I prayed to the Valar it was so. The leader rode over to me.
“ Where…are…they...?” he said, pulling my head back by my hair, he licked and bit at my face and neck, the stench of his breath so close being almost the larger inequity. Not getting the response he wanted, though of certainty my heart was rattling with fear, he struck me once, then snapped his fingers. “Set fire to the buildings. That will flush any out.”
“No one is here,” I managed to say between broken lips.
“Is that so? Burn the place anyway.”
“There are other dwellings further west, Jexson,” one of the men called out. “They will see fire.”
“And what, Davion. By the time they get here it’ll be too late. You and Wolfrun see to the destruction. Tomas, cut that one’s ears off.”
Then he turned back to me. “Now for you, Missy. Warton and I will have some…”
I knew what they had in mind, and I would free my spirit first. Jexson’s hand was on my shoulder, nails of his bare fingers digging into my skin, I jerked my head forward and bit his finger with all the force I could muster. The nail and some of the flesh came away.
He screamed in pain and rage. “What the heck have you done, bitch,” as he searched for something to staunch the blood.
Warton made to grab me tight, but I slid out of his grasp and shouted at his horse. ‘Noro!”. The horse turned, unseating its rider and careering into Jexson’s horse. I ran in the opposite direction. Not fast enough. The straw-haired man brought me down. I grabbed at a knife.”
“Not so fast.”
But I was so fast, I had the knife….I would use it.
“No, stop her. She’s no damn fun dead.”
There was the sound or a roar, as the old bear, Gli, emerged from her den in the furthest corner of the gardens. She bounded towards me, coming to my aid, then fell, the one called Tomas had buried his sword deep in her side. She fell. My companion and guardian of years fell heavily on her side, one claw managing to leave a reminder on the man’s face.
He screamed. I plunged the knife in Warton’s chest, as Davion ran me through from behind.
Clutching at my own chest, I fell to my knees, watching the blood seep out in large pulses, soaking my gown and hands. I wanted to cry out from the pain, but I did not have enough breath. I suspected he had pierced a lung. ‘We shall not long be parted, old friend’ I thought, as I saw Gli’s body twitch, then become still. As I tumbled forward onto the grass I saw booted feet and hooves. I saw in the distance a man bending over Barahirn to cut off his ears….the horses were screaming, flowers were fading, splattered with blood…I saw no more.
