Forgotten Shadows

[Marc_du_Temple]

Early in the morning, before the sun rose to witness the days proceedings devilish and divine, Bede Archer approached the convalescent Airich O'Flynn, unarmed except for the sheathed sword in his hands. He did not kneel, but he did bow, showing due deference and masking his joy at the knight's survival of yesterday's tormented hours. "Milord," he began, offering the sword he had secured for a brief time. "Yon beauteous blade was being paraded through a darkling tavern like an auld chief's daughter by Ruman victor on triumph. When I saw it there in the hands of our shared enemies, my blood boiled, and I knew I had ta have it ... back for ye, that is. It has shed na blood in this brief time, but greatly impressed strangers and myself also by other qualities."

"Oh? Such as?"

"Its swift lightness. Its striking silhouette in the rain. It seems to have an authority all its own I did na appreciate the first time ye briefly entrusted it ta me. Yet if such a thing could be true, then it is good that ye are so quickly ready for it again, yeah?" As it changed hands and Airich refamiliarized himself with the blade he had not held in what felt like years, Bede studied his friend's face and frowned. "Ye look more ... worn, milord. Are ye quite up for this day's challenges?"

Airich laughed hollowly, but smiled truthfully. "I missed even you, Bede. It's nothing, really. It just took awhile to make me whole. Thank you for guarding this one part of me while the rest was being sorted."

[Marc_du_Temple]

Airich considered the situation. Far be it from a knight to reward a good service rendered with a simple thank you. "Bede, have you noticed that this is not my only sword?"

"No, milord," Bede raised an eyebrow. He was just leaving. Where is Airich going with this? he wondered.

"There is another. Less sentimental to me, but more than adequate. I think of it as a spare, but it's not helping anyone just sitting amongst my other goods, wherever my dear Amy left those, is it? It's yours to use in the service of our shared goals, my friend."

"Ye won't regret this," Bede bowed more deeply this time.

[Jerusha]

Friday morning
Master Collos' large safehouse
Grecotha

"I'm sorry Ams, I can't save it."

"Surely Speth, there is something more you can do!"

"There's too much blood. I've done everything I can think of. Perhaps Father Trevor can say a few words before we bury it."

"You need a few words from me?" Father Trevor asked as he entered the kitchen area of the safe house. 

Elspeth held up Airich's blood-stained tunic. All her hard work to try to get the blood out had only enlarged the tear where the dagger had driven through it. It was hopeless.

"Ah, I see," the priest said with a chuckle. "Where do you plan to bury it?"

"At the bottom of the rubbish heap. No one needs to see it as a reminder of what Airich endured."

Amy nodded her agreement. "Amen."

"Do I get any say in the matter?" Airich asked as he joined them.

"No," Elspeth and Amy answered in unison. 

Airich laughed and held his hands outward in a peace gesture. He was dressed in his spare tunic, freshly shaved, and hair neatly tied back. But he still looked pale and moved slowly; it would take time to work through the soreness that remained. Time he didn't want to spend.

"We need to leave for the bishop's palace soon," he said to Elspeth.

"Give me a moment or two to make myself more presentable," she replied as she untied the large apron she had been wearing to protect her own clothing from her struggles.

"I wish you would let me go with you," Amy said.

"I would love to have you at my side," the knight replied with a smile. "But the bishop asked specifically for Elspeth and me."

Amy looked at Trevor, who shook his head. "It's probably for the best. You don't need to answer questions about how Jasper's cronies ended up flat on the ground and unconscious. Bishop Bernard is not comfortable with our powers to begin with; let's not totally dismay him." 

Trevor's smile softened his words a bit and Amy nodded reluctantly.

Airich gingerly buckled his knight's mostly white belt carefully around his waist. His wound was healed but significant soreness remained. He would not go without his blade that Bede had returned, even though this time it was genuinely lashed securely to its scabbard.

Elspeth returned wearing a fresh gown and carrying her satchel slung over her shoulder.  "It's time to go," she said briskly, trying not to notice the priest's smile.

"I have Aran ready," Trevor said as he led them outside. 

Aran stood patiently, his reins tied to a ring by the door. A pillion saddle had been added for Elspeth's comfort.

"He is such a beautiful animal," Amy said as she moved forward to stroke the horse's soft shoulder. 

"I don't think Da has ever owned an ugly horse," Airich began and stopped  as Trevor moved a mounting block beside the animal. "A mounting block?" he asked, aghast at the thought he  might actually need it.

"It's for Elspeth," Trevor replied smoothly.

"It better be," Airich muttered under his breath. He mounted first, unprepared for muscles that complained when the action would normally be effortless. With a grunt he reached out his arm to steady Elspeth as Trevor boosted her onto the pillion.

"Godspeed," Trevor said, and Amy waved as Airich walked the horse forward.

[Laurna]

Damn! Sir Airich O'Flynn was a man to behold!

Seated on his proud steed, Amy could drink this view in all day. It did not matter to Amy, those weary creases that ran under the knight's eyes and along his temples. Those eyes themselves were wide and bright in the heavily clouded morning light. The blue might not be in the overhead cloudy sky, but it was in those beautiful clear eyes of his. All those shielded-off memories were now part of Sir Airich in whole; Amy could feel this about the man. What a difference the ritual had brought forth.

Also, it mattered not that it was Elspeth, not herself, seated upon the horse pillion style. One day soon, Amy will sit in that saddle- Sir Airich truly had asked her to marry him and Amy had said Yes- she was confident with her future becoming the wife of this handsome knight. Elspeth too looked regal sitting there, a leader among them. Amy knew that Elspeth's hand on Airich's shoulder was not for holding on, but was her way of being certain Airich would not keel over any second. Elspeth would watch him, and take care of him. Amy was certain of it. And it pleased her. She mouthed the words, "Thank You" to her friend.

Not knowing what to do with her hands, for they wanted to betray her by holding Airich's hand and never letting go, she hitched them over the belt of her kirtle. She felt the string of the small bag she had tied there. She untied it and then dashed up the mounting block before Aran could take a second step away.

"Sir Airich, I forgot to give these back to you. You must have them wherever you go. And do not lose them again." The bag jingled as the knight's face warmed up to realize what was inside the bag.

His fingers brushed hers as they wrapped over the string. And seeing her stand at nearly his same height, he stepped the horse closer and pulled her to him. "I promise, I will do as you say."

Amy was sure he was only going to kiss her hand in front of all these people; instead, he leaned across the small distance, ignoring the twinge in his side, and his lips touched her lips with a grateful kiss. Elspeth cleared her throat when neither of the two shifted away from the other in good time.

Amy side-glanced at her friend and blushed. "Speth, take care of him," she said, standing straight while squeezing both of their hands in each of her own.

Amy did not retreat from the mounting block until the horse and his two riders had moved away, and Father Trevor had amusingly given her a hand to step down.

[Bynw]

Come Friday morning and the rains have finally stopped. The city of Grecotha is one again coming to life. The towns people are out. Merchants and craftsmen make their way to appointments through busy streets.

The people are happy at the clear skies above the city. With the grey and wet fading away children find time to play again when not occupied by chores. Students and priests rush from building to building on the great university campus.

It truly is a day of celebration.

And there are some who silently nod to one another in passing. Sharing a smile that, on the surface is friendly, yet speaks of an untold horror to come.

It wont take long for the city to dry out and be ripe for the flames.

[revanne]

With thanks to Marc for Bede's part (and for not hitting Edwin).

The chair in which Edwin sat was comfortable enough and he had slept well in far worse places but he took some time to drop off. He was truly worried for Aidan, but the sound of gentle snoring was enough to reassure him on that front; what was keeping him awake was the remembered look on Elspeth's face as she had warned him in no uncertain terms to be back within two hours. Would Amy have remembered to tell Elspeth of the changed circumstances? He liked Amy well enough and did not think she would deliberately forget, but her main focus was Airich. Somewhat to Edwin's surprise he thought that without any sense of anger or bitterness, he found that he truly wished both of them well. He did wish though that he wasn't so scared of Elspeth's tongue. Finally, exhaustion won out and he drifted into a deep sleep.

"Ah mun gie hence! Ah shouldn'a be here, they'll ha'e ma hide fur being awa' the whole nicht." Woken by Aidan's distress, Edwin stirred groggily to see the lad folding his blanket neatly, even in his agitation Aidan's monastic training clearly held good. As Edwin came more awake he could see that it was still barely light, but then monks got up before dawn, or so he had heard.

"Ach, they'll ha'e ma hide and ah've nae doute it'll be bread an' water fer a sennight. On ma knees on the floor sae they can all see ma shame."

Edwin knew little of monastic punishments, though discipline was known to be harsh. But he could not let Aidan face that on his own, he must take the lad to Canon Damien and explain what had happened. Though whether the Canon would believe him was another matter entirely. He could but try.

"Hush lad, ye were teken ill, there's nae sin in tha', ah'll cum wi' ye an vouch for ye ta' Canon Damien." The look of relief and gratitude in Aidan's face startled and rather unnerved Edwin by its intensity. He was relieved rather than offended when Aidan's usually well hidden sense of mischief suddenly burst out as he said, "Thank 'ee maister, though I'd no thought ye ta be an expert on just what meks a thing a sin."

"Ye have the right o' it ma lad," said Edwin with a grin to show he took no offence, thinking to himself save in the doing of them "sae let's be off ta find oot."

There were a few folk already about as they left the house, though all that Edwin saw were too sleepily going about their own business to take note of what others might be doing. Their way took them within scent of the cookshop and Edwin was amused to see that even despite Aidan's real fear, the young lad's nose twitched at the savoury aroma of last night's pottage being reheated with oatmeal to fill the bellies of hungry workers. Thankfully, he had some coin still left in his pouch.

"If there's any fear o'yer being clemmed on bread an' water mebbe's we'd best fill up when we've the chance. We've time enow" "But maister" Aidan began to protest, but his heart was not in it and when Edwin pushed the bowl of steaming porridge into his hand he began to eat hungrily using the hunk of yesterday's bread accompanying the bowl as a scoop. Even the thought of fasting made Edwin's belly rumble, so he had bought another bowlful for himself and the two feasted like hungry puppies, made oblivious for that moment of their worries in the joy of the food.

Then the archer appeared. He was clearly on the same quest, but that did not mean Edwin was glad to see him. The fellow always seemed to lead to trouble. Though the scholar in Edwin, trained to see both sides of an argument, inconveniently woke up and reminded Edwin that Bede could doubtless say the same of him. Then a thought struck him and moving out of earshot of Aidan, who in any case was absorbed in the refuge of good food, he spoke quietly to the archer.

"Good morning to you, Bede. I dinna know whether you believed in my tale of being kidnapped and the same villains messing with my mind, but I now have proof for ye."

"I'm listening," Bede replied with concealed interest. Of course I bloody well believed you; I saw the kidnapping and felt your delusion-driven fist.

He makes it sound of as little import as though I was discussing the weather, thought Edwin grumpily but it's better than the fist it might have been. Edwin shared what he had learned from Aidan's mind of the man who was clearly controlling the  young monk and added, "And I'd swear on the bones of any saint you wish that it's the same man who kidnapped me and messed with my mind, the blaggard. An' the mair I think on what they said when they thought I was still unconscious it was no' me they were after but a knight. And I'd bet good coin it was Airich. Something nasty is going on here."

Bede was interested and as Edwin described the man who had been the leader of those he had followed to no good ending, the man whom he had seen in Aidan's sadly confused mind, he became more interested still. The description was uncanny, even including his cruelly laughing brows and thick, snorting nose.

"An' Aidan here has a place where he reports to his master?" Bede looked as though he would march them there, there and then but Edwin broke in hastily, "Aye he does, but he's no' going there. I'm taking him back to the one who is his master, and it's no' that scum. The good Canon will know how to help the lad, and if he dinna I'll find someone who does."

Bede held out his hand in a placatory gesture as if to ward off Edwin's vehemence. "Alright, I'll not interfere with ye being the good Samaritan but as part of your good deeds for the day tell me where the place is." Edwin complied but added the warning, "Aidan would no be free to be out until after Morning Mass, so maybe an hour or more after the monastery bells have rung for Terce."

"So I see. Thank ye, both. We'll bring him to justice, and the kind he faces shall be up to him," Bede declared quietly, almost shuddering as he felt the weight of destiny upon his shoulders. At last, the villain that had walked in his midst, that he had let slip away time and again, may benight the lands no more. Then he chuckled privately at his own hypocrisy before seeking his breakfast.