Pawns and Queens--A 15th Century Gwynedd Story--Chapter Four

[Evie]

Previous chapter: https://www.rhemuthcastle.com/index.php/topic,3202.0.html


Chapter Four

January 20, 1464
On board the royal barge La Santa Trinidad
The River Bhutti, Andelon
Afternoon

The valley breezes added a chill to the air as the royal barges sailed downriver. Fortunately the winds were currently favorable and they were traveling with the current rather than against it, so the oarsmen had less work to do aside from steering the barges away from any obstacles and keeping them well clear of the river banks. Occasionally they passed another barge or other vessel going the other direction, being rowed or towed upriver against the current to get to Rhanamé or to the Thuria River, bound for lands beyond.

Catalina and her retinue had processed from the castle earlier that morning to the sounds of a trumpet fanfare, the procession led by the King and Queen accompanied by Catalina and her younger siblings, followed closely by the Prince of Gwynedd, his squire, and an honor guard selected to be their personal escort, with the rest of the men-at-arms selected to accompany them following alongside and behind them. Seemingly the entire populace of Rhanamé had been crowded along the route to the river docks to see her and her wedding entourage off. From there, she had bid her family a fond farewell before boarding one of the three barges that would bring her entourage down the Bhutti River on the first leg of the journey down to Fianna. The Prince of Gwynedd, along with his squire and several Andelonian men-at-arms, had boarded the royal barge El Cisne, Catalina and her entourage taking the second royal barge, La Santa Trinidad. Most of their cargo and their remaining men at arms followed up at the rear of their aquatic procession on the Hisan Al Nahr.

They had only traveled an hour from the city of her birth, not even beyond the border of her native Andelon yet, and already Catalina felt the keen pangs of homesickness. She took a deep breath, then let it out slowly, envisioning her inner turmoil drifting out of her and away, carried downriver like a fallen leaf upon the current. It was how Riordan had taught her to still her thoughts.

As if summoned by her brief thought of him, her amanuensis emerged from the barge's cabin, bearing a cloak.

"You forgot this, Su Alteza. We can't have you dying of a winter chill before we've even crossed the Southern Sea."

Catalina smiled. "I would prefer not to journey all the way to the coast only to expire before I've fulfilled my purpose." She pulled the offered cloak tightly around her shoulders. "Which court would Prince Nicholas turn to next, if I were to inconveniently die along the way?"

"Hm." Riordan pretended to give the matter deep thought. "I believe Cécile of Joux is still unspoken for. She might be missing her sister. Or there's the princess of Bremagne, but she's still a little young."

"I should imagine so. Little Roixelle hasn't yet had her twelfth birthday, has she?"

"I don't think she has. So I suppose Salim and I shall just have to keep you alive a little longer." He shrugged. "Oh well. I wanted to see Rhemuth again anyway."

She turned towards him, curious. "That's right, I'd forgotten you've been there once before. What is it like?"

He searched his memories. "It is a big and beautiful city with many buildings built out of stone or brick, especially on the main streets, although the older timber-framed shops and homes still exist as well, especially in the oldest neighborhoods. Most of the streets are paved, at least in the sections of the city that I had a chance to explore, and the drainage is reasonably well maintained." He shrugged. "It is a city, so some parts of it are less well maintained than others, though every effort has been made to keep the more noisome areas of the city well away from the more heavily populated sections. The river docks along the Eirian, where the Gwyneddan barges will likely put in when they bring us up from Concaradine or Desse, adjoin three immense market buildings filled with wares from all parts of the Eleven Kingdoms. Some of these goods will be sold or traded within the City itself, but much of it will be ferried higher up the Eirian to other towns further inland. The road leading up to the Castle will pass through Market Square before ascending the slope towards the castle gatehouse. And adjoining the Basilica of Saint Hilary, you will see the original Deryni Schola built in King Kelson's time, although there is a newer Schola building within the close of the Cathedral of Saint George these days, built within the last century. The castle itself was also heavily remodeled about a century ago, and is quite palatial now, although of course the outer fortifications are just as functional and formidable as ever." He glanced over at Catalina. "You've been to Millefleurs in Bremagne. Rhemuth is designed along a very similar plan."

"I look forward to seeing it, though I imagine it will be very different from Rhanamé or even Millefleurs."

"Quite so, Señora. And if you wish to be in good health when we make our entry into the city, it would be best if you return to the warm cabin now."

"All right, Don Riordan, I can take a hint."

He smiled as she left his side to return to the passenger cabin, his smile fading as he studied the steep banks of the river to either side of them before retreating into the safety of the enclosed cabin as well.

#

January 20, 1464
On board the caravel Queen of Heaven
Afternoon

"Land ho!"

Laird Geoffrey Arilan, a member of Gwynedd's Royal Council and the King's Chief Intelligencer, glanced up briefly at the crow's nest at the top of the Queen of Heaven's main mast, from which the announcement had been shouted. He smiled at the prospect that they would be arriving at their destination soon. Geoffrey had no great love for sea travel, especially in the rougher seas more typical in the winter months, though he had done his best to smooth their passage. Weather working could only do so much to calm wind and waves, though, and it took an amount of focus and energy that Geoffrey would rather not expend unless it was truly necessary.

"How long until we reach the Bay of Fianna?" he asked the ship's captain.

"Another two or three days," Captain Henry Merivale informed him, "though we will put into the port of Truyére this evening and continue sailing up the coast towards Fianna on the morrow. If the weather holds, we should reach our berth in Fianna sometime around the twenty-third day of the month. Hopefully by then the Prince's entourage will have made it to the rendezvous point; if not, we can reprovision while we wait."

Geoffrey snorted. "The Dowager Queen has given me quite the shopping list of goods to take on board while we wait, assuming there is sufficient time, but she also emphasized that bringing the wedding party back home to Gwynedd immediately is of greater importance."

The ship's captain chuckled. "Let's see how many passengers we will need to accommodate before we start loading up a lot of cargo. Even if we split them between my ship and the Destiny, if the Prince's bride comes with a large entourage, we won't want to berth them on top of crates of citrus, silks, and Fianna wine."

#

January 21, 1464
On board the royal barge El Cisne
The River Bhutti, en route to Fianna
Morning

They seemed to be making decent time, at least as far as Nicholas could tell. This return journey was definitely taking less time than the ride into Andelon from Fianna had taken, and he estimated they had already covered close to twenty miles since they had put out from Rhanamé the previous afternoon. Granted, not all of that time had been spent traveling. Once the river had grown too dark for the oarsmen to be confident of steering past all obstacles even with the aid of lanterns hung above the bow, they had selected a spot along the river with decent visibility, near to one bank but not so close as to risk being easily boarded, and dropped anchor to wait for morning light. The oarsmen and men-at-arms took turns sleeping in shifts, the ones who were awake through the dark hours keeping a watchful eye out for any who might attempt to rob the small convoy. Brigands along this particular stretch of the river were fairly rare, he had been assured, but the possibility of encountering some was not nonexistent, especially if it were to become widely known that a royal bride and her bridegroom were traveling between kingdoms.

He wondered how that bride was faring this morning, but although their barges traveled within easy calling distance of each other, a conversation shouted across running water and the occasional sounds of waterfowl and splashing otters was not the best way to inquire about how a lady's day was going. He would have preferred to be on the same barge with her at least, but her chaperone seemed highly indignant at the idea, as if she feared he might despoil her virgin charge right on the barge deck between the oarsmen. Clearly, despite the binding nature of their betrothal arguably allowing him the right to consummate their vows before the actual wedding day, there was no likelihood of an heir to Rhemuth being conceived until they were all well within Gwynedd's boundaries. That was probably just as well, for even if the crowded space, minimal comforts and near total lack of privacy on the barges had not already been major deterrents, he also sensed the lady would prefer a little more time to get to know him first before sharing his bed. He definitely felt the need for a little more time to adjust to the notion of having a stranger for a wife himself.

More to the point, King Mikhail had pointed out that if there happened to be some unexpected disaster along the way home, it would be best for him and the Princess to be on separate vessels until the final approach to Rhemuth, to lessen the risk that both Nicholas and Catalina might be lost to a watery grave. It was not the merriest thought to consider at the outset of a wedding journey.

#

January 22, 1464
Bay of Fianna
Afternoon

The men on the Gwyneddan caravels Queen of Heaven and Destiny cheered as they reached the entrance to the Bay of Fianna. In the distance, they could see the skyline of La Cité with the Royal Palace overlooking the bay and walled city. Beyond that, just a few miles beyond the outskirts of the city in the wide mouth of the Bhutti where the river waters emerged into the sea, lay the river port where they would rendezvous with the barges floating downriver from Rhanamé in the next day or two.

Thus far, their voyage had seemed relatively uneventful, aside from the usual inconveniences of traveling under the less than ideal conditions that mariners had to contend with during the winter months. Despite those inconveniences, they had made better speed than Geoffrey Arilan had dared to hope for.

He ought to feel relief in this moment, Geoffrey mused. Instead, he felt a strange sense of misgiving as the ships traveled into the bay towards their destination.

#

January 22, 1464
On board the cargo barge Hisan Al Nahr
The River Bhutti, en route to Fianna
Evening

It was now close to sunset. The royal convoy had continued downriver well past the borders of Jaca and Andelon, and was now more than midway to its eventual destination a few miles from the City of Fianna, on the upriver side. Soon they would be looking for a good place to drop anchor for the night, though the captain of El Cisne had hopes of continuing past the next two bends in the river before stopping, and the other barge masters followed his lead. The river would be wider at that point, making it easier for them to find a spot that lay outside the swiftest currents of the river, yet not too close to either bank.

Hashim ibn Shahid, one of the junior men-at-arms assigned to guard the Sultana's belongings, cast a wary eye at the surrounding terrain. The river banks were steep here, rising in steep bluffs on either side of the water, with only narrow strips of flat land between the river and the sharp rise of each bluff to either side of it. He would feel easier once they were past this spot and moving through less elevated terrain.

A movement on the bluff on the Logréine side of the river caught his eye. The movement in itself was no cause for alarm, since the main road between Logréine and Andelon followed along that route, and even at this time of the evening, a traveler or two might still be on the road hoping to reach the nearest village or find a suitable place to set up camp before the sun set fully. But it was the sudden flare of light, almost as quickly doused, that raised his suspicions.

He quickly Mind-Spoke a warning to his superior officer on the Hisan Al Nahr, who relayed it to Señor Don Salim aboard La Santa Trinidad. Presumably he in turn would relay it on to those who guarded the lead barge, El Cisne.

#

January 22, 1464
On board El Cisne
The River Bhutti, en route to Fianna
Evening

The lead barge had just rounded the first of the remaining river bends that el capitán Fernando de Montoya had hoped to pass before selecting a spot for the convoy to stop for the night when three things happened more or less simultaneously. The barge suddenly found its way blocked by a slender but strong iron chain stretched across this narrow portion of the river. Even as the oarsmen made this discovery, filling the air with Andelonian curses, a rain of arrows came down upon them from the bluffs, causing them to scramble for the safety of their shields or the barge's cabin even as the men-at-arms on board El Cisne swiftly returned the volley.

It was at this moment that de Montoya also received the warning from La Santa Trinidad, though he was a little too preoccupied to reply. Nevertheless, his inner surge of alarm communicated back through the link, and he was dimly aware of Salim calling the men on La Santa Trinidad to arms.

From either side of the river, small dinghies set out like a swarm of ants towards the barges, the armored occupants of each holding shields aloft to protect themselves from the return volley of arrows as they drew ever closer, intent on boarding the royal convoy. This was no small band of brigands, de Montoya saw, but a large and well organized raiding party.

On each barge, every man on board was fully armored and armed by now, having already been lightly armored in arming doublets to begin with, but now swiftly adding helms and strapping on additional protection. The captain heard the Haldane Prince call out a command, and six of the lead barge's wooden shutters flew open, three on each side of the vessel, and the handgonners took careful aim and fired upon the dinghies moving towards them. From the sounds echoing through the narrow gorge, de Montoya assumed the handgonners on the other two barges had followed suit.

#

La Santa Trinidad

While Don Salim and Don Riordan organized the defense on the middle barge, the Princess mobilized the ladies to take action as well.

"Doña Amina, my throwing daggers, por favor! Maria, Consuelo, Felipa y Roselita, stand by to assist the handgonners. They may need assistance with lighting or holding the slow matches for the handgonnes while they reload. The rest of you, stay well back and out of the way of the men, but have your daggers close to hand.  If we are boarded, we might need them. It might also be helpful if you can cut one of the sheets into strips in case we have injuries to bind later." Catalina took a deep breath and slowly released it, forcibly stilling her mind to dispel the initial burst of panic clouding her thoughts. Amina thrust the leather girdle that held her sheathed daggers into her hand, and she strapped that around her waist.

"You cannot be thinking of going out onto the deck, Señora!" her camarera protested.

"Of course not, Doña Amina," the princess swiftly assured her, "though if we end up getting boarded, we must be prepared to defend ourselves." Her gaze scanned the crowded cabin, landing upon the practice bow and arrows she had brought with her. She hoped she would not need to use them, but she took up the quiver nonetheless. She had never taken up arms against anything besides a stationary target, and all of her weapons training at Salim's hands had been purely in the interests of self defense, since a princess of the realm was also a likely target for hostage-takers seeking a princely ransom or perhaps even an otherwise unattainable royal bride. Catalina was under no illusion that the attackers were simply after her dowry goods, and she had no intention of being easy prey. She could only hope that the Gwyneddan Prince was faring well, for he was an even more valuable prize.

#

The cargo barge Hisan Al Nahr

The third barge rounded the bend to discover the first two already under attack. Having heard the sounds of battle ahead, even if they could not yet see what was happening, the men-at-arms on board had already readied their weapons, prepared to loose arrows and fire their iron shot as soon as they had a clear line of sight.

Several of the attackers' dinghies had already been gutted by shot by the time they rounded the bend, but a small number broke away from the main attack and headed directly for them. There were brigands in the river now, mostly those who had escaped the sinking boats, but more of these were attempting to swim or wade towards the barges that were their intended prey than those who made for the river banks. Fortunately the Bhutti itself came to the royal party's defense by sweeping a few of those swimmers further downstream, and although they were only minimally armored, those swept away by the current did not have the strength to stay above water for long.

"Fire!" their leader cried out, and Hashim called on his Deryni senses to help him focus his aim on the target as he set his slow match to the touch hole of his handgonne. The shot rang out, hissing through the air towards one of the boats heading in their direction as the archers nocked their arrows and drew their bowstrings. Mere moments later came the call to "Loose!" A hail of arrows streamed out towards the attackers, the archers providing cover for the handgonners while they reloaded the gonnes.

#

El Cisne

The Andelonian men-at-arms were efficient and well trained, yet despite their best efforts, a few of the attackers managed to row across the narrow stretch of river to climb onto the barge, making it necessary for some of the defenders to set aside their long range weapons and take up swords or spears for hand to hand combat.

"À Haldane!" Nicholas cried out as he and his retinue laid into their attackers.

#

La Santa Trinidad

As the boarders attempted to take the second barge, the archers on La Santa Trinidad picked them off one by one, a job made slightly easier by the fact that there were fewer archers on the bluff now, most of those attackers having descended to the river level to join the main attack. However, there were still enough men on the heights to distract the defenders and provide some cover for those now scrambling to climb on board their target.

Flanking the cabin door, Don Riordan and Don Salim stood ready for close combat, ready to lay down their lives if need be to protect the princesa and the other ladies within. The gonnes were silent now, having been exchanged for swords and spears by the men-at-arms forming a defensive barrier on deck at bow and stern and atop the cabin itself, placing themselves between the attackers and the womenfolk in their keeping.

#

Hisan Al Nahr

The third barge had fewer attackers to contend with now, if only because most of the dinghies had either been damaged by the defensive fire or were now crowded around the first two barges, the royal personages on board those barges being treasures of greater value than the furnishings and other cargo on the third. Not that it had been forgotten entirely, but there was also the simple fact that they were still slightly upriver from the main focus of the attack, despite the river currents pushing them ever closer to the fray, so even a strong swimmer would have difficulty swimming upstream to reach the Hisan, even if they managed to shed their leather jerkins or brigandines, much less climb aboard her and fight against her defenders after such exertions.

That meant the men on Hisan were more free to focus their efforts on aiming for the brigands still attempting to climb onto the other barges or retreat to the river's shore, as well as the occasional enemy archer who still loosed arrows at their party from the heights. The oarsmen returned to their posts, rowing to close the distance between themselves and the other two barges in hopes that they could lend more direct assistance.

#

El Cisne

Sebastian suddenly found himself engaged face to face with one of the boarders. He had the advantage, being dry and already on deck and holding the upper hand, while the man before him was dripping wet and already tired from having swum a short distance while armored in hardened leather, and not entirely on the barge yet. Too bad it hadn't been a full coat of heavy plate, that would have guaranteed the man's swift demise before he could even attempt to board.

The man scrambled onto the barge deck, an embroidered insignia on one shoulder of his arming doublet catching Sebastian's eye. Knowing it could prove a vital detail, the squire committed it to memory in the brief moment he could spare while the man before him was still trying to find his feet, but before the brigand could quite manage to do so, Sebastian struck him down, managing a swift groin shot before kicking the man back off the barge deck. The man rolled into the river with a splash, the current pulling him under the surface and whisking him away. Looking around quickly, his back against the cabin wall, Sebastian saw no nearby threat just at the moment, although a sudden flurry of movement on the deck of the second barge caught his eye.

#

La Santa Trinidad

The ladies sat quietly huddled against the walls of the dark cabin, hearing the sounds of combat outside slowly begin to die down, but every time they thought the attack might be over, they would hear the thunk of an arrow against the wooden walls or deck, or hear the metallic clash of sword on sword and the occasional cry of the wounded. With every moan and whimper she could hear beyond the confined space, knowing at least some might be coming from men risking and possibly spending their lives on her behalf, Catalina's rage towards their unknown enemy grew.

And then pain, red hot, speared her left shoulder, goading her beyond reason because she instantly knew the cause. She sprang up from her crouched position in the shadows, catapulting herself towards the cabin door.

"¡Su Alteza, no!" Doña Amina leaped forward, attempting to hold her back, but she was an instant too late. Catalina unbarred and flung open the door, coming face to face with Riordan's attacker.

The brigand had a split second to recognize the furious woman standing before him. As his startled expression began to shift into a leer of anticipatory delight, one of her throwing daggers sheathed itself in his heart.

#

El Cisne

The sun had set, and only a trace of light lingered in the night sky, although the moon was beginning to peer over one dark bluff, offering scant illumination to the scene around them.

For the first time in several painfully long minutes, Sebastian found a moment to catch his breath, leaning against the outside of the cabin wall between cabin and stern. He studied the near river bank, using his keen Deryni sight and other senses to try to detect if any more of the enemy combatants were nearby, but saw no one in that direction, and only sensed a few others at slightly greater range. Another sight caught his eye, causing him to peer more closely into the shadows.

Another dark form joined him, causing him to raise his sword defensively until he saw it was one of the Andelonian men-at-arms.

Sebastian's grasp of conversational Andelonian was good, but his military lexicon in that language less so, and he was reluctant to voice too loudly what was on his mind with some of the enemy possibly still within earshot. An idea had come to him, but figuring out how to convey it to his companion would be the problem. He pointed to what he had seen in the shadows, trying to mime his idea to the man, who stared at him with dull incomprehension. In desperation, the squire reached out to grasp the man's shoulder, conveying with a burst of Mind-Sharing what he had in mind.

The man-at-arms was startled by the sudden intrusion of another's thoughts into his mind but disciplined enough, and perhaps accustomed enough to Deryni ways, to resist any instinct he might have otherwise possessed to pull away from Sebastian. A thoughtful look crossed his features as he nodded in agreement. Stripping down to their shirts, they slipped into the cold water and began to swim for the shore as quietly as they could, attempting to stay in the deeper shadows, Sebastian doing his best to call upon some of his powers to further cloak their approach to the land.

#

The river bank

Sebastian and his Andelonian companion emerged from the river and made their way along the foot of the bluff until they came to what Sebastian had spotted in the shadows. Emerging from the rocky face was an iron hook, from which one end of the heavy chain that had been stretched across the river had been suspended. The two men tugged at the sturdy length of chain until there was enough slack to pull the iron links off the hook. With one end of the chain freed, the length of it sank beneath the surface to the riverbed below, no longer causing an obstruction preventing the barges from moving past.

El Cisne began to move forward of its own volition, propelled forward by the current now that the iron barrier had been removed. The squire and the man-at-arms glanced swiftly at each other and leapt back into the river, swimming as quickly as they could in an effort to catch up.

#

January 22, 1464
On board La Santa Trinidad
Anchored off the Fianna side of the River Bhutti
Night

The oarsmen who were still fit for duty had resumed their positions, deciding that navigating in the darkness of night was safer than remaining in their vulnerable situation. They steered the convoy to a safer stretch of the river further downstream where the water was wider and deeper and the land around them was much flatter, nearly level with the river's surface. The moon was high in the sky now, brightly illuminating all possible avenues of approach, and thus far there was no sign of pursuit by any remaining enemies.

Nicholas was taking no chances, however. After the three barges had found places to anchor, huddled side by side rather than in their usual end to end configuration, the princess's barge in the position of greatest safety at the center, he and Don Salim conferred on the best way to protect the convoy so they could focus on tending to the injured and getting some rest.

"Would it be possible for us to place wards around the barges until morning?" Nicholas asked. "I know in theory it ought to be possible, but I've never attempted to place wards on a floating surface before."

"It is certainly possible, as long as we are at anchor and not attempting to continue on our journey while still warded," Salim replied. "The trick is to make sure it is done correctly. Most Wards Major are set to be permeable to air in order to allow anyone inside to breathe if they must be contained within the energies for a long amount of time. They can also permeate solid matter, else we would see the entire sphere of energy above the ground or floor level, not simply the top half of it.  However, we would need to ensure that our wards are also permeable to water, for the portion of the sphere that lies below the water level needs to allow the river to pass through it, otherwise...." He raised one hand a few inches above the deck rail, palm down. "If the wards displace the water, the barges will rise above the water's surface like so.  And then once they are dispersed...."  He slammed his palm onto the deck rail.  "This would not be good for the barges."

"Right. Let's not snap my father-by-marriage's barges like kindling, he might take that amiss. But assuming we take care to set the wards correctly, that should keep us safe until morning?"

Salim shrugged. "Assuming there aren't enough of the enemy left to simply surround our bubble and lie in wait for us to emerge from it again. But I think that is a chance we will have to take, at least once I am able to find my ward cubes. They should be in my bag below deck, though a lot of our baggage got scattered during the fighting."

"Will these work?" Sebastian asked, holding out a small drawstring pouch. "They aren't cubes, but they should serve the same purpose."

The Andelonian weapons master opened the bag, which turned out to be a simple leather circle gathered around the pierced edges by a thin strip of leather lacing. Inside the pouch was a painted design of a merelles board. A small hoard of black and white game tokens lay in the center. Salim held his hand over the mingled tokens. A few of them, indistinguishable from the others by sight alone, radiated magical energies. He plucked out the four ebony and four ivory flat-sided discs that tingled faintly beneath his touch. "Clever! Where did you find this set? You didn't charge the tokens yourself, did you?"

"No, my lord, I haven't learned that level of skill yet. It's a family heirloom, passed down from an earlier time when it wouldn't have been prudent to be discovered as a Deryni living in Gwynedd. I've also seen ward cubes made to look like gambling dice, but this style tended to attract less notice from those actively looking for magical cubes. If the searchers were human, anyway."

Salim nodded. "Well, lad, since this set is attuned to you, let's see how practiced you are with your warding skills. Only let me check the balance of energies before you fully activate them. Your Prince is correct, bouncing the Royal Barges on the river's surface would leave His Majesty of Andelon severely unimpressed."

#

Within the cabin, Catalina and her ladies were tending to the wounded along with Don Riordan whose shoulder injury, although painful, was relatively minor compared to some of the other injuries needing greater attention at the moment. While Catalina assisted in cleaning wounds and binding up the wounded with strips of qtun fabric sheeting and Riordan used his free hand to send the more severely injured men into a deep and pain-free sleep, the princess and her amanuensis were engaged in a silent but heated row.

You had a direct order to remain inside and keep the door locked! Riordan's Mind-Voice was far sharper than it would have been under any normal circumstance when addressing his liege lady. You could very well have been killed, and the rest of your ladies along with you!

I was more valuable to them alive than dead, Catalina countered. You were not. And I am no craven, to hide in shadows and cower like a frightened child while others risk their lives to protect me!

When you endanger the men who are charged to protect you by distracting them from that duty, you put those lives in even greater risk!

She blinked away tears, staring fixedly at the bandaged arm she was wrapping until it was no longer blurry. You were injured! I thought.... She pressed her lips tightly together, struggling for composure. I couldn't lose you and just sit there!...I had to....

Catalina. His gaze drew hers, holding it captive. I understand why you did it. But the battlefield is not the time or place to be led by emotion. You must be very careful to always lead with your reason, not simply your heart.

And have I not already been doing so for three long years? And will I not have to continue to do so for the rest of my life? She swallowed hard, turning her face away from him. I will do as I must, as I know you shall also. And I will do my best to be content. But while I would do nearly anything for you, Riordan ibn Ronan, I cannot act with cold indifference whilst you lie injured and possibly dying outside my door. I would not be the person I am if I could shut off my feelings so; I would be a cold statue, dead on the inside, nothing more.

#

January 23, 1464
La Santa Trinidad, below deck
Just after midnight

The barges had been fully secured with strong wards designed to both protect and cloak the exhausted travelers within. Prince Nicholas felt a sudden wave of weariness pass over him now that his heightened energies brought on by the sudden attack had finally dissipated, but there were still a few more things he had to tend to before he could seek the dubious comfort of his bedroll.

"How many dead and injured do we have?" he asked the small group of men around him.

"We have only nine dead, which is better than I had dared hope for, but forty-three with injuries ranging from minor to severe. One is likely to be crippled for life, if he survives the night." Fernando de Montoya uttered a string of Andelonian epithets under his breath that left no one present in any doubt of how he felt about the brigands who had attacked them, their dubious parentage, and their likely eternal destination.

"I suppose it is too much to hope that we have a Deryni Healer on board?" Nicholas asked.

Riordan snorted. "That would have been useful, but no. The Deryni among us have been able to manage some of the pain the more greatly injured among us are experiencing, but aside from some pain management and sleep spells, we've been able to do little more than clean and bandage wounds and stitch up a few of the nastier gashes. At least we can be thankful the ladies had their sewing kits handy. Some of the most severely injured have been given a few sips of wine and opium for the pain. The sooner we can get them to La Cité de Fianna, the better. I think there might be a Court Physician there who is a trained Healer."

"And how is that shoulder?" Nicholas asked.

"It's been better," Riordan said drily. "At least it's my off arm. I'm trying to keep it moving so it won't lock up and become useless for the next six months."

"All right, make a list of those who most need a physician's care, or better yet, a Healer's, and make sure your name is somewhere on that list.  Captain Montoya, how much further do we have to travel to reach the Fianna docks?"

"We should arrive within half a day, barring any other unexpected incidents, Señor. So if we dispel the wards and lift anchors at dawn, we should make it there by the afternoon. Possibly just a little sooner if there are enough fit oarsmen to speed up the journey."

"Good to know. Reassign some of the crew if you need to do so to get an adequate number of oarsmen on each barge.  And speaking of the barges, have any of them been damaged in such a way that will require us to do repairs along the way, or before we set forth in the morning?"

"They are mostly undamaged," Fernando said. "Some superficial hacks and scars, but nothing that would cause problems for us."

"And the cargo is still intact? Although that's the least of our worries at the moment."

"It seems mostly undamaged, unless some of the arrowheads managed to get through the crates to damage the items within. I think the brigands were trying to take as much of it undamaged as they could, though, or we would have been fighting against flaming arrows instead."

"Hm.  You're probably right. Thank God for avarice, then. But Salim, just in case the brigands should try again, select the least injured men-at-arms and make sure we have them equally distributed between the barges before we set forth tomorrow."

"Already taken care of, Señor."

"What of our dead? Do we have a way to separate them out from our passengers and crew so we can bring them with us and arrange for a proper burial in Fianna? I would rather not take the risk of leaving the barges to bury them here unless there is some reason we must avoid any delay." Nicholas gave Salim an uncertain look. "I am aware that Moors have different funerary traditions than we have in the Christian lands, so if there is something I am overlooking...?"

The Moor shook his head. "We do prefer to bury our dead as soon as possible, preferably within a day and after observing certain traditions, but in this case it is a moot point. All nine of our dead are Christian and can be buried according to your own observances and in whatever timing will work best for you. Though I have seen to it that their wounds have been washed clean and that their bodies have been covered. They have been laid to rest below deck on the cargo barge, lying with their feet currently facing the Holy Land as far as I am able to approximate, although that will certainly change once we continue down the river tomorrow. I placed a stasis spell of short duration on them to help preserve them from corruption until a proper burial can be arranged. Even so, it might be best if they could be interred in the next couple of days."

"Thank you for that. In that case, I think we–"

There was a sudden scream from above, startling the gathered men below deck. They stared at one another, momentarily frozen, before grabbing up their weapons and rushing for the ladder.

#

January 23, 1464
La Santa Trinidad, the passenger cabin
Shortly after midnight

Catalina felt a stab of fear, sharp and intense like a physical wound. There were sounds of combat all around her, just on the other sides of the wooden walls and shuttered windows, and she felt helpless. She was unaccustomed to feeling so helpless. She prided herself on being capable, being a swift learner, being one accustomed to leading, not one who cowered in shadows.

She felt like the walls were closing in all around her, threatening to crush her, to suffocate. The only way out was through. Through the barred door standing in her way, keeping her safe, sheltered. Keeping her from the one who meant more to her than life itself.

She yanked open the door, the hateful barrier keeping them apart. Her hand reached up of its own volition and threw the knife. Riordan's eyes widened with shock as the point buried itself in his heart.

Catalina sat bolt upright in the darkness of the cabin and found herself screaming.

#

Nicholas burst into the cabin to find the ladies in an uproar, like bees in a disturbed hive. Some were crying as others attempted to comfort them, and a few merely looked around the cabin in sleep-dazed confusion, appearing as unsure as he was of what had just happened. At one side of the small room, Doña Amina held the princess in a tight embrace, rocking her and murmuring soothing noises as if trying to comfort a small child. "It was a dream, mi preciosa! Naught but a dream."

Even as he crouched by Catalina's side, she took a deep rallying breath, sitting more upright and visibly steadying herself before meeting his gaze. "A thousand pardons, my lord. I didn't mean to startle you. Amina is right, it was just a dream." She looked up at the other men standing over her and gave them a shaky smile. "Salim, I could use a little wine, I think, if there's any left over from cleaning wounds." She pulled her blanket and her dignity a little closer around her, her slender form trembling under the covers.

"Are you certain you are all right, my lady?" Nicholas watched her with concern. "If you would permit, I would be glad to blur your memories of the attack...."

"No, that won't be necessary."  She reached up to take the goblet Salim offered her, smiling up at him gratefully. "I'm sure it's just the disturbance of the evening and my exhaustion that has gotten to me." She took a deep swallow of wine. "I've never killed a man before. I suppose, given the circumstances, I didn't expect for it to affect me so keenly."

The prince stared at her, stunned, before glancing up sharply at Salim. The Moor gave an affirming nod before glancing towards the door and mouthing the word "Later."

Nicholas, knowing something of how to comfort an unsteady squire after his first combat kill, but far less about how to comfort a lady of gentle birth who had found herself in a similar situation, and quite unsure of how best to proceed, settled for taking both of her hands in his. "It's very difficult, the first time, and honestly even after that I'm not sure it's ever the best thing for one to grow too accustomed to. But hopefully this will also be the last time you will ever be faced with such a need."

She gave a slightly choked laugh. "Yes, let's hope so. I would not like this to become the regular pattern of my evenings."

#

La Santa Trinidad
The stern deck

"Tell me why in the hell the Princess was placed in a position where she was required to kill a man?" Nicholas struggled to contain his fury, not wanting his voice to carry and possibly disturb said princess, who at that moment was hopefully falling back asleep.

Riordan winced. "That was my fault."

"It was not your fault, it was her own," Salim retorted. "I taught her better, but she is a sultana accustomed to leading, not being led." Turning to Nicholas, he explained. "Don Riordan and I were on guard just outside the cabin door when we came under attack by several of the boarders. I had instructed the Señora to keep the door locked, but when Don Riordan was injured, she immediately sensed it. Her instinct was to defend her own, just as you, as Sebastian's liege lord, would seek to defend your squire who is in fealty to you, should the need arise. It was a natural enough instinct for a brave daughter of kings, but as she put herself and the other ladies in harm's way in doing so and caused their protectors some momentary distraction, we have already addressed with her the need to allow her protectors to do our duty and not increase the danger we all share by acting rashly. We are seasoned warriors; the sultana, for all her skill in the defensive arts, is not."

Nicholas rubbed his face with one hand, the combination of sleep deprivation, exhaustion, and a growing headache on top of anger at the entire situation they found themselves in beginning to turn his thoughts to fog. This was one problem that would have to wait for another day.  "All right. Let's try to get some sleep. We still have a long day ahead of us on the morrow."



Next chapter: https://www.rhemuthcastle.com/index.php/topic,3207.0.html

Pawns and Queens spin-off story #1--The Gilded Cage:  https://www.rhemuthcastle.com/index.php/topic,3205.0.html

[DerynifanK]

Well, certainly not an uneventful journey. You do attack and fight scenes really well. I am very interested in that badge that Sebastian saw and who it belongs to. Could there be more to this than just brigands seeking loot. Also, do I detect much deeper feelings for Riordan from The Princess than those for a close and valued retainer. Hmm. Monday seems a long way off. Very well done Evie.

[Evie]

Well, certainly not an uneventful journey. You do attack and fight scenes really well. I am very interested in that badge that Sebastian saw and who it belongs to. Could there be more to this than just brigands seeking loot. Also, do I detect much deeper feelings for Riordan from The Princess than those for a close and valued retainer. Hmm. Monday seems a long way off. Very well done Evie.

Thank you! I had a serious case of Imposter Syndrome writing this chapter, not being a fighter myself, so it's good to know the research paid off. You will be getting some of the answers to your questions about the badge and brigands very soon. And yes, I would have to say that Catalina has far deeper feelings for Riordan than for her other retainers, although she is very fond of the others also. There was a hint about this relationship as far back as Chapter Two, I believe.

[Demercia]

Fantastic, thank you.  Now, when will we find out whose badge Sebastian saw, and if my suspicions are correct.

[Evie]

Fantastic, thank you.  Now, when will we find out whose badge Sebastian saw, and if my suspicions are correct.

I think you find out (or at least a reasonable guess is made) in the next chapter, though it might be a later chapter in which additional details about it are forthcoming.

[Jerusha]

I would say you have outdone yourself this time, except I know there is more to come. 

I was a bit worried Sebastian and the Andalonian chap would not make it to the barges after freeing the chain and end up drifting into enemy hands.  Thanks for avoiding that!

[Evie]

I would say you have outdone yourself this time, except I know there is more to come. 

I was a bit worried Sebastian and the Andalonian chap would not make it to the barges after freeing the chain and end up drifting into enemy hands.  Thanks for avoiding that!

Darn, I should have thought of that!    Just kidding.    I couldn't get rid of Sebastian this early, though. You'll still be seeing quite a bit of him in future chapters of this story. I'm quite fond of the lad; he is an Arilan, after all!

[DerynifanK]

This attack seems to be too big and too well planned and organized to be random brigands

[Evie]

This attack seems to be too big and too well planned and organized to be random brigands

Could be, wabbit!    Maybe you'll find out more in Chapter Five.

[revanne]

I hadn't really taken on board before how Salim explains Catalina's actions to Nicholas, protecting her and Riordan.
My hero.

[DerynifanK]

It will be interesting to see how Nicholas and Catalina work out their relationship since he loves Mellie and has for many years and it appears that Catalina has similar feelings for Riordan. Being royal certainly doesn't ensure happiness. Duty is a stern taskmaster.

[Evie]

I hadn't really taken on board before how Salim explains Catalina's actions to Nicholas, protecting her and Riordan.
My hero.

It will be interesting to see how Nicholas and Catalina work out their relationship since he loves Mellie and has for many years and it appears that Catalina has similar feelings for Riordan. Being royal certainly doesn't ensure happiness. Duty is a stern taskmaster.

Yes, they are both in tricky positions, though Catalina and Riordan are in the far more precarious one, since after all a king or future king is allowed to have a mistress, regardless of whether everyone approves or not. However, not only would having an affair be unwise for Catalina, it would be an act of treason and an executable offense for both her and Riordan. Even the mere suspicion of a romantic relationship between them could put them in significant danger, since that might cast doubt on the parentage of any children she might have. (Of course the child having a recognizably Haldane psychic signature would help to clear up any confusion, but would still not stop the gossip and speculation.) So even with them using the utmost caution and being very careful not to let their relationship get physical, Catalina and Riordan are still on an extremely precarious tightrope merely by having romantic feelings for each other.

[DerynifanK]

Monday is so far away. I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas. The waiting seems to last forever.

[Evie]

Monday is so far away. I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas. The waiting seems to last forever.

I have a spin-off short story with some backstory about Catalina's relationship with Riordan, which I was thinking of posting possibly during the same week when I post her wedding chapter, but it could also possibly fit in here at this point in the main story if y'all think you'd rather see it sooner. I've already created a sub-section of my board for those spin-off stories so those short stories won't interrupt the sequence of chapters in this main story.