Chapter 16
"Ride forward, Jurij, and let Lord Lipski know we are on our way," said Jeremi. "You may mention our relationship."
"Shall I take Michał? He might as well learn how to tactfully break the news of how many guests a man has," said Jurko.
Jeremi laughed.
"Lipski won't be surprised, but yes, he may as well see that my sons are together."
Jurko urged his horse to a canter.
"Jurij," said Michał, "How are you my brother when you are grown up? And you don't call Mama 'Mama' either."
"Well, lad, I'm strictly speaking your half-brother," said Jurko. "Our Papa knew my mother before he met yours, and I was born. And then he married your mother, and you were born. So we share a father, but not a mother. And your mother is married to our father, and mine was not. So I am a bastard, and cannot inherit anything. But it is enough for me to make our father proud of me."
"I want him to be proud of me, too," said Michał. "I'd rather have him proud of me than inherit."
"Well, then, perhaps you should do sabre drill with us Cossacks in the mornings, and I'll teach you riding tricks, and how to shoot, and all sorts of other weapons; and my friend Jan will teach you to use a lance, in case you want to be a hussar. And you can work hard at your lessons, which should come easier at your age than they are to me. I'm trying to catch up to knowing all those things you might already know."
Michał brightened.
"We could do lessons together," he suggested.
"That would be fun," said Jurko, who thought it would be anything but fun, but wanted to forge a relationship with his half-brother, and guide the child to make Jeremi proud of him too, instead of slightly impatient as the prince often seemed to be. "I think you were not a very strong little boy, and your Mama has worried about you; but we'll work on getting you strong and fit."
"I think I'd like that," said Michał. "Papa scares me sometimes."
"Oh, he has a piercing gaze, but you must not let it make you quail," said Jurko.
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Helena dropped back.
"Princess, how are you on this rutted road?" she asked.
"Bounced black and blue, but that is the way of travel," said Gryzelda. "I wish I was young enough to ride a little, but that's life. You appear happy to ride, despite the rain."
"Oh, Lady Czeczeła and I are hardy enough," said Helena, not wanting to share that she was calling Asieńka by name.
"And me too," said Róża.
"Children should be seen and not heard," said Malwina.
"Poor Malwina, too precious to ride," said Helena.
"You watch, I'll ride tomorrow," said Malwina.
"Good, more room for us," said Maryśka.
Malwina tossed her head, and managed to elbow Basieńka in the midriff.
"Watch what you are doing!" said Basieńka.
Helena saluted Gryzelda, and rode forward. She was not looking forward to Malwina joining the riders on the morrow, but if the girl considered rain a reason not to ride, she would not be likely to last long. Especially if she rode side-saddle and used it to show off her legs, as the side-saddle had been designed to do, by Catherine de Medici.
"You look a little down, princess," said Jan.
"Malwina Szyszkówna will be joining us in riding tomorrow," said Helena.
"I do not know her very well, but she seemed amiable enough," said Jan.
"Yes, of course she did," said Helena. "Pan Skrzetuski, will you disregard me as prejudiced if I explain why I do not like her?"
"Why should I think you prejudiced? You seem rational and balanced, and not likely to be condemnatory for no reason," said Jan. "I cannot think you would be unfair."
"I want to be unfair about her, you know," said Helena. "I had warning from my maid that she can be all sweetness to your face and spread lies and conjecture behind your back. I have not seen this because we drew lines and went to war from our first meeting when I would not let her make me feel quaint and provincial; she wants my Jurko, and she thinks she can entice him. I know him better than that but it still makes me want to scratch her eyes out. And having told you, I feel better, for I think I can treat you like a brother."
"I will be a knight for you in whatever capacity you choose, my lady," said Jan, bowing in the saddle. It wrung his heart to hear her speak of 'her' Jurko, and to ask him to be a brother to her; but he and Jurko had sworn to abide by her choice. "Jurko is not so inconstant."
"No, and nor is he a fool," said Helena. "And nor are you, but she knows how to use the language of court you have grown up with, and to play games."
"Forewarned is forearmed; thank you," said Jan.
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Lord Lipski was a grizzled veteran, who raised his eyebrows at Jurko's introduction of himself as Jurij Korybut Bohun, and his brother as Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki, after both bowed down to the ground.
"A sideblow of Jeremi's that he acknowledges, eh? You must be something special," grunted Lipski.
"I don't know about that, my lord-brother, but my father is complimentary about my skills," said Jurko.
"My brother is brave and splendid!" said Michał. "He raids the Turks and he stole a warship from them! I want to ride with his Cossacks when I grow up," he added in enthusiasm.
Lipski frowned.
"Cossacks, eh? I hope they are loyal. I've fought Cossacks many times."
"I'm a Cossack myself, my lord-brother, and I believe in a close association between the Ukraine and Poland, to prevent the sorts of misunderstandings that end in war," said Jurko.
"Oh, you do, do you?"
"I do. And I also think the Moskale would never dare try to invade Poland if they had to cross a steppe where Cossacks might fall upon them in lightning raids day and night at any time."
"Well, well, something in that. But will the Cossacks agree?"
"The Cossacks want what is their due, no more, no less. Greedy magnates push to steal from them. My father has no love for their kind," said Jurko, tossing his head, and looking proudly down his nose.
"Oh, I see. And your father wants my support to pull some kind of coup over the Sejm, I suppose," said Lipski.
"If you are a friend of our esteemed father, you should ask him that," said Jurko.
"Well, you're as proud as a prince, lad. How many are travelling?" Lipski became all business.
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Helena was glad to be staying in a proper dwór. They must still share rooms, of course, but she drew Elżbieta and Asieńka with her, as well as Róża.
"Beautiful child," said Lady Lipska.
"I have adopted her, as she is an orphan," said Helena.
"Oh, what are her origins?" asked Lady Lipska.
"She was taken by the Turks, and Jurko rescued her, and she is still very quiet because it was all very frightening," said Helena, firmly.
"Oh, yes, of course, poor child," said Lady Lipska. "What you mean is that her parents are as superstitious as many peasants are, being szlachetka, and have disowned her?"
"More or less," said Helena. It was close enough, and if the lady assumed that Róża was at least nominally a szlachcianka, it would be easier.
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The two young officers expected to share a bed in the dwór, as Helena shared one with Róża, and Elżbieta with Asieńka.
"Jan, would you be offended if I, er, sorted myself out?" said Jurko. "I've been watching Helena all day..."
"Not at all, and it means I can do the same with a clear conscience," said Jan.
A look of mischief crossed Jurko's face.
"You don't think we should sort each other out, do you?" he said.
Jan's face was a study.
"Er... no, thanks, all the same, I don't... just no!" he said. "Jurij! You are laughing at me... you said that on purpose!"
"Of course I did, my brother; I couldn't resist seeing how many colours I could make you go," laughed Jurko, embracing his friend.
They walked into the room and found Michał already asleep in the bed.
Jurko gave a quiet chuckle.
"Looks like we both suffer; we can't disturb the child."
"I'm glad he's taken to you, though," said Jan.
"Me too. Poor little boy, Gryzelda spoils him rotten and it does nothing for his health or his disposition," said Jurko. "If I can instil some good habits in him now, so much the better. By the time he is old enough to be a pacholik, it will be too late."
"You love him."
"He's my brother. I want to teach him, and learn with him, and help him impress our father," said Jurko. "Here, I'll get into bed his side, you take a pillow and sleep from the other end, you big lug."
"As we're much of a size, I resent that."
"But I got to say it first."
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Helena wore a gown to do sabre drill next morning, and Michał joined them, having elected to stay with Jurko for the night. He was not very practised, but Jurko took infinite pains with him, as Helena guided Róża. The children might rest and watch the more skilled working out after they had had their lesson.
"Lady Helena is good," said Michał to Róża. "And she started learning not so long ago. You aren't bad for being new to it."
"I'm going to kill slavers when I grow up," said Róża. "If you like I might let you marry me and help me."
"Well, I want to go with my brother and help him kill them as well," said Michał.
In a dwór, Helena and Róża had hot water brought for them to wash, and Helena thought wistfully that she would rather be sharing a steam bath with the Cossacks, telling stories and jokes and singing. Well, Michał had gone with them, and he would hopefully enjoy himself.
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Malwina let her horse prance, drawing attention to herself, her skill, and the shape of her legs where the habit skirt was drawn tight across them.
She smirked at Helena, riding astride.
"I do hope any future husband of yours won't mind that you can't prove virginity since you ride astride," she said.
Helena smiled back.
"Did you actually think that comment through? I have a reason. What were you planning on doing?"
"What a naive creature you are! A man driven wild with lust will want to atone for ruining a girl, of course."
"Oh, I see, honey for the fly and then the vinegar," said Helena. "Don't expect Jurko to fall for it, he wasn't born yesterday."
Malwina smirked, and edged her horse over towards the Cossacks, prancing and trotting on the diagonal, in and out of the men forming up.
"Madam, if you cannot control your horse, I'll find you a nice quiet one," said Jurko. "Either get it under control and wait with the other ladies, or dismount and wait for a horse suited to your capabilities."
"I have her under perfect control," said Malwina, affronted.
Jurko caught the mare by the bridle near the noseband .
"Mare, if you can't control your rider to make her behave better than a petty1 of about four on her first pony, you'd be better off without her," he said.
"How dare you!" snapped Malwina.
"I'm a captain in charge of a troop forming up and in charge of the safety of my father's wife and all her women. And that means being in good order without some silly little girl messing about pretending to join the Cossacks. If you don't behave, I won't permit you to ride and if you really go out of your way to irritate me, I'll do as I would to any other ill-conditioned brat who can't behave, and put you over my knee and give you a good spanking."
"Promises!" said Malwina.
"Believe me, you wouldn't enjoy it, and you'd be too sore to ride a horse for a couple of days," said Jurko.
"But you wouldn't strike a woman harshly, would you?"
"No woman talking to me, just a badly behaved child, and the disciplining of children is a shared responsibility. But tell you what, I might just ask Helena to put her nagajka across your backside instead."
"Oh, please misbehave, Malwina," said Helena, fingering her horse whip.
Malwina glowered, but brought her horse back to wait with the other ladies.
"You'll be much happier if you behave nicely, dear," said Asieńka.
She and Helena shared a conspiratorial look. Jurko had the right idea, to treat her like a child.
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"Ride with me, Halszka?" said Jurko.
Helena giggled.
"You want to avoid Malwina riding with you," she said.
"Yes," said Jurko. "Angels put on armour; you're my armour and all the angel I could ever need."
"Oh, very pretty. All those literature classes coming in useful," said Helena.
"Wench, you're teasing me."
"Of course I am; and I will do so whenever you employ hyperbole."
"Pest take these lessons; two months ago you'd never heard of hyperbole. Now you're calling me on it."
"I love you, Jurko," said Helena, shyly.
"Oh, my darling! I love you. What a good job we have chaperones."
Róża rode with Helena and Michał with Jurko; the children were chattering together quite happily.
"And Jan is lumbered with Malwina."
"How sad; I am devastated for my brother," said Jurko.
"You are a bad man," said Helena.
"Of course I am. It's why you love me."
Helena laughed, and they rode on.
"I'm glad you don't use a side-saddle," said Jurko. "I don't think they are safe."
"I feel more secure, astride."
"It's more than that," said Jurko, seriously. "If there's any kind of accident, and your horse stumbles, say... or is shot under you... you can dismount without too much trouble. A woman hooked onto a side-saddle is likely either to be thrown uncontrollably, or, more likely, hampered by her skirts, hooked up and dragged along, unable to release herself."
"Nasty," said Helena.
"Yes," said Jurko. "But you also know some Cossack riding tricks now, so you can escape from anything."
"Do you know something I don't?"
"Well, on the first day we went ahead to lark about to show we were harmless; the local szlachcic had turned out all his troops, in case we were a Cossack horde invading. And Lord Lipski was a bit unfriendly about Cossacks. So I'm a little... nervous, shall we say."
"A very scary horde we are with children," said Helena.
"Now, yes, and I have to say it should allay suspicions. But I was terrified that first day they'd shoot first and ask questions later. My father said I did right to use my initiative."
"He's cognisant of the fact that you might well have saved his life," said Helena.
"I... suppose so. I was concerned they might shoot the coaches, thinking them to hold troops or gunpowder."
"And that never crossed my mind. I have much to learn, Jurko, to think like a soldier."
"It's been part of my life for at least half as long as I've been alive. At least, learning swordplay has; one starts at three or four years old, generally. And more warcraft from about the age of ten."
"And Michał will learn from you," said Helena. "And Róża too."
"Yes," said Jurko. "He'll be a worthy successor to our father."
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a/n
1 A child below the age at which a boy would be breeched.