Chapter Eight: Wars of a Different Kind
*The summer waned on, and each day grew hotter than the next. The fields were prospering, yet under too much sun there was always the prospect of a mistake happening. Rachel and Serena had spent their time divided between the house chores and those to be done outside.
Today was Serena's last day in the fields for the week. She and Rachel had been trading off- Rachel came out every Saturday to supervise the fields, where as Serena stayed in. On the rest of the days of the week, Serena sat out in the hot summer sun, boiling away. Not that she minded. She particularly enjoyed being outdoors. She was always more useful to the stable master, Carl, who always let her groom a few of the horses. When she wasn't grooming the horses, she was out helping in the fields. Serena laughed at the thought of the 'help' she provided. The serfs would not let her weed. They had repeatedly denied her request to help them, saying that the Lady of the House should not soil her hands with such work. So instead, Serena chased the crows and other vermin away from stealing any of the crop. She actually found it invigorating to be able to run so much. She swam, too.
When the days grew much longer and the fields didn't need half as much tending, she would take a horse to the lake and swim daily. She could now make it half way across the lake and back without difficulty. Still, she was not keen on trying to make the full swim across the entire lake again just yet. Each day brought more and more adventure and excitement. She loved her new life in this fief more than ever in these long summer days. Only one thing marred her joy.
"Lady Serena, you really ought to return to the safety of the citadel." A familiar voice came from behind her.
"Monk Benedict. I'm sorry, I didn't hear you ride up. And how are you on this fine, hot day?" She asked politely yet stiffly. Monk Benedict was the one shadow in her life.
"I'm quite well my Lady. But you, on the other hand, are looking remarkably pale. Perhaps it would do you good to lay down for a bit, rest and recuperate. I could feed you soup and tend to your every need." He sniveled. She inwardly sighed. Everyday it was the same. He told her she looked pale in hopes that he could get her alone. As much as he was a Holy man, he was as secular as they came. Serena did not have any substantial reason, but she, for some reason, did not feel she could trust the monk.
"On the contrary, monk Benedict. I feel very well this afternoon. If I am pale, perhaps it is merely the sun playing tricks upon your eyes." She answered the monk calmly.
"My dear, the sun is not good for you. I do not understand why everyday you must insist upon staying outside and supervising these fields. Nothing could possibly go wrong with the fields."
"Yes, sir monk, I can see why you do not understand my feeling of obligation to these fields. All I can explain is that I made a promise to my husband to care for his land, home, and crops. And as long as Rachel is inside watching over the house, I may be out here, watching the fields." Serena tried to relay the importance of her promise to Hiiro.
"So you've told me before. Still, it cannot be healthy for you to be out in such heat." The monk simply restated. In his opinion, Serena was being stubborn. And stubbornness was a bad trait.
"Then I will catch sick. Rather that than break a promise to my husband." She countered, narrowing her blues eyes slightly. The monk sighed and gave up for the moment.
"Then I bid you farewell for now." The monk Benedict nodded his head to her, then turned his horse and rode out of sight. On his way back to the stables, Benedict over thought his position once more.
He was a monk 'owned' by a very important, very rich, very powerful vassal. His suzerain was gone in the middle of a bloody war that he would most likely not return from. And now, here right in front of him, was the most beautiful woman alive. Serena, as she called herself, was a vision from his fantasies. Still, she was stubborn as a mule. She insisted upon doing actual work. She was unconventional- she did men's work. And to top it all off, she constantly reminded him of his suzerain, Hiiro. She was faithful beyond belief to Hiiro, and from what he had heard of their relationship, she disliked him. She rebuked all of his advances any direction he approached from. Most wives had affairs all the time. So why wouldn't this wife? He was determined to have her somehow.
Serena overlooked the field once more. It was growing wonderfully. The wheat and barley was already to her knees. Soon it would be to her waist and past, and when it reached her elbows, it would be time for the harvest. She wished her cruel husband were here now. She would like to prove him wrong, to show that women could do manly jobs occasionally. She also wished she knew how he was fairing in battle. Was he hungry? Cold? Tired? Was he still alive? Why she cared she did not know. Especially after the way he had treated her the night before he had left. But anyway she looked at it, she still missed him. She had almost grown accustomed to his coolness. And now… where was he?
)(
Hiiro was staring out over the barren landscape. Here it was just as hot as it had been back home. But this was not his home, this was not land that he looked out over and was proud of. He looked out and was unaffected. Laying below the ridge he and the rest of the army were camped on was a battlefield. A massive battlefield. And laying dead on the scorched ground were hundreds of French and English knights. The battle had been won by the English, but barely. Only a few of the strongest, most talented and lucky knights were still standing.
The Pope had called the 'war' to a general truce of sorts for a while. Apparently, he was trying to reason with King John. A Papal Interdict was in order, and though King John did not care whether of not he was thrown out of the church, if his entire country was thrown out of the church, he would have huge uprisings on his hands. Until they made a final decision, the army was to sit and wait for orders. And so they were. They were sitting and waiting.
Hiiro hated sitting and waiting. He needed something to occupy his thoughts, or they trailed back to his worries of his home. How were things working out? Were Rachel and Serena taking care of things as he had hoped they might? Was Benedict causing problems? He hoped not. As much as Hiiro had hated putting the monk in charge, he was the only one who could have taken the leadership position. He supposed he could have given it to Rachel, or even Serena, but they were women. No one respected women as much as they respected men like Benedict. Too bad Benedict was corrupt. Hiiro had no proof other than the fact that Benedict had tried to cheat him out of his own fief, but he knew on some basic level that Benedict would always cause him problems with his dirty tricks.
Hiiro was also concerned with his wife, Serena. He knew her methods were quite unconventional, yet she had seemed to be well respected and liked. She could command the house- that much was for certain. Whether she could command the house well was the question Hiiro wanted answered. He knew Rachel would help Serena, but he wanted to know how Serena herself would do without Rachel's help.
He also couldn't help but letting his mind wander back to the night before he had left and their fight. Hiiro knew he had made her cry. He knew it. Yet for some reason he felt moved to feel guilty about it. In the past he had never felt any remorse for mistreating anyone. Still, he couldn't help but recognize he had hurt her, not once, but twice now. But what good would thinking over it here do? He was too far away to do anything about it. His thoughts were interrupted by a knight approaching him.
"Hello Hiiro." The knight nodded in recognition.
"Sir Martin." Hiiro himself nodded.
"The King has come to a decision." Martin was smiling.
"Well. What has been decided?" Hiiro asked.
"This foolish war is over. Apparently John relented when the Pope went through with his Papal Interdict. We can leave for home as we wish."
"Good. Then I will leave now." Hiiro told the older man.
"Young boy, even if you leave right now, you will not be home for another week. Your fief, I trust, is in good hands. Come, stay an extra night with us. Then embark upon your journey home in the light of dawn." Martin implored.
"Unfortunately, I don not know whether I left my fief in trustworthy hands or not. I will start now and hope I reach my home sooner than the week you predict it will take." With that, Hiiro turned to gather his belongings and pack them on his horse.
"Homesickness. It catches all the best their first battle." Martin sighed quietly to himself.
)(
"Honestly child. It's near midnight. What possible reason do you have for reading at this late of an hour?" Rachel yawned as she and Serena sat by a fire. Serena had been pouring over a book for the last three hours and had yet to stop.
"I'm sorry Rachel. This manuscript is divine though. Written by John Locke. Why, it's the most amazing book on humanity I've ever read."
"Oh? And what does it say on humanity that interests you so dear?"
"It speaks of a time when life was not merely farming day by day, but there were plays and performances, art and literature. It is most amazing."
"When was this time? I cannot recall it." Rachel asked, un-amused by Serena's wild and star- crossed eyes.
"Oh, this was a very long time ago, before I, you, or anyone we know was born. It happened in a place called Rome." Serena continued.
"I have heard of such a place as Rome. It is where the Pope resides, is it not?"
"Yes, but this was before there was a Pope, before God was known." Rachel shot up at Serena's words.
"Child! You give me that book this instant! You speak blasphemy! A world without God? There is no such thing! Now you stop these horrid notions right this instant. Books that teach such things should be destroyed instead of read." Serena sat mouth wide open as Rachel grabbed the book she had been so enthralled in and threw it into the fire. As much as Serena knew Rachel was right, and that even thinking of a world without God was heresy, she couldn't help but feel as though something beautiful and important had just been lost to the flames. Willing any tears she had allowed to gather in her azure eyes to go away, she sat and nodded with Rachel as they watched the treasonous book burn.
Amidst the quiet of the crackling fire and the dim sounds of the night creatures, a new sound emerged. Distant at first, yet soon it was loud and very apparent. The sound of a group of horses thundering near, and the angered shouts of men. Looking out the window, Serena and Rachel saw the light of torches and the riders who held them. Baring heavy swords and screaming in murderous rage the riders drew nearer. The fief was under attack by bandits.
Serena, acting quickly, moved Rachel away from the window just before an arrow shot threw it, piercing the wall as it came to halt. Rachel began to sob out into the open, but Serena stayed calm. This was no time to panic. They needed a counter attack. Otherwise, they were sunk.
"Rachel." Serena said carefully. Rachel didn't respond. Nothing like this had ever happened to her before. Serena tried again. "Rachel." Still no response. She took Rachel's face between her two hands and looked her directly into the eye. "Rachel. I need you to concentrate for me." This time Rachel stopped sobbing aloud and nodded. "Good. I need you to gather all of the women and children and get them into the inner most room of the main keep. Understand?"
"How will I get past all of the thieves? And the arrows?" Rachel asked terrified.
"Keep low. And if there is a window, crawl beneath it. Now go!"
"And what of you?" Rachel asked, more unsure than ever.
"I have to get the men to counter attack. Don't worry, I'll be fine. I always am. Go!" Serena pushed Rachel out the door and into the hallway. She soon followed after taking one more quick peek at the progress of the raiders. They were almost past the fields, they would be to the door within fifteen minutes, possibly less. And if they were already within arrow firing range, then chances were they had crossbows. Crossbows meant they were not ordinary thieves, but professionals in their line of 'work'. Narrowing her eyes, Serena dashed through the door and down the hallway towards the stairs. Just as she reached the bottom of the stairs, she met up with a group of male serfs.
"Lady Serena!" One cried. "You should be with Rachel and the other women in the main keep's central room."
"No, I should be here. Someone needs to organize you to counter attack. Where are the rest of the men?" She asked, not taking time to pay much attention to the men's hesitation to obey her orders.
"Lady Serena. The rest of the men are on their way. The last Lord, Lord Hiiro's father, taught us that if ever we were to fall under a raid such as this, we were to meet here." Another man spoke up. Serena grinned. Good, reinforcements were on their way.
"Good. Then what we need to do while we are waiting for them is-"
"Lady Serena. I do believe you should go with Rachel." A new voice spoke up. Serena inwardly groaned. Not now.
"Monk Benedict. You are one with the church. You have taken a vow to uphold peace and do no harm. I, on the other hand, am well informed in battle tactics, and have no such restriction. You, if anyone, should be in with the women seeing as how you cannot help us." She reasoned out. Most of the men nodded and agreed silently with Serena.
"No. I will not tolerate this. Though I have taken an oath of non-violence, I may still direct an attack. I am a man, and therefore a better choice than you. Go hide lady Serena, it is your place." Benedict sneered. It was time for him to put this new 'lady' in her place.
"Monk Benedict. I am the wife of Lord Yui. In other words, while he is gone, I am in charge. Now stop arguing and let me think. We are running out of time to plan a defense attack."
"You may be the wife of my Lord, but you were not put in charge. I was, and as such I am ordering you to go and remain with the women until the battle is ended." Benedict countered. Serena could see no way to disagree with his statement. It was true that Hiiro had left Benedict in charge. But she knew more about this than the monk. Still, she could not continue to argue. Better to just let him make the choices. Otherwise they would waste all of their time arguing.
"Very well Benedict. I will remain with the women in the center of the main keep. Good luck to you men. A piece of advice I offer to you before I take my leave: fight with your hearts, for it is with your hearts that you will be pushed to succeed. This is your home, your life. You have put your sweat and blood into this place, do not let another destroy what you have worked so hard for and sacrificed so much for." With that, she gave them all a brief nod and turned to go to the women. Each of the men watched her go, and each felt their heart drop. A bad omen.
"Alright men. Here's the plan." Benedict began. "We'll keep on foot and defend the house. No more. Just defend. Kill all who try to enter. Try to avoid arrows and watch out for your backs. Go!" The men stood and stared at one another. It was a rather bland plan, just to defend the home. What if the raiders decided to set fire to the fields? Or they scaled the walls? Or all of them died trying to defend. Then what? But they could not deny Benedict's orders, he was the one put in charge. And without the order of the system, chaos would ensue. But the men had to wonder. Would it really be so bad for chaos to ensue if chaos already reigned?
The men had been defending the citadel for over an hour. So far they had been doing well, they had only lost three of their own. However, it seemed as though the raiders just kept coming. There were a great deal of them, and they came in waves. However, it was obvious that the raiders were beginning to lose their numbers. Ten or so were still fighting, but the majority of them had made a run for it long ago.
"Stop them! Stop them!" A voice rang out. All of the men looked up from their fighting, including the raiders, and watched one of the serfs tried in vain to stop three raiders from getting into the house. Another raider came up from behind and killed the serf, allowing the three raiders to easily slip into the house. The fighting continued as now the men of the home fought to keep any more raiders from getting in to their wives and children.
Inside the house the women could hear the heavy metal clanging of the swords as their men, husbands and fathers, brothers and uncles and cousins, fought valiantly to protect them. Serena paced in front of the door to the room they were in, anxious to know what was happening. Behind her was Rachel, holding two children in her arms and muttering prayers under her breath. All of the women, in fact, were muttering some sort of prayer, asking God for help for both them and their husbands.
Suddenly, the door handle jiggled. Serena stood still in her place. If it had been one of their men, he would have knocked, or called to them and informed them of who it was. If had been one of their men then the metal clashing outside would be over, and the battle would be won. Immediately, Serena grabbed her sword from the table next to the door. Unsheathing it, she heard gasps from the women and children. Well, that was understandable. Most of them had probably never heard of a woman trying her hand at swords. Well, regardless, she was going to be ready, just in case. The door handle jiggled again, and this time the door latch lifted. A deep man's cry echoed in the room as the raiders broke into the main keep's inner room. The women screamed and backed themselves and the children up against the far wall. Serena, too, gulped and backed up slightly. Then she remembered her place and stood forward, sword poised and ready for an attack. The three men laughed at her, then snickered and spoke to each other. Soon, one came forward and spoke.
"Little girl, your sword raised in such a manner challenges us. I have decided to accept the challenge and fight you. Do you realize this?"
"I do. So fight me then." Serena shot back. She then closed her mouth and let the heavy man laugh before he made a slow and clean swipe for her belly, trying to pick her off easily. Serena brought the sword up in a crescent swing and blocked the man's attack. The man frowned, and tried slightly harder. Still he found Serena blocked him. Trying with more effort, he brought his sword down hard in what should have been a crashing blow. Serena sidestepped him and took her sword around and sliced him in the back low, near his waist. He fell with a heavy groan and lay still. Blood seeped onto the earthen floor of the room, and the warm liquid mingled with the dust as it trickled thickly into a puddle near Serena's feet. She squirmed at the sight of the blood, but kept her cool.
The next two men attacked vigorously at the same time. They brought their swords down onto Serena at the same time, but she ducked and went in-between their swords. Stepping behind them, she realized she had made a mistake. She should have stayed in-between the women and children and the raiders, not the door and the raiders. Well, too late to stop now. One of the men lunged at her and she countered his attack. For a moment they matched each move with a dark, heavy clang that resounded even in their very souls. Then the man lost his cool and attacked in fury. Bad mistake. Serena saw an opening and cut her sword short of its original destination to aim lower. She cut the man's knee, and he fell to the floor, screaming in pain. He rolled for a bit, until his own comrade silenced him with a final blow to the neck.
"It hurts to watch one's own mate die painfully." The raider explained roughly.
"So you kill him instead of picking him up and running so that may both survive?" Serena asked, keeping a straight face. The last man did not respond. Instead, he swished his sword back and forth in front of him playfully. Without warning, he lunged for Serena. Their swords connected at the hilt and it became a battle of strength. The man was stronger, no contest. He forced Serena's arm down, then unlocked the swords and brought his back down one last time for a crushing blow.
At first Serena felt nothing. Then her hand tingled and felt numb. The sensation traveled quickly up her arm and she dropped her sword. The man moved behind her and held his sword to her throat.
"I should kill you. But you're strong. Perhaps I should take you with me. To make up for the deaths of my friends." He grabbed her wrist and began to drag her out of the room. As he stepped out, a sword came cutting down and went in straight and true, directly into his heart. He gave a short gasp, then fell and lay still on the floor. The stable master Carl stepped into view.
"Lady Serena? Are you alright?"*