He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. Luke 1:52
The Tedrel Wars reached into every aspect of life in Valdemar. Taxes were raised to pay for the war. Heralds came less frequently on their circuits, delaying cases and judgments. The nobles and their retainers were pulled away from their entertainments and organized to fight.
The war wore on and the people of Valdemar endured grimly.
In the fourth year of the Tedrel Wars, orders came from Haven. All of the village militias were ordered south. This would be the decisive year. This year, the Tedrels or Valdemar would be broken.
Bennis and Marin Pedden had finally gotten permission from their father to join the militia. So had Asen's friend Syd Nugent, who was just over legal age. Asen and Perry Cork envied their friend and dreamed of earning military glory themselves.
Count Poldara finally allowed Kensie to join him as an ensign. Kensie went proudly with his father, confident he would do great things.
The troops marched south. The village settled into anxious waiting.
Kensie Poldara arrived in the vast camp excited and eager to be fighting. He soon learned that much of war consists of long periods of boredom mixed with boring periods of long drills. He went on a few patrols under the close supervision of Chase Tanner, Hwyl Fian or Faro Mittal. The day after the King arrived, Kensie's father allowed him to take a troop on a patrol in a relatively safe area. To Kensie's disappointment, nothing happened. The troopers, however, were highly amused by Kensie's overzealous command.
His father allowed Kensie to attend his staff briefings but gave his son a stern warning to say absolutely nothing unless asked. And, if asked, his only answers should be "Yes, sir" or "No, sir" as appropriate. After the briefings, Count Poldara would take his son aside and go over the meeting with him, demanding that Kensie not only recall all of the points raised but explain what they meant as often as necessary until Kensie got it right. An experienced war leader, Count Poldara wanted to ensure his son knew that combat was more than two groups of men hacking at each other.
None of the patrols Kensie was on saw any fighting. Many other patrols did encounter enemy infiltrators and scouts. Count Poldara ensured Kensie did get to see the sickening results of fighting, both to ready the boy to face the real thing and to kill Kensie's romantic notions of war.
Kensie grew bored with camp life, from the drills and briefings to the seemingly fruitless patrols. There were few amusements other than gambling, which quickly wore thin after much sharper players cleaned out the novice player. Food was barely edible in Kensie's estimation. Only ravenous hunger brought on by drills or patrols could get him to choke down the war rations. A few times, Kensie managed to get himself invited to the tents of nobles whose ideas of war were less austere than his father's, but Count Poldara sharply curbed his son's visits when Kensie was absent from too many meals with his father's command.
One memorable evening, Princess Selenay came to their camp. Kensie watched the beautiful princess, worshipping her with his eyes. He fantasized about winning her love and being crowned king beside her. The fantasy lasted until he noticed that the grim figure in grey leather standing behind the princess was watching him closely. Kensie flushed and looked away. Afterwards, he learned that the grim figure was none other than the notorious Karsite Herald.
At long last word came that battle was imminent. Kensie's father was drawn away for numerous long briefings with King Sendar. After three days, Count Poldara returned and announced that a full battle was expected the next day.
Kensie hardly slept that night. The glow of the Tedrel campfires could be seen in the sky just south of the border. The whole Southern sky seemed on fire; only the brightest of the stars could be seen through the glow. Kensie shivered at the sight.
In the pre-dawn light, the Army of Valdemar rose and began their final preparations. They formed up on the Valdemar side of the valley as the Tedrels emerged on the Karse side.
Kensie was in the middle of his father's regiment with the militia from Bransat and nearby towns ranged around him. His father was above and behind him on a little knoll from which Count Poldara could survey his section of the line. On Count Poldara's right was Duke Marduk's force and beyond that, the central wall of the King's own army regiments from Haven. Other nobles' and army regiments formed a line that stretched far away on either side.
The sun rose just as the last troops on both sides formed up. Word came that King Sendar had ordered the Valdemarans to wait for the Tedrels to attack. Valdemar would not be the aggressor.
The Tedrels sent their shock troops forward. The roar was deafening as the enemy charged across the valley. The Valdemaran line braced itself. As the enemy approached, Kensie flinched at the sound of the arrows flying over his head from the archers behind. The screams of enemy wounded were added to the shouts and battle cries.
The two lines collided. All seemed total chaos where the shock troops and the Valdemaran forces met. Men hacked and stabbed at each other. Men were screaming on all sides. Some went down, the stench of their torn bowels rose from the ground. The sickly sweet odor of blood made the smell more nauseating.
The two lines surged back and forth for half a candlemark. Kensie, riding behind the lines, was not in striking distance of the Tedrels. Arrows whizzed overhead, but nothing came close. Mainly, Kensie followed Sergeant Peter Cable as he tried to support his men on the front line.
The front line began breaking into knots. A band of Tedrels, seeing a space between the tangles of fighting, screaming men, tried to push through. The line broke in front of Kensie.
Kensie froze. Blood, sensing his rider's uncertainty, turned and bolted away from the soldiers charging towards him. At first, Kensie thought only to flee, but regained his senses after a few strides. He stopped the horse to turn it towards the line.
The damage had been done, however. Tedrels surged through the opening, attempting to split the line.
Chase Tanner spotted the breech. Swiftly, he ordered his second line forward and personally led the charge to drive the Tedrels back and closed the gap.
Kensie, who had regained his composure, moved back towards his assigned position. Chase Tanner stopped him. Backhanding the young lord across the face with is armored glove, Chase snarled "Coward! You have done enough damage! Get behind the line and stay there."
When Kensie tried to protest, Chase slapped him once more and repeated his order.
Kensie glanced around. Every face showed contempt. Kensie turned and stumbled to the back of the lines where he waited in agony, watching the turmoil of battle unfolding.
For the next two candlemarks, the battle raged before Kensie. The nightmarish scene was never-ending as the hacking and screaming continued. Kensie fretted, torn between fear of being rebuked and fear of forever wearing the brand of coward.
Shortly after noon, all of the mounted troops held in reserve left abruptly, ranging off towards the flank, following Sendar's order to prevent the Tedrel cavalry from ravaging the countryside. Kensie, now alone in the rear, shuddered as he realized there were no reserves.
With the space behind the lines clear, Kensie saw a movement on his right. A man climbed out of a ditch behind the lines. He looked behind him and seemed to speak to someone. The man turned away from the ditch and saw Kensie watching him. He glared at Kensie briefly before walking away. Kensie did not recognize the man, but he wore Lord Orthallen's livery.
Then, there was a roar from the line and Kensie looked out onto the field. The King had charged the Tedrel center! As Kensie watched, the Tedrel line seemed to fold inward, like bits of iron drawn to King Sendar's lodestone. In turn, the flanks of the Valdemaran army began to wrap itself around the Tedrels; now there were two inward-facing circles, each seeking to devour what lay within.
As Kensie watched, horrified, the King went down under the onslaught. Beside him, the King's Own also went down. A roar of outrage, louder than any sound Kensie had ever heard, burst from the throats of the Valdemaran army. Kensie joined that roar and the berserk fury that gripped every Valdemaran on the field.
Kensie drew his sword and charged towards the tangled mass before him, flailing at anything that looked like an enemy.
Afterwards, Kensie never could say exactly what he did in the following half-candlemark. The next he remembered, he was at the stream in the middle of the valley. A few remaining Tedrels were fleeing up the far slope as Valdemaran arrows rained down on them. Halfway up the slope, there was a pile of ornately armored bodies where the Tedrel War Dukes had taken their position.
A hoarse cry echoed across the field. "Valdemar! Behold your Queen!"
Heads turned towards that voice, Kensie's with them. The last of the Tedrels were fleeing, but no one paid attention. Kensie stared at Selenay, seated on her Companion. Beside her a bookish looking female Herald held the banner of Valdemar aloft.
The whole army began moving towards the Queen, Kensie with them. Blood stumbled as they went; the horse was near exhaustion.
As the Valdemarans crowded around her, Queen Selenay began to move. She rode towards where her father lay. When she reached the spot, she dismounted and went to her father's body. She pulled back the banner which covered the dead King's face. She stared at it for a long time before covering Sendar with the banner once more. Into the breathless silence, she said simply "Gently bear him away, and prepare him for his journey."
A host of men lifted the stretcher bearing the King's body to carry it from the battlefield. Every man and woman of the army bowed as Sendar passed through. The new Queen remounted and followed the slow procession.
The moment out of time passed and the Army began to move off the battlefield, seeking out the wounded and taking them to the healers. A few Tedrels still breathed amongst the fallen. At first, the Valdemarans gave the Tedrel wounded the coup, but the Heralds quickly stopped that. The Tedrel wounded were taken up with those of Valdemar.
Kensie wandered back to his father's encampment. Chase Tanner saw him first. "Where have you been, coward?" He challenged.
Kensie tried to explain, Chase Tanner cut him off. "Liar. Where are your wounds?" Kensie was stunned, he realized that his father's lieutenant did not believe him. Nor, from the contemptuous looks on the faces of those around, did anyone else. In the chaos of battle, no one had noticed his presence.
He tried again. "Go away, coward." The lieutenant dismissed him and turned his back.
Kensie went to his tent. He dismounted. His manservant. Geoffrey Teows, came to help him untack Blood. Kensie told Geoffrey his story. The man murmured agreement, but Kensie could see in his eyes that Geoffrey didn't believe him.
After cleaning up – by some miracle neither Kensie nor Blood had a scratch - Kensie went to his father's tent. Everyone he passed ignored him. When he arrived at his father's tent, he learned that his father was attending the new Queen and would be engaged with the War Council for several candlemarks yet. Kensie returned to his own tent and sat alone inside. Surely his father would hear him out.
A candlemark after sunset, a messenger arrived. Kensie tore open the note.
"You will leave for Bransat tomorrow morning. Go directly to the manor and do not stop along the way. You will not set foot outside the manor grounds until I give you permission to do so." – Wyeth Poldara, Count.
His own father thought him a coward! Kensie lay down on his cot and wept.
He left with his manservant before sunrise. His father had refused to see him, but those awake watched stone-faced as he left.
In the village, as in all of Valdemar, people waited anxiously for news.
Late in the morning on the third day after the battle, a Heraldic Trainee galloped into Bransat on her Companion. A few noticed the black armband she wore. She stopped only long enough to thrust an envelope into Reeve Dane's hands before galloping off to the next village.
A crowd gathered round as Reeve Dane nervously opened the envelope. He read it through quickly, staggering as he reached the end. The Reeve lifted his head. With tears in his eyes and a cracking voice, he read out the announcement.
"People of Valdemar! The Army of Valdemar has defeated the Tedrels. The enemy is no more and will never again threaten our land."
The crowd cheered this news with a joyous roar as Reeve Dane frantically waved for silence.
"The price of Victory has been high." The Reeve tried to make his voice heard over the din. Gradually, the crowd fell silent. "Our Beloved King Sendar, died in battle so that Valdemar might live."
The cheering was replaced by a gasp from the listeners. "Long live the King!" Reeve Dane choked out the traditional words.
Regaining his composure, the Reeve read out the post-script. "News of the fate of those in your town will be sent as quickly as possible, but will not come for some days yet."
As the crowd gathered round, demanding more news, the Reeve shouted "That is all that is written here. It will be posted for all to read." He summoned an aide and ordered the announcement nailed to the wall of the village hall. Two of the village watch stood guard so that no one could tear at the paper.
The story spread quickly through Bransat. The joy at the end of the war was lost in the death of the King. There were no celebrations that night.
The village waited in agony for news of the militia. When Kensie Poldara arrived at the manor, many were puzzled that no word came with him. The next morning, the whole town knew of Kensie's disgrace. Geoffrey Teows had gone to the Boarshead after leaving his master with his mother. Geoffrey had told a highly exaggerated version of Kensie's disgrace in the battle as well as a completely fictitious account of what Geoffrey had done himself.
Two days later, the letters from Count Poldara arrived along with letters from the survivors.
Bredin was just returning from the temple when the watchman arrived at Zack Pedden's door. Grimly, the watchman handed the letter to Zack.
Fearfully, Zack opened the letter. His jaw dropped and he stared at the watchman. "Both of them?" He said, then pitched forward onto the ground. Ilis screamed and threw herself on her husband. Zack lay unmoving.
The watchman bent to help, then looked up white-faced. "He's dead!"
Ilis' cries rose to a new pitch. Zelar rushed forward to comfort her neighbor, now triply bereaved. Carefully, Zelar and the other neighbors helped Ilis into her house.
Enro, the watchman, and the other men wrapped Zack's body and carried it to the back of his house.
Around the village, other households were gripped with mourning while those who did not receive condolence letters from the Count and whose loved ones were not on the list of the dead posted on the village hall gave silent prayers of thanks.
For most of the village, the courier brought letters from their men and women assuring their loved ones that they were alive, if not entirely well. For a few, no word came; their men and women were missing and unaccounted for and only an agonizing emptiness ensued.
There were strange tales as well: Asen's friend Syd Nugent had lost a foot. When Syd was taken to the healer's tent, the healers discovered Syd himself had the healing gift. Syd would go to Healer's Collegium in Haven for training, maybe to return to Bransat in Healer Green after a few years.
After word came of the losses, Kensie became a general object of hatred in the village as the people fixed the blame for the losses on him. It was just as well that Count Wyeth had forbidden Kensie to leave Bransat Manor: The villagers would likely have stoned the boy.
At first, Bredin took pleasure at his nemesis' fall. Then he began to notice something. The stories of Kensie's perfidy became wild and fantastic: Kensie was a Tedrel agent. Kensie had stabbed his own men in the back. Kensie had tried to countermand his father's orders. Kensie's own version, which Geoffrey Teows passed along in mocking exaggeration, was treated with scorn.
When one rumor said that Kensie had been among those who brought down King Sendar, Bredin could no longer accept what he was hearing. He went to Father Milo.
Father Milo listened to Bredin's doubts. Inwardly, he cheered. Gravely, he said "So you think the tales are unbelievable?" At Bredin's nod, the Priest went on. "It is all too easy to believe the worst of your enemies. I know that Lord Kensie has tormented you in the past. It would be easy for you to condemn him as evil and believe every foul tale that is told."
The elderly Priest smiled. "I want you to know how very, very glad I am that your good sense has overcome your hatred. Bless you my son."
After the interview with Father Milo, Bredin sometimes spoke up against the wildest tales. His friends Tagan and Rhys were incredulous that Bredin seemed to defend Lord Kensie.
A moon later, the village militia returned home. To the cheers of all, Sergeant Peter Cable dismissed them in the village square. The rest of the day and night were given over to a welcoming celebration.
Father Toma and the monks of the Temple returned home as well. Father Toma's return was brief. Grandmaster Sanat had fallen in the final battle and Father Toma had been elected Grandmaster of the Order. He would go to Haven within the moon to take up residence in the Home Temple. Luca Ives was elected the new Chief Priest of the Temple chapter in Bransat.
Count Poldara passed through Bransat on his way to Poldara City. Kensie finally got his opportunity to tell his father what had happened. The Count listened impassively as Kensie admitted running at first before attempting to rejoin the battle. The Count tried to weigh Kensie's claim that he had joined the general attack that broke the Tedrels objectively, but found he could not decide the truth.
He told Kensie he would consider his words. In the meantime, Kensie was to remain at Bransat, though the he would now be allowed to go beyond the manor boundary.
Kensie was disappointed that his father did not immediately accept his version. He tried to plead further, but Wyeth was adamant that he needed time to consider the matter.
Kensie made only one attempt to go into the village. The stares of loathing were palpable; people ignored his greetings, as did the shopkeepers. When a clod of muck hit the back of his neck, Kensie gave up and left. None of his former coterie would have anything to do with him; even the most direct invitations were met with fabricated excuses.
He had become a pariah. To distract himself, he practiced (alone) in the salle and in the riding ring. Anyone present when he arrived either ignored him or left. He took long rides in the forest.
One Rest Day shortly before Midsummer, Kensie stopped at the spot where he had trained Blood to enter the water. He stripped the tack off the horse and turned it loose. Of all the creatures in the world, only the stallion seemed loyal to Kensie; it would never wander far from its master. Kensie sat in the sand and stared at the river. After a while, Blood came over and lay down beside him. Pillowing his head on the stallion's neck, Kensie fell asleep.
Bredin, Rhys and Tag were cooling off by drifting down the river holding onto a log. The rise of the sandbar hid Kensie as their support grounded on the bank. The three boys walked up onto the sand and lay down in the sun.
Tag and Rhys fell asleep in moment. Bredin lay awake, puzzling over a problem Father Luca had set him the day before. The snort of a horse startled him.
Bredin got to his feet. Tag and Rhys were still sleeping. Bredin walked over the crest of the sandbank to see Kensie lying against his horse's side.
The stallion spotted Bredin and scrambled to its feet. Kensie rolled away from the startled horse and got up as well.
Kensie stared at Bredin. "What do you want?" He demanded.
"Nothing, My Lord." Bredin tugged his forelock. "I am sorry to have disturbed you. I thought there was no one here until I heard your horse blow."
"You came to spy on me!" Kensie accused. "You want more wild tales to spread around the village."
"The tales are very wild, My Lord, but I don't believe them." Bredin said.
Kensie looked askance at Bredin. "What do you mean?"
"What people are saying is plain impossible, My Lord. Do you want to tell me your side?"
Kensie desperately wanted someone to believe him, but his dislike of Bredin was too strong. "I don't want your pity, peasant. Get out of my way." Kensie flung himself on his horse's back and charged past Bredin. He swerved Blood quickly to avoid Tag and Rhys, who had been awakened by the sound of voices. The two boys jumped aside and covered their eyes at the spray of sand from the horse's hooves.
"What was that all about?" Rhys asked. "Did you frighten Lord Coward away?"
"No." Bredin said. "He just didn't want to talk to me." He spotted the pile of tack draped over the log. "Let's take these back to the manor."
"Why?" Tag asked. "We don't owe him any favors. Why should we help him when he has just left it there?"
"Do you want to be accused of stealing it if it goes missing?" Bredin asked.
Grudgingly, Tag and Rhys helped Bredin. Bredin, whose training had given him solid muscles, carried the saddle. The other two carried the other bits of tack. Half way to the manor, they met Geoffrey Teows and a stableman, who had been sent to fetch the gear. The two men relieved the boys of their burden.
Together, the three returned to the village.
With the war over, the village tried to return to normal and heal its wounds.
Bredin began to do minor chores for Ilis Pedden, trying to do some of the chores her sons had once done. Zack had been prosperous and left his wife several properties; Ilis Pedden was a wealthy widow. After a decent interval, Reeve Dane, himself a widower, began a discrete courtship. But the Reeve was a busy man; he could not help Ilis about the house.
Ilis was grateful for Bredin's helpfulness. She began to slip him an occasional groat as payment. At first, Bredin tried to refuse. When Ilis insisted, Bredin accepted the money, but turned it over to Enro. This mollified the slight resentment that Enro bore Bredin helping his neighbor.
An early snow fell three days before Sovran. Bredin rose early. He quickly swept the snow from his own doorstep and the shop door as well as the path between them. Then he went to Widow Pedden's step.
As he swept down the steps, Bredin became aware of people talking in the street around him. It sounded like many more than were usually about at this time, but Bredin was hurrying too much to look around.
As he reached the bottom step. Bredin bumped into something big. He looked around to see what it was.
Bredin fell into a pool of deepest blue.
::I am Lacaral. I Choose you.::
[Author's note: For those of you who find Kensie's behavior in the final battle contradictory, I suggest you read Stephen Crane's masterpiece The Red Badge of Courage. If that is not sufficient explanation, I will have everyone's favorite weaponsmaster spell it out in a later chapter.
Also, I have tried to keep the description of the final battle consistent with Mercedes Lackey's telling in Exile's Valor. To do so, I have had to use some of her words as spoken by Alberich and Selenay. This is not an attempt to plagiarize Ms. Lackey, but merely an attempt to keep the narrative consistent with her work.]