Serenity Valley (26 page)

Bells couldn’t help but tease Goodwin.
“Dear husband, would you like to see what I bought
today?”

Goodwin said, “Oh, yes please, my
little sorceress.” Basilea, Fulk, and I looked at one another with
scarlet faces.

Bells said, “I got this fan to
complete my outfit. Do you like it, dear husband?” Bells flicked
the fan open and covered all of her face but her golden eyes, which
she started to flash.

“Oh, yes, my innocent, let me show you
how much I like it!”

That was enough. Fulk cleared his
throat, “Well, I need to get to bed now.”

Basilea and I made the
same statement and hurried out of the room as quickly as possible.
So ended the first day of festival.
What a
good day
, I thought.
How lucky I am to have Basilea and all of my friends with
me!

Not wanting Demon to wake us with a
cold water dousing like previous mornings, I set a trap for him.
While Demon and Mildred were busy eating, I put my plan in play. I
had fashioned a flat stick that I wedged into the stone crevice
directly above the center of my window. Balanced on top of the
stick, I placed a small metal pot filled with water. I had
collected several long horse hairs and tied them together, forming
a strong and almost invisible string. One end of the string was
tied to the kettle handle, and the other end to a horseshoe nail I
drove into the bottom center of the window opening. I stood back
and admired my work. If Demon came to the window to shower us with
cold water, he would trip the kettle. He had earned himself a good
scare, and I couldn’t wait to see him with cold water in his
face.

As had happened previously, my
personal body warmer, Basilea, got me too hot during the night. I
got up and opened the shuttered window. I murmured under by breath,
“All right, try your game now, Demon. You’re in for a
surprise.”

Just before daylight, Basilea and I
were jolted from our sleep by a shower of ice-cold water. We jumped
out of bed, gasping for breath. “DEMON! I'm coming for you, Demon!”
I could just make out a shape in the window. Something was
different this time; Demon held the kettle in his mouth. He
whinnied and bobbed his head up and down, turned from the window,
squealed, and ran away. He had used my own trap on me! This was
getting out of hand. Horses were not to be figuring things out like
this.

Fulk stirred in his bed. “Problems
with your horse, Gamel?” he asked. He was laughing at us while we
tried to dry the icy water from our faces.

As we were all up early anyway,
Basilea decided we would have a good meal. Goodwin and Bells
couldn’t stay, so they headed for the main house under cover of
darkness. Fulk and I cooked pork strips and eggs on the hearth
while Basilea put a batch of her monstrous biscuits in her clay
oven. A huge kettle of tea was hung in the hearth.

Fulk, Basilea, and I sat at the large
table once everything was ready, and I asked Basilea, “How did you
and the ladies make out on bread sales yesterday?”

“Beyond all expectations. We filled a
huge pot with coin yesterday. It took two of the staff to carry it
to the main house. We only charge three silver pennies per loaf,
but it adds up when you sell so many.”

Fulk asked, “How is all the money to
be divided up?”

“We all agreed that after we pay for
all the ingredients we use, the total amount remaining will be
split among all the kitchen staff.”

“You mean among the ladies working the
bread tent?”

“Those working the bread tent and the
ones in the kitchen as well. It’s only fair that all get a share.
Those working in the kitchen are doing double the work while the
bread tent is manned. Everyone does their part.”

Fulk responded, “That seems to be
fair. You might want to touch base with the master accountant and
have your earnings logged and placed in the hold vault until it’s
divided. You’re going to run out of kettles to put it in. Besides,
if someone like Trina’s husband gets wind of it, you will come up
missing your earnings.”

“That’s a good idea, Fulk. I’ll
arrange it this morning.”

“Oh, by the way, you two,” I spoke up,
“if anyone ever needs money, this will be in the kitchen cabinet.”
I pulled back the flap of my britches pocket and pulled out the bag
of coin Forwin had given me. It made a loud clank and jingle as it
hit the table.

With wide eyes, Basilea asked, “What’s
that!”

“It’s our commission for helping
Forwin’s sales,” I said. Fulk and I explained what had been
happening with the rich lords, how easy it was to use their
jealousy to get them to spend money on goods made at the
hold.

Basilea was giggling by the time we
were finished. “I’m not sure it’s very nice to take advantage of
the weak-minded.”

Fulk chirped in with, “No one’s
forcing them to do anything. If they think a new pair of boots will
make their holds more like ours, well, there just isn’t much hope
for them, is there?” We all chuckled a little.

“How much money is in that bag,
Gamel?” Basilea asked when we had quieted. “I don’t know. I haven’t
looked in it.”

“You really don’t care very much about
money, do you? You spent your coin buying presents for everyone
else. You just don’t care, do you?”

“The best things in life cannot be
purchased.” I winked at Basilea. “And I did buy something for
myself.”

“What would that be, sir?”

“Why, these fine boots I’m wearing, of
course.”

Fulk was shaking his head. “I just
don’t know if there is hope for you, Gamel.” He picked up the bag
of coin and opened the top. “My word! There must be twenty gold in
here!”

I said, “Well, it’ll be here if
anybody needs it.” I retrieved the bag, strode to the kitchen, and
threw it behind a pot on the top shelf of the storage
cabinet.

Fulk was still shaking his head as he
said, “Nope, no hope at all!”

Basilea smiled. “Well, it’s good to
have something for an emergency. By the way, good sir, are you
taking me to theatre this evening?”

“Why, of course I am, my princess.
This entire festival is but for one purpose: to place a smile upon
a face as beautiful as the evening sunset over the Enola
Mountains.”

“Why, thank you, good sir. Fulk, are
you taking Nesta?”

“Oh, yes, there is a different theatre
group playing tonight,” Fulk answered. “The presentation is going
to be about the crusades.”

“You and Nesta can meet up with Gamel
and me. We can go together. I miss Nesta; I hardly see her
anymore.”

“Basilea, if you and Fulk see to the
food, I will go feed the horses. I need to look for the kettle
anyway.”

Fulk jibed, “Good luck with
that!”

I went out the front door and greeted
the posted guard. “Good morning, Thereon; how goes it?”

“All is well, Gamel,” he replied.
“Should have food for you in a few minutes.”

“Much appreciated, Gamel.”

I fed the horses and topped their
water off from the well, then climbed the fence to begin the search
for the kettle.

Demon and Mildred were both eating,
but they watched as I searched the turnout. After a while, I said,
“Okay, Demon, where did you put the kettle?” Demon just whinnied
and shook his head back and forth playfully. “No help from you
then, aye?” I heard a snort as I resumed my search. While searching
the rear open paddock, I sensed something was not right. The back
of my neck was burning, and my hair felt like it was standing on
end. I took cover behind a large tree and scanned for a presence. I
withdrew a hoof pick from my pocket and held it tightly in my right
hand. Then I saw it: a form in the shape of a man, slowly moving
toward me. Something else caught my attention, a disturbance in the
air around me. I looked to my left side and found Demon next to me,
his eyes fixed on the man thing approaching us. I yelled out,
“Halt! Who goes there?”

Within moments, three guards were next
to Demon and me, with weapons drawn.

“Oh, sheath your weapons before ya
bloody fools hurt yourselves. It’s me, Ox!”

I called out, “Master Ox, what brings
you out this good morning?” I noticed he was wearing full battle
attire. His chain mail was covered with a lightweight scaled armor,
and his belt contained an array of throwing knives, short sword,
and a dagger. On his back was a large quiver of arrows, and on his
shoulder, his bow. I had never seen Ox dressed for battle. He made
a very imposing image. He had a very serious look on his face as he
answered, “Gamel, Thereon, I needs to talk ta ya inside right
now!”

The three of us quickly made our way
into the house, where a somewhat alarmed Basilea and Fulk were just
finishing the assembly of break fast biscuits. Ox promptly made his
way to the table, sat down, and started eating a biscuit. After a
sample, he said, “Hey, this be really good. Been out scouting all
night, could eat a whole goat on da hoof 'bout now!” Basilea poured
him a mug of hot tea, and we all sat down around the table as he
continued. “I been tracking since yesterday afternoon some scum;
least three been doin' reconnaissance round da perimeter of ta
hold. Mostly just standin' in ta edge a da treeline an' such. Being
ah advance scout party fer a group, I believes. Found this in da
turnout.” Ox produced a light brown blood-soaked piece of tan
linen. “Guess he met yer beastie last night; bet he shat himself
good!” He laughed loudly while we all sat there with concerned
looks. Realizing the solemn mood in the room, he stopped laughing
and started talking again. “Oh, come on, no one killed da cat.
Ain’t notin' goin' ta happen we ain’t goin' ta handle, by God!
Thereon, what be da plans fer Lord an Lady today?”

“They plan to entertain the noble
families in the main house during the day and attend theatre this
evening.”

“Notin' going ta happen in ta main
house, security too good. Get wit' Terric an tell 'em no more
walkabout for Lord an' Lady. Sayer cun give tours of da stables an
such. I want guards, twenty should do, cloaked an smocked in ta
crowd ta blend in wit the normal folk at all times. When Lord an
Lady attends theatre dis evening, I want Basilea an' Gamel wit um
at all times. Fulk, you wit me after ta midday meal.”

“Master Ox, where will the two of you
be?” I asked.

“We will be 'round. You probly won’t
be knowin' where, but we be seeing ya ta whole time. You children
be wearing smocks and cloaks ta cover yer weapons. They won’t not
be expectin' fierce children such as you. Thereon, tell Terric ta
have a mounted squad ready fer any dat try escape in da woods; got
ta get um all or dey be comin' back ta us. Most likely place they
be tryin' is da theatre or afterward.”

“If we know they will try, why not
just have the lord and lady stay in today?” I broke in to
ask.

“Da bastards will just wait fer
'nother try, 'haps one we not ready fer. Dey only be interested in
killin'. They have no honor 'cept they kill or die tryin', an dey
don’t be doin' no talkin'. Don’t be a wounding um, just send um ta
hell. Dey won’t be lackin of company there. Now I be gettin' some
shut-eye here by ta fire fer a couple hours. You go on 'bouts yer
business like everything be normal.” With that statement, Ox went
to the big chair by the hearth, leaned his quiver and bow against
the back of it, stretched out, and promptly began to snore. Basilea
got a blanket from the sleeping quarters and covered him up. “Thank
you, child” was all Ox said. Then the snoring started
again.

Thereon looked at the three of us with
a worried expression. He said, “I must find Captain Terric. I will
see you later, then.”

Basilea stopped him at the door,
handing him one of the biscuits. “Here, eat this on the way to the
armory. You don’t know when you’ll eat next!”

Thereon took the biscuit. “Thank you.”
He was out the front door in a flash. Some curt talking took place
outside. The sounds of quick footsteps were heard shortly after
that.

Basilea and Fulk loaded a tray with
biscuits and hot tea for the guards outside. I went to the desk and
got drawing materials. When Basilea and Fulk returned, I said,
“Let’s do a bit of planning, shall we?” They each took a chair, one
on either side of me. I was busy drawing the festival grounds on a
piece of parchment. “If we have to do this, let’s pick the spot for
it,” I said.

“I’m with you,” Fulk said. “At least
that way we can have the advantage.”

I finished drawing the layout with the
stage and added the treeline on the southern edge of the grounds.
“Fulk, what distance can you and Ox shoot a moving target with
accuracy?”

“About sixty yards for a running
target. More than that takes the arrow too long to hit, and the
target can change course.”

“Basilea and I will be with Bells and
Goodwin here.” I drew an X on the diagram. “That will be fifty
yards from the treeline. Can you and Ox set up good vantage points
around this area?”

“No problem. We will take the high
ground, or in this case, the high trees.”