The Well at the World's End: A Tale

  CHAPTER 7

  Of Their Riding the Waste, and of a Battle Thereon

  They slept in no house that night nor for many nights after; for theywere now fairly on the waste. They bore with them a light tent forUrsula's lodging benights, and the rest of them slept on the field asthey might; or should they come to a thicket or shaw, they would lodgethem there softly. Victual and drink failed them not, for they borewhat they needed on sumpter-horses, and shot some venison on the waywithal. They saw but few folk; for the most part naught save a fowlerof the waste, or a peat-cutter, who stood to look on the men-at-armsgoing by, and made obeisance to the token of Utterbol.

  But on a time, the fifth day of their journey, they saw, in themorning, spears not a few standing up against a thicket-side in theoffing. Redhead looked under the sharp of his hand, and laughed asthough he were glad, and said: "I know not clearly what these may be,but it looketh like war. Now, knight, this is best to do: hold withthee three of our best men, so that ye may safe guard the Lady, and Iwith the others will prick on and look into this."

  "Nay," said Ralph, "thou mayst yet be apaid of a man's aid; and ifthere be strokes on sale in the cheaping-stead yonder, I will dealalong with thee. Leave thy three men with the Lady, and let us on; weshall soon be back."

  "Nay once more, dear lord," quoth Ursula, "I fear to be left alone ofthee, and it is meet that thou free me from fear. I will ride withyou, but three horse-lengths behind, so as not to hinder you. I havebeen worse bestead than this shall be."

  "It is good," quoth Redhead, "let her ride with us: for why should shesuffer the pain of fear in the lonely waste? But let her do on ahauberk over her coats, and steel coif over her head, for shaft andbolt will ofttimes go astray."

  Even so they did, and rode forward, and presently they saw the spearmenthat they were somewhat more than their company, and that they werewell mounted on black horses and clad in black armour. Then they drewrein for awhile and Redhead scanned them again and said: "Yea, theseare the men of the brother of thy hot wooer, Lady Ursula, whom I cooledin the Ram's Bane, but a man well nigh as old as his uncle, though hehath not made men tremble so sore, albeit he be far the better man, agood warrior, a wise leader, a reiver and lifter well wrought at allpoints. Well, 'tis not unlike that we shall have to speak to his menagain, either out-going or home-coming: so we had best kill as many ofthese as we may now. Do on thy sallet, my lord; and thou,Michael-a-green shake out the Bull; and thou, our Noise, blow a pointof war that they may be warned. God to aid! but they be ready andspeedy!"

  In sooth even as the pennon of the Bull ran down the wind and theUtterbol horn was winded, the Black men-at-arms came on at a trot, andpresently with a great screeching yell cast their spears into the rest,and spurred on all they might, while a half score of bowmen who hadcome out of the thicket bent their bows and fell a-shooting. But nowthe men of Utterbol spurred to meet the foe, and as Redhead cast hisspear into the rest, he said to Ralph: "Glad am I that thy Lady isanear to see me, for now I worship her."

  Therewith the two bands met, and whereas on neither side was the armourvery stout, some men of either band were hurt or slain at once withspearthrust; though, save for Ralph, they did not run straight on eachother; but fenced and foined with their spears deftly enough. As forRalph, he smote a tall man full on the breast and pierced him throughand through, and then pulled out the Upmeads blade and smote on theright hand and the left, so that none came anigh him willingly.

  Shortly to say it, in five minutes' time the Black Riders were fleeingall over the field with them of Utterbol at their heels, and the bowmenran back again into the wood. But one of the foemen as he fled cast ajavelin at a venture, and who should be before it save Ursula, so thatshe reeled in her saddle, and would have fallen downright but for oneof the Utterbol fellows who stayed her, and got her gently off herhorse. This Ralph saw not, for he followed far in the chase, and wascoming back somewhat slowly along with Redhead, who was hurt, but notsorely. So when he came up, and saw Ursula sitting on the grass withfour or five men about her, he sickened for fear; but she rose up andcame slowly and pale-faced to meet him, and said: "Fear not, beloved,for steel kept out steel: I have no scratch or point or edge on me."So therewith he kissed her, and embraced her, and was glad.

  The Utterbol Riders had slain sixteen of their foemen; for they tooknone to mercy, and four of their band were slain outright, and sixhurt, but not grievously. So they tarried awhile on the field of deedto rest them and tend their wounded men, and so rode on again heedfully.

  But Redhead spake: "It is good to see thee tilting, King's Son. Idoubt me I shall never learn thy downright thrust. Dost thou rememberhow sorry a job I made of it, when we met in the lists at Vale Turristhat other day?"

  "Yea, yea," said Ralph. "Thou were best let that flea stick on thewall. For to-day, at least, I have seen thee play at sharps deftlyenough."

  Quoth Redhead: "Lord, it is naught, a five minutes' scramble. Thatwhich trieth a man, is to fight and overcome, and straight have tofight with fresh foemen, and yet again, till ye long for dark night tocover you--yea, or even death."

  "Warrior-like and wisely thou speakest," said Ralph; "and whoever thouservest thou shalt serve well. And now once more I would it were me."

  Redhead shook his head at that word, and said: "I would it might beso; but it will not be so as now."

  Forth on they rode, and slept in a wood that night, keeping good watch;but saw no more of the Black Riders for that time.

  On a day thereafter when it was nigh evening, Ralph looked about, andsaw a certain wood on the edge of a plain, and he stayed Ursula, andsaid: "Look round about, beloved; for this is the very field whereas Iwas betrayed into the hands of the men of Utterbol." She smiled on himand said: "Let me light down then, that I may kiss the earth of thatkind field, where thou wert not stayed over long, but even long enoughthat we might meet in the dark wood thereafter."

  "Sweetling," said Ralph, "this mayst thou do and grieve no man, noteven for a little. For lo you! the captain is staying thesumpter-beasts, and it is his mind, belike, that we shall sleep inyonder wood to-night." Therewith he lighted down and she in likewise:then he took her by the hand and led her on a few yards, and said: "Lo,beloved, this quicken-tree; hereby it was that the tent was pitchedwherein I lay the night when I was taken."

  She looked on him shyly and said: "Wilt thou not sleep here once moreto-night?"

  "Yea, well-beloved," said he, "I will bid them pitch thy tent on thissame place, that I may smell the wild thyme again, as I did that otherwhile."

  So there on the field of his ancient grief they rested that night inall love and content.