She stopped moving so as to listen more closely. A gruff, gutteral voice that she didn't know was saying, "They have to die, of course."
"Could it not wait for a few days?" came Sir Carius's voice, no longer quietly assured but faint and trembling. "At least let the girl live for a while. My daughter has no friends."
"Your daughter has more gold than Queen Guinevere," a third voice interjected. "Let that be enough for her. We can't let any of them live. Wendel says that at least one of them had been wandering about the castle, and we don't know what they might have found."
"But—"
"You'll do what you're told," said the first voice. "Tell them you're taking them to mass in the morning and lead them out to the courtyard. We'll handle it from there."
"Yes, sir," Sir Carius said, faint and weary-sounding.
These must be the Brothers, those demon men who had inspired such fear in Dorothea, Luneta thought. She heard their steps moving toward the chamber door and realized suddenly that she was in plain sight of anyone stepping from that room. Leaping forward to the next door, which providentially was unbarred, she opened it and slipped inside. Then she froze, seeing a fire burning in the hearth, but a moment later she relaxed: by the fire were Ywain and Rhience. Holding a warning finger to her lips, Luneta listened at the door until the Brothers had left Sir Carius's room and passed by. When at last their heavy footsteps had faded, she turned to her friends. "They're planning to kill us in the morning," she said.
"You heard them?" Rhience asked.
Luneta nodded. "Sir Carius will get us up for mass tomorrow, lead us out to the courtyard, and these Brothers that everyone's so afraid of will be waiting."
"I'll need a weapon," Ywain said, his eyes bright. "My sword is in the little stone building just east of the stables."
"They'll have it locked," Rhience said.
"Maybe I can open it," Luneta said. "Let's go try, at least." Then she froze and put her fingers to her lips again. Someone was padding softly down the hall. She pointed at the door and the others nodded. Then, while they waited, they heard the gentle scrape of a wooden bar being dropped into place outside the door. They were barred in. Luneta looked around quickly, but there were no windows. The soft footsteps whispered away.
Rhience sighed. "And we only have two beds," he said. Neither spoke, and Rhience shrugged. "Never mind. I like sleeping in chairs."
After a brief conference, they came up with a plan, such as it was. As soon as they reached the courtyard the next morning, they would rush for the stone storage room and try to get Ywain's weapons. There was a chance that a sudden dash would take their assassins by surprise and give them some time. Having come to this decision, Ywain chose a club from the woodpile by the fire. It wasn't very long, but it was as thick as his wrist and seemed strong. Then, with a carefree smile, he turned in and was asleep immediately.
"He's enjoying this, isn't he?" Luneta asked.
Rhience nodded. "He'll do what he can to avoid fighting now, but when he can't escape it, he embraces the challenge. He's born to fight."
"Insana," Luneta said.
"Insanus," Rhience corrected in a stern voice. "One must use the masculine form of the adjective when speaking of a male lunatic. Now do it right."
"Insani," Luneta said. "Masculine plural." Then she went to bed.
Sir Garius led them down a narrow stairway, apologizing as he walked ahead of them that Floria wasn't able to join them. "She's hardly ever ill," he was saying, "but she looked so pale this morning, I felt she should stay in bed."
More like you didn't want her to see us being murdered, Luneta thought briefly, but she was too busy listening ahead of them to dwell on Sir Carius's lies. At last, as they approached a door leading out to the courtyard, she heard what she was after, faint rustlings of clothing and shuffling of feet. She leaned close to Ywain and whispered, "They're on either side of that doorway."
"I'll just go ahead of you here," Sir Garius said, his voice shaking slightly, but Ywain reached out swiftly and grasped him by the collar. Taken completely by surprise, Sir Carius made no sound as Ywain dumped him unceremoniously behind them and then with a powerful shove propelled Rhience and Luneta before him out the door and into the open courtyard.
The Brothers must have been waiting for Sir Garius to come out first, because they didn't strike. Rhience and Luneta sprawled face-first into the dusty yard, but from the corner of her eye Luneta saw that Ywain had already spun around like a cat and smashed his short cudgel against one of the Brothers' shins. An amazingly large shin. A howl of pain broke the silence, and then the other Brother brought a heavy axe down on the spot where Ywain had been a moment before.
Luneta became aware of Rhience shouting in her ear. "Quick, Luneta, to the storeroom!" he called, and Luneta turned away from the battle to race after him. He led her to a small stone structure, just where Ywain had said it would be, and they tugged at the door. It was locked.
"I'll go get my sword," Rhience shouted, racing into the stables, but Luneta barely heard him. Instead, she went to a small barred window to the left of the storeroom door and peered in. For a long moment she could see nothing, but when her eyes adjusted to the gloom inside, she made out the shape of Ywain's sword against the far wall. The sounds of battle grew closer, but she resolutely ignored them. Reaching her hand through the bars, she uttered a sharp command, and Ywain's sword leaped from its scabbard and flew across to her waiting grasp. Drawing the blade through the window, she whirled around to see Ywain backing slowly away from two of the largest men that Luneta had ever seen. Both carried halberds that would have been too long for most men but that looked small in their massive paws. Their cruel faces grinned with anticipation as they raised their weapons to strike.
"Ywain!" Luneta screamed, throwing the sword to her cousin. The Brothers halted their advance for a second when she screamed, and Ywain snatched the sword deftly from the air and struck. He dived forward and to his right as his sword flashed, which placed one of the Brothers between him and the other. Both Brothers were frozen for a moment, as Ywain landed, rolled, and sprang back to his feet, and then Luneta realized that the first Brother was staring stupidly at the stump that had been his forearm. His hand, still clutching the halberd, lay in the dirt at his feet.
As one, the Brothers began screaming with berserk fury and threw themselves at Ywain, but he had the open courtyard behind him now and, being faster than his pursuers, was able to stay out of their reach. Rhience came panting up out of the stables. "My sword is gone," he said, "but I found your saddlebags. Is there something in here you could use?"
Luneta shook her head numbly. She had no weapons among her magical supplies. But at that moment a low growl from behind her cleared her head. "Lass!" she said. The lioness was locked in the storeroom. "Stand back!" Luneta shouted, rummaging in her bags. A moment later, she produced a clay flask filled with white powder. Dusting the storeroom door with the powder, she called in a firm voice, " Attun nurah!" and the door burst into white flames.
"Not bad," murmured Rhience's voice in her ear. "Can you do that with damp wood, too? Sometimes on the trail I have the deuce of a time—"
"Stand back, I said," she snapped. Waving her hand again, she called out, "Tal shemayah!" and the flames stopped abruptly. All that was left of the door was a smoking black hole ringed with a few charred fragments of wood. Then a long, tawny shape flew through the doorway and streaked across the courtyard toward Ywain and the Brothers.
The next few moments were a flurry of sound and motion. As Ywain told the story later, he had been penned into a corner and was about to be killed when Lass came to his rescue. Luneta didn't remember Ywain being so hard-pressed, but she always let Ywain tell the story his way. What was certain was that Lass struck one of the Brothers on the back, ripping with her claws and slashing with her great fangs, making that Brother bellow with surprise and rage and turn sharply around. Immediately, Ywain sliced off the head of the other Brother, and a few momen
ts later, both Brothers lay dead in the courtyard.
Suddenly trembling and weak, Luneta sank to her knees, unable to tear her eyes from the monstrous bodies of the two horrible Brothers. "It's over, then?" she whispered.
"Not yet," Rhience said, gripping her shoulder reassuringly. "You stay here with Ywain and Lass. I'll be back in a few minutes." He strode across the courtyard to the front door that they had entered by the day before and disappeared inside. Ywain rumpled the lioness's ears and scratched her head, then the two of them walked back to Luneta.
"Are you hurt, cousin?" Ywain asked, seeing her kneeling in the dust. Luneta shook her head and smiled. Ywain grinned back at her. "Thanks for the sword—and for freeing Lass. It was looking a bit grim there." Taking Luneta's hand, Ywain raised her to her feet.
"No one else could have won such a battle," Luneta said.
"Of course not," Ywain replied. "No one else has a lion."
"Lioness," Luneta murmured.
The doors of the castle burst open and Sir Garius and Floria rushed out joyfully. Gazing with delight at the prone figures of the two Brothers, Sir Carius said, "The Knight of the Lion! Such a battle! Sir, I am forever in your debt! Ever since those two demon spawn came to this land, eleven long years ago, they have held me in their power. They sent me to war against my wishes! They have kept me and my daughter veritable prisoners in our own castle! I dared not cross their will in anything! But you have delivered us! Sir Knight"—Sir Carius took a deep breath and lifted his chin—"In return for your bravery, I offer you the most precious gift I could ever give! I offer you my daughter's hand in marriage!"
Luneta blinked and looked at Floria, but the blushing girl was gazing limpidly up into Ywain's face and was clearly not at all averse to her father's plan.
"But I don't want to marry your daughter," Ywain said simply. Sir Carius and Floria looked stunned, and Ywain continued, "I ask a different gift instead."
"What is that, Sir Knight?" Sir Carius said, his voice far more restrained.
"Set your prisoners free," Ywain said.
For a long moment, no one spoke, and then Sir Carius replied in a mild voice, "Prisoners? I have no prisoners."
Ywain's tone grew harder. "The women who live as slaves in your castle, sewing the fine products of Diradvent."
Sir Carius smiled, but without enthusiasm. "Oh, the workers! But they aren't prisoners! Why, those women are artists who have come to us to ply their skill! They are free to leave whenever they wish!"
"Sir Carius," Ywain said sternly, "they live behind barred doors in darkness, working as slaves. I gave you a chance to prove yourself a man of honor, and if you had agreed to let these poor women go, perhaps you could have claimed that you never meant such evil. Then you would have appeared a coward but not a villain. You refused, though."
"But all our land's prosperity comes from the women's wares! The well-being of all our people!" Sir Carius exclaimed. "Before the Brothers came, I was a poor baron, barely surviving off the rents of our land!"
"Nevertheless, you must set the women free," Ywain said.
"I won't!" Sir Carius declared.
"Never mind, Ywain," Luneta said, chuckling suddenly. She pointed at the main entrance of the castle, where Rhience had suddenly appeared. He had the slender servant who had met them the day before by the scruff of the neck and was dragging him along, while behind him strode the woman Sophia, followed by a flood of ragged and emaciated women. The women blinked and gazed about them as they stepped into the light, but they stayed behind Sophia and Rhience.
"Lady Sophia," Ywain said, as Rhience and Sophia drew near.
"I am no lady," Sophia replied. "I am a miller's daughter."
"Do not contradict me, Lady Sophia," Ywain said. "Welcome back to the world of the living."
Sophia shook her head slightly, but only said, "World of the living, indeed. Until now, we were like the dead, in a tomb. This is no less than a resurrection."
"Please, Father," Floria said suddenly, ignoring Ywain and Sophia. "Aren't the women going to sew for us anymore?"
Luneta looked uncomprehendingly at Floria. She had known all along about her father's slave labor.
"No, they are not," Ywain replied firmly.
"But, won't that change everything?" Floria asked, her eyes wide with sudden worry. "I mean, will we still have nice things?"
Luneta, Rhience, and Ywain stared at Floria. At last Ywain said, "Not the same ones, at any rate." Then, in a ringing voice, he declared, "I claim this castle by right of conquest! I have slain the true rulers of this land; now it is mine to do with as I will!" He raised his reddened sword in the air and called out, "Does anyone dispute my claim?"
Floria tugged on her father's sleeve, but Sir Carius stared at the ground and said nothing.
Ywain turned to Sophia. "Lady Sophia, yesterday you had a chance to leave your prison, but you stayed to protect others. This was the act of a great queen. I give this castle, and all its lands, buildings, and treasures, to you. Do with it as you deem best."
"No!" cried Sir Garius in a wrenching voice.
Sophia ignored him and nodded gravely at Ywain. "I accept," she said. Turning to the other women, she shouted, "You are free now! Whether you wish to go or stay, I will see to it that you are cared for!" A few ladies cheered, but most seemed too weak. They could only smile.
"And what about Sir Carius and his daughter, my lady?" Rhience asked.
Sophia considered them for a moment, then said, "You must leave this land. You may each take a horse and whatever you can pack in one bag, but do not return."
"You are too generous to them, my lady," Ywain said, his voice harsh. "Sir Carius is no less a murderer than the Brothers, even if he was just doing as he was told."
Sophia shook her head. "They are losing everything that they care for. It is enough."
Sir Carius stamped his foot and said, "This is not lawful!"
Ywain turned hard eyes on the old man. "Accept the grace that has been offered you. Go pack your bags or leave without them."
Slowly at first, then with sudden frenzy, Sir Carius turned and ran back into the castle, doubtless to fill a bag with gold and precious gems. Weeping with anger and frustration, Floria ran after him, screaming as she ran, "Why didn't you stop them? I don't want to leave the castle! Why didn't you do something?"
Rhience shook his head sadly. "Whatever they take away, they'll spend it in a month, and then they'll never let each other forget that one time they were rich. It would almost be kinder to kill them now." Then he shook the velvet servant, whom he still held by the collar. "And what about this miserable worm?"
Sophia hesitated, and Ywain said, "May I make a suggestion?" Sophia nodded, and Ywain rumpled Lass's ears. "My friend here is hungry. This fellow promised to feed her last night, but he did not. I would imagine that she could finish him off by evening."
The servant gave a yelp, wrenched himself free from Rhience's grasp, and sprinted toward the castle gate.
Sophia watched him run until he was out of sight, and then looked at Ywain and Rhience. "To say the truth, we're all hungry. Is there any food in this castle you've given me?"
Rhience chuckled. "Is there any food?" he repeated. "Just come with me to the kitchens and see."
XI. The Mightiest Battle Ever
The next few days were busy for Luneta, Rhience, and Ywain. Having given Sir Carius's castle and lands to Sophia, Ywain couldn't simply ride away and leave her to get established on her own, so they all stayed and pitched in. To begin, they had to go through the whole castle and explain to its inhabitants the change in their circumstances. A few servants and guards left, but not many: nearly everyone was so pleased at the death of the cruel Brothers and the departure of the weak Sir Garius that they were inclined to accept any alternative without question. Once they had met Sophia, they accepted her for her own sake.
After that, the freed women were given the choice of returning to their old homes on the Isle of Wight or of stayi
ng in the castle with Sophia. Since the king of Wight had generally selected orphans and childless widows to send away, though, few had any reason to return to the king who had handed them into slavery, and all but a dozen or so decided to stay. Those who chose to return were given gifts out of Sir Carius's amassed wealth and sent home with an escort, and those who stayed were fed and clothed and given their own rooms. That was the next task: to open up all the closed and dusty bedchambers. There was a great housecleaning throughout the castle as servants and women aired and dusted the rooms and carpenters cut all the bars away from the doors. The day after this was done, though, a small delegation of the women brought a surprising request to Sophia, who was sitting with Luneta and Rhience in Sir Carius's old parlor. The women wanted to begin sewing again.
"Can you be serious?" Sophia asked with astonishment.
"Yes, my lady," said the leader of the delegation, a middle-aged woman named Anna. "It is what we're good at."
"But it's what you did as slaves! And, besides, not all the ladies were good at sewing. I know I wasn't."
"No, my lady," Anna replied. "But nearly all of us are. You see, the ones who weren't good at it were the ones who..." She hesitated.
"Who were beaten and died," Sophia said.
"That's right, my lady."
"Anna," Sophia said seriously, "I hope that you aren't offering this labor with some idea of paying for your keep. Because you don't have to pay for anything. Every farthing that I spend on your food and shelter has already come from your labor."
"I won't deny that that's a part of it," Anna said steadfastly. "We would like to do our bit to support the castle. But that's only part. You see, one of the sisters heard the Knight of the Lion say that he knew about our work, so we went to ask him about it. He says that the tapestries and embroideries of Diradvent are famous all over England. That's our work, that is. We're famous for what we can do, and it's a proud feeling." Sophia opened her mouth to argue, but Anna pressed on determinedly. "So we were wondering. There are two big sitting rooms on the second level here, connected by a big door, and those rooms have rich chairs to sit in and big fireplaces, and we wondered if you wouldn't mind giving us those rooms to sew in."