The Frightful Dance (The King of Three Bloods Book 2)

by Russ L. Howard

  Fliers will be sent out to all the surrounding settlements so that if anyone knows the circumstances of this case, then they are to report in person or by writing to the Grand Jury at Witan Jewell on or before the fifth day of the Moonth of Leaf Change, the Holy Moonth.

  There are still two moonths before the final determination is announced. All those who love and know Lord Sur Sceaf are praying and sweeping the settlements to find anyone who can give more light on the case of Gal Fawkes versus Lord Sur Sceaf. This will be the first case to be tried under the newly established Rule of Law. It was deemed necessary by the Council of the Three Tribes so that an impartial system of justice could be applied equally across all three tribes. [Heretofore, each tribe had its own customary laws, which greatly conflicted with one another’s laws. The Herewardi used seers to scry matters. Final judgments were passed by the king or his officials. The Quailor judged by a body of twelve priests who adhered to rules set down in the Book of Martyrs. The Sharaka judged all matters under a council of talking chiefs.]

  The matter has gone to print in Hoth’s Kat Sheet. Still, many people cannot resist the urge to indulge in tawdry gossip, whether it be true or not. Normally, this broad sheet has limited readership, but recently it has exploded throughout the surrounding communities requiring the hiring of many youth for its distribution. In my estimation, this so called newspaper prints daily smut not worthy of reading and slanders the noblest among us.

  * * *

  The day before their departure, Sur Sceaf called a meeting with his commanders and showed how their plans were to merge with the Quailor along the exodus. One of the concerns was outlining the order in which they would travel to maximize safety and the efficiency of making camp at night. Elijah and the Hickoryan drovers discussed how they would commingle their cattle. So far everything was running quite smoothly, but he wanted to prepare for any unforeseen glitches.

  It was still early morning when Sur Sceaf walked with Elijah, who was carrying a large carpetbag. They were accompanied by Mendaka, Redelfis, and Ilkchild to the covered bridge where they planned to meet Lana and her family for the Grand Assembly at the Ineffable Tree for a picnic and the Raising, a Quailor ceremony held upon their departure from any land they had lived in. Sur Sceaf ordered fyrds and dog soldiers posted at every gate into the city and about the tree for added security.

  Along the way, Mendaka remarked, “I am really surprised there are so few buggies on the road if this is to be such a major event.”

  “Praise Hollar!” Elijah said, an expression many of the older Quailor used in referring to the deliverance Ludwig Hollar had once wrought. “I chose to come by way of the South Road where we met Zrael the other day, because they all want to park as close to the tree as possible. Almost no one parks over on this road and its easy access makes it better than eating the dust of the hundreds of buggies and wagons that will clog the main road.”

  Lana and her family had not yet arrived at the red covered bridge. Sur Sceaf scanned the sun and saw they had arrived a little early. Sometime after he had visited there ten years ago this bridge had replaced the white covered bridge he remembered. Built out of stout timbers and planks, roofed in cedar shingles, it had three large open windows on each side, viewing to the east and to the west. It straddled the meandering Melchizedek River as the exit into the sparsely populated Herewardi and Quailor settlements on the outskirts of Salem proper.

  Ilkchild who had apparently been studying the three hexes painted on the side of the bridge, turned to Elijah to ask. “Brother Elijah,” Ilkchild asked, “these hexes seem different from the other hexes I’ve seen. Do they have a special meaning?”

  Elijah brightened, sat down his carpetbag, and explained, “An excellent observation Young Blood Ilkchild. It is called the barnstar. As thou seest, each point on that five-pointed star is a different color, representing one of the original five peoples who have come to be called Quailor. Over five hundred years ago these five peoples were forced into the same labor camp because of their religious beliefs. Originally there were hundreds of sects, but of those hundreds, the Quakers, the Hutterites, the Dunkards, the Amish, and the Mennonites chose to join together as one. This was during the time they were enslaved by the Pitter Empire in forced labor camps at the place called Gettisbuhr, now referred to as Hormah. They were placed in labor camps and compelled to supply the agricultural needs of the Pitters and toiled endlessly. The Book of Martyrs says the Herewardi General, Howrus, broke them free. At the same time, the City-State of Heredom on the banks of the Big Springs was being overrun by a combination of Pitter and Vardropi forces which slew King Hrus-Syr-Os.”

  Elijah glanced at Sur Sceaf for confirmation and he nodded. “Since that time,” Elijah continued, “the peoples joined as one and decided to call themselves Quailors meaning those who had suffered in bitter bondage under the Pitter Empire. From then, until now, because we are a defenseless people, we have traveled and lived under the wing of the Herewardi for protection. Where they went, we went.”

  Pounding of hoof beats interrupted them.

  Sur Sceaf glanced at an approaching cloud of dust and issued a swift warning. “Watch out! Here comes a racing buggy through the bridge. It might even be a run away, from the sounds of it.”

  Pigeons exploded from the rafters and swallows darted out the windows in all directions, disturbed by the rolling thunder of buggy wheels on the rough-hewn wooden planks. The speeding buggy whizzed through the covered bridge and echoed with feminine laughter. The thwacking of mule hooves revealed it was a buggy full of Quailor maidens who emerged from the bridge and pulled to a swift and sudden halt.

  “Whoa, Jezebelle! Whoa Thulebelle!” A cloud of dust surrounded the three maidens in their open buggy. The two sorrel mules were heavily lathered and breathing hard, their nostrils flaring. The mules snorted their disapproval at being forced to such a sudden halt. The maidens just sat there and offered side-long glances at the boys as the dust settled.

  “We’re sorry,” a young girl with a few of her blond curls breaking free from under her tiechl and reins in hand said. “Thy appearance didst surprise us. We had no idea anyone would be walking through the bridge today. We chust came this way because we love to hear the pounding of the planks and the rise in the buggy when we pass over the tickle bump.”

  Ilkchild ever the flirt, said with a grin and in his usual charm, “Out for a joy ride are we, my ladies.”

  The girls giggled before the driver explained, “My father and my uncle came early to help with the preparations. So we took the buggy.”

  A petite blond in the back asked shyly, “Art thou a fyrd soldier?”

  This time Redelfis answered, “We are fyrd warriors of young blood rank.”

  The only dark haired girl pushed at the driver’s arm. “Ask them, ask them.” She urged with a coquettish glance at Ilkchild.

  Obediently, the driver asked, “Will ye be traveling with us on the exodus?”

  “Yes,” the young bloods answered in unison.

  Sur Sceaf and Mendaka exchanged looks at the young bloods’ enthusiasm.

  The driver responded, “Well, we do hope to see you then. I am Bruna and this is Ingrid,” she pointed to the dark haired skinny girl seated next to her, “and this is Goldie, in the back,” a short smiling girl held up her hand. “We so hope to meet you there. Although it is forbidden to mingle, there are always places where the dycon’s eyes do not reach.”

  “Alright,” Elijah said. “Ye springing lambs will see enough of these handsome young rams later. It is past time to be loitering. If ye do not head for the buggy parking soon, there will be little space. Now suffer us our peace and be on your way.” They smiled and waved goodbye. The driver took up her reins just as Elijah brought the palm of his hand down on Lulabelle’s rump. Both mules bolted and the buggy rolled off in another cloud of dust.

  Elijah struck his staff to the planks as the five of them moved back into the bridge again. “This chance meeting with the young bloods
, I’ll have you know, is the type of occurrence that sets the dycons’ teeth on edge. I liken it to a noose. They will make tighter and tighter rules about communicating with any outsiders. My belief is, it doeth no harm for them to look across the fence at each other, but the dycons don’t even want them to talk to non-believers.” The corners of his mouth twitched as he teased. “Might even end up like that Lana Durer, married to a lusty Herewardi Devil.”

  As the others laughed, Sur Sceaf said, “They should be so lucky.”

  Sur Sceaf declared, “It would be easier for the dycons to try and stop the mighty Melchizedek River with their hand than to stand in front of the stampeding hooves of youthful emotion. Still, I have issued orders to those under my command to avoid all unnecessary fraternization. The last thing we need is more trouble from within.”

  Sur Sceaf paused to look through one of the bridge’s open windows at a magnificent tulip tree in full green leaf in the distance where it stood in the center of a wide hollow meadow. “The Ineffable!” He said. “It has grown even more magnificent since I left.”

  Ilkchild inquired, “Elijah, does Ineffable mean the bridge between Heaven and Ea-Urth?”

  “Yes, in a way. Although that is how you Herewardi think of trees. To us that tree is the embodiment of all Quailor hopes. It hath witnessed countless gatherings in this hollow, but I have never known it to bloom as long as it hath this year. The tales it could tell. And, I am sure today it shall speak to us of the Will of God.”

  The meadow was shaped like a large bowl with the Ineffable Tree at the north end, anchored with mighty roots just above the Melchizedek River. The land bowl was now three fourths full of Quailor. On both sides of the meadow were parked row after row of black buggies from which families were exiting in droves and clustering toward the towering tulip tree.

  Sur Sceaf walked to the other side of the bridge and saw a windmill with its tall arms reaching into the sky, the stream running beside it to the south. Hay had been stacked against it, making it ready for burning.

  “It grieves me, Elijah, to have to witness the destruction of all your labors of love. It is such a beautiful community. Es tut mir leid.”

  “I grieve that we have always thought ourselves so right, but I now see we have been so wrong. We are pacifists when the day calleth for warriors. Freedom must be purchased, it truly is not free and it cometh at great expense.”

  “Your people do no harm, so they expect no harm,” Mendaka offered.

  Elijah said, “We simply have to change to adapt to a world that is forever at war. When I look at the records of humanity, there was never a time without war. I must conclude, it is the natural state of man. I even found a scripture where Christ the Master said, ‘I am not come to bring peace, but the sword’.” He then walked into the sunlight, held his staff to the ground and took some time to read its shadow. “Almost high noon. The Durers better arrive soon or I’ll have to leave you here so I can begin the ceremony on time.”

  “I’m sure they will be here directly,” Sur Sceaf said. “But the delay gives me the opportunity to talk to you about Hartmut and Evangeline.”

  Elijah drooped his head. “The death of Evangeline and the other women was pivotal in the changing of the hearts of many who formerly followed the Retrenchment Movement. Most left under the advisement of the high priests. Once the full story was told, bitter rifts plagued this community, with many still quite angry at Fromer.”

  Sur Sceaf was saddened. “Lana wept for her friend when I told her of Evangeline’s death. I suspect she will weep even more. My poor friend Hartmut tried to be so cheerful yesterday, but his grief was written in the new lines I saw added to his face. Now I see it is no wonder he seems aged beyond his years. He carries irreversible loss.”

  “He chooseth not to talk about it much,” Elijah declared. “Many unmarried women and young widows consider him a fine catch. He is polite, as always, but never returneth their interest. I have excused him from his service in the Ephrata Society as a high priest because he would just break down and cry anytime he thought about what happened. And as for Fromer, Hartmut can’t look upon him without loathing. Me thinketh this wound will never heal.”

  Mendaka, who had been silently attending, offered, “I know how I would feel if something ever happened to Little Doe. I would surely take the path of a Wose.”

  Redelfis, standing at the far end of the bridge with Ilkchild shouted, “I see a buggy coming fast.”

  “Just in time,” Elijah said. “It’s time I slip into my priestly vestments.” He handed his hat to Sur Sceaf before reaching into his carpetbag to pull out a white, deep-hooded cowl. After pulling it over his clothing, he pulled out a cerulean blue sash and wrapped it about his waist.

  “If thou wouldst be so kind, Surrey, put my hat into the carpet bag.”

  The buggy slowed to a walk as it approached the bridge. This buggy, too, had its top folded down. “Hallo, hallo, hallo,” came from the buggy. Lana and her sisters yelled greetings from the buggy, while Lana blew Sur Sceaf her kisses.

  Friedrich halted his buggy up beside Sur Sceaf and his companions. The Durer patriarch was attired in his finest garb and Lilith’s garb was spotless, starched, and well-pressed.

  Lilith said, “I never thought I’d see a Raising in my day. ‘Twill be a grand tale for our grandchildren someday.”

  “Time is short. Go ahead of us.” Elijah waived them on. “We’ll keep pace and follow behind you.”

  Friedrich kept his horses to a walk while Sur Sceaf’s troop kept abreast. Just past the spot where they had met Zrael, the road took a dip by a break in the fence. Tracks led to an overgrown lane. With a command from Friedrich, the horses turned to the right. The grass in the meadow had been mown down by the sheep. Long lines of row after row of buggies and wagons were parked along the top of the swale stretching for as far as the eye could see. Friedrich followed the fence line to the buggies and parked. The people were casting their blankets and setting their picnic baskets on them. Here and there were clusters of men and women who were visiting with friends, while children were running and playing with barking dogs, frolicking together over the lawns. Mothers tended infants, some crying, some nursing, others kicked on the blankets. It seemed to Sur Sceaf the entire population of Salem had laid out picnics on the open mead.

  After Friedrich backed the carriage into a long line of buggies, Sur Sceaf assisted the women in alighting from it. He performed the introductions while the young bloods helped to carry the picnic baskets and the blankets. Verushka and Ludmilla headed off to find their families. As they walked over to the swale the noise level was as the sound of thunderous waters, punctuated by shrill cries of children and distant laughter. The entire swale was lined with blankets and people. Only a few small patches of grass were still visible. It was a fairly long walk to the spot at the front, where Hartmut said he would have them a place saved.

  As they carefully made their way between the blankets, Sur Sceaf spotted Hartmut standing at the head of the crowd waving his black hat.

  The young bloods helped Friedrich spread the blankets while Sur Sceaf and Mendaka sat down the picnic baskets. Lana immediately greeted the aged Lila and asked if she could sit with her and hear all the gossip.

  Lilith and Friedrich sat with the young bloods, while Sur Sceaf, Mendaka, and Hartmut settled together on another blanket. Lana and Lilith quickly spread the food out on the blankets and Friedrich opened the keg of beer while the young bloods occupied themselves by passing the wooden krugs around.

  Lilith said, “Eat hardy, it’ll be a long day and a day to remember. It is expected that we finish eating and drinking before the ceremony begineth.”

  As Sur Sceaf accepted a plate from Lilith he began stacking meats and breads, potato salad, red cabbage, sausages, and carrot cake. Just as he placed the carrot cake on his plate, Friedrich sounded off with the grace before he could even fold his arms or close his eyes. Sur Sceaf remembered his mo-fa taking him to the Ineffable Tree as a
young man and telling him that, ‘Someday great truths shall be dug out of these roots.’ Redith had held the trunk of the tree and prophesied a new day for the Quailor. But whether that was good or ill, he could not remember.

  Chapter 10 : The Ineffable Tree

  The ceremony began when Elijah plunged his staff in the ground, observed the absence of shadow and declared it was high noon and therefore the opening of the rite. The crowd quieted instantly with the exception of a crying baby here and there. Each high priest held large Quailor horns, with gold mouth-pieces and golden rims which had been constructed of large bull horns that stretched from fingertip to fingertip with arms fully extended, easily the length of a man. The gold mouth-pieces and rims glistened in the dazzling sun.

  At a signal from Elijah, the twelve priests blew one long blast in unison. Three facing south, three facing west, three north, and three east. As the low droning sound reverberated through the hollows, Elijah stood before the large spreading branches of the tulip tree with his deep white hooded cowl shimmering in the brilliant sunlight, giving him an almost heavenly appearance. He raised his arms for silence.

  Sun splashed the mighty liriodendron tree while stellar jays danced through its branches. Elijah went to the trunk of the tree and took up a spade which had specifically been placed there for the ceremony. The chief high priest’s deep drumming voice belted out beneath the strong arms of the towering tree, “Those of you here attending are greatly blessed to witness a ‘Raising,’ as most generations of Quailor have lived and died and never seen such. This liriodendron tree was named ‘Ineffable’ by the first Patriarch of Salem, Cornelius Halterman, who planted it and entombed the Holy Jars on the first day of their settling in Salem. Some four generations have passed since that time.” Elijah took up the spade propped against the trunk, strode thirty-three measured paces to a spot due west of the tree trunk.