Habraham said, “Dear God, that’s Martin Gutweis, he was there with his pregnant wife and six children.”
Wose took another large gulp from the flask. Sur Sceaf said, “I do not wish to harrow up your soul, my brother, but spare us no detail, we are trying to put together a list of the living and the dead and every fact will help solve that puzzle.”
A wave of grief passed over Wose’s face. He took a deep breath and placed a log on the campfire to mask the impact of the emotions he was feeling, sending sparks flying Heavenward through the sheltering branches of the Tyranus Oak. “When I lifted the fence where I found Brother Gutweis, and his family, I beheld that the Pitters had even cut a baby out of the womb of his wife. The child had evidently come forth out of the womb alive, for it had its head smashed into the ground by one of the demons.” Fromer leaped up from the fire and ran out into the darkness and could be heard retching. Both Elijah and Habraham looked on horrified, as tears streamed down their cheeks. Rudolf sobbed with gut wrenching hiccups.
Wose looked to Sur Sceaf who nodded for him to continue. “I buried the dead Quailor whom I found. Then I realized there were also dead Columba Rogues buried here, for there were black bandanas with white doves on some of the fallen, tied to cross markers for their graves and a ray of hope entered me. Thinking perhaps the Rogues had rescued some of the Quailor.”
Fromer returned to the moot circle as pale as a ghost. Herewose inquired, “What did you do with the Pitters?”
“I left them for the fowl of the air and the beasts of the forest to devour. And then I attempted to read the battle through the tracks to see if some sense could be made of it. The Pitter tracks took too many divergent ways out of Salem so that it was difficult to decide whom to pursue. But as I tracked deeper I found fresh large tracks of Quailor Suffolk punchs and Columba Rogue horsemen. I easily trailed them back in the direction of the north to the Columba River. There I discovered their camp along the trail where Shug and his men were tending the injured Quailor survivors.” He cleared his throat and said, “If only I had come earlier.” He looked over at Shug before passing him the flask. “I think it best, you tell it from here.”
Shug took another swig before declaring, “We were passing by Salem on our way back from trading with the Tillamook Rogues of the Coast and noticed an unusually large plume of smoke rising from the direction of Salem. We assumed a Pitter raid must be in progress. I hurriedly diverted my troops and we rode as fast as we could in that direction. When we arrived the tiny remnant of a village was for the most part in flames. A band of thirty some Pitters were tossing Quailor bodies in the well. But, behind a large fence a stout group of Quailor men were holding their own against the Pitters. The Quailor were armed with pitch forks, axes, and scythes inside a fenced off area. After my men dispatched the hell-rats, I met the Quailor leader, Rudolf, who thanked us for our assistance. I explained the promise I had made to Sur Sceaf, to check in on them and look after them as best as I could. So I told them to come with me so we could assist them and take them to safety.
“Some of my men were seriously wounded so we decided to take them to Fort Columba for treatment. That’s when the Wose came into camp. I asked him if he would lead me with the Quailor to Witan Jewell while the body of my injured ones continued to Fort Columba. He agreed, so I sent half of my men with my son, Daniel, and the other half have come here with me.”
“Shug,” Mendaka said, “We are very grateful for your deliverance of our people. Surely, they would have all perished without your aid.”
Shug nodded. “We could all wish that wolves did not have teeth, but sadly, it is not the world we live in.”
“This is horrible news,” Elijah belted out, “I can hardly bear to hear anymore. Dost thou see this, Brother Fromer? This is where thy damnable doctrines of Retrenchment have taken us. Yet more brethren have climbed into an early grave. Thou hast created this holocaust. Thou settest these flames of zeal to the everlasting suffering of ten of the finest families in Quailordom.”
Fromer turned purple with anger. He stood up and said, “I don’t have to listen to this. None of this was my fault. They can think for themselves. Besides it is not required of me to be my brother’s keepers?”
Sur Sceaf said, “You are not excused, Brother Fromer. And it is true each man must decide his own fate, but you used spiritual tyranny to project your will on others and then you were not brave enough to make the same sacrifice you required of them.”
Habraham said, “Those people who were sacrificed were merely pawns to thee. But thou hast no children so thou canst not share the anguish these brothers and sisters must now bear for the rest of their mortal lives. Thou hast put a hole through every single one of them.”
Elijah said, “My soul is trampled in the dust, I do not know if my spirit will ever arise out of the ashes of this great loss. I loved these people. They were the salt of the earth. I really don’t want to hear another word of this, but I must. Rudolf wilt thou give us the details we do not yet know?”
“Ja wohl, Bruder Elijah,” Rudolf’s face reflected a deep anguish of spirit. He began in a barely audible tone. “Men and brethren, I bear the guilt of it all. This slaughter was all my fault and of my own making. My pride and my zeal have consumed both me and my house.”
Sur Sceaf squeezed his sword hilt in his hand. The leaders all had deeply furrowed brows. Some had tears streaming down their faces and others just stared at the ground in shock.
How am I ever going to be able to tell this to Lana and her folks, Sur Sceaf thought. Damn, I hated this from beginning to end.
Rudolf choked up, unable of his own will to continue.
Sur Sceaf could only see the dolly that little Isabelle had offered him before they left Salem. He refused to let his mind wander into the considerations of what might have happened to that little darling. “Please, Rudolf, continue. We must know.”
“By God, I hope somehow I can tell you of the horrors we witnessed. We the dycons were meeting in Brother Yoder’s home when we heard screaming coming from the streets. At first we thought the children were chust overly rambunctious, we checked chust in case and saw the Pitters gathered in great numbers around the village well. We ran to the well. When we got there we could see the fiends had stripped the women and were raping them and had already set our homes to conflagration. The only weapons we had were our scythes and pitch forks so we grabbed them and attacked.”
Rudolf stopped, took a deep breath and shook. He brokenly told his story, “By the time... I reached the well.... they were hacking my wife.... into pieces. And even pulled...a baby... from the womb of Brother Yoder’s wife—. Verushka pleaded for my help, but I was outnumbered.” He paused long, holding his hand over his eyes and choking on his sobs, barely capable of speech. “They kept hacking at her... while ssh-ssh-she was still alive and hurling her body parts in the well. All the while howling with fiendish glee.”
A dead silence descended on the moot fire. Sur Sceaf was sick to his stomach. He took several deep breaths trying to swallow the lump and bile in his throat. He was helpless to relieve the pain and loss, so evident. The others refused to look at each other. They were too locked in their own internal grief and despair. He looked around the circle. He saw a broad range of emotion from grief to anger. Sur Sceaf could not help an accusatory stare at Fromer who squirmed to be free of this moot.
Finally, Rudolf drew his fist tight and gritted his teeth. He sat tall and said forcefully, “I forked that damned demon through the throat, pulled out the fork and ran the wood handle through another Pitters eye. I was overcome by a black rage that filled and blinded me. Before I could stop myself I began killing others in all directions.” Rudolf paused long. “Brother Yoder and I became covered with blood. By that time the other dycons had joined us. It was too late. None were experienced fighters. Five of them were speedily slain by a wall of attacking Pitters.”
Elijah wept silently.
Sur Sceaf stilled himself to ask, “Wh
at of the children? And my wife’s nieces?”
Rudolf went silent, his face expressing unbearable grief. “I don’t know and I don’t want to imagine. I do not remember anything else until I looked and saw a band of the Columba Rogues cutting down the Pitters.”
Sur Sceaf could not refrain, “Where are the children? What happened to Isabelle?”
“I don’t know, Surrey! My God canst thou not see? I don’t know.” Rudolf sobbed aloud. “Perhaps in the bottom of the well. Perhaps with some who were taken by the Pitters before we got there. I chust don’t know? I wish to Gott, I knew. After a thorough search on and about the property, I learned that two of my children, Meribeth and Sara Lee, had also been killed. Only my infant and her sister, Little Sally, yet lived in the house. Sally had taken the infant and hid in the root cellar. I searched among the other bodies, I discovered some youth who had attempted to fight them, but the rest of my children were nowhere to be found.”
Rudolph fell to his knees and cried, “Where art thou, mein Gott? Why hast thou forsaken me? Truly, I should have heard the voice of warning! Now, there is naught left of love in my life. I sue thee, my lord, Lord Sur Sceaf for sanctuary and forgiveness.”
“Rudolf,” Sur Sceaf took a deep breath and tried to block out his last image of Isabelle waving goodbye to him, her sweet child-like smile lighting her face, “by the gods of my fathers, I shall weep in the dark for you. This great oak has heard your witness. May the gods avenge us all.” Sur Sceaf paused to choke back tears. “I do not wish to charge you with any more guilt nor to harrow up your soul anymore than it already is. For the mind of a man who thinks he is doing right cannot be laid fully to guilt. But I would to the gods you had listened to common sense and especially to the counsel of your elders. Your zeal has indeed consumed your house. My poor man, you have laid a horrible yoke of guilt upon yourself and though I wish otherwise, I am powerless to break that yoke from your neck and know of no man who can. If I could do so, I would forgive you. And I would also break it from the neck of my dear friend, Wose. Such things are not in my power. Such healing is beyond my reach. But we will grant you sanctuary and nurture you and your people in any way we can. May the gods have mercy on your wretched soul, my brother.”
Rudolf sobbed several times then replied, “I am not worthy of such mercy.”
Sur Sceaf then directed his attention to Shug Moss who was wiping away tears with his bandana. “Brother Shug, on behalf of the Council of Three Tribes, I wish to express our eternal gratitude to you and share the grief this sacrifice in human life has cost you. Please stay with us in Witan Jewell until the spring breaks in the mountains and we will give you from the fat of our land, not to mention golden monies for your great kindness in shepherding these souls to us.”
Shug looked surprised and cocked an eye, “My men and I didn’t do this in hopes of any gain, but I now realize if the Pitters could seek out the Quailor, then our women and children are no longer safe no matter where we hide them. While we are in Witan Jewell we have no means to trade for wares, so I will accept your gold monies.”
Chapter 22 : The Lamentations of the Quailor
Swan Ray knew she was a seeress. Her ability to perceive truth was remarkable even as a child she had been much besought by many and from afar for her second sight. Insomuch that princes, wizards, and other seers from the Seven Herewardi Kingdoms would come to hear her wisdom, receive her interpretations, and ask for her scrying. But that all ended when they claimed her grief at her husband’s death blinded and robbed her of her ability to scry truly. Some who formerly sought her out now claimed that false hope robbed her of her gift to see and clouded her perception and that she had a goblin-robbed mind.
She was branded as a false seer and none besought her again. In some of her darker moments she wondered if they might even be right. She had witnessed many times how grief can drown a person in a sea of denial. Yet against all evidence, she willed herself to hold out hope that her man lived. Her grandmother had once told her how she had woven a tapestry against all hopes of her man returning from a battle in which most were slain, only to have her man return on the day the tapestry was completed.
On her own tapestry, Swan Ray had finished the last threads of the water upon which the two swans swum. She arched her aching back and sat back in her chair to eye the vivid image of the Herewardi Swan’s embracing the Eye of Howrus. Every thread in this tapestry had been tear soaked. All that remained of her tapestry was the weaving in of the black threads as outlines and the tapestry would be complete.
Swan Ray rose from her chair, draped a veil over the tapestry, and after donning her cloak, she left her tent, intending to walk to the Sharaka Camp. Taking the quickest path through thickets of broom, she passed many tipis of several tribes. She glided down the path like a ghost, clothed in her deep hooded silver robe. Many men stared at her. She spotted Ahy sitting with Sagwi and Going Snake around the campfire between their two tipis. They were studying some Herewardi catechism cards.
Taneshewa looked up with surprise on her face and said, “Oh! Swan Ray! It’s such a surprise to see you in our camp.” She stood up and took her hand, “Os-Frith, please sit with us. Perhaps you can tell us the meaning of some of these cards that are puzzling us?”
“I would love to sit with you Taneshewa. “Os-Frith, Sagwi. I would love to join you.” She drew back her hood, folded her silver cloak and settled on a mat beside Sagwi. “May I sit here?”
“You surely may, my lady.”
The adorable young boy stared at her as she sat.
“You look just like some of the angels on the cards?”
“You’re the son of Little Doe and Mendaka, aren’t you?”
“Yes, my name is Going Snake, and your name is the Lady Swan Ray, and Redelfis says you are his friend, Ilkchild’s mother.”
“Actually, I am his nigh-mother, because I was married to his daddy. His mother, Pam-El-Ea was my dearest cousin and bride-sister.”
“Is Pyrsyrus his daddy?”
“No, I am married to Pyrsyrus now, but Ilkchild’s daddy was named Ilker and he was my first husband.”
“Well, why isn’t he here?”
“Because, some say he died fighting the Pitters.”
“That’s what happened to Yellow Horse’s daddy. My dad and Surrey are going to kill them all. And when I am old enough, I am going to get a Herewardi horse and a sword like Redelfis’ and I’m going to help them stick stealy blades in those Pitters.”
Swan Ray smiled. “I’m sure you will be a great warrior like your father and Surrey.”
Taneshewa said, “Enough talk of killing. We need to get back to your lesson.
Going Snake held up a card to Swan Ray. “We were all just trying to figure out what this one means with the cut off tree, seven wands, and the words that say, ‘Never Again’?”
Swan Ray took the card and briefly examined it. “Ah! This is a powerful card with great meaning. The hawthorn tree represents the Herewardi Race who were cut down to their root by the Pitters, but have re-sprouted seven fold into Seven Wands of Power, the Seven Kingdoms of Herewardom. Long ago, at the time of the Elven Visitation, they left the Firginias to follow the Western Star. I know this seems complicated, but have you heard this before?”
In his sweet voice Going Snake declared, “Surrey explained some of it to me.”
“Now, these Seven Warrior Tribes crossed the Middle Sea of the Drowned Lands and went over into the Taxus Hilly Country, where we stayed and prospered and made our homes for several generations.”
Taneshewa interjected, “Just like we left Tahlequah to make our home at DiAhman.” Going Snake nodded. “I was born here in DiAhman, but Grandfather Thunder Horse was born in Tahlequah, and was sad to leave it.”
Sagwi added, “I was born at Tahlequah too, but was captured and taken to Wymouth as a slave when I was but four winters old. Thunder Horse and Redith rescued me and we were led back to DiAhman by Sur Spear the Traveling Swan Lord.”
&nbs
p; Swan Ray nodded. “The Herewardi built great city-states and monasteries in the Taxus, until the Pitters once again slowly drove us out. So we moved into the White Mountains and to live among the Apache Ndee for many winters. Some Herewardi have returned there to live. Finally, we came to rest our feet in the Umpqua Wilderness Basin. Once again we built major city-states and prospered. Over the years we grew into a mighty people who have colonies and settlements from the Gwaii Islands in the north to the mighty strong hold of Stonyford in the south. But in the beginning, we were almost completely destroyed. This card means that it will never be allowed to happen again.”
Blooms Alone arrived at Taneshewa’s fire and presented a half finished choker to Taneshewa. “Ahy, I need help tying off this choker. Will you help me?”
Ahy smiled at her niece, “I’d be happy to, later. Right now, Going Snake is getting help with the cards and I want to learn them as well if I’m ever to be Herewardi.”
Blooms Alone said, “Can I watch?”
“Certainly, just grab a mat and listen.”
Sagwi laid a card down. “Tell ‘er about dis un.”
Swan Ray took the card with a man and woman standing in the bottom of a pit and a large gold-green dragon passing overhead. “See here, this card is called the Lover’s Pit. As the dragon passes over the pit, the man and woman thrust their sword up into the belly of the beast.”
“Holy Thunder Beings,” Going Snake exclaimed, “why do they do that?”
“When a Herewardi couple marry, they do it in a tent we call the Daleth Tent. It isn’t really a pit, but it seems like one because the man and the woman are alone in the dark. This card shows that in order to be eternally married, the lovers must allow the Blood of the Dragon to pour over them. See, look very closely, and you will see the dragon’s blood is pouring down over the two people in the pit.” She looked up at Taneshewa who was intensely interested. “It means they have confessed all their former intimacies and are being bathed in the power of immortal love for the one they will marry. The dragon represents past loves and its blood is nourishing the new love.”
The Frightful Dance (The King of Three Bloods Book 2) Page 39
