To the Victor

by Samantha M. Derr

  This morning she brought him a treat: a carrot stolen from the kitchens. Fleetfoot pressed his face against her hand and she laughed. "We're going on a bit of a long ride, my friend."

  She watched the groom saddle Adi's horse, impressed that she wouldn't have to lead a timid pony up the King's Road. No, this was a noble roan mare, fit for a princess, not timid, but sturdy, well-muscled, and built for a long ride.

  Satisfied, she went back into the main building proper to collect the princess. Renee stopped a young novice on her way to prayer. "Where might I find Sister Adelaide?" She wasn't sure if everyone knew of Adi's true identity, so Renee was careful in her address.

  The girl curtseyed in response. "The sewing room, Lady Knight." She led Renee down one of the seemingly endless halls, along a wing Renee hadn't noticed. The chambers inside the monastery proper were plain, with little ornamentation, just more yellow brick and solid wood beams.

  The novice stopped before an open door and motioned inside before she made her curtsey and went on her way. Renee stepped into the doorway and stopped cold. Inside the room every surface seemed to be covered with fabric―on looms, over chairs, hung from walls. And while she did spy some traditional tapestries in process, the bulk of the work seemed to be gowns of fine damask, covered with carefully stitched embroidery. Renee could not see every detail, but her sharp eyes picked out a cloak marked with golden thread forming the royal crest―a bow and arrow over a circle.

  "One moment." Adi tied off a bit of thread and then cut it with her teeth, looking all the world like a peasant seamstress and not the princess of the realm.

  "Did you do all of this?" Renee stepped forward and lifted her hand toward one of the pieces draped over a chair. She snatched it back at the last moment, not wanting to desecrate the gown with the scent of horse that still clung to her fingers.

  "I had some help." Adi packed away her sewing supplies. "And it's five years' worth of work. My wedding trousseau."

  They were going to need a few packhorses if they were going to haul all of this back to Graymore Castle with them. And perhaps a cart. Renee started calculating weight in her head and how often they'd need to change horses. "I don't believe you've finished packing."

  Adi laughed, and it sounded like golden bells. "Oh no, I'm not taking it with me yet. Once I've made a match, the sisters will ship it wherever it needs to go." Her clear eyes were marred by sadness.

  Renee hated seeing that. She wanted to make the princess laugh again. "Well, that's good. I may ride a warhorse, but I think he would balk at having to carry gowns."

  Adi smiled and didn't comment on Renee's awkward words. "I have my pack ready to go. Allow me to change into my riding habit. Then we may leave."

  "At your service, my lady."

  *~*~*

  Mother Ceara stood in the courtyard, flanked by the sisters Adi had befriended over the past five years. She'd come here a frightened girl, and they'd welcomed her, made her part of this family. And now it was time to leave them and never return.

  Adi could feel the tears well up in her eyes at the sight of them waiting to see her off. "Courage," Renee whispered in her ear before she hoisted up Adi's pack and went off to the horses.

  At least Renee wouldn't see her cry as Adi hugged Mother Ceara and little Sophie, and the sisters she'd grown closest too. "I promise to write." Mother would share her letters during the communal meals, over the great oak table as they all ate together, like she'd shared so many others. Adi would miss being in that audience, hearing the warm voice roll over her.

  "Here, Adi. For your offering." Sophie handed her a garland of flowers, the first cuts of spring, vivid yellow daffodils and white hyacinths.

  Adi took it to the statue of Elrica in the center of the courtyard and draped it over the goddess's outstretched arm. She bowed her head and took a moment as Mother started the invocation.

  The sisters raised their voices in prayer, a song that rang across the courtyard. It became as if one voice were calling out, singing the praises of Elrica, asking for safe travel and guidance.

  "Please," Adi whispered. "Walk with me. I can't do this alone."

  She'd always known what was expected of her. That didn't make it any easier.

  The prayer continued, until Mother finally finished with a "In Elrica's name." They all repeated her words and touched their hands to their lips.

  Renee brought over Adi's horse, its steps incredibly loud against the sudden silence. "Let me help you up."

  Adi didn't tell her she didn't need the help. One of her brother's gifts had been this horse, and she'd exercised Champion every day since she'd come to the monastery. She rode astride, having worn trousers beneath her long nun's tunic made of coarse wool. But for a moment, she let Renee believe sheneeded the extra care. Perhaps she did.

  "Thank you," she said, taking Renee's gloved hand in her own, and wished they were touching flesh to flesh instead. Did Renee have soft hands, or were they course and covered with calluses? What must it be like, being a woman and a warrior?

  Renee led the way through the gates, and Adi trotted after her, not looking back. If she did, she knew the tears would never stop flowing.

  Chapter Three

  The King's Road had been carved out of the countryside, ensuring safe travel for horses, carts, and those who walked. Renee knew the current king's grandfather had begun the project, and it hadn't been until his son Alfrede had taken the throne that the project had been completed. They'd torn down the forests, cutting down oaks once said to house magic and set fire to the underbrush, leaving nothing behind but smooth packed dirt. The road winded its way north, from the southern half of the kingdom, taking a sharp curve around the valley of Nowhere before continuing to the capital Duodasham.

  The Knight Order of Ofric patrolled the road, ensuring it was in good condition as well as free of bandits. They did their work well, and the King's Road was well known throughout the land as a marvel. The Monastery sat only two kilometers from it, so they reached it in good time, moving quickly off the rocky path to smooth ground.

  They rode in silence at first. Renee didn't want to interrupt Adi's grief. It was clear she was going to miss the Monastery and her old life.

  But after making it to the road―which had healthy traffic from others traveling up to the capital for the festival and tourney―Renee slowed her pace and dropped back so she and Adi rode parallel.

  "Was there truly no way you could have stayed? I'm sure there has been a princess or two who've dedicated themselves to Elrica."

  Adi shook her head with a laugh. "I never wanted to be a dedicant. Only to escape for a little while. I always knew I'd have to return to do my duty."

  Renee chewed on her lip, a nervous habit she'd thought herself outgrown. Every so often she caught herself doing it again. Something about Adi's words rang... not quite false. But not the entire truth either.

  "We should take a short break to rest the horses." She guided them off the King's Road, to a small clearing between wary saplings at the edge of the forest. It looked well-trod; she guessed many travelers took their rest here. Renee meant to take this first day easy. They didn't have to race north at breakneck speeds, so no need to change mounts halfway if they kept at this pace.

  She took care of both horses, letting them have their tether, but giving them enough room to graze. Adi had spread out a little blanket and sat with her water skin and a wrapped parcel. "Sister Marcel sent me off with some pastries. Please share them with me."

  Renee sat across from her and picked up one of the tiny morsels. "Ah! I know these. Fingerbridges! Sister Marcel is from Alcione?"

  The taste exploded on her tongue, sweet and savory, reminding her of running on her father's estate in the spring. The cinnamon caught her by surprise, and Renee could almost hear her nurse calling them all in for tea.

  Adi grinned. "Yes, she is. I gather you are as well? I thought I heard it in your accent."

  Renee shrugged. She licked the last bits of hon
ey from her fingertips, feeling a bit naughty as she did so. It was rude to eat crudely in front of a princess, no matter that Adi didn't seem to care. "Yes. I journeyed to Hedlund to join the Order." There were no Wolves in her home country.

  "If I'd known, I would have introduced you before we left."

  That was rather sweet and unlike the noblewomen of Renee's acquaintance. Renee shook her head. "My role here is to serve you, Princess. Not to reminisce with other countrywomen!"

  Adi's expression grew sad. "I suppose I'll have to get used to that again. Not having friends, only servants."

  Oh, now that made Renee's heart hurt. Poor girl. She opened her mouth to refute it, but realized that even other nobles would be beneath the princess. How could she have any friends?

  "My la… Adi," she corrected herself, "while we are on this journey, I will do my best to be your friend as well."

  That sweet blush rose in Adi's cheeks again. She swallowed and looked overcome before she could finally speak. "Thank you."

  "Take advantage of the rest. After this, we continue until we reach the Sparrow Inn. Unless you want to sleep under the stars." Renee grinned.

  "I'm ready for whatever the journey requires."

  *~*~*

  The last time Adi had made this voyage, she had been surrounded by a score of the king's knights. If they had to stay at an inn, they cleared the common room and ordered the innkeeper to make all of his rooms available to them. Mostly though, she stayed at the estates of vassals along the way, in high luxury.

  Oh, it had been a surprise to see how simply the sisters of Elrica had lived.

  However, that did mean she no longer expected to be catered to. She appreciated that Renee kept Adi's true identity secret, and didn't berate the innkeeper or demand anything outrageous. They did have enough coin for the last private room available—"over the kitchen, it smells a bit," the innkeeper's wife apologized. Adi was glad enough not to have to share a pallet.

  The common room smelled like a mix of horse and unwashed people, but the savory aroma of the food being cooked on the spit still made her mouth water. Adi sipped at her cup, still astonished that Renee had brought her wine―a clear white that tasted like spring itself. Apparently, the owner had a brother who ran a vineyard who supplied the wine, in addition to the ale they brewed themselves.

  Renee had learned all of that when she went to the bar to order them food. Adi marveled at the way Renee could smile and engage strangers in conversation. That skill Adi had never mastered. Oh, she could curtsey and make polite small talk like any royal, but to have someone open up to her after knowing them for only a few moments? That seemed beyond her. Perhaps she should observe Renee more closely and learn how she did this.

  "Here, I retrieved the stew so the barmaid didn't have to waste her time bringing it to us." Renee sat two bowls on the tiny table they'd commandeered by the corner, out of the way of the crush of travelers, though it was still rather hard to hear her.

  "Thank you!" Adi said loudly in return. She took a tentative bite, and then closed her eyes. Ah, yes, it was peasant fare―gamey meat, soft root vegetables, and that red sauce that had come from the south only recently. It was seasoned more heavily than the food she'd eaten at the monastery, and the spices took her by surprise. Adi wiped at her mouth and took a gulp of wine to wash it all down.

  Renee ate with firm, precise movements, cleaning the bowl as if it didn't set her mouth on fire. She never took her gaze off of the crowd around them, reminding Adi that she was here for protection, despite them traveling simply.

  However, she had let Adi eat in the common room instead of taking the food back up to their room. Adi liked to watch the people around them, her people. Right now she sat among them like a commoner herself, watching how they lived, laughed, and loved. She savored this last bit of freedom. Soon she wouldn't be able to even walk down the King's Road alone. The thought made her glum, and she finished her wine with a long swallow.

  "Here ye!" Someone had gotten up on a table in the center of the room. "Let's all have a drink then for the king!"

  The crowd responded with a rousing "Aye!"

  "A round for my friends!" The man gestured to those surrounding him, who cheered. "And a song!"

  He started to sing, a rather bawdy song that involved the praises of a woman's backside.

  Adi could feel heat rush to her cheeks, but she feared that was from drinking too quickly. Their wine had been watered at the monastery.

  The mood was joyful, and she smiled, caught up in the moment. She felt like she was floating, and Adi had never felt more content.

  Renee, however, suddenly glowered and got to her feet. Adi didn't see what had gotten her upset until she heard a very drunken voice say, "Oh, don't be like that, lass. Want a look at your girl there."

  "As you say, sir, she's my girl, so have yourself off then." Renee's hand had gone to her waist, just above the hilt of her sword.

  Adi didn't think it that serious. Just a drunken peasant, why the fuss? Then she leaned over and saw the four other men behind him. Oh.

  "Why don't you take off that silly headcloth, dearie. You look like a nun." One of the men reached for her across the table.

  Renee slammed his hand down, knocking over the tankard of ale, which spilled everywhere. "Keep your hands to yourself, lest I unleash my sword, sir."

  "Oh, watch it now. You've pissed off the bitch knight."

  Adi saw the way Renee's face changed. If Adi could have moved back, she would have, but she was trapped in her seat. Before Renee had seen the gentlemen as a nuisance, but now, oh, now, she was angry. Could they not see their doom written upon her features?

  "I've changed my mind. I won't need my sword at all to teach you a lesson." The words were spoken lightly, but Adi heard the ice beneath them.

  "Is that so, lass?" The man hissed. He picked up the felled tankard and swung it at Renee.

  Adi gasped.

  She needn't have worried. Renee dodged the blow, almost as if she'd been anticipating it. However, as she did, the drunkard let go of the mug, which hit someone at the table next to them.

  The noise of the crowd hushed, and the man who'd been struck in the head got to his feet―and he was tall. He even looked to be part troll, with the greenish tint to his skin. Oh, this could not be good. Dear Elrica, protect us.

  Renee held out her hand for peace, but the drunkard rushed the other man, just as one of his friends dived for Renee. She sidestepped, and using his momentum against him, threw him some distance away.

  Of course, that involved someone else in the fight. Adi got to her feet, not sure what she should do. Should she run upstairs to their room? With the squeeze of the crowd, she couldn't get far without getting caught in the melee.

  "Stay behind me!" Renee cried, flipping the table and using it to shield them as the ruckus started to spread.

  Adi put her hand to her mouth, her mind going through the prayer chant absently. Renee kept the attackers from reaching her, using nothing more than her own body and skills. Her sword never left her scabbard. Truly, her fighting skills were amazing. If not for the terror creeping along the back of her neck, Adi could watch Renee fight for hours.

  The innkeeper got up on the bar and tried to calm everyone down, although shouting, "Stop that you idiots," didn't seem to be very soothing to Adi's mind.

  Where were the knights of Olric? Weren't they supposed to keep the King's Road safe? Surely one of them had to be stationed here.

  But as she watched Renee toss another man over her shoulder, Adi realized it would take more than one knight to stop this chaos. The crowd was too drunk, too riled up with tales of glory for the upcoming festival and tourney. They wanted to fight.

  And then some drunken idiot grabbed one of the oil lamps from the bar and tossed it into the fray. It landed on one of the piles of straw set before the hearth, most likely meant for travelers to sleep on.

  The screams started as the flames began to spread.

  "
We need to move, now." Renee grabbed Adi by the arm and forced their way through the crowd. They seemed to just part, as if Renee had some magical ability to clear a path. Someone had already flung the doors open, and they joined the people fleeing the inn in a panic.

  "Oh!" Adi looked at the nearby stable. It wasn't attached to the inn, but it was in serious danger if the entire building caught. "The horses!"

  "Adi. Don't!"

  Adi slipped out of Renee's grasp and ran into the building. She ordered the groom to put bridles on as many of the horses as he could. It would do no one any good if the horses panicked and ran off into the night.

  She went to Champion first, coaxing her old friend with a gentle voice. Her nostrils flared, and Adi knew she scented the fire on the wind. They didn't have much time at all.

  Adi led her out and upwind of the smoke, far enough away to be safe, before securing the rope to a tree branch. Then she went back for Renee's horse. And then another. Soon she wasn't working alone. The groom―a half-grown boy who might have been the son of the innkeeper―had rounded up some other servants to assist.

  She'd lost sight of Renee as she worked, but then Adi caught a glimpse of her knight leading the bucket brigade to try to put the fire out. The water didn't seem to be doing much. A loud popping sound had Renee screaming for everyone to move away from the building.

  Adi hid with the horses, a prayer on her lips. Her words seemed to calm the animals, almost as if her prayers had some magic in them. None of the horses made a break for it when the back of the inn exploded.

  *~*~*

  Renee wiped soot from her face. She stood and watched as the last of the inn burned to the ground, the fire illuminating the night. "Barcus's balls," she swore, invoking the 13th god.

  She shouldn't have been so solicitous and carried their bags up to their room in advance. Now their spare clothing and supplies were so much ash. At least the horses had been spared, thanks to Adi's quick thinking. The stable itself was only scorched, but the horses were busy munching oats instead of running in a panic.