by Tony Daniel
“Are you watching the match?” Rainer asked her. “It’s Hlafnest again. I’m on ax and he’s got sword.”
Ravenelle smiled wickedly, and looked over at Saeunn. “We women might happen to look out from the balcony during the boys’ afternoon exercises if we take a notion.”
Rainer gathered up the cards to put away. Wulf knew Rainer liked for Ravenelle to watch him fight, especially on days he lost to her in a Hang the Fool game.
“It will be interesting to see Hlafnest von Blau cut to pieces. One less knight of the mark to trouble with.”
“I won’t be cutting him to pieces,” said Rainer. “I thought I’d just knock him on his butt a few times.” Rainer shrugged. “Hlafnest is good. He’ll give me a fight.”
“Of course we’ll watch,” Saeunn replied quietly. “The other girls have been talking about the match all week.” Saeunn wriggled her fingers, and Anya giggled. “I hear that there have even been bets placed. Many silver thalers will be changing hands today.”
“Really?” said Rainer. “And did you bet on someone, m’lady?”
“No,” Saeunn replied. “But it was interesting to see who did.” Saeunn glanced over at Ravenelle. “Wasn’t it, Ravenelle?”
“They’re all betting against you, Stope,” Ravenelle said.
“That’s stupid,” Wulf put in. “Everybody knows how good Rainer is with an ax.”
“I guess they really believe highborn blood will win in the end. But that’s rather irrelevant considering it is Kalte highborn blood,” Ravenelle replied. “I imagine the girls also believe Koterbaum will fix the match for Hlafnest von Blau.”
“He won’t,” Wulf said. “Koterbaum’s a suck-up, but he’s fair.”
She turned to Wulf and smiled sweetly. “Yes. So I placed a thousand thaler wager on Stope, of course.”
“A thousand?” Wulf said. That was a lot of silver.
“Truthfully, I don’t much care whether Stope wins or gets his brains bashed out.”
Wulf knew she did care. She was lying to get a rise out of Rainer. This was practically impossible, though. Rainer knew Ravenelle’s ways too well.
“It’s the principle of the thing. I never bet on Kalte nobility,” Ravenelle continued. She gave Wulf an evil smile. “I’m very much afraid that sooner or later, you’re all going to be losers.”
Wulf was exhausted by the end of afternoon practice. The sun was blazing. Even though it was late fall, there was no way to stay cool when you were dressed in two stone of armor and had an iron bucket on your head.
He’d taken far more whacks than he’d given today. This nine weeks was short sword for him, so at least he hadn’t had to pull around a wooden mockup of a long sword. In two weeks, the schedule would swing around to hammer and ax. Rainer, being a year older, was in with the older boys working on broadsword.
He’s going to be pretty tired, Wulf thought. And then he still has to fight his match.
Wulf’s small shield, his buckler, felt like a lead weight on his arm. He made his way to get a drink of water and then got back to practice.
Forms and charges came first. This meant whacking on a partner using a set of moves both you and he already knew. The charges you made on a battering pole. On his first charge, Wulf missed the pole entirely. This was only the latest of the mistakes he’d been making all afternoon.
“You’re only good for sparring fodder, today, m’lord,” Koterbaum told him. “Go mix it up with the ten and elevens for half pikes, why don’t you.”
Wulf nodded and headed over to the other side of the yard to tutor the younger boys.
This change didn’t get Wulf out of the final exercise of the day, maneuvers. He trailed behind as the gang of boys climbed walls, walked logs, and crawled on their bellies under a small section of abatis. From bell to bell, practice took a three-watch. After that were the matches, which lasted till dinner bell.
Koterbaum could assign match partners, but usually the older boys called each other out. Sometimes this was because they had a score to settle. Hlafnest and Rainer didn’t have any particular gripe. Hlafnest just didn’t like that a commoner such as Rainer was allowed to act above his station. He’d called Rainer out a week ago over kicking dust onto his boots. Something like that. Wulf couldn’t remember the supposed offence.
Rainer, who never backed down, accepted. So today Hlafnest von Blau and Rainer Stope were the main attraction.
The fights were held in the castle bailey, and took up a good portion of the center. This was the same bailey that Wulf and Rainer had carefully skirted around the night before. The match area was marked with a circle of white lime. Stepping or falling over the lime meant you lost a point. Getting knocked down and dominated meant you lost a point. Three points against you and you lost the match.
In matches, the weapons were real. Blunted, but real. You fought in armor.
One of the younger boys served as squire and helped Rainer arm up in a corner of the bailey yard. Rainer had for torso protection his favorite hauberk underneath. This chainmail shirt was made with the six-hand ring weave he preferred. The mail shirt was belted and hung down over his thigh. On top of the hauberk, he wore a cuirass, a plate armor breast and back plate. He wore steel cuisses on his thighs. Greaves were attached to his shins, and these came down to cover the upper part of his armored shoes. The shoes were steel plate sewn onto leather. Steel brassarts covered his upper arms, vambraces covered his lower arms. On both hands, he wore gauntlets covered with mail sewed onto leather. These came most of the way up his forearms for protection there.
With the squire’s help, he put on a wool arming cap. He pulled up his hauberk cowl over the cap. Finally, over both of these, he wore a helmet of battered iron. The helmet was not a full steel casing with a bevor over his face. Rainer hated fighting when he could barely see. The helm came with a face protector called a grima hinged onto the front of the helm that covered eyes, nose, and upper cheekbones.
You were supposed to avoid blows to the head in match combat. Wulf knew that was easier said than done, even when you were trying.
Rainer’s buckler was oak. Rainer had no family crest. Instead, there was a red crow in profile painted on it. This was the symbol of Kohlsted, the township Rainer came from.
Wulf had on a mail shirt, and had a helm and scabbarded sword nearby as well. On the off chance Rainer had to bow out of the match, Wulf might have to fight. Rainer always chose Wulf as his second.
There was a short ritual before the match with each of the fighters’ seconds meeting in the center of the limed circle to go over the ground rules with Marshal Koterbaum. Wulf plopped on his helmet indifferently and went forward to listen to Koterbaum lay out the basics yet again.
“No eye stabbing. No neck hewing. No stepping on feet.”
Wulf still felt a bit woozy from the day’s exercise, and at first didn’t notice Hlafnest’s second approach. Then a shadow fell over Wulf’s face. It was a man nearly two hands taller than Wulf, and much broader in the shoulders. He was dressed in full armor, not in mail only, as Wulf was.
Wulf did not recognize the man until he reached the center of the combat circle and took off his helm. The man smiled.
It was Prince Gunnar of Sandhaven.
“You’re . . .” Prince Gunnar considered Wulf with a quizzical expression. “One of the von Dunstigs, aren’t you?”
“I am, Prince Gunnar,” Wulf replied. He did not volunteer his name to the prince, but Gunnar didn’t seem to care.
“Well then. Your servant,” the prince said, and bowed.
“And yours.” Wulf returned the gesture. “Seconds don’t usually come in full armor,” he said.
“They do in Krehennest,” Gunnar grunted. “Among men.”
They both bowed to Marshal Koterbaum, who looked very nervous.
“Your Excellency, if I had known you wanted to attend a match, I could have arranged a much more comfortable viewing spot for you,” Koterbaum stammered.
“This will be
perfectly fine.”
“But generally here in Raukenrose, in the castle, I mean, the warriors, the adult warriors, do not participate. This is meant to be a training method for boys.” Koterbaum wrung his hands together and looked at Gunnar imploringly. “And you, m’lord, while welcome at any time, of course, you, I mean to say, are already trained.”
Gunnar laughed, and slapped Koterbaum on the shoulder. “I’m merely serving as von Blau’s second, Marshal,” he said. “I believe the rules allow for this.”
Koterbaum nodded. “They do, Your Excellency. But Prince Gunnar, this sort of thing seems, well to be, well—”
“Beneath me?” Gunnar said with a dry smile.
“Not precisely what I was trying to say,” Koterbaum answered. “But you understand what I mean, I think?” He pushed out his final words in a squeak.
“I do,” Gunnar replied. “Marshal…what is your name?”
“Koterbaum, Your Excellency.”
“I’ll remember that,” said Gunnar.
Koterbaum began to visibly shake. Wulf had never seen the arms master react like this before to…anything.
Koterbaum was afraid.
Not of Gunnar’s presence. Koterbaum wasn’t afraid of anyone in combat.
He’s afraid of what Gunnar might do to his life. What the prince could do to his family.
The man was going to be King of Sandhaven one day, which included the Chesapeake Bay. He would have spies at his disposal. Assassins. He would have trade connections that could ruin the entire Koterbaum clan.
You didn’t want to get on the wrong side of him.
“Proceed with your instructions, arms master.”
Gunnar put his helmet back on. Wulf did the same.
Shaking his head, Koterbaum quickly called for the match to start, and both seconds returned to their sides. Wulf stood next to Rainer and turned to look across the circle at Hlafnest and Gunnar, also standing abreast.
“What was that about?” Rainer asked him in a low voice.
“I have no idea,” Wulf replied. “I don’t like this, Rainer. Why don’t we concede the match and get the cold hell out of here?”
Rainer considered for a moment, then shook his head. “No, let’s see it through. I’m curious.”
“You know this fight is meaningless.”
Rainer smiled to the crowd and spoke through his teeth to Wulf. “Not exactly true. He challenged me—which was really a challenge to you, because he knows we’re friends. I can’t have that.”
“My honor will be fine. We’ll take the von Blaus on later like we always do.”
“No,” Rainer said. “After last night, I want to fight something that clangs when I hit it.”
Rainer set his chin, and Wulf saw any further argument was useless. “All right,” he said. “Keep your left side up and use that buckler as a weapon and not just a shield.”
“Yes sir, Marshal, sir,” muttered Rainer.
Koterbaum called the combatants to en garde, and Rainer entered the ring.
Wulf looked up at the castle’s main balcony. There were the girls of the castle cohort. Their colorful linens and silks set them apart from the gray walls. It didn’t take Wulf long to pick out Saeunn. Her blonde hair, always unbound, shone in the afternoon sun.
She looked concerned.
Does she think something is wrong? I’m sure not liking this at all. What is Gunnar doing here?
He glanced up at Saeunn again, then turned his attention back to the fight.
After a moment’s hesitation, Hlafnest let out a roar and charged Rainer. It was almost too easy. Rainer ducked his sword, then, his reflexes as fast as ever, spun around and caught Hlafnest between the legs with the two sides of his outstretched battle-ax. Hlafnest went down in a clatter of mail and plate armor. Rainer was on Hlafnest’s back instantly and drove the end of his ax handle between Hlafnest’s shoulder blades. The other let out a grunt.
If this had been actual combat, Rainer would have aimed for the unprotected back of the neck. All would have been over for Hlafnest von Blau forever.
Rainer took the point. He climbed off his opponent. Hlafnest waited a while to catch his breath, and stood up. He walked shakily back to his side of the ring.
Koterbaum glanced at Rainer with an imploring look, and Wulf had to smile.
“Marshal wants you to go easy on him, seems like,” Wulf said to Rainer. “Don’t you do it.”
“I won’t,” Rainer said. He turned back to face the ring. Koterbaum called en garde. Hlafnest took a step into the ring—and then something odd happened. He went down on a knee, and one of his greaves—the armor that covered his shins—fell off. He picked it up and looked at the hasp.
After a moment, he called out to Koterbaum. “Marshal!” Koterbaum approached. So did Prince Gunnar. Hlafnest showed Koterbaum the greave. Gunnar looked it over.
“What the cold hell are they up to?” asked Wulf.
Rainer chuckled. “He’s broken it,” he said in a low voice. “He’ll want a draw.”
“Well, give it to him,” Wulf said.
Rainer reluctantly nodded. “Yes, all right.”
Koterbaum and Prince Gunnar stood up and crossed the ring to Rainer and Wulf. The crowd around the ring had been getting noisy. Now it turned quiet.
“Most unfortunate,” Koterbaum said. “The greave cannot be mended in the time we have available, and no other will suit the purpose, his lordship claims.”
“I understand,” Rainer said. Wulf saw him suppressing a smile. “I am willing to offer Hlafnest a match draw if he wants.”
“Sir von Blau to you, commoner,” Gunnar said with a pointed glare at Rainer.
Rainer returned his gaze steadily for a moment. He nodded. “As you say, Your Excellency,” he replied. “Sir von Blau gets a draw.”
“Yes, well,” said Koterbaum. He was wringing his hands again. Not a good sign, thought Wulf. “You see, Prince Gunnar is the second, and he has requested…I should say, he wishes, to continue the match.”
“What?” Wulf said. “Hlafnest is supposed to fight without a shin cover?”
“Not at all,” said Koterbaum. “No, I should say that Prince Gunnar wishes to step in and finish for his lordship.”
“Finish?” said Wulf. “What does that mean?”
Gunnar reached over and gave Rainer a slap on the shoulder. “Come, boy. It will be fun. How often does a commoner like you get to take on a real prince?”
Rainer didn’t flinch. He met Gunnar’s gaze, and the two locked eyes. “I have a real duke’s son for a friend, and I serve a noble house,” he said. “I don’t need to beat up princes to prove myself.”
Gunnar frowned. “Impertinent,” he said as if to himself. “This will be fun.”
“I do not wish it,” Wulf found himself saying.
Gunnar turned toward him. “And you are…which von Dunstig?”
“I am Wulfgang,” he replied.
“The third son. Of course. Ulla’s little brother.”
“I have that honor.”
“And it is an honor to be the brother of Ulla,” Gunnar said. “I intend to see that it remains an honor.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I think you know,” Gunnar said.
“I have no idea what you mean.”
Gunnar considered Wulf a moment. “More’s the pity, then,” he finally said. “But we will finish this, the commoner and I. Here. Now.”
“No,” Wulf said.
But then Rainer stepped between him and Gunnar, facing Gunnar. “Yes,” he said. “Let’s do that, Prince.”
Chapter Twelve:
The Prince
Without giving a hint of his intention, Rainer suddenly charged Gunnar. With his battle-ax held crossways in two hands, he rammed into the prince’s chest and knocked the other backward. Gunnar, completely taken by surprise, stumbled back. Rainer pushed him again, and the prince tripped backward, falling onto his butt.
Rainer turned the battle-ax and
pointed its tip at Gunnar’s face as the prince looked up, furious.
“Don’t you ever speak ill of Lady Ulla again,” Rainer said in a low, clear voice. “Do you hear me?”
“Think what you do, boy,” said Gunnar.
“Swear it,” Rainer shouted, poking the battleax closer.
Gunnar looked down at the point, as if this were a sight he had never expected to see for his entire life. After a moment, he laughed. He laughed loud enough for everyone to hear.
Wulf thought it the most faked sound he’d ever heard.
“I swear it because I have never done anything but uphold her good name,” he said. Then, speaking louder, he called out. “I wish only the best for Lady Ulla, as all know who know me.” After a moment, Rainer backed the ax head away. Gunnar took the chance to brush it aside. He quickly scuttled out from under it and regained his footing.
He cast a look of hate at Rainer and said in a low voice, “You are going to wish you hadn’t done that, boy.”
Rainer said nothing. Koterbaum, who seemed to have been frozen in place, suddenly moved. “Well, now that we’re friends, why don’t we—”
“Why don’t we get on with the match,” Gunnar said. “Why don’t you get out of the way and let us do so, Marshal.” Neither was a question.
“Yes, I suppose we could—”
Gunnar smiled at Rainer and raised his sword. “En garde,” he said.
Rainer raised his ax, and Koterbaum slowly backed away.
Rainer gave Wulf a quick glance. “Out of the ring, Wulfgang,” he growled. “Please.”
Wulf hesitantly stepped out.
That was when Gunnar charged. Rainer raised his buckler just in time to take the blow, and wood splinters shot in all directions. Gunnar yanked the sword free, pulling Rainer part of the way toward him in the process. Rainer stumbled to the side and scuttled away from another blow aimed at his head.
That shouldn’t happen, Wulf thought. How does a buckler splinter like that?
There was only one way it could happen.
Gunnar was using a sharpened sword.
Rainer quickly regained his footing and stood facing Gunnar. He was breathing hard. The prince moved in. Rainer drew him back, retreating slowly around the circle, while Gunnar probed with his sword tip, attempting to find a way through Rainer’s defense.
