Serenity Valley

by Rocky Bills

  Bells looked at it and said, “I can’t believe anyone would actually have this in their house, let alone sit in the atrocious thing!” Upon inspection, it was found that the carved, sleeved arms ended in hands with detailed fingers bent to form a natural curve. The only straight finger was the first finger that almost pointed straight out, perfect for the project at hand.

  Ivan said, “Good hand for holding ring.”

  Giselia was hopping up and down in place. A smiling Bells put a hand on her shoulder and said, “Good find, Giselia! Very good find, indeed!”

  Ivan placed his saw on the carving at mid-forearm and began sawing the appendage. Within a few minutes, he held the wooden carving. Upon examination, he proclaimed, “This wood be like iron, hard much, no break; good for Demon ring!”

  Bells examined the carving with a very pleased look on her face. Giselia preferred not to touch the grotesque carving at all, saying, “As Bells, you say, not nice, is creepy, yes?”

  Bells laughed and said, “Correct, it is creepy, not nice!” Ivan took the carved arm and acted like he was going to grab Giselia with the hand. She shrieked and jumped back. Everyone laughed, including Giselia, but she kept an eye on the creepy piece of wood after that. Bells said, “Well, I guess we have had enough adventure for now. Shall we go back?”

  “Yes, we go now, ready make switch with arm,” Ivan agreed.

  Giselia said, “Much fun too, looking in old castle.”

  Bells said, “We will go exploring again, if you like. We can find and loot the royal chambers, perhaps.”

  Giselia looked at Ivan for translation. Smiling wide once she understood, she said, “I like very much explore more!”

  “Good, then. We will have great fun exploring together!” Bells led the couple out of the storage room and crypt. Once in the chapel, Bells said, “We will go out another way. There is an old armory on the way out I can show you.”

  Ivan said, “Yes, most interesting way out is good.” Bells led them through the many twists, turns, and staircases. Everyone was enjoying the adventure.

  On the way back to Sirates House, Ivan stopped at the main house stables. From the supplies in his wagon, he fashioned a heavy leather strap and nailed it onto the butt of the carved arm. The strap would provide something for Demon to carry the arm with. He also fashioned a small horseshoe-shaped nail and filed it sharp on both ends. He gave the arm to Bells. He and Giselia would make rounds of the wounded at the barracks.

  Upon returning to Sirates House, Bells checked on Goodwin, now resting in the bedroom. Gamel was with Basilea in the other bedroom. Basilea was sleeping, while Gamel hovered over her.

  Fina, Trina, and Roesia arrived through the back door carrying baskets of supplies and foodstuff for the kitchen. Fina saw the carved wooden arm sitting on the table and said, “So this be da remedy fer that repulsive bit a horror Demon has latched on ta?”

  “Yes, this is the solution. When he hides his arm tonight to eat, we will attach the ring to this arm and exchange them,” Fulk said.

  “Does ya think 'twill work? Surely he’s knowing da difference,” Trina said.

  “With ring on new hand should accept, understand change maybe not,” Ivan replied.

  Fina shook her head. “Well, I certainly hope so, 'tis a gruesome thing. Why da beasties have ta be so nasty?”

  “Animals see things differently than we do. Although smelly, Demon just sees the pretty ring Gamel said he could keep,” Fulk said.

  “Hope for the best, we should,” Trina said before she turned to her daughter. “Nesta, ya able ta keep up wit da cookin' fer dis mob?”

  “Yes, Mama. So far, I’ve been doing all right. I don’t know if I’ll make it home tonight.”

  “It be okay. You takes care a things here. We be bringin' in da night meal from da kitchen. Eva be roastin turkey taday.”

  “Oh, that will be good! I’ll bake fresh bread and tubers to go with it.”

  Trina looked at her daughter with pride. She had raised a good girl, and she knew it.

  Roesia said, “Ada sent a basket of fresh baked pies.” She set the basket on the kitchen work table as Fulk stalked in for a closer look.

  Fina said, “We will be back before evening meal wit more supplies. Come, ladies, we best be gettin' back, lotsa spoiled royalty ta feeds.”

  Bells said, “I will go with you. I need to put in an appearance. Fulk, don’t exchange the arm until I get back. I want to watch what he does.”

  “Yes, wait for us ta come back too. We want ta see too.”

  Fulk said, “Of course. Who am I to refuse a request from such a bevy of beauties?”

  “If'n I be knowin' what me bevy be, I could see if'n it was beautiful,” Trina said.

  Everyone laughed as the group left out the rear door and headed toward the kitchen. Fulk and Nesta took advantage of the couple of hours’ free time to snuggle together in front of the hearth. Sitting together on the great chair, Fulk noticed how tired she looked and said, “Stretch out and lie down for a bit. Rest while you can, my lady.” Nesta took Fulk up on the offer, lying out and resting her head on his thigh. He reached for the blanket on the back of the big chair. Covering Nesta, he reached for her hand and held it while she fell asleep. Satisfied and comfortable, he soon followed her example.

  It was early evening when Ivan, Giselia, Bells, and a number of kitchen staff entered through the back door. Fina was complaining about having to compliment Demon on his grisly trophy before they could pass into the house. Fina said, “Oh, this must work. I never seen such disgusting a thing in all me days!”

  Ivan said, “It work; soon you see.”

  Trina spotted Fulk and Nesta asleep in front of the hearth and crept closer to spy on them. Delighted, she looked at her daughter with joy in her heart. Nesta had found a true and gentle love, not the abusive, degrading type of relationship she shared with her husband. Standing next to Trina, Roesia said, “True and innocent love, what a darling picture it makes.”

  Fulk said softly, “I hear you. Like Ox, I can hear an ant fart a mile away, and that, while I’m asleep.”

  Trina and Roesia couldn’t help but bust out in laughter, which woke Nesta. Sitting up on the great chair, Nesta said, “Mama, you’re back already?”

  “We been gone hours, child. Almost be time fer evening meal.”

  “Oh, sorry! Guess I needed a little nap.”

  Gamel came out of the bedroom carrying Basilea in a cocoon of blankets. He put her down in a chair in front of the great hearth. Nesta was up and fetching a mug from the kitchen in a flash, filling it with hot tea from a kettle kept warm on the swing arm of the hearth. She took the mug to Basilea.

  Basilea’s face was all that could be seen in her mummified condition. She said softly, “Oh, thank you, Nesta, my good friend, but as you see, I have no arms or hands. Perhaps we should wait for my wings to sprout.”

  Everyone in the room was amused. Nesta unwrapped a number of blanket layers until she found and freed one of Basilea’s arms. Basilea took the mug, saying, “Gamel is so worried I will get the lung sickness again that he tends to overdue things.”

  Giselia said, “Right Gamel be doing. Warm and rest best things now.”

  Fulk spoke next. “Ivan, do you think you can position yourself in Demon’s secret tree while I distract the horses for a while?”

  “Yes, is no problem, ready now I being.”

  “I will call them into the covered turnout with the promise of fresh pies. When I get them inside, you can climb up in the tree. After you are in position, give a bird whistle, and I will feed them at the trough. That’s when Demon will hide the arm. Ladies, you should be able to see Demon’s reaction by standing along the north turnout fence. I will come get you before they finish eating. Ivan, do you have everything you need?”

  “Yes; have arm, nail for make ring stay, hammer.” Ivan was showing all of his components.

  Fulk examined the small, curved, half round nail for fastening the ring to the finger and sai
d, “That is a really great idea, Ivan. This will keep the ring from ever coming off.”

  Ivan said, “Hope it work, should work, yes.”

  “My husband best husband, very smart he being.” Ivan and Giselia looked at each other with loving smiles.

  Fina handed Ivan an empty flour sack and said, “Put that nasty thing in this, then we can burn it.”

  Ivan left out the front door while Fulk got a couple of pies and went out the rear door into the covered turnout. Bells opened the rear-facing windows of the kitchen area so they could watch and listen for the signal. Goodwin came out of the bedroom walking stiffly, with mussed hair. He said, “I haven’t missed it, have I?”

  “No, you haven’t missed anything,” Bells assured him. “We are just setting up a distraction to get Ivan into position.”

  With pies in hand, Fulk whistled for the horses. Something similar to a stampede was heard coming through the maze walls. Mildred and Demon were eager and pranced in place at the sight of the pies in Fulk’s hands. Fulk said, “Well, good evening, my very fine beasties. Would you like a little snack before the evening feed?” Demon and Mildred whinnied and nodded their heads in affirmation. Fulk handed Mildred a pie. She immediately bit into it, letting half of it fall on the ground. Demon took his pie in his lips, not releasing his hold on his arm. He lowered his head to the ground, releasing the arm. He began eating his pie a couple inches away from his beloved yet rancid prize. Demon watched Fulk and Mildred carefully as he split his attention between his pie and protecting the trophy arm. Fulk said, “You two have been such good horses today. You didn’t get out much today. You deserved a little treat, didn’t you?” Demon and Mildred whinnied in agreement. Before long, a bird call was heard from the open turnout area. It repeated itself a second time. Fulk said, “Well, are you two ready for the evening meal? Are you sure you still want to eat after filling up on pie?” Both horses whinnied and bobbed their heads up and down. “Oh, then let’s go.” Mildred and Demon trotted out through the maze walls. Fulk noticed Mildred headed for the feed trough, but Demon turned to the right to stash his arm. Fulk climbed the turnout fence in front of the feed area. Starting with the water, he topped off the trough. Mildred patiently waited for her feed, but Demon hadn’t returned yet.

  Ivan waited in the secret tree several limbs above the place where the pot was stashed. He heard Demon coming. Demon slowly walked around the tree with wide eyes and rotating ears. He was trying to detect anyone who would spy on him. As an extra precaution, Demon placed his arm on the ground and raised his head straight up. Curling his lip back, he sampled the air for any intrusive smell. Ivan had placed himself high enough that his scent should travel well above Demon’s nose. The stench of the rotten arm should also help mask his scent. Satisfied at last, Demon picked up his arm and deposited it among the dense branches with the stolen pot. Again, he checked all directions for any sign of intrusion. Contented, he took off for the feed area at a fast trot. Ivan allowed enough time for Demon to reach the feed area, then slowly climbed down to the level of the rotten arm. Not wanting to touch the maggot-infested arm, Ivan put his hand in the bag and picked up the rotten, stinking meat, using the bag for a glove. He rolled the bag over the arm until just the hand was visible. Taking hold of the ring, he gently pulled. The finger had swollen around the ring, and it wouldn’t budge. Ivan pulled harder the next time. To his disgust, the entire finger slipped off the bone along with the ring. Ivan gagged at the putrid smell, try as he did to hold his breath. He removed the ring from the squishy meat of the finger. As soon as the ring was free, he cleaned it off on the flour bag and dropped the rot-filled bag to the ground. Gasping, he took several long, deep breaths of fresh air. Ivan tried a test fit of the ring on the wood finger. Finding it too tight, he pulled a thin-bladed knife from his boot and lightly scraped the wooden finger. Repeating this process several times, he left the fit slightly snug. Using his small hammer, he tapped the ring the remaining distance. Then, he took the specially crafted curved nail from his britches and placed it over the ring at the bottom of the finger. Gently tapping, he secured the ring in place permanently. Carefully placing the wooden arm where the rotten one had been, Ivan then descended the tree. Picking up the sack of putrid meat, he trotted for the south side of the turnout, opposite from the side where the horses were eating. He cleared the turnout fence to be confronted by Sergeant Devin of the personal guard. Devin said, “Oh, Ivan, it’s you.”

  “Yes, it is Ivan. Do you make fire pit for burning?”

  “Yes, we already have a fire lit in the pit in front of the house.”

  “You please burn; burning needed very much.”

  Devin took the bag from Ivan and peeked in it, gagging from the stench. “Is this the arm Demon has been carrying around?” he asked.

  “Yes, be old arm, now have new wood arm, not rotten.”

  “I’ll take care of it, Ivan. Not to worry.” Devin carried the flour sack held out as far away from his person as possible. When he reached the fire pit, he told the men to add more wood. When satisfied the fire was hot enough, he tossed the gruesome bag of rot into the flames.

  Ivan scrubbed his hands at the well. Fulk was still outside, watching the horses eat. Fulk asked, “Everything go well? “when Ivan joined him.

  “It is done, nasty too terrible, is burning now.”

  “Thank you, Ivan. I know it must have been horrible. Next time, I will make the exchange.”

  “No being next time, I thinks; I hope!”

  Both men laughed heartily. “I better go get everyone so they can watch what Demon does,” Fulk said, then went into the house to inform everyone it was time to take a position on the turnout fence.

  Basilea was sitting at the table with Gamel by her side. “I want to see too, please, please!” she said.

  Gamel replied, “I think you are still too weak to take the outside air.”

  “Oh, please, please. I’ve been a good girl. I know I’m not so pretty with all of my extra holes now, but please, for your not-so-beautiful Basilea?”

  “You’re still the most beautiful creature to walk the earth, but I cannot be seduced when it comes to your health.”

  “Please, please, take me out! You can cocoon me extra!” Basilea wrapped her blankets around herself until just her eyes were uncovered, which she was flashing continuously at Gamel.

  Everyone started laughing at the pathetic bundle with flashing eyes. Gamel was laughing along with everyone else. He said, “All right, just for a little bit, but don’t think I won’t bundle you just the way you look now!”

  Basilea pulled open the blankets around her mouth and said, “I knew you still loved your old holey, beat-up Basilea.”

  Everyone laughed again. Gamel bent down and gently kissed her on the forehead. He said, “Oh, beautiful lady, do you not know? You are the reason I still walk among the living.” The laughter quickly died away. Wide smiles remained, but everyone in the house realized that the statement was more fact than could be comfortable. Gamel opened Basilea’s blankets and arranged her arms in her lap. Cocooning was performed until only Basilea’s eyes were visible. When Gamel was satisfied, he carefully picked her up and walked through the door opened by Fulk. With the entire house empty, the guards’ curiosity prompted them to accompany the group.

  Devin approached Gamel and said, “Excuse me, but can I assume the mummy is Lady Basilea?”

  “Indeed,” Gamel said, “this be the fair and beautiful lady herself.”

  “Can she speak like that?” Devin asked.

  “For heaven’s sake, Basilea, just blink once for yes and twice for no,” Fulk said.

  Devin addressed the mummy. “Good lady, can I assume that you are feeling better?” The mummy blinked once. “I am glad to hear that, my lady. Are they taking good care of you?” Basilea blinked once again. “Is there anything you need? Anything I can get for you?” Basilea blinked twice. The group had clustered around Basilea at the turnout fence. Everyone wanted to hear and see t
he strange conversation between Devin and the mummified Basilea. Devin said, “My lady, I have been asked to give you a message from all De Ferrier men-at-arms. With the sole exception of our Lady Bella, the men had never witnessed such skill in close quarters combat! If not for the cowardice of snipers, there is no telling how many of the mongrels you would have ended. The men are proud to have shared the field of battle with you and wish for your speedy and complete recovery!” Tears were running out of Basilea’s eyes by the time he had finished, and Devin patted a part of the mummy that should be a shoulder. He said, “God speed, my lady.” Basilea managed a slight nod within the confines of her wrappings.

  A smiling Goodwin said, “Basilea, the men honor you. This is the highest degree of respect a soldier can confer upon someone. By the way, Master Ox has titled you Master of Sword.”

  Everyone gathered closer to the fence as the horses finished their meal. Mildred walked over to the turnout fence to greet everyone while Demon made a dash for his hidden treasure. He cautiously circled the secret tree while everyone pretended not to be looking at him. At full alert, Demon looked in all directions, rotating his ears constantly, trying to detect anything out of the ordinary. He took one more good look around, then reached up into the branches for his arm. He jerked his head back and jumped to the side. He started nickering wildly, looking here and there for some sort of intruder.

  Gamel said, “He knows it’s different. He just can’t figure out how it happened.” Everyone was enjoying the show. Gamel could feel Basilea giggling through the blankets. A confused Demon reached up and pulled the wooden arm to the ground. Looking in all directions, it was obvious he was trying to understand how the arm had been changed. Gamel said, “Now he will see if his precious ring is still there.” Demon put his nose to the wooden arm and sniffed it thoroughly. He put his head high in the air and curled his lips back to take a better sampling. Returning his nose to the new arm, he circled while sniffing and snorting great volumes of air. As horses cannot see directly in front of their nose, he backed up and turned his head to take a good look at his changed prize. Soon he realized the ring was still present, and he lowered his head to feel the ring with his lips. Gamel said, “If he’s satisfied with the ring, everything should fall into place.” Demon circled the strange arm once more. He lipped the leather strap attached to the blunt end, then he picked up the arm with the leather strap and immediately dropped it. Picking it up again, he shook his head from side to side playfully. With the new arm secured in his mouth by the strap, Demon strutted over to the group holding his most regal stance. Everyone praised Demon’s new arm with the pretty ring. He pridefully held out the wooden arm for everyone’s examination. When he came to Gamel and Basilea, he stared at the mummified person Gamel held in his arms. Gamel said, “It’s Basilea, Demon. I’m just keeping her warm.” Demon whinnied softly and placed his arm on the ground by his feet. Reaching over the fence, he started tugging at the blankets covering Basilea’s face.