Pawns and Queens--A 15th Century Gwynedd Story--Chapter Nineteen

[Evie]

Previous chapter: https://www.rhemuthcastle.com/index.php/topic,3234.0.html


Chapter Nineteen

May 1, 1464
Somewhere in the Rhendall Mountains
Kingdom of Vestermarcke (Gwynedd)

Ingrid Ørnensdatter, Konungamóðir of Eistenmarcke and now self-proclaimed Queen of Vestermarcke, wife to King Torval of Nördmarcke (for as long as he continued to prove useful, at least), and seið-kona of the Fólk, read the runes before her in satisfaction. Runic magic was more the province of men than one of the usual attributes of seiðr magic, but she knew a little about it nonetheless. She liked men, but didn't like to be too dependent on one. Depending on anyone besides oneself could be unreliable.

Thus far, their plans were coming along very nicely. Torval's troops on the other side of the Rheljan mountains had proved an effective decoy, holding the Haldane Prince's attention long enough for her ships to land her troops in the area she had since learned was referred to by the native folk as "the Purple March'' under the cover of her magical fog. Once news of that invasion coming from an unexpected direction had reached him, he had responded quickly, splitting his forces between the two threats and also calling in reinforcements, but the delayed response had given her hirðmenn, húskarlar, and heiðþegar ample time to wreak havoc among the villages and towns along that section of the coast, granting them a small beachhead from which to work. Over the next month, that occupied territory had stretched eastward and northward to the mouth of the Rhennish River, giving her forces easier access to the Rhendall Mountains where she was now hidden away in the fortress where she secluded herself in order to further work her illusory seiðr magic.

Granted, some of that magic could not be done in seclusion. Before joining the invading fleet, she had taken briefly to the field again, casting a glamour over Torval's army so their encampment would appear to remain in place until it was no longer needed as a distraction, while in the meantime the actual Nördmarckers had slipped away, crossing the border into Gwynedd a small unit or two at a time rather than en masse, crossing into the Rheljans about fifty miles south of where they appeared to still be gathered. Torval's soldiers were very eager to join the fray by then, for theirs had been the more tedious role, and she had been all too happy to oblige them. Now while her Eistenmarckers were laying waste to the North, Torval's men were engaging the Gwyneddan forces with brief skirmishes here and there along their eastern flank and down into Corwyn. And in the meantime, Prince Rémy's forces were making their way southward through the heart of the enemy kingdom, their progress slow but steady, their eventual goal Rhemuth.

She cared little about Rhemuth. Let Rémy and Torval divide the spoils there. Kheldour was the prize that she coveted. It had been men of Kheldour who had killed her beloved Sigmund and had made their Haakon a King before he was of an age to be ready to be a strong leader of men, and for that the fólk of Kheldour must pay. Though any other part of the enemy kingdom that she could plunder, take, and hold, she would keep in trust for her sons. Haakon had inherited Eistenmarcke from Sigmund, of course, but Ingrid was fairly certain she was breeding again. At least she hoped so. Torval had strength and cunning; Ingrid wanted sons with both, so she hoped the traits would breed true. For that matter, a daughter or two could come in handy as well, especially if they grew up to have an aptitude for seiðr craft.

She might be content with Kheldour, but she would not mind if her children someday ended up dividing all of the lands north of the Southern Sea between them. Odin would be well pleased.

#

May 1, 1464
The King's Council Chamber
Rhemuth Castle

With his Prince's leave, Lord Geoffrey Arilan used a portal at one of the Royal post stations to report to the King in Rhemuth. He was concerned to find the Queen presiding over the small war council, her face pale but resolute, Prince Camber taking the seat of honor where she normally sat when Cinhil was leading the council.

"The King has had another setback this morning," the Duchess of Carthmoor whispered as he took his seat beside her. "Healer Master James is still working with the other physicians to help regulate his breathing."

"How fares our army, Lord Geoffrey?" Queen Soraya asked. "And where is Nicholas currently?"

"He is based in the general vicinity of Old Caerrorie, Your Majesty," the Chief Intelligencer told them, "although since the encampment has access to a Portal now, he is also sending small strike forces from there to various parts of the Kingdom as needed. Cassan, Kierney, and Transha are dealing with the problem in the March, so for now the Prince is more focused on the east and northeastern parts of the Kingdom. We think the King and Queen Mother of Eistenmarcke are somewhere in the Rhendall area, but thus far it has been difficult to narrow down specifically where they are because of the strength of her illusory magic. That is one reason he has sent me back here. What we know is that Queen Ingrid is using some form of Old Norse magic that is not Deryni in nature. We also know it can be fought against, because during the Sack of Grecotha in the year 705 by the Norsemen, eventually some means was found to repel the invading force, but the scholars at the Library of Grecotha have been unable to find specific texts that provide us with enough information on what tactics were used against the Norsemen, likely because any such written texts have long since rotted away or got scraped clean and reused for other purposes. And now Grecotha itself is under siege. Banoidhre Aoife of Llyr is going through the ancient archives in the Palace at Shiele to see what she might discover there that might be of use, but most of the lore she is aware of pertains to dealing with Old Norse magics on the sea, not during land battles. I have heard that Andelon also has an extensive library of the magical arts; might something be found there?"

"It's possible," Catalina said thoughtfully. "Of course we would have had far less need for such information in Andelon, even in our ancient history, but since the purpose of the library in Andelon is to preserve what magical lore that we could, some texts regarding how the Old Norse raids were repelled in the lands north of the Southern Sea might have made their way to us. I would also check with the Anvillers. I think I remember from my history studies that one reason such raids eventually became a thing of the past, besides the spread of Christianity into the Norselands, was that there was a battle with Old Torenth sometime in the 900s during which most of the seether mages were killed, thus the Old Norse magics mostly died out since few were left to pass down the ancient knowledge. It became more profitable for the Northland kingdoms to engage in trade with the rest of the Eleven Kingdoms rather than attempt conquest. But I think Ingrid is from the far northern reaches of those lands, where older ways were never fully lost, just suppressed. The Northmen from Eistenfalla and the coastal north, or from the islands around Skagarrak, never have ceased making coastal raids completely." She considered the problem. "Lord Salim has Anviller training, so he might be able to assist you with any countermeasures to Old Norse illusory magic that he may be aware of. I know that Lord Salim can see through Llyrian illusions; he may be able to see through seether mage illusions as well. And I can send Lord Riordan home to Andelon to check on what resources might be available there also."

"I would very much like to speak with Lord Salim," said Lord Geoffrey. "And any information Lord Riordan might be able to find for us would be very helpful. For that matter, even though I've already taken a quick look through our Library Annex here, a second set of eyes taking a closer look at our archives would be greatly appreciated. It's always possible that I've missed something important." Glancing at the Queen, he added "Is the Banfhlaith Saoirse still in Rhemuth? If so, the Prince is requesting her services on the field."

Alixa shook her head. "I will check with the King, but he is likely to deny that request, at least unless another Healer with the Blocking power can be found. He doesn't want to risk her falling into enemy hands."

"A pity," said Lord Geoffrey. "She could prove very useful in neutralizing any threat from enemy combatants who are Deryni."

"Possibly," said Alixa neutrally, "though as she is not our subject, she is not ours to command. However, she also agrees with Cinhil that her gift could be misapplied if she happens to come to the notice of the wrong people. The last thing she wants is to end up in a similar situation to the captive Healer that King Renier has stashed away somewhere in Joux. But I am given to understand that the Old Norse magic is of a different sort than the powers those with Deryni blood can conjure up, so I doubt the Eistenmarcker seether could be Blocked anyway."

"A fair point, though it was the Deryni among Torval's and Rémy's forces that I had in mind," said Lord Geoffrey.

"I cannot speak for any Deryni hailing from Nördmarcke," said Alixa, "but if I cannot hand over the Blocker whom you seek, let me at least arm you with information about those you might find among Rémy's forces. The Buyenne-Furstán bloodline is greatly diluted in my father's time, and as far as I've been able to ascertain, my father never went through any sort of empowerment ritual such as is customarily used to enhance any natural-born powers of the Haldane Kings. He married my mother in hopes of strengthening our Deryni bloodline, though he kept her weak and untrained so she could not rise up against him. Renier's chief weakness is his fear that he will be overcome by some threat from within Joux before he can gather enough strength to be a threat to others outside the Kingdom. Rémy, I suspect, has greater natural power than our father, yet his level of training is deficient compared to what is available here. I have only been in training for a month, now that my own powers have been Unblocked, and already I am able to do a few things my brother has never shown signs of being able to do...and trust me, had he been able to harness more powers to use against me and my sisters, he would have. Rémy also shares my father's fear of surrounding himself with followers more capable than himself. Therefore, I am fairly confident that whatever Deryni you will find within his ranks will be no more powerful than Rémy himself. You will not be dealing with Haldane-strength Deryni when coming up against Rémy and his men.

"Rémy can Truth-Read and to some lesser extent, Mind-See. He can produce handfire and start fires well enough to spark dry kindling into a blaze. He can pick a lock if it is a simple one to visualize, can manage a mental pull or shove, and he can use a portal if one is available and if he happens to sense it is there. He can Mind-Speak, but as I recall, it was like a quiet whisper in my mind even at close range. He has little knowledge of ritual magic to speak of, even of basic warding magic, and what he knows of it is mostly theoretical, learned from books. He is not much of a scholar except when forced to his studies by our father. I think he can at least raise a simple protective ward around himself, but not much more, and he certainly does not possess the knowledge needed to do weather working or create a new portal. It is possible that others in his army have better training in ritual magic, but less likely that they possess knowledge that he would recognize as a threat to his own person. He would either have to greatly trust someone to allow them to possess knowledge he is unable to access--and Rémy trusts no one--or he would have to have some hold upon that person that causes him to fear betraying Rémy. Find out what that hold is and if it can be neutralized, and you could well have an ally in overcoming Rémy, for Rémy has no true friends, only retainers who profit from their association with him. They are only loyal to him because he rewards them handsomely for loyalty and has little compunction against killing them or their loved ones for any betrayal real or perceived."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Lord Geoffrey said. "I had suspected his powers were not especially strong, but it is very useful to have that information confirmed." He studied the Queen thoughtfully. "If any captured Deryni happen to be brought here for imprisonment in Rhemuth, might the Lady Saoirse be prevailed upon to Block their powers so they will be less of a threat to their jailors?"

"I suppose that would be possible, if the Lady agrees to do so," Alixa replied. "As I said, she is not a Gwyneddan subject, nor can I speak to what she would find an ethical use of such powers. It might greatly depend on what crimes there is sufficient evidence that the Deryni in question are answerable for, aside from loyally answering their liege lord's call to invade our kingdom, as of course our jailors are well shielded against mind-control. I suspect she would be unwilling to Block someone just for being a Deryni on the wrong side; think of the precedent that would set! But if their individual crimes demand stern punishment, yet death by sword or gallows isn't warranted, then perhaps she might be persuaded, though it is difficult for me to envision a crime severe enough to warrant a sentence of Blocking but not death. Again, I cannot speak for another kingdom's subject; I can only surmise based on what I have learned of the lady herself."

The answer was not what Lord Geoffrey had hoped for, but it would have to serve. Catching Prince Camber's eye, he stated, "Prince Nicholas has requested that you return to the war camp with me so you can learn the portal signature there. I believe he said something about some earlier agreement he had made with you, which he has not yet had the opportunity to avail himself of since the army has been too much on the move before now?"

Camber nodded. "Assuming the King grants me leave, which I have no reason to doubt that he will, I will do so gladly. Unless you are minded to return right this minute, since I feel certain the King would rather I remain in Rhemuth until he is in a more stable condition, though he may well have had a chance to recover his full faculties by now. If you don't mind delaying your return by an hour or two, it will be more likely that I can be spared for a brief visit."

#

Lord Geoffrey had left shortly thereafter to seek out Lord Salim and learn whatever advice the Anviller-trained weapons master might have regarding seeing through seether-mage illusions and glamours while he waited for Prince Camber to secure leave from the King. After he left and the others filed from the room, Alixa glanced uncertainly at Camber. "Did I do all right?" she whispered.

"You did brilliantly, Your Majesty, just as we knew you could," he assured her.

Alixa blushed. She had always found Cinhil's Chief Intelligencer to be a formidable man, so she had felt very nervous about denying his request, though she knew she was simply stating Cinhil's own thoughts on the matter. "You needn't call me that in private, you know," she told Camber.

"On the contrary," he said. "You are starting to grow more assured as Queen of Gwynedd, so far be it from me to deny you proper recognition of your role." He held out his arm to her. "Shall we go show Cinhil what he missed now? I'm sure he is eager to see for himself."

#

May 1, 1464
The Castle Gardens
Rhemuth Castle

While others had been discussing her behind closed doors, Saoirse of Llyr was spending the afternoon outdoors enjoying the spring weather with the Queen's sister Cécile. The young Jouvian princess had only been judged sufficiently Healed in mind and spirit a few days earlier to be given the option to have her powers Unblocked, the risk of danger to herself or others in doing so having been judged to be minimal at that stage of her recovery, though it had been impressed upon the young woman that even if her powers were Unblocked, she would remain under training controls for her own safety while she learned how to use them responsibly. She had balked at the idea of having any controls upon her mind, quite understandably given how little control over her own life she had been given in the past, but upon hearing that her sister had also consented to such precautions, she had grudgingly agreed to that condition being placed on the restoration of her powers.

Cécile had also proved to be adamantly against being referred to as Queen of Eistenmarcke, which again was perfectly understandable given that her King had attempted to murder her, and as Prince Camber had been able to ascertain with the Archbishop that her brief marriage was not considered binding or even valid by the Church of Gwynedd, she had gladly reverted to her former styling as the Princess Cécile, though she preferred not to be spoken of as Cécile of Joux, preferring to leave her entire past completely in the past.

The one thing she could not leave completely in the past was her pregnancy, which unlike her sister's unusually easy experience now that the Queen had moved past the early months of fatigue, was causing the young princess a great deal of distress, both physical and emotional. She had lost rather than gained weight in the month since her arrival, though the Healer was uncertain how much of that was due to her frequent nausea and how much was simply due to all of the stress she had recently been through and was still experiencing, for her emotions were still extremely variable, especially when it came to the father of her child, careening wildly between tenderness or sadness in one moment and rage only minutes later. Saoirse had been charged with helping the young princess learn how to regulate these mood swings.

The young Healer was glad to be entrusted with doing such Healing work despite her own somewhat limited experience with her gift, because she missed being out in the field, partnering with Sebastian to collect vital intel, and did not wish to spend her time in Rhemuth sitting around and feeling useless. She could not fault King Cinhil for wanting to keep her well out of harm's way, given how much potential harm she might be forced by the enemy to inflict on the Deryni of Gwynedd if she were to fall into enemy hands, and once she had heard his concerns, she had voluntarily offered to remain and continue in service to the Kingdom of Gwynedd at much closer quarters than she had originally envisioned, but still she chafed at feeling like a caged sparrow when she was born to be a soaring falcon.

Saoirse had been engaged in helping Cécile practice her newly relearned skills in creating and controlling handfire, with the secondary aim of teaching the younger princess how to focus her thoughts and direct the size, shape, and motion of the floating orb of light and energy she summoned, for such skills would need to be mastered before she could learn more complex workings, when a figure familiar to both approached the two young women. Sebastian raised his hand in greeting, his steps slowing as he belatedly recognized the red-haired lady who sat with her back to him, remembering their previous encounter and not wishing to cause her any alarm by his presence. She sensed his approach also, shifting her angle on the bench she sat upon so she could watch the new arrival warily.

"Votre Majesté," Sebastian greeted Cécile with a deep bow.

She flushed, giving Saoirse an uncertain look before replying in Gwyneddan. "I prefer 'Your Highness' or 'my lady'," she answered quietly. "I do not care for reminders of my enemies."

It was Sebastian's turn to redden. "My apologies, Your Highness. I will be certain to remember your preference in future."

"I also prefer to be reminded as little as possible of my life in Joux, and I need to improve my knowledge of your tongue, so speaking in Gwyneddan is preferred as well. But slowly, please. I still find some words and phrases difficult to translate."

"Perfectly understandable, demoi–my lady." When he had last seen her more than a month previously, he had not recalled her understanding Gwyneddan at all, though thinking back, he realized she must have understood at least some of what he and Saoirse had been saying that night, unless she had truly become fluent enough to have a conversation in just over a month.

"We have not yet been introduced," Cécile observed with a tilt of her head to her companion.

Saoirse supplied the lack. "Princess Cécile, allow me to present Lord Sebastian Arilan. Sebastian was my foster brother once, and we were partnered together as scouts when we found you."

Cécile inclined her head. "Thank you for your assistance that evening; I owe the two of you my life, Lord Sebastian. Or is it Lord Arilan?"

"Lord Sebastian is correct, my lady. Lord Arilan is my father. And speaking of my father, I have been sent to find him, so I mustn't tarry any more than I already have. But I am very pleased to see you in much better health, Your Highness, and regret only that we could not have managed to rescue you much sooner." Sebastian bowed. You may wish to remain out of sight, he warned his former foster sister in private Mind-Speech. Father is quite interested in your latest talent, and you of all people should recall how his zeal to add a useful weapon to the Arilan arsenal can sometimes lead him to forget that we are firstly people, not just tools. As Cécile gave him leave to depart, he bowed once more and took his leave of the two young women.

#

May 10, 1464
Somewhere in the Rhendall Mountains
Kingdom of Vestermarcke (Gwynedd)

"What are you making, Móðir?" young King Haakon asked the Konungamóðir as she sat at her loom. Whatever it was, he could tell she was weaving some sort of spellwork into it, for the black image taking form on the white background had some sort of illusory movement to it. He reached out a finger to touch the fine silk work, only to have it slapped away briskly.

"Do not touch the Raven Banner!" Ingrid warned him, her voice urgent. "It is beautiful and tempting, but it is deadly."

Haakon grinned as he pulled his hand back. "Like you, Móðir?"

Ingrid laughed. "I suppose so, cheeky lad."  She stopped her work to give him her full attention. "When you lead your men into the final battle against the Prince of Gwynedd's men, this banner will go before you and give you victory. But you must never touch it or the pole that it flies from. Promise me."

He glanced at the partially completed fabric "What does it do, besides announce to the enemy, 'Haakon is here, kill him first'?"

His mother rolled her eyes at him. "So long as it flies before you, it will strike fear and dread in your enemies and instill courage in your hirðmenn.  But it is death for any but its maker to touch it."

"Then how is it meant to fly before me? Will it fly on its own, like a bird?"

"I recognize sarcasm when I hear it, son, but yes, in a way it shall. The raven on the banner will appear to fly like a living bird; that is one of the magics that will strike fear in the hearts of your enemies. But of course you shall have banner bearers. Quite likely more than one, since to touch the banner means to bring death upon oneself, but as each bearer falls, a new one will take his place to bear the standard before you. They do not matter. You are the King of Eistenmarcke, and it shall be their honor to die serving you in this way. Serving you so will ensure their place in Valhalla for their valor."

Haakon studied his mother's work thoughtfully. "You are certain it will guarantee our victory?"

"I am quite certain," Ingrid assured him. "So long as the Raven flies proudly before you, you shall live and be triumphant, and no weapon can harm you. I do this to ensure your victory in battle."

#

May 10, 1464
The King's Tower
The Duke of Carthmoor's apartment
Rhemuth Castle

The Duchess of Carthmoor sat on her husband's lush Kheldish carpet, the books from Andelon spread out before her, having been retrieved a few nights earlier when she could spare her amanuensis to return to her father's court briefly through the Annex portal. Beside her sat Lords Salim and Riordan, the latter with a small lap desk before him so he could take notes as they worked. In the window embrasure of their common room, Lady Amina was present for propriety's sake, though she scarcely paid attention to the others, her concentration focused as it was on embroidering a nightgown for her liege lady meant to protect her through childbearing, though Catalina had already decided to offer it to Alixa instead. It was not as if she herself would be in any danger of going through childbirth anytime soon, for despite the plans that the two Princes of Gwynedd had devised together to ensure that Nicholas would have some opportunities to visit long enough to attempt to sire an heir, that plan had been one of the first of many that had had to be discarded upon first encountering their enemies. But the work gave Amina something to do, and with her hands and mind focused on the stitching, she was too preoccupied to complain about anything, which was a blessed relief as far as Catalina was concerned. The Duchess, in her own preoccupied distraction over helping to prepare the castle storerooms for a potential siege, had absentmindedly asked Amina to assist with altering the Prince's old shirts for Balian a few days after the men had ridden off to war, and upon discovering her Princesa's  husband already had three children when he had yet to give her lady even one, Amina had become outraged. It did no good to remind her former duenna that all of Nicholas's children had been conceived before she had even met him, much less become his wife. The damage was done, and her camarera  was convinced that the Prince was somewhere only slightly lower than Beelzebub in the demonic hierarchy. Catalina dreaded the furor that would ensue if Amina ever found out that her husband had a fourth love child on the way.

"Hm, this could be useful," Salim said, looking up briefly from the page he was skimming before reading the passage aloud to his companions. "The powers of the seether mage affect the mind, inducing forgetfulness, delusions, illusions, or fear. They can cause a mental or even physical fog to alter the victim's senses, deceiving the sight and causing him to see things other than as they actually are. But in most cases, such powers can only be wielded within sight of the victim, and if the seether is deprived of her sight, her power is lost. Also, the effects on the victim will eventually fade once he is no longer in the presence of the seether."

"That's assuming the victim is still alive, of course," Riordan said as he jotted down notes. "So we blind Torval's Queen? Getting close enough to do that sounds like it would be the real trick."

"Here's another passage," Salim said, skimming further down the page. "Another woman skilled in the seether-craft can see through the deception."

"So my husband merely needs to recruit another mage from an enemy kingdom to find the first one who is busy wreaking havoc?" Catalina laughed. "It would be more helpful if we can find out how  they see through the deception."

"I'm working on that," Salim protested with a laugh. He flipped the page, skimming through several more passages before finding another one of relevance. "It is a well-known technique to cover the seether-mage's head with a skin bag or a leather sack in order to prevent her from enchanting others or cursing her captors."

"That would definitely interfere with her sight," said Riordan, "though again, it begs the question of how to get that close to her. I'm thinking an arrow through the eyes would be less risky."

"Just one arrow?" Salim paused to imagine the profile view that would require as Catalina shook her head at both men.

"Next passage," she prompted.

"Oh, this doesn't sound good, though maybe we can figure out some way to adapt it. 'A related magic is called the helmet of hiding or invisibility, which is invoked from placing hands atop the head of the person to be concealed. Throwing magical powders over them can also create the illusion, or the seether-mage's cap can be used to render another person invisible while he wears it.'"

Catalina rubbed her temples. "So this woman can make our enemies invisible?"

"Well, technically no," Salim allowed. "But she can make others not able to see them, at least temporarily."

"That might as well be the same thing." Catalina sighed heavily. "Tell me about that cap. Is there some sort of clothing she customarily wears while she is working her magic?"

"Let's see...I'm pretty sure I saw something about that a chapter or two back...." Salim flipped back several pages. "A blue cloak, a sealskin belt pouch, a black lamb's wool cap lined with white fur..."

"That sounds pretty distinctive," said Riordan as he added those details to his notes. "It should make her easier to pick out on the battlefield, at least."

"Unless she's made everyone looking for her think she is invisible," Salim said, though he agreed it was one of the more useful bits of information they had found thus far. He flipped back to the chapter he'd been reading. "The seether-mage can also cause impotence in males...."

"Because no man in his right mind would dare to swive her," Riordan chimed in, earning a sharp smack of another book on his thigh as Catalina struggled not to laugh.

"Here's a more complete description of the ritual clothing," Salim said. "'A high-seat was prepared for the seeth-mage and a cushion stuffed with hen-feathers laid under her. She arrived later that evening with the man who had been sent for her, dressed in a blue mantle fastened with straps, the flap above set with stones. Glass beads adorned her neck, and on her head she wore a black lambskin hood with white catskin inside. She had a staff in her hand with a knob on it made with brass, and stones were set above in the knob. She also had a belt of touch-wood, and on it was a large skin pouch where she kept her talismans which she needed to get knowledge. On her feet she wore shaggy calfskin shoes with long thongs and large knobs on the ends of those. She had on her hands catskin gloves, and they were white inside and shaggy.'"

"All right, that's certainly distinctive, but I suspect that is what she would wear in a ritual chamber, not on a battlefield," Catalina said thoughtfully, thinking back on the loose shifts or robes she normally wore in a ritual circle, but not while doing ordinary Deryni magic. "So maybe that's not what Nicholas is likely to find if he's searching for her in the field, but if he is looking for where she is based, then those items would certainly help to identify her if they are found on site. And that high seat sounds almost throne-like, doesn't it? It's literally a seat of power." She considered that idea for a moment. "Anything else in that book?"

Salim skimmed to the final page. "Nothing more in here," he said, reaching for another volume. After scanning the first few pages, he found another passage. "The seether-mages are said to change shape into various sea creatures or birds in order to make spirit-journeys to gather information. Often their magical arts include magical archery, making them unable to miss a target or able to shoot three arrows simultaneously, or ensorcelling magical arrows to fly back to the bowstring on their own accord and hit whatever they are aimed at."

"Interesting," Riordan said as he jotted that down. "We can certainly do the first of those archery skills, though maintaining the necessary focus is pretty damn difficult in the midst of a battle. I'm quite curious to see if Deryni magic could manage the other skills, at least with some practice."

"For some workings," Salim continued, "the seether must lie as if asleep or dead in a secluded location outdoors, preferably upon a barrow, and there she must not be interrupted while she works. She covers herself with a cloak or blanket, under which she meditates and mutters her spells. In such a manner is her trance entered, heralded by a huge and unnatural yawn, and the end of the trance is heralded in like manner. This is of use to allow the soul to leave the body and wander, to seek out hidden truths, foretell the future, create sendings, or commune with the spirits. There is always danger in this practice, for while she is outside of her body, she might be attacked by the spirit who dwells in the barrow or be found insane the next morning."

"What do you think the chances are that she'll overextend herself and put herself out of our misery?" Riordan asked.

"Likely slim, but you might as well make a note of that anyway, in case our men in the field find any signs that a barrow has been used for the purpose. That might at least let them know she's somewhere nearby," Catalina suggested.

"Here's a bit about weaving magic," Salim added, "though it sounds similar enough to Andelonian magics of that sort. It might be helpful to note that they can use spellwork to create shirts that will harm the wearer as well as to help or heal them. If it's only the seether-mage who is able to wield such magic, then I doubt she would be able to equip an entire army with protective gear, but she might protect herself and her son in such a way, and perhaps her closest retainers as well." Reading further, he found another passage of interest. "The army is protected by the Raven Banner, a magical banner that has the power to terrify the foemen, the ground of which is a shimmering white, upon which a black raven appears to magically flap its wings. It is always woven by a kinswoman of the warrior who leads the army, with the magic woven into the fabric as it was made to protect the man who has it carried before himself, assuring him of victory, though the banner bearers are doomed to die in battle."

Riordan quickly jotted down that description. "So that's likely how we will be able to spot the Eistenmarcker King on the field once we find the main van. That is very good to know. Now we just need to figure out how to guard against the magical effects. Deryni shielding might offer some protection, though that won't be of much use for our human combatants."

The entrance door opened, and Sebastian's familiar voice announced, "His Royal Highness Prince Nicholas." Catalina looked up sharply, surprise and delight suffusing her features as she leaped up from the floor and rushed across the small chamber to greet her husband, Riordan making a sudden grab for the inkwell to ensure it didn't tip over as her skirts brushed it on her way past him.

Salim bookmarked his place with a blank sheet of paper, closing the volume he held. "Perhaps we should continue our search in the library," he suggested to Riordan, who had already started to gather his notes in a tidy pile and store them away in the lap desk along with the hastily corked inkwell.

"We're looking up references to seether magic that Lord Riordan found in my father's library in Andelon," Catalina explained as her husband released her from his embrace with a glance at the books on the floor and looked questioningly back up at her. "Hopefully the Anvillers will have useful information as well, though they haven't replied back to Lord Salim's inquiries yet."

"I'll be grateful for whatever you manage to find," Nicholas told the men. "I would very much like to look over what you've managed to discover so far. Later." He smiled down at his wife, who blushed, taking his arm. The men needed no further hint that their company was extraneous to present needs and left the apartment, bringing their research materials with them.

"You are excused, Lady Amina," Catalina dismissed her camerera as Amina curtseyed stiffly in the window embrasure. "You may have the rest of the evening at your leisure." Amina's lips tightened in disapproval of the Prince's unannounced arrival to claim his husbandly rights in the middle of a bright afternoon. She folded her embroidery project and tucked it away in her basket, dawdling as long as she could manage, but finding herself thoroughly ignored as the bedchamber door closed firmly behind the young couple.

#

"How did you manage to get away from the battlefield?" Catalina asked once Colin had finally stopped rendering her incapable of coherent thought. "And how much longer do I have you?"

"Not nearly long enough," Colin replied with a sigh and a trail of kisses down her bare shoulder. "I will need to return tonight. But all has been quiet enough for the past few days, so I figured I could risk a brief visit, and anyway, Camber was very insistent." He grinned. "This is his idea of a birthday present for me. Best birthday ever."

"It's your birthday?" Catalina felt chagrined. "I'm so sorry, I didn't realize! I'd have done something special for you, had I known!"

He chuckled. "You just did."  Sitting up, he grew more serious. "I don't want to tear myself away, but I have a million things I need to do while I'm still here, including checking in with Cinhil."

"Yes. So much has happened in your absence. Hopefully you've been getting all of our reports."

"I think so," he confirmed. "Though if I've missed any, how would I know?"

She laughed at the teasing glint in his eyes. "You have a point. Though I'm sure the King will make certain you have been filled in on all the necessary highlights." She sobered. "How bad are conditions in the Kingdom now? The reports we get back are often several days delayed, so it's hard to gauge how current our information is."

"It's bad." He took his wife's hand, stroking it idly as he gathered his thoughts, his eyes haunted. "They seem to be split up into small bands, striking here and there and then often melting away again more quickly than we can regroup and respond, although we've certainly engaged in several major skirmishes as well. It's the smaller villages and hamlets that are suffering most, since they have fewer defenses, but of course we depend on those lands for our food crops and export goods, and that's what makes them attractive targets for the enemy. What they don't take for themselves, they seek to deny us in hopes of starving us into surrender. They've besieged a few of the larger towns and cities, but don't like to stay in any one place for very long, so we've been fortunate so far that none of those have fallen yet aside from St. Stefan's and Grecotha, which they finally managed to take this week by means of some sort of subterfuge. Now that more reinforcements have arrived, I've attempted to deploy them in areas where they can more easily intercept the marauding bands or at least react more quickly and stop them doing as much damage, but I still have to keep enough men in the main van since I know the enemy's main force is also out there somewhere. We keep coming up on signs of their passage, but have yet to actually find them. It's like trying to chase down a ghost." He looked back up at her face, meeting her eyes. "You need to know, if I am captured at some point, they don't take hostages. At least not for ransom. So if that should happen, go ahead and consider me dead."

Catalina's mouth went dry. "Do I want to know what they do with captured soldiers?"

"The high ranking ones, especially Deryni? Probably not, and I certainly don't intend to relive those details while describing them. But trust me, if there seems to be any likelihood of being captured, I intend to go down fighting."

"What happened to Princess Cécile sounded especially horrific," Catalina said.

Colin nodded. "I've seen Sebastian's memories of that night. It was. Not just what happened to her, but also to the other prisoners who were sacrificed. So far we've seen no evidence of sacrifices of that sort here, but the Llyrians have warned me we might see more of such activity in mid-June."

Catalina's blood chilled at the thought. "And what about Prince Rémy's forces?"

"So far we've managed to block them from moving any further south than Marlor. But another few ships have managed to slip past the Llyrian blockade this week, so they might have reinforcements now, and my men are stretched very thin on the ground. We had originally thought we would primarily need to cover only one border, not two, since until this new alliance with Eistenmarcke, Torval hadn't enough ships left after the Great Northern Sea Storm two years ago to provide much of a naval threat, but the addition of ships and troops from Eistenmarcke and Joux completely changes the picture.  Do you think there is any chance we might get more men from Andelon as well as books, or better yet, does your father have any connections with the Anvillers? I could certainly use a few dozen Lord Salims, or however many they would be willing to send."

"Does he have those connections? Yes, certainly. Would they be willing to lend us aid? I don't know, but I can certainly ask. How much can we offer?"

"I'll take a look at our expenses with Cinhil tonight and let you know." He kissed her once more, studying her face afterwards as if committing it to memory. "If I can, I will try to find you again before I head back to camp. Do you happen to know where I might find Balian right now?"

"He is likely at the King's apartment at this hour," Catalina said, "unless he's been sent on some errand, but in that case he would return there immediately after. So at least you needn't be in two places at once, since you mean to visit Cinhil anyway."

"Good." Colin reached for his shirt and braies. "And your men, would they have relocated to the Library? I might as well collect their research along my way. Our generals need every helpful tip they can get on how to deal with all the elusive actions and misdirection we've had to contend with."

"The Library seems most likely, yes."

The Prince pulled up his hosen, tying the points securely before reaching for his tunic and cotte, Catalina joining him to assist with the lacing up. Quickly, before she could change her mind, she asked, "Do you mean to visit Melisande after you leave here tonight?" At his startled and somewhat wary look, she swiftly added, "You probably should, and not simply because she's likely been as sick with worry for you as I've been. Does she have any means of contacting us if the enemy gets too close to the hunting lodge?"

"No." Colin looked troubled. "I was counting on Camber keeping a close eye on the situation and moving them out of harm's way if it appeared that the enemy was getting too close to the heart of the kingdom, but given the difficulty of keeping track of the current situation and the enemy popping up in unexpected places, hopefully I can convince her to reconsider returning to Rhemuth with the girls. Maybe Cam can find a place in the City for them."

"We have some empty apartments at the Castle, if it comes down to that."

"Maman would shriek like a banshee if I brought Mellie to the Castle. Are you quite certain you would want that either?"

"We are in the middle of a war, Colin, and I have spent the past month witnessing what the tender mercies of our enemy have done to the Queen's sister. This is no time for clinging to jealousy or hurt feelings. If your family needs to come here to ensure their safety, then bring them here. It's a large castle; I'm sure we can figure out how to stay out of each other's way."

Colin pulled his wife into an embrace, leaning his forehead on hers briefly. "Thank you. I only hope Mellie won't be stubborn and refuse again. But if nothing else, I will make certain she has some way to call for help should she need it."

"Hopefully she won't be more frightened of me than the enemy, but if she is still reluctant to come here because of me and your mother, at least impress upon her the need to call for help quickly if she sees or hears any sign of anything amiss. Though hopefully she won't feel the need to call at a time when Cam is at the front line and you are here in Rhemuth, if he's the one you mean for her to contact."

"Khadasa!"  Colin gave a mirthless laugh. "Nothing is ever simple."  Reaching a decision, he reached a hand out to stroke Catalina's hair, sharing a portal signature and a mental picture of its surroundings with her as he did so. "Do not endanger yourself by going there, especially if the enemy is close by, but you can share that with others if a swift rescue is needed. As for the physical location of the lodge, it is an hour and a half's ride north of here, near Candor Rhea, just a half mile west of the Via Rûmana. I would show you on a map, but I'm not bringing you to the Library looking like that." He slanted a grin at his unclad wife. "Get Cinhil or Camber to show you later."


Next chapter: https://www.rhemuthcastle.com/index.php/topic,3238.0.html

[DerynifanK]

Sorry that things are going badly but I guess sometimes it has to get worse before it gets better. I hope they can find some answers to how to defeat the invaders, especially Ingrid and Haakon.
I think Catalina needs to send Amina home and find another attendant

[Evie]

Sorry that things are going badly but I guess sometimes it has to get worse before it gets better. I hope they can find some answers to how to defeat the invaders, especially Ingrid and Haakon.
I think Catalina needs to send Amina home and find another attendant

Yes, I think Ingrid in particular is a bit of a curve ball they weren't expecting. At least Haakon doesn't know seiðr-craft. (Seiðr magic was almost exclusively a woman's domain, like rune magic was primarily considered a man's.)

I'm pretty sure Catalina is regretting her choice in bringing Amina, though to be fair, Amina's service in Andelon had been exemplary, if a bit strict (but one expects that from a chaperone), and she likely had no way to predict that her camerera would react so badly to the cultural differences between her native kingdom and Gwynedd. Unfortunately, the middle of wartime doesn't leave Catalina much time to consider less pressing matters like rearranging her personal household and having to train someone else to do Amina's duties, when she's busily trying to help prepare the castle for the possibility of a siege as well as assisting King Cinhil as much as she can in other ways in his heir's absence, so she's probably hoping that she'll have more time to do something about the problem once the war is over and things settle down a bit. Assuming they haven't all been conquered by the enemy by then, of course. If that were to happen, Amina would be the very least of her worries, though at least that would give Amina a lot more valid things to complain about. 

[revanne]

I'm glad Catalina asked about Mellie since I'm sure Nicholas wouldn't have brought her up. I do worry about her, especially since from her perspective Soraya, Catalina and the court gossips are a more frightening prospect than an unknown enemy. And it's been a long while since the heart of Gwynedd was invaded, too long for most people to think of it as a serious possibility.

[Evie]

I'm glad Catalina asked about Mellie since I'm sure Nicholas wouldn't have brought her up. I do worry about her, especially since from her perspective Soraya, Catalina and the court gossips are a more frightening prospect than an unknown enemy. And it's been a long while since the heart of Gwynedd was invaded, too long for most people to think of it as a serious possibility.

This is, unfortunately, very true. Candor Rhea is very close to Rhemuth (about ten miles, IIRC), and at least at this point in the war, most people would be expecting the battles and skirmishes to mostly affect the Northeastern border areas or the northern coastline. So while Mellie would appreciate that Colin cares enough to try to come up with a workable safety plan for her and the girls, she likely also thinks he's making a mountain out of a molehill and they'll be perfectly safe until the enemy gives up and goes home. She's far more worried about him being up at the front than about herself or her family.

On the other hand, she's tried raising her little family in Rhemuth, and that was an absolute nightmare for her. She definitely doesn't want to subject her little girls to that cruelty! Not to mention that Colin's new wife (who holds far greater rank and power) might be the vindictive sort, and how would Mellie know for sure the woman wouldn't want to eliminate her rival while Colin's attention is turned elsewhere? So if Mellie and her daughters have to flee Candor Rhea for some other sanctuary, Rhemuth is likely the last place in the Eleven Kingdoms she would consider to be a safe haven.

[DerynifanK]

Oh dear, I wish they could meet so Mellie could be reassured that Catalina has no desire to hurt her or her family in any way. Nicholas needs to tell her that Catalina asked him about her safety and a rescue plan if needed. Besides, if not Rhemuth, where? And I think Catalina could shut up the gossips quite effectively if she decides to.
I hope someone will have some help for Nicholas in dealing with the invaders. I would think the Anvillers would have some useful advice. Hope they respond soon.
Any chance of a possible heir from this visit?

[drakensis]

Given that Remy is going south towards Rhemuth and the FitzCarthoor family are north of Rhemuth, this bodes ill for them unless they go elsewhere.

[Evie]

Oh dear, I wish they could meet so Mellie could be reassured that Catalina has no desire to hurt her or her family in any way. Nicholas needs to tell her that Catalina asked him about her safety and a rescue plan if needed. Besides, if not Rhemuth, where? And I think Catalina could shut up the gossips quite effectively if she decides to.
I hope someone will have some help for Nicholas in dealing with the invaders. I would think the Anvillers would have some useful advice. Hope they respond soon.
Any chance of a possible heir from this visit?

It would be nice if Mellie could get that reassurance and feel safer, but I'm not sure she'd be at all reassured hearing it from Nicholas, given that his reassurances have hardly been infallible in the past. "Darling, I'll protect you! Once we have a child on the way, I'm certain Father will let us marry. In fact, he'll probably insist on it!"  Wrong!  Then "I'll find you a nice little home in the city where you'll be safe from Court gossip." Not exactly an improvement!  Then "I'll never risk your life again with another pregnancy"...until they both forgot to take preventative measures once the stress of him having to marry someone else made every other thought but comfort-seeking fly right out of both their heads. No, she'd appreciate his well-meant assurances, but tell herself that if his new Andelonian wife had any ill-intent towards her or the children--and why wouldn't she, given Queen Soraya's hostility towards her, and Soraya is just his mother, not his bride?--then Nicholas would be the very last person to know!

Is there a chance for an heir from this visit? Well, since Nicholas married Catalina specifically with the intent of siring heirs, he wouldn't have been doing anything to prevent a pregnancy, and she wouldn't be either, and they were actively engaging in an activity known to cause pregnancy, so unless one or both happen to be infertile, there is certainly a chance of a pregnancy happening. Whether it actually does result in one or not, I guess they'll find out in a few weeks. 😄

Given that Remy is going south towards Rhemuth and the FitzCarthoor family are north of Rhemuth, this bodes ill for them unless they go elsewhere.

Yup, if Remy and his forces manage to make it that deep into the heart of Gwynedd, then certainly Mellie could easily end up finding herself faced with a very difficult decision.

[DerynifanK]

No hints? So hard to wait.

[Evie]

No hints? So hard to wait.

No hints, though at least you won't have long to wait until the next chapter, and IIRC a new character will get introduced in that one, so there will be a new character portrait added to the portraits post as well that morning. So there's two things to look forward to, even if you won't get the answer to this particular question so early. Even a Deryni mother-to-be wouldn't realize that this soon after a possible date of conception. If Catalina has to wait to find out, so do you. But I promise you'll know if she is or isn't just as soon as she does. 😄

[Demercia]

A question that has just occurred to me from a couple of chapters ago.  Does Gwynedd at this point have the equivalent of the Salic law or is it simply, and quite reasonably in the circumstances, recognised as unrealistic to have a female heir to the throne, especially one who would be a minor for so long?

[Evie]

A question that has just occurred to me from a couple of chapters ago.  Does Gwynedd at this point have the equivalent of the Salic law or is it simply, and quite reasonably in the circumstances, recognised as unrealistic to have a female heir to the throne, especially one who would be a minor for so long?

According to the Codex Derynianus: "The laws of succession for the House [of Haldane] provide that only male members of the family may inherit the throne, unless and until the legitimate male line becomes extinct, when the nearest female heir may succeed ad personam. Those born out of wedlock are forever barred from succession, even when legitimized after the fact. Also barred from the throne are male members of the houses of foreign states."

[Demercia]

A question that has just occurred to me from a couple of chapters ago.  Does Gwynedd at this point have the equivalent of the Salic law or is it simply, and quite reasonably in the circumstances, recognised as unrealistic to have a female heir to the throne, especially one who would be a minor for so long?

A question that has just occurred to me from a couple of chapters ago.  Does Gwynedd at this point have the equivalent of the Salic law or is it simply, and quite reasonably in the circumstances, recognised as unrealistic to have a female heir to the throne, especially one who would be a minor for so long?

According to the Codex Derynianus: "The laws of succession for the House [of Haldane] provide that only male members of the family may inherit the throne, unless and until the legitimate male line becomes extinct, when the nearest female heir may succeed ad personam. Those born out of wedlock are forever barred from succession, even when legitimized after the fact. Also barred from the throne are male members of the houses of foreign states."

thank you