The Midwife's Daughter Chapter 13

Only a tiny amount of the pre-dawn light managed to find its way past the shutters to illuminate the room dimly.  When Ulrich awoke, he could just make out the rough stones of the wall a few inches away from his face.  ‘That was the most weirdest dream I have ever had,’ he said to himself.  ‘I definitely won’t be telling mother about this one.’

A sleepy moan came from directly behind him, and an arm wrapped about his chest tightened protectively as did a naked thigh resting upon his hip.  Slowly he moved his hand down and gently traced the thigh back over his hip.  It was bony and female.  He moved his hand back and felt the curve of a hip, then up until he felt the material of the blouse that had risen and gathered around Peta's waist.  Ulrich brought her hand back and covered Peta’s, which rested on her chest and softly squeezed it as tears fell from the corners of her eyes onto the rough material of the mattress.

‘Shush,’ Peta whispered, ‘Take it a minute at a time’

***

Miriam sat up; she did not know how long she had been unconscious.  She looked around the antechamber, the door leading to the pit was still barred, thankfully.  Nearby Galien sat slumped against the wall, a trickle of blood running from her nose.  Miriam moved across to the woman and gently shook her shoulder.  Galien moaned and opened her eyes.

‘It took so long,’ Galien said.

‘There were three,’ Miriam suggested.

‘How many were killed?’

‘I don’t know; the attack was so vicious and prolonged that I passed out.’

‘Open the door,’ Galien ordered.

‘But the others,’ Miriam protested.

‘We do not need to wait for them.’

Miriam had difficulty lifting the heavy oak beam, and Galien had to help her.  Opening the door, she squinted against the bright sunlight and peered out.  There was no one in sight.  Miriam balked when she saw the neat piles of human remains nearby.  The close proximity of the victim when she died probably intensified the sensations Miriam had experienced.  She led Galien out to examine the heaps.  As usual, there was one of entrails, another of bones and a third of torn material.

‘It always kills them in a different spot, I could never understand why,’ Galien said and then prodded the blood stained material with her toe, ‘We should chain them up undressed.’

Miriam looked at the woman in disbelief.

‘But what about their dignity, and the cold?’

‘Maybe the cold would numb them, make them sluggish and quicker to kill.’

‘We don’t know that, those taken away could still be alive.’

Galien gave her a reproachful look.  ‘You will have to observe each sacrifice.’

‘But you promised,’ Miriam pleaded.

‘Things change, get used to it,’ Galien said and walked off, further into the pit.  There was an edge to her voice that Miriam recognised.   Despite her cold calculating manner, the situation was getting to Galien.  Could it be that she cared about the women she sent to their deaths?

Miriam looked back down at the remains and saw bloody footprints.  One of the other victims must have freed herself, walked near the remains and through some of the blood.  Miriam followed the trail to the door.  The girl had cowered by, or even pounded on the door, hoping someone would let her back in.  Then the trail led away, but it faded after a few yards.  Where had she gone?  Miriam could only sense Galien’s mind in the pit, the Dragon must have taken the girl away after it had eaten the first victim.

The noise of the clean-up party arriving distracted Miriam’s attention.  Cecilia led the party, which included Tilla.

‘Well?’ Cecilia asked.

‘Nothing,’ Miriam replied, ‘One was killed the others taken, and we know no more about why.’

Cecilia looked to where Galien was walking in the distance.

‘We had better tread carefully,’ she said, ‘she is going to be difficult to live with.  If only that blonde girl she’s taken to, would put out.  She needs someone to give her comfort.’

‘Idela?’ Miriam asked.

‘That’s the one.  You saw the unrest in the Harem yesterday, it will only get worse if we continue to take three women a day.  It might be an idea if you were to be allowed in there, you could move about and find out if anyone is thinking of causing trouble.’

‘That means more duties for me,’ Miriam pleaded in an attempt to hide her glee at the prospect of gaining access to the Harem.

‘I will speak with Galien to arrange it.’

***

When Ulrich next opened her eyes, it was morning proper, the sun’s rays were finding cracks in the shutters, and beams of light lit the dust floating in the air.  Orinda got up from her makeshift bed.  Ulrich rolled over and watched her as she started to get dressed.

‘How are you feeling?’ asked Orinda.

‘Alright; a bit frightened,’ Ulrich replied and climbed off the bed.  She noticed that Orinda’s gaze hovered on her groin, before her shirt dropped down and hid it from view.  She’s checking to see if she wasn’t dreaming, Ulrich thought.

‘Where’s Peta?’ Ulrich asked when she noticed the older woman’s absence.

‘I don’t know.  Maybe she’s gone to check on the wounded.  If we can get out before the others wake, we might be able to bathe somewhere,’ Orinda suggested.  Quickly they pulled on their trousers, grabbed their possessions and went out into the village.  They saw Dafied sitting outside the house that the men had taken over and they exchanged greetings.

‘We’d like to bathe, do you think it’s safe?’ Ulrich asked. 

‘They were up late and had plenty to drink so I think you should be safe for the next hour at least.  If you go down out of the village, you’ll find a well-worn path that goes up the valley.  Follow it through the small wood and you’ll come to the pool.’

Waving, they left him in the direction indicated.  The path crossed the battlefield of the day before, which now seemed an age ago.  Soon the path ran along the bank of the river; they followed it to the little wood.  They could hear the sound of falling water as they entered it.  After a short distance, they found a small waterfall with a plunge-pool that could just allow three to bathe.  It was not big enough or deep enough for swimming.

‘It’s not what I was expecting,’ Ulrich observed.  ‘One of us should keep a look out whilst the other bathes.’

‘You’d better go first, you’ve less chance of being found, if anyone decides to take a dip to wash away the effects of last night.’

Orinda disappeared back down the path and Ulrich quickly disrobed.  She would to have liked to dived in, but the shallow water forced her to step into the rocky pool.  The water was refreshingly cold and she lowered herself down.  She had to sit on the bottom for the water to cover her shoulders.  She quickly scrubbed the dust and dirt from her skin then dipped her head under the water and washed the grime from her hair.

Ideally, she would have lain down under the sun to dry off; instead, she rummaged in her pack and used her clean shirt to dry her body.  Dry she put her trousers back on, but carried her boots, shirt and pack down the path to where Orinda was waiting.

‘Your turn,’ she chirped and the older woman turned round and stood.

Orinda looked at Ulrich’s naked chest.

‘If anyone comes you had better put your shirt on, those will never pass as overdeveloped muscles anymore.’  She walked barefoot up the path, fresh clothes over her shoulder, just before she disappeared from view, she reached up and started to unplait her hair.

Ulrich draped her damp shirt over a low branch in the sun to dry then lay down on the ground next to Orinda’s kit.

She did not fall asleep but when she heard Orinda returning she jumped up in surprise.  She quickly grabbed her shirt and pulled it over her head.  She saw Orinda strolling into the sun.  The blancher started to hang the clothes she had rinsed out to dry on branches.  Ulrich thought that she should have washed her dirty clothes as well.  She could not help but notice how Orinda’s shirt clung to her damp body strategically as she moved.  Orinda saw Ulrich’s gaze, looked down at her own body, and saw what was attracting the young girl’s attention.

‘Don’t look at me like that, you’re giving me goosebumps,’ she teased.

The two girls lay down to soak up the sun, Orinda spreading her wet hair out to dry.  Ulrich pondered Peta's word about believing she was truly a girl.  She had seen enough of Peta and Orinda's bodies to know that hers was the same.  She wondered what Orinda must have thought about her when she had mistaken Duncan's todger for a bit of gut.

Peta had spent several hours the previous night explaining how men's and women's bodied fitted together to produce a baby.  She went into great detail about why the act was so pleasurable, although childbirth was mostly not.  She had even allowed Ulrich to feel her breasts so the young girl could understand what was muscle and what was mammary on her own body.  Still the idea of letting a man to...  Ulrich couldn't bring herself to think about that part of a man's body.  The thought of letting a man that close to her body was revolting enough, but let him put that horrid thing inside her made her retch.

She glanced across at the resting woman, whose shirt, still wet, clung to her form.  How could anyone be revolted by the thought of caressing a woman.

Ulrich realised where such thoughts were leading her and decided to think about something else.

‘You seem to know a lot about dragons?’  she asked.

‘They’ve had an important role my family’s past,’ Orinda replied.  ‘My great grandmother escaped a dragon, your dragon.’

‘She wouldn’t be Serilda by any chance?’ Ulrich interrupted.

‘Yes, you know the story?’

‘Uncle Dafied met her son during the war and he told me her story.’

‘It was probably the romanticised version.  I got a firsthand account from Great Granny herself when I was a little girl.  Like your mother, she doted on her daughter, her only child, so much so that she couldn’t see that she had created a spoiled brat.  She had brought Orella up on her own, after her husband fell over in a drunken stupor and drowned in a ditch.

‘She survived by taking in other people’s clothes to mend.  Then she met a merchant who would pass through on a regular basis, and they came to an arrangement where she would give him physical gratification and he would contribute something towards the rent.

‘Meanwhile Orella grew up and became quite a little madam but Serilda couldn’t see it.  The girl would flirt with the local men leading them on but letting them nowhere, by the time the men gave up their wives were accusing them of sleeping with her.

‘One day Serilda asked Orella to look after her mother who also lived with them.  Of course, her daughter wanted to go out to meet a man and refused.  During the afternoon, some armed men in red uniforms knocked on the door.  They had come from the Selector’s office stating that Orella had been selected to be sacrificed to the Dragon.

‘Well it’s true that Great Granny was a very beautiful woman and that she and Orella could pass for sisters.  She felt that the loss of her daughter would leave her nothing, so she decided that she might as well take her child’s place and give the girl her life.  Her mother was going senile so vouched that Serilda was in fact her granddaughter, and signed the piece of paper put in front of her.  Whilst she did this, Serilda wrote a quick note for Orella to find, explaining what had happened.

‘The ordeal wasn’t over quickly, most people think that the victim is taken to some lonely spot, tied to a stake and left for the Dragon.  There’s a whole industry around the Dragon.  There are too many vested interests for anyone to organise an army to take on the creature.  More girls are selected than the Dragon can eat.

‘Roughly every one in two girls get sacrificed.  A prison has been built in the form of a citadel that guards the entrance to the sacrificial pit.  The only way into the pit is through the citadel.  The only way into the citadel is over a bridge across a deep dry moat.  Only girls are allowed to cross the bridge, the Selector’s men kill any that try to return and their bodies are dumped into the moat.  The Selector himself is exempted from these rules and can cross backwards and forwards freely.

‘The girls are taken into the prison and there they live.  Whilst there, they live a life of leisure.  There are gardens, pools and games to play, but every morning there is a secondary selection where a girl is selected for sacrifice the following night.

‘To keep order a corps was formed.  This is a band of girls who are in charge and administer punishments, select the sacrifices, run the kitchens and keep the place in order.  In return for service in the corps, they are exempt from sacrifice, so as you can imagine, getting into the corps is quite popular.

‘Unfortunately, there are only a limited number of places, and vacancies only occur when one of their number dies.  When this happens, members of the Harem can nominate themselves and quite a few do.  So the girls have to fight each other, the victor joins the corps, but sometimes the fights are to the death.

‘There are a few women who have been quite lucky and have reached a ripe old age.  My great grandmother told me that a girl arrived to find her mother’s elder sister there.  The family had assumed, as everyone does, that she had been killed within days of being taken from her family.

‘My great grandmother said that life in the prison was very pleasant as the corps carried out most of the work.  Sometime in the past, the inmates had named this part of the prison the Harem, because of the luxury and absence of men.

‘Serilda decided against trying to join the corps, take her chances in the secondary selections, and have a pampered life.  It was over a year before her name was drawn from the lot.

‘Early on the eve of the New Year, the Harem was gathered together for the drawing of the lots; the first name out belonged to a young girl who had only been at the citadel for a few weeks.  Then the second name was drawn; it was Serilda’s.  She and the first girl were promptly taken to the holding cells.  They had one each, in which there was a simple bed.  They were kept in these cells for the rest of the day, receiving lunch and later an evening meal after which they fell asleep.

‘It was in the darkest of the night that they were awoken and given heavy capes to put over their clothes.  They were led through a series of heavy wooden doors to the pit itself.  This was  an old disused quarry.  The citadel had been built across the entrance blocking it off.  The only other way in or out is up the sheer walls of the pit, but these have been chiselled smooth.

‘They were manacled then led across the pit floor to some wooden posts and the manacles were hooked into metal spikes sticking out of the poles above their heads.  The Guards then left them on their own with the pit dimly lit by a couple of torches left nearby.

‘Being winter it was several hours before dawn and they had to stand in the cold with their hands manacled above their heads.  To keep their spirits up they told each other stories and sang songs.  Serilda was glad that she was being sacrificed on a holy day as she had some company.  She thought of the majority of victims who had to endure the wait in solitude.

‘Suddenly the other girl commented that she could see better and they realised that it would be dawn soon.  Not long after they could hear the screeches of the Dragon as it flew towards them.  They looked up but it did not appear for some time, but they could hear it flying round the pit.  Suddenly Serilda’s companion gasped and she looked up and just caught sight of a large dark shape as it passed over the pit.

‘Several more minutes passed before the Dragon appeared again hovering above them.  It was huge it must have been over a hundred feet from its beak to the tip if its tail.  Its skin was a light grey colour and my great grandmother could see the scales along its sides.

‘It landed quite gently in front of the two girls, the younger one was quite frightened and was breathing very fast, my great grandmother said she seemed to have the opposite problem and had to force herself to breath.  It stepped towards her and lowered its head.  Soon its beak was almost touching her skirt.  It sniffed her over then used its beak to unhook the manacles, so that she was no longer chained to the post.

‘She ran towards the door to the citadel.  Glancing back, she saw that the Dragon just stood there watching her.  She sprinted as fast as she could, hampered by her skirt, but she reached the heavy door.  It was locked solid and she banged and screamed for help.  Of course, no one was coming to help her.  She turned to see the Dragon release the other girl, who quickly ran towards the boulders.

‘The Dragon turned towards Serilda, it quickly crossed the distance to where she cowered.  It lunged at her with its beak, but she ducked under it.  It lunged again and she ducked and twisted out of the way.  The Dragon turned to face her again; she had her back against the citadel wall.  Again, the Dragon lunged and again she dodged, but this time she sprinted away from the citadel towards the back of the pit.

‘As she ran, she heard a whooshing noise and a shadow passed over her, then the Dragon landed directly in front of her.  She changed direction and tried to skirt round the Dragon, but it blocked her way with its beak.  She turned round and ran back the other way to find that the Dragon had hopped across and again barred her escape.  This time she ducked down and ran under the Dragon, between its legs and out behind it.

‘She ran towards the pit wall on the far side, looking for somewhere to hide.  Suddenly she felt a jab in her back and she fell forward, but before she could react she felt her self being lifted by her skirt.  She heard it starting to tear and then the Dragon tossed her upwards.  She fell back to the ground stunned.

‘When she recovered her senses, she saw that the Dragon had left her and was looking for the other girl.  She was puzzled as to why it had not finished her off.  Then it struck her, it had been playing with her like a cat with a mouse.  Serilda heard the girl whimper when she realised that dragon was looking for her.  She had found a gap between two boulders where she hoped the Dragon would not be able to get at her.

‘The Dragon walked round the pile of rocks looking for the girl.  It probed here and there in an attempt to flush her out.  After a while it stretched up and flames shot out its mouth and down onto the rocks.  The girl ran out screaming as the flames filled the spaces between the boulders.

‘The Dragon started to chase her and, as with my great grandmother, played with her.  This lasted for several minutes then the girl tripped and exhausted stumbled when she tried to stand up.  The Dragon picked her up by her ankle using its beak.

‘It turned its head upside down to look at the girl as she dangled screaming.  Then it shut its beak completely, severing the foot.  The girl fell to the ground now unable to stand she started to crawl away.  The Dragon grabbed her arm close to the shoulder and bit through it.  The girl screamed in agony and tried to crawl, one armed, away from her tormentor, but the Dragon didn’t follow, instead it used its beak, with precision, to snip away the sleeve on the severed arm.  Then it bit off small pieces of flesh that it swallowed.  Meanwhile the girl had lost so much blood that she lost consciousness.

‘The Dragon took over an hour too consume the girl’s body.  Serilda thought that it was quite a fastidious eater and it cut the meat from the bones in tiny pieces that it swallowed and the parts it didn’t like, such as the entrails it piled neatly to one side.

‘Of course great grandmother didn’t just stand and watch she tried to find an escape from the pit but there was none.  Realising that she could run more easily, now that her skirts were torn.  She tore them off all together but kept hold of them to try keeping herself warm.  Something made her keep going even though she knew no one survived the Dragon.

‘When the Dragon finished its meal it turned its attention back to Serilda.  It must have been sated because it wasn’t quite as agile, or keen.  When it made a half-hearted attempt of a lunge at her, she waved the skirts in its face.  It flew up into the air then swooped back down and grabbed her around the waist with its talons, and carried her up out of the pit.  It got higher and higher which terrified my poor great grandmother.  However, she discovered that hitting the Dragon with the chain of her manacles had an effect upon it.  At one point, a link caught under some scales and pulled them off, this hurt the Dragon and its flight grew erratic.  It tried to drop her, but she wrapped the chain around its talon.

‘The Dragon flew lower to land and just before it did, great grandmother untangled the chain and dropped the short distance to the ground.  She jumped up and started to sprint towards a nearby wood.  The Dragon flew up and away for a distance then turned towards her and flew at her fast and low.  She increased her speed; she heard a whooshing noise and turned to see the Dragon almost upon her.  She threw up the skirts, which landed on the Dragon’s head blinding it, and she dodged as it flew onwards.  It clipped the ground and came down hard rolling over.  Great Grandmother didn’t waste any time and continued her dash.  She reached the wood in time to see the Dragon finally throw off the skirts and take to the air.

‘The Dragon circled the wood for the rest of the morning, by afternoon it was getting angry and started to breath fire but being winter the wood was too damp to ignite.  It retreated to its cave in the evening and Serilda used the cover of darkness to make her escape.’

Orinda’s tale of Serilda’s escape took most of the morning and the sun was now at its highest.  Ulrich sat up and saw that people were moving about the village, she quickly jumped up and donned her shirt.  ‘Where did she go then?’ she asked.

‘She made her way back to her home village.  Remember it had been over a year since she was taken away, and she arrived home to find her daughter, Orella in bed with her merchant.  Obviously, they were both shocked to see her alive, but they all realised that she and Orella must leave the kingdom.  Once it was found out that she had survived the selection the Selector’s men would be after her.  So, they moved to Lahbland where my grandfather was born, Orella’s half brother.  The Selector must have realised that true or not the story showed that someone could take the place of someone else, so he introduced the system of marking each maiden at birth.  Come on it’s time to eat.’  They gathered their things and headed towards the village.

The Midwife's Daughter Chapter 12

Ulrich and Orinda arrived at the smithy just as the sun disappeared behind the hills on the other side of the valley.  Ulrich lit some torches and found the smith’s grindstones.  He cleaned the soil off the sword and checked for rust of which he found none.  Orinda was a good warrior.  Then he set about grinding the edges to even out the chips.  The sparks cast a warm glow across his face in the dim light.  Wanting to examine the sword closer to see if it was a dragonblade, he looked across at Orinda who was undoing her plait, freeing her hair.  Distracted, he watched as she combed her hair with her fingers, Ulrich thought of how it looked like gold in the light of the torches.

‘Do you have a husband?’ he asked.

‘I used to, he was killed three years ago,’ Orinda replied.

Ulrich happy with the new edge transferred to the finer wheel to give the sword a polish.

‘Is that why you became a blancher, to avenge him?’

‘No I was already a warrior when he died.’

‘And you haven’t met anyone since?’

‘I haven’t been looking.  I just take my pleasure when I want, with any man that takes my fancy.  How about yourself, do you have a girlfriend waiting back at home?’

Ulrich paused as he thought of Idela.

‘I had a friend who is a girl,’ he replied.

‘But you would like her to be more?’

He blushed.  ‘Yes and I think she did too, but she was selected,’ Ulrich said.  ‘Anyway, mother thought she was too old for me.’

‘How old was she?’

‘Twenty, I think.’  He finished the polishing and carried the long sword to Orinda.  She stood up ready to accept it.

‘And how old are you?’

‘Sixteen.’  He had to look up to see her eyes, as she was nearly half a head taller.

‘So you like older women,’ Orinda teased him.

Embarrassed he looked down at the sword he held out in his arms, the torchlight glinting off the razor sharp edge.  A tight feeling was growing around his chest.

‘I bet that you could shave with it, but I see that you have no beard.’

Orinda’s observation only reminded him of his mother’s comments about his age.

‘So would I be correct in guessing that you haven’t any hairs on your chest?’ Orinda added and quickly slipped a hand up his shirt to find out.

Shocked at her forwardness, he almost jumped back, but managed to stop himself.  Her cool hand gently splayed out over his heart and felt for the non-existent hairs.  He looked back up at her face, hoping that she was not doing this to tease him.  She was smiling but he could not read why.

‘You didn’t refuse to go along with Alwin and Werner because you didn’t like me did you?’  There was fierceness in her voice, and her hand’s movement suddenly became firmer.

‘No, I find you very attractive,’ Ulrich replied quickly.  Her hand became gentle again and her face softened.

‘Hey, you have some chest muscles!’ Orinda’s hand strayed up and out over his chest.  ‘They’re so big.’  She reached forward with her other hand, and Ulrich moved the sword from between them to allow her access.  With both of Orinda’s hands upon his chest, Ulrich felt the tightness around it grow.  He watched her face as she looked down as if she was trying to see through the material of his shirt.  He licked his lips as he felt the urge to lean forward and kiss hers.

‘They’re quite amazing.  I’ve never felt anything like them before.’  Her expression changed from teasing smile, to amusement, to puzzlement and back again.  Her hands became firmer and a warm feeling started to spread through his body.  The feeling in his chest became pleasurable and soon her moving hands forced him to make a little moan.  Orinda looked into his eyes, and he prayed that she was not tantalising him. 

Orinda became stern.  ‘The truth now, why didn’t you join Alwin and Werner?’ she demanded. 

‘I, um, didn’t, um, don’t know what to do.’  Suddenly it became easier for Ulrich to confess.  ‘I don’t know how to get my todger to work.  No one’s shown me and I can’t get it to come out.’

Orinda’s face softened, but she did not laugh, to Ulrich’s relief; he worried that she might find this amusing.

‘I could help you.  Would you like that?’  Again, she did not appear to be teasing, her face was warm and sympathetic.

‘Please,’ Ulrich replied.

Orinda moved closer and Ulrich could feel the faint pressure of her chest against his.  She gently placed her lips over his, remembering Idela’s tutorage back in the warehouse in Twofords, he followed her pace.  She moved one of her hands down from his chest and across his stomach, which tickled.  She pushed it down his waistband and reached down for his groin.

Ulrich’s breath grew shorter and he moved his feet apart to give Orinda easier access.  Ulrich tensed as she reached her destination and started to explore.  Her fingers found the flesh and skin and moved, pushed and probed.

Ulrich sensed a change in her kiss and she paused, the movements of her hand and broke the kiss.  There was a hint of uncertainty in her expression; did she think he was too young for her?  Ulrich brought his free hand up, reached under Orinda’s shirt, and gently stroked the skin of one of her breasts.  It was warm and smooth to the touch and when his fingers brushed against the erect nipple, Orinda moaned the word no.

‘Please don’t tease me,’ Ulrich pleaded and at the same time, he gently squeezed Orinda’s breast and she moaned again.

Orinda licked her lips and Ulrich took this as a signal to kiss her so he leant his head forward, and gently moved his lips across hers.  She pulled her head back and looked deep into his eyes, he felt as if she was trying to get inside his head.  Then, as if she had made a decision, she kissed him again, but with an increased vigour.

The hand on his chest squeezed harder and the one on his groin renewed its exploration.  Ulrich felt his passion rising and continued to caress Orinda’s breast.  She kissed him harder, their breaths quickening and then her hand on his groin found that magic spot.  The spot he would find for himself at night when he dreamt of girls.  She must have sensed this because she stopped exploring and concentrated on the sensitive area.

His passion almost at its height, his knees began to weaken.  Ulrich knew what would happen if Orinda continued and then it occurred to him that he should be reciprocating.  He squeezed her breast as he had before and she made a stifled moan.  His other hand still held the dragonblade and he decided it would be better employed arousing Orinda.  Without thinking, he dropped the sword.

It clattered loudly when it hit the stone floor and Orinda jumped back in surprise, removing her hands from under Ulrich’s clothing in the process.  She took two more steps back, one hand stretched out in front of her, as if to fend off some monster, the other covered her mouth, a look of horror on her face.  Ulrich stepped towards her.  She put her hand on his chest stopping him.

‘This is wrong,’ she said, ‘I don’t do this.’

‘You said that you took your pleasure with any man you wanted,’ Ulrich reminded her.

‘But you’re not a man,’ she said. 

Pained by this insult Ulrich pleaded, ‘you said that you would help me become one.  You would get my todger out.’  Orinda looked at him, her expression hard.

‘You’re not pretending are you?’ Orinda asked. 

Ulrich was confused by her question and did not reply.  She moved closer to him, took his face in her hands and looked him in the eyes.

‘You don’t know do you,’ she said.  It was not a question, it was a statement.

‘What do you mean?’  A sudden feeling of fear washed over him.

‘You haven’t got a todger,’ Orinda said, staring at his eyes as if she was trying to look inside him.

‘I know, and you said that you could find it and get it to come out.’

‘There isn’t one to find.  I know, I had a good feel.’  Her hands tightened their grip on his face.  ‘Ulrich listen to me.  You are a girl!’

Ulrich did not understand.  He just wanted Orinda to finish what she had started earlier, but she continued to hold his head.

‘What do you mean?’ he asked. 

‘Do you really think that you are a boy, or are you only pretending?’ Orinda asked.

Ulrich was still confused.

‘I don’t know what you mean,’ he repeated.

‘If the Selector was to examine you now, he would find that you do not possess a penis, or todger, you have a vagina and are starting to develop breasts.  He would see that you are a girl passing yourself off as a boy and you would be forfeit.  You would automatically be selected, because he would assume that you had been trying to avoid selection.

‘When you arrived at the citadel, you would be sacrificed to the Dragon the next morning.  There would be no second sacrificial selection or chance to join the corps.’  Orinda had raised her voice, as if trying to get Ulrich to comprehend the situation.

‘Stop it, your talking about things I’ve never heard of, you’re scaring me,’ Ulrich pleaded.  He looked into Orinda’s eyes trying to see if why she was doing this.  Was she teasing him? If she was, why?  Her concern seemed genuine.  She seemed to be waiting for him to say something, but he did not know what.

‘Why is it that everywhere we go you have women throwing themselves at you?’

Ulrich had not heard his uncle come into the smithy.  Had he seen or heard what had happened?

Orinda stood back a stony look on her face.

‘What have you got that girls love?’  Dafied continued.

‘Honesty,’ Orinda snapped defiantly, ‘and innocence.’  She had released his face and now faced Dafied.  Ulrich wondered why she was so angry, and then he noticed Peta standing behind his uncle.  She looked frightened, her eyes wide, her face pale.

‘Have you given your prisoner her parole?’ Dafied asked.

‘Not yet,’ he replied, indicating the sword lying on the floor.

‘Maybe I should assign her to Alwin.  I thought she would be safer with you, but are you safe with her?’

‘No, she’s my prisoner,’ Ulrich said.  ‘Why don’t you like me being on my own with a girl?  In Ricksham you stopped me from going with that whore.’

‘I made a promise to your mother.’

‘I heard you, you said that you would keep me as a boy.  Isn’t the whole idea of going to war, is to make a man of me?’  He watched his uncle look at Orinda then back to him.

‘What were you two up to before I came in?  How far had you gone?’

‘Far enough,’ interrupted Orinda.

‘Ulrich, you had better go to bed.  I need to see if this prisoner deserves her parole,’ Dafied suggested.

Ulrich looked at Orinda, what would his uncle do?

‘She knows,’ said Orinda.  ‘I told her, but I’m not sure she understands.’

Ulrich did not know who to trust, Dafied was family, but why would Orinda lie?

‘She said that I was a girl.  Is she right?’ Ulrich demanded.

‘Look just go to bed and I’ll sort this out,’

‘This concerns me.  Is she telling the truth?’

Dafied paused, Ulrich thought that his uncle was calming himself to avoid loosing his temper.

‘This is silly,’ Dafied replied.

‘Am I a girl, Uncle?’ Ulrich pleaded.

‘I said you aren’t.  Who are you going to believe a stranger who tried to kill you or.’

‘Someone who is frightened of their own sister,’ Peta interrupted him.

Ulrich had forgotten that Peta was in the room, and looked to her for help.

‘I’m sorry Ulrich,’ Peta continued, ‘but it is true.’

‘What do you know?’ Dafied snapped at her.

‘I used to nurse you as a child, when your mother had to leave and help your aunt.’  Peta paused then looked Ulrich directly in the eye.  ‘You are a girl.’

***

The earth seemed to tilt; Ulrich felt as if the air had been sucked out of her chest, and she grabbed onto the table.  She steadied herself and thought back over her childhood.  Her family had always over protected her.  She had thought it was because she was an only child, and that her mother and father had difficulty conceiving.  Things started to make sense; her mother always insisted that she not allow others to see her body and made sure that she was out of the way, when others were changing.  She had assumed that it was common decency, yet her mother showed no such inhibitions herself.  How long could they have kept the pretence up?  The fine set of chest muscles that she thought that she was developing, Orinda claimed that they were breasts.  Why had they not developed earlier, surely they should be fully formed by now?  She thought of an answer.

‘Why did my mother make me eat powder of dragon scales?’ she asked her uncle.

Orinda snorted knowingly.

‘To stop you turning from a girl into a woman,’ he explained.

‘It’s a contraceptive,’ Orinda said.

‘A what?’ asked Ulrich.

‘It stops women getting pregnant; having babies, but your mother also added an extract of crushed animal testis,’ Peta explained.  ‘It causes sterility in women and stops the onset of puberty in girls.  It stops them turning into women.  However, women who take it constantly also tend to die younger.  It doesn’t take much of the dragon scales to prevent pregnancies, but to stop puberty takes quite a high dose of the testis extract.  I would suggest you stop taking it.’

‘He did, I mean she did, when she left home,’ said Dafied.  ‘I never approved of this course of action, I always thought that you should have taken your chances at selection, but I was only your uncle and your mother thought she knew best.’

‘And what did my father think?’

‘He still thinks that you are a boy.’

Ulrich looked at him in shock.  Orinda appeared to be amazed too.

‘How?’ the blancher asked.  ‘Your mother must be some woman.’

‘I think we need to eat,’ Dafied suggested.  ‘Peta and I’ll gather a meal, why don’t you two commandeer the smith’s house next door.’

Ulrich found herself alone with Orinda.

Orinda walked over to Ulrich.  ‘Are you alright?’’ she asked.

The younger girl nodded.  Orinda took her in her arms and held her for a few minutes.  Ulrich felt like an empty shell.  Her whole life had been turned upside down.  What would her future be?  She looked up at Orinda.

‘What am I to do?’ she pleaded.

Orinda looked at her tear-streaked face.

‘Just take it a minute at a time.  Don’t rush things.  I’ll help you if you want.’

A sudden thought hit Ulrich.  ‘Maybe it was better that Idela was eaten by the Dragon.  I doubt she would still want me?’

‘I have heard of women who love their own kind, they sometimes try to hang around blancher camps.’

‘Are you?’ Ulrich asked.

‘No,’ Orinda replied gently.  ‘Although I was sorely tempted a few minutes ago.’

‘Why did you stop?’ Orinda smiled

‘It wouldn’t have been fair.  I was sure that you were ignorant and afterwards we would have lain there, with you thinking that you had become a man.  It would have been wrong.  Come on, let’s get inside and see if we can light a fire.’

***

The smith’s house was a single roomed building with a simple fire to cook upon.  There was a low pallet acting as a bed for two.

All the food had been removed either by the smith and his family or by the villagers as they built up a stockpile to see them through the siege.  Orinda searched out a rag and dusted down the simple table, whilst Ulrich set about lighting a fire.

Soon they had the little house welcoming and Peta returned with Dafied carrying cooked meat, various vegetables, a loaf of bread and a jug of ale.  Ulrich searched out some eating utensils.  They ate quickly without pausing to talk until their hunger was sated.

‘I’ll bed down with the others; you three can bed down here.  Bar the door after I’ve gone,’ Dafied stood up and started to leave.

‘Whoa!’ exclaimed Orinda.  ‘You owe Ulrich an explanation.’

He paused then sat down again.

‘Alright; what do you want to know?’ he asked Ulrich.

‘Why did my mother treat me like a boy?’  she asked.

‘Well that’s obvious, they didn’t want to loose you to the Dragon,’ he explained, ‘but your father also had his heart set on a son.  Your parents had difficulty conceiving you.’

Ulrich looked at him in puzzlement.

‘They found it difficult to make babies; they had lots of attempts before they had you.  They thought that you might be their only chance.

‘When you were born Bruna was so upset, she was almost inconsolable, that at first she denied that you were a girl.  She told Norbert that you were a boy, and even when she acknowledged you were a girl she carried on the pretence.  Partly because she was too frightened to upset Norbert, and then she found that powder of dragon’s scales would prevent you becoming a woman.

‘She clung to the belief that the Dragon is old and would die before you became eligible for sacrifice.  As you got older, she kept on putting the day off when she would tell you.  I think she had come to love you as you were and didn’t want you to change.’

Ulrich took this all in and Orinda listened closely.  Dafied took a swig of ale and waited for the next question.

‘How did you find out?’ Ulrich asked.

‘Your grandmother attended Bruna when you were born, and I had accompanied her.  I was in the next room when you were born.  It was not an easy birth and your mother’s wailing when she discovered you were a girl was quite loud and your grandmother asked me in to look after you whilst she calmed her down.

‘Mother handed you naked to me and so I could see your true sex.  In her hysterics, Bruna hatched the idea that you were a boy.  Mother told me to humour her until she had calmed down and recovered her strength.’

‘How did she keep it a secret from father for so long?’

‘That turned out to be easier than she thought, as Norbert didn’t like the messy side of parenthood and would get out of the way whenever you needed changing, or bathing.  Bruna made sure that everyone kept their modesty.

‘That meant quite a change as they were used to bathing together daily in the river during the summer, and as their relationship developed they couldn’t keep their hands to themselves.  Before they had you, they made love whenever the fancy took them.  They developed quite a reputation after a couple of occasions when customers called unexpectedly to find them at it.’

‘What do I do now?’

‘Nothing,’ replied Dafied.  ‘Just carry on as before.’

‘She can’t do that,’ interrupted Orinda.  She had sat quietly as Dafied told Ulrich’s history.  She turned to Ulrich, ‘you’ve stopped taking the powder, and already you are showing outward signs of womanhood.  I don’t know if starting again will stop any further development, but I do know that it will kill you in the end.’

Ulrich started to feel confused and frightened, but her uncle sat and thought.

‘You could accept the situation and live your life as a girl, but the Selector might say that you are forfeit.  I have only heard of girls who have knowingly hidden their true gender and been found out when they have been eligible for some time.  What if you came forward voluntarily, would the Selector just put you forward for selection as normal or would he declare you forfeit?  That is a chance you would have to take.’  Dafied paused, ‘Or we could arrive at Castle Peth with you wearing your maiden’s clothes and if challenged just claim that some cleric made an error.  I could send a message to Bruna warning her that you have found out.  She would then have to break the news to Norbert and when they took up residence they declare that they have a daughter and not a son.’

A feeling of panic washed over Ulrich.

‘Oh poor father, I don’t think I should do this to him.’

‘I think you should be thinking of yourself at this time, it’s your life that is at risk,’ Orinda pointed out.

‘And you would need marking,’ Peta added, ‘I could do it for you.  You would have to allow plenty of time for the brand to scar properly, and then bluff it out if the Selector questions why you were not registered.’

‘You should take a little time,’ Orinda suggested, ‘and give yourself some space.  We should leave you alone and let you have some sleep.’

‘I agree,’ Dafied said.  ‘I’ll go now.  Remember to secure the door after I’ve gone.’

***

Ulrich closed the door following Dafied’s departure, glanced around and found the bar lying behind the big dresser that dominated the inside of the little house.  Orinda walked round shuttering the windows.

‘I’ll make myself comfortable in front of the fire you two women can have the bed, if you like,’ Ulrich said. 

‘I should give you that talk I promised,' Peta said to Ulrich.

'In which case, I'll take the floor, if you two have unfinished business,’ Orinda insisted and started to clear the wooden table.

Peta joined Ulrich in helping her to pile the eating utensils on the dresser.  When they had finished Orinda returned to the table to find the only item that remained was her sword.  Ulrich noticed her hesitate, and quickly picked it up and offered it to her.

‘I don’t think Dafied would approve,’ Orinda said.

‘I trust you,’ countered Ulrich forcefully.

‘Thank you,’ Orinda said as she took back her sword.

Orinda insisted they tip the table over to act as a partition for the room.  Ulrich sat on the pallet, the straw mattress was only thinly packed and she wandered if it would be any more comfortable than the floor.  She pulled off her boots and trousers, leaving her shirt on.  Turning round she found some rough animal skins that would provide a little warmth.  Taking one, she approached Orinda.  The older woman had sat on the floor to undress.  Looking up at her, Orinda did not hide her nakedness.  Ulrich recalled undressing Duncan’s body and compared the memory with what she saw.  It was the final confirmation.

She returned to the pallet, moved across to leave room for Peta and watched as the Midwife took off her skirts.  The midwife's blouse was longer than her shirt and ended just above the knees, but as Peta turned, she was silhouetted against the glow from the fire.  Ulrich could see the outline of her body faintly through the shirt’s material as the midwife reached up and started to comb her hair.

'You know Eloise's offer,' Ulrich said quietly.

'Uhuh,' Peta replied.

'Would you have let me take it up?'

'I was planning to tell you the truth on the return journey.  Telling you earlier, you have been a dangerous distraction for you in a fight.  You know you are a girl, but I think it may take some time before you truly believe it.'

'That's why you wanted to select a whore for me.  You would pick one who wouldn't react like Orinda did.'

'Exactly.  There's a lot more I need to tell you.'

'Are there more lies, by my mother?'

'No, it's all part of the same one.  You need to know exactly what happens between a man and a woman when they make love, but I'm trying to think where to start.'

'You could tell me what a todger is.'

A badly stifled laugh from Orinda interrupted the conversation.

'I suggest you get some sleep,' Peta shouted to the warrior, 'I've got a long night ahead.'

The Midwife's Daughter Chapter 11

Something did not feel right.  Miriam tried to place the strange sensation.  It was a mind, and it was getting closer, but it was not a normal mind and it was travelling faster than any woman could.

‘Move, get off the terrace,’ she shouted.

At first no one did anything, except look at her and wonder what was she was doing.

‘Everyone, get inside the Dragon is coming,’ Tilla shouted.

Miriam was glad that her friend was with her.  The other women did not listen to her.  The corps-women sunning themselves slowly got up and made their way to one of the four staircase entrances.  They moved without haste until one of them screamed, as the Dragon appeared silhouetted against the blue sky above the limestone cliffs.

Miriam waited inside the door, Tilla beside her.  Neither girl knew whether to look outside or not.

‘Has it ever attacked in the afternoon before?’ Miriam asked.

‘You know as much as me,’ Tilla replied.

‘What is it?’ Galien said as she pushed her way past the women making their way down to the safety of the citadel.

‘The Dragon has come back,’ Miriam explained.

‘Send it one of tomorrow’s meals,’ Galien called behind her.

Miriam glanced round the senior corps-woman and saw Cecilia turn and head back down the stairs.

‘You two stay here, and when it has gone report to me in the Harem,’ Galien said to Miriam and Tilla, and then headed back down the stairs.

‘What is going to happen?’ Tilla asked.

‘They must have selected the sacrifices for tomorrow already and are going to put one of them into the pit for the Dragon to eat.  I think you had better go.’

‘No, I will stay with you,’ Tilla said.

‘Please, I don’t know what will happen.  When it attacks I could kill anyone close by,’ Miriam pleaded.

‘How?’

‘It has happened before.  What happens to its victim is so strong I can’t control my mind.  I pass on the experience to those nearby and it is so strong it can kill.’

Reluctantly Tilla left Miriam alone, but Miriam did not have to wait long.  She sensed someone’s terror, and she opened the door and saw a massive blur of movement as the Dragon dove down.  It disappeared behind the parapet, into the pit.  The terror exploded into panic and Miriam had to fight to control her bladder, as the victim lost control of her own.  Suddenly the Dragon reappeared carrying its victim in its talons.  Miriam forced herself to watch the huge grey creature flap its broad bat-like wings as lifted its load out of the pit.  The victim was still alive, and Miriam waited until her mind was too far away to feel.  Then she descended the stairs.

***

Ulrich looked at the blancher, as she struggled to stand up.  She was taller than himself and maybe ten years his senior.  Her blonde hair was tied back and plaited down to her waist.  She wore loose trousers that were tucked into the tops of her boots.  Her chest armour was shaped into the form of a woman and had been plated with silver.  However there was a deep dent where she had fallen on top of her sword and the silver was flaking away to reveal the base metal underneath.

She struggled to undo the straps fastening her armour together.  Ulrich realised that the dent must be restricting her breathing; he bent to her side and started unbuckling the leather straps.  The woman took a deep breath as the metal fell away from her body and landed heavily on the ground.

‘Thanks,’ she panted.  Underneath she wore no shirt except for the bandages that she bound tightly around herself to flatten and support her breasts.  The strips of material stretched from just under her arms down to her waist and a few turns over her shoulders helped keep them in place.  Ulrich thought that they must surely hamper her flexibility. 

The two archers helped carry Duncan’s body back to the mercenaries’ quarters and laid it on his bed where Orinda would be able to prepare his body.  Before she started, she turned her back on Ulrich and quickly began to remove her bandages.  Soon she was naked from the waist up and Ulrich stole a brief glimpse of one of her breasts as she leant over and picked up a shirt from her own bed.  Ulrich licked his lips as Orinda lifted the shirt over her head and covered herself up.

‘Right, let’s get started,’ she said as she turned to face him.

Guiltily Ulrich realised he should have been facing the other way, even though she was his prisoner.

They gathered some rags and a pail of water and then turned to the body lying on the bed.  Orinda unbuckled the bent and torn chest armour and pulled it off the body.  The force of the blow from Werner’s axe had bent the metal inwards and some of the jagged edges had torn chunks of flesh from the body.  Then she cut away the old blood soaked woollen shirt Duncan wore underneath.

Ulrich saw the gaping wound cut into the mercenary’s torso.  As Orinda lifted the body to remove the rest of the shirt, a fold of intestine popped out of the wound.  Ulrich jumped back at his first sight of internal organs.

‘You’ll have to get used to the sight of guts, if you want to be a soldier, boy,’ Orinda sneered.

To show that he was not afraid he stepped forward and started to help by pulling off Duncan’s boots.  Under the corpse’s neck Orinda found a small purse of coins.

‘What shall I do with these?’ she asked.

‘Shouldn’t they go to his family?’ Ulrich replied.

Orinda seemed happy with the suggestion and set the purse to one side.  Ulrich, seeing the boots were in good condition, put them near to the purse.  Then he untied the drawstring of Duncan’s trousers and grimaced as he felt the still wet blood.  Moving to the foot of the bed and taking a firm grip of each trouser leg yanked them down uncovering the blood stained lower torso.  A movement caught his eye and he jumped back.

“What’s wrong?’ Orinda asked. 

‘Sorry but it’s just some more of his gut is sticking out, I’m just not used to it,’ he replied.

Orinda looked down the body, ‘Where?’ she asked.

‘There at the top of his legs,’ Ulrich said pointing to the bloody mess of piping protruding from the corpse’s groin.  His stomach could take no more and he gagged as he felt it try to heave the remains of his last meal, back up through his mouth.

‘All this blood needs to be cleaned up,’ Orinda said, ‘maybe you had better step outside.’

Ulrich shook he head, too frightened to open his mouth, but backed away a couple of paces anyway.

Alwin and Werner returned with the two mercenary archers, having dug the grave for Duncan’s body.

‘Come-on, what’s keeping you?  You should have that bagged up by now,’ demanded Alwin.

Orinda quickly pulled some white linen out of Duncan’s possessions.  Apparently, he thought that travelling with his own shroud would improve his luck in battle; he was wrong.  The archers stepped forward and helped Orinda wrap the body.

Ulrich stood with Alwin and Werner at a discreet distance watching the morbid proceedings.

‘That blancher looks a bit if a handful, would you like some help with her?’  Alwin asked.

‘No, she’s no problem,’ Ulrich replied.

‘When we have buried him we are going to find a pool to swim in.’ said Werner.  ‘The locals say there is one just over half a mile down the valley.’

‘You bring the blancher and we‘ll hold ‘er down for you,’ suggested Alwin.

Ulrich looked at him, puzzled as to what he meant.

‘You know spoils of war, and all that,’ Alwin prompted, but still Ulrich was confused.  ‘Do I have to spell it out?  In the water, no clothes.’

Would Orinda go for a swim with the men?  Ulrich doubted it, but the chance to see her fully naked did appeal.

Alwin went on, ‘Werner and I grab her, hold her on the ground to stop her fighting you off, and you get your todger out and then shove it in.  You seemed pretty keen to have a go with that lass back in Ricksham.’

Ulrich assumed that a todger was a word his mother would not want him to know about.  Shoving it in, sounded like an activity she would definitely not approve of, so it must something fun.  He needed to speak with Peta before this trip to the pool.

The mercenaries solemnly carrying their comrade out ended any further conversation.  Dafied led his men closely behind the funeral party, Ulrich by his side keeping an eye on Orinda.  Ulrich could not deny that she was attractive, as he watched her long plait sway across her back.

He desperately wanted to know what it was like to lie with a woman naked, but he did not know what to do.  He had heard his parents at night and from the noises they made whatever happened sound good.  Peta had said she would tell what to do, but again Alwin and Werner were presenting him with a chance to find out for real.  However, this time they would be spectating, back in Ricksham he would have been on his own with a girl who hopefully, would have taught him what to do.  Orinda, being an unwilling participant would not help and he could not trust his comrades not to make a fool of him.

They watched the funeral from a discreet distance and when the party of mercenaries returned Dafied stepped forward and offered Reynard their parole.  He accepted on behalf of his party.  Orinda came up to Ulrich, expectantly.  He looked across at his uncle for guidance.

‘Give her her sword,’ Dafied ordered.

‘Why?’ Ulrich mouthed back at him.

Orinda replied herself, ‘I promise not to attack you or your party or leave the area without your permission.  In return I get my sword so that I can defend myself against any attackers.’

This concept seemed very wrong to Ulrich, but the rest of the warriors around him seemed quite happy with the situation. 

His uncle came across and whispered in his ear.  ‘It’s normal, but you only do it when the situation warrants it,’ Dafied explained.  ‘As these mercenaries have met the contract we have nothing to fear from them.  I won’t release them until I am sure that the villagers have not paid them, as they did not fulfil it very well.  You also have to make sure that no harm comes to your parolee, and so I want you to keep close to her.  All that you have to do now is return her sword as a sign of trust.  Just make sure you keep a close watch on it.  We will need to take it with us when we leave.’

Well that settles that, Ulrich thought to himself, if he was to protect Orinda he could hardly expect to force himself upon her. 

‘Unfortunately I don’t have your sword, its still stuck in the ground,’ said Ulrich sheepishly.  ‘Why don’t we go and get it.’

***

Orinda walked alongside Ulrich as they moved away from the graveside towards the battlefield.  The evening sun warmed their backs as they went.

‘What were you and your friends planning?’ Orinda asked. 

‘Sorry?’ Ulrich stalled.

‘Back in the village, just before the funeral, the three of you were huddled together, plotting something.’

They reached the shallow valley and Ulrich could see the sword sticking out of the ground.

‘Oh that,’ Ulrich paused trying to make something up.  ‘Oh just something that happened when I first met them.’

‘So why all the looks in my direction?’

Ulrich tried to think of an excuse, but could not.

‘I know their sort, and what they would have in mind,’ Orinda said.

‘Um, they said, I think that.  Well, they used words I didn’t know, but I think you may be right about what they were suggesting,’ he admitted.

Orinda turned to Ulrich and pulled his arm so that he was facing her.

‘Were you going to join them?’ she challenged him.

‘No.’ He was not lying, because he had not actually made his mind up.

Orinda studied him closely as he replied.  His answer appeared to satisfy her, because her face softened.

‘Do you trust them?’

‘I would in battle, but I sometimes think they are trying to have a joke at my expense.’

‘The thing that happened when you met, did that involve a girl?’

Ulrich felt she could read him like a book.  He nodded, guiltily.

‘What happened to her?’

‘Well, Uncle Dafied stopped us before we got to her room and told me off for leaving the garrison without permission, then sent me back, but he let the girl keep the money Alwin and Werner had given her.’

‘Good for him.  So, Dafied’s your uncle.  He does seem an honourable man, he wouldn’t have approved of your friends’ plan, is that why you didn’t join in?’

‘I hadn’t thought.  You sound surprised at my uncle’s actions.’

Orinda looked at him.  ‘He killed my queen.  I watched him do it,’ she said, but her flat calm voice showed no trace of any anger.  ‘I watched a cold blooded monster cut her down, but this man, he’s so different.  It’s the nature of war.  Just look at us, only a couple of hours ago we were trying to cut each other’s throats’

They reached the sword and Ulrich pulled it from the soil, some of which still clung to it.  He examined it closely, checking its edge.  It seemed rather plain; nothing indicated it held any special powers.  Ulrich wanted to look at it closely, but with Orinda standing so close he didn’t want her to suspect he knew it could be a dragonblade.’

‘It could do with some work.  Is there a smith in the village?’  he asked.

‘Yep, but he took off with his family a couple of weeks back,’ replied Orinda.

‘If you can show me his workshop I can do it.’

***

Miriam paused at the entrance to the Harem to take a deep breath.  The two corps-women guarding the door looked at her.

‘You had better be careful,’ one of them said, ‘we nearly had a riot in there.’

‘Why?’ Miriam asked.

‘Galien has drawn another two lots for tomorrow morning.  Here, why don’t you take this with you?’  The woman offered Miriam a sharpened stick.

‘No thanks,’ Miriam replied trying to hide her disgust.

‘On your head,’ the woman replied and opened the door.

Miriam entered the Harem and found herself in a huge vaulted hall, as big as any temple she had been in.  At the far end, it opened out into an atrium, the light from which was reflected off the white walls of the hall.  The hall was furnished with low tables and chairs.  There were also large cushions upon which some women were reclining.  Around the walls stood tubs planted with scented flowers.  Along the walls, murals depicted scenes of life outside, trees, fields and almost forgotten homes.

The atmosphere amongst the many women that Miriam could see was tense.  A low murmuring filled the room as she passed, but she also heard raised voices emanating from the crowd surrounding Galien.  She could see Galien remonstrating with the frightened held back by leather-clad guards.  Miriam made her way over to the crowd, aware that several women who had not become involved in the fracas were watching her.

Galien stopped talking when she saw Miriam approaching, and asked, ‘has it killed her?’

‘I don’t know,’ Miriam replied, ‘it flew off with her.’

‘Did you see where it went?’

‘No it flew up over the cliff and out of sight, then she was out of reach of my senses.’

‘Blast,’ Galien swore, and then turned and headed towards the exit.

Miriam knew she should follow but she wanted to find Idela.  She turned and saw the girl amongst the protesters, standing beside the tall girl who had arrived at the citadel with Miriam and had accused her of being a witch.  She started towards her, but felt a tug on her arm.  She looked back and saw Tilla holding onto her arm.

‘Get out of the Harem,’ Tilla pleaded, ‘you don’t want to cross Galien whilst she’s in this mood.’

Miriam could also sense Tilla’s fear.  These women were also frightened, but they were also angry and could turn on them in Galien’s absence.  ‘I need to speak with Idela,’ Miriam explained, ‘it’s important.’

 ‘We have to be quick,’ Tilla conceded.

They briskly approached Idela who was talking with Iseld.  The tall girl spotted them approaching, her vivid blue eyes flashed angrily.

‘What do you want?’ Iseld demanded.

‘I wish to speak with Idela,’ Miriam replied.

‘You should be kept out of here witch.’

Miriam was stung by Iseld’s taunt, but she did not let it distract her.

‘Idela, I must speak with you,’ Miriam pleaded with the blonde girl.

‘Be careful, she can see what you are thinking,’ Iseld warned.

‘It is true,’ Miriam confessed, ‘I have seen inside your mind.  My mother had similar abilities; she predicted someone would come to kill the Dragon.  I think you may have something to do with it.’

It wasn't exactly the truth, but Miriam needed to get Idela's attention.

Iseld made to protest but Idela put up her hand to stop her.

‘Go on,’ Idela said.

‘I have met a midwife from Twofords, she did not know you, but there is something about the woman who trained her that is important.  I looked inside your mind when you arrived, I saw your mother.’

‘Yes,’ Idela said impatiently.

‘She is not your mother,’ Miriam said.

‘Go away, leave me alone.’  Idela turned to leave, and Miriam saw the look of confusion on Iseld’s face.

‘She says she does not want to let you into her mind, keep away from her,’ the tall girl demanded, but her voice faltered betraying her doubts.

‘You don’t think she’s telling the truth?’ Idela asked her friend.

Iseld paused, and looked at Miriam.

‘She can see into peoples’ minds, I have felt her.  My family have been trained to counter such threats.’

‘So it could be true,’ Idela asked.

‘Yes,’ Iseld whispered.

‘You had better be telling the truth,’ Idela said to Miriam.

Miriam relaxed and probed the girl’s mind.  It was full of anger, she saw the faces of women coming to her.  Galien had made frequent visits.

‘I need you to think about home,’ Miriam said, ‘when you arrived, you thought about a betrothal.’

There was Idela’s mother, a loving smile on her face.

‘I’m afraid it is true,’ Miriam declared, ‘the woman you thought of as your mother did not bear you, although she loves you a dearly as if she had.’

‘But she never told me,’ Idela pleaded.

‘Because she thought of you as her daughter,’ Miriam explained.  ‘There were two more people present.’

‘Bruna and Ulrich,’ Idela declared.

‘Bruna, yes.  She’s the midwife.’

‘That’s right, she and mother were close friends.  They were trying to arrange a betrothal between Ulrich and me, but Bruna thought I was too old.’

‘That was a lie,’ Miriam said, ‘she was hiding something.’

‘What was she hiding,’ Idela pleaded.

Miriam tried to see, but whatever sense she was using was being blocked by Bruna’s duplicity.  Bruna’s determination to protect someone was so strong, even at this distance Miriam struggled to see through it.  She felt a tug on her arm.

‘Cecilia’s here,’ Tilla whispered urgently.

‘Just a little longer,’ Miriam said, and closed her eyes in concentration.  ‘She couldn’t allow the marriage.  She had been caught out by her own actions.’  Miriam pushed with all her might.  ‘The wedding would have been unholy.  It would have gone against nature.’

‘Now, we have to go now,’ Tilla demanded and pulled Miriam away.

‘What reasons are there for not allowing a boy and a girl to marry,’ Idela called after her.

Tilla did not give her the chance to respond, but rushed her through the hall and out of the Harem.  Panting they leant against the stone wall.

‘That was so close,’ Tilla whispered, ‘don’t you ever do that again.’

Miriam was not listening, she was thinking about all that she had seen inside Idela’s head.  Miriam saw Ulrich through Idela’s eyes.

‘Of course, it’s so obvious,’ she declared.

 

The Midwife's Daughter Chapter 10

‘We are in Lahbland now,’ Ulrich told Peta, ‘We had better be careful.’  The countryside did not look any different and Ulrich insisted on double-checking with Dafied before believing what Werner had told him.

‘How are your lessons?’ Peta asked.

‘Fine, Alwin is a patient teacher, and Werner knows some clever tricks.’

‘Thankfully this slower pace will give you more time to learn,’ Peta said.

‘Yes, but it will give the enemy more time to prepare too.’

Peta smiled at him and replied reassuringly, ‘I’m sure Sir Dafied knows what he is doing.’

‘How are you finding all this walking?’

‘I’m used to it,’ Peta replied, ‘I have spent a long time on the road.’

‘Why is that?’  Ulrich asked, disappointed at Peta’s response.  His own legs ached terribly.

‘After leaving Twofords, I just could not find anywhere to settle.  The plan was to return home, if I did not find somewhere, but after each town I would say one more.’  That was until I was caught disguised as a man.'

‘Did you know my mother, when you were a child,’ Ulrich asked.

‘I must have been ten when she arrived in the village, I can’t remember much about it.  There was a lot of talk though.  Why would a wealthy family make their daughter marry a blacksmith, and so far away from home?  Four days to ride at least, over week to walk.  Most avoided her at first, except Mistress Joanna.’

‘Why her,’ Ulrich asked, recalling Idela and her mother’s visit.

‘They say she’s a bit of a snob and she wanted to get to know your mother’s family.  I heard rumours that Joanna was not being a good mother to Idela, and it was Bruna who went to help her.  Your mother spent a lot of time with Idela, and she gradually brought Joanna and her together.  They were close friends by the time you were born.’

‘Do you know much about my mother’s life before she came to Twofords,’ Ulrich asked.

‘No, by the time I got to know her she was very happy with life in the village.  She was concerned about her family, her sister’s husband was being cruel, and costing the family a lot of money.  She also thought her brother Dafied was failing as a farmer and wondered what would happen to him when he inherited their father’s estate.  But these were events of the time, not from before her wedding.’

Ulrich and Peta walked on in silence, although they maintained a discreet distance from the others.  Ulrich went back over the conversation in his mind.  He had not learnt anything radically new.  In fact, some things became more puzzling.  Why had his mother refused to agree to his betrothal to Idela, when she obviously had cared for the vintner’s daughter?  Did she still hope that he and Peta would marry?  Ulrich thought that absurd, the woman was far too old for him.  He would have to find a way to get to visit his grandparents.

Ulrich had less time to think about his home and family as his lessons grew harder and more intensive, but soon the young squire was able to beat Alwin and Werner on a regular basis.  Three weeks after leaving Ricksham, Dafied changed the way they travelled; he made them rest during the day, hidden away, in a wood or copse, only allowing travel under cover of darkness.  He also increased the pace so that they arrived in the area of Longhorn a good two days before the rebels would be expecting them.

***

Ulrich knew they must be close to the village because one night Dafied did not move them, insisting they sleep, only to awake them just after midnight.  It surprised Ulrich how easily he slept, but maybe two weeks on the road may have helped.  Dafied gathered his men under the full moon and briefed them.

‘Alwin just got back from his scouting trip and is able to say that they are not expecting us so soon, but they are in the middle of preparations.  They have built a stockade around the village and even though it is incomplete, we would not be able to attack them easily in the village.

‘The villagers have hired some mercenaries, Alwin counted about four led by Reynard, I’ve met him before.  We should be able to handle this without having to send for more troops.  Reynard fights by the rules of the Mercenary Guild, which means that we should be able to get him to engage us outside the village and he will not waste lives, so if we can overcome his men, he will surrender.’

The briefing over the squad went about final preparations.  Werner sat under a large tree tightening the bindings on the haft of his battleaxe, Alwin stood nearby looking up to the stars praying silently to himself, and the two bowmen sat quietly murmuring to each other as they oiled their crossbows.

Ulrich decided he would loosen up by practicing his sword strokes.  He started by swinging his sword in one arm then the other.  The moonlight glinting off the polished metal of his blade fascinated him, and he continued his exercises longer than he intended, as the silvery flashes trapped his attention.

Peta came up and sat down nearby to watch him.

‘You will remember to do as your uncle tells you,’ she said.

Ulrich stopped his movements and looked at her, he was about to reproach her for speaking to him like a child, then thought it wise not to.

‘I will,’ he said instead.

‘When we get back to Ricksham,’ Peta said, ‘don’t be hasty in accepting Eloise’s offer.’

‘But when you visited us at the end of the war, you said I should get away from home and get some experience.’

Ulrich saw Peta look away pensively; she was obviously having second thoughts about her advice.

‘I didn’t mean for you to jump into bed with the first whore that you crossed paths with.’

‘But what did you mean?’

‘I just thought,’ Peta started to say, but Ulrich could see she was having difficulty expressing herself.  She stood up and walked to him, putting her arms gently around him, held him close.  ‘You are so innocent and unspoiled.  You should be with someone special.’

The image of Idela flashed through Ulrich’s mind.  An invisible band tightened around his chest and water filled his eyes.  He had failed, but he would not give up.  He could still avenge her.  Softly he pushed Peta away in order to see her face.

‘Maybe I was right the first time,’ Peta said her voice firm, her expression harder.  ‘There are some things someone your age should know.  Normally your parents would tell you or maybe you would pick up tips from friends, but for whatever reason Bruna has failed to prepare you for life as an adult.’

‘Why?’

Peta paused; Ulrich tensed unsure what the reply would be.

‘Because she loves you, like all who mothers want to keep their sons as boys.’

‘She knows that’s not possible,’ Ulrich said letting his arm fall back to his side.

‘But she thinks she can beat nature.  She’s so frightened of losing you, that she will try anything, even feeding you powder of dragon scales.’

‘Is that why she didn’t want me to marry Idela?’

Again, Peta paused before replying.  ‘Dafied told me she was too old for you.’

‘But you’re even older and Mother suggested we get married?’

‘I know.’  Peta looked flustered.  She glanced back towards the other men, then back at Ulrich, ‘Idela would have taken you away from her, I would have joined the family, you would have provided for me.’

‘I don’t see the difference.  I would want any wife of mine to be part of my family.’

‘Your mother knows things about me.  About my past, she would reveal them if I threatened her relationship with you.’

‘Such as?’

Peta flinched, and Ulrich cursed himself for being so insensitive.

‘I’m not a virgin.’

Ulrich stepped back horrified at what he had just heard.  Why would he want someone already soiled when he could have had an innocent like Idela.  ‘You’ve been touched?’ he said, trying to sound as concerned as possible to hide his shock.

‘Oh, Ulrich you make it sound so sweet,’ Peta said, her voice turning warm and loving.  ‘I haven’t heard that term since I was a child.  Do you know how to touch a woman?’

Ulrich sheathed his sword, a manly thing to do, or so he hoped, but looking back at Peta he realised that he had not been able to hide anything from her.  He looked passed her, and checked that the others were still too busy or far enough away.  ‘No,’ he said as his cheeks burned.

‘I’ll teach you,’ she said, but before his hopes could rise she added, ‘but don’t get any ideas.  I’ll tell you what it is about, as a midwife I think I can answer any questions you may have.’

Ulrich felt a weight lift off him.  He felt an inch taller.  He could return to Ricksham and become a man at last.  ‘Then I could take Eloise up on her offer.’

‘If you still feel inclined,’ Peta replied with a sigh, ‘but speak with me first if that is what you decide.’

‘Why?’

‘Eloise may know which girl will give you a good time, she might even give you a choice, but she does not know which can be truly trusted.’

‘She must know her whores,’ Ulrich said.

‘She’s their boss; they are not open in front of her.  I acted as their maid, and saw them relax, I know who talks about their men and who doesn’t.’

Ulrich looked at the woman and saw her face was full of concern.  ‘What sort of things do they say?’ he asked.

‘Some talk more than others.  It is not what they talk about, but who.  I can let you know which girls can be trusted not to reveal that you were there.  There will be less chance of your mother finding out.’

Dafied approached and they stopped talking.

‘How are you feeling?’ he asked.

‘Fine, just a bit nervous,’ Ulrich replied as he brought his sword up above his head then flashed it back down again.  Suddenly he winced and felt under his sword arm.  ‘My armour’s pinching me,’ he said, ‘it fitted me two months ago.’

‘You must be still growing,’ Dafied said and examined the fit of the breastplate, checking that the straps were correctly tightened.  Across the back the armour fitted perfectly, the length was correct but Ulrich still felt that it was tight across the chest.  Dafied slipped his fingers around the edges, checking the fit under the arms; he had definitely put on a bit more flesh.

‘Have you been adding the powder of dragon scales to your food?’ Dafied asked.  There was a pause as Ulrich sheepishly avoided his gaze.

‘Well,’ Ulrich started, ’I thought after what you said back at home.’

‘I know what I said, but you shouldn’t just stop taking it.  You have to be weaned off it.  How long since you last had some?’

‘I haven’t had any since we left home,’ Ulrich said, 'and I managed to start skipping some not long after Peta told us the war was over.'

Ulrich looked at his uncle, his face stern as he tried to adjust the armour.  The fit was not perfect, the slight loosening of two straps stopped the painful pinching, but the breastplate was still pressing against his chest.

***

Keeping as low as possible, Ulrich crept to the edge of the wood.  He found that he was overlooking a shallow valley; the small village perched on the top of a hill on the other side.  He could make out people moving on the slope just below the village.  The mercenaries were easy to identify, they swaggered with the confidence of experienced fighters whilst the villagers tended the slopes trying to bring in supplies for what they expected to be a long siege.

A tall figure moving amongst them caught Ulrich’s eye.  Watching the muscular frame, and fascinated by the long plaited blond hair, Ulrich felt very nervous.  He blinked as the sun flashed off the mercenary's highly polished armour.

Dafied must have noticed his attention and whispered, ‘She’s a blancher, a female warrior, used to be one of the Lahbland queen's bodyguards.  Remember, she is just another soldier to fight, forget that she is a woman, for she will show you no quarter.  Blanchers never surrender to men.’  Then in an almost inaudible whisper he added, 'That sword she's carrying looks like the one we are after.  You keep an eye on her, I don't want the others knowing why we are truly here.'

Without a word, Dafied stood up and the others did the same, then without rushing, they slowly walked down the slope.  They were three quarters of the way down before they were noticed and still the alarm was not raised.  Seeing that some of the villagers were looking at his men, Dafied quickened the pace and they jogged down the remainder of the slope.  When they reached the stream gurgling down the bottom of the valley they charged up the slope at a run.

The villagers were now scrambling for their weapons and the mercenaries took up position in front of the village walls

Dafied halted fifty yards short of the enemy and his two bowmen on the flanks trained their crossbows on the opponent’s archers before they could draw their bows.  The archers stood still knowing that if either of them moved they would be dead before they could aim.

There was panic amongst the women of the village, and then Ulrich noticed that when they had crossed the river they put themselves between the village and a small group of children.  Ulrich knew that Dafied would not harm them, but the villagers did not.

***

Orinda looked down the slope at the approaching enemy.  She counted ten of them, two were in a stand off with her archer comrades that left eight free to fight.

Reynard, Duncan and herself were the only professional fighters.  Ten men from the village had remained to defend their village.  Orinda was disappointed; she had signed up for this fight more on principle than for money, yet most of the men who had hired her had fled.  Those that had remained had forbidden the women to take up arms, yet it was they who stood to gain the most. 

Orinda saw the irony in the situation, her foe was from her ancestral home country, and her allies had commissioned her to rebel against the new ruler’s law that their daughters should face selection for sacrifice to a dragon.  She, a woman, had agreed to the fight because she abhorred the evil practice.  The village leaders had led the commission but then fled.

She should have walked away, but all her principles forbade it.  She wanted to make a stand against the Runedorians, yet she wondered if the sword she carried had brought her enemies to this little village.  The few troops suggested not and surely, the Runedorians would realise the sword had long ago lost any magical powers.  Now faced by an all male enemy she could not yield.

She knew Reynard did not look upon this as a winnable battle, but would give a good show for the villagers, then surrender.  The leader looked the best opponent.  He had the bearing and confidence of a seasoned fighter.  If she got into a fight with him, there could be the possibility that if she killed him the Runedorians would flee.  However, she also suspected that Reynard might be thinking the same thing, in which case she had nothing to lose.

She and Reynard were good fighters, the Runedorian leader would not stand a chance, but if his men did not retreat at his death, she had a problem.  She could not surrender again without shame; she would have to continue on her own until they killed her.  Even worse, they could refuse to take her on and remain out of her reach until she collapsed through lack of sleep.

Checking for any possible problems Orinda noticed the leader’s young squire.  He did not leave his master’s side, but did keep a respectful distance.  She yelled to the villager in front of her to take the young lad, who would be easy meat.

The enemy started slowly walking up the slope, although the crossbowmen kept their station their bows trained on the archers.  The villagers were getting agitated as the enemy approached.  Reynard paid close attention to the locals, more so than the enemy, he knew there would come a point when they would break and flee.

The squire caught Orinda’s eye as he flexed his arms, the sun glinting off his blade.  It shone brightly, giving away the high quality of its manufacture.  His armour looked to be of high quality as well.  It was unusual for a squire to be so well equipped.  His knight’s equipment was not shoddy but looked more used.

‘Charge!’ yelled Reynard just before the nervous villagers were about to break.

Orinda ran beside him as they both made for the enemy leader.  Their enemy stopped its advance awaiting the running villagers.  None of the locals were making for the enemy leader, which meant that she and Reynard would have a clear run.

The gap between the opposing groups closed, and then Orinda's mind flashed back to the final battle of the war.   She could see clearly in this bright sunshine, but that desperate day at the beginning of spring, her sight had been hampered by the rain dripping of her helmet into her eyes.  The knight's movements were instantly recognisable, and the way he commanded his men was exactly the same as those of the knight who had slain Orinda's monarch.  She remembered how the old woman's head had been severed despite being held captive and unarmed.  She increased her pace, determined to beat Reynard and take vengeance against this coward.

The villagers approached the intruders, the mercenaries a short distance behind them.  A flash of sunlight reflected off metal caught Orinda's eye.  It was the squire’s sword as he brought it in a sweeping curve down under his opponent’s shield and through the flesh and bone of his leg.  It flashed out the other side as if the limb was made of mist.  The squire did not pause to confirm that his opponent was no longer a threat nor to celebrate the victory, but turned to protect his knight.  Orinda realised that she would have to forgo the knight and kill the squire herself.  He had a deadly sword but she had the advantage of height and reach.

Orinda screamed her worst battle cry, hefted the former dragonblade high above her head and charged down the slope, closing on her prey.  She saw him turn and stop, raising his own sword above his head more as a shield than an attack.  That would do him no good; Orinda’s strength combined with the momentum of her sword as she brought it down on his head would smash his blade before cleaving him from head to groin.

Judging the distance to be right Orinda brought her mighty sword down.  Suddenly the boy shifted his weight to his right foot and adjusted grip on his sword.  Her sword’s momentum was now Orinda’s downfall as it came down and the new angle of her opponent’s sword deflected it away from his body, and its point buried itself into the turf.

Orinda tried to check her own momentum by locking her left knee, and was relieved to see that some of the energy from her blow had knocked the squire to the ground.  However, a sudden kick to her knee from the downed boy caused it to give underneath her.  To her horror Orinda could do nothing as her own speed and weight carried her forward and down onto the pummel of her sword driving it three feet further into the ground.  Luckily, this impact spun her as she fell and she landed on her back, but now she was disarmed and winded.

The squire was quickly back up on his feet and moved to stand over Orinda.  Still winded but alert she did the only thing possible, brought her foot up and kicked him firmly in the groin.  She felt satisfaction as the toe of her boot make solid contact with the bone in his pelvis.  Strangely, this did not have quite the desired effect.  The squire grunted in pain and dropped to his knees astride Orinda, but was far from incapacitated.  He quickly lifted his blade above his head ready bring it down upon Orinda’s own.  Fiercely she brought her knee up and again, both times lifting the boy off his knees.  He pitched forward off balance and Orinda grabbed his wrists.  She looked into his face.  His tanned flawless skin and long curling eyelashes made him look so young and innocent but his deep brown eyes showed only determination.

Orinda’s greater strength kept the squire from cutting her, but eventually his weight would bring that sword down.  She could see it up close now and saw just how sharp its edge was.  Even at a slow pace, it would sever her neck.  Three times, she had tried to use the advantage of her sex over the boy.  Maybe he had arranged himself under his trousers to mitigate such an attack as hers.  Swiftly she released his left wrist and reached down between them.  She found the opening in his trousers; a skill practiced for somewhat different circumstances, and felt the soft, smooth flesh of his inner thigh.  She planned to grab and twist his genitals as soon as she found them.

***

Dafied looked round the battlefield his sword resting on the throat of the mercenary leader.  The message had got through as the enemy dropped their swords.  Only the blancher and Ulrich seemed to be unaware that hostilities had ceased.  He walked over to the grappling combatants, flinching as the woman warrior kneed his squire for the second time.  ‘Ulrich, you don’t realise just how lucky you are!’ Dafied said to himself.

Standing over them, he saw the woman reach down.  He was unsure that she did not have any weapon within reach, but he cleared his throat just to let her know that he was there.  She looked up and he could see that she realised that the battle was over.  She laid her head back.

‘You’ve beaten her,’ Dafied said, impressed by Ulrich’s first victory.

A hard glaring look crossed the blancher’s face as Ulrich stood up.  Dafied looked at the grin of triumph that spread across his squire’s face.

There had only been two fatalities during the brief battle, but there were quite a few wounded.  The villager who had lost a leg to Ulrich might live.  The mercenary Duncan had died from a deep gash to his torso and a villager lay decapitated nearby, both the victims of Werner’s battleaxe.

Dafied ordered the mercenaries to see to the dead and help the villagers tend to the wounded.  He put Ulrich in charge of the blancher, who was to prepare Duncan’s body for burial.