The warm morning sun shone down on the unfinished timbers of Carseld, the new hall of Lord Balian and Lady Svetlana Shrike. The hall sat perched on its hill while the Thorn and Shrike rivers converged silently below. Svetlana sat half covered in blankets, leaning against a wooden column in what would be soon her bedroom. She ran her fingers through her hair and watch the river currents sparkle in the light like gems. Balian lay beside her resting his head on her belly. She was singing a duet with him softly, and tickling the end of his nose with the fine hairs.
"Under the greenwood tree," sang Svetlana,
"Who loves to lie with me,
And turn his merry note
Unto the sweet bird's throat,"
"Come hither, come hither, come hither," hummed Balian.
"Here shall he see
No enemy
But winter and rough weather."
They laughed happily and began again, singing lines alternately:
"Who doth ambition shun
And loves to lie in the sun,
Seeking the food he eats
And pleased with what he gets,"
then, both together:
"Come hither, come hither, come hither:
Here shall he see
No enemy
But winter and rough weather."
The song ended in laughter. Balian, who had been entwining his fingers in her hair that lay about his face, gently tugged Svetlana's lips down and met them with a soft kiss. She studied his face.
"I like your new nose. Just a little bump but it looks tough. It shows it is not a nose to be trifled with."
Balian smiled at her teasing and pulled himself up. He wrapped his skin in a fur and padded over to an uncompleted wall to gaze outside. "A lion that fights is going to have scars. That goes for you too lioness. I don't feel comfortable about you strapping on steel and slipping about through the night."
"Only when necessary my dear lord husband. Why should you always get to be the hero? You'll be surprised what I would do when my child or husband are threatened. Last night they ruined our wedding."
Balian turned toward her with his look of seriousness that all the same frightened her and sent good shivers down her back. "Nobody prevented the Long Night. Not Zuhair and his precious Serenae. Not the Stagslayer. Even Valora was caught seemingly unawares".
Balian turned his gaze back out the window at a lone rider approaching the foot of the hill from the direction of Stagfell. "I have many good men."
Svetlana nodded, "Use them."
******
Wini watched the lone rider approach and a smile grew across her face. She stood on the steps of Carseld with a spear in her hand and longsword at her side. No longer disguised as a man, her mail armor was now lighter and fitted for a woman's body. Over her armor she wore the red lion tabard of House Shrike.
The rider cantered up to the steps and his bear mantel bowed towards her. He also wore a red lion tabard over his mail and a battleaxe hung beside his saddle. "Wini of Carseld I presume?"
"Fool bear, you know it is me."
"Grimbold the Bear remembers an awkward youth that fancied himself to be a cavalier, not the shield maiden that stands here now, sword and protector of Lady Shrike. It appears our Lord was generous despite your deception?"
"He trusts the safety of his lady to no man."
Grimbold dismounted his horse, "Perhaps a wise choice. Where is our lord and lady?"
"Right here." Balian swept out the door with his crimson cloak trailing behind him. "Grimbold, it would seem I have important business in Stagfell today. We shall be off."
******
Lord General Balian Shrike, his captain Grimbold the Bear, the Lady Counselor Svetlana and her sworn bodyguard Wini Shieldmaiden of Carseld all rode toward Stagfell. The Lord General gave new instructions to Grimbold to be passed down to the other leaders of the cavaliers. "Waste no time in passing my orders along to Cearl and Èored. Whatever unseen threats there are will certainly waste none."
Grimbold chewed on his tongue as he often did when he was deep in thought. "With all due respect lord, we are trained for war in the open field. Not this..."
"Those are my orders. I know the men will not disappoint me. It is not something I relish either, but the failures of late make it necessary."
Grimbold frowned with determination, "As you will my lord."
They now drew near to the city and approached a gully of trees named the Ambush Grove for reasons most of the newer citizens did not know. A thundering of hooves sounded down the road and Balian's eyes narrowed with suspicion. It was then they saw nearly all of Stagfell's cavaliers riding down the road in two columns towards them. They carried lance and shield in hand and wore red lion tabards over polished chain. When the two lead riders saw Balian they stepped off on opposite sides of the road and form an arch with their drawn lances. The entire column followed their example and Balian's party passed through the tunnel that was formed.
"Long live the Lord General! Glory for House Shrike! Long live Baron Raam! Glory for Stagfell!"
As Balian's party passed the riders fell in behind them and the company rode towards Redemptio Keep. Grimbold looked up at his General, "Baron Raam honoring you with knighthood is a boon to us all my lord."
Balian did not reply but only cleared his throat and looked toward the sky.
