Scarface was tired. His gang had run too far away from Burslem. It had taken him three days to find them again. They had not seemed as happy to see him again as he liked.
“What’s the problem here?” he bellowed at them. “You could welcome me back with a little bit more enthusiasm, couldn’t you? Don’t I get you plenty of loot on our raids? Aren’t we the terror of every county and duchy anywhere near here? Who dares to stand up to us? And why? Because of me. Me. ME. Without me, what are you? What kin you do?”
“Look, Scarface, you didn’t come back from that kidnap job in Burslem,” Pedro apologized. “We heard that some guy killed all the men who tried to grab that girl. We thought that included you. So, well, we were thinkin’ about who else could take over now. Not that we’re not happy to see you alive and all. It’s just that we thought, maybe...”
“Maybe you don’t need me, is that it? Here’s what you need.” Scarface slugged Pedro with his right fist and knocked him down. The blow sent waves of pain up his arm, still healing from the fight with Vince. That only angered him more, and he kept beating Pedro. He had to beat three men badly to get the rest to fall in line again.
He did manage to learn that Vince had gone to the tournament at Ongar. I kin find him there easily enough. There’s a Grand Truce for the tournament, but once the tournament is over, the Truce is off. I just have to wait a little bit.
Scarface had made up for his beatings by leading his gang into raids on two villages as they moved southeast. The money made up for the beatings, and restored his authority over them. When they reached Ongar, he pitched his camp on the outer edge of the campground. It would be less likely for Vince to see him there, and it would make for a quicker getaway after he killed Vince and his band.
***
The morning was cool but bright. And noisy. Near the city the servants of the nobles were packing pavilions into large bundles, clothing and silver plate into chests, and foodstuffs into hampers for the trip home. Horses and mules complained about the loads they were expected to haul. Drovers complained about their complaints.
A similar scene was occurring in the fairgrounds where merchants were also getting ready to leave. Like the nobles, the merchants had large numbers of guards, most of whom were in the way. The large boxes of goods for sale were empty, replaced by small chests with the profits from the fair.
Most of the peasants who had camped for the week left shortly after dawn. They had work to do back home and every hour in camp was wasted. The adventurers were less intent on leaving early. The ones who had taken jobs at some distance had left the night before. Those hired on the spot to guard merchants were waiting for their new masters to be ready.
Vince took one last look around their camp. The tent had been taken down and returned to its owner. They had their weapons and armor on. Their gear was packed and loaded onto their horses. All that remained to do was to get some fresh water from the spring. They led the horses to the bottom of the hill, then climbed back up to the spring to fill their water skins.
They came back down to the horses chatting, their eyes focused on each other, not looking around. No one saw the large, ugly man running up to Jenny. All they saw was Jenny’s head rolling across the grass. All they heard was a maniacal laugh.
Scarface was standing there, waving his bloody sword, and roaring defiance to Vince and his team.
“That’s for cutting my leg, bitch! Vince, you’re next. You’ll die this time, pretty boy! No little mama to save your hide now! I’ve come for revenge,Vince, on you and your whole damned band. I’ll teach you to spread stories about me! The duke’s Truce is over, and I’m free to slaughter all of you!” He moved ten feet from Jenny’s body to give himself room to fight.
Vince looked in horror at Jenny’s headless body on the grass. His eyes narrowed and turned dark with rage. He ran to Scarface, drawing his sword and looked for his shield. It was on his horse, tied down. He tossed his sword to his left hand, bent down, and with his right hand he pulled Jenny’s sword from her scabbard as he passed her body.
Vince struck at Scarface with both swords, delivering a double flurry of blows that surprised his foe. Scarface parried with his shield and his own sword, looking for a chance to counterattack. He was being pushed back farther away from Jenny’s body. Finally he managed to brace his feet and hold his position. The two enemies swung furiously, every blow being parried without harm.
Vince thought, Six of us against all of Scarface’s gang. Twenty, thirty, Gods alive, forty of ’em! Our line’s going to be outflanked, on both flanks. No, five of us. He’s killed Jenny! He dies for that!
Behind Scarface came the rest of his gang, forty tough cutthroats eager to destroy their leader’s enemies. Betsy drew her sword and took up a position covering Vince’s left side and cut a man down. Horace took his axe and stood by Vince’s right, swinging his weapon into the first man to come his way.
Ben saw Jenny’s head roll across the grass in shock. He went and picked it up, blood dripping from the cut throat. He walked back to her body in a daze, hardly knowing what he was doing. He sat on a rock next to her body and lifted the body so it was seated in front of him. Supported by his legs, it stayed erect. Taking his water skin, he rinsed off the head and set it on the stump of Jenny’s neck. He wrapped his hands around her throat, held the head in place, and concentrated.
What does a sheep’s head ’n’ neck look like when we slaughter it? Spinal bones gotta go together, big blood vessels, little ones, throat with a hole for breathin’ ’n’ another for eatin’. So many parts to put back together, ’n’ correctly. This is going to be hard. Much harder than Vince’s arm.
“Spread out, make the line longer,” ordered Horace calmly. “Don’t worry none about small gaps between us, the real problem is our open flanks. Betsy, cover our left flank. Ah’ll take the right. Polly, it’s time to see what you kin really do with that toad-sticker. And git ready to fight without any protection from the line. We ain’t got a line.”
There was no time to don their helmets or slide their shields on their arms. Bareheaded, the rogues attacked the nearest of Scarface’s men aggressively. They were delighted to see how easily their magically sharpened swords cut through leather armor.
Polly was horrified to see Jenny beheaded so easily . She was scared, shocked, angered that her friend was dead. The anger soon swamped her other emotions and, facing her first real fight, she took her spear and ran toward the nearest enemy. She saw she had no protective line for defense, but thought about the training Sam had given her. One man was standing there, off guard, and she thrust the spear into the studded leather jerkin covering his chest. The point went in several inches and the man fell.
Oh, my God! I’ve killed someone! Oh, God! What have I done? But they attacked us. They killed Jenny. They want to kill all of us. Why should I feel bad about killing them? This is what Sam and Jenny trained me for. They killed Jenny, then they deserve to die, the filthy scum! Die!
A large rogue came running straight at Polly, yelling loudly. She couldn’t make out what he was yelling, but assumed it was not nice. What had Sam said? Oh, yes. She planted the butt spike firmly in the ground and leaned the point at the man. Foolish man, just a fierce expression and some boiled leather. Her blonde ponytail bounced as her foot stepped on the spike just in time to hold it. She smiled as the man impaled himself on the spear point.
He came halfway up the spear, his sword clashing against her armor. The small mail held, but his chest was punched through front to back. She had to pull her spear out from behind him. Ben said he had sharpened my spear for me. Wow! He sure did!
Those of Scarface’s men who had only leather armor, or mail with holes in it, were learning the same thing. Swords were slicing them with ease, the axe was lopping off limbs at will. A dozen men were down in a few minutes, and the rest were realizing they were in for a difficult fight.
Amos and his men were getting ready to ride out when they heard the sound of battle. Looking across the field, they saw Vince and his gang fighting Scarface's whole gang.
"I'm going to help Vince and Jenny," Amos declared. "If we help ’em, they may let us join with ’em. Come along if you want. John, your men’s armor ain’t good enough for a serious fight. Stay out and stay alive."
"Fat chance of that," objected John. "I don't care one way or the other about Vince, but I do care about you. We'll be careful. You cain't afford to let six men sit out for this fight."
A shout rose from the right as Amos and his entire band came running to help. Betsy, Polly, and Horace had moved away from Scarface and Vince, the bodies of their victims getting in their way.
Scarface’s shield was breaking up under Vince’s heavy, sharp blows. He tossed it away and grasped his long sword with both hands. He gave Vince a blow that staggered him, almost knocking him down. Vince replied with a left handed blow that tipped Scarface’s skull cap helmet off. Scarface, once he became proud of his scar, had wanted to show it in battle, and never wore a helmet that hid his face.
Scarface swung another double handed blow at Vince, hardly noticing his small helmet flying off, but Vince saw it. He swung Jenny’s sword with his right hand as he dodged Scarface’s blow, and he brought it down on Scarface’s unprotected head. He split the skull from crown to jaw and blood and brains fell all over the ground as Scarface’s body dropped in a heap. I’ve avenged Jenny. What good does that do? What good has it ever done me? But I still have friends to save. Who’s next?
Even with Scarface gone, the battle continued for fifteen minutes as most of his men hadn’t seen him die. Vince and his team stood covered in blood, brains, and intestines. Amos and his men faced them, then looked at the field. No one else was standing for a hundred yards in any direction. They had killed all of Scarface’s gang.
“Polly, you’re covered in blood, are you all right?” asked Betsy.
“What? Oh, I’m fine. I got hit a couple of times, but this armor’s really good. And Ben’s spear point is good too, nice and sharp. I think I killed six of them,” she bragged, smiling.
“Where’s Ben?” asked Horace. “Ah didn’t see him at all in the fight, but Ah was perty busy. Is he all right?”
“Oh, my God! There he is,” Betsy pointed. “What is he doing with Jenny?”
“Oh, dear, sweet, silly, wonderful Ben!” exclaimed Vince, falling to his knees and crying. “I think he’s trying to do what he did with my arm. I think he’s trying to heal her!”
“Don’t he realize that you cain’t heal a severed head?” asked Amos.
“Ben thinks differently,” answered Polly quietly. “He healed Vince. Why can’t he heal Jenny? He doesn’t understand that he can’t do this. He doesn’t give up easily either. Who knows, maybe he can heal her.”
“Look, Amos, you and your boys need a reward,” advised Horace. “Scarface and his men look like they was dressed for traveling. While we’re waiting, and before any watchmen come along, go ’round and take their horses and gear. It’s all yours now. If you hadn’t showd up this fight woulda gone very differently.”
The Grand Truce was over and the duke’s men no longer guarded the campgrounds. However, someone had run to the city for soldiers. Two dozen men in the livery of the city watch soon came up, looked at the bodies covering the ground, and at the bloody rogues standing around. They saw a man sitting on a rock with a woman covered in blood in front of him, his hands around her throat. The captain of the guard, a man named Herman, approached Ben.
“Now, see here, you can’t go around choking women like that,” he ordered. “Show some respect for the dead. Stop that at once, you hear? And what is the meaning of all this slaughter? This is a serious violation of the Truce, and you’ll all be severely punished.”
“Back off, buster,” threatened Polly with ferocity, thrusting her spear in his direction. “That’s my husband and you will not disturb him. He’s trying to heal that woman, not choking her. Go away and leave us alone!”
Herman was nonplussed. He was not used to people ignoring his orders, especially impertinent young women. But he was also not used to dealing with murderous rogues. His men were not warriors, they were townsmen, peace keepers who used their status to persuade people into being good. They were only here today because the duke’s men had been pulled out of the camps.
“Make sure no one leaves the area,” he told his men. “I’ll go to his highness and bring some proper soldiers back.
***
“Your Highness, Your Graces, I beg pardon for intruding upon you,” interrupted the young courtier on duty in the palace that day. The dukes were about to have a midday meal before the visiting dukes left for home. “A captain of the city guard begs an immediate audience with Your Highness. He tells me there has been a battle in the fairgrounds and he needs some of Your Highness’ troops.”
“What? A captain of the city guard should be able to handle rioters. He chose the wrong day to have trouble doing his job. I’m still upset my best team lost the Grand Melee, and my gout is back. Is this the man? What have you to say for yourself? Can’t handle a little riot and need my troops? Whatever is the problem that you need my troops?”
“I beg your pardon, Your Highness, I am very sorry to have to disturb Your Highness,” answered Herman abjectly. “The fighting is over, but the survivors refuse to disarm. And they killed Scarface and his gang of forty brigands, with hardly any losses of their own. My men are not soldiers, Your Highness, but minor merchants and shopkeepers. People obey our commands out of respect for our office. These rogues are very insolent. And, um, I don’t know if I should tell Your Highness this.”
“But you will tell me, won’t you? Because you do not want to make me any angrier than I already am. Because it is something strange and the desire to tell me is overwhelming, but you’re afraid I might think you an idiot. Don’t worry. I already think you’re an idiot. Tell me!”
“Yes, Your Highness. They say a woman had her head cut off and one of the rogues is trying to heal it.”
“Balderdash!”
“Nonsense, utter nonsense!”
“Do we look like simpletons to believe such stories?”
“Did you see this woman without a head? Has this man actually healed her? Or are you just coming to me with fairy tales? And what does this have to do with needing ducal troops?”
“They refuse to let us disarm them until after he heals the woman. They look too tough for my men to forcibly disarm. And this man seems to be choking the woman, not healing her. But they won’t let us approach to do anything.”
“My fellow dukes, I was telling you how I ruled in a stern but kindly manner. Come with me and I will show you how it is done. Harsh punishment for lawbreakers and killers, but leniency if they have indeed killed Scarface’s gang. That would be worth forgiving a great deal of crime.”
***
Vince was kneeling in front of Jenny’s stiff body, holding her cold hands, crying uncontrollably. Polly, Betsy, and Horace stood guard, keeping the watch and all others from getting close to Ben and Jenny. They looked back often to see what was happening, but nothing ever changed. Ben sat on the rock with Jenny’s body propped between his legs, his hands clasped firmly about her neck. His eyes were closed, his lips were pressed closely together. Sweat dripped from his beard, his forehead was crossed with deep lines as he strained at his magic.
The big blood vessels are all done, the bones are connected, the windpipe is done, the hole for swallowin’ is done, just the small blood vessels left to put together. I hope I’m not forgittin’ somethin’ important. So tired. So much strain. Just a little bit more.
Fifty armed men in the grand ducal livery of green and gold approached from the city, making a path for the grand duke and the other three dukes. Herman led the nobles to where Ben sat. They got to within twenty feet when Polly poked her spear toward the grand duke and declared, “That’s close enough. Who are you and what do you want here?”
“The nerve of the wench!”
“I am Gasparillo, Grand Duke of Adallo. I rule this land and have never before been prevented from going wither I will in it. More to the point is this: Who are you and why do you think you can stop me? And why is that man choking that woman? Tell him he must stop immediately!”
“I am Polly, Your Highness, and that man is my husband, Ben. He’s not choking Jenny. I, all of us, believe he is trying to heal her. She had her head cut off by that piece of shit over there with his head split open. Ben is a wizard and can do magic. When he has healed her, we’ll lay our weapons down, but not until then.”
“There are no wizards in Orilon, or anywhere on Sarpala, anymore,” Gasparillo told her, calmly but firmly. “There is no magic. You do not seem to be feeble-minded or delirious. Surely you are aware of this. Please disarm now. No harm will come to you if you obey my command, or rather, my request. We will provide a suitable funeral for the unfortunate woman.”
“Back off, Your Highness!” yelled Vince, jumping up and facing the nobles. “Jenny is my wife, and I’m not putting my sword down until she tells me to. Ben is a wizard and he can heal her. He healed me, he’s healed small wounds on Amos here. I’ve seen him practicing, cutting himself and healing the cuts. He can heal wounds. This is just a more difficult wound, that’s all. Leave us alone. Please.”
“Look!”
“The boy, what’s wrong?”
“Oh my!”
The throng was yelling, shouting, pointing at Ben.
Ben released his grip on Jenny’s throat, his hands fell to his sides, and he toppled over, backwards off the rock. At the same time Jenny opened her eyes and blinked. The sun is so bright today. Why is it so high in the sky this early in the day? Who are all these people? What are they looking at? Why is Vince at my feet crying? I’ve never seen him cry. God, my neck hurts!
As Jenny moved, the crowd fell back in awe. The dukes were also alarmed and taken aback. Vince looked up and saw Jenny smiling at him. He grabbed her in his arms and hugged her tightly. Betsy and Horace lowered their weapons. Polly dropped her spear and ran to Ben, sprawled on the grass.
“Ben, Ben darling, speak to me,” she cried. “Oh, Ben, are you all right? Ben! Ben! Please say something!”
Betsy looked at Ben’s mouth and chest and said, “He’s breathing. He passed out after he healed Vince, too, remember. We should get him into some shelter. Horace, ask that taverner if we can bring Ben inside. If he hesitates, point out how much business he’s going to do today.”
There was a great deal of confusion for quite a while. Even the dukes had trouble getting people to listen to their orders. In time, the city watchmen were assigned the job of collecting the dead bodies from the field and bringing them to the city for burial. Vince, Amos, and their bands were politely, but firmly, asked to accompany the dukes back to the palace. Ben was placed on a stretcher and carried back, with Polly and her spear at his side. The basket with Fearless was on Ben’s stretcher.
***
“It was nice of the grand duke to put us up in the palace,” remarked Jeff. “Really nice rooms and good food. Look at this room, huge and just for loungin’ around in.”
The room was forty feet long, twenty feet wide, with a twelve foot ceiling. The walls were green marble with golden brackets for candlesticks dotted along them. Several padded benches, chairs, and settees were placed casually around the room for relaxing on.
“Yes, it’s really fine, but don’t kid yourself, Jeff,” countered Vince. “This is to keep us under their control. A nice comfortable prison, but still a prison. They don’t know what happened out there. With Scarface and his gang, or with Ben and Jenny. They want us where they can find us until they figure things out. Should they punish us for fightin’ a battle? The fair ended yesterday, so officially the Truce is over. Should they give us a reward for killing Scarface’s whole gang?
“And then there’s Ben. Do they believe he healed Jenny? Can they believe in magic? Will they let Ben go free if they think he really is a wizard? We told him this could be a problem, and it may be a very serious problem. But I’m very glad he chose this way to announce his abilities.”
“Where is Jenny?” asked Amos. “I didn’t think you’d let her out of your sight again.”
“I didn’t want to. But she and Polly are with Ben, looking after him. I’d hate to be the man who tried to do anything to Ben with those two watching over him.”
“I once thought Polly was nothin’, a weak little rich girl who couldn’t do nothin’,” confessed Slim. “But she challenged Amos the other day, and backed it up. I saw her fightin’ like a tigress today with nothin’ but a spear. And then she faces down all three dukes. I wouldn’t cross her for anythin’, not ever again.”
“It’s been hours since we was brung to the palace,” mentioned Horace. “When he healed your arm, Ben was only unconscious for a couple of hours.”
“Yes, but the arm only took a half hour to heal,” noted Vince. “Jenny took four hours to heal. I don’t know what he does, or how, but it must take a lot out of him to do it. How tired were you after our battle this morning? Imagine fighting for four hours straight.”
“Heads up. Here come the brass hats,” advised Fred as the four dukes entered the large room.
“On behalf of my fellow dukes, I would like to thank you all heartily for ridding all of us of that despicable scum Scarface,” Gasparillo began. “You are all free to leave, with all of your belongings, whenever you wish. I suppose you will want to wait until your young wizard has awakened. So, as long as that takes, you may stay here at my expense.
“There are rewards on Scarface’s gang in all of our lands, and several others nearby as well. See our personal treasurers in the morning, and we will pay you our rewards. We will also give you proof of their deaths which you may show in other realms. There will be a banquet tonight to honor all of you. I think you will enjoy it. Until then.”
“Rewards from all of ’em. Very nice,” mused Amos.
“It’s all yours, Amos,” Vince offered. “Horace told me he gave you their horses and gear. This too is yours for rescuing us this morning. Jenny would’ve only been the first to die if you hadn’t been there. And then Ben couldn’t have saved her either. You said you were having an unsuccessful year; this will help make up for that. You lost a few more of your men; the survivors need something for their valor. Thank you for all that.”
***
“It’s been two whole days since he passed out,” worried Vince. “I’m worried about him.”
They were sitting in a room usually occupied by visiting ambassadors and other high-ranking people. It was a large bedroom, with three tables, several chairs, a fainting couch, and numerous foot stools. The bed had a silk canopy and was large enough for three people. Ben was sleeping, covered by rich sheets and blankets, his head resting on a down filled pillow. The walls were blue and red with gold designs curling about. The ceiling was painted with an image of an early duke meeting his wife for the first time.
“He’s been breathing more easily since dawn,” commented Polly, trying to find comfort from petting Fearless. “But I’m worried too. I’ve never had to care for someone who was ill or injured. I don’t know what I would’ve done without all of you, especially you, Jenny.”
“As if I would ignore the man who saved my life. As if I could. We’ll stand watch and watch by turns until he wakes up. Oh, look, his eyes just fluttered!”
“Ben! Ben! Wake up darling!” cried Polly, rushing to the bed. Fearless tumbled from her grasp onto the bed and began licking Ben’s face. “Ben, please dearest, wake up! Ben, you’re awake! Thank all the Gods!” She hugged him to her and covered his face with kisses and tears.
Jenny took Ben’s hand in hers and kissed it reverently. She could think of nothing to say to him, no words that would mean anything. Ben looked at her with bleary eyes. They suddenly focused and he sat up and shouted, “It worked! You’re alive! Thank all the Gods! Oh, dear Jenny, I’m so happy to see you alive! I needed to save you. I couldn’ta lived if I hadn’t.”
“Neither could I, dear Ben,” laughed Jenny. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I don’t know how to thank you properly, but whatever you want, anytime, is yours.”
“You know that goes for me, too,” repeated Vince. “I couldn’t have lived without Jenny, either. I owe you more than I can possibly repay. You restored my Jenny to me. How can I ever thank you enough for that? Nothing in my life is more important to me than she is.”
The servant attending them ran out when Ben woke, and calls were ringing through the palace. In a few minutes Gasparillo and the other dukes came into the room. Gasparillo went up to Ben, still lying on his bed, and knelt beside him. Ben was touched that this old man he had never seen before was kneeling to him. He was even more astonished when the old man kissed his hand.
“Ben, I am Grand Duke Gasparillo, ruler of Adallo, and I want to honor you above all men. It’s been hundreds of years since a wizard last walked the world, and here you are, doing the most amazing magic. There are no reports, or even myths, that the wizards of old could reattach a severed head. I did not believe it was possible, but all who saw it said Jenny’s head flew ten feet from her body. And you healed her. You are the greatest man in Adallo today! We will have another banquet tonight, just to honor you, our own wizard!”
The other dukes also offered their congratulations and praise. They said they wanted to talk to him after the banquet about important matters, but he should rest until dinner. They talked with him for a while and then left.
“I want to thank you for your other magic as well,” added Vince. “I remember Horace saying, when you first made these extra sharp swords, that it might not be a good idea. I think he was afraid they might be used against us, or that we might become over-confident with ’em. I told you that great weapons weren’t enough to win battles. We were both wrong. In this fight, they were definitely enough to win. Thank you for our victory as well. That saved Jenny as much as your other magic.”