Dennis McKiernan - Once upon a dreadful time

Blaise nodded and said, “If Orbane does escape, then, just as we sent the warning throughout the lands, so too shall we send word as to where to assemble.”

“Well and good,” said Regar. “And even if my grandsire disapproves and refuses to join, certainly I will be there.”

“And I,” said Flic, flashing his tiny silver epee on high.

“Buzzer, too, for we are mighty with our stingers.”

“And I,” said Fleurette, “even if I have to fight with nought but a thorn.”

“Oh, Fleurette,” said Flic, “I think it too dangerous for-”

“Nonsense, Flic,” snapped Fleurette. “Where you go, so go I.”

Regar turned to Blaise and said sotto voce, “Methinks it will be a very long journey if these two continue to argue over who should and should not join the fight.”

Blaise laughed and said, “Methinks you are right, Prince.” Regar slapped the tricorn on his helm and mounted the saddled steed.

Flic and Fleurette, yet squabbling, flew up to stand in the prow of the three-cornered hat, and with a whispered word to Buzzer, the bee flew up and ’round and took a bearing on the sun, then shot off on a direct line a bit to sun of duskwise.

“May Mithras hold you in his hand,” said Blaise.

“You as well, my friend,” replied Regar. And he spurred away following the beeline, with remounts and the pack animal in tow.

Across the sward they cantered, veering to go out one of the gates in the long wall surrounding the immediate estate. Then they hewed back to the line Buzzer flew, and toward the far wooded rise of the wide vale they angled.

Blaise watched until they at last disappeared among the boles of the green-leafed forest. Then he turned and headed back toward the manor, for there was much planning to do to make ready for an oncoming war.

From Springwood Manor at dawn, four messenger falcons took flight; they were conveying missives to the other three manors of the Forests of the Seasons as well as to Valeray’s castle. Likewise did four falcons fly from Summerwood Manor, and four each from the Autumnwood and Winterwood. The message capsules held tidings of arrivals, with three sets bearing reports of meetings with the Three Sisters and of the redes they spoke, and one set-those from the Autumnwood-speaking of the Reaper’s odd words. Not long thereafter-ere midmorn had come-the skies above the various manors and o’er the Castle of the Seasons were filled with the skree s of arriving raptors turning on wings to come unto the mews, and shortly thereafter falconers came running with message capsules to be opened by stewards and king alike.

In the manors, stewards read the words and then took the messages to the knights, while in the castle, the king summoned queen and prince and princess alike, as well as Sieur Emile and Lady Simone.

“Hmm. .” mused Valeray as he passed the messages about,

“If Skuld and Verdandi and Urd are involved, then dire events lie before us.”

“Yet,” said Camille, “if Raseri is found in time to intercept Hradian, then mayhap all can be avoided.”

Saissa sighed. “I would not hold hope for such, Camille, for it would appear from the words of the redes that Raseri will not be found.”

“I agree,” said Celeste. “Look at this one from Blaise. He tells that Lady Lot said:

“Grim are the dark days looming ahead Now that the die is cast.

Fight for the living, weep for the dead.

“That certainly sounds to me as if war with Orbane is inevitable. I mean, Verdandi says ‘the die is cast,’ and so what else would we interpret it to mean?”

A pall fell upon the gathering, and Borel said, “Then should we not leave now, return to our demesnes and prepare?”

“What could you do that Laurent isn’t already doing?” asked Simone.

Borel growled in frustration and said, “At least I would be doing something rather than standing about doing nought.”

“I would go, too, Brother,” said Alain, “yet surely Blaise is taking all necessary steps, and I could add little.”

“Your very presence would keep the men’s spirits up,” said Camille.

“List,” said Liaze, “by riding in haste after the faire is done, we will be at our manors the very next day, all but Camille and Duran and their escort, for of needs they must go at a pace the young prince can withstand. And though I would rather be at my manor with Luc, lending moral support if nought else, there’s little we can do.”

Alain turned to Valeray. “Sire, can we not forgo the final ceremonies here at the faire?”

Valeray frowned and looked at Saissa, and she said, “I think it important we show we are steadfast and let things go on as usual, rather than rushing off as if panic-stricken.”

“Yet, Maman,” said Alain, “if we do nought, then won’t the people think we dillydally in the face of danger?”

“Ah, but we are not doing nought, for already the call has gone out for recruits. Too, the Sprites are flying and bearing the news, and Luc, Roel, Laurent, and Blaise are even now at the manors making ready for a possible war.”

Saissa turned to Valeray, and he added, “Surely Orbane, even if set free this very day, cannot assemble his armies of old in less than several fortnights at best. Non, my sons and daughters, it is as your mother says: we need to show our loyal subjects that we are calm and in control, hence all should be present at the closing mark.”

Again Borel growled in frustration, while Alain took in a deep breath and blew it out. Celeste and Liaze sighed in resigned acceptance, and thus was the matter once again decided.

“Still, there is something we can do,” said Camille, “and that is to try to puzzle out the meanings of these redes. If we succeed, then it should gain us considerable advantage, else the Sisters would not have told them to Laurent, Blaise, and Roel.”

Sieur Emile turned to Valeray. “Why those three? I thought only your get received messages from the Fates. So why have they spoken to my sons, rather than to your children?” Valeray turned up his hands in puzzlement, but Saissa said,

“The Three Sisters have appeared before others, large gatherings for one, so choosing your sons seems no odd event.”

“Yet,” said Camille, “in every case where they did so, one or more of your children were present, Lady Saissa.”

“You were alone when they appeared to you, Camille,” said Valeray.

“Oui, but I came upon them along the shores of the River of Time, where it is said they dwell. -Oh, no, not quite true, for Skuld in her guise of Lady Sorciere, the Lady of the Mere, came to me ere I set out on the quest to find Alain.”

“Yet that was on the estate of Summerwood Manor,” said Alain. “Mayhap that’s why she appeared.”

“Argh!” growled Borel. “Who knows the ways of the Fates?

Not I, my friends, not I.”

A silence fell among them, and then Liaze peered at Luc’s message now in hand and said, “What I’d like to know is the significance of the Reaper’s words. ‘My Lord, I will come when the time is right.’ That’s what he said to Luc.” Liaze turned to Valeray. “Papa, do you know ought of what this means, and do these words carry special import?”

Valeray shrugged. “All I know is in the last war with Orbane, there were reports Moissonneur seemed to be waiting for some special event, yet what that might have been, or this time might be, I cannot say, and he has never spoken ought of it.”

“Hmph,” grunted Borel. “Mayhap the next time I gut and spit conies for him I’ll ask. -But for me, it’s what Skuld said in the Winterwood that gives me pause.

“Swift are the children of his namesake, That which a child does bear.