Chapter Nine
The implausibility again caught Marilyn Gilsen off guard. Here she was, in this foreign land, in this medieval time. And now she had just witnessed her long-lost husband, a prisoner, who had just come out of the hut where he had been held, to attend to a young man who had fallen down in what appeared to be a seizure… And there was the woman who took the youth’s head in her lap… who was she? And what with that large jug of water, which Bob had just poured out? And now he had been led away, God knows where. She didn’t know what to think about it. Who were these others, who all seemed to be playing some role in this drama? She had not been able to hear any of it, but what she saw convinced her that her Bob was still a physician to the core.
“What is it, m’lady?” asked Fausto. “Ye do appear to have questions…”
They had gotten off their horses, and had been watching what was ahead of them, what they could see in the dimness.
“Many, I’m afraid, Fausto. Where have they taken Bob? And what are they going to do to him? And what are we supposed to do for him or the others? And what about that young man who just had a seizure?”
“A seizure? D’ye mean the fit the lad had? Well, m’lady, ‘twould appear that your husband did attend to the lad’s needs, and now has been taken toward the leader of this capturing party. But might I say that he was not led away in chains, nor with any force. Methinks that it might have been he, himself, wantin’ to go.”
“Precisely, Fausto. Despite the fact that he was a prisoner, there seemed to be calmness in his demeanor, as if he was just doing his “doctor thing.”
“His doctor thing?”
“Oh, yes,” explained Marilyn, “His actions there – out of his element, but still consistent with his years of training. He’s still the healer, whom I got to know over time. I’ve had years to observe. See, I got to know him before he ever became a doctor, but there was always something in him, something which the years of medical training brought out and hardened into what you can still see.”
“If ye say so, m’lady.”
Fausto heard something and held up his hand. Marilyn was going to say something, but noticed the look in his eye, and listened. At first there was nothing, but then she heard it too. From behind them came the sound of horses. Then she could see, in the enveloping darkness, the arrival of many mounted men. The men dismounted and came up to where the three brothers and Marilyn stood. Fausto greeted his comrades with a grim smile, and then went over to the leader and explained in a low whisper what had happened.
After discussing their strategy, Fausto came back to Marilyn, and told her that she would stay back, as he and his men carried out their rescue. And he told her that Stefano would stay back with her and would protect her with his life.
Marilyn swallowed hard, and then asked “But, but… Bob. Do you know where he’s gone?” Marilyn asked.
“Aye, that we do,” said Fausto. “These men saw him, and his companions.”
“Well, I won’t look… I can’t.”
“Nay, m’lady, nor should ye. Stefano shall guard ye well.”
The guardsmen began to mount up. Some of them went with Justinian, and began to disappear into the woods, to the left. The others stood their ground and waited. Stefano took Marilyn back into the sheltering trees. And then the waiting began. All seemed silent ahead. As darkness fell, one could make out the light from within the hut, through its one window.
And then it came. The sound of the whippoorwill. It came from beyond the little hut. The guards about the hut paid no attention, but at the sound, Fausto and his men drew their swords and moved toward the little building. They left their horses behind and made almost no sound in their advance.
Marilyn turned away from what was ahead. She honestly did not want to see what this silent army would be doing to the men guarding their captives. She could hear from her distance the sounds of scuffling, and the clash of swords, and even that made her insides roil. She sat down and put her hands over her ears.
Inside the hut Eustace was lying down, with his head on his mother’s lap. As his consciousness began to clear, he recognized the aching in his muscles and the throbbing in his temples as the telltale signs of another seizure. Judy was kneeling at Diane’s side, and was gently rubbing his head. Standing by were Chauncey, Gilbert and Stoneheft, who had brought Eustace back inside, and carefully laid him down within the hut. Concern began to vanish as the youth regained his alertness. Then they heard it. From outside their enclosure came the sound of a whippoorwill. Immediately Stoneheft leapt for the door and signaled the other two to come over. Judy heard and understood its meaning, but she seemed to freeze.
“Bob! Where have they taken Bob?” Her voice came out as a hoarse half whisper.
Chauncey’s voice penetrated her alarm. “Lady, Judy, he shall be safe. He is with Hermes.”
“Hermes? What do you mean?”
“Trust me, I do know that Hermes is the avowed caretaker of your husband. He shall not fail!”
It was then that the hut was swarmed by the rush of men, with swords drawn and grim faces. And before anyone had time to consider what to do next, they were herded outside, and off into the forest.
No comments:
Post a Comment