Chapter 12

If the eyes are the windows of the soul, Princess Veronica had the shades down, drapes drawn and shutters closed. I was getting nothing from hers. Softly I said, "I gave my word, your grace."

"Even knowing you could not keep it, Hunter?" she asked, in that same cool cadence with no expression.

I nodded as I agreed. "Yes, your Grace, knowing that I did not speak for anyone but myself, but knowing even more that I wish Donna to live. She told me much..."

One eyebrow came up just fractionally as she interrupted, "But they are dead."

I shook my head, saying, "No, not all. There is 'something'. Far more than robbers, Princess, and I want Donna, who has some knowledge of this 'something, ' to accompany you on the rest of your journey."

Into her palpably quizzical silence I forged on, "It is not highwaymen or isolated thievery, your grace. Some agency is making widespread disorder. I do not know who is responsible or the purpose of this chaos, not yet. I have 'not yet' the full knowledge that I need. This unknown something is a danger to the kingdoms, and especially to you."

I took a deep breath, saying forcefully, "I am convinced, your grace. Nadia, you Veronica, and Donna hold keys to my unlocking this treacherous mystery."

I realized my subconscious mind had supplied those words. In sudden clarity as I spoke them I understood their truth. In the shared silence that followed I stared into those hypnotic blue eyes.

Sudden gonging as Hjordis pounded an iron plowshare announcing supper caused us to start in surprise. Veronica smiled as she offered, "Very persuasive, Hunter. Do you always thus convince your prey that they must willingly step into your enticing traps so that that you may capture them?"

Before I could respond, she laughed softly, saying, "Never mind, let us eat, drink and talk. I will feely tell you about my trip with Hjordis. I expect the same candor from you concerning this 'something' of yours."

She glanced over to the cook fires as she said softly, "I find myself persuaded to let your comely seafarer live. I am open to being fully converted."

With that, Princess Veronica turned, leading her horse to the stables and leaving me musing at the corral fence.

I walked over the windmill with its pump jack to wash before my meal. I rinsed the worst of the mud off in the stock tank, then washed up in the tin basin next to it. After drying my hands on the filthy towel, I glanced around. Seeing everyone focused on the upcoming meal, I pulled an antiseptic wipe out of an inner pocket and cleansed my hands.

A soft, over-germicided modern, I had little of the bacterial resistance of these soldiers. I'd better stay clean until my body became acclimated to this dirtier life. The used wipe and torn wrapper went back in my pocket, to be disposed where it would not cause comment.

Donna was placing the carved meat and the last items of food on the long plank table. Unruly soldiers were impatiently waiting to be fed. Hjordis stood at the end of the table, first in line, ostentatiously cleaning her nails with her dagger while ignoring the anxious soldiers who, for their part, were extremely careful not to jostle her.

A beefy very bald soldier in a leather jerkin was forming the troops in a column, by the simple expedient of profuse obscenity while shoving them roughly into single file with the haft of his bearded war axe. He had muscles, scars, and tattoos in equal measure, with a truly breathtaking command of profanity.

As this was going on, Jeremy gave himself a boost in my estimation. He tasked those first in line to fetch food and drink for sentries before their own meal. They complained loudly about the 'injustice' of his orders despite the fact they were first in line mostly due to shirking their duties. Jeremy listened as the malingerers' complaints built to a whiny crescendo. He finally told them to take it up with 'Blade' and the voices quieted considerably, amid sidelong glances at the bulky, hairless axe wielder.

I was watching the byplay just as the stable door opened. Princess Veronica stepped out, holding the door for her stable hands. She waved them toward the food line before she moved with a purposeful stride to the washing area.

Jeremy saw her, turned and began yelling loudly. A trooper with a towel over his shoulder carrying a silver basin of water headed for the princess at a run, accelerating as Blade bellowed curses at his back. By the time he skidded to a stop in front of the princess, he was very wet with basin empty. Princess Veronica smilingly thanked him for the clean towel as she washed up in the same water as everyone else.

Veronica completed her wash-up. Blade moved quickly to her side, and his meaty paw engulfed her daintier appendage. Blade escorted his princess across that yard to those rude plank tables as if they were crossing a palace ballroom headed for a banquet hall.

As Veronica was on her way to take her place at the head of the line, she paused to gesture at me to join her. I demurred, and immediately her hand seized my shoulder in a surprisingly strong grip. Before I could protest Veronica was pulling me into line next to her.

I was sitting on a blanket, leaning against the farmhouse, my Katana and crossbow beside me, with my plate on my lap and a mug of ale next to me. My delightful companions on the picnic blanket were princess, assassin and sailor. We were surrounded the yard, covered with random groupings of soldiers also sitting on the grass, eating and drinking their fill. Blade was sitting with back against the same wall, only scant feet away, his axe hard by as he watchfully ate his own meal near at hand to his charge.

As Donna refilled our mugs, Jeremy toured the yard informing the troops that anyone found drunk would be flogged by Blade. His announcement that the flogging would carry on "until Blade's arm tired," accompanied by Blade's canine growl, noticeably slowed traffic to that big keg.

Princess Veronica or as she quickly exclaimed, "call me Ronnie" told us of her diplomatic mission to Port City and King Ethan, saying, "Nadia was to carry half the documents and I the other. We were to travel in one column. Unaccountably, before I could go, disagreement and nit-picking redrafting of minor words delayed me. Nadia had to press on to meet the king and his generals, leaving me to travel as you see."

With that Ronnie gestured at the party scattered on the grass.

I nodded as I asked, "What were the documents?"

Ronnie smiled as she answered, "Hers was military, mine trade."

Grinning into my puzzled expression, she continued, "Nadia delivered the mutual defense treaty. She and the Baron were meeting with their top military leaders. The Black Baron's Guard was conducting a military survey of the roads, bridges, and terrain."

Taking a sip of her wine Ronnie continued, "I carried a bold plan to break the river blockade of Passage and its Sun King."

Ronnie smiled into our dumbfounded expressions as Donna and Hjordis gasped loudly in astonishment. Hjordis said, "I had no idea."

Ronnie nodded soberly as she replied, "No one did, or more to the present point, no one was believed to. My undertaking was among the deepest and darkest of secrets of our realm."

Ronnie gave me a hard-eyed glance before continuing, "Yet, somehow, a hunter came to be standing in the road waiting for me."

Donna asked quietly, "I'm curious, your grace. How were you planning to get through that chain blocking the mouth of the river at Passage?"

Ronnie grinned, saying, "Ronnie, please, and that's an order. We will bypass the river and avoid confronting this Sun King, at least to start. We took our lessons from the caravan masters who cross the vast deserts and steppes to trade from the spice lands."

We must have looked puzzled as Ronnie continued more slowly, "The desert caravans use huge, six-wheeled freight wagons. On the steppes, wagons are paired in tandem, one behind the other, with each such pair pulled by a team with 20 or more brace of oxen or mules. A caravan might consist of one hundred or more of these wagons and teams."

We were all nodding slowly as she continued, "I have a proposal from Oswald, King Oswald..." She dimpled prettily as she realized we all knew who this particular 'Oswald' was, and continued, "... And the Merchants' Guild of King Holm. We would start with a dozen of the tandem pairs of wagons, loading them on the Port City docks, traveling through the big forest to River Town then on to Castle Town and King Holm. I am to meet with the Sea Farers' Guild to discuss the proposal."

Donna suddenly looked very pensive and went quiet. I reached over to lightly touch her shoulder, saying softly, "Is there something wrong with the princess's plan, Donna?"

She shook her head briskly as she replied, "I'm sure it's not my place to question, Brock sir."

Ronnie's eyes narrowed as she silently watching this byplay. I turned to Ronnie asking, "Are you familiar with Port City?"

Ronnie grinned as she shook her head. "I've never been to Port City or Coast castle for even the shortest visit. My only acquaintance in the kingdom is Princess Jessica. We've ridden together when her father, King Ethan was in King Holm for a state visit." Ronnie's hand came up as she continued, "And to forestall your next question. No, I don't know why I was selected for this task. I doubt it was common knowledge that Jessica and I even met. I'd like to think it was my knowledge of horseflesh but..."

Shaking her head ruefully Ronnie trailed off into silence. As Ronnie was speaking I watched Donna who was fidgeting and nervous as Ronnie's story unfolded.

Finally I pointed at Donna saying sternly, "Donna, you must talk to the Princess. She needs your help. YOU are the only one who has stood on those docks and know the players in this drama."

Ronnie followed my with her entreaty, saying, "Yes, please, Donna I do need your help and won't be angry about a criticism. Promise!"

Finally, with a tentative smile, Donna said, "This is the second time today that Brock, sir, asked my opinion."