The Curse

Won Honorable Mention in the "Invalid Item"  for the March Round.

Part One
The Birth

Thunder crashed. Lightening flashed. Inside the crude hut, a woman writhed in childbirth. Her labor had been hard and had lasted for many hours. Now as the midwife crouched in front of her, the end appeared to be nearing. “Push, my lady,” the midwife commanded. For once the peasant was the one in charge and she was one who knew her business.

The lady didn’t look like the high and mighty ruler of the manor. Her gown was drenched in sweat and she clung tightly to the rope her midwife had strung up. The two women had been on their way to the summer manor when the lady had gone into labor. They had taken shelter in the crude hut when the rain threatened with the lady’s guards remaining outside. There had not been enough room in the carriage for the lady to give birth which was what necessitated them taking refuge in the hut. It had apparently been empty for some time for there was only a bed frame that was too heavy to move left for furnishings. The midwife had directed the guards to quickly pile the frame with the blankets and cushions from the carriage before shooing the men out. The guards would just get wet if the threatened rain came before the baby. “Minna,” the lady called as she was able to catch her breath between pains, “how much longer?”

“Not long, my lady. I can see the top of the head. When the next pain comes, I want you to push as hard as you can. Not long until the baby is out.”

The lady nodded as the pain hit again and she was unable to hold back a scream. She remembered Minna’s instructions though and bore down, pushing as hard as she could. The head slipped free and Minna was careful to support it as the shoulders were hung up on the pelvic bone. She carefully eased her hand underneath and freed one side of the shoulders and as the next pain hit, she was able to ease the child the rest of the way out.

As the child gave a lusty wail, there was a sharp report of thunder and the heavens opened up. Rain pounded into the ground and almost knocked the guards over with the strength. Minna carefully balanced the child on one arm as she tied the umbilical cord off with a piece of twine. A sharp knife sliced the connection between mother and child. “Name her, my lady. Name her quickly.”

Knowing that her midwife believed evil spirits would take over the child’s body if she was not named within minutes of her life beginning, the woman called out the name she had chosen if the child was a girl. “Adalia. Her name is Adalia.”

Minna had had one of the guards fetch her a bucket of water before she shooed them outside and she used cloths and the water to clean off the child now. As she was washing the right leg, she noticed a red mark on the child’s thigh. She scrubbed harder at it, eliciting a protesting squawk from Adalia, but it didn’t come off. With a frown, she recognized the mark. “My lady, the girl is Maedchen.”

The noble woman gasped and struggled to sit up on the bed. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, my lady. She bears the red mark.”

The woman let out a wail, not unlike the child’s. “My poor baby.” She struggled upright and held her hand out to Minna, imploring her. “Take her. Run into the forest and hide with her. I will tell them you’ve died and the child with you. Take Gerald with you to protect the child.” The woman named the most trusted warrior of the ones that accompanied them. “Please, Minna, I beg you. She is my beloved husband’s child and since he was killed in battle I cannot again have his child. I cannot bear for her to be killed as a witch.”

Minna well remembered her lady’s first husband. He had been gone barely a month before news came back that he had fallen in battle. Her lady had been married again when it was found she was with child and the new husband was a hard cruel man. He would not hesitate to have Adalia killed. “I will take her, my lady, and Gerald with her. We will protect her and raise her.”

“Go with Gott. Protect my child.”

Minna wrapped the child in the blanket that had been prepared and then accepted her lady’s own cloak to wear. Her lady would be tended by one of the guards once Minna was gone. The few people on the road with them, five guards from the winter home, were the members left from her lady’s first husband’s household. Minna knew that none of these guards would betray them even unto death.

The baby was safely wrapped in the blanket and Minna tucked her beneath the cloak to better protect her. Adalia almost seemed to know that something dreadful was happening because after her first few cries, she had quieted and only whimpered from time to time now as she was jostled about. Minna dared not take the time to feed the baby before they ran since there was no way to tell how long the rain would last. The land had suffered a drought for the last few months and this rain was welcome. It would also better cover the tracks of herself and Gerald. Minna stole one last look at her lady, who was motioning for her to leave, and stole from the hut.

Outside the winds buffeted her from all sides and she had to pull the hood of the cloak up so she could see beyond her feet. One of the guards caught her arm before she ran into him and asked, “Our lady? How fares she?”

“Our lady is well. Send in help for her. And send me Gerald. I must have speech with him.”

The guard nodded, obviously glad to be the messenger and not the one wanted and turned to carry out her orders. Within moments, Gerald was beside her and had bent close to listen to what she had to say. “Are the horses unsaddled?”

“No, Minna. We weren’t sure how long we would tarry here so left the horses saddled. They are safely away from here.”

“Get two for us and tell the others we are leaving. Our lady has commanded us to run away with her baby and hide the child. She fears for the baby’s life.”

The strong warrior looked closely at the woman he had known for many years. He knew she was not telling him everything. He trusted her though and would follow the command his lady gave through her. “I’ll get the horses. You stay close to the hut and out of the rain.”

Minna checked on the baby who had fallen asleep in her arms. She tucked the baby securely in one arm and used her belt knife to cut away a swatch of her skirt. She used the material to bind the baby to her body so that she would have her hands free to ride.

When Gerald returned, he was leading three horses. One was loaded down with supplies and Minna thanked Gott that he had thought of those things. Her concern was focused on getting the baby as quickly away, not on what they would need to survive. He lifted her into the saddle of one of the horses and wrapped a blanket around her. He would lead the packhorse and she would follow on her horse. Satisfied that Minna was settled on the horse, he swung into the saddle of his own horse and the two took off at a canter, the fastest they dared go in the rain.


Part Two
The Truth

Steel rang in the clearing as Adalia met the thrust of her teacher’s sword. She parried it and went on the offensive, driving him back across the grass. As he backed out of the circle they had dug, she lowered her sword. “Good work, Lia,” he congratulated her. “You’ve much improved your sword work.”

“Danke, Gerald. Your teaching has definitely made it easy to improve.”

The craggy faced warrior smiled at his young charge before looking up at the sun. “We should be on our way back to the cabin. Minna will be looking for us.”

Adalia had grown into a strong young woman who was happy and content in her life with her two guardians, whom she considered to be her parents because she didn’t know her real parents. “Have you planned a surprise for my birthing day?”

“Now how would we plan a surprise? And what exactly do you need to live in the woods.”

Adalia’s face turned wistful. “A new dress would be nice. A blue or green one. And a new sword. This one is pitted from practice.”

“Well, mayhap Minna has planned something. We shall see. You need to clean up before anything.”

They emerged from the forest into another clearing, but this one wasn’t empty. A stout cabin stood dead center of the clearing. Rough hewn walls were packed with mud to keep drafts out and curtains billowed in the slight breeze. The door stood open to greet teacher and student and smoke wafted welcomingly from the chimney. As they approached, a sturdy woman came to the doorway. “You two will clean up before entering my house. I’ll not have you tracking mud in my clean cabin.”

The two laughed but veered off towards the creek that ran near the cabin. The creek widened not far from their door into a pool where the three often bathed. It ran cold most of the year but right now as summer was ending, it was at its warmest temperature. They had strung up a rope and draped a sheet over it when one of the women wanted to bathe. Now Adalia drew the sheet closed and stripped off her shirt and breeches, before dropping into the water. She let out a muffled shriek at the coldness of the water before dunking under to wet her long blonde hair. She didn’t intended to wash it but the cold water felt good after sweating during practice. She used some of the sand soap to scrape herself clean, then dressed in the robe that hung over the same rope the sheet was on. Minna had obviously prepared for them to be sweaty when they returned because the robe had been in the cabin that morning. Her sword belt hung on a nearby branch, always within reach even when she was underwater. By the time she was finished, Gerald was also done and the two walked back to the cabin together carrying their dirty clothes.

Minna was stirring a pot over the fire when they entered the cabin. Adalia dropped her dirty clothes into the basket they kept by the door for them, then climbed the ladder to her room. She was surprised to find a wrapped package on her bed. “Am I to open the package?” she called down to Minna.

“Aye, Lia. Its your birthing day gift,” the answer came back.

Excited by the prospect of a gift, Adalia pounced on the package and tore it open. Inside was the dress she had seen in the dress shop in town. The under dress was a cool sea green while the over dress was a deep blue with embroidered knotwork in the same sea green. Adalia quickly stripped off her robe and pulled on the dress, lacing it with nimble fingers. Then she went down the ladder. She stopped at the bottom and spun around, showing off the dress. “Its gorgeous, Minna. I love it.”

“Aye, I saw your eyes light up when you saw the dress last market day so I sent Gerald into town to fetch it. It looks good on you.”

The three sat down at the table and Minna served all of them stew. It might seem like plain fare for a birthing day but they all knew it was Adalia’s favorite mutton stew. During dinner, they discussed Adalia’s lessons and her progress in them. Gerald raved about her progression with her sword work and told how she had bested him in the clearing today.

After the dinner dishes were cleared away, Minna brought out the cake and Adalia sliced it for everyone. They were relaxing after eating the cake when Gerald produced another package. “This is from me, Lia. It was your father’s once upon a time. I happened to have it with me when we were returning to your home since I didn’t want your step-father to get his hands on it. This is the blade your father learned to fight with. I had the blacksmith in town polish it up and fix it so its not pitted like your practice sword. I hope you wear it when you return to claim your birthright.”

Adalia frowned as she accepted the sword from Gerald. “What are you talking about? My birthright?”

“Your mother did not die in childbirth as we told you. She sent you away because she feared for your life at the hands of her second husband. Your father died in battle before you were born and she was married to another man. This man was cruel, not just to the people but also to your mother. When you were born with the mark of the Maedchen, your mother feared for your life. She sent us away with you to protect you. Now that you are of age, we ask that you return to the land of your birth and save your people from the overlord who rules over them with a hard hand,” Gerald paused at the end of his speech and then looked at Adalia’s face which had transformed into a mask of horror at his words. “If you wish to, my lady, I would never ask you to do what you would not wish.”

Part Three
The Curse

There is a story whispered in the shacks and huts of the peasants of a child born in a storm; a Maedchen. A child that did not die as the mother said, but was secreted away by the midwife and a trusted guard. A child that would return one day and claim her birthright.

The land suffered under the wrath of their evil overlord. His new wife had borne a child not his own and then within days had succumbed to a birthing sickness. Now he held land that was not his and the land, that had been hers, was desolate. Crops failed, livestock sickened. The people despaired in ever being whole again.

The people talked of a curse. A curse that could only be abated by the return of the Maedchen. They prayed to Gott for the return of the Maedchen, the trueborn witch child of their beloved overlord. They prayed that she would one day return and lift the curse that blighted their land.

Part Four
The Return

The three cloaked figures slipped into the tavern just as the stormy night fell. They took a back table and ignored the rest of the patrons, ordering their meals in low voices from the flighty serving wench. They attracted attention just because they were strangers but didn’t respond to any of the attempts to be drawn into conversation.

The minstrel was cajoled into playing although he didn’t normally sing on the stormy nights. He sat near the fire, tuning his lyre, and then began to strum the strings as he talked, “Its rumored that it was a night like this that the Maedchen was born.” He tuned the strings again when he hit a sour note and then began to sing,

A child was born, on a night such as this
When the tree frogs sang
And swift rose the mist
But alas, this young babe
Bore the witch-mark
And so her mother left her
To the wolves and the dark

One might not believe
That a child's leaving like this
Would hold such power
In the palm of her fist
But the land she grew angry
And the folk turned their backs
And from one simple action
The land fell to attacks

And so they must pray,
The young to the old
The poor and the wealthy
The weak and the bold
Together to bring her,
Back from the mist
From the darkness and dangers
On a night such as this.

The older of the two females leaned closer to her companions as the ballad ended. “The people are counting on you, my lady.”

“I’m aware of the people’s feelings, Minna. See if there are rooms available for the night.” Adalia found it odd to order her parents around but since they had told her the truth about her parentage, they had deferred to her for many things. Adalia knew it was their way of preparing her for the future of ruling her people. She tried to temper her orders with love and understanding but sometimes she was frustrated that they now expected her to make the decisions.

Minna left the table and went to talk to the tavern owner who also rented rooms in the upper floors. Gerald considered his young protégé as she finished her soup. “Did the song upset you, Lia?”

“No, Gerald. It just made me more determined to do something about it. Maybe I’m not the right person to rule but anything has to be better than the current lord. I, at least, will rule with compassion and not increase taxes when the crops are bad. I’ve never seen this much suffering in my life. Something has to be done.”

“I’m glad to hear you say that, my lady. Here comes Minna. Let’s hope she has secured us rooms for the night.”

Minna explained that there were only two rooms available but Gerald was welcome to bed down on the floor by the fire after the tavern closed. The two agreed to this plan and the two women were shown to the rooms upstairs.

The rooms were across the hall from each other. Minna took the room closer to the stairs and allowed the serving wench to show Adalia to the farther room. The young heiress was quite content to have a room to herself since she hadn’t been out of the sight of her two protectors since they started on this journey.

After the door had shut behind the wench, Adalia threw off her cloak and tossed it over the one chair in the room. The bed was against the wall, under the only window and she tested the blanket. Finding it thin, she retrieved her cloak and spread it over the bed. Then she unbuckled her sword belt and drew her sword. She used a cloth from her pack to polish the blade of the sword as she thought.

The blade glittered in the candle light, as she ran the cloth down it. She had sharpened it the night before and knew that it was as sharp as it could be. The sword was lighter than she was used to but not by much and well worked. She finished polishing her sword as thoughts of the ballad she had heard that night ran through her head. She hadn’t been too sure about freeing people she didn’t know but after seeing the way they lived and hearing the hopeful tone of the ballad, she didn’t feel she had any choice. She would confront her step-father in the morning.

* * * * * *

Adalia was awakened the next morning by a crowing rooster. A moment later, she heard a voice yell, “You’ll be in the pot yet, bird.” Something banged against the wall and the bird let out a final squawk.

Adalia groaned but dragged herself out of bed. She washed her face in the provided pottery basin, then pulled on her shift. After a moment’s indecision, she pulled on the green and blue dress she had received for her birthing day. It was the nicest of her dresses that she had brought with her and she felt it gave her a more commanding presence for confronting her step-father. She buckled on her sword belt as she thought about the fact that they had not been able to find any news about her mother, but she was still hopeful that her mother lived. After tying back her blond hair, she made her way downstairs.

Minna and Gerald were already sitting at a table, dressed in their best also, and eating porridge. Adalia accepted a bowl from the serving wench who had served them the night before and sat down at the table with them. Three other tables had one or two customers scattered around. The tavern wasn’t big and there were only four guest rooms upstairs so none of them were surprised to see only a few people.

Minna spoke as Adalia began eating her porridge. “Lord Koric holds court on Market Day and today just happens to be Market Day so we don’t have to worry about hiding from him while we wait for an audience.”

“Convenient,” Adalia answered as she sipped the cider that had been provided with her meal. “What time does court open?”

“Mid-morning but we should get there early. The people apparently line up early to be able to be the first in line. I think if we announce you as a visiting noble, we should be able to gain entrance.”

“I agree, Minna. Gerald, see about finding me a side saddle. I won’t be able to ride astride in this dress. And make sure you have your chain mail on.”

Gerald nodded and inclined his head in respect. “Yes, my lady.”

It took them over a candle mark to be ready but they were finally mounted on their horses and on their way to the manor house where Lord Kovic resided. They rode through town, drawing the attention of the inhabitants and making their way carefully through the marketplace. Gerald rode first, straight and tall in his saddle. Adalia came next, her skirts draped gracefully over the side saddle, waving grandly at the people who paused to watch her. Minna came last, also on side saddle, and making a mental note of who stared the longest at her mistress. She knew Adalia greatly resembled her mother with her blond hair and proud carriage but her blue eyes were inherited from her father and Minna hoped the people would recognize, even subconsciously, the young girl as the child of their beloved overlord.

They were halted at the gate by a guard who demanded to know who they were. “My lady, Adalia Eberstark, demands entrance to Lord Kovic’s home. She wishes to have speech with his lordship.”

The guard stared at them for a few minutes then as if deciding this was something he wasn’t qualified to handle, grabbed a passing page and sent him off with instructions to find the Seneschal.

A few minutes later, a portly man puffed up to the gate and looked them over. “May I inquire as to whom this personage is that graces our gates?” he asked as he looked them over.

“My lady, Adalia Eberstark wishes speech with Lord Kovic. She does not appreciate being made to wait in the road while you decide how to greet her,” Gerald replied with an edge to his tone to show their displeasure. So far no one had commented on the familiarity of the name he had given. Gerald didn’t recognize any of the guards and assumed that Lord Kovic had replaced the guards that were still loyal to the previous overlord.

“My humblest apologies, my lady. Please allow us to escort you into the court and present you to Lord Kovic.” The Seneschal bowed low to Adalia and began to mutter at the guards. He obviously expected her to be someone very important by the way Gerald was acting and he didn’t want to get on her bad side.

Adalia and Minna were helped down from their saddles while Gerald dismounted on his own. They then followed the Seneschal, who was still muttering apologies as he escorted them into the receiving room.

Lord Kovic sat on a throne-like chair on a raised dais. He looked down upon the assembled peasants like a king before his subjects. His greasy hair hung in strings to his shoulders and his robes strained to hold his corpulent body. Food and other matter stained his robes. The peasants knelt before him and some of them trembled in fear.

Incensed, Adalia pushed past Gerald and strode towards the throne, drawing her sword. “I demand you free my people,” she shouted as she bore down on him.

Lord Kovic leapt to his feet and pointed at her. “Who is this girl? Who let her in here?”

The Seneschal rushed around her, although he almost didn’t beat her to the throne, and gasped, “I admitted her, Lord Kovic. She claims to be Lady Adalia Eberstark.”

Adalia had been seized by two of the guards and she struggled in their hold. Believing that this slip of a girl couldn’t pose much of a threat, they didn’t remove her sword but simply held her arms so she could not swing it.

Kovic backhanded his Seneschal, knocking the man off the dais where he cowered. “You fool! Eberstark was the name of the previous lord. She must be his child. No one else would dare claim that name.”

Gerald drew his own sword and cried, “Death to the usurper! All hail Lady Adalia Eberstark! Free her people in her father’s name!” He had recognized the two guards that held Adalia and hoped they would side with her.

Confused, and unsure how to react with their trueborn Lady in their grasp, the guards loosened their hold. Adalia lunged forward, her sword leading the way, and stabbed Kovic in the stomach. As he crumpled to the floor, she backed slowly down, staring in horror as blood poured out of the wound.

The frozen assembly stared as Kovic gasped and flopped on the dais. Within moments, he had breathed his last. Minna stepped up to her young mistress and spoke quietly, “It isn’t a pretty end, my lady, but it is his end and your beginning. Speak to your people. Tell them you have returned.”

Adalia looked at the people who surrounded her. She had a feeling the difficult part of her life was just starting. Taking a step forward, she raised her hand to ask for quiet, and began to speak to her people.



Translations:
Maedchen—girl
Gott—God
Danke—Thank you

Special thanks to my sister, Genesisemo got married for writing "The Ballad of the Maedchen" in this story.