Disclaimer: This is not the final version as it will be available from the usual e-book sellers and eventually, bookstores. Rather, it should be seen as an (almost) final draft. If you are interested in becoming a beta reader, or you have any comments, suggestions or thoughts that you feel I should consider before publishing please drop me a line using the contact form.
A New Way to Learn
That year, in Foradmont, a package arrived for Bernard with a caravan. One of the boys from the village always came to Bernard’s house to tell them that a caravan had arrived, they knew that there was always something in it for them. A package was not unusual, Bernard frequently corresponded with Peyrepertuse on matters concerning the militia and often received letters and sometime packages of varying size. Usually it was only a parcel of letters. She’d peeked at them a few times of course, Bernard didn’t tidy them up immediately. They were usually from the Duke’s secretary, the Weaponsmaster and the Quartermaster and seemed to be mostly boring, detailing troop strengths and requirements. All letters she delivered to Caravaneers for Bernard were also always addressed to those same people. Sometimes there would be some special items that could not easily be acquired in Thetwick, but that had only happened a few times, as far as Ala could remember. Ala would usually go with Bernard to retrieve the letters from the Caravan Master who had them in his care. This time though, the package had been much larger than a parcel of letters and it had been bound in hides. She’d joined him to pick up a strong box a few times too and once a shipment of heavy crossbows, but this was the first time anything like this had arrived for him.
“Ah, Master Diettrichson, I see you managed to move my cargo safely!”
“Of course, Captain, our Guildmasters would have it no other way! The Weaponsmaster sends his regards, to accompany it. He personally came to impress upon me the importance of handing it to you.”
“Excellent, here, take this, for your trouble,” said Bernard handing him a small bag of coins.
“Most generous, Captain. You know we guildsmen are always happy to help those charged to defend our lands and of course, our caravan routes,” the caravan master said with a wink, “but the gesture is most appreciated.”
It seemed to Ala that Bernard had paid the Caravan Master a substantial amount of coin for the transport of the package. While it was customary to pay for missives or packages you received and Bernard always did so, he didn’t actually have to, as the members of the Guild were obligated to send messages for the Duke, just as guild innkeepers were obligated to handle them. A caravan day always also became a market day, so after some more small purchases, they walked back to Bernard’s house. Ala was curious what could be so important.
“What’s in there, Bernard?”
“Ah, but that would be telling. You’ll find out, in due time. Patience is a virtue.”
“A silly virtue.”
“Nevertheless, it is time to exercise it. It’s interesting how you can be so patient with some things and so impatient with others. Have you ever thought about that?”
She didn’t offer the courtesy or a response as he was certainly teasing her. She really wasn’t very good at waiting. She resolved to try and shut up about it, that generally seemed to work best. Bernard usually relented when he thought she’d lost interest. That evening after she had cleared the dinner table Bernard asked her to sit down again.
“Sit, down Ala, I have something for you. I won’t keep you in suspense any longer.”
“The package? It’s for me? But you paid the Caravaneer a lot for it. I… can’t let you spend that much for me…”
“Thankfully, you’re not in charge of how I spend my silver. Now this is quite valuable which is why I paid the Caravan Master well for taking good care of it. But don’t worry Ala, I can afford it. The Duke’s stipend is quite generous.”
The package contained an actual book. She had been allowed to carefully read a few books at the temple, but she’d never been allowed near anything like this. It was a big heavy thing, bound in hard leather and its pages were covered in beautiful letters and countless coloured drawings and illustrations. The subject of the book seemed to be swordsmanship. She had never seen anything like it, let alone owned such a treasure. She couldn’t help but stare at the massive tome with her mouth open.
“It’s for you, Ala. Take a good look inside.”
Ala dutifully turned the pages slowly studying the colourful images of figures with weapons. Its pages were filled with weapon techniques, mostly sword. She didn’t know what to say.
“It’s a something called a Fechtbuch. I have a friend in Peyrepertuse, one of my old comrades. I knew he had a spare copy of this book and he’d always been interested in a little short sword I once found on campaign, an Ulfberht. We made a trade.”
“Thank you…” she said softly “no one’s ever given me anything like this before… this must be worth a fortune.” She could hardly imagine someone having multiple copies of the same book. Bernard’s friend must be unimaginably wealthy.
“Yes, Ulfberhts aren’t exactly cheap either, so I think it was a fair trade. Books like this deserve to be studied by those who can understand them. I don’t pretend to comprehend everything this man has written down. I thought you ought to have it, you have a passion for swordsmanship like I’ve seldom seen. It goes well beyond my interest in the subject. The only one I know with a similar passion is the former owner of this tome. The questions you’ve been haranguing me with, all those finer points of swordsmanship…?”
“Yes?”
“Well the man who wrote this book was far better equipped to answer you than I am. This particular one is a Fechtbuch from a famous sword-master named Liechtenauer. He served the Duke of Wenland in Konigsberg around a hundred years ago. It’s said he studied with the elves, too. Here, see he even has illustrations of elves included in it.”
She looked down again at the beautiful tome.
“Thank you so much Bernard, this is beautiful. I don’t know what so say… does anyone else in Thetwick even own a book?”
“I’m sure the scribe has some, though perhaps most are not as ornate as this one. The temple too. I’m very happy you like it. Study it well. Liechtenauer definitely knows what he’s talking about, even if I can’t fully follow everything he has to say. I have an inkling you will be able to find a depth to it that is beyond me.”
The book was exactly what she needed to refine her skill beyond the limitations of her exercise partners in the militia. Trying out all the things in the book taught her a lot, improving the quality of her fellow militiamen in the process as well. She’d progressed to the point where she was regularly the one teaching swordplay and weapons to the militiamen. At first, it had been under Bernard’s watchful eye, but now he was more that happy to let her deal with lessons, especially when the subject was swordplay. Among those who regularly practised fort he militia, her expertise, particularly with a sword, was uncontested.
Bernard had also shown her how to make chain mail and she had made her own coat, using her patience and dexterity to make a coat of tiny, seemingly riveted, rings. It was a full coat, from her thighs to her neck with long sleeves and an integrated hood. Initially, she’d had attached mittens too, but in practice she mainly wore leather gauntlets so she eventually decided to separate them for the suit so she could add them if she felt she needed them. She made hose too, which she did wear when they practised on horseback or when they rode a patrol, something the militia’s cavalry contingent did with regularity.
She paid for the wire and tools with the money she made training horses for the breeders in the village. It was another thing Bernard offered to pay for, but she wanted the chain mail to really be hers, not something that actually belonged to the Thetwick militia. It had taken a long time to make her suit and she had changed the cut of the suit many times to perfect it. She had been allowed to use Gerry’s workshop to rivet each link shut. Gerry had seen her working on it and repeatedly shook his head over the patience and precision with which she worked, gently drilling holes in each tiny ring and riveting them shut. It was a show for his benefit of course. The work would have taken much longer if she’d actually been riveting everything. In truth, she’d welded most of the rings shut with her gift, which was much faster and stronger that the rivets.
If you wish to receive the weekly installment to this story in your inbox, please subscribe to the newsletter below.
