Timidly, Cathlina mounted the narrow steps to the first floor. It was one big, open room with two small windows, a broken down rope bed, and other bedding strewn about the floor. It smelled like a sewer. There was also a small alcove that protruded over the stairwell and she peered from it, realizing it was a small watch tower of some kind. There were windows, very narrow and long, cut into it and she could see very well to the north and to the west. She could see the bailey below and how men were scrambling to the walls and how the great iron gates were now closed. Unable to see over the walls clearly, she took the second flight of steps cut into the wall and ended up on the second level.
This level also only had one big room and a privy cut into the same small alcove that was above the watch tower on the first floor. The privy had an even better view of the landscape and she could clearly see the battle going on to the west. Shocked, she stood up on the privy seat to watch the happenings. Havingnever seen a battle before, it was a frightening and awesome sight.
Cathlina stood there for a very long time watching the battle. It was far enough away that she couldn’t make out any individuals, but she could clearly see the chargers, including the big silver beast, and that was how she started keeping track of her husband. Mathias was a very busy man.
Every so often he would disappear into a sea of men only to reemerge and then plunge back in again. For the first hour or so, men seemed to be in a big boiling mass and she could hear the cries over the wind. Then, the battle seemed to weaken somewhat and it became clear there were dead and dying on the ground as the bulk of the fighting moved closer to the outpost. Men on the walls of the castle watched the battle but no one made a move to assist, mostly because those they could spare were already in the fight and they didn’t want to open the gates again and risk a breech.
The day drew long, the skirmish active, and the sun eventually set as the battle continued in the dusk. The old Pelé tower was becoming very dark and very cold, and Cathlina knew she needed to at least light a fire and get herself organized. Eventually, Mathias and the knights would return and she wanted to make sure they had some comfort after the horrific day. Climbing down off her privy perch, she went about her tasks.
The first thing she did was take stock of any supplies in the tower and she came across more than she thought she would. There was a stash of peat on the ground floor along with kindling and she was able to start a fire in the first floor hearth. The second floor hearth proved a little more of a challenge because as night fell, the fog rolled in and the air became very moist. Trickles of water dripped down the chimney to the second floor hearth and dampened things up quite a bit but Cathlinaprevailed. When a fire was burning in the second floor hearth, she made her way down to the bottom floor again and inspected what she thought was the well.
It was indeed a well and the water level was high. Since men had been living in the tower, there were cooking pots and a store of food on the ground level. Cathlina inspected the sacks and scrap that were all organized, more or less, under a small table that was wedged into a corner.
She came across a sack of little brown dry beans, some dried turnips, hoards of dirty carrots, and a half-eaten fowl of some kind that was cooked until it was charred. There were also stiff brown chunks of dried meat that was very salty. Pulling forth a fairly large cooking pot from the remains in the hearth, she took a small bejeweled dirk out of her satchel, cut everything up that could be cut, and threw it all into the pot with enough water to fill it. Then she put the pot on the arm over the fire and let the snapping fire do the rest. She wasn’t sure if the stew would be any good, but at least it would be something.
After that, she went to check the battle again to see that it had moved to the north but was still going on. The sun had almost set completely but the tower was fairly well lit thanks to the two fires burning. Growing anxious, and the slightest bit bored, Cathlina ended up cleaning up the remainder of the tower and fashioned beds from the blankets and other items strewn about. She knew that Mathias and the knights would return and she wanted to make it as comfortable as possible for them. Moreover, it was easier not to think of what horrors might befall her husband if she was busy doing something. She had to stay focused. She had to prepare for Mathias’ return.
By midnight, in spite of her best efforts to stay awake, she fell asleep in a chair next to the fire.
*
Mathias had noidea how long he had been pounding on the old iron door to the tower when it finally opened. It was the dead of night and he was carrying his father, who had been hit by an axe in the chest. Justus was very conscious, and very active, and trying very hard to pretend his wound wasn’t bad when it was. Once the tower door opened, he shoved inside and dragged his father along with him.
Cathlina gasped when she saw Justus being carried in by his son. “My God,” she said. “What has happened to him?”
As Mathias set Justus down in the nearest chair, Sebastian and Stephen entered the tower. They were dirty and somewhat roughed up, but neither was injured. Mathias made sure his father wasn’t going to topple over before turning to his wife.
“An axe wound,” he said, his voice hoarse from exhaustion. “He took a blade squarely to the chest although the mail stopped it somewhat. It could have been much worse.”
Cathlina had never seen a battle wound before. In fact, she had never even been around a battle until today. She stood there, unsure what to do, as Mathias and Stephen began pulling Justus’ protection off. They moved carefully and with skill. Cathlina struggled not to become ill at all of the gore.
“What can I do?” she asked her husband. “Please tell me what I can do.”
Mathias was trying to pull the damaged mail coat off of his father’s chest without causing the man too much pain. Pieces of the mail were stuck in the wound, which was starting to coagulate. Stephen seemed to be guiding him, instructing him quietly on how to accomplish the task.
“Hot water,” Mathias finally told her. “Can you find something to boil water in?”
Cathlina nodded eagerly and fled. She went on the hunt for a second pot she had seen while organizing the tower and soon came across it with some of the other items she had stacked up.Drawing water from the well, she filled the pot to the rim and lugged it over to the burning peat, setting it in the coals and trying not to burn herself in the process.
Meanwhile, Stephen had brought his saddle bags and pulled forth a big leather satchel shoved deep into them. As Cathlina watched curiously, he began pulling out all manner of mysterious instruments. There were things that looked like tongs and other things that looked like knives or hooks. Everything was made from either iron or steel, wrapped carefully in linen to protect it. Cathlina watched the man as he efficiently and concisely began arranging what he would need to tend Justus.
Mathias was standing over his father, trying to keep the man calm. He was also watching Stephen work. When he glanced up and saw his wife standing a few feet away, watching everything going on with apprehension and concern, he caught her attention.
“Are you well, love?” he asked softly.
Cathlina looked at him as if he had gone mad. “AmIwell?” she repeated. “God’s Bones, Mat, you are the one who just fought a battle. Areyouwell?”
He smiled faintly. “Well enough,” he said, watching her as her attention was repeatedly drawn to Stephen and what the man was doing. “Stephen is a healer, and one of the very best in all of England. He used to be a Hospitaller knight. He will heal my father.”
Cathlina had heard of the Hospitaller order, men meant to tend to the sick and poor pilgrims in the Holy Land but who were also fearsome fighters. She had never met one before and was properly awed. Before she could voice her respect, however, Stephen spoke.
“Mat,” he said, hovering over Justus as the man slouched back on the chair. “I must cauterize this wound. You must put this on the fire and get it nice and hot.”
Mathias went to Stephen’s side, accepting the small iron implement from him to put upon the fire to heat it. It was about as long as a man’s forearm with a flat end. As he tried to stoke the heat in the hearth so they could get a proper burn on the end of the instrument, Sebastian came up behind his father and put both hands on his shoulder to steady him. Cathlina thought he seemed particularly subdued, unusual for the normally fiery man. He was exhausted like the rest of them. When their eyes met, she smiled timidly.
“Are you well, Sebastian?” she asked.
Sebastian nodded his head, returning his attention to what Stephen was doing. “I am,” he said, pausing for a moment. “I… I tried to look for Midgy. I did not see him at all, but with all of the water around here, I am sure he has found a safe place. I will look for him again in the morning.”
