On Midsummer's Night Lars is injured but fortunately help is close at hand. His injuries will take time to heal and that causes problems for Eriana, who expected to spend the Rains planning the future structure of the Navy. Of course, Ursula has an idea.

The Voyage of the Visund

A tale of Anmar by Penny Lane

94 - Embers and Plans

Disclaimer: The original characters and plot of this story are the property of the author. No infringement of pre-existing copyright is intended. This story is copyright (c) 2024 Penny Lane. All rights reserved.

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Several of the less inebriated were already moving, once it was apparent what would happen to Lars. Some of their fellows moved, also, to stumble and fall and generally be less than helpful to those around them. Lars collapsed sideways into the pile of embers and two women screamed, Eriana and Nethra. His landing caused much of the fire to be scattered around and people had to dodge flaming lumps of wood.

The nearest two grabbed an arm and a leg and bodily yanked Lars out of the flames, dumping him on the nearest empty patch of ground. Others grabbed buckets of water and threw them over Lars to put out any potential flames.

"No!" Ursula called as she ran. "Don't waste the water like that. Pour it slowly over his left arm and side. Trickle some over his ankle as well. You others, try and push the fire back together so we aren't tripping over hot embers."

As Ursula crouched by Lars' side she saw that he had been relatively lucky. Most of his hair had gone and the left half of his beard, but they were problems that would resolve by themselves. The Norse had mostly worn canvas that evening, aware of the possibility that the night could end cool, and what she could see of Lars indicated that his clothing had been barely scorched. Importantly, the canvas had protected most of his skin.

His left hand and arm were the worst and she ordered a steady trickle of water to be directed over them. Others were asked to refill the empty buckets.

Benakar asked, "Why, Mistress?"

"Because that is the quickest way to cool the skin and stop any burns becoming worse. We were lucky that he was pulled out so fast. Lars, how are you feeling?"

«Like a fool, Ursula. I should have been more careful.»

«Where does it hurt? I'm guessing your left arm and hand but is there anywhere else?»

«I think I was lucky. Only my hand feels burned, and even that does not seem so bad. But I have twisted my ankle.» He grimaced. «Oh. I think I burned my ear.»

«Let me have a look at your ear... but we have hardly any good light other than the fire.»

"Mistress," Tyra said, crouching down beside Ursula, "here is your bag. What do you need first?"

Somebody else crouched at her other side and she realized with a start that it was Simbran.

"What happened, Mistress?"

She put up a hand to stop the questions. "Lars, do you think you can sit up?"

"Yah, Mistress." He did so, wincing as his left hand pressed against the ground to lever himself up. «Yah, that one is sore, all right.»

To Tyra, Ursula said, "Let's just have some clean cloth for now, dampened with water, so I can clean up the injuries." She turned. "Your Grace, Lars was telling a story and a piece of wood fell out of the fire. To avoid it he stepped back but onto another lump he had not seen."

"Oh. Do you need any assistance? I have a carriage, he could be taken back to the Fortress if that is what is needed."

Ursula thought. "Thank you, Your Grace, I think that might be wise. If he has twisted his ankle he won't be able to walk anywhere anyway. But I want to clean him up first."

"As you wish, Mistress." Simbran stood and turned. "Eriana, it seems your brave warrior has less injuries than he might have, I saw him stumble and fall and thought the worst."

Eriana curtseyed. "As you say, Your Grace. My men managed to pull him out very quickly." She added, "I wondered if you would come tonight."

"It is the curse of governance that I was delayed by urgent business, only to arrive late and witness the accident. Now I suppose you will not wish to continue."

Eriana looked at Ursula. "What do you think?"

"His Grace has offered a carriage to take Lars to the Fortress and I am inclined to accept, Highness. If there is food and drink left then I do not see any reason you cannot continue without us."

"Us?"

"Me, Tyra and Lars."

Nethra was there also, crouching besides Lars. She looked up. "Can I come too?"

Simbran looked at the three women and Lars and came to a decision. "You shall all take my carriage, I deem. I will give my escort instructions for when you arrive. Eriana, if I may ride back with you once you and your people have finished here."

"Done, Your Grace, and thank you. Lars, can you yet stand?"

"Probably, Princess."

With assistance he struggled to his feet, favoring his left foot, and Ursula looked him over but the flickering light made it difficult to see his injuries properly.

"Your Grace, I'll need a room with a good light so that I can examine him properly."

"Of course, Mistress. What about healers..? I mean, other than yourself. The Fortress has a Chamber of the Sick for mishaps like this one, we can offer bandages, salves - and he will need a crutch, I deem."

"Thank you, Your Grace, that is just what we need. Where is your carriage?"

Eriana told Tor to organize the party in her temporary absence and joined the others as they helped Lars along the access road to where Simbran's carriage waited. There was some difficulty getting Lars into the carriage which involved Simbran and his escort leader getting their shoulders under Lars' backside and heaving.

Lars did not want to sit down.

"I am wet, will ruin the seats," he explained.

"A little water will not hurt these seats, my good man," came the response. "What do you think happens if I must needs go out when it is raining? Sit down, please and let the women join you."

With his face even redder, Lars sat down and Nethra immediately sat close beside him. Ursula and Tyra climbed in and sat facing them. While this happened Simbran gave instructions to the escort leader.

"What of yourself, Your Grace? If we depart, who will act as your escort should something happen?"

"I will be with Eriana's men," was the short reply. "Having heard detail of their journey here I am certain they will keep me at least as safe as my own men can. Get Lars to the Chamber of the Sick as soon as you can, Platen."

The officer saluted. "As you command, Your Grace."

He turned and shouted to the carriage driver and they were off. The Margrave's escort went with them, two in front and two behind, those in front finding their way by means of what Eriana had called "Beam Lanterns" that functioned just like modern flashlights. Since the Veil was at its highest, they didn't have much trouble but still proceeded with caution.

Entering the fortress was different at the dead of night. The last time Ursula had been here the courtyard had been packed with travelers, officials, released captives and relatives but this time the yard was empty except for two men who hurried across the darkened expanse to open the carriage doors.

"But I thought - Where is His Grace?"

"Still at the party," the Platen replied. "At His Grace's command, we have brought back one of Her Highness's men who has suffered an accident with their fire. We require a stretcher to take him at once to the Chamber of the Sick," he glanced at the open carriage door, "...and four men."

"At once, Sir. If we may need to call out a healer to attend?"

"Her Highness's personal healer is here in the carriage with the man but she will not know where anything is. I know it is late but if you could ask Mistress Tamina to attend."

"Sir!" The man ran off.

Ursula said, "Tyra, you and I had better get out. Lars, you stay there until we have some help."

Getting Lars out of the carriage turned out to be a major operation but eventually he was persuaded to lie on the provided stretcher. The four armsmen carried him in followed by the three women. The men carried Lars along corridors and into an antechamber where the healers of the Fortress usually plied their trade. Through a connecting door she could see the Chamber of the Sick, a fairly large airy room with eight beds, three of which were occupied by sleepy patients.

The treatment room was lit by a single lantern, but once Lars had been helped to a chair the men went around and lit all the others giving the room a bright and warm glow. Tyra immediately handed Ursula the basket and the two set to work. Nethra sat in a close-by chair, watching anxiously.

"I'll leave your ankle until last, Lars. The nature of burns means that the sooner I can treat them, the faster they will heal and the less damage caused." He grunted. "Let me have a look at that ear first."

The left side of Lars' head had smacked into embers in the middle of the fire and, though his body had automatically jerked back on contact, some damage had inevitably been done. Fortunately he had not lain there long enough for the damage to be serious.

"You have some burns there," she told him after cleaning the area, "and I suspect your ear is going to look a little different when it has all healed. You are lucky that it did not affect your eyes or your scalp though I am not sure if all your hair will grow back."

Another grunt. "Warriors get scars, Mistress. Will learn to live with it."

Nethra said, "I would rather you didn't get any more scars, Lars."

His face softened. "It is my life, Nethra, but I think my life is about to change. Suddenly I have -"

He ran out of words and just sat, looking at Nethra. His eyes glistened.

Ursula found the jar of burn salve and opened it, putting a little on a cloth and applying it gently to his ear. She then put a pad on it and began to wind a strip of bandage around his head.

A sleepy woman in a nightdress staggered into the room. "What's going on? The message I had was confused. Who are you?"

Ursula stood. "I am Ursula, personal healer to Her Highness Princess Eriana and her company. This is Admiral Lars, the commander of her Marines. Beside me is Tyra, my assistant and over there is Nethra, a close friend of Admiral Lars. There was a celebration around a big fire and the Admiral tripped. His Grace had just arrived and he offered us the use of your chamber."

Ursula could see the woman slowly come fully awake as she absorbed the facts. "Oh. I am Healer Tamina. What do you need?"

Ursula turned and looked critically at Lars. "I was putting salve on his ear, it has been burned but not badly. He put out his left arm to break his fall and it went into the fire," the healer shuddered, "and I have not yet examined any of it closely. He has also injured his left ankle, I do not know how badly yet. The rest of him seems to have escaped injury. Burn salve and bandages, I think, and if you could look at his ankle while I attend to his arm and hand."

"As you wish, Mistress." Tamina bustled off to some cupboards on the far wall and began pulling out supplies.

Ursula looked at Lars' arm, finding mostly scrapes and minor burns on the underside which she covered with salve and wrapped with offered bandages. It was his left hand that had taken the worst that the fire could give him.

«You are going to have problems with this,» she told Lars. «You are fortunate that you were pulled out straight away but you're still going to have a lot of scarring. You might even lose the feeling across your palm or some fingers.»

Lars nodded, but his expression was tense. «If it must be, Mistress. What must I do?»

«It will have to be bandaged up for a week or so and then you'll need to do some exercises to make sure the scar tissue doesn't contract and give you a claw hand.» She demonstrated and he nodded soberly. «Nethra will need to put salve on it every day to keep the skin flexible. Whether you'll ever get back the whole use of your hand I don't know. It will be up to you to keep flexing your hand in and out - and it is going to be painful.»

«Many injuries are painful, Mistress. I need my hands so I will do what I must and I will bear as much as I can.» He sighed noisily. «I was careless and I must pay for it, I know. But my life is changing in ways that I did not expect. I am no longer the simple warrior who will do whatever my Princess commands, I have become a leader and a teacher and,» his eyes turned towards Nethra, the moisture appearing again, «I have found someone who needs looking after at least as much as my Princess does.»

"What tongue is that?" Tamina asked, breaking Ursula's chain of thought. "I thought I knew all the local ones but that one is new to me."

Ursula turned. "Oh, his people come from a very distant land, out beyond the end of the Sirrel and far to the south. What is that you are holding?"

"I noticed that our burn salve does not look like what is in the pot you are using, the color is different. If I may ask what is in yours, Mistress."

"Oh, this? Well -"

There followed a complex herbal discussion which continued while Ursula cleaned the dirt and debris from Lars' left hand. In the end she decided to use Tamina's version and spread it thinly over the palm and fingers. Tyra provided narrow bandages for Ursula to wrap the hand and fingers while Tamina went back to examining Lars' left foot.

"I don't think anything is broken," she reported after a while, "just sprained, but it will still take a month or two to recover completely. Have you already treated this? I would have expected more swelling."

"Lars fell sideways into a big fire after his foot was turned on a stray ember," Ursula explained. "He was pulled out almost immediately and the other men poured a lot of water over him to make sure he was not on fire, and to cool any wounds. That included his ankle."

"Ah. That would make sense." Tamina nodded. "Been drinking?"

"It was a celebration, Mistress. In their lands they do not have the rainy season you have here so their Harvest Festival is much later in the year. Tonight they celebrate the shortest night, Midsummer's Night."

"Midsummer's Night? Oh, so it is! Because of our Harvest Festival we tend to ignore tonight but I can see why others might not. Do you want to look at this ankle before I bandage it?"

"Thank you, I should." Ursula turned to Lars. "How is the pain? Do you want me to give you anything?"

«It is bearable now, Mistress, but it will get worse for a time, especially after that ankle is bandaged. I'll need to sleep tonight so a little something would be a help, I think.»

"The green stuff?"

"Yah, Mistress, should be enough." His expression changed. "Oh. Need latrine."

Ursula looked at Tamina. "Do you have any male staff who could help Lars go to the toilet? It would not be a good idea if any of us went."

"I should think not, Mistress!" Tamina eyed Lars up and down. "Given his size and with that ankle he'll need two, I think. If you would wait here a moment."

She came back with an orderly who had been dozing in the Chamber of the Sick and a beefy-looking armsman who had been on duty nearby. The two of them managed to get Lars upright and then helped him out of the room. The two healers studied one another.

"You've been dragged out of bed," Ursula observed. "Are you beginning to feel cold?"

"I am," the other agreed. "I'm sure parts of me are still asleep. I have some fluffy robes in my office, if you would excuse me?"

Ursula spread a hand. "This is your domain, Tamina. Carry on."

"I was not sure of your rank, which is unfamiliar to me."

"Here I am nothing more than a healer, Tamina."

"One moment."

Tamina opened one of the other doors to the room and disappeared, reappearing with a fluffy robe which she was already pulling on.

"That's better. I'm sure you have had occasional night callouts in your own work?"

"It was slightly different where I originally came from, Tamina." Ursula tried to explain that where she worked, in a large hospital, there was a shift system which meant working all night, often overlapping the next shift when times were busy or they were short of staff.

"I cannot imagine such a huge place! I thought the Fortress was busy but -" Tamina shook her head. "And yet you came to Bibek with Her Highness and her men. Do you not feel some relief after moving to such different work?"

"Sometimes. The story of my leaving the hospital and joining up with her Highness is a long one, most of which you probably wouldn't understand. The dangers here are very different than what I faced before, that is certainly true."

"Different? In what way?"

Ursula considered. "I would tell you but, considering the time of night, you probably wouldn't remember most of it by tomorrow. Would Lars remain here tonight, do you think?"

Tamina nodded. "It is late and with that ankle it would not make sense for him to go far tonight. Where are you staying?"

"We are all at the Beresgar Hostel. I was told it was a short walk but I think he would be better here."

"We have room, he does not need constant attention... though someone of his rank would prefer a private chamber, I deem." She turned to Nethra, who had just been watching the events so far. "Mistress, I have been told that you are a close friend. If I may ask how close? I mean, would you wish to share a chamber with him, or am I asking you something embarrassing?"

"Mistress Tamina, presently we share a bed each night, though we are not yet even betrothed. After this evening, though, I have no doubt of my man's intentions."

"Do you tell me?" She looked intrigued. "Is this some custom of the river folk, then?"

Nethra turned to Ursula with a look of appeal in her eyes.

"That is part of what I must explain tomorrow, it seems," Ursula explained. "Nethra is one of eleven we saved from slavery by renegade soldiers of Yod."

The look changed to one of sympathy. "Then I will find you two a chamber nearby, Mistress, that you might have privacy. And for you and your assistant, Mistress Ursula, I will find you one as well. It is too late to be wandering around Bibek in the dark."

Eventually Lars returned, helped by the two men who remained standing nearby, knowing that he would be moving again shortly. He was given some of the green herbs and his foot tightly bandaged before they helped him out of the room and along to a nearby chamber, the four women following behind.

"If you would all wait here," Tamina said outside the door. "You have no night attire, I will fetch some."

She walked along to the end of the corridor and entered a closet, emerging a little later with a stack of linen over her arms. She joined the others and held out her hands.

"If you would each take one of these. I must needs apologize, they are intended for patients and to be easily wrapped around them or removed. We rarely have female patients, as you might imagine, so most of these will be somewhat large but that might be enough on such a warm night as this. Mistress," she addressed Nethra, "do you think you will be able to undress your man or shall these other women be needed to help you?"

All three women blushed. Nethra replied, "I should be able to manage by myself, Mistress. Thank you for these."

"It is only right, Mistress." Tamina added, "Toilets and bathing rooms are at the end of the corridor near where you saw me collect the linen."

Lars and Nethra went into the chamber and the helpers assisted him onto the bed. The two men emerged and closed the door, nodding to Tamina before heading back to their posts. Ursula and Tyra were shown into the adjacent room.

"Another apology, I regret," Tamina said to them. "These chambers have only a double bed. The other chambers along here are less suitable, they each have but a single bed. Can you manage?"

"It is not something we have done before but it should not be a problem," Ursula assured the woman. "We help each other wash and dress, after all."

"Thank you, Mistress. I will have the kitchen warned that we have all been up late," Tamina told them before she left. "If you desire to sleep a little longer I doubt anyone will object. Till then, Mistress - oh, and make sure to lock your doors, the men are not accustomed to having women in the patients' area and may try to visit."

"A wise idea. Thank you again for all your help, Tamina. Good night."

~o~O~o~

There was only a small chamber provided for healers and their helpers to take meals and by the time Ursula and Tyra were shown to it the following morning everyone else had finished and gone off to their duties. One of the kitchen staff told them what was available and left to arrange their meals.

"Any bad effects after last night?" asked Ursula.

"None, Mistress," Tyra replied. "I only drank a little beer and changed that for water every other time. It made sense, after all we have a smaller capacity than any of the men, do we not? And we must needs keep our wits about us that those of the men we do not know try something in their befuddlement."

"That is true, Tyra, but I also noticed that most of the men, the Norse I mean, drank less than I have seen them do in the past. Remember Gylfi's Rest? I think that if they had drunk as much as they did then all of them would have been asleep by midnight. I think they wanted to stay sober enough to hear and appreciate the sagas."

"As did I, Mistress! Some of those stories were amazing. How much of what was told was real, do you think?"

"It is difficult to say, since these tales have been told for many hundreds of years and I am certain things would have been changed along the way. That first one, about Gisli, sounds almost true apart from the magic sword, of course. There is no easy way to explain that, but it makes for a good story. Now the next one, about Thor and the other Norse gods, can only be make-believe. I am told that no-one can prove the existence of any Gods on Anmar so hardly anyone believes in them any more. Still, that was a good story as well and that is why they keep telling them."

"As you say, Mistress. I enjoyed what I could understand, anyway."

"Even the ones spoken in Norse?"

"It is like most of the men in reverse, Mistress. I can just about understand most of what they say now but it is much harder finding words if I wanted to say anything in Norse. Last night was fair, I understood most of the words except some of the old ones."

"To understand the stories properly you'd have to know about where they lived on Earth and how their society worked - Ah, here comes a pot of pel and some plates."

They had opted to avoid the grain porridge, to save the cooks from making another batch, and just have toast, meats, cheese and fruits. Once a second man had arrived with these they concentrated on eating. As they were finishing Eriana was shown into the room. The armsman who showed her in looked disapproving when neither woman stood up. Eriana found a spare chair and sat down at the table.

"Good morning to you both. Is that pel? If I may join you in a mug."

Ursula filled a spare mug and handed it to her. "Of course, Highness. Good morning."

"You are both well? Nothing troubles either of you after last night?"

"No, Highness. We had a function there last night so were careful what we ate and drank. It seems that most of your men were as well."

"You noticed that, then? Aye, they wanted to hear the stories, of course. What did you think?"

Ursula was silent for a while, thinking. "The stories were good, Eriana, and deserve to be heard, I think. The food, that was also better than I expected, but then I know the cooks. The fire? I think we could have done better. On a beach in Einnland, where everyone there was Norse, that is one thing but here, on a deserted farm with a mixed audience, I thought that it did not work so well. Perhaps there are other ways you might do this in future."

"It could never be the same, of course," Eriana ruminated. "Perhaps I was a fool to think it could be. Next year? That is a long way away and we have ample time to consider what could be done instead. I thank you for your opinion, Ursula."

"Did you finish the 'Saga of the Warrior Princess' after we left?"

Eriana nodded. "Aye, we did, and Simbran was impressed all over again when he heard what the Einnland Regiment managed to do. The whole business was suicidal, of course. I marvel that any of us at all returned from that fight on the wharves below."

Ursula shook her head. "Considering what we did at Faralan, Highness, I am not so sure. A dozen Norse basically hacked two hundred armed troops to pieces then. You underestimate your crew, Eriana. They are certainly the best in the business here and now."

"As you say. But can we keep our abilities up to date with all these new weapons and techniques? I could not say. Now, tell me, what of Lars? Is he badly injured?"

"Yes and no. What?"

Eriana had chuckled at that phrase. "It is something that Garia says all too frequently. It annoys some and amuses others, but when she says it she is generally correct. So, tell me about Lars."

"In general, as you may know, he was extremely lucky that people pulled him out before too much damage was done. The side of his head hit something and it looks like his left ear may look a little different once the bandages come off. There are minor burns there, that is all. It should not affect his hearing. He has lost a lot of hair that side and from his beard. His face escaped damage and I think his eyesight has not been affected.

"As for the rest, he is mostly clear, fortunately, and mostly because of the canvas clothing he was wearing... is probably still wearing. His left arm got scraped by wood in the fire as he fell over and there are minor burns there as well. His left hand, well..."

"Bad?"

"He was using it to break his fall and it had his whole weight on it when it connected with something, probably a burning log. His palm and the inner sides of his fingers are burned but, again, because he was pulled out quickly it is not as bad as it could have been. I have salved the hand and wrapped it and with any luck it should mean he retains some use of that hand." Ursula shook her head. "How much I do not know. A lot depends on him."

"Ahh. But his right hand is his sword hand."

Ursula looked at Eriana for a moment. "Highness, I think you are going to have to reconsider Lars and what he does for you. That accident means that it is not only his fighting ability that he is now questioning but the rest of his life."

Eriana looked intent. "Tell me, Ursula."

"Highness, I cannot. He has not said very much and I could be said to be betraying a healer's oath of confidence. You will have to let him explain it to you by himself."

"Very well. I am going to see him after I have finished here. Have you yet seen him this morning?"

"We were told that we could sleep late and we did so. I think that Mistress Tamina, the Fortress's resident healer, might have seen him but I do not know. If you have no objection we will join you."

"You are his healer, of course you and Tyra are welcome. Is that all his injuries?"

"No, Highness. He twisted his left ankle and that was why he fell. Fortunately - again - it looks like nothing was broken, but with any injury in that area it will take time to heal and he will need the use of a crutch." Ursula grimaced, "...And I have just realized that the crutch would go on his left side, but he cannot hold it there because of his left hand."

Eriana pursed her lips. "That changes matters, does it not? But I cannot make decisions until after I have seen him. How long do you think it would be before he is back on his feet, walking normally?"

"Where I come from we have special... boots... and other supports which means he could be mobile in a few days, walking normally would be perhaps three weeks. Here, it will take much longer, Mistress Tamina suggested it could be two months."

"Two months? Call it the end of the Rains, then. Hmm."

Eriana was silent, thinking, as the other two finished their breakfast. Ursula showed Eriana the way to the Chamber of the Sick and she looked in, hoping to find Tamina. Another woman was there.

"I was looking for Tamina."

"She was called out late last night, Mistress, and has not yet returned to duty. You are?"

"My apologies, Mistress. This is Her Highness Princess Eriana of Palarand and it was one of her men who was hurt last night. I am Healer Ursula and this is my assistant Tyra. We accompanied Admiral Lars here late last night."

"Maker!" The woman curtseyed. "Your Highness, welcome. It is not often we see such august visitors in here. I am Healer Darissa, one of those who take care of the men and women of the Fortress. Uh, do you mean the couple in Room 9? The man with burns and a damaged ankle?"

Eriana answered. "That's him. Can we visit him?"

"Surely, Highness. If you would follow me this way."

Darissa opened the door to Room 9 and everyone entered. Lars was still in bed, wearing the nightgown, while Nethra sat on a chair beside the bed. She was firmly clutching his good hand. When Lars saw Eriana his expression became sheepish.

"Princess. I am sorry. Did a stupid thing."

«Lars, I was there, I saw it, I feared for you, it could have happened to anyone. How are you feeling now?»

«Better now my friends are here.» His expression changed. «Princess, before we speak of anything else, I have a very important question to ask you.»

«Yes?»

«I want your permission to marry Nethra. She came to me in her hour of need and I saw my duty. Now we have come to know each other and I would have her by my side.» He waggled his bandaged hand. «Last night showed me that I have another - yet another - important woman in my life, but this time it is personal. In the future I must think of her needs as well as mine. As my liege, will you agree to this marriage?»

Eriana was surprised but, Ursula saw, not as much as she could have been. After all, Lars and Nethra had become a couple the same night they had met and the attraction between them was obvious to all. Nevertheless, once Eriana had considered the matter, her answer was not what anyone had expected.

"Lars," she replied with a sigh, using the Valley tongue so that all could understand her, "Regrettably I am unable to agree to this marriage, for the simple reason that I am no longer your liege."

He started to protest but she held up a hand, thinking.

"In fact I am not sure exactly who is these days," she added slowly. "When I came aboard the Visund you were Balrik's man and when he and his family were washed away I gave you the option of swearing to me, which you did. Then, out at the Kallend Estate we all swore to Robanar, which might mean that you are his man alone now.

"But the men who were left at the Kallend Estate all swore to Garia when they all decided to live together at Blackstone House, in order to make things less complicated. It is possible that some of those who went with us to Boldan's Rock also swore to Garia after we returned, but I do not know for sure. All I know is that I do not think I can answer your question for you, someone else must needs do it."

Lars looked stunned. "Princess, we are far away from Palarand now. You have the King's writ, why can you not do it for him?"

Eriana shook her head. "I must needs take advice, Lars. If you were still my man you would have my agreement and heartily, you two are well matched, I deem. But this has become a matter of law and custom and I must make certain."

Lars lowered his eyes. "I obey, Princess."

"I will do all I can," she told him. "Kalmenar may be able to make answer, perhaps even Simbran has some suggestions. You have my word, Lars. Now, I am more interested in your injuries. Ursula? I assume you tended him."

"I did, with help from the other Fortress healer Tamina."

Briefly she outlined what Lars had wrong with him and what she had done. Eriana looked concerned but tried to reassure the man who in practice was her second in command.

"Thank the Gods, Lars! I had feared that you were more badly hurt than that. But damage to both your hand and ankle means that I must needs consider our future plans. I must ask if you are comfortable here or do you want to come back to the hostel with us?"

Lars looked at Ursula. She replied, "Highness, it would be better if he stayed here for today at least and spent some time recovering. The healers here can keep an eye on him and change his dressings when they need to do so."

She looked at Darissa who nodded back. "Highness, it is not as if we are presently crowded, your man will have the best attention the Fortress can provide. If you should desire to take him back, the Beresgar Hostel has a small Chamber of the Sick which your own healer may use."

Eriana nodded. "Leave him here today, then. Send if he needs more urgent attention, I deem. You know where the rest of us will be. Oh. Will the presence of his intended be a problem?"

"His..? Oh, no, Highness. In fact, she may be of some help if she so desires."

"Good. Lars, I must go and see the Margrave now, I may return later today, possibly late afternoon. Ursula, shall you join me? The injuries to Lars raise questions only your experience may answer."

Ursula replied, "Of course, Highness."

As Eriana turned to go Lars said, «I regret making you change your plans, Princess. Think kindly of me.»

«Oh, Lars, I do. I do.»

* * *

The afternoon had passed in deep conversation with as many people as Eriana could find but no-one would offer any solution to her problems. About a bell before the evening meal Eriana, Ursula and Kalmenar met in a small room at the hostel. Eriana had her elbows on the table and the knuckles of both hands kneading her forehead.

"I do not know what to do," she muttered. "To me, Lars is essential to the planning we must needs do at Sheldane. Now it is not possible for him to travel with us and all know it." She looked up. "Firstly, My Lord, if you may advise us on the customs of marriage in the Great Valley. Lars has petitioned me as his liege to give him permission but I am no longer his liege. I believe that when we all swore to Robanar back at the Kallend Estate his fealty passed to the King, as did mine and all of my men."

The small diplomat stroked his chin. "It is true, all the lands along the valley of the Sirrel hold the same customs and laws, that I know of, and that is that any man, if he be someone's vassal, must needs ask permission of his liege before he may change his marital status. If you say that Lars is no longer your vassal then there is no help for it, I deem. He must return to Palarand and petition the King for the right."

"That is what I thought," Eriana responded. "But he is injured and must remain in Faral until the river is safe to use again before he may travel, probably on the Green Ptuvil. I do not care to deprive Lars and Nethra of their happiness that long. Is there no remedy?"

Kalmenar shook his head. "None that I can think of," he replied.

Ursula objected, "But, surely, what happens when soldiers go off into foreign lands and find someone there they want to marry? Surely they do not need to wait until they return home?"

Kalmenar looked interested. "There is much in what you say, Mistress. In those cases, the soldier or whoever is also sworn to their officers above them. In turn those officers are subordinate to those above them in rank, all the way up to their ruler. Mayhap it would be a higher officer who might give permission for any marriage, though perhaps it might need to be ratified somehow when they return to their home lands."

"That is your answer, then, Eriana. You are the head of the Navy and Lars is a subordinate officer in it. You can give him permission and have it ratified by his liege when we get back to Palarand."

"But... I can do that? It would be legal?"

"The circumstances are presently unusual, Highness," Kalmenar judged, "but if your Navy is to become a real and growing service then it will need protocol and custom to govern those who are in its ranks. You have occasionally mentioned that you would desire to be on a big ship, larger than the Visund, traveling the wide oceans and discovering new lands and peoples. What happens when your ship reaches a foreign shore and some of your crew wish to marry those of other lands? Your voyage, it has been said, may last years. Lars is just the first for whom such customs and practices must be wrought."

Ursula added, "Highness, in fact I do not think that, as the head of the Navy, as opposed to being a Princess of Palarand, you own alliegance to your King. From what you told me the Navy probably only owes alliegance to the Congress who form this Federation, is that not so?"

Eriana nodded slowly. "There is much in what you both say. I believe that I will tell Lars this next time we see each other. But that does not solve the other problem, which is the need to have Lars at Sheldane. I had hoped to use that period, while we cannot go forth because of the rain, to accomplish as much as possible of the necessary planning."

"I do not think that will be a problem, Highness," Ursula responded. "I can guess what is going to happen and I think Lars has already figured it out as well."

Eriana looked suspiciously at Ursula. "Is this like when we were at Bakhrad, when you knew what we were going to do with the women and those barges before I did?"

"In a way. The circumstances are completely different."

The Princess's eyes flared with intensity. "Tell me."

"Lars will of course remain here in Bibek. He is too injured to go on the Visund. A hand only, or an ankle only, and he could probably manage. Not both. I would recommend taking Toshi in his place. He already acts as Lars's second-in-command, make it official."

"As you say," Eriana said slowly. "Although Toshi is not as familiar to me, that may not be so much a problem. But what will Lars do, stuck here for two months?"

"Have you forgotten Hamalbek? I am almost certain that Lars will be planning, probably with the help of Margrave Simbran and Graf Nuel, what to do there when the river subsides. He will also be planning for the training of the new Marines he expects to arrive during the next year. It makes sense for someone of his seniority to remain here while we go downstream."

"Gods! How could I have overlooked Hamalbek? Because it was not part of the original plan, that is why. Aye, Ursula, I will need someone senior to remain here when we leave. I had hoped one of the Farals or Zebrins would do it but it needs a neutral hand, I deem. Very well, Lars remains in Bibek until after the Rains have ceased. But how will I be able to plan? I know little about the workings of what will be new to all of us."

"Ah, not entirely, Highness. You once said that I was the only person from Earth with formal military training, I will help you. Between you, me, Toshi, Hashim and possibly Maralin I am sure we can properly rough out the structure we will need and get things started."

Eriana looked startled at first, then her eyes narrowed as she considered the possibilities.

"Done, Ursula. What would I do without you?"