Chapter 11: Chapter Four – The Shield-Maiden

Waving the farmer’s apology away with a dismissive smile, Curesoon turned his thoughts to the day that he first met his wife in her womanhood.

“In my youth, I often sat at the crossroads near my father’s castle in hopes that I might hear any new tales from the strangers that passed by that way, for we bards must be vigilant to listen for fresh stories for our patrons.”

“So, you are a bard!” Guileless pointed at Curesoon’s colorful hat. “I thought that was a bard’s hat on your head, but I didn’t want to jump to any wild conclusions.”

Curesoon raised an eyebrow and eyed the farmer for a moment.

Guileless quickly assumed he was getting this look because he had interrupted him in his story-craft. “Beggin’ your pardon, sir. Please, do go on.”

Curesoon let out a little chuckle and then started his tale anew. “As I was saying, I sat at the crossroads hoping for a new story. It was at that same crossroads that I first heard the tales of Miremurk, but I don’t fully believe the things I’ve heard, and so I seldom repeat those tales. At any rate, when I was but twenty years old, a procession of Barbarians came riding along the road from the north.

“As these Barbarians passed by, my eyes fell upon a fair shield-maiden with long golden locks. And while she was yet afar off, I took up my lute and began to sing in a loud clear voice so that she might notice me as she passed. She did, and so she slowed her horse in order to listen to my song.”

The farmer interjected a hesitant question. “What… What song did you sing? Was it ‘The Girl in the Valley Green? My wife loves that one.”

Curesoon raised one eyebrow. “No.”

“Well, what song was it?” the farmer pressed. “Was it ‘Eversave’s Sword so Bright?’ Now, I like that one.”

“No.” The bard shook his head with a frown. “The song has no name.”

“It has no name?!?” Guileless scoffed. “What song goes around without a name? Not a good one, I’ll wager!”

Curesoon rolled his blue eyes. “It has no name because I made it up right there on the spot.”

“And you never named it?!?”

“Well, no.” The bard shrugged. “I guess not.”

“Well, you should name it then,” Guileless asserted with a wag of his finger.

“Perhaps, I will,” Curesoon indulged the younger man’s insistence with the hope that he could finish telling his story. He was not used to his audience interrupting him with their questions.

“Could you sing it for me?” the farmer asked suddenly.

“What?” Curesoon started with a look of surprised confusion.

Guileless sat down on a log across from the bard. “The song that you never named, could you sing it for me?”

“Now?!?” Curesoon replied with an exasperated growl.

Guileless nodded enthusiastically. “How can I imagine you singing a song I’ve never heard?”

The bard could not argue with this reasoning, and so, with a roll of his blue eyes, he sighed and reached for his lute. After plucking and tightening the strings, he began to play a cheerful tune. Once he had played for a few seconds, he sang this song:

 

“Fair are the leaves of Lindsay trees

“Shaped like a lover’s heart.

“And sweet, the fragrance of their bloom

“Never, from memory, to part.

“And there, saw I, a sparrow sing

“Her lovely loving song

“Then knew I, most certain sure

“Spring would not be long.

“Now Spring, it is the time for love,

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“All nature knows it’s true.

“But away with spring and away with love,

“If I cannot be with you?”

 

When it was evident that the song was finished, Guileless clapped his hands and grinned a toothy smile. “You made that up right there on the spot?!?” he asked with clear wonder in his voice.

Curesoon only nodded and set his lute back against the log.

“You should call it ‘Spring, She Comes.’” The farmer suggested firmly. “You know, because the song talks about the coming of Spring and your future wife was riding up when you conceived the song.” After adding his explanation, Guileless fell silent waiting for the bard’s approval with expectant eyes.

Curesoon shifted uncomfortable and then nodded. “That’s actually… Umm… That’s actually a great name.” He replied with a sudden hint of surprise in his voice.

“Well, did she like it?” Guileless inquired with the same goofy grin.

The bard blinked as a look of confusion crossed his face, but when understanding came in the next second, he returned the other man’s smile. “Well… I mean, as you just heard, I’m not the most talented singer, and my lyrical skills are less than most poets.”

“Not true!” Guileless protested. “Not true at all!”

In an effort to dismiss the farmer’s objections, Curesoon continued his tale. “Well, the Barbarian men laughed at my song as they passed, but I paid them no mind. After all, it wasn’t them I meant to impress.”

“Later, my wife explained that it wasn’t the quality of my voice that caused them to laugh, but in their culture, Barbarian men do not sing, but instead they roar and chant their songs. The only singing they actually do sounds more like growling. It is left to their women to sing beautifully, and so they laughed simply because, by their culture, I sang like a woman.

“At any rate, her heart was touched by my spontaneous song, and so, when all her people had passed, she lingered behind to speak with me.

“‘What name are you called by, bard?’ she asked me in her silken voice, and it was so lovely that it made my heart ache.”

“‘You must guess my name after I have told you yours.’ I answered with a sly grin. I hadn’t recognized her at first, but at that very moment, I knew her. ‘You are fairest Fray of Goldenvale.’

“She was amazed. ‘How do you know me, sir?!? Are you a seer as well as a bard?’

“‘I am no seer.’ I replied with a chuckle while caressing her horse’s thick, furry neck. ‘But as a young girl, did you not stay in my father’s castle so you could study in our House of Learning? And, oh sweet memory! Did I not once steal a kiss from you?’

“A look of sudden recognition grew upon her lovely face. ‘Curesoon, son of Acumen!’

“‘At your service.’ I said bowing low and removing my bard’s hat.

“‘As I remember, you received a slap to your face for that theft.’ She smiled and goaded her horse so as to reclaim her place among her traveling companions.

“I replaced my hat and watched her ride away. What an ache of longing filled my heart as I watched her leave! However, just as I was thinking that I would surely never see her again, she turned her horse and called back to me.

“‘I should like to hear you sing again sometime, lord Curesoon of Eagle’s Peak, brazen robber of kisses!’

“It was only a week later when the shield-maiden came back through Eagle’s Peak, and at her request, I saddled my horse and rode alongside her for a few miles. As we went, she took out her harp and sang of adventures in battle, and though I cared little for the lyrics, her voice was so beautiful that I longed to hear it forever. Then and there, I was sure, in my heart, that I would make this fair maiden my wife.

“As we rode together, we came to a large open meadow where a great amount of golden wheat grew. Fray leapt from her horse and unsheathed her curved sword. The blade’s cutting edge was razor-sharp, and the opposite side was serrated with cruel looking spikes.

“‘What do you mean by this?’ I asked with an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach.

“‘This is my favorite sword.’ She replied while holding out the weapon with its tip pointed at me. ‘I named it Bralinna.’

“‘Blood-licker?!?’ With a repulsed whine, I translated the name from Runic into Common, and I couldn’t hide the grimace I made while doing so.

“She giggled at my disgust, but then a mischievous smile lit up her beautiful face. ‘A shield-maiden must first be defeated by her suitor in single combat before she can become his sword-wife, for such is the way of my people.’

“I tried not to look nervous, but if I had known then about all the years she had spent in arduous training, I would have urged my horse forward and fled the scene. However, being completely ignorant of her skills in swordplay, I simply began to offer up an excuse against such a test.

“‘I’m no swordsman…’ I started to say, but Fray did not let me finish. Unexpectedly, she lifted my foot thrusting me out of my saddle.

“Landing upon the ground, I quickly rolled and came to my feet. I was beginning to think this whole affair was not to my liking, but before I could protest further, Fray swung her curved blade at my head!”

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