Dark Age Maiden

Carina's terrible fear

By afternoon everyone was talking about it, and most saw impending doom. People who hadn't been to mass since Easter asked when Father Carlo would return. They wanted to make their confession.  They wanted to make their peace with God.

        Carina seemed to take it in stride, although even she silently said extra prayers during the day asking God to turn back the Muslims. As she worked that day in the upper chamber accompanied by her two assistants, she saw the intensity of Gertrude's dread. Time and time again she failed to take up new strands. "What's wrong with you, Gertrude? You've done it all your life."

        "I know. I'm sorry. I can't get my hands to stop shaking."

        "There's no excuse for your not being able to spin." Carina left her loom and went to her. "Here, Gertrude, put down your spindle. Let's clap." She started clapping, and turning to Gina said, "Why don't you do it too, Gina?"

         Starting slow, she began clapping faster and harder, telling the girls to do the same.

        "That's it, Gertrude, keep it up. Clap real hard now and with speed." She kept up the pace, going even faster until both Gertrude and Gina looked at her as if she were crazy.

       "Alright, that's enough. Are your hands still shaking, Gertrude?"

        Gertrude lifted them up to her face. "No, they're not, Lady Carina. They've stopped," she said in wonderment.

        "Good. Let's get on with our work. Tonight, after we finish, you can lift them in prayer if you wish."

        After her work for the day was done, Carina realized she had her own unsettling fear of the Saracens. It was not a fear of death. A vision of being seized and taken to a harem shook her to the core. No matter what happened she would rather die than be captured. She would kill herself if necessary. She knew the Church did not allow suicide, threatening believers with eternal damnation for such an act. Surely, she thought, the pope would make an exception in such a dire situation. Reaching for her sword on the wall, she withdrew it from its scabbard. She ran her fingers across its sharp edge and touched the point, vowing she would not be taken alive.

       She went to the great hall for supper hoping to see Uberto. Guy and Wotano were sitting together eating. "Do you know where Uberto is?" she asked. "I need to talk to him."

        "Hear that constant whacking?" said Guy, his eyes quickly scanning her figure. "He's still out there beating on his pell."

        "Thanks." She left them but turned on hearing Wotano say, "Ifyou're going there tell him to finish before they put the food away."

        "I will," she answered, walking swiftly away. She went across the courtyard and out the gate. Uberto was still wielding his sword as she approached and on drawing closer she could see the sweat on his forehead. She stood in front of him until he finally stopped.

        "What is it?"

         At first she didn't know what to say, knowing that since she had stopped him in the midst of his exertions she dare not make small talk. "I want you to fight me, Uberto."

        Carina saw a look of disbelief register on his face.

        "Let me tell you what I mean," she continued. "Can you stop now? If you don't there won't be anything left to eat."

        Finally, he put down his waster. He picked up a cloth and wiped his brow and then began walking with her back to the hall. "What can you possibly mean about fighting me, Carina? Surely you're not serious."