Mist on the Moon

To hold onto life

The small group of knights and Evie made it back to the camp. By then, it was late, and most of the Trent's men had retired into their tents. Evie looked at Trent and could see that he appeared troubled. One of the knights obtained a thick, white blanket and they laid Justin on it. Then, they lit four torches, one held at each end of the place where Justin lay. More knights began to gather around him as Trent looked down at the man on the ground.

"I am sorry that we have lost a great knight," he said. One who rose from a stable boy to a man who through supreme bravery personally saved my queen from the clutches of the Magyars. One who I have come to know as a friend and whose opinions I value. Now, I must send him back for burial and I regret that I cannot be there because of the continuing war with this vile people from the east. Justin, I am no priest and have not the words to properly send you off. You know that in my heart I have come to love you and I and every man here knows that you have earned a high place in the great beyond."

Many of the twenty or so knights standing on the edges of the blanket where Justin lay spontaneously uttered their ayes to Trent's words. Evie looked down at Justin. In the light of the four torches, his skin appeared ashen, taking on the yellow of the flames. Dried blood remained thick in the hair on one side of his head. Alone, she knelt down on the cloth to say her personal goodbye to the man she knew was her sister's first love. Then, suddenly, it struck her. There was some tiny movement in Justin's body! She reached out to put a hand on him and turning around looked up at the knights gathered there. "Trent! Trent!" she uttered. "Justin is not dead!"

Immediately Trent was on his knees beside her. He looked intently at Justin. "Surely, it is your imagination, Evie."

"No, my lord. I swear I did see some movement."

"A feather," Trent called out. "Does anyone have a feather?"

"Aye, my lord," said one of the men who reached into his pocket.

Trent took the feather and held it to Justin's nose. It was a calm night with almost no air movement. And yet Trent saw, as did everyone, that the feather was moving.

Trent stood up quickly. "We must get him as quickly as possible back to the castle where the doctors can attend to him. I need four men to carry him as comfortably as possible on a litter and eight more to be on guard in case a band of enemy soldiers is sighted." Turning to Evie, he added, "Evie you will go with them and your Richard will be one of those providing protection. Tell Cara everything that happened here and tell her I will return to her as soon as the Magyar danger is over."

* * *

The last thing Cara knew from Trent's cryptic letter was that her sister Evie had been captured and that the Magyars were demanding a huge amount of silver and gold for her release. And, with that, Trent had told her that he and some of his best knights were making plans to attempt her rescue. Cara had had little rest since then, her worry over her sister being held by the enemy and just as much by the attempt to rescue her which Cara knew would put Trent's and the lives of the men with him in mortal danger.

It had now been two days, and while her babes slept she paced the floor of her suite. What was even more difficult for her was that there was not a thing she could do except pray for their safe return. Then, she heard a commotion in the courtyard followed by cheers. She looked out to see what to make of it. A number of Trent's knights had entered through the opened gate and there was a woman with them. She saw her take off her helmet, and knew immediately it was Evie.

How relieved she felt as she stood looking through the open shutters. But then, the crowd suddenly became somber with hushed voices as a man was carried through the gate on a litter. Who! Surely it was not Trent! She had to go down to see. Rushing past her personal guard outside the door she ran to get Emma to stay with the children and then ran across and down the stairs to the courtyard.

"Evie! She yelled to her sister. "Evie!" Finally, in all the commotion going on around her Evie turned at hearing Cara's voice.

"Yes, dear sister, I'm coming."

They met and embraced. "I am so happy and relieved to have you back, my dear little sister. But who is it that they are carrying on the litter?"

"Oh, Cara, it is Justin. Trent told that it was Justin's bravery that saved his life."

Cara looked across to where the four knights were still carrying him. "Evie, tell me, surely he is not dead. Not brought back for burial."

Evie turned also to look at the four knights proceeding toward the castle, their heads down. "No, my sister, he is not dead. But he is barely alive."

"Oh, no!" Cara quickly left Evie to go to Justin. She went toward the four men at each end of the litter who rapidly were carrying him toward the castle. "Stop!" she told them. "A moment."

The men halted and in the morning light she looked down at Justin. It was as if he were only asleep. His eyes closed, his lips were set as if he were at rest. Cara imagined that if he opened his eyes he would smile at her as he always did. He had that way when with her.

Gianna, Justin's fiancé, rushed to his side and looked down at him. "Oh my God!" she uttered. "Justin. Justin!" But Justin lay still and did not open his lips. Turning to Cara she asked, "Is he going to live?"

Cara saw the anguished fear in her eyes and as they looked at each other she knew she felt the same fear. "No one knows. My fervent prayer is that the doctors can do something."

The stretcher bearers moved on toward the castle and the operations center leaving the women alone together. Cara did not know what else to say. With bowed heads the women eyed each other tearfully and then each turned to walk away. What more could be said? Cara walked slowly back to the side entrance of the castle that led to her suite. So much was running through her mind. Yet there was nothing she could do. Her thought now was to immediately return to Kirah and Brandon and hold her children tight. Life was so uncertain