Weeks passed. The banns were posted on the Cathedral doors for the weddings of both Evie and Richard and Justin and Gianna. Cara could see how as the time drew closer how Evie's excitement was building. She told her that the wedding part was wonderful but what came after was much more special and long lasting. She even happened to mention to the girl that there would come times when she and Richard might not see exactly eye to eye. It was all part of a long term relationship. Of course, she didn't emphasize that part much at all—only when she felt Evie needed to come down from her rising expectations.
As she thought about it, she realized how different she was than her sister. Once Cara determined that she really was in love with Trent, she wanted to be with him, to live with him, but she didn't have overwhelming expectations. Maybe she didn't know what to expect. As it was, she felt her love for him growing gradually more and more even after their marriage. And then, when the children came and she saw how sweet, how loving, how protective he was with them her love for him grew even more.
One evening he said to her in his very deep voice, the one she knew he seldom used with their children, "Cara, the enemy is drawing closer."
Cara turned away from spoon feeding Brendan to look at Trent. "Trent, just the way you say that makes my heart skip a beat."
She turned back Brendan while listening to what else Trent might say. Brendan, like Kirah, were at the age where they could mostly feed themselves, but Brendan was such a messy eater. Better if she put the spoon in his mouth.
"They are very much of a concern, Cara," Trent added.
Cara knew he was talking about the Magyars, not the children. "But Trent, we are safe within the castle walls, aren't we?"
"Yes, I feel sure we are safe, but not our people outside the walls. It is nearing harvest time. They are who I am concerned for the most."
Cara was using a cloth to wipe food from around Brendan's mouth and his hands and arms from where he had been playing with his meal. She picked him up and held him, saying to Kirah, "Don't worry Kirah, you will be next. "Trent, why do they keep coming back? I mean we defeat them once and then they return again."
"I know. It's like Charlemagne who had to keep battling the Saxons. How many do we have to kill? But the Magyars are not stupid. We must watch them very closely. They may have new weapons or a new plan of attack. Whatever it is, we can't let down our guard. They are very dangerous people."
"Trent, what about the weddings only two weeks away?"
Trent shook his head and looked directly at her. "I don't know, Cara. There is no way we can have their weddings if we are under attack."
A week later as the huge force of the Magyars drew nearer everyone in the kingdom was aware of the danger. Of the citizenry most everyone was afraid, and while Trent and his knights showed little fear, Evie, in particular was not happy.
"Why now?" she said to her sister in her spacious royal suite as she paced the floor back and forth. "Why now do they come to ruin our wedding!" She stopped her pacing back and forth to look directly at Cara.
"I don't know, Evie. How could I know?"
"Well then, Richard and I are going to have to get married right away. Like tomorrow."
Cara got up and went to Evie, putting a hand on her shoulder as she talked to her. "Evie, you don't want to do that. What kind of a honeymoon would that be for you and Richard when the thought of the Magyars attacking would be constantly on your minds?"
Evie turned herself away from her sister's sympathetic embrace to look her in the eyes. "Well, at least we would be married. I mean with all this forever waiting and now more waiting, at least we would be married."
Cara was sympathetic to her sister's feelings but she knew she was acting out of impatience and perhaps her desire for her husband. She felt in her heart that it was much better for them to wait. She bent down to take Kirah into her arms, while she spoke with Evie. Attending to Kirah she continued speaking. "Evie, I think I know how you feel. I know you've waited what must seem like forever for your wedding. Don't ruin the beauty of it by rushing off or. . . ." Turning toward the door, she realized Evie was gone. She had quietly walked out of their suite.
* * *
For the next two days two concerns were on Cara's mind—the enemy and Evie and Richard. As for the Magyars, they were indeed drawing closer with a huge army. She didn't see too much of Trent and she knew why. He and his most trusted advisers were deep in consultation on how to meet the challenge. How to best defeat the enemy with the least loss of lives and property. She knew he was concerned for the peasants and small landowners, for coming at this time the Magyars would plunder their harvest and when they had taken all they wanted likely burn their fields. Cara knew Trent wanted to forestall that if at all possible. Unfortunately, it meant meeting the enemy out in the open, not behind the protective walls of the castle.
Thinking of Evie, Cara was afraid she would do what she said she had before thought about doing. Elope! Certainly not the best time when who could tell exactly where the enemy was and the location of their perimeter guards. Cara had knocked on her door before, to no avail. Now with a piece of good news to tell her, she went toward her apartment once more.
Knocking once, she heard nothing. She decided to try again, this time harder. "What is it?" came Evie's voice from inside.
Cara was glad to know she had not gone. "It's me," she said.
Taking longer than usual, Evie came to the door. To Cara, the girl looked disheveled, hair not brushed, wearing some nondescript garment, certainly not the bright girl that she knew as her sister.
"Evie, are you OK?"
"I'm here. I'm not happy but I'm here."
"Oh, Evie, I hate to see you brought so low. I mean your whole future is before you with Richard. Besides, I've got good news for you."
"What? How can there be good news when the enemy will soon be close enough to attack?"
"That's just it. In honor of yours and Justin's upcoming marriages, Trent told me that Richard and Justin will be relieved of any fighting duties. There is no chance for your Richard to be injured in battle!"
Cara expected that Evie would be happy to know what she told her. However, Evie's demeanor seemed to change not at all except that she turned to her with a curiously sad smile. Speaking softly she told Cara, "Richard already knows that. He told me he is going to be on the battlefield with Trent and the rest of the knights. He said he would feel like a coward if he were not."
"Oh, Evie," said Cara as the two sisters came together in a hug. "Both of our men will be out there fighting. God help them. God help us!"
Men fight and women worry. This has been going on for a long, long time. Dear readers, hope for a good outcome. Ah, but then maybe you already know what is going to happen! A penny for your thoughts.