Chapter No. 48 Flamma pugationis

And a fire was kindled in their company; the flame burned up the wicked.

"Bring that bitch to me," Sir Volta bellowed, his face red with rage.

After a few minutes of vile fuming, Volta watched two men drag Lady Estard into the rebel headquarters. She had manacles on her wrists and ankles and her clothing was torn and ripped. Her eyes glared at Volta but they exhibited no fear, only pain.

"Well, bitch," he yelled at her, "It's time for you to pay up for your crimes."

"By whose authority?" she asked in a whisper.

He drew out his sword and held it up. "By the authority of this, bitch."

"You will have to deal with Mara," she said.

Volta laughed boisterously. "That bitch is dead, along with her ignorant lackey. No, you must deal with me."

Estard's eyes flashed briefly with surprise. "How do you know she's dead?"

"Because she's at Arkanon facing an army. Not even the great Mara can take on an entire army." He laughed derisively again, and several of his men joined him.

"What are you going to do to me?" Estard asked, her face drawn with sorrow.

With a satisfied grin, Volta looked around at his men. "I think this is a good day for a bitch roast, don't you agree?"

The men cheered and yelled their approval.

Estard was dragged out to her funeral pyre, but she would have to endure it while still alive. One of the men pulled her wrist manacles up and nailed them to a stake. Another did the same with her ankle fetters. This stake had a stack of kindling wood piled around it, and nearby in a small brazier rested a burning torch ready to light it.

Sir Volta pointed at her. "I've waited a long time for this day when I could see you burn for all the good men that have died most disgracefully at your hand. You will burn slowly, bitch, because the wood under your feet is still moist and will not flame quickly."

Estard struggled against her restraints but did not respond to her condemnation. She was resolved to her fate, but she dreamed of seeing Mara one last time.

"My lord," a man on the parapet yelled. "That Mara bitch returns."

The look on Volta's face could have killed. "What! How in the hell did she escape? I'll bet that bitch ran."

The look on Estard's face was one of excitement and longing. She so much wanted to see her only friend one more time before death.

Volta, along with several of his men, ran up to the ramparts to see the knighted witch.

Mara stood before the gates of the compound in full armor upon her mount Chevron. She held a lance at ready, its bright pennon flapping angrily in the wind.

"What's the matter, bitch?" Volta yelled. "You want in here to hide from the Empire?"

"Where are Paladin and Morton?" she yelled back.

"They're off trying to rescue you. We're in charge now."

"Where is the Lady Estard?" Mara shouted.

Volta laughed. "She's the main ingredient of a bitch roast."

Volta and several men on the ramparts laughed, but in many cases the laughing was tempered with nervous concern.

Mara rose up in her stirrups. "Let me in."

"Go away, bitch."

"If you do not open the gate, I will destroy it and kill every last one of you."

"Go ahead and try, bitch."

Mara pulled up her crossbow, an action that caused alarm amongst the men on the battlements. Soon, arrows flew at her, but she backed away to a safer distance. She lit one of her special bolts and carefully aimed it at the base of the wooden door to the compound.

The men on the ramparts watched the flaming trail of the bolt as it flew through the air and struck the door. They reeled from the white fireball of the explosion, especially when the door erupted in flames.

Volta erupted in anger. "Damn that bitch!" He hurried down a ladder from the wall. "Get me my horse and armor. I'll put an end to her meddling once and for all."

There was no reasoning with Volta once he was livid with anger. Several squires appeared and helped him put on his armor. His men watched in fear as the door burned brighter in white flame and Volta burned brighter with hot anger.

"I want a volley of arrows at the feet of her damn beast just before contact," he ordered the archers.

By the time he was ready, the door had a flaming hole in it. When he charged out onto the bridge across the moat, Mara spoke to her Chevron and the combat was on.

They rode at each other on a collision course, lances down and aimed, determination etched on faces behind faceplates. Everything was as it should be until arrows struck at the hooves of Mara's mount. Chevron reared, causing Mara to slide backwards. She threw her lance like a javelin at the last second before she fell back to the ground.
Her lance smacked into Volta's faceplate with enough force to unhorse him. He struck the ground with a metallic thud, turning up grass and dirt as he slid to a stop.

Mara was up in an instant, but she did not rush to Volta. Instead, she checked on her Chevron. To her relief, she found her trusty mount to be unharmed. Now she was free to finish the combat.

Volta was up and ready for her. He was one of a select few who used two swords like Mara and he was quite good with them. Mara rushed up to him but paused to take her guard position. She held both swords pointed out at her opponent with the hilts at waist height close to her body.

Volta held his swords above his head, pointing back at a 45-degree angle, a good attack against a shorter opponent. He made his attack by stabbing down. Mara made her defense by slicing out to parry. Volta tried a combination thrust and cut. He thrust his left sword at her neck. She set that aside by slicing down and out as his right sword simultaneously came with a crooked cut to her neck. She sliced into that from above. He tried a dual cut only to have his feet stabbed when she whirled out of the way. He staggered back in pain, but his anger and resolve had not been abated. He slashed both swords in a spinning attack that caught Mara off guard. She managed to block one sword but not the other, resulting in a stinging, denting blow to her left arm brassard.

Doing some whirling of her own, Mara slashed out at Volta at breast level, but he managed to fall back, avoiding the blows. Mara was surprised by her opponent's speed and power. Volta was a huge man, taller and heavier than she and, unlike most royalist knights, skillful at sword fighting. Defeating him will require a well-executed attack.
Her tactic required risk. Maneuvering around in a circling pattern, she began to take sparing thrusts. Volta easily countered these blows while he slashed back. Suddenly shifting direction, Mara swung both of her swords at Volta's left side. To counter, he had to swing both of his swords to the right. Mara jumped forward on his right and smashed into him. The collision caused him to lose balance. Taking advantage of his instability, she moved up quickly and used scissor cuts with both swords to his neck, severing it. The simultaneous blows were so violent that metal fragments and bone slivers exploded from the wounds in a bloody spray. He may have been good, but he wasn't quite quick enough.

When his bloodied corpse hit the ground, Mara held up her blood-covered swords. She was rewarded with arrows, but a volley of arrows from outside the compound drove the archers away from the walls.

Mara turned to watch Paladin, Morton, and the loyal rebels ride up. She whistled for Chevron and it galloped up to her. She mounted and charged for the still burning door. With her crossbow at ready, she rode into the compound to see that a man had already torched the wood under Estard's feet and was about to add additional flame.

Estard was feeling the heat licking at her feet and legs. The grimace on her face told Mara that she had little time. While still galloping, she took aim and sent a bolt on its deadly course. Just as the man was about to make a new flame with his torch, the bolt hit him between the eyes. He arched backwards and fell from the platform built around the burning stake. His collision with the ground blew up embers and dust.
Mara leaped off her mount and charged up onto the platform. She sliced through the chains that held Estard's manacles with her sword. Estard fell into her waiting arms.

"I do keep my promises," Mara said, raising her visor.

Estard smiled and then rewarded her savior with a kiss.

The battle to retake the rebel compound was short. Most of the opposition gave up without a struggle. Paladin gave them the choice of joining him or leaving. To his relief, most joined.

Paladin and Morton joined with Mara and Estard. Smiling faces ruled the day until a horse with the body of a young knight slung over it appeared at the gate to the compound. The instant Mara saw it she burst into tears.
"I'm sorry sir," she cried to Paladin. "I tried to save him, but I just couldn't do it. I failed you. I'm so sorry. I truly loved him."

Estard broke into tears.

Paladin set his face hard to avoid emotion. Women grieve with tears; men grieve with actions; he will vent his with a sword.

"Did he fight well?"

"Oh yes, sir. He fought most bravely."
The sight of this powerful woman, this knight who could kill any opponent, even an entire army, sent against her, crying her eyes out unnerved men standing near. Paladin and Morton could now see that she was acting as a normal teenage girl.

She just had a special talent with swords and lances, that's all.

Paladin put his arm around her. "I know you did your best, but you can't fight every battle yourself. We will give Hilton a proper warrior's funeral."

"Thank you," she said, tears still streaming down her face.

###

The cold night air had a sting to it. A wind from the north gusted now and then, adding a numbing chill. Up on a funeral pyre, a young knight lay wrapped in the rebel flag. He could feel the chill of night no more.

Mara stood along side Estard and the two of them cried silently as flames began to rise around the pyre. Along with every knight present, Mara stood holding a sword pointed at the fallen knight in a final salute to his bravery. When the flames had done their work, Mara stood watching the dying embers race into the night air like so many sparks of life ebbing away into oblivion.

"I'm so sorry, Mara," Estard said, placing her hand on Mara's shoulder.

Mara turned to her. "I'll get over it, but I'll never forget him. He loved me and I loved him. It was a wonderful arrangement."

"You're lucky," Estard said, bowing her head.

"How?"

"At least you've had someone to love you. I've always been hated."

Mara smiled, but her eyes were still glistening with tears. "I love you."

Estard stared at her with confused eyes. "Why?"

"I don't know. But, I proved my love by saving you."

Tears welled in Estard's eyes. "I love you."

Mara moved closer and they hugged. Their lips slowly met and they kissed as the last embers faded into the cruel night air.