Chapter Five - Of Saints and Storms

“How am I to ride?” protested Kathryn. “I can’t see to guide my horse.”
“You told me,” Edmund said slowly, “that you wouldn’t let your blindness make you oblivious to the outside world, and you told me that your blindness was only in your eyes.”
“Indeed, but I must see to ride.”
“You don’t need to. I know the perfect horse for you. Liliock.”
Kathryn smiled. “After the liliocks in the garden.”
“Yes. She is gentle, and she follows when she is told. She’ll be perfect for you. But, how to teach you how to ride . . .”
“I’ve ridden before. When I was younger. But, I don’t know how to guide and direct my horse.”
“That’s not a problem,” came the answer. “As long as you can sit on her back, you’ll be fine.”
“Very well,” she said.

Edmund helped Kathryn practice riding that afternoon. They would be leaving the next morning. Apparently Jessica had told her aunt that they would be going on a journey to the Amandu Mountains. Lady Genevieve most likely thought they were going to the shrine of St. Leo, which was located in the lower foothills by the Gladen Forest.

The next morning dawned with a crisp cool feeling to the air. Edmund had already had the horses saddled and bridled and their supplies strapped on by the time Jessica led her older sister to the stables.

Kathryn looked more beautiful today than any other day. She wore a pale blue velvet dress and a white veil on her hair. Her grey eyes seemed to have a bit of light in their dullness. Before mounting, with the help of her sister and Edmund, she wrapped a blue cape around her shoulders, for the air was rather chilly. Once Kathryn was mounted, the three rode out, Liliock following Edmund’s lead obediently, with Jessica bringing up the rear.

~~~~~~~~

“By Ophelia’s nightgown!” cried Binks Vizzini.

Hayden Potter stared at Binks in surprise. Despite Potter’s desperate desire to rid Elenaesia of Eldor, and his hatred of those allied with the king, he still held the saints in awe. It had never occurred to him that one might speak lightly of such things.

“Binks!” he cried. “Do not tarnish Saint Opehlia’s name! It . . .” he paused, “It is not good to tempt the Saints. I have heard of terrible things . . . they say that when one man swore a curse in the name of Saint Leo, death was exacted on him by the heavens! Do you wish the same to you?”
Binks scoffed. “I would not worry about such things, Potter,” he said demeaningly. “Do you really worry about the Saints?”
“Do you even know the story of St. Ophelia’s nightgown?” asked Potter.
“Should I?” asked Binks gruffly.
“Here, let me tell you,” said Potter.
“Fine. I don’t have anything better to do right now, until the Duke comes back from the meeting with Draziw. I never trusted him anyways. But, I guess you can tell it to me.”
“One day, St. Ophelia, towards the end of her life, was in need of escaping from a wayward knight. She had no clothing that was not too bright, for it was snowing outside, and she did not want to be seen easily. Beginning to pray, and desperately hoping that aid would come, she saw a hand reach down from the heavens. In it was a pale white nightgown. She heard a voice speak to her and say, ‘Ophelia, truly you are one of my faithful servants. Take this, thy nightgown and wear it as shield to protect you, my daughter.’ Ophelia, upon hearing these words, did so, and so escaped into the snow, and was not seen. After she died, a sick person, coming in to look upon the fair face of Ophelia, slipped and fell. As they fell they grabbed a hold of her nightgown, and were instantly healed. It was in such setting that full proof of her sainthood came about, and she was then canonized. The nightgown of St. Ophelia, of which you speak so lightly, is indeed a sacred object.”
“Pish posh,” said Binks. “Sacred nonsense. It’s just a bunch of mumbo jumbo, old wives tales, and myths all jumbled into one thing. Looks like that Draziw is done with the Duke, finally. Let’s get going.”

~~~~~~~~~

The Amandu Mountains rose into the sky, their dark colours standing out against the pale blue of the skies. Edmund, Kathryn, and Jessica had ridden on a fairly straight path due north-west of Eirtue. Jessica glanced up at the towering mountains and wondered how they would find the Stone of the King.

As they rode into the mountains, Jessica’s thoughts turned to the tales and legends of the Bears. No, they were not regular bears, but they were Bears. They were intelligent, at least somewhat, and they were deadly. Very few had survived a fight against them. She hoped that they would not have to face them. The stories she had read amongst the scrolls in Aiulindale when she was there had made an impression on her. She hoped, if only for her sister’s sake, not to meet these Bears.

Edmund began describing the mountains to Kathryn, who was pleased that someone was willing to do so. Jessica added in descriptions here and there, causing much laughter amongst the trio. They rode along, listening to the birds in the woods. Looking up, Edmund saw dark clouds rolling in, covering the sun. The mountains seemed to darken, and the air grew colder.

He said nothing, hoping to reach some sort of shelter before the rain that he knew was coming came. But, as they were riding, they heard a roll of thunder, and then a loud clap. Edmund and Jessica looked up to see a huge bolt of lightening flash across the sky. And then, without further ado or warning, the rain came down in torrents.

“We must find shelter,” called Jessica through the sounds of the howling wind and the rain beating upon the ground and the occasional roar of thunder overhead.
“I know,” Edmund called back. “Take Lady Kathryn’s horse by the bridle, if you can. I had not expected such rain. I knew it would, but I was hoping we would reach shelter by then. We must ride hard. I will look for a place where can stop.”
“Agreed,” came Jessica’s response. She pulled her cloak and hood closer to her body, and rode over towards her sister. Leaning over, she caught Liliock’s bridle in her hand. “I’ve got the bridle!”
“Follow me!” Edmund cried. “I see an overhang up ahead where we can stop. It will provide us with some shelter from the storm!”
The three rode towards the overhang, their heads bowed in the storm. The wind continued to whistle and howl overhead, and the rain made no sign of relenting. Edmund helped Kathryn off her horse, and gave Jessica instructions to get her under the overhang. Then Jessica returned and helped Edmund unload the supplies from the horses and carry them over to the small shelter area. Once the supplies had been taken off the horses, the two worked together to tie the horses to a tree positioned near the overhang. Edmund commented to Jessica on the placing of the trees near the overhang. It provided them some fairly decent shelter.