Captain Etienne had ordered Klaude Fraser to travel to Rouen near the River of Seine where he would meet with a friend's friend. Klaude Fraser had been fourteen when he joined Captain Etienne, fighting alongside the Captain through the years had earned him some quite wealth and experience. He had been fine serving alongside the Captain for it was better than being a dockworker. And thus he couldn't refuse his request.
He brought his horse and pulled a pony that he was about to give to this friend. Klaude waited for hours, watching the Seine River. It was around afternoon that he spotted a short but reasonably good-looking woman with a shapely appearance. The overcoat's hood she wore barely hid her brown eyes.
"Were you the one sent by Etienne?"
Her voice was sweet, low, and strangely persuasive. Oddly, Klaude studied the woman before nodding his head.
"They call me Klaude Fraser, and you are?"
"Nonie," she said with her low and sweet voice.
Despite her seemingly kind nature, Klaude was pleasantly surprised that she had this unexpected virile bearing. She removed her hood, revealing her black pudding-basin hairstyle probably lightened by the sun, which had reached around her shoulders. She seemed to be uncomfortable about it.
"Well, I was told that you would be starting a new life in Oudenaarde, in this village called Mater, no?"
Klaude unrolled the map he had, "That's about 355 miles from here to the Flemish Ardennes."
She nodded. "Etienne told me that you would be living there too?"
"Well, he told me that you would need a farmhand. I did wonder if we could visit Brussels too while at it."
"That would take more than five days."
"True," Klaude sighed, "Anyway, I shall be your escort until then, Madame."
Nonie nodded.
Klaude handed the pony to Nonie while he took his saddlebag packed horse. He rested his firing hand on the crossbow he loaded. Nonie trotted her pony next to Klaude, matching his pace.
"That is a strange crossbow."
"I got this from the east. I learned how to repair it...Eh, the Ming something?"
"Exotic weapons."
Klaude let the crossbow rest. It was a strange mechanical weapon that he bought from one of those Chinese merchants, fascinated by it. His buddy called him an idiot for buying two, but Klaude had to know how they were made. He had to for the sake of his curiosity.
He disassembled the spare one, took out the parts, and learned how to repair one if needed. Klaude was smugly proud of himself for that.
As they followed a dirt road leading out of Rouen. Klaude's eyes naturally wandered to the city where there was a person being burned. It was over by then, the burning, and though he held no interest in it, he felt only… pity.
"What do you think of it?" Nonie asked with her low voice. Klaude detected a sour tone to it.
"About what?"
"Her execution."
"Oh, her…," Klaude balled his fist then released it, "Well, I was always scouting and skirmishing so that I didn't get a glance of her. Most of the time I was sleeping or fighting so I barely saw her. I worried about the battle more than my curiosity of her. I have no words other than what did you expect from human nature?"
"No wonder Etienne chose you."
"Pardon?"
"It's nothing."
Klaude eyed Nonie for a moment before pointing his face to the road ahead. Repose en paix, Klaude muttered softly. There was nothing more he could do, not that anyone could do anything when faced with such accusations.
Most of the roads were empty, a dark air surrounded the world as if lamenting the loss of someone who fought for it. "Blessed be the lord my strength which teaches thy hands to war, and my fingers to fight, my goodness and my fortress, my high tower and my deliverer," he muttered. "my shield, and he in whom I trust."
Klaude rode his horse steadily, not speeding up or slowing down at anything. Nonie, the madame, was quiet and barely had anything to say. She kept to herself, always staring longingly at the river of Seine.
Getting away from the river, the view of any houses disappeared. Klaude caught the eye of the citizens who were toiling. His breastplate, the weird crossbow hanging his belt, and the gauntlet he wore on his left arm.
He carried a set of knives on his belt, and another curved blade on his back. They followed the river of Seine, and rode their mounts to the direction of Paris. Nonie closed her pony, her eyes inquisitive.
"Pray tell, are we getting provisions in Paris?"
"Aye," he then explained, "though it might take days for us to arrive at our destination, I intend to keep it safe. Recent conflicts have emboldened the thugs and muggers of our dear country."
"You don't think it's the English who do it?"
"Hmm? Oh, perhaps, but to blame others for the sake of having a scapegoat, I find it illogical. Most of the muggers I met didn't look English, they spoke the same tongue, and asked me the same words as a thief would," Klaude pulled on his horse, avoiding the rock on his way.
"I see."
He felt like she had more questions to ask, but kept it herself. There was a hint that she was going to defend the people, but she stopped instead, contemplating on what she wanted to say. She was quite prudent, and careful on what she wanted to say.
Klaude looked away, focused his eyes on the road while regularly taking out his map, making sure that he didn't miss a landmark. At the same time, he looked at the pillars of smoke rising to the sky. A raid? Someone fighting again?, he thought to himself.
The world had gone mad. From what he could tell it was best if he left the country before the situation gets worse. If they could even burn a holy woman. What more could they do to someone like them? He wasn't going to stick around and find out. He took this chance to leave this country, and find a place to settle down using the coins he earned during the battles he fought on.
They entered Paris through the front of the gate. He led Nonie to the place where he usually buys his provisions. There was a man who spotted him, a citizen of Paris who was pudgy, but well-dressed for a merchant. He greeted Klaude with his amiable and businessman smile.
"Same?"
"No," Klaude thumbed to Nonie's direction.
The man squinted, "Ah, you got your missus now?"
"Madame, I'm going to be her farmhand."
"Still an escort, I see," he worked his hands on the gunny sack, putting on the provisions they would need for the road. Klaude liked buying from him, just because he knew when to talk and not.
"Are you staying in Paris?"
"Afraid not," said Klaude, taking the gunny sack, tying on the saddlebag of his horse and Nonie's pony. "Got a long way to go," he handed the man his coins. "See you, friend."
"Don't be afraid to come back, friend."
Klaude adjusted the reins of the horse, and tightened the saddle. His hand traveled on the mane of the horse before climbing up. "Nonie, you don't mind if we head out now?"
"I don't mind," she looked at the streets of paris, and its people with a rather longing gaze. Her stoic facade couldn't hide the way her eyes longed for it.
"Let's go, madame."
Klaude chose not to meddle with her affairs. He had been on the road for a long time, understood what it was like for some to bottle themselves up. If she would not speak of it, then he would not meddle. That was one thing he learned well throughout the years.
The two trotted their mounts out of Paris. They came and went as if they were nothing more than travelers seeking temporary comfort. It didn't take long for them to be an hour away from Paris. The cabins that are somewhat on the road had become untamed land, and ill-maintained roads where a wagon would have a hard time to travel on.
As they rode, the scenery flowed by, changing, and it was a pleasant stroll if not for the plausible hostilities they might meet while on the road. Klaude never really let his guard down, keeping his eyes on trees, grasses, and every overgrown foliage that they came. He hadn't survived campaigns after campaign for nothing.
Klaude took a glance at the madam. She was quiet, careful, and her eyes were wary of the surroundings. She was used to traveling, Klaude guessed. That was a good thing for him, it saved him trouble from worrying about her being curious about everything.
They covered more miles before settling on a clearing where Klaude could spot anyone coming their way, while also not noticing them. Before he started a fire, he took a coil of rope, placed them around the clearing which would alert them if anyone came their way.
"You are careful," Nonie said, "is your faith in God lacking?"
Klaude arched his brows, "Pardon me, madam, but faith without action is useless. And I don't see what is wrong with this." He didn't understand the question. Nonie nodded her head, as if that's all she needed to hear.
What does she want? Klaude thought for a second before he continued doing his work. After arming the area with his wire-alarm, he sat down, started a fire, and threw the sticks in while warming himself with fire.
"Madam, do you mind if we only eat soup and meat?"
"I… shall refrain from eating meat."
"Oh, then I have hard bread here, please drink soup."
She nodded. "Would you like help?"
"No."
Klaude rejected her offer, and went to cook the soup. He had spices on his belt pouches which he lovingly kept to himself. Dropping the spices, mixing them, and taking a sip if they tasted good. He took out the large tin cups, filled them and handed one to the madame alongside the soup.
Klaude took some meat rations, ate them while she thanked God for the grace given to her. Quietly, she ate her meal, not saying a word over the fire. Only thing Klaude could hear was the noise of the critter and the wind brushing against the leaves of the trees. The campfire made noises, crackling, and stones sometimes bouncing.
"I'll be watching from the trees, maam."
"Trees?"
"Are you not setting up a tent?"
"I will for you, madame. I'll be sleeping on the trees with this," Klaude took out a sling made of fabric and rope which he tied on each side of the branch.
"Was this your idea?"
"Not mine, but some of the scouts told me that this was better than sleeping on the ground, it costs a lot, these beddes that they use in ships. I had it made with cotton instead of canvas."
"Sounds efficient."
"Easy to carry, and I can just plop a canvas over me when it starts raining."
Nonie observed the canvas before turning her eyes to the side where she would be sleeping. Klaude leapt down, made her tent. After setting up her tent, Klaude left her alone, and clambered back to the hanging bed where he saw her going to a tree stump, elbows on the stump, hands locked, and in prayer.
She prayed with her sweet and low voice. There was sorrow and hope in her voice that made him ask what made a young woman like, not even in her twenties, to leave her country. Captain Etienee had assigned her to him. Offering enough gold to make him feel like what he had earned in the past years was nothing compared to what he offered.
"Klaude," he recalled the Captain saying solemnly, "my friend has been hurt, betrayed, and thrown away. Her faith makes her beautiful, but as her friend I couldn't allow her to die for a few fools. Take her away, escort her. You're one of the few lads that I can count on, good luck."
"What do you want me to do with her, Captain?" Klaude said in a low voice he only could hear. "I'm ill-suited for this."
***
He slept for the day until he smelled the familiar smell of dew. When he woke up however, he saw the early morning sun. Klaude stretched his limbs, grabbed his gauntleted hand to the side of the tree before leaping down. He found that Nonie was on her knees, praying with her prayer beads, looking up to the western sun.
Klaude waited for a while before he made a noise, started the fire, and warmed his palms on the campfire. Nonie patted her knees, moved over, scooted next to the fire and shivered for a moment.
"Good morning."
"Mornin'," said Klaude, throwing a stick in the fire. "We should move fast before rain comes."
Nonie looked up, observing the clouds scattered. Klaude started packing his things, rolling his hanging bed, and attached it to his pack. Nonie wanted to undo her tent, but Klaude insisted on helping so that it could be done faster. After they had undone the tent, Klaude tied the pack on her pony's saddle, and made sure to cover the campfire with dirt before leaving. He also disarmed the coil of rope he used to signal him when there was anything approaching.
Following that, the two went back to the main road, leaving the camp behind, following the route leading to their destination. While on the road he could hear the wind against his ears. Every breath of his horse, and the clack a horse would make when hitting a pebble.
Leaves being blown hard by the wind, sky turning strange, the awful feeling made Klaude wander his eyes, looking for anything or anyone to answer what was happening.
"What is happening?" Klaude said, voice filled with worry.
"It's a storm?" Nonie said, walking her pony next to Klaude.
The storm raged with fury of a volcano erupting and a wind born from a storm. The area bellowed around them, and the horse and pony seemed to be shaken, afraid of the strange before them. The two tried to retreat, only for the winds to cage around, like they were captured in a net.
"What the hell!?" said Klaude, readying himself. His first reaction was to take an iron stake out, wrap a knot of rope around it, and tie it around a rock. He threw the stake to Nonie to which she hastily wrapped around a protruding rock.
The storm bellowed, he saw colored winds sparkling, coiling and twirling around them. He tried to step back, pull Nonie to him when the world seemed to cry out in pain.
"Ioanna Arcenis," a voice dictated. "You are not done yet. Your path does not end, not this time. May you guide the lost in the world unveiled before you."
Klaude heard an archaic song.
His hands were bleeding from the palm as if a nail had passed through it.
His eyes went to Nonie and she had it worse. Her hands and feet were bleeding and at the same time she was getting younger and younger. A crown of blood formed around her head, accompanied by tears of blood. She looked at the sky before her, before falling to her side, still regressing further
Klaude approached her and saw the back of her head glinting with a halo resembling that of a sun's crown. The halo of the divine.
"What is happening?" Klaude asked, turning around, and at the same he heard a voice he couldn't understand and saw his calloused-ridden hands becoming smaller and then it was just gone