Eifelheim - Michael Flynn [129]
Dietrich gazed out over the clearing, at the clutter of furnishings, at the lack of order. “The Krenken hunger for obedience,” he said, “and Herr Gschert has served them bad porridge.”
Manfred threw his head back in laughter. “If they hunger for someone to obey,” the lord of Oberhochwald said, “I will serve out that porridge myself.”
AND SO later, in the great hall, Hans and Gottfried pressed their hands together and Manfred enclosed them in his own, and they foreswore their oaths to Baron Grosswald and accepted Herr Manfred as their liege. In recognition of his valor in the battle at Falcon Rock, Manfred placed a ruby ring on Hans’s right hand. Gschert was not content with this arrangement, but agreed in a Nicodemian manner that it resolved the problem of disobedience.
Shepherd accepted also when two of her pilgrims asked to be settled on the manor and to be baptized. “Those who tarry in strange lands often take up rude customs of land. We have term for it, which would overset as ‘walk in steps of native-born’. They think their cares to throw over. Later, they regret; but must be later-time in which regrets may come. You clever, priest, and have lift Hans and his heretics of one burden; but leave me with mine own.” And the leader of the pilgrims studied the Herr Gschert from across the hall. “Yet, I think Hans may not be lift of all. I think your Herr Manfred not permit us to depart and that, above all things, what Hans wishes.”
“Do not you all wish that?”
“Vain to will impossible.”
“The word is ‘hope,’ my lady. When Gottfried was repairing the ‘circuit,’ he gave me to understand that his repair fell short of the standards of the original craftsmen. Yet he applied himself to the task with a will, and I could not help but admire him for that. Any fool can hope when success lies plainly in view. It wants genuine strength to hope when matters are hopeless.”
“Thought-lacking!”
“If one presses on, God may grace the effort with success after all, and that end despair will never achieve. My lady, what would you, had you thrown Baron Grosswald over?”
The pilgrim-leader smiled the Krenkish smile, which always seemed to Dietrich half-mocking. “To order Hans to do as he has done.”
“And yet you blame him for having done it!”
“Without orders? Yes.”
Dietrich turned to face the Lady Shepherd fully. “You sent Gschert into the Great Woods.”
“In my country,” the Lady answered, “we play game of placing stones within array. Some stones remain in place and these we call … Heinzelmännchen say ‘hives,’ but I say ‘castles’ is better. From these, warrior-stones sally, and move place to place by certain rules. Game play by three opponents.”
Dietrich understood. “You are playing at stones, then.”
Lady Shepherd closed her side-lips with measured delicacy. “One occupy one’s time as best as able. Game’s intricacies help me forget. ‘Because we die, we laugh and leap.’”
“Na,” said Dietrich, “Hans is out of the game now. He is Manfred’s vassal now.”
The Krenkerin laughed. “Also, four-sided version.”
XVI
MARCH, 1349
Lent
WITH MARCH had come the New Year. Serfs and villagers trimmed grapevines and cut posts for fences damaged by the winter’s snow. Since the truce imposed by Herr Manfred, humors had cooled, and many Krenken returned to their former guesthouses in the village. Hans, Gottfried, and a few others encamped by the shipwreck. The weather was warming, and Zimmerman and his nephews had built a shed for them heated by a stove of flagstones. This enabled them to work more hours on the repairs and, not incidently, minimize encounters with their recent foes. Gerlach Jaeger, who often ranged far hunting wolves, reported that, at eventide, he would sometimes spy them attempting their odd leaping dance “in concert.”
“They ain’t real good at it,” the hunter replied. “They forget, and then each of ’em just does what he wants.”
Dietrich often visited their camp, and he and Hans would walk the now well-marked forest paths while discussing natural philosophy. The trees