Chapter 29 #2
The black knight simply stood there, taking Danik’s insults without even flinching, but Veru recognized defeat when she saw it.
She rose and Max jumped from her lap. Putting a hand on Danik’s arm, she patted it lightly, trying to still the trembling rage she could feel vibrating through him.
Truthfully, it wasn’t Sumerki’s fault. She was certain he’d been compelled to do what he’d done.
Perhaps there was still a way out for them.
“It would appear that congratulations are in order, then,” Veru said. “Unfortunately, when it comes to the matter of the wheat, seeing is believing, wouldn’t you agree?”
Yuga stopped crowing and narrowed her eyes. “What are you going on about, girl?”
“Well, we did harvest the wheat, and if Sumerki did gather it for you, then I would need to see it. What if you’re wrong? Perhaps he means to sell it. Perhaps it’s missing.”
“Of course he didn’t steal it. He wouldn’t cross me. And the contract clearly states that you are to deliver it to me, not my knight.”
“Oh, I understand. But I also know that those who double-cross are often double-crossed themselves. When it comes to freedom, there isn’t much that most wouldn’t do. Perhaps if I could see the wheat, or at least know its location, then I might believe your story.”
The black knight spoke, “If I may, according to my mistress’s own instructions, the wheat was stored in her granary, not two verts from here. I can show you this myself, if you like.”
Yuga waved a hand. “We believe you.”
“I don’t,” Veru said. “I think I need proof before I can accept eternal servitude. You’d ask the same of us, I’d think.”
“Bah! Very well,” Yuga said huffily. “Come, you stubborn girl.”
“Danik, you stay behind, won’t you? We won’t be too long, I shouldn’t think. Of course, if the wheat somehow magically arrives here while we’re gone, make sure to stack it up properly so Yuga can see we did our part.”
“What are you going on about, girl?” Yuga said as she dragged out her stone bowl and opened the door.
“I’m only saying nothing is proven yet. I still believe the black knight will come through for us.”
“Clearly, he didn’t,” Yuga said, gesturing Veru should climb into the bowl beside her. “He’s loyal to me.”
“If the wheat is where the two of you say it is, then I’ll happily agree with you. But if we return and find it here instead, then it means that we succeeded.”
“You stupid girl. It’s not here. How could it be here when we return?”
“I have faith.”
Yuga shook her head and snapped her fingers.
The black knight bowed and climbed on his waiting steed. “I’ll ride on ahead and prepare the way,” he said.
“Yes, yes. Off with you.” She lifted the heavy stirring wand, and the two of them rose in the night sky.
Veru looked back at Danik, who stood at the open door, staring after them.
She hoped he understood what she wanted him to do.
As she strained to hear the sound of notes coming from the little house, they picked up speed and were soon high above the ice-covered trees.
The door slammed shut, locking Danik inside and sealing off the light coming from the house.
The wind was freezing cold. Veru ducked down inside the deep bowl as they journeyed through the sky.
She missed the warmth of Danik’s arms holding her and looked up at the stars above, making a wish that they could get out of this witchy woman’s web.
All too soon, they landed, and after Yuga awkwardly climbed out, Veru followed.
The ground was crunchy and hard where she stepped, though there was no snow in the place they’d arrived. Two large silos sat near an open field. A portal opened, and the black knight appeared, pulling up near them.
“All is ready,” he said, dismounting and walking them over to the first tank. He pulled a lever and opened it up, and grain spilled out and over their hands, pooling around their feet. Before too much fell, he quickly closed the hatch, sealing it off and locking it once more.
Yuga laughed, holding out handfuls of grain to Veru, and said, “There you are, young woman. Are you satisfied, then?”
“Oh yes. You have a lovely bin full of fine corn.”
“That’s right,” Yuga said. “It’s the finest. The best corn . . .” She trailed off. “Wait, what?” She bent down and scooped up a handful and smelled it, then tossed it aside. “You idiot,” she said to the knight. “This is the wrong silo. Take us to the other one.”
The black knight thumped his head and offered her his arm, but she shoved it away and made her own way, following the sound of his armor.
When they were in position again, he pulled on the lever, opening the hatch, but nothing came out.
Sumerki frowned and peered inside. “I-I don’t understand,” he said.
“It was all here. All the wheat. It was entirely full just a few hours ago. I promise you.”
“You durak! What happened? Can you not follow the simplest of instructions?”
“But I did, mistress! I promise you, I did.”
Veru clicked her tongue. “How very vexing and strange. I wonder whatever did happen to the wheat we harvested, then?”
Yuga shook her head. “Come along, girl. I’m tired. We’ll play more of your games another time.”
“But don’t you want to know what happened to the wheat?” Veru asked, trailing behind the woman as she made her way to the stone bowl.
“It’s likely still in the field and you never collected it in the first place.
Either way, I win. I’ll get it myself later.
There’s time for that another day. As for you,” she said to the black knight as she climbed into her bowl, “begone for tonight. I’ll think of a fitting punishment for you another day. ”
Nodding his head, he climbed into the saddle and turned his horse around.
As Veru stuck her leg into the bowl and glanced up at the knight, she noticed the tiniest flicker of a smile cross the edge of his lips.
She took it for a good sign and kicked off the ground not a moment too soon, because Yuga uttered a spell that caused her bowl to lift up before Veru was even aboard.
She fell awkwardly into the basin, bruising her cheek and hip before righting herself.
Yuga was in a terrible mood by the time they arrived back at the little cottage, and it showed by the abuse of the stone basin on the porch.
It bounced hard three jaw-shaking times before coming to a stop and took out several boards as it did.
The front door blew open with a bang, and she heard a cautious meow come from Max.
Veru poked her head up as Yuga was muttering and climbing out and saw that every corner of the house was filled with sheaves of wheat.
She could not only see it but smell it. Danik stood.
She hadn’t seen him before. His hair was as golden as the wheat.
But now her eyes were fixed on him, and Veru realized for the first time how much she’d come to depend on him.
His eyes were tired, his lips were chapped, and his limbs were trembling with exhaustion.
She knew how much effort he’d made to get all this wheat moved in the time they’d been gone.
It was one sacrifice of dozens—no, hundreds—he’d made on her behalf since she’d met him. Danik was just . . . amazing.
Spasibo, she mouthed to him.
He simply nodded in return.
It was time to put her game face on. Yuga and Veru entered the house, and Veru exclaimed, “Oh! Oh my! Well, look at this. Isn’t this just a shocking turn of events?”
Yuga stopped and turned slowly around the room, then lifted a finger and trailed it down a shaft of wheat. Softly, she sighed and sank into her chair.
“Very well. You win. Never let it be said the great Yuga is a bad loser.”
Veru snorted.
“Tell me, what is it we agreed to?” Yuga said. “Hurry up, before I change my mind.”
“You promised that once our tasks were complete, we will have won our freedom, the promised gift, the freedom of the knights—”
“Yes, yes . . .” She rolled her hand, then looked at the fireplace. “Do you really want to leave me?”
Danik and Veru looked at one another. Veru asked, “Who are you speaking to?”
“Shhh,” the old woman said to them and turned back to the fireplace. “We’ve been together so long. I can’t imagine it’s been that hard. I know I’ve been difficult, but I can change.”
Finally, she nodded. “The house has agreed to stay with me as long as I agree not to trick you. It will hold me to my side of the bargain. Is that acceptable to you?”
“If the house is okay with it,” Danik said.
A fire started at that moment, and Danik smiled.
“Very good,” Yuga agreed. “You’ll find panniers outside strapped to a sledge.
Inside them, you’ll find any manner of food, supplies, clothing, money, and a map that will guide you to those you seek.
As you stipulated, my knights have been freed.
Whether your champions will choose to reveal themselves to you again or not is their prerogative.
“Now, for my stone pot . . . I cannot give you my large one, but you may keep this small one. It has transformative powers. If you meet the knights again, they can explain it to you in more detail. And last . . . Max? Come.”
Obediently, the cat paced over to his mistress and leaped onto her lap.
“Maxsim has been my cat for decades. Our relationship is complicated. True, we don’t always get on, but I do love him in my own way. I-I would ask you not to take him. Please. As a favor to me.”
“Max?” Veru asked. “What do you want?”
The cat looked up at his mistress, then at Veru, and meowed softly. He hopped down from her lap and made as if he wanted to head back to Veru, then stopped and sat and began licking a paw.
“Will you promise to feed him better?” Veru demanded. “No more bones and mice?”
“But he likes mice,” the old woman protested.
Veru waited.
“Fine,” Yuga said. “He’ll be fed whatever he likes.”
“Then he can stay with you.”
“Spasibo.”
“Pozhaluysta.”
Veru rose and Danik put his hand on her shoulder to guide her out the door, but the fire in the grate burned blue and hot.
“Wait!” Yuga said. “Your special gift. Max?”
The cat meowed and leaped up on the arm of the chair.
From there, it bound into Veru’s arms. Max opened his mouth to meow again, but this time Veru heard a distant roar, and Max pounced directly onto her chest, knocking her back into the chair.
She toppled to the ground on her hands and knees, her back popping and stretching.
Her nose twitched and her vision blurred. She shook out her arms and legs.
“Whoa!” she heard Danik exclaim. “What just happened?”
“She got back what she’s been searching for,” Yuga explained. “Now it’s your turn. Place your hand on the fireplace mantel. The one you so painstakingly cleaned.”
Danik cautiously put his hand on the polished wood, and then he closed his eyes. All of a sudden, it was like someone had taken cleaning polish to his mind. The blanket covering his memory disappeared. He remembered everything.
“Veru!” he said, kneeling down beside her. “What have you done to her?” he accused, turning to Yuga.
“I gave her back what she’s been looking for. A connection, as it were. It’s not there yet. Not precisely, but the possibility exists. She can find it again, if she wishes.”
“But she wanted to get rid of it.”
“Not truly.”
Veru sat up, looking up at him as if dazed.
“It’s a part of her,” Yuga explained. “Anyway, she can now choose if she will accept the bond or not. She’ll need to get used to it again, though she cannot use the tiger’s strength or endurance, or change, for that matter.
Too bad, since you’ll need something to pull the sledge, won’t you?
I suppose that means the two of you will have to do it yourselves. ”
The old woman began to cackle.
Danik nodded dumbly as if his mind was still a bit misty as well.
“Best get going now, boy, before my good nature wears off.”
Reaching behind the chair, Danik took hold of his bags and patted the mantle a farewell.
Just then the secret door popped open, and a wrapped bundle fell out.
Danik picked it up and placed it in his satchel.
Yuga began to protest, but the fireplace roared, and she settled back in her chair with pursed lips and a sour expression.
When Danik walked to the front door, it opened of its own accord.
Veru bent and patted Max, then stumbled after Danik.
They headed down the rickety steps and were securing their bags on the sledge when the little house rumbled, stretched up on tall, stilt-like boards, and walked over their heads, quickly disappearing into the dark forest.
Just as it did, the sun broke over the eastern mountains, signaling a new beginning. Both Danik and Veru wondered what this new beginning would look like for the two of them.