This story is in reality the second half of The Spotting of a Knight. I
felt, as a single story, it would be too long and so split it into two
tales that run into each other. Feedback and comments are greatly
desired. Enjoy.
=====
New Lessons to Learn and Old Ones to Teach
By Kamau
Part 1
------
Pierga felt the warmth of the sun on his face as he slowly awakened. As
his eyes opened he saw the pattern of wood above him and not the roof of
the stable where he had lay the night before.
"Where am I?" he murmured starting to raise himself but quickly stopped
as his body felt like lead.
"Good morning," a sweet voice called out. "Please don't try to move. You
were gravely injured and will still be some days in recovering."
The knight's eyes glanced about the room for a moment. It was like he
was repeating his experience at Noirhet where Fr. Ari had cared for him.
He closed his eyes at the thought of that holy man and how his life had
ended. But then a thought came to him. Was all this nothing but a dream.
Was he still in Noirhet, under the care of the priest, still healing
from those wounds? Opening his eyes again he looked in the direction
that the voice had come from. Standing there was a beautiful woman
dressed in a simple pale blue dress holding a picture and basin.
"Where is Fr. Ari?" he asked hoping to see the beloved priest again.
"I'm afraid I don't know anyone of that name," she told him. "We do have
a Fr. Hough here at the Keep if you need to see a priest."
"I'm not in Noirhet then?" he said knowing that his hopes were now dashed.
"No you're in Metamor," she told him setting the utensils on a stand
beside his bed. "Are you from that place?"
"No," he said now looking down at what partly obscured his sight.
For a long moment he looked at the yellow fur that covered his feline
nose. Slowly he shifted his eyes from the yellow fur that covered his
muzzle to the set of whiskers that splay out from its side. He gently
withdrew his arm from under the covers and, though it felt like lead,
lifted his hand before his face. His eyes confirmed that the same paw he
had seen in his dreams was now before him. Letting it drop to his side
he let out a sigh that came forth more as a low rumble in his throat.
"You fell under the curse," the woman said, her face revealing a bit of
sadness. "For what comfort it may be you are still a male."
"What do you mean?" Pierga asked making no sense out of what she had said.
"The curse only bestowed an animal nature on you," she told him. "It
neither changed your gender nor age as it has for some."
"I don't understand," he said. "Is this some sort of riddle?"
For a moment she simply looked at him and then a dawning of awareness
came upon her.
"You don't know about the curse?" she hesitantly asked.
"No," the leopard replied. "What is this curse?"
"When Nasoj attacked us less than two years ago he cast a spell on us,"
she began to explain. "All of us were transformed in some way or other.
Some, like yourself, were changed into animals, others had their gender
changed and still others were turned into children or babes. Our own
mages were able to cast a counter spell but it could only do so much and
not completely reverse it. To this day anyone who spends more than a
week in the valley risks falling under the curse."
"And that's what happened to me?" he said glancing down at his fur
covered shoulder.
"So it would seem," she replied then asked. "How should I address you sir?"
"Sir Pierga Phy…" he began to reply without thought but halted before he
finished. "No, just Pierga, nothing more."
The woman stood there looking at him for a moment puzzled by his
response. Then with a smile she continued.
"Sir Pierga, there is nothing to be ashamed of," she told him. "There
were knights here who were transformed as well. Just because your body
has changed does not diminish your station."
"No, I misspoke," he said trying to cover his mistake. "I am not a knight."
"No one would dare introduce themselves as you did lest they were of
such a station," she insisted.
"I am not a knight!" Pierga said in a voice that even surprised him. It
was speech but there was a growl underlying it like that of a wild animal.
The woman stepped back quickly from the bed, her face flushed with fear.
The door opened and a man with the head of a wolf stepped forward.
"Is everything all right Alayna?" he asked.
"Yes," she said regaining her composure. "Just our new patient coming to
grips with his new form."
The wolf man looked to the bed and smiled a toothy smile that did little
to put Pierga at ease.
"Be patient my friend," he said. "It takes time but you do become use to
it. We all did."
"Thank you Richard," the woman said returning to the bedside. "I'll let
you know if we need any help."
"I'll be right next door," he replied looking back to Pierga. "Oh and
mind the voice. You large felines can be heard for miles when you raise
them."
"I'm sorry," Pierga apologized. "I didn't mean to yell at you."
"I've had worse," she told him. "You get used to all kinds of voices
living in the Keep."
"The Keep," he questioned. "Is that where I am?"
"Yes, Metamor Keep is the name of this place," Alayna explained. "We are
in the midst of the Metamor valley named for the river that runs through
it."
"I hope I shall be able to see that some day," he told her then added.
"Alayna, is it?"
"Yes, that is my name now Sir Pie…" she halted but continued. "Pierga.
Or it is now. You see I am one of those that the curse changed gender
on. Before the curse I was Allen."
His mouth dropped open as this revelation sank in. He had seen few women
that could rival the beauty standing before him. Still if he were to
believe what had just been told to him this person had once been a man.
He shook his head and tried to reply but was speechless.
"Like Richard said, be patient," she told him reading his expression.
"It does take some getting use to both from within and without."
"Indeed it shall," he admitted finally regaining his voice.
"Now that you are awake would you like something to eat?" Alayna asked.
The mention of food awakened in him a hunger he had not realized he had.
"Yes, very much so," he replied but then thought of something he had to
ask. "Do we still eat the same food in these forms?"
"Yes and no," she told him, a laugh hidden in her voice. "From what I've
seen of others like yourself there is more of a desire for meat but you
can still eat just about the same as you did before. Let me fetch you
what healer Coe suggested for your first meal."
Leaving the room Pierga was left to reflect on the strange new reality
he was living in. He pondered for a moment if this was yet another dream
but dismissed it. No others of his dreams of late had this kind of edge
to them nor were they of such a calm nature. Indeed not so long ago he
might have considered this a rather entertaining dream. Suddenly his
musings were interrupted by a new smell filling his nose. It was far
different from anything he could remember those some parts held a bit of
familiarity to them. It was like smelling a rainbow, each scent blending
to the other but separate in their own way as well. Then the door opened
and Alayna stepped in holding a large bowl with a cloth and a spoon.
Setting it down she moved to his side.
"Let me help you sit up," she told him reaching around his back. With
her help he leaned forward but when he tried to push himself up in the
bed a sharp pain awoke in his hip.
"Careful," she counseled him. "That hip is still healing."
As she assisted him in positioning himself he searched his memories as
to how he had been injured.
"Was that part of my change?" he asked as she spread the cloth over him.
"Not entirely. Before the mages strengthened the counter curse on you,
you were in a feral state. That was what Nasoj wanted the curse to do,
reduce us to animals. Unfortunately no one knew you were under the curse
and you were shot."
Again Pierga searched his memories and this time found a dim
recollection of being warned shortly before being wounded. But the
entire event seemed very hazy in his mind.
"Is it unusual for people to forget things that happen before they were
changed?" he asked Alayna.
"From all I've heard it is not the norm," she answered picking up the
spoon. "But seeing that you were feral for a time it's possible I suppose."
As Alayna prepared to fill the spoon with stew it occurred to him what
she intended to do.
"Surely I'm not that weak that I can't feed myself," he protested.
"Weak, no," she answered with a smile. "But how do you intend to handle
a spoon with those paws?"
Looking down at his hand he could plainly see what she was talking about
and he wondered if he would be reduced to being fed like a child for the
rest of his life.
"Oh don't worry," his nurse commented guessing his thoughts. "It only
takes a bit of practice before you'll be able to handle just about
anything you did before. But for now let me get some food in you."
With a nod Pierga submitted to her request. As she fed him Pierga asked
Alayna many questions about the curse, the valley and its people. By the
time the meal was done he had amassed enough information to believe that
for now he was safe. He also knew however that his changed form would
not allow him to return to Yesulam and throw himself on the mercy of the
Ecclesia for his sins.
As he lay in bed he pondered if this was yet another meaning of his
dream. In his transformed state he could not cross the chasm to receive
Yahshua's forgiveness and thus he was condemned. Like the wealthy man
who had ignored Lazarus he would forever stand and watch those in the
kingdom with it being just out of his reach. As these thoughts ran
through his head he drifted off to an uneasy sleep.
The next morning it was Richard who came to assist him in taking his
meal. The furred assistant also began to instruct him in how to hold
things with his new hands. As he watched the ease with which the wolf
handled the utensils he was sure he could master it as well. Later in
the morning a raccoon came to visit him. He learned that this was healer
Coe and he oversaw Richard, Alayna and several others who were either
aids or apprentices to him. He pronounced the wound as healing well but
cautioned that it would be several days before he would be moving about
freely. He also assured him that there was no reason he would not make a
full recovery. The rest of that day Pierga spent either napping or in
reading one of the books that Coe kept in his rooms.
The days began to roll by and Pierga regained enough strength to sit for
part of the day. It had been a little less than a week since his arrival
at the Keep when Alayna told him he had a visitor.
"Visitor?" he questioned. "But I don't know anyone other then those of
you who have healed me."
"Perhaps not," she said beaming her radiant smile at him. "But there are
those who know you."
With that she returned to the door and nodded to whoever was outside.
Moments later a bear appeared in the door.
"Good day Pierga," the dark furred Keeper greeted him. "May I and my
companions come in?"
The bear was the first Keeper he had seen that rivaled his own size and
while his mind was becoming accustom to two legged animals acting as
humans to see one of this size caught him off guard.
"Ah, yes, certainly," he replied somewhat haltingly.
The bear stepped into the room and was followed by a bovine of some kind
that was even larger than the bear. Immediately following him came a
female goat morph. Pierga took a deep breath as a black-feathered form
flew into the room next. As it landed on the foot of the bed he realized
it was too small to be the raven he recalled being with him at the
mountain keep. Finally he watched as another feline entered the room.
Pierga blinked his eyes in disbelief at both his size and the large
fangs that hung from his upper lip.
"I am Tony Rourke," the bear said introducing himself then pointed to
the others. "and this is Zane, Claire, Sandra and Sal. We were the scout
team that brought you back to the Keep."
In the past days Alayna had told him about the party of scouts who had
rescued him and he was pleased to meet them face to face.
"Well met," he said starting to stand but thinking the better of it for
the pain in his hip. "I would like to ask your forgiveness for the harm
I caused you and thank you for all you did."
"Good sir," the goat began. "it's I who should ask your forgiveness
seeing I'm responsible for injuring you."
Pierga looked at the goat for a moment and shook his head.
"You were the archer who brought me down?" he asked. "By chance were you
a man before you became what you are?"
"She was ever a woman," the crow replied before Claire could speak. "and
as feisty then as she is now."
"It is by the grace of Eli that she only wounded you," Tony added. "I've
seen her drop much smaller game at twice the distance."
Pierga looked at the bear as the name of Eli escaped his lips. He knew
these lands were a stronghold of the Lothanasi yet he spoke openly of
the Ecclesia's God here.
"Are you a Follower?" he asked more softly than the bear had.
"We both are," answered the large cat who stood at the back of the
group. "You will find there are a number of us here at the Keep."
"The duke has allowed a priest, Fr. Hough to come to us," the bear
added. "we have even celebrated Liturgy within these walls."
"If it had not been for Sal seeing the Yew you wear about your neck,"
Claire said pointing at Pierga's chest. "we would not have realized you
were human."
The knight's hand when to his Yew realizing that for some it would
betray his place within the Ecclesia.
"Then I have been doubly blessed," Pierga responded trying to divert the
conversation elsewhere. "Not only am I among others of my faith but also
with fellow felines with very keen eyes. But I must say I've never seen
one like you."
"I would say we are both equally rare in these parts," Sal explained. "I
am a Smilodon or by a more common name a saber-tooth. It is not a cat
common to these lands and some of the scholars say there are no longer
any to be found at all."
"You said we were both rare?" Pierga questioned. "I've heard it said
that I was a leopard. Have I misunderstood?"
"No, that's what we first thought when we did see you," Zane said
breaking his silence. "But Sal felt certain you were something more."
"I visited the library here," Sal continued. "and after explaining your
appearance to Fox Cutter he found a book that showed exactly what you are."
"And what is that?" Pierga asked now truly interested.
"You are a Jaguar," the saber-tooth answered. "a cat not found on this
but on one of the southern continents. Once you're able to walk I'll
take you to the library and show you."
"I'd like that," the former Yesbearn replied. "Alayna said I should
begin to walk in a few days with the aid of a staff. It's a pity as I
had a very fine one that I had used once before still with me."
"Did you lose it when the curse took you?" Sandra asked.
For a moment Pierga carefully considered if he should speak of the keep.
All of the secrets he had found there and all the mysteries made him
uncertain as to the wisdom of doing so. Still these people had saved his
life and two of them were also of his faith.
"Not lost but left behind," he finally said. "It should still be at my
encampment."
"Was that near where we found you?" Claire asked but Zane answered for him.
"How would he know? I would wager he doesn't even know where we captured
him."
"True," the knight agreed. "I'm not sure how best to direct you to it.
It's a small keep a good distance to the south if I recall correctly
what others said as I entered the valley."
"That could be any of several places," Tony said. "The entire mountain
range to both the east and west are pock marked with ruins."
"No wait, I can do better than that," Pierga said realizing he did have
a landmark to give them. "The road that leads west opposite from the one
going to Iron Mine. That's where I turned."
"Then it wasn't far from where we found you," the crow commented. "I've
flown over it several times on patrol."
"You know of it?" Pierga asked suddenly realizing he would have been
discovered.
"That's one of the duties we have as flyers," she explained. "There are
far too many old keeps and ruins in remote areas that the Lutins could
use. So those Keepers like myself who can fly will make them part of our
patrol."
"What are Lutins?" Pierga asked hearing this name for the first time.
"Small but nasty fighters used by Nasoj," Claire answered. "As a single
fighter they seldom offer a challenge but that's the problem, they
usually travel in bands."
"And just as with bees," Sal continued. "in a swarm they can be deadly."
"Did you have much at the camp?" Tony asked.
"Supplies for a couple weeks," Pierga replied trying to think of what he
would tell them if they asked why he was there.
"I'm scheduled to go to the signal tower in just a couple of days," Sal
said. "I could head out early and pick up your belongings."
"Wait," Claire exclaimed. "since when did you stand a watch at the
signal tower?"
"I don't," the Smilodon replied. "But that doesn't stop them from using
me as a pack mule to bring supplies down there. Besides I double as a
guard on those runs."
"If both of you are going down I can guide you in," Sandra offered
before preening a feather back in place.
"You'll find most of my belongings in the second chamber of the keep's
tower. That's where the staff should be," Pierga told them. "there's
also a few things in what's left of the stable by the wall."
"Sounds easy enough," Sal said. "I should have that all back here before
the end of the week."
Suddenly the knight remembered something far more important then any of
these.
"My horse should also be somewhere about the keep as well," the feline
knight told them. "He'll need to be brought back and cared for."
"I'll fly down there today and see if I can find it," Sandra said.
"Other then yourself I don't recall of any large predators near there so
he should be fine."
"I'm sorry to break this up," a voice called out from behind the group.
"But if Sir Pierga is going to do any walking he still needs to rest."
Turning about the group saw Alayna standing in the doorway.
"Sir Pierga?" Sal said looking from Alayna to the knight. "That's what's
different about your Yew. I couldn't place it when I first saw it but
now it makes sense. You're part of an order of Ecclesia knights."
"I was," Pierga said with a low growl in his voice. "But that was a long
time ago."
"You can talk about that some other time," the woman said trying to stop
the conversation she had inadvertently started. "Right now he needs rest
not talk."
Obediently the group of scouts left the chamber leaving only Pierga and
Alayna together.
"I'm so sorry," she said. "It just slipped out."
The knight nodded and looked at her more in pain then anger.
"I would ask you to hold that secret," he said to her as she helped him
to his feet. "It was a long time ago and the memory is rather painful
still."
Without another word she helped Pierga into the bed. It was not until he
lay back that he realized just how tired he was from the day. Within
minutes he was sound asleep.
A few days later Pierga was standing at the window leaning on a crutch
Richard had given to him when a knock sounded on the door.
"Enter," he called out turning to face that direction.
"Good morning," Sal called entering the room, his paws filled with
saddlebags and a dark staff.
"Ah, thank you," the jaguar said taking a step toward him. "I hope it
wasn't too great of a burden for you."
"Not at all," he replied as he sat the bags on the floor and handed the
staff to the other feline. "With my size I'm use to carrying a lot more
than this, though I must say the staff did surprise me."
"How so?" inquired the yellow feline taking up the staff and laying
aside his crutch.
"You had said it was wood but as soon as I laid eyes on it I thought I'd
misunderstood."
"I assure you it is wood," he told Sal. "but I will admit not like any I
had ever seen before I owned it."
"What manner of wood is it?"
"The man who gave it to me called it Granire wood," Pierga explained as
he took a few steps with his familiar aid. "It's an impressively strong
and hard wood from a place to the south."
"From the south," the Smilodon echoed thoughtfully. "that would be the
south midlands then. I've heard there are some old forests there. I must
confess I've never held a piece of wood as heavy as that."
"Heavy?" Pierga replied as he easily lifted the staff in his paw. "I've
never been bothered by its weight."
"Then you, Sir knight were an exceptionally strong man," the tawny
feline commented. "I certainly would not have wanted to face you with a
sword in your hand."
Pierga's ears dropped as he heard his old title being used again. He
needed to persuade Sal from using it before the entire Keep knew Sir
Pierga was within its walls.
"Please, just call me Pierga," he said to his visitor. "I am no longer a
knight."
"But a man with your strength and no doubt prowess to match should not
distain his proper title. Unless I am misinformed once a sword has been
laid to your shoulder you are forever knight."
"Perhaps," Pierga sighed, the truth of this biting far deeper then Sal
could know. "but it is the sword that now prevents me from bearing that
title."
"How is that?" Sal asked.
"I can no longer wield a sword," he replied with ears and whiskers both
showing his sadness.
"Ah then I have good news for you," the saber-tooth told him. "When the
curse changes us all our old injuries are healed. Your hands should have
no difficulty grasping a sword now."
Drawing forth the broadsword that hung at his side he presented the hilt
to the former knight.
"See for yourself," he offered.
For a moment Pierga hesitated but then shifted the staff to his other
hand and reached for the hilt. Was it possible that this curse had
erased the other? No, that wasn't true for he still had the dreams each
night. But could he once again hold the weapon he had trained with for
so many years?
"It is not as fine a sword as you are use to I'm certain," the feline
said seeing his hesitation. "But I assure you, one fit for your station
can be found here."
Pierga's paw hovered over the pommel, a tremble felt but not visible
running through his fingers. Did he want to wield a sword again after
all the harm he had done? All the pain, the innocent lives lost? Finally
he closed is fingers over the grip and lifted it free from Sal's paws.
He brought the weapon to the middle guard then lifted it to the high
ready position. From here he dropped the point in a gentle arc and
returned to guard. He was pleasantly surprised by the sword's weight and
balance. Sal may not have considered it a fine weapon but the knight had
handled much worse. Looking at the Smilodon and smiling he began to
thank him when the former knight felt the sword shift in his grasp.
Looking down he saw his human hand covered in blood and burned flesh.
Then he heard a moan and looked up to see he was no longer in the room
but in a black void. Out of the darkness came a woman carrying a child
who was soon joined by a larger group of men and women. Suddenly flames
leaped up and they fell to their knees crying out to Yahshua for mercy.
A deep searing pain filled his hand and arm causing the sword to fall
from his grip. But the pain did not stop and the cries of those in the
flame whose death he knew he was responsible for grew louder. Then out
of the darkness something seized him and a booming voice began calling
his name. Closing his eyes he let out a scream but only a great roar
stifled his cry.
"What's wrong?" Alayna cried bursting into the room.
"I don't know," Sal replied as he held Pierga tight in his paws to
prevent him from falling. "He was holding my sword and then just
collapsed letting out that roar."
"Lay him on the bed," she ordered as Richard entered eyes wide and ears
erect.
"Is he in pain?" the wolf asked moving to the side of the bed.
"We don't know," Alayna answered reaching for the trembling cat. "I
found him like this."
"Pierga, what's wrong," Sal asked releasing his grip on his fellow feline.
Slowly the jaguar opened his eyes and raised his paws before his face.
Then, covering his face he began to weep.
"Pierga, what's wrong? What happen?" Alayna questioned putting her hand
on his shoulder.
"They are still there," he sobbed. "All of them, all who accuse me."
"Who!" Richard inquired franticly.
"The dead," he replied. "Those I killed in Eli's name."
"While you were a knight in the service of the Ecclesia?" Sal said
looking at the others.
"Yes," the knight cried. "Yes!"
At these words Sal slowly shook his head. Closing his eyes for a moment
his expression shifted from pain to one of great compassion. Placing his
paw on the jaguars shoulder he quietly said.
"I understand."
Then looking to his companions he added.
"Alayna, Richard let me talk to him."
"You're sure?" Alayna questioned, concern evident in her voice.
"Yes, I just need to talk to him alone," Sal answered a bit of
insistence in his voice.
Richard gave a nod and headed for the door. For a moment Alayna
hesitated but then followed her furred companion. Sal stepped over and
picked up his sword. Then bringing a stool over to the bed sat down.
"I know the pain," he said looking on the spotted cat. "I have been
there and I know the darkness of that place."
"How could you know?" the jaguar growled his eyes burning in anger.
"Because even before these were paws," the feline continued. "I
soldiered for Metamor. In the years before the curse the Lutins under
Nasoj's command would constantly raid us from the north. One winter day
my detachment cornered what we believed to be one of their commanders.
They were hold up in an old wooden keep at the foot of the mountains not
far from the Giant's Dike. We were not strong enough in number to take
the keep and knew that other Lutins might come to his aid at any minute.
Our commander, seeing the heavy snow on the slope above, ordered some of
the men to climb the mountain behind the keep and attempt to trigger an
avalanche. He hoped it would breach the wall and allow us to take the place.
His plan worked far better then any could hope for. The avalanche we
triggered grew to a size not seen in those parts before. As the snows
rolled down the mountain it gathered all before it. Rock, tree and all
else within its path were carried along until it became a boiling
torrent of destruction. As it reached the keep it barely paused as it
swept it from the face of the earth. It had never crossed our
commander's mind that it would reach the valley's floor but owing to its
size it rolled on unabated. We could do nothing to warn or save those
who were in its path. Before it stopped it buried several cottages and
farms beneath its deadly blanket of rock, timber and snow. It was not
until the spring that we knew the great destruction we had wrought. Some
seven score did we finally bury. Men, women and children, all killed by
our actions."
He paused and shook his head then looking to the jaguar said.
"A warrior, be he knight or common soldier, does not glory in the death
they cause. We train to kill, but we pray we never have to. Still there
is no such man as an unsoiled soldier. In war or battle of any kind the
innocent suffer and die. It is for us, the warriors, to carry the awful
burden of that truth. It is why we must always seek peace and avoid all
such whenever possible."
"You know of the pain," Pierga said, the fire of anger still in his
eyes. "But you do not know the burden. I was more than a common soldier
or knight following orders. I was the one who gave the orders that
caused those innocent people to die."
"No Pierga, I know it all," the big cat said slowly rising and moving
toward the door. "The name of the commander I spoke of was Salus
McCullough. When the curse took him it gave him a pair of weapons he can
never lay down to remind him. To the day I die that reminder will always
be there, right under my nose. Rest and be at peace for you are not
alone in the burden you carry."
With that he left the room leaving Pierga to ponder his full meaning.
End Part 1 of New Lessons to Learn and Old Ones to Teach
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