A few days after the incident with the horn, the kraat patrol found themselves in a battle against a tribe of lawless kraat who had been terrorizing a village of goblins along the western sea shore.

Belmardina watched from the sidelines in her human form, holding Oak close to her chest, both wrapped in heavy coats as sheets of rain fell from the sky. She could barely see what was happening, but keeping track of her husband was fairly easy as he was very tall; his heavy pauldrons and long kite shield stood out on the battlefield.

As she watched, she saw several of the lawless kraat engage Blutgang. He stood his ground well, but in a flash, they rushed him, forcing him to the ground and out of sight. Belmardina started forward, but he reappeared, pulled back to his feet by Theodar, his second-in-command. Once back on his feet, she saw him stumble, Theodar barely catching him before he could hit the mud again.

Soon afterward, the battle was ended. The remaining members of the tribe of lawless kraat who did not run off into the woods were taken into the custody of the village’s sheriff.

Belmardina ran to her husband’s side. His arms were draped over the shoulders of Theodar and Frey, his second and third-in-command. He was having difficulty walking as there was a deep cut about his right ankle.

Oak sensed something was amiss and began crying. Blutgang reached out and stroked his son’s forehead saying, “It’s okay, Oak. I’m alright.”

Camp was made early that evening. After the patrol’s healers had cauterized and dressed Blutgang’s wound, and after the thankful villagers had delivered food and drachma to the patrol for their service, Belmardina helped her husband into a nearby hot spring so he could wash the mud from his feathers. The rain had died down so that only a few droplets made it past the foliage that enshrouded the spring.

Belmardina wanted nothing more than to climb into the warm pool to help Blutgang, who was struggling to move without pain, but, since the day she had traded her right horn for gold, he had been oddly distant. She stood silently with Oak in her arms, mulling over what she could say to bring the uncomfortable situation to an end.

Luckily, Blutgang spoke. “Belmardina, would you mind helping me?”

Belmardina nearly threw herself into the spring. She barely remembered to remove her purple, fur-lined coat and robes. She kept her heavy travel slip on for modesty, as the area was not exactly private.

“Is it very painful?” She asked meekly as she lowered herself into the water, holding Oak in one arm. The kraatling whimpered worriedly as the water rose up to his belly, but then he began to amuse himself by slapping the water with his talons.

“Yes, it is,” He said in his simple, truthful manner. “But, it’s part of my job. Wounds are to be expected.”

Belmardina sensed import in those last words. She stopped pouring water over the mud clinging to his neck and shoulders to listen. He took hold of her hand with an orange claw. Because he had been distant for the past few days, the feel of his friendly touch made her blush. “It’s my job to fight. It’s my job to take wounds.” He continued, lifting his other hand to the short bang above her right eye, caressing the healing burns about the side of her face. “Not yours.”

“Oh.” She said dumbly. Then, “I understand that… but Cadfael needed help. And the horn will grow back—just like my hair.”

A stern look spread on his face. His already deep voice became deeper; “It’s Cadfael’s job to march. It’s not his job to endanger my wife’s life.”

“Oh, please don’t be angry at Cadfael—he didn’t endanger my life. It was my choice to-”

“-It was your choice to let strangers try to saw off your horn for gold?” He said, his fingers tightening about hers, “That’s unacceptable.” His eyes darted to Oak and then back to her, the simple motion imparting to her that she should be more careful—she was a mother now.

Though she felt Blutgang was right, she also felt that she would do things no different if given the choice again. “But… you don’t understand, Blutgang. The book is very important to him. It’s from the year his son died.”

“Yes, I know. I was there. It was the same year I became king.” He finally let go of her hand. “It was a difficult year for the patrol, but a book about it is no excuse for recklessness.”

Belmardina watched him, and she saw a shadow of memory flit across his eyes. Though he had just let go of her hand, she reached into the pool of water and grasped it once more saying, “That was twenty years ago according to Cadfael… Blutgang, how young were you when you became king?”

“I was eight.” He said.

She moved in closer. “Will you tell me about it?”

Oak yawned, the warm spring water and the pitter-pat of rain on the leaves lulling him to sleep. Blutgang stroked his forehead. “Very well. I hope it’s something you’ll take to heart, my little queen.”