A selection from "The Plague Knight"
A little selection from "The Plague Knight," the lead story in (as you might expect) THE PLAGUE KNIGHT AND OTHER STORIES.
I slept poorly, hagridden by dreams of my father's death. The funeral bell tolled mournfully, and when I awoke, it seemed to be tolling still.
For a moment I believed I was seven again, that Papa had fallen from his horse only a day before. Then I realized that too many bells were ringing, and not in the measured cadence of a death knell but in a frenzied clangor of alarm.
Wiping tears from my eyes, I rolled out of bed and groped my way to the window. The sun was just rising, and I could see down into the town below the battlements. The great bronze cathedral bells winked light as they swung back and forth. People milled in the streets. Three houses were afire, sending columns of smoke into the gray and crimson sky, each ringed by citizens gathered to watch.
Geoffrey emerged from his pallet and tangle of blankets, brushed his long, straw-colored hair out of his eyes, and stumbled up beside me. Geoff was my man-at-arms, valet, scutifer, and groom, in other words, the sole retainer I could afford. He performed his many duties, and endured our frequent penury, with grumbling good cheer, secure in the inexplicable confidence that I was going to be a great seigneur some day.
"What is it?" he asked, hugging his lanky body against the chill draft blowing in. "War? Riot?"
I shook my head. "No one's fighting."
"Just a fire alarm, then."
"Not that either. They aren't trying to put them out. It looks like they set them deliberately. I don't know what's happening. Get dressed."
As we pulled our clothes on, the castle grew noisy. Shouts echoed, though maddeningly, I couldn't quite make out what anyone was saying. Just as I was lacing my shirt, running feet pounded by outside. A woman wailed.
I snatched up my sword and threw open the door. Those who'd dashed past were already out of sight, but the thing they were fleeing was still there.
Lurching down the narrow corridor, staggering so badly she caromed from wall to wall, came a slender young woman with long brown braids, one of the cooks, to judge from the stains on her apron. Yesterday she had probably been pretty. This morning, however, her face was contorted in anguish. Yellow matter dripped from her eyes and mouth, and she'd ripped through her dress to claw at the sores on her shoulders. She stank of shit and something more, a rotteness, as if she were already dead and moldering in the ground. When she saw me, she whined, and raised one bloody-fingered hand; perhaps she was no longer able to speak.
I took a step forward, and Geoff grabbed my arm. "Don't touch her!"
I didn't want to, but in that instant, I felt I had to. I tried to shake him off, and he tightened his grip. The woman vomited blood and fell dead at our feet.
"Plague," said Geoff.
Makes you want to buy the book, right? I mean, look how Christmas-y this is.
Okay, arguably not. Still, you can find the collection here:http://www.amazon.com/The-Plague-Knight-Other-Stories-ebook/dp/B00H1EN9BU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386088244&sr=8-1&keywords=the+plague+knight+and+other+stories
I slept poorly, hagridden by dreams of my father's death. The funeral bell tolled mournfully, and when I awoke, it seemed to be tolling still.
For a moment I believed I was seven again, that Papa had fallen from his horse only a day before. Then I realized that too many bells were ringing, and not in the measured cadence of a death knell but in a frenzied clangor of alarm.
Wiping tears from my eyes, I rolled out of bed and groped my way to the window. The sun was just rising, and I could see down into the town below the battlements. The great bronze cathedral bells winked light as they swung back and forth. People milled in the streets. Three houses were afire, sending columns of smoke into the gray and crimson sky, each ringed by citizens gathered to watch.
Geoffrey emerged from his pallet and tangle of blankets, brushed his long, straw-colored hair out of his eyes, and stumbled up beside me. Geoff was my man-at-arms, valet, scutifer, and groom, in other words, the sole retainer I could afford. He performed his many duties, and endured our frequent penury, with grumbling good cheer, secure in the inexplicable confidence that I was going to be a great seigneur some day.
"What is it?" he asked, hugging his lanky body against the chill draft blowing in. "War? Riot?"
I shook my head. "No one's fighting."
"Just a fire alarm, then."
"Not that either. They aren't trying to put them out. It looks like they set them deliberately. I don't know what's happening. Get dressed."
As we pulled our clothes on, the castle grew noisy. Shouts echoed, though maddeningly, I couldn't quite make out what anyone was saying. Just as I was lacing my shirt, running feet pounded by outside. A woman wailed.
I snatched up my sword and threw open the door. Those who'd dashed past were already out of sight, but the thing they were fleeing was still there.
Lurching down the narrow corridor, staggering so badly she caromed from wall to wall, came a slender young woman with long brown braids, one of the cooks, to judge from the stains on her apron. Yesterday she had probably been pretty. This morning, however, her face was contorted in anguish. Yellow matter dripped from her eyes and mouth, and she'd ripped through her dress to claw at the sores on her shoulders. She stank of shit and something more, a rotteness, as if she were already dead and moldering in the ground. When she saw me, she whined, and raised one bloody-fingered hand; perhaps she was no longer able to speak.
I took a step forward, and Geoff grabbed my arm. "Don't touch her!"
I didn't want to, but in that instant, I felt I had to. I tried to shake him off, and he tightened his grip. The woman vomited blood and fell dead at our feet.
"Plague," said Geoff.
Makes you want to buy the book, right? I mean, look how Christmas-y this is.
Okay, arguably not. Still, you can find the collection here:http://www.amazon.com/The-Plague-Knight-Other-Stories-ebook/dp/B00H1EN9BU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386088244&sr=8-1&keywords=the+plague+knight+and+other+stories
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