Silent Vows

“Do you think he has a gift? Like you?”

“Most certainly. He told me of his love for animals, and how he befriends all he comes in contact with. Maybe that is his gift. My younger sister Amber has a way with everything in fur and feathers. There have been stories of my ancestors being able to read an animal’s mind and even talk to them.”

Todd watched one of the horses that stood behind a protective glass looking at Simon. “Why is it so easy to see him communicating with it? If I believe in time travel, a woman starting a fire with a flick of a wrist, and moving heavy objects with her mind, believing in Dr. Doolittle isn’t so far fetched.”

“Who is Dr. Doolittle?” Myra asked.

Todd laughed and explained while they walked into the arena.

A huge field of dirt for the tournament and games was set in the center of the room surrounded by an arena of stadium seating. Each section was clearly marked with colors so the crowd knew which knight to cheer to victory when they arrived on the field.

Todd and Lizzy flanked both sides of Myra. Both of them watched her more than what was happening around them.

A man dressed and acting as King made a great fuss over announcing dinner before the serving people came out. Their arms were laden with pitchers of ale and flasks of wine. A chicken dinner was served with no utensils, soup was given in a bowl fit to hold in your hand and the bread went unbuttered.

Myra whispered to Lizzy. “Tara has commissioned utensils made so this practice is quickly changing at home.”

“Tara always had a germ phobia.”

Several knights in many different coats of arms came forward to entertain the guests. The music accompanying them was loud and dramatic.

Games, showing the knights skills with a lance or bow took up much of the time on the field. Often Myra would lean over and whisper to either Lizzy or Todd how these games were played differently in her time.

The dancing horses took Myra by surprise. It wasn’t common for such a display to take place at her home. The skill and showmanship was so much like a dance she hardly let her eyes stray from the beauty on the field.

Simon was in awe over the horses as any eleven year old would be. He put out a very quiet. “Cool.”

The piped in fog and flashing of lights along with the booming music enthralled Myra. Todd held her hand, stroked the inside of her wrist, and watched the show along with her.

He wasn’t surprised when he followed them into the arena. What took him back a step or two, were the looks the boy kept passing over his shoulder. His fear of being discovered prompted him to retreat into the shadows. He thought Myra was the strongest, but felt a pull from the boy indicating a strength he wasn’t expecting. Even now, several yards behind him, the boy watched.

It was time to see how powerful his prey was.

What better setting than a room full of people and animals?

Myra sat on the edge of her seat when the page announced the falconer. Anxious to see what the man would command the creature to do in a stadium this size, she wrung her hands and waited. Simon switched places with his mom and asked questions under his breath. “What’s the big deal? It’s just a bird.”

“Nay, Simon, a falcon is a weapon in these times.” She spread her arms to the arena. “They are used to hunt and scout for their master. Its talons are razor sharp as is his beak, and used because of his ability to kill prey many times its size.”

“Wow.” Simon glanced over his shoulders. Once the man on the back of the horse moved to the center of the room with the falcon on his arm, he sat back and watched.

Myra shivered, feeling a cool draft in the air.

When her hands came up to rub warmth back into her arms, Todd took the liberty to put his jacket over her shoulders, then kept his arm there.

The falconer eyed the crowd and looked toward the eves of the building. “I ask you lords and ladies for your complete silence. The falcon will not discriminate if he thinks you are a threat. Do not call attention to yourself or call out to Ely as he soars above your heads.” The rustling of movement in the arena quieted and a hush went over the crowd. With a short command, the falcon took to the air and soared above the crowd. He circled the room twice then returned to rest on his master’s arm.

The falconer gave another command and the bird took flight again, this time to a perch high above the people, where he knew his food waited for him. But on his return flight, something caught the bird’s eye, and he detoured off his predicted path.

Myra noticed the falconer’s distress when the bird didn’t go where he was supposed to. Twice he put out a signal for the bird to return, which the animal ignored.

A woman, sitting several rows behind Myra and her party, was wearing a flashing light in her hair.

The falcon screeched, filling the room with his ominous sound when he dived toward the defenseless woman. Her arms instinctively went up to protect her face. The terror in her scream when the bird scraped her arms had those around her jumping out of the way.

Her screams alarmed the falcon more, causing it to dive at her again.

Myra jumped to her feet, and in a quick motion wrapped Todd’s coat around her arm. She called to the bird, as she had heard her father do to his own.

Her command was ignored. “Call him, Simon,” she yelled over the noise of the growing chaos in the building.

Simon’s eyes moved back and forth between Myra and the flailing woman.

“Call him,” Myra yelled again.

He stood and said the bird’s name softly. The bird’s head jerked up and cocked to one side. Simon repeated his call again. “Ely, come.”

The falcon abandoned his prey, circling both Myra and Simon. Much to everyone’s surprise, Ely landed on Myra’s outstretched arm.

Lizzy pulled her son close, baffled.

The falconer attempted to gain Ely’s attention and failed. Myra spoke in her native Gaelic encouraging the bird to settle. The beast darted his eyes, confused by the mixed signals, then settled on the perch of her arm.

Myra walked to the center aisle, and anxious patrons parted giving her a wide berth. None of them uttered the smallest sound.

She made her way to the edge of the fence where the falconer waited. Graciously, she gave the bird to his owner. The trainer hastily covered the animal’s head and with a short bow, quickly left the stage.

The attention she received after everyone settled down worried her. The management resumed the show as rapidly as they could, while those people sitting around them watched her actions for the rest of the evening.

The four of them said very little the rest of the night, knowing they were being watched.