A Daughter's Love - Book 2 The Frencolian Chronicles (complete)

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chatelain never discovered how Ruskin talked Tristan into having his men fetch the coveted ice, but twenty minutes later, a large container of the crushed and prepared frozen substance was conveyed into the chamber.

Josh had issued numerous orders and when the ice arrived, he was ready to begin the operation.

The monk would have ordered Chatelain to leave, but due to obstinate resolution in the father's eyes, he refrained.

Time was now the enemy.

The arrowhead was sawn off and the wood smoothed and soaked in a vaporous liquid. Jobyna was then placed face down on the floor, on a specially prepared block which made room for the short protrusion.

The ice had chilled her shoulder, but they had been careful not to freeze her chest. When the moment came to pull the arrow, Josh told Marco to clamp down on one side of her back and neck, close to the arrow, and Chatelain to press down firmly, holding a piece of smooth wood on her shoulder and arm. At his command, they were to make sure she was pinned down, but not to exert more pressure than was necessary to hold her still.

Standing astride the slight figure, Josh bent to grasp the arrow with freshly powdered hands. He had made small grooves in the wood to prevent it slipping. The monk flexed his fingers, trying to dispel the nervousness he felt.

Hopefully, the arrow would come out with one man-sized tug.

To everyone's relief, it did! Josh almost fell backwards as the effort he extended was more than necessary.

The father did not protest when Simon brought a brazier containing three red-hot irons. However, he grimaced as Josh held one against the arrow wound. Another was brought and the action repeated on the front indent. After pouring a pungent-smelling spirit on the deep gauge in Jobyna's arm, Josh repeated the cauterizing process.

"Your daughter will likely suffer fever. The next few days are critical. She must drink as much fluid as possible and for this we will have to let her wake. If she takes in broth, she'll tolerate more of the sleep-inducing drug. It will be a long night."

Chatelain washed, and shaved off his beard; he knew he could never sleep, no, he would fast and pray.

Perhaps God would spare his precious daughter's life.

Ruskin strode out towards the gate, followed by three soldiers, hoping to parley with Tristan.

Not wanting to be captured, and thus add power to their cause, Ruskin called out terms of a consultation. Tristan finally agreed and the two knights, unarmed, strode to the middle of the courtyard, watched keenly by their respective men.

Reporting back to Chatelain, Ruskin verbalized the terms of truce. "Tristan will not tell us his destination but wishes to send the pack horses over the border into Strasland. His second demand is that you go as well, but he conceded when I said that we would pay as much as was offered so that you could remain in Frencolia."

He shifted his feet before saying, "Two thousand gold pieces and we must find the ransom without raising an army. He said that if troops arrive here, he'll hold the castle in siege." Ruskin paused then said, "They have the gates and endless supplies of weapons. We could be held here for months but there's enough food to last through next winter."

"What about water?" Chatelain asked, thinking of the sparser rainfall in the summer months.

"We have two wells. One's under the main keep and there's another at the East Gate. Water could be conveyed around the walls easily enough. Tristan's men will have no problem keeping control of the walls. But we'll likely lose men if we try to gain any of their positions."