Page 47 of The Trials of Neilina MacKai
“What should we do with the abbess?”the younger woman queried.
“If we leave her here, someone might discover her and release her.Then we’d have to defeat her all over again.I’m not certain I could succeed at that a second time,” Seona commented
“Then we must take her with us, until we can find a place to hide her.”Lady Labhra nodded emphatically.
“First let us switch my clothing for hers.I’d rather not walk about this place more naked than not.”Seona wobbled a bit on her feet.
Her companion reached out a steadying hand.
“I’ll see to it,” the lady said.“Then I’ll make a sort of litter from the remnants of the alter cloth and the remaining pieces of rope.”
“You can use the leather from the sword belts too.They are useless for their original purpose in their present condition,” Seona suggested.Weariness dragged at her, but she could not afford to stop for rest.That way lay certain recapture and perhaps death.Having defeated the abbess, she was now responsible for the lives of all the captives.
“Can you carry one of the swords and one of the daggers?”Labhra asked.
“Aye.With my shoulder as it is, I cannot manage both swords.”
“I’ll put one on the litter under the abbess.We wouldn’t want her to be able to cut herself free if she wakes.”
Seona exchanged a smile with her new friend.“No indeed.Can you keep the other dirk in your belt?”
“Certainly.”
They set about putting their plans in action and were soon standing at the closed chapel doors.Seona lacked the strength to open even one of the solid oak portals.Thus, it was Lady Labhra who cracked an opening between the doors and peered out into the courtyard.
“I don’t see anyone,” she reported.
“Your field of vision is limited, open the door a bit wider and poke your head outside,” Seona advised.
Lady Labhra followed instructions.“I am now able to see the entire courtyard.”
“Is the way clear?”Seona asked.
“No.”Labhra shook her head, drawing it back behind the doors.“There are two nuns carrying food and drink.I think they are about to feed the prisoners.They never speak,” the lady explained.
“Nonetheless we should avoid them,” Seona decided.“Who knows if they are loyal to this abbess or not?”
“I agree,” Rhuad’s sister said, smiling.
They waited, then waited more.
“The other nuns will be coming to join the abbess in the chapel for morning prayers,” Lady Labhra said.“We don’t want to wait too long.Especially since it will take us time to cross the courtyard.Do you have keys to open the other doors?”
“I took these from the guards who intended to rape me.That intent gave me the opportunity to escape.”She lifted the keys she’d retrieved from the lock of her own cell door.
Lady Labhra eyed them carefully.“Those don’t look like the keys the abbess carries at all times.Fortunately,” she smiled.“I found her key ring when I exchanged her clothes for yours.”She smiled and lifted the crowded ring of keys.
“Clever girl.Let me have them.Your hands will be busy dragging the travois.I’ll be able to unlock the doors ahead of you.”
“Do you see the colored yarn on each of the keys?”
“I do now.”She’d not noticed them the first time the abbess had used the keys in her presence.
“I suspect that the different colors indicate different types of doors.That may reduce the number of keys you must try at each door.”
“Very clever girl.”
Labhra poked her head outside once more.
