Chapter 24: Attack of the Dragon

3/7/1 070 We face the problem that, at least in the short term, we are immobile whereas the Worm can fly, swim and appear whenever it wants to. We do not know where it is, although Adan and myself might sense it approaching.
Clearly we need to arrange, somehow, to engage the Worm under our terms, rather than its. Gere d'Elon composed and performed some biting taunts.

Whilst Sir Zacharias comforted the Lady Mercedes, the knights and sailors attempted to unload supplies from the Swideur, and check what we had left. It wasn't too bad, but I suggested that we draw attention to spoiled supplies and draw attention away from what we had.
We were being observed for at least some of the time, by what appeared to be a small bird in the Spirit World.

I agreed to marry Sir Zacharias de la Roche to Lady Mercedes de la Grande Fond after a night of ritual purification, prayer and other rituals. This should change the Lady's status sufficient to break any hold that the Worm might have established over her.
.
4/7/1 070 Sir Z picked flowers and plaited a bridal wreath. Adan was the best man, and Lady Mercedes chose a young and pretty peasant girl as her maid.
Inevitably the intended ring had been left behind, but Adan procured a fine one of platinum and gold; it was Pierre's grandmother's.
After the ceremony, the couple retired to Sir Z's pavilion (in which, by the sound, his bagpipes lay).
After that, Sir Z strode out of the camp, and with Gere d'Elon, he challenged the beast. It did not answer (though Adan sensed that it was in the direction of Bonneau.

The villagers had helped repair the Swideur, and we departed in the evening.

6/7/1 070, half a day from Bonneau, the Dragon approached underwater, but with an ILLUSORY decoy flying towards us.
We steered for shallower water, but did not quite reach it before the Dragon reached us. Various of our engines discharged, and those of us with bows and crossbows assisted. I'm not sure if anything harmed the Dragon before it struck the rather shallow keel of our ship, tearing a substantial hole.
I ordered the anchors loosed, but they struck nothing, and sailors were forced to cut the hawsers as our ship slewed around.
A great black tentacle reached out of the water and tugged at the mast. I redoubled my chanting (I did not fight, leaving this to the knights). Knights hewed at the tentacle, whilst others sang psalms. It recoiled, stinking.
The Dragon reared up, preparing to flame. Adan, using my crossbow, shot it in the mouth, and its breath was mostly stopped by the hymns and psalms of the faithful knights. Even as the beast submerged and fled, other engines discharged. It had been wounded, but I do not know how sorely, nor if it could HEAL itself.

Sailors manned all of the pumps, and hauled canvas beneath the hull. Our pumps prevailed and we continued towards Bonneau.
.
Bonneau had been attacked by the Dragon, but the castle stood and the cathedral was undamaged. We made our way to the cathedral at once, and were very careful to present ourselves as those who had hunted and almost defeated the beast, rather than those who had stirred it up and brought it down upon the Barony.
Sir Z sent messages to la Roche and la Grande Fond.
Bishop Artoi de Bonneau was grateful when I taught the choir how to sustain a WARDING (the Choirmaster was dead, of fright, perhaps, and the complex harmonies proved beyond the Bishop). I arranged for Gere to be made a lay brother, at the core of the choir.
.
We took the engines to defend the cathedral (or the city, from the cathedral).
Baron Richelieu had been away, and I foresaw that he might try to cause problems should he return. To this end I arranged for papers from the Bishop, allowing me considerable freedom to represent the Church (in some matters) within the diocese.
The Baron did return, and summoned Sir Z to his castle. I accompanied him.

The Baron is a cunning man. He demanded my credentials (as a Robbinian Elousie), and we disputed the spiritual defences of his castle. He revealed that he is very high within the L'Enquete Curieux; the Inquisition. He might even outrank the Bishop (who certainly fears him). I had to concede his right to defend the city against spiritual enemies.
We agreed to return to la Roche and hunt the Dragon. The Baron gave me a vial, to treat a weapon. He did not explain what it is; it could even be HEALING.
Meanwhile the martial orders had been notified.

We left 3 of the engines in Bonneau, including the new one, renamed la Guêpe (the wasp), and painted yellow and black.

9/7/1 070 Farmhouses had been burned, and Chateau de la Roche had been attacked. Sir Z's father was somewhat displeased until he thought of the money that his son had married into. There was no word from Robespierre. Olivier was apprenticed to the carpenter, and showed no aptitude.