This is one of the few stories where did not want to reach the ending. I was enjoying being enveloped in the world so much I would have been happy with this just going on and on.
Obviously, being around at the time of the black death would have been utter misery for any of us, but the sensual details of the clop of horse feet, glint of sword steel, heavy, blood-red cloaks, dry straw and clean linen, and bread dipped in hot soup were delicious. They contrasted nicely with the black swellings on the sick, and the dead-fish smelling foam issuing from the demon's mouth. There were enough of these details to paint the whole picture for me. I could see the knight's trimmed beards, their breath frosting, and hear the silence of the night woods in the snow even though the author never mentioned them.
Good fight at the end, too. There were a lot of characters doing a lot of things, but I didn't lose track. And I didn't see the burning of the manor coming at all. Nice chilling surprise.
Great reading.
Well done, guys.