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A lance is unsheathed, a warning breathed,
The battle lines starkly drawn
Now slashes of red begin to spread.
The innocent suffers on.
What monstrous spawn has settled upon
This field of unblemished snow?
Think evening recall or drumbeats withal
Or lacework that's knotty also.
It's a plain old riddle this time. The answer is a single English word.
I really ought to mention that my plain old riddle involves multiple definitions of the same word and a cryptic-style clue. Sorry about that.
Since you said it is the same word and you used multiple meanings, maybe it is:
tattoo
A lance is unsheathed, a warning breathed, The battle lines starkly drawn Now slashes of red begin to spread.
The tattooing needle would be unsheathed and perhaps the artist would warn their client to keep still. Lines of course being tattoo lines, and blood does flow from them.
The innocent suffers on.
The client is innocent, yet they suffer.
What monstrous spawn has settled upon This field of unblemished snow?
A tattoo of a demon or some such?
Think evening recall or drumbeats withal
The tattoo of a drumbeat.
Or lacework that's knotty also.
Tatting is knotted lacework.
Could the answer be
CHILDBIRTH,
specifically
by Caesarean section?
The surgeon baring their scalpel and preparing to begin the operation.
The battle lines starkly drawn
Lines on the mother's body for the incisions, later scars.
Now slashes of red begin to spread.
Self-explanatory.
The innocent suffers on.
The unborn baby's suffering may be what caused the Caesarean section to be necessary in the first place - and as soon as it's born, it begins to cry.
What monstrous spawn has settled upon
This field of unblemished snow?
A baby could be called "human spawn", and once born it might be laid upon a spotless white sheet, like a field of snow.
Think evening recall or drumbeats withal
Childbirth might happen at any time of day, perhaps involving surgeons called out in the evening. Drumbeats could refer to the heartbeats of the newborn (thanks @Areeb for help with this clue).
Or lacework that's knotty also.
Perhaps the baby will be dressed in lace clothing? This line might also possibly refer to the umbilical cord.After the operation, the mother needs to be sewn up again, which may require the tying of knots after stitching (thanks @bg6471 for help with this clue).
I was thinking of
a grader
A lance is unsheathed, a warning breathed,
The fountain pen is drawn, with a sigh of displeasure with the exams still to review
The battle lines starkly drawn
The lines written by the student
Now slashes of red begin to spread.
The grading started mistakes are corrected with red ink
The innocent suffers on.
The poor students waiting for their results
What monstrous spawn has settled upon
The sadistic teacher finding someone to give a bad grade...
This field of unblemished snow?
...this student that submitted a blank page
Think evening recall or drumbeats withal
Grading is can be done in the evening, after class, while listening to music (a bit of a stretch for this one)
Or lacework that's knotty also.
Grading and making comments on the work of a student is difficult, "knotty"
Could it be
Nits? also referred to as lice/louse
A lance is unsheathed, a warning breathed
either the lance is the spikes of hair (if you zoom in on them they look like long spikes) a warning breathed could be when people tell you not to go near them (they have lice)
Now slashes of red begin to spread.
I know someone who, with really bad lice, got deep red gashes all across their head as they burrow into the skin. it's really nasty. it could also refer to the removal of lice (which, often using sharp combs, can make red lines)
The innocent suffers on.
self explanatory.
What monstrous spawn has settled upon
self explanatory, lice work by the eggs landing in your hair and then spawning
This field of unblemished snow?
the human scalp is white like snow, or it could refer to the white, snowy solution people spread through their hair to help remove lice
lacework that's knotty also.
knits (nits are a synonym for lice) knitted clothing is a knotty lacework
Is it:
Jousting
A lance is unsheathed, a warning breathed,
The weapon of a Joust is a lance, the Joust begins with an 'oh-yey'
The battle lines starkly drawn
There is a fence between the two Jousters
Now slashes of red begin to spread.
The battle has commenced, first blood is drawn
The innocent suffers on.
The crowd gasp
What monstrous spawn has settled upon
Who won?
This field of unblemished snow?
the maiden's fair heart
Think evening recall or drumbeats withal
The successful Knight dwells on his victory
Or lacework that's knotty also.
Not sure
