The Severed City

by Christopher Mitchell

  A soldier stood and aimed his crossbow at him, but was hit by a bolt in the back, and toppled from the carriage.

  The squad emerged from the undergrowth, and within seconds the rest of the Rahain soldiers were cut down. Kellach warriors jumped up onto the driver’s benches, and slowed the lurching gaien beasts to a halt, while the rest of them moved back and formed a perimeter around the four wagons.

  Killop walked down the road, studying each. Their doors were closed, and their windows shuttered.

  ‘You’re surrounded,’ he said in Rahain. ‘You have one minute to surrender.’

  There was no sound from the carriages. Killop stamped his feet against the freezing temperature.

  ‘How can we trust you?’ a female voice called out from the second wagon. ‘You murdered the soldiers protecting us.’

  ‘It’s war,’ Killop said. ‘Soldiers die, but the Severed Clan don’t kill civilians. Are you civilians?’

  The door of the second carriage opened, and a gloved hand appeared, followed by another, both raised in the air. A woman stepped down to the ground, standing tall, but shivering despite the heavy robes she wore. Behind her, sitting in the carriage and peering out, were two young children.

  ‘We’re the sole passengers,’ she said. ‘You can search the other wagons, they contain only our possessions.’

  ‘That’s a lot of luggage,’ he said, signalling to the squad to approach the remaining carriages.

  The Rahain woman looked down. ‘We had to leave most of our things behind. This is all we could load onto four wagons.’

  ‘You’re fleeing?’

  ‘We are.’

  ‘Where are your slaves?’

  ‘They all ran away.’

  ‘Then you were in no danger from us.’

  ‘We received orders to evacuate,’ she said. ‘Listen, the children are getting cold. We had hoped to do another twenty miles or so tonight, to reach Clovenstone. If we freeze to death out here, you will still have killed us.’

  ‘Get back in the wagon,’ he said. ‘We’re taking you to the Severed City.’

  Her face paled, and she shivered harder.

  One of his squad approached.

  ‘Chief,’ he said, ‘no one else in the other carriages. Just crates and boxes.’

  Killop stepped forward, and gestured to the Rahain woman. She boarded the wagon and he closed the door behind her.

  ‘Get these gaien turned around,’ he yelled to the squad. ‘We’re heading back.’

  Warriors tugged and pulled at the reins, and slowly manoeuvred each wagon so that it faced east.

  ‘Becky,’ he said to an older warrior he knew spoke Rahain, ‘come with me.’

  He stepped up to the second carriage, now third in line on the road. He glanced around, as large flakes of snow filled the air, swirling in the chill wind, and lying where they fell.

  ‘Let’s go,’ he called out. The warriors scrambled onto the carriages, and the gaien began lumbering forward. Killop opened the door of the wagon and jumped inside, Becky climbing up after him.

  The woman was sitting with a child to either side, and Killop and Becky sat opposite, their size and thick clothes taking up the whole bench.

  The young girl to the woman’s left whimpered at the sight of them, while the little boy closed his eyes, his hands shaking.

  ‘What’s your name?’ Killop asked the woman.

  ‘Riac,’ she said, stroking her children’s hair.

  ‘I’m Killop.’

  ‘You’re the chief,’ she said. ‘I heard one of your soldiers call you that.’

  ‘You know my language?’

  ‘A little. I’ll not lie to you, there used to be Kellach slaves on the estate. I learned a few words.’

  ‘Including chief?’

  ‘That’s what they called me, as their mistress.’

  With the thick door shut and sealed, the interior of the comfortable carriage began to warm a little.

  ‘That was a lot of guards you had,’ Killop said. ‘Are you important?’

  ‘I’m rich.’

  ‘In Rahain that’s the same thing.’

  ‘I don’t involve myself in politics,’ she said, ‘and we live, lived, far from any city.’

  She reached down and took the girl’s hand. ‘Be still, child. They have promised not to hurt us.’

  ‘But mama, I’m scared.’

  ‘So am I,’ Riac said. ‘We must be brave.’

  ‘Your mother’s right,’ Becky said. ‘We won’t harm you.’

  ‘Then please let us go,’ the girl said.

  ‘We can’t,’ Becky said. ‘It’s so cold out there that you would freeze in the night. We’re taking you somewhere warm.’

  ‘You mentioned orders to evacuate,’ Killop said to Riac.

  ‘Yes,’ the woman replied.

  ‘Ten days ago,’ Killop said, ‘these hills were swarming with Rahain soldiers, as if they were building up for another assault. And the next day, they were gone. All of them. Why?’

  Riac said nothing, holding her head high.

  Killop sat back. Becky glanced at him.

  ‘What do we do now, Chief?’ she said in their own tongue.

  He frowned.

  ‘I’m going to guess,’ he said to the Rahain woman, ‘that the orders you received, and the army pulling out are connected.’

  Riac remained silent.

  ‘Maybe they’re planning an earthquake?’ Killop said. ‘Clear the area, gather the mages, and bring the whole side of the ravine down. Destroy the Severed City. I saw what your mages did to Meadowhall, the old Kell capital. The earth opened, and the whole town was swallowed up. They locked all the old and sick folk inside, hundreds of them, and they disappeared beneath the dirt.’

  Becky glowered, and he could see the anger in her eyes.

  ‘The Rahain army would never do that!’ the young boy cried.

  ‘I was there, lad,’ Killop said. ‘I saw it happen.’

  ‘You’re a filthy liar!’

  ‘Quiet,’ Riac hissed, her tongue flickering.

  ‘It’s all right,’ Killop said. ‘The boy can speak his mind. He thinks I’m an ignorant savage, and he’s right. Before your people invaded us, we were ignorant. We never imagined that a foreign race would attack us without provocation, steal our land, slaughter thousands, and cart the rest off into slavery. I wish we’d stayed ignorant.’

  The carriage fell into silence, apart from the girl’s low sobbing.

  ‘If the Rahain are planning an earthquake,’ Killop said, ‘then we’re taking you and the children to your deaths.’

  ‘It’s not an earthquake,’ Riac said, each word forced out.

  ‘How do you know?’

  She reached into a bag on the floor by her feet, and took out a paper. She handed it to Killop.

  He scanned it. It was the order to evacuate.

  It skirted over the withdrawal as a temporary expedient. Every soldier in Rahain was currently required elsewhere, therefore the protection of all estates surrounding the rebel city could no longer be guaranteed. His eyes froze at the bottom of the document. The family had been instructed to move to the capital, along with everyone who had been displaced by the invasion of Rahain by Holdings forces, along with their allies.

  ‘The Holdings?’ he gasped.

  The Rahain woman shuddered.

  ‘What?’ said Becky.

  ‘The soldiers were withdrawn because the Holdings have invaded Rahain.’

  Becky half-snorted, half-laughed.

  Riac sat still, her head bowed in shame.

  ‘We would have searched your bag,’ he said, ‘and found this anyway. You haven’t betrayed anyone.’

  ‘It’s too much,’ she said, tears starting to roll down her cheeks.

  ‘Do you know what’s happening now?’ Becky said. ‘Do you know how far the invasion has got?’

  ‘They’ve captured the tunnel,’ she said, weeping. ‘That’s all I know.’

  Killop t
urned to Becky.

  ‘This is it,’ he said. ‘This is what we’ve been waiting for.’

  ‘If the Holdings have taken the tunnel,’ Bridget said, ‘then they’ll be in Tahrana Valley by now.’ She pointed down at the map, which displayed the northern region of the Rahain Republic.

  ‘We’ve no idea how many soldiers the Holdings have,’ Kalden said, ‘and I don’t understand the part in the evacuation order about allies. What allies?’

  ‘Kellach,’ Bridget said. ‘It must be. We know many refugees headed up to the northern Plateau, where the Holdings rule. I’m sure the king had no problem finding volunteers from among our folk.’

  Brodie threw another log onto the fire. The chief’s hall was packed, with every officer and office-bearer present. The shaft leading to the outside was closed against the night air, blankets pushed in at the edges to keep out the draught. All around lamps burned, their yellow light sending shadows flickering off the walls.

  Killop felt the aches from the hours spent in the lurching carriage through the snow back to the Severed City. He had stayed awake throughout, letting Becky and the Rahain family sleep, while he brooded on what to do. He had called everyone together when they had arrived an hour before dawn, after arranging accommodation for the family, and guards to watch their rooms.

  ‘The Holdings wouldn’t risk an invasion if they didn’t have enough soldiers for the job,’ Killop said. ‘This is what Kylon was talking about, all those thirds ago. If the Holdings are here to overthrow the Rahain government, then we must help them.’

  He glanced at his captains. Larissa was nowhere in the crowd.

  ‘Dyam,’ he said, ‘how many fit and ready warriors do we have?’

  ‘Nine hundred and sixty-one Kellach Brigdomin,’ she said, ‘and one hundred and twenty Rahain.’

  ‘I’ll take eight hundred Kellach and one hundred Rahain,’ Killop said. ‘Dyam, you’ll stay here, as will Brodie.’

  ‘Where are you going?’ Brodie asked.

  ‘The Rahain capital, it’s about fifteen days’ march from here.’

  ‘I’m coming,’ Kalden said.

  Killop nodded. ‘You and Larissa will be my commanders, and Tiel for the Rahain.’

  Kalden smiled. ‘When are we leaving?’

  ‘Are we all sure that this is the right thing to do?’ Draewyn said. ‘We have peace around us at last. We’ve only just recovered from the attack two thirds ago and winter will be hard enough without us losing our most able folk.’

  ‘We have enough stores,’ Brodie said. ‘We’ll survive.’

  ‘Can we not bide the winter, and see what happens?’ Draewyn said. ‘The wars between the two biggest nations in the world are of no concern to us. I’m glad they’re fighting each other, and I hope the Holdings give the Rahain a good kicking. But out here, we can live a free life, away from war.’

  ‘If the Holdings win,’ Killop said, ‘they’ll free all the slaves.’

  ‘You don’t know that, son,’ Draewyn said.

  ‘You don’t know the Holdings, and their hatred of slavery.’

  ‘I don’t agree,’ Draewyn frowned, ‘but you’re the chief.’

  ‘It’s fine to disagree,’ he said. He looked over the hall. ‘I won’t lead an unwilling clan to war. Does anyone wish to speak?’

  ‘I do.’

  Killop looked over. It was Tiel.

  ‘Go on,’ he said.

  Tiel pushed his way through the pressed bodies, and approached Killop.

  ‘Among the slaves of Rahain,’ he said, ‘the name of the Holdings, our nation’s most hated rival, is revered. We know the Holdings keep no slaves, and dreamed that one day they would come, and smash down the old ways that have kept so many of us in chains.’

  He paused, his tongue flickering as the weight of a hundred eyes turned his gaze to the ground.

  ‘And now it might actually be happening,’ he said, his voice quiet. ‘We have shown our loyalty to the Severed Clan, proved it in the price we paid that bloody day when we were attacked. If we fight, and win, then we need never fear the approach of a Rahain army again, come to return us to servitude. I say we go.’

  Killop nodded. ‘Does anyone else wish to speak?’

  ‘I’ve said my piece,’ Draewyn said.

  The rest of the hall hushed.

  Killop glanced at Bridget.

  ‘Time to vote,’ she said. ‘Those in favour, say aye.’

  ‘Aye,’ the hall roared.

  ‘Those opposed, say no.’

  ‘No,’ a handful cried.

  ‘The chief’s will passes,’ she said. ‘As herald, I declare that the chief’s word has been accepted by the clan. We shall send our war strength to aid the Holdings, and we will defeat the Rahain. Those who remain here will guard the children, and keep the future of the clan safe.’

  Killop climbed up and stood on a stone bench. He raised his arms as cheers echoed.

  ‘We’ll leave on the third dawn from now,’ he said. ‘Go back to your squads and tell them the news. Dyam will prepare a list of the companies joining the warband. Gather here at sunset and sunrise each day until we leave.’ He nodded. ‘You all know what to do.’

  He stepped down, and the crowd began to disperse.

  ‘Do you have a minute?’ Bridget said to him. ‘Alone?’

  ‘Aye,’ he said. She walked to her room, and he followed her in and closed the door.

  ‘What is it?’ he asked.

  ‘I didn’t hear my name mentioned as one of those remaining.’

  ‘That’s right.’

  ‘I want to stay.’

  ‘What?’ he said. ‘I thought you’d be up for it. This is what we’ve been planning.’

  She smiled. ‘Killop, you know me better than anyone else, and you still don’t really know me at all. I hate war. I hate fighting. I only ever joined up in the first place because my two sisters did, and I refused to be left behind by them. I never wanted to be a warrior, and now… well I think I’m good at what I do, running the city while you’re out raiding. I like it.’

  ‘You’re good at it,’ he said. ‘Of course you can stay. I’ll miss you though.’

  ‘Thanks, Chief.’

  ‘You’ll make a great chief yourself one day.’

  Her face reddened.

  ‘I need to ask you something,’ he said. ‘Do you know where Larissa was this morning? Is she avoiding me?’

  ‘She went out hunting last night,’ Bridget said, ‘but she might also be avoiding you. You can’t keep stringing the lassie along, Killop. You need to let her know if you want to see her again.’

  ‘I don’t know what I want,’ he said. ‘When I think of her, sometimes I feel happy, other times I dread running into her. Larissa’s done nothing wrong, but I feel like I’m betraying Daphne.’

  ‘It’s been seven thirds since you heard of her death,’ Bridget said.

  ‘And what?’ he replied. ‘Is that long enough? Or not? The pain feels as raw as it ever did.’

  ‘Then maybe you’re not ready.’

  He said nothing, but knew Bridget was right.

  ‘You have to tell her,’ she said. ‘Will you?’

  ‘Aye.’

  Two days later, Killop realised that he still hadn’t said anything to Larissa.

  He had seen her more than once over that time, but always in the context of large meetings, where all of his commanders were present, and he had never found a convenient moment to talk to her alone.

  Brodie had organised a few drinks in the chief’s hall for the evening before they left. He had been forced to restart his spirit production, as all of his stock had been used to destroy Likiat’s forces, but the ale was getting better all the time.

  Killop was in the drill-hall, speaking to Tiel, and giving a few words of encouragement to his Rahain shield teams, but his mind wasn’t on it. He half-hoped Larissa would be at the chief’s hall later, half-hoped she wouldn’t.

  ‘Thank you for speaking to us,’ his Rahain comm
ander said.

  ‘No problem.’

  ‘Are you returning to the hall now, Chief?’

  ‘Not yet,’ he said. ‘One last group to meet.’

  ‘We’ll see you at dawn, Chief,’ Tiel said, a grim smile on his lips.

  Killop nodded. He walked through an arched entrance and up the stairs to the fire mages’ chambers.

  He knocked and entered. The main training room was empty, so he walked to the far end, past the open shaft leading outside. The afternoon’s light was fading, and snow was falling. He went through to the mages’ common room, a small chamber with chairs, a table, and a fireplace. Dean and Lilyann were packing, their clothes and things spread out over the chairs.

  ‘Mages,’ Killop said, ‘how are you both?’

  ‘Can I have more space on a wagon for my stuff?’ Lilyann said. ‘This little pack I’ve been given doesn’t fit half of what I need.’

  ‘The wagons are for food,’ he said. ‘Twenty day’s supplies for nine hundred warriors.’

  ‘One more bag won’t make much difference.’

  ‘If you can carry it, you can bring it.’

  ‘What if I carry it for a couple of days, then put it on a wagon once there’s space?’

  ‘You don’t need any of that shit,’ Dean said. ‘Most of it’s make-up, mirrors and hairbrushes. And clothes like you’re going to a party.’

  ‘Fuck you,’ she said. ‘If I’m going to torch the Rahain, then I want to look good. Everyone will be staring at me.’

  ‘Put everything you need into a bag and give it to me in the morning,’ Killop said. ‘I’ll find space for it.’

  ‘Thanks Chief.’

  ‘The rules can be bent for mages,’ he said. ‘Dean, is there anything you want?’

  Dean paused, his mouth open. ‘Just maybe some of my books?’

  Lilyann rolled her eyes.

  ‘Put them in a bag,’ Killop said to the boy. ‘We’ll take them.’

  ‘Why do you have to be so boring, Dean?’ Lilyann said. ‘You’re always reading those stupid books.’

  ‘Shut up,’ said Dean.

  ‘I’ve been watching your progress,’ Killop said. ‘You’ve both improved so much. I’m proud of you, the whole clan is. It’ll be a hard slog through the snow, but you’ll be travelling with the commanders. Every officer has seen war at close hand. Take their advice if they offer it.’