The Nine

by Terry Cloutier

  ​ I could feel my heart pounding with excitement and I gripped my spear tighter, resisting the almost overwhelming urge to run down to the bridge as the Piths stopped about ten paces from the Gandermen. Most of the warriors were dressed in worn metal-plated armour lined with wolf or bear fur, while a few of them here and there wore simple leather armour. All of the Piths had long, matted blond beards and hair and wore either a leather skullcap or a conical metal helm with a nose guard that reached to the chin. A tall man in the center of the Piths caught my eye and I studied him with interest. He wore an engraved black helmet accented by gold strips around the base and crisscrossing the helm. A thick gold nose-guard covered most of his face, save for his cheeks and eyes, and above those eyes, two great golden wings flared out, giving the man a predatory look that was frightening to behold. Long black tassels fluttered in the wind at the top of his helm and his silver breastplate gleamed in the sun. A black cape with red embroidery along the edges billowed behind him and he carried a shield and held a long sword with a golden hilt in his right hand. He stepped forward a pace toward the Gandermen and slowly removed his helmet. I saw that his blond hair fell well past his shoulders, the color matching his thick beard. He grinned white teeth at the silent line of Gandermen watching him and I judged him to be in his early twenties at most. One of the king’s men stepped forward a pace as well and he too removed his helmet, revealing dark grey hair cropped close to his scalp.

  ​ “Greetings,” the blond man said cheerfully. He propped the point of his sword against the stone by his feet and leaned on the hilt, then gestured to the Piths to either side of him with his helmet. “Some of my men here claim that your fat king likes to rut with donkeys and pigs.” He raised his eyebrows. “Is that true?”

  ​ Several of the king’s men shook their swords and shouted in anger at the insult, but the blond man just smiled back at them and waited. The leader of the king’s men held up a mailed hand, silencing them. “Who are you?” he demanded.

  ​ “Does it matter?” the blond man asked with a shrug.

  ​ “Yes, it does,” the Ganderman said. “I like to know a man’s name before I spill his guts on the ground.”

  ​ The blond man laughed at that and he nonchalantly twirled his sword on the stone. “They call me, Einhard,” he said, bowing his head slightly. “Sometimes I am known as Einhard the Unforgiving.”

  ​ “The Sword of the King,” the grey-haired man said grudgingly. “I’ve heard of you.”

  ​ “The very same,” Einhard acknowledged with a grin. “And you are?”

  ​ “Fanch Evenon,” he replied. “I command the garrison here.” Baine, Jebido and I all shared a glance. We remembered Fanch. He was older and greyer now, but it was unquestionably him.

  ​ “Well,” Einhard said thoughtfully. “That’s a mighty fine name, my friend. I’m glad you told me, since, as you pointed out, it’s good to know a man’s name before you spill his guts on the ground.” Einhard smiled at Fanch and then he glanced over his shoulder at the besieged fortress behind him. “Shouldn’t you be in there, Commander, rallying your troops or something like that?”

  ​ “I like it here just fine,” Fanch growled back.

  ​ Einhard tipped his head back and laughed. “We’ll see about that.” His smiling face turned hard. “My terms are simple, so even you should be able to understand them. You and your men will surrender now. If you do this, one out of every three of you will live, at least until tomorrow anyway. You have my word on that.”

  ​ “The word of a heathen means nothing to me,” Fanch snorted. “Do your worst you piss-drinking savage!”

  ​ Einhard grinned. “I rather hoped you’d say that.” He raised an eyebrow. “No quarter then?” he asked.

  ​ “No quarter,” Fanch agreed grimly as he replaced his helmet and returned to his men. The Piths began to bang their weapons against their shields, hurling insults at the king’s soldiers as Einhard put his winged helm on and then waited. I could see him grinning widely beneath his helmet and he looked as though he was thoroughly enjoying himself. If anyone saw us standing above the bridge on the hilltop, they gave no sign of it

  ​ “Any moment now,” Jebido whispered knowingly.

  ​ “Kill them all!” Einhard abruptly screamed, raising his sword and sweeping it toward the Gandermen. The Piths cheered and surged forward as Fanch gave a single, sharp command, forming his men into two tight lines. The soldiers armed with spears took up positions in the front rank and locked their shields together, forming an imposing wall with the weapons balanced on top and bristling toward the Piths like quills on a porcupine’s back. The soldiers standing in the second line then lifted their shields in a practised motion over the front ranks’ heads, protecting them.

  ​ “It will help,” I heard Jebido mutter.

  ​ “Will it be enough?” I asked. Jebido just shrugged as the Piths fell on this wall of steel in a wave of fury, screaming and cursing as they stabbed and hacked with sword, axe and war-hammer. The halberds were rising and falling from behind them now, the steady rhythmic clang vibrating up from the bridge as the heavy axe heads crashed against the upraised wall of shields protecting the front line. I could see the legs of the soldiers in the second rank buckling under the onslaught but, despite the constant barrage raining down on them, they pushed back and steadied, holding firm. A Ganderman in front suddenly stumbled and his shield lowered just a fraction, enough for the hook of a halberd to latch on to it. The soldier was drawn forward helplessly and he fell, still struggling to protect himself as he was trampled underfoot by the seething mass of battling men above. I saw Einhard encouraging his warriors into the gap left by the fallen man even as he stepped over him and jabbed the top of his shield into an opponent’s face. The Ganderman cried out as his nose shattered and then, moving faster than I would have thought possible, Einhard whipped his sword up and out and slashed the man’s throat. In the same motion, he hacked downward, cutting a spearhead off at the haft before lunging forward. I don’t know what became of the spearman after that as he was lost in the swirling press of bodies.

  ​ “Mother Above!” I whispered, awed by Einhard’s speed and strength. I could feel my blood humming along my veins, all my senses tuned to the battle below. Without realizing it, I started to move forward as though in a trance.

  ​ Jebido saw me moving and he grabbed my arm roughly. “Don’t be a fool!” he hissed at me. My cheeks felt flushed and my eyes seemed as though they were burning up within my skull. I looked at Jebido, unable to control my excitement and his face fell. “Mother’s tit, boy! You only have a spear and wear no armour. They’ll kill you!” I was about to tell him that I didn’t care, that I needed to go down there and fight when a great cheer suddenly arose from below. Incredibly, having resisted the Pith’s original onslaught, the disciplined Gandermen were now pushing the blond warriors back step by bloody step along the bridge. “A cornered rat always has the sharpest teeth,” Jebido said to me grimly as we watched the fierce battle. He continued to hold firmly onto my arm, taking no chances.

  ​ I looked for Einhard in the confusing swirl of battling, cursing men. Finally, I saw him down on one knee with his shield raised above his head as a massive Ganderman pounded his sword repeatedly against it. Another soldier swung low at the fallen Pith leader, intent on taking out his vulnerable leg, but Einhard just managed to deflect his blade and he stabbed outward, narrowly missing the man’s unprotected torso. I couldn’t contain myself any longer and I shrugged off Jebido’s hand and pointed to the forest on the other side of Father’s Arse. “You and Baine run for the trees and get out of here!” I shouted, and before either of them could say anything to stop me, I sprinted down the hill. I was seventeen and finally free, and for the first time in my young life, I felt fully, gloriously alive! I lowered my spear, screaming like a man crazed as I reached the bridge and kept running. As I drew closer to the battle, I focused on the broad back of a Ganderman in the center of the back line
and I headed straight for him. The soldier had long brown hair spilling out from the back of his dented helmet and he must have heard or sensed me somehow, because he turned and glanced back and his mouth dropped open comically as I bore down on him.

  ​ “To the rear!” the soldier screamed in panic as he spun to face me. Behind him I saw a halberd come crashing down onto the helmet of the Ganderman the long-haired soldier had been protecting with his shield. The man’s helmet split in two and he sagged as blood spurted and bits of bone and brains exploded outward. I snarled as I closed the distance with my target and I jabbed the spear point directly at the center of his chest. The soldier swung his shield up, deflecting the point of the spear to the side. I felt my arms and shoulders go numb at the jarring impact and my spear lowered enough for the soldier to stomp his booted foot on it, pinning it to the ground before he snapped it in half with his sword. He grinned mockingly at me and then raised his blade to strike me down just as a spear hissed past my ear. The point caught the Ganderman in the neck, sending out a spray of blood that drenched me before the man’s eyes fluttered and he collapsed.

  ​ “We couldn’t let you get killed all by yourself, you young fool!” Jebido grunted as he ran past me. He grabbed the end of his spear and wrenched it from the dead man. I barely had a moment to grin my thanks to him and Baine before we were suddenly surrounded by soldiers. I flinched, expecting a sword thrust at any moment, but the men bearing down on us seemed completely oblivious that we were even there. Somehow the Gander shield wall had been broken and the soldiers, who’d shown such composure moments earlier, were now in a frenzied panic as they ran for their lives. I had no idea what had changed to snatch apparent victory from the Ganders, but I was to learn over time that a battle could be won or lost simply on the morale of your men. Once fear sets in, even the most hardened men become prey to it and they will run. The fleeing Gandermen continued past us and ran up the hill, clearly heading for the safety of the trees on the other side of Father’s Arse, while behind them gleeful Piths gave chase. Most of the Gandermen didn’t even make it all the way up, as they were caught and brought down by Piths swinging axes and war-hammers. I noticed that one very fast soldier had not only made it to the top of the hill, but was now almost halfway around Father’s Arse. He was being heartily pursued by three Piths and, as I watched, one of them drew back his arm and threw his war-hammer, which caught the fleeing Ganderman on the back of his knee. The man cried out and fell heavily to the ground, and then thrust his hands up in the air defensively as the Piths surrounded him. I heard him pleading desperately for his life, but the warriors just laughed and fell upon him, stabbing and smashing until he lay still. Afterwards, one of the Piths lifted his war-hammer in the air and whooped as he shook it at the sky.

  ​ “Hadrack,” Baine whispered. He grabbed my arm and motioned to the bridge behind us. “It’s Fanch.”

  ​ I turned to see that the garrison commander had chosen not to run like the others and instead he stood with his back facing us, glaring at the Piths. His helmet was gone and dark red blood ran down the right side of his face. I saw that he’d lost his shield and that he held his left arm bent awkwardly against his chest. Einhard smiled at him and took off his helmet and handed it to one of the other Piths before he focused his amused eyes on me. I noticed they were a startling bright green. “Well done, Ganderman!” he called to me. “I am indebted to you.”

  ​ “For what?” I managed to mumble. Beside me I heard Jebido whisper to be careful.

  ​ Einhard spread his arms and I saw blood seeping from a long gash on his bicep, but he seemed unaware of it. “For attacking their rear and distracting them. We would have won anyway, of course, but it certainly made things easier.”

  ​ “We had you beaten, piss-drinker!” Fanch snarled as he pointed the tip of his red-smeared sword at the Pith. He turned and waved the sword at me and I could see rage simmering in his eyes. “The only thing that saved your asses was this overgrown puppy sneaking up behind us like a coward!” I bristled and felt my face flush and I took a step toward him. Fanch just laughed. “Don’t waste my time, boy!” He deliberately turned his back on me and faced Einhard. “We have unfinished business, you and I.”

  ​ Einhard bowed his head. “Ah, yes, the spilled guts I do believe.” He threw his shield to one of his men and smiled at Fanch. “Shall we get on with it then?”

  I could feel my entire body shaking with anger as the two men glared at each other, both having clearly forgotten about me. Fanch had called me a puppy and a coward and it had instantly enraged me. Perhaps it wasn’t just the words, but also the way he’d so casually dismissed me, turning his back to me in contempt that had set my blood boiling. I don’t know. All I could think about was that I had to kill that man. I glanced down, gliding several steps sideways to stoop and pick up a fallen sword and I swished it in my hand, testing its balance. I’d never actually held a real sword before and it felt marvellous.

  ​ “Don’t turn your back on me, shit-eater!” I shouted at Fanch’s back.

  ​ Einhard’s eyebrows rose in surprise when he saw I held a sword and then he grinned at Fanch. “Well, it would seem that the overgrown puppy has other ideas.”

  ​ Fanch snorted. “This won’t take long, heathen, then it’s just you and me.” He took three long strides toward me and as he walked, he snapped his sword back and forth like an angry cat’s tail. I waited for him with my blade held awkwardly in my hand and as he drew closer, I clumsily brought my guard up. Fanch snickered in contempt and behind him I could see Einhard frowning. “You’re just a big, stupid peasant!” Fanch sneered. “I bet you’ve never even touched a sword before today.” Fanch took another step toward me and I took one back, and he laughed. “I’m going to enjoy making you squeal!”

  ​ I could hear both Jebido and Baine offering encouragement from behind me and I nodded, never taking my eyes away from my adversary. Fanch grinned and then he lunged forward with his sword without any warning. He was quick, quicker than I’d expected he would be for a wounded man and I leapt back desperately just as Fanch broke off the attack. The older man smirked at me and I realized it had just been a feint. I glowered back at him. I could hear Jebido’s words in my head that he’d drilled into me repeatedly over all those years down in Father’s Arse. Be smart, be quick, and be strong, but most of all, he would say, be cautious. I decided to be all of those things except the last one and I leapt forward and took a wild swing at Fanch’s head. The Ganderman easily ducked the blow and then he swung his blade sideways at my legs, his face already breaking out in a triumphant grin. He’d done exactly what I’d expected him to do and I brought my sword down hard and fast, just as Jebido had taught me and I blocked his blade. Then, in the same motion, I thrust forward with the hilt, smashing it and my fist into the older man’s face. Fanch grunted and his head snapped back and he staggered to one knee. I felt raw power bursting along my arms from all those years of hard labor in the quarry and I struck down at his unprotected head with all of my strength. Fanch somehow managed to bring his sword up just in time and the two blades met with a thunderous clash. I grinned at the look of utter shock on his face at the force of my blow and I swung downward a second time, and then a third as Fanch desperately tried to block me. Jebido had told me repeatedly over the years to never underestimate an opponent, and now I understood why. Fanch had badly underestimated me and it was about to cost him his life. It was a lesson I would not soon forget. I swung down a fourth time, putting everything I had into it and Fanch’s blade shattered beneath me. My sword kept going, cleaving off a sizable portion of his skull as blood sprayed outward in a gush. Fanch’s eyes widened and his body twitched, and then he slumped to the ground.

  ​ “That’s for Twent, you shit-eater!” I snarled as I spat on the dead man.

  ​ “Well fought, Hadrack!” Jebido cried. He and Baine ran to me and began to slap my back repeatedly in congratulations before Baine gave me a warning nudge as Einhard and the r
est of the Piths strode up to us.

  ​ “That was very entertaining, Ganderman,” Einhard said. He stopped and stood with his hands on his hips and grinned at me. “I thought you were a dead man at first.”

  ​ “I got lucky,” I said. I could feel my legs and arms trembling as I fought to catch my breath and I gestured to Fanch’s body, hoping Einhard wouldn’t notice my shaking arm. “He was wounded and overconfident.”

  ​ “True enough,” Einhard said. “He was both of those things.” He glanced down at the dead man and looked thoughtful. “But lucky? Maybe, maybe not. Sometimes men make their own luck.” A great cheer rose up from the encampment behind us as the Piths finally breached the fortress gate and Einhard turned to look over his shoulder. “It’s about time.” He pointed a finger at me and glanced at a huge Pith with long blond hair tied in a braid down his back. “Eriz, I want to talk with this one later.” He waved a hand at Jebido and Baine. “You can kill these two.”

  ​ “What!” I gasped as the Piths began to converge on us. Beside me Jebido lowered his spear threateningly and Baine crouched to pick up a sword that lay nearby. “Wait!” I shouted, lifting a hand. “You can’t do this!”

  ​ Einhard frowned and made a gesture, halting his men. “I can’t?” he said in mock surprise. He swept his arm behind him at the burning encampment. “Do you see that, Ganderman? I’m in charge here now and I can do whatever I please.”

  ​ “They’re my friends,” I pleaded.

  ​ Einhard shrugged. “So what’s that to me?”

  ​ “You said that you were indebted to me,” I countered, thinking desperately.

  ​ “True enough,” Einhard nodded. “And I’m paying that debt back by letting you live. I owe them nothing.”