Contents
Title
Titles by Author
Copyright
Dedication
Half-Title
Map: North Belkin
Map: South Belkin
Prologue
Part One: Check One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Part Two: Checkmate Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Seventeen
Eighteen
Nineteen
Twenty
Twenty-One
Twenty-Two
Epilogue
Next in Series
Acknowledgements
World Details
About the Author
Freamhaigh
Titles by Donald D. Allan
The New Druids Series
Duilleog, Volume One
Craobh, Volume Two
Stoc, Volume Three
Freamhaigh, Volume Four
Cill Darae, Volume Five (coming 2019)
Leaf and Branch (The New Druids Vols One & Two)
Stalk and Root (The New Druids Vols Three & Four)
DONALD D. ALLAN
Freamhaigh
A New Druids Novel
Volume Four
FREAMHAIGH: A New Druids Novel, Volume Four
Donald D. Allan
Copyright © 2018 Published by Copper Penny Publishing.
First Edition 2018 (Kindle)
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or in any means—by electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise—without prior written permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorised editions.
All inquiries should be addressed to:
Copper Penny Publishing E-Mail: [email protected]
Web page: donalddallan.com
National Library of Canada Cataloguing in Publication Data
ISBN-13: 978-0-9958490-4-5
Cover Design— Donald D. Allan
Cover Credits— Images and art: Copyrights: https://www.123rf.com/profile_designwest, https://www.123rf.com/profile_1enchik, and http://www.123rf.com/profile_epantha. Use of the triskelion within this novel from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Triskel_type_Amfreville.svg. The image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license and is attributed to the author Cétautomatix (artéfact), Ec.Domnowall. Interior Credits— Images and art: Copyrights: http://www.123rf.com/profile_martm, http://www.123rf.com/ profile_olivier26, and https://www.123rf.com/profile_varunalight Maps Credit— Stephen Chase
For Woody.
My awesome doogie-doog.
Yes, I dedicated a novel to my dog.
Freamhaigh
A New Druids Novel
Volume Four
Map of North Belkin: Munsten and Cala Counties
Map of South Belkin: Turgany County
Prologue
Munsten, October 901 A.C.
PRESIDENT JOHN HEALY pounded the gavel on the sound block placed before him on the table in the Privy Council chamber. Seated around him were General Ben Miller, Kamal Sherwami, Kevin Balfour, Robert Ghent, the head of his Judicial Council, and Robert Hargrave, the head of the Privy Council. He beat the gavel until the arguing died down and the faces turned to glare at him one-by-one. Except for Kamal Sherwami, he smirked and reached out for his goblet of wine and took a sip.
Healy sat heavily and tossed the gavel onto the table where it landed and bounced once before settling next to the wood base. “Gentlemen, enough! Enough! We’ve gone over this too many times. You blame the other and never yourselves. Enough! I want answers not excuses. No one is to speak until I tell you to speak, is that clear?”
Miller frowned. “Sir, I must protest…”
“Silence! Speak only when I give you permission to do so! Have I made myself clear?”
Miller’s frown deepened. He looked around the table and caught Kamal smiling behind his goblet. His mouth opened again and then he appeared to think better of it and then looked back to Healy and nodded.
“General Miller, describe what happened once more. Avoid military speech. I want to hear it explained like I was a child.” Miller started to rise out of his seat and Healy tutted. “No, stay seated. Speak.”
Miller sat as rigid as his clipped manner of speaking and explained what had happened for the hundredth time. His military cadence to every sentence grated on Healy’s nerves. He was furious. His plans to wipe out the demons, gain full control of the Church, and place himself as the permanent leader of Belkin all appeared to be crumbling. Curse that fool of a Baron. How could he have managed to cause so much damage to my army? He knew the answer and listened to Miller recount the battle hoping for anything that might point to a way out.
“We held the line and probed for weakness. We knew where to hit them and welcomed the break in fighting to plan an attack that would split their forces. But Windthrop had Brent Bairstow in command of his rebellion and he is not unlike his brother in his grasp of tactics. He knew where we would hit his line, but he reacted too quickly, and strength was not in his favour. We split the line and tasted victory.
"It was then that the demons appeared with more armed men and women. Then beyond comprehension, bears and wolves appeared alongside them and struck at our forces. The rebels found new strength and drove us back with force. They fought like demons themselves and many of my men broke with fear. By the Word! Animals were attacking our men during a battle! Animals! It was unheard of. Armed men and women were with the demons. They hit our cavalry with a precision I've never seen. They were some of the best trained fighters I've ever witnessed. They seemed disorganised, but they were a cohesive unit. They struck at our weak points and shattered the line. We were too spread out. I know now that it was Steve Comlin, the highwayman who had struck our forces for years along the southern roads. Mercenaries but well trained. Bears and wolves continued to strike from all sides. It was pure chaos.
"I watched and waited for an opportunity to counter but my reserves were already engaged. I thought us lost and was ready to call the retreat. It was then that the unimaginable occurred. The dead from both sides rose from the field and turned on the rebels. I swear on my life that this is what happened. Many were missing arms or legs, but they still fought. Those that were whole rose up and started hacking at the enemy. I saw many struck, but they shrugged off blows as if they were nothing. It nearly broke my men. But I saw they left our own forces alone. I rushed forward seeing the opportunity and ordered them to stay and fight.
“Just then a figure wrapped in black strode forward from my headquarters. I couldn't keep my eyes on him. He strode forward and, unbelievably, his presence caused Bairstow to abandon his secure position and race on horseback across the battlefield to confront him. The dead turned toward his cries and surged toward him as one. Then blazing light burst from Bairstow from an amulet he carried and struck the black figure. I thought it vanquished, but the figure repelled the light and pushed it back. As I watched, a woman suddenly appeared behind the black figure. She looked like the woman that appeared at the pavilion the day Mushir Adham arrived, if you remember. A st
range woman clothed in plants.
"The black figure turned toward the woman. Then the light from the amulet doubled in strength and I traced the new light back to the demons on the rise. Just as it struck the black figure the creature struck the woman, and she disappeared. The light vanished with her. Bairstow arrived then and leapt from his horse and drove the creature to the ground. The creature threw him free like a grown man might toss a child in the air. It was effortless and Bairstow flew many feet before he landed. He rose then and challenged the creature with his sword. I thought Bairstow doomed then, but the light returned, brighter and hotter than before. It struck the creature, and it burst into dust. The dead fell to the field. But the damage was already done to Bairstow’s forces. They were in disarray. Their line shattered.
"I didn't hesitate. I ordered my men to rally against the rebels. We started pushing them back hard. We now had the advantage of numbers on the field. The mercenaries then started to apply harrying tactics and allowed the rebels to control a full retreat from the field. It was expertly done. I'm very impressed with their leader. He is a man with tremendous leadership. We were suppressed with arrow flights and the mercenaries peeled off my men and cut them down. In short, we had no choice but to allow Windthrop to retreat. My spies tell me that the Baron’s army is holed up in Jergen and the demons have disappeared along with Bairstow.
"I returned here for further orders for the army. My orders did not include pursuing the rebels to Jergen. My concern is that the army of Mushir Adham was almost completely wiped out. The mercenaries that arrived with the demons easily worked through their sword work and decimated them. It was a slaughter. Despite our losses, the Baron lost many more. Already our army continues to grow, and training is at maximum effort. That ends my report." Miller steeled his jaw and refused to look at anyone and instead stared straight ahead.
Healy gritted his teeth and glanced at Kamal. He was greeted by the sight of the bastard still with his infuriating smirk on his face. “What say you, Kamal?” he thundered. “You seem cheery despite the loss of the Army of the East and your leaders. What happened to your great, undefeated army?”
Kamal made an odd gesture with his hand to his face. “It is as General Miller describes. We had the field. Then they escaped. Everything else is inconsequential, I assure you.”
“Inconsequential? Surely you jest? Your army was supposed to be specialised in fighting the demons. And yet they were wiped out and the demons remain in full strength! Nothing about this is inconsequential.”
“Yes, yes. I promise you that all will be as promised.”
Healy looked to Balfour and saw the man deep in thought. “Speak, Kevin. I would hear your thoughts.”
Balfour looked up in surprise and then looked to Kamal for a moment. “We won a great victory—that is certain. We pushed the enemy from the field and laid out the demons. We all saw that. They can be defeated. The Church has a long history of dealing with them and is ready to continue that effort. Our strength has always been a covert and targeted approach but requires my people to take great risk. The powers of the demons are legion and would strike fear in the most devout member of the Church. We know the magic of the demons is beyond ken, and yet the Church once managed to eradicate them from Belkin. Like locusts they rise given the opportunity. This is no different.
“What disturbs me more is at the Battle of the Crossroads, they were openly united and working together to sway the battle. This has never been seen before. The demons used to operate individually—with no clear central leadership, or purpose. Before they hid and cowered, and we hunted them down. Not so now. Before I say more I would like to state that I sense that Kamal is not what he seems to be and can offer much in the way of learning on how to defeat them more directly. I would like to ask him to reveal what it is that he hides from us.”
Kamal laughed out loud. “I am what I appear to be. A simple man.”
Balfour raised his eyebrows. “Do you take me for a fool?”
Kamal stopped laughing and looked serenely at Balfour. “My powers are mine to control. Your president is aware of who I am, is that not enough?”
“No, it is not. The souls of the people of Belkin are at risk if you cannot…”
“Enough!” interrupted Healy. “Now is not the time to discuss who Kamal is and what he provides. Our army is returned to Munsten. I need it back to full strength. I need you lot to give me your plan to quell the unrest in the villages and cities and assure the stability of my rule. I need to know that the demons can be neutralised without the Eastern Army. Kevin, as you say, your people almost wiped them out before. Can you not do so again?”
Balfour chewed his lip and glanced once at Kamal. “Yes, we can. Give me time and I will present options.”
Healy pondered that for a moment before nodding. “You have a week. Now, on other matters. We failed to recover the gold from Bairstow. Are we certain it even exists?”
Miller twisted in his seat. “No, we are not. There’s no evidence it exists, or that Bairstow has it. Whether he does or not does not change anything. Our army needs to be bolstered and I am already fully engaged in making that happen. I have pulled all soldiers from the North and left the bare minimum to maintain security in the villages. I am optimistic that we will have full strength in about two months’ time. Likely I will be at three thousand strong come spring. The remnants of the Cian-Oirthear soldiers are together and forming a small division. They refuse to work with my army and do nothing but drink, fight and harass the city. I have a security detail shadowing them and keeping them out of trouble. I’ve spoken to Kamal about it and he promises to calm them.
“Regarding the South: Windthrop is holed up in Jergen and suffers the same logistical nightmare we do. He needs more men and thankfully he has much less to pull from. I am confident that in time we will have him greatly outnumbered. Which brings up another point. I am most concerned with the Navy. I need it under control and openly patrolling our coast. More importantly I want to embargo Jergen. That means forcing the Admiral’s hand and getting rid of his ship-of-the-line. His cannons are a significant force enabler.
“I have met with those senior officers in the Navy still loyal to the Realm. They tell me that the black powder factory that powers the cannons is still under the Admiral’s control. It’s on an island outside Portsmouth. I plan on changing that balance and taking the cannons and the secret of the black powder under my control. Once I have the powder and cannons, I can confront the Admiral and wipe him out. That changes the logistics of war. We lay siege to Jergen and whittle them down through starvation. It will take time but will minimise the loss of life. We can easily gain the upper hand. I’m drafting up a full battle plan and will have it for your review in a week.”
Healy smiled for the first time since the meeting started. “Excellent, I am starting to hear solutions. Kamal, work with Kevin. Tell him what you know about the demons and help him understand how to best confront them. I want your army working with the Church, and not those doddering fools of bishops I have locked up. Together you should be able to do something. Ben, continue to draft your plans and keep me appraised of any developments, no matter how small.”
The men around the table, except Kamal, nodded.
“That’s all gentlemen, dismissed.”
Part One: Check
One
Outside Cala, October 901 A.C.
KATHERINE ROSE EARLY and squatted by the remnants of her evening fire. Dog lifted his head to look at her and then laid his head back down and went back to sleep. Katherine shook her head and smiled. She picked up a small stick and stirred the charcoal remains of the fire until she unearthed some live coals. She built up a small pyre of twigs and leaves and blew on the coals until flames rose tentatively and caught. She added small faggots of wood until a small fire burned. Satisfied it would continue to burn she grabbed her small pot and headed down to the creek.
She relieved herself behind some trees and then sat on the sandy, s
hallow bank next to a gurgling stream. She pulled off her clothes and then started to scrub her skin with water and sand. The water was cold, and she drew power from the land and used it to keep herself warm. I love being a draoi, she thought. Life is all around me. I can see it and sense it and feel so much more than just one poor woman. With a dog companion, she added a moment later and smirked to herself.
It was mornings like these when she found a calm settle within her. When Dog was awake she found it increasingly difficult to separate where she ended, and he began. Now, sitting by a cold stream washing, her thoughts were her own. She felt more in control, and saner. She loved Dog more than anything, but sometimes, it felt good to separate. She was starting to be able to control her grief over the loss of her parents. The horror had never left her, but she had found a way of setting it aside, for now. She thought often of Steve Comlin, her true father, and wondered what her life would have been like had he been around. She pushed those thoughts aside and continued to wash until her skin burned with the abrasion. The water ran pink from her arms and she saw she had scrubbed far too hard. She drew power to heal her skin and felt Dog stir across their bond.
Not for the first time she worried that breaking her bond with Gaea would sever her connection to Dog. Despite the joy at having her mind to herself she could admit to herself the thought of losing that connection would devastate her. This was the only concern she had with what Gaea wanted. She and Dog had discussed what Gaea proposed for hours last night. Not in words, but with images and emotions. It was a strange way to converse, but it now seemed almost normal to her. And I swear, it is starting to seem like words to me.
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