"You forget," came Natalia's voice. "You have magic to deploy, where Athelwald had none."
"And of what consequence is that?" asked the king. "Can magic defeat the enemy?"
"It can help," said Kargen. "When my village, Ord-Kurgad, was attacked, our shamans fought alongside Athgar and Nat-Alia. Our hunters fought bravely, but it was their magic that turned the tide. Without it, we would have failed."
"And who's to say you won't fail this time?"
"This is different," said Kargen, "for you can field an army backed up by three tribes."
"THREE tribes? What is this nonsense you speak of?"
"If you agree to make a stand, I shall travel south seeking aid from the Stone Crushers. With their help, we can prepare defences to defeat the enemy horsemen."
Eadred sneered. "Even without their horsemen, they are a formidable force. Their foot soldiers wear armour, whereas we have none. We cannot defeat such a foe."
"You're wrong," said Natalia. "It has been done many times in the past." She moved forward, the crowd parting to give her room to speak. "I am a battle mage, and as such, I have been trained in the history of warfare. The past is filled with tales of small groups defeating larger opponents. You have the advantage here. You know the territory, and the enemy will have to bring food and supplies with them; that makes them vulnerable."
"We cannot kill them all!" shouted Eadred. "There are simply too many of them."
"Defeating an enemy is not about killing more people, it is about destroying their will to fight on. Convince them they cannot win, and they will back down."
"Nat-Alia speaks the truth," said Kargen. "And the skrollings, as you call them, have another weakness: their leaders. Eliminate them, and the rest of the army will fall."
"And how would we do that?" asked the king.
"First," said Athgar, "we gather information. We need to know as much about the enemy as possible. I propose Natalia and I travel to Ebenstadt and do precisely that. We shall discover who is in charge and get a more accurate assessment of their troop types."
Cenric whispered in the king's ear once more. Eadred smiled, then rubbed his beard, deep in thought.
"Very well," he finally announced. "Go to Ebenstadt. See what you can discover. We shall make a stand if the fates allow it, but in the meantime, we must prepare for the worst." He turned his attention to Kargen. "Gather your people, Kargen of the Red Hand. If you can find enough of them, we will make a stand here, at Runewald."
"I shall do as you suggest," said Kargen.
"I do not wish my people to suffer," said the king, "but it is obvious to me that many wish to remain, despite the risk. We will, therefore, prepare for war. I shall send word to all the villages to call out the fyrd and march here. In the meantime, Athgar and his woman will discover what they can about the enemy."
"That is all I ask," said Athgar, bowing.
"Now," said King Eadred, "there are many plans to be made. Be off with you all, and sharpen your axes; they will be needed."
Those assembled began to file out. The overall mood was exuberant, many slapping their friends on the back and talking of the coming battle.
"If only they knew the truth," said Shaluhk, using the Orcish tongue. "I fear many of them will not live to see better days."
Kargen nodded his head. "Your words are wise, my bondmate, but we as a people must stand up to aggression, or it will destroy us all."
* * *
King Eadred waited until the hall had emptied before turning to Cenric. "Athgar is a problem for us."
"He is, my king. He has turned the village against you."
"He has indeed. We cannot allow him to get away with it, else he will soon sit upon my throne."
"Give me the word, and I shall see him banished. I will do it myself if needs be."
"No," said Eadred. "There is a better way. Athgar is going to Ebenstadt, and it provides us with a unique opportunity. While he is away, I shall reclaim my power."
"And when he returns?"
"That's just it," said the king. "You will see to it he does not. Athgar of Athelwald must die."
"And the woman?"
"Her too. I shall not suffer a skrolling amongst us. Her words have helped turn my own people against me."
"I will do as you say," said Cenric. "When shall I strike?"
"Wait until after they have left Runewald, then none shall know of their deaths. The villagers will, in time, make their own conclusion that they have been abandoned by these troublemakers."
"An excellent plan, my king."
* * *
"That went much better than I had anticipated," said Kargen.
"Too much so," said Natalia, taking her seat by the fire once more. "He's up to something."
"Who?" said the Orc. "The king? Surely not?"
"I spent a lot of time at the Volstrum learning how things work at court. I can tell when someone is lying."
"What would Eadred hope to gain by lying?" asked Athgar.
"He wants to maintain his power," she explained.
"What of it? Our plan doesn't take it from him."
"That's where you're wrong. He has lost the confidence of his people. He will seek to regain it."
"And so he can, by defeating the Church."
"King Eadred is only interested in himself," said Natalia. "I doubt he really wants to fight. Why would he? By moving farther eastward, he can still live as a king, while at the same time avoiding conflict."
"No, he can't," said Athgar. "He'd have to fight the Orcs for space."
"It is true," said Kargen. "He is obviously more afraid of the outsiders. He would prefer to fight us than have to deal with knights."
"Let's suppose that's true," said Athgar. "What would be his next move?"
"He talked of raising the fyrd," said Shaluhk. "What is that?"
"It's a local army," said Natalia, "consisting of trained villagers. At the Volstrum, we would refer to it as a levy."
Shaluhk thought a moment before continuing. "If he is calling them from the other villages, do you think he means to subjugate Runewald by occupying it?"
"It is possible," said Kargen, "but I suspect he has more direct action in mind."
"Such as?" asked Athgar.
"I think he means to kill you," offered Kargen.
"That would inflame the villagers even more," said Natalia.
"Only if they knew of your death," the Orc chieftain continued. "Remember, he approved of your plan to travel to Ebenstadt. I think he intends to kill you on your way there."
"That being the case," said Shaluhk, "you should take precautions."
"We shall remain vigilant," said Natalia, "but we cannot change our plans. Without detailed knowledge of their numbers, we can't devise a defence."
"I have an idea," said Kargen, "but it will require some careful timing."
"In that case," said Natalia, "perhaps Skora can fetch us some mead?"
"I shall be delighted," the old woman replied.
* * *
Cenric crouched at the edge of the woods, hidden from view as he observed Athgar's hut. The three Orcs had just emerged, bidding the Therengian bowyer goodbye, and the great warrior smiled, knowing his prey would soon be on the way themselves.
His men shuffled nervously, and Cenric turned to calm them. "The time is nigh," he said. "We shall shadow them until they are far beyond the confines of Runewald."
"And then?" asked Ardhelm.
"We shall slit their throats as they sleep," the big man replied, "and that will be the end of it."
"We must ensure they are far enough from the village that their bodies are not found," the younger man replied.
"Do not worry," said Cenric. "We will bury their bodies deep in the woods. Even the crows will not find them."
* * *
Athgar watched as the Orcs disappeared into the forest.
"I wish they were going with us," said Natalia.
"So do I," he replied, "but a city is not
the place for Orcs."
"I have your things packed," called out a familiar voice.
Natalia turned in surprise. "Already? You are far too efficient, Skora, and we are quite capable of packing ourselves."
"I have looked out for Athgar ever since the death of his father, and I shall continue to do so now. In any event, I can't have you two rushing off without everything you need. You've got a child to look forward to."
Athgar moved to the bag, hefting it to test its weight. "What have you got in here?"
"A week's worth of dried meat, along with some extra furs. The weather will turn soon, and we can't have you two freezing to death."
"Athgar can keep us warm," said Natalia.
"I'm sure he can," said Skora, "but the wild is hardly the place for such things."
Natalia blushed at the implication. "No, I mean he can use his Fire Magic to keep us warm. It worked well when we crossed the mountains."
"Oh yes, I keep forgetting he's a mage now."
"Not just a mage," said Natalia, "a master of flame."
"Titles mean little to me."
"As is only proper," said Athgar. "Now, let me fetch my bow and quiver, and we shall be on our way."
"Don't forget to drink lots of water," said Skora. "You don't want the baby to suffer."
"She's worse than you," said Natalia.
"As I should be," the old woman added. "Someone has to look out for her."
Athgar laughed. "How do you know it's not a boy?"
The old woman smiled. "I have my ways. Now get going before you lose the sun."
Natalia lifted a waterskin, slinging it over her shoulder while Athgar hung a quiver on the left-hand side of his belt. His trusty axe was tucked into his right, his bow, unstrung, forming a handy walking stick. He grasped the sack of supplies and slung it over his shoulder, taking a moment to adjust its weight, then smiled at Natalia. "Ready?"
"Let us be off," she said. "Goodbye, Skora. Keep an eye on things while we are away."
"I shall," the woman replied. "And you two take care. I want to see you back here, safe and sound."
"As do we," said Athgar. "We didn't trek across half the Continent to die in the woods."
It took them some time to clear the village, for the local inhabitants kept stopping them to wish them luck. It was nearly noon by the time the village disappeared from their view.
"Raleth tells me the first part of the trip is the toughest," Athgar advised her, "on account of the forest. Once we clear it, though, it's relatively flat country till the city comes into sight."
"And then?" asked Natalia.
"The city sits in the foothills of the mountains. Apparently, it can get quite rocky. We'll be going in the front gates, so we won't have to trouble ourselves with that."
Natalia looked down at her dress. "It's a good thing we still have our clothes from Corassus. We'll be able to pass for locals much easier."
"Agreed. I'd hate to think what they'd do if we wore the plain garb of the Therengians."
"There's still the matter of your eyes," warned Natalia. "You'll have to avoid looking directly at people."
"I can manage that."
"How long did Raleth say the trip was?"
"Three days. Two and a half if we're lucky."
"Well then," said Natalia, "we should put the time to good use."
"Doing what, precisely?"
"I thought you might help me improve my Orcish."
* * *
Off to the west, the sun was getting low in the sky, stretching the shadows of the trees into the distance. The Fire Mage had halted, and now he and his skrolling wife were spreading furs in anticipation of sleep.
Cenric waved his men forward. There were six of them, including the king's champion—more than enough to handle the likes of these two outsiders.
"We shall wait until they are asleep, then advance," he said. "Ardhelm, you take two and work your way over to the other side of their camp, but don't get too close."
"And once we're in position?"
"We'll wait until nightfall. At least one of them will sleep, maybe even both. That's when we'll make our move."
Ardhelm grinned. "Glory to King Eadred."
"Glory indeed," replied Cenric. "There'll be plenty of it to go around once we're done."
"Do you think they'll have anything of value?"
"I hadn't considered it, but now you mention it, Athgar's woman wears a ring that stands out. We shall award it to the person who slays her!"
They all grinned, for such a piece was considered quite the prize.
"Now, you must get a move on," said Cenric. "You'll need to get into place while you can still make out a way through the trees."
Ardhelm chose his two men and then scurried off.
* * *
Cenric risked a glance. Darkness had fallen, but the tiny clearing was well lit by Athgar's fire. The man had taken the time to gather sticks, using them to start a fire. Cenric thought this strange: he was a Fire Mage after all. What use did he have for such methods?
He waited, watching as his target tended the fire. Athgar yawned, and Cenric's pulse started to quicken. The time to strike was nigh! He rose to a crouch, his men following suit. Cenric's blade came free from the scabbard as he crept forward.
On the other side of the clearing, Ardhelm advanced, axe in one hand, shield in the other. He knew it was scant protection against the magic of the skrolling, but it gave him something to cling to in order to calm his shaking hands.
Closer he drew until he could see the gentle rise and fall of the woman's chest as she slept. He raised the axe for a killing blow.
The first arrow tore into Ardhelm's neck with such force, the bulk of it stuck out from the other side. Ardhelm had scarcely felt the blow when another struck, this one hitting his back and punching clean through his chest. The last thing he saw was the Human woman rolling out of the way as he fell.
* * *
Natalia threw out her hands, channelling a small part of her power. Ice shards flew across the camp, striking a man who had raised a spear. They hit him in the face, causing him to fall backwards, his weapon forgotten as his fingers clutched at the wounds. He fell to the ground with a scream.
Cenric watched as Athgar suddenly came alive, his surprise complete. The Therengian's hand thrust out, sending a sheet of flame at the last of Ardhelm's men, striking his foe's arm and igniting his tunic. The man ran into the woods, screaming in pain and terror, his attack forgotten.
Cenric charged forward, but a large, green figure appeared right in front of him. He only had a moment to recognize Shaluhk's features before a long knife was plunged deep into his chest. He died instantly, falling to lie amongst the pine needles.
Two men were left, but at the sight of their leader going down, they both turned, running for their lives.
"Do not let them get away," called out Kargen. He drew back his warbow, letting loose with another arrow. It sank into one man's leg, causing him to fall. Moments later, Shaluhk was upon him, her dagger finishing him off with an efficient slash to the throat.
Urughar took out the last man, running him down, and then his axe took his foe in the back of the head.
The only sounds that remained were the crackling of a fire and the screams of the man set aflame.
"I've got him," called out Athgar, disappearing into the gloom of the woods. A deep thud echoed back to the camp, and then the screaming stopped. Shortly thereafter, Athgar returned, his face dour. "That's the last of them."
"What now?" asked Natalia.
"You two will continue to Ebenstadt," said Kargen. "We three shall see to the bodies."
"Are you sure they all had to die?" she asked.
"We had no choice. Were they to return, the king would, doubtless, send more. This way, all he knows is that they disappeared. He will have no idea whether they were successful or not."
"Kargen is right," said Shaluhk. "It was the only way. You should head out as soon as possibl
e. Once we are done here, we will continue with our objective to unite the Orc tribes."
Interim
Autumn 1104 SR
* * *
Stanislav Voronsky sat back in his chair, putting his boots up onto the table. The smell of stale beer drifted up from the common room below. He winced, thinking of the mayhem that lay only one floor below him.
He had come to Ebenstadt at the bidding of the Grand Matriarch, Illiana Stormwind, but now he wondered if that choice had been wise. Natalia was known to have been in the company of a Fire Mage, a Therengian by the name of Athgar, and the Matriarch had thought it likely they would seek refuge amongst his people. It was a reasonable thought, but Stanislav had to question if the east was worth hiding out in when a Holy Crusade was about to commence. Surely Natalia knew the area was embroiled in war?
He sighed, reaching into his tunic to pull forth the letter from Illiana. The head of the Stormwind family had asked for his help, revealing that Natalia was her granddaughter, but now he had to ask himself if she weren't playing some game of power.
As a mage hunter, he was used to such things, for finding students for the Volstrum was, in and of itself, a bit of a game. Now that he was older, however, he began to wonder if his choice of profession was as honourable as he had once thought. Was Natalia the illegitimate daughter of Illiana's son, or was he being used? He tucked the letter away, unread, and lowered his feet. It mattered little whether or not she had lied. The important thing was finding Natalia and keeping her safe. And who better to do that than the very man who had originally found her?
He rose, throwing on a cape to ward off the cold of autumn, then made his way downstairs to get something to eat. The Crow and Sickle was a noisy place, filled with mercenaries and warriors seeking fame and fortune. The promise of a new crusade burned bright in the hearts of these men. Many of them lived on the edge, enjoying life while they could.
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