On the Barburee-occupied hillside, preparations for a siege were in motion. The stream no longer flowed down the hill and into Taz. Barburee engineers had successfully diverted the stream which now ran down the north side of the hill and out onto the plain. The wall which protected the inhabitants of Taz now blocked them from their supply of fresh water. A catapult was under construction at the base of the hill, just out of range from the archers patrolling the wall. Beside the catapult, a tower of sorts was also under construction. The tower consisted of an enclosed staircase that enabled a man to walk up to the height of the wall. Presumably the tower would be pushed into place next to the wall when the invasion began. Another cluster of men worked building ladders to scale the walls.
Hilgard and Muller were unsure of their status as prisoners. If they tried to walk too far from the stream bed, a guard would motion them back with a sword. A woman had brought their breakfast, but she either had not understood Hilgard's questions, or just did not care to answer them. The guards ignored any attempts at conversation. The two spies hoped the fact that they were still being treated with courtesy bode well for their eventual release. In the meantime, they watched the preparations for war with interest and listened in on conversations when they could.
"Once Barburee takes Taz there will be no stopping them. They can go by sea to attack anywhere," Hilgard said.
"I don't see it." Muller shielded his eyes from the rising sun. "Barburee is too attached the their nomadic way of life. I don't see them giving up their horses for shipboard life."
"Then why are they so bent on taking a port city?"
Muller gave a small shrug of his shoulders. "It gives them the ability to buy and sell more goods. It could be that. Although they seem quite self-sufficient as they are. I don't know. But now that they have chosen to conquer Taz, it might mean the port of Henge is safe for a while. And that could mean Fernland is also safe for now."
"It seemed they wanted Fernland as their ally, not their enemy." Hilgard shook his boot and a small pebble fell out.
Muller frowned at Hilgard. "There is little difference. The working class might be spared if an alliance is formed, but the Great Khan would place his own people in positions of power. The royal family, if they were allowed to live, would be nothing more than figureheads."
Hilgard seemed uncomfortable with their discussion. He was not a soldier or a strategist. He had hoped his study of languages would afford him an interesting life of adventure and discovery, but being held prisoner was not his idea of adventure. He pulled his boot back over his foot and moved closer to the empty stream bed.
"What do you suppose would happen if we were to walk down the stream bed a ways?"
"We would be herded back at the point of a sword," Muller said without hesitation.
"I'm not so sure. They are treating us well. We have food and water. No one has threatened us."
Muller, still seated, lay back on the grass with his hands behind his head. "Relax. Eventually they will send someone round." He turned his head to make sure Hilgard was listening to him. "Just make sure you stick to the story we've agree on." Muller closed his eyes and after a few minutes Hilgard joined him on the grass.
Several hours later, a harried Twenty Quivers showed up at their place by the stream bed. His irritation with the two Fernlanders showed in his stance. He leaned forward with elbows out, hands on his hips.
"Guards say you listen at command tent. Is not good. You hear Great Khan what say to generals. Not good. Not good."
"We heard voices but not what they were saying," Muller insisted.
"Why you there, listen voices?"
"We saw you go into the tent. We wanted to talk to you but we didn't want to interrupt the meeting. We were waiting for the meeting to finish."
"Why you wait back of tent?"
"It looked like important people going into the tent. We didn't want to interfere or act like we were trying to attend the meeting."
Twenty Quivers frowned and shook his head. "Is very bad, waiting behind tent." He walked around in a little circle. "What you wait say to me?"
"We wanted to let you know we were training archers to take over the job of charming the arrows. We found one man who had the magic needed for the task."
Twenty Quivers seemed mildly interested in this statement. "Barburee archer?" Then he shook his head again and shrugged. "Soldiers will tell all, no need you to tell me."
"We're very sorry for the misunderstanding." Muller bowed his head.
"Great Khan say you maybe hear what is secret from Taz."
"No, we heard nothing."
"Twenty Quivers do what Great Khan say. He say make you stay here. Siege finish, you go then."
"But that could take months," Muller argued. "We have nothing more to do, now that the arrows are all made good."
Twenty Quivers shrugged. "I go now. I much work doing. You get food?"
Muller and Hilgard both nodded, their expressions full of regret.
Twenty Quivers raised his hands in the air, as if to say, 'I have no way to help you.' He turned and quickly walked away.
"I suppose it could have been worse news," Muller said.
"I don't see how." Hilgard walked over to the grassy area by the stream bed and sat down.
Muller walked over and sat next to him. "At least we will have more time to gather information to take back to King Geoffrey."
Hilgard gave Muller an angry look and turned his attention to a weed growing in amongst the grass.
Chapter 40
Village of Helsop
Electra sat in the chart room at the back of the clinic, drawing the paw print of a wolf on a piece of paper. With or without Dagon's blessing she would study medicine and this wolf print was the first step in her elaborate plan to do so. If he did not see how important this was to her, he certainly did not love her as he claimed.
Dagon pretended to care what she wanted but his concern for Helsop's people would not allow a fair hearing. He saw only the threat to his village, should she leave, and the fragile alliance with Fernland that would surely fall apart in her absence. He was right of course, with Electra gone, King Geoffrey would try to undo the alliance that had been forced upon him. But with this new threat from Barburee, King Geoffrey might want to keep his alliance with Helsop. The whole world of alliances was constantly in flux as far as she could see, and therefore out of her control.
She heard a noise in the clinic and rushed out to check on her two patients. The two guards from the stockade had been knocked unconscious by Bataar's men and brought here to the clinic. One of the guards, Althar, was moving on his cot. Electra put her hand on his shoulder.
"Take care, you are in the clinic. You have been unconscious."
The man's eyes flitted about and finally settled on Electra.
"What happened to me?"
"You were hit on the head by one of the Barburee men. You have been asleep."
The man struggled to sit up but Electra eased him back down on the cot.
"You must go slow. Your head is injured."
"But the prisoners..." Althar stammered.
"Gone. Your friend Odin was injured as well. He is there on the next cot." She pointed in Odin's direction.
Althar turned his head to look at his fellow soldier. "Will he be all right?"
"I hope so. You are the first to regain consciousness. Do you remember what happened?"
Althar shook his head. "I remember hearing a noise."
"Do you remember your name?"
Althar looked offended. "Of course. I am Althar."
"That is good. Sometimes a blow to the head steals one's memory."
Electra moved her hand from Althar's shoulder and helped him to sit up.
"Do you think you could eat something?"
"I need to get back to the stockade. I must go after the prisoners."
"You have been unconscious for a
night and a day. The soldiers have already tracked the prisoners and given their report to Dagon."
Althar held his head in his hands and closed his eyes.
"Does your head hurt?"
He nodded slowly.
"It might be good to stay in bed a while longer. I will make you an infusion for the pain."
Electra walked back to the chart room to brew an herbal tea for her patient. He would recover, she decided. It was a good sign that he remembered hearing a noise just before he was hit on the head.
When she returned with tea infused with a mixture of herbs, Isa was talking to Althar. She wondered if Isa had really come to check on Althar, or if that was just an excuse. Dagon often sent his sister to speak to Electra after a disagreement.
"Isa, you are well, I hope." Electra sat at the end of Althar's cot.
"Yes, quite well. I am happy to see Althar awake." She turned back to Althar. "We were concerned for your welfare."
Althar took the tea Electra handed him and sipped it slowly, watching the two women.
Isa smiled at Electra. "I missed you while you were away in Fernland."
Electra thought that was probably true. Isa had been one of the first people Electra had met in Helsop. Her son, Timor, had come to find Electra as his mother lay close to death after giving birth to his little brother. Isa insisted that Electra had saved her life. They had been friends since that day. But Isa was also Dagon's sister. Dagon was first and foremost a soldier and Helsop's headman. When it came to dealing with women, he looked to Isa for advice. He had probably told her Electra was bent on leaving to study medicine and he needed Isa's help to change her mind.
"Dagon says you are thinking of leaving Helsop to study medicine."
Electra sighed, irritated that she must now defend her decision to Isa. "Yes, I am."
"You are already so proficient in your knowledge of herbs and remedies, I would estimate you capable of starting your own school."
Electra laughed at Isa's blatant attempt at flattery. "And you are most proficient in your duties as Dagon's ambassador."
Isa laughed as well and the tension between them eased a bit.
"I know Dagon doesn't want me to leave, but the idea of studying medicine has captivated me. "
"I understand. You are a person who values knowledge, a most admirable trait. I believe Dagon fears you might never return to him, once you have fulfilled your dream."
"I have made Helsop my home. That is a commitment I do not take lightly."
"Two years is a very long time to be away." Isa said.
"For one engrossed in one's work, two years will fly by."
"I feel every word we speak makes you more determined in your plan," Isa said, with a sigh. "Actually, I envy you your passion."
Althar, who looked uncomfortable listening to what he likely considered a private conversation, gave a loud belch and handed his empty cup to Electra. "I am feeling better. Thank you. I believe I should return to the stockade now."
He stood up shakily and made his way carefully to the door of the clinic, then continued to walk carefully in the direction of the command post.
Electra looked at Isa and smiled. "A soldier can not abide talk of feelings, can he?"
They both chuckled at the truth of the statement. Isa stood up to leave.
"Certainly Dagon can not," Isa said. "But this time he must. I will not argue against what you have set your heart upon."
Electra placed a cold wet cloth on Odin's head as Isa walked out the door. Then she sat down to wait.
As she had predicted, a few minutes later Dagon walked through the door of the clinic. He looked at Electra a little sheepishly.
"Could we have another go at that talk?" he asked.
Electra nodded and headed for the chart room.
Chapter 41
Village of Helsop
Dagon and Electra sat on either side of the small table in the chart room, each reluctant to be the first to speak. Dagon finally began with what he hoped was an innocuous question.
"Tell me what precipitated this notion to learn medicine."
Electra coughed softly. "It was part of a larger plan."
"A larger plan," Dagon repeated, steeling himself for whatever revelations lay ahead.
"Yes, a plan to remove myself as a pawn in this game of war and alliances."
Dagon looked stricken. "Are you speaking of Helsop's alliance with Fernland?"
"No of course not." Electra gave a little flip of her hand. "In that case, I was a willing participant, not a pawn. I am speaking of the threat to Henge and the alliance between Barburee and Fernland."
Dagon opened his mouth to speak, thought better of it, and closed his mouth. He shook his head and tried again.
"You feel you are being used as a pawn by Bataar and King Geoffrey?"
"Yes, of course I am. Marriage to a king's daughter always seems the first step in cementing an alliance. Why? I don't know and I certainly wish it were otherwise, but there it is."
Dagon thought for a moment before replying. "I still see distressing similarities to Helsop's alliance with Fernland, but since you make an exception of that, I will leave it. Please continue. What is this larger plan and how did you come up with it?"
"Actually, it was Serafina's idea. She is more far-thinking than I."
At the mention of Serafina's name, Dagon frowned and seemed to fight with himself in an effort to hold his tongue. He finally nodded and waited for Electra to continue.
"You see, do you not, that if I do nothing, Bataar will expect that he and I will marry to seal this nominal alliance between Barburee and Fernland, and further, that any current fiancés--you, for instance--must be gotten rid of."
"I hope this plan is not your attempt to protect me from the likes of Bataar," Dagon said, as gently as he could manage with his anger mounting.
"There are more factors to be taken into account."
Dagon decided simply nodding seemed a good strategy, and did so again.
"If I, or my father on my behalf, refused his offer of marriage outright, this would be grounds for forfeiting the alliance between Barburee and Fernland. That might provoke a war against Fernland as well as Henge."
"So you lose either way," Dagon said, listening intently.
"Exactly. Not that Geoffrey wants an alliance with Barburee. He does not, certainly. But of course war with Barburee would be much worse."
Dagon nodded again, sensing there was more to come.
"Serafina is not so naive that she sees a way out of war if Barburee is intent on it, but she did suggest a way out for me," Electra continued.
Dagon leaned forward, nodding eagerly, hoping they were finally close to the actual plan.
"If I were dead, I would not influence the negotiations in either direction. I would be free to do as I pleased as long as no one suspected I was still alive."
Dagon stared at Electra and stopped himself from nodding at such insanity.
"Your plan is to pretend to be dead?"
"Yes!" Electra relaxed into a smile.
Dagon looked at Electra in disbelief, choosing his next words carefully.
"Usually, a body is required to silence any speculation."
"And here we have the best part of the plan. There is a cliff not far from the castle in Fernland. At its base is a deep stretch of river. I will carve a piece of wood to make wolf tracks and it will look as though I was chased off the cliff and into the river by a pack of wolves." She raised her palms. "No body—it will have been swept off into the river."
Dagon ran his fingers through his hair and closed his eyes.
"And then you will disappear off to this school of medicine for two years so no one will suspect you survived."
"Yes, exactly!" Electra appeared delighted with his understanding. "And the best part is that it is something that I wish to do anyway." Electra reached over and placed her hands on top of Dagon's hands. "Wit
h all my heart."
Dagon managed a small smile. "At least if it does come to war, you would be safely away."
Electra looked alarmed at this new twist.
"But if it comes to war, I would return with such knowledge as I have garnered. I would want to be here to attend to the wounded."
"Would Serafina be so inclined? I fear you are too sympathetic to others to ever measure up to her ideal." He squeezed her hands and stood up. "Let me think on all that you have said. I will not try to dissuade you unless I see a reason your plan is likely to backfire and cause you harm." Dagon hesitated. "But you do know you will take away my heart if you leave."
"As I told Isa, Helsop is now my home. I will return."
They walked back to the front of the clinic, hand in hand. A messenger waited near the clinic door. He saluted as soon as he saw Electra.
"I have an urgent message from Her Majesty Queen Delphinia."
Electra tore away the seal and opened the rolled parchment.
My Darling Electra,
I hope this message finds you and Bataar already on your way back to Fernland.
Bataar's wife has come from Barburee with a message from Bataar's father,
the Great Khan.
Odval speaks almost no English and I am at my wit's end as to how to entertain
her.
Please, please, make haste back to Fernland.
Your Adoring Mother, Delphinia
Electra handed the message to Dagon after reading it.
"Ah, the first wife. No doubt she is most anxious to meet you." Dagon's eyes twinkled with amusement.
Electra grimaced. "I suppose I've no choice but to go and make her acquaintance."
Chapter 42
Kingdom of Henge
Serafina hurried along the wharves of Henge City to the dock where a newly arrived ship was tying up. The ship, named the Jungle Queen, came into port just once a year, carrying a variety of exotic items—furs, pelts, spices, jewels, gold, hard woods, papyrus, dyes, fruits and live animals. Dark skinned men shouted to one another in a variety of dialects as they furled the great sails and tied thick lines to timbers on the dock.
Serafina waited for the first man to jump down from the tall ship.
"English?" she asked.
Princess Electra Book 2 Out of Barburee Page 14