“Form up!” Samantha yelled and those around quickly merged into the defensive square they had long practiced. The formation differed from the diamond formation they used against cavalry and offered much more protection for those near the front. It took great discipline. To survive they had to fight as a unit, only together with a tight, bristling front could they hope to hold off a determined force of infantry.
Once her immediate group was formed, they were perfectly placed to reinforce the front lines if necessary, and for several long minutes it seemed as if they would not be needed, but then suddenly and with almost no warning the Massi lines parted and dissolved away. The front lines of the Palmerrio were quick to press their advantage and stormed through the gap. Samantha braced for the impact and against her will her thoughts centered on the baby growing inside her. Her eyes watered momentarily with fear, but she shook them away just as the first of the enemy troops came within range of her pike. She screamed, stabbed and pushed with the rest of her archers and initially drove back the attackers, killing and wounding many, but as the Massi bowmen pressed forward over the inconsistent footing caused by the dead and dying their momentum faltered. Still they held their position and closed the gap, keeping the battle from turning into a disaster. It was not until a figure robed completely in black appeared on the scene that the tide began to turn against them.
Fear exploded inside Samantha as she caught sight of the Executioner who was viciously attacking their formation several yards to her left. Only the constant attack coming from the enemy soldiers directly to her front kept her from fixating on the man in black for more than a moment. Even so her mind would not leave the Executioner that was fighting and killing so close to her. Still, she had to work with those around her if they were to have any hope of surviving, so she kept her attention on the fighting right in front of her. She didn’t even flinch as the point of her pike sliced through the eye of a Palmerrio soldier. He screamed and staggered back a half step, but then she drove the point through his neck. Blood dribbled over the steelhead of her weapon for a moment but then she jerked the weapon free amidst a fountain of blood. Mercifully the man immediately fell and was lost from view. Samantha immediately turned her focus on the next soldier as he moved forward to take his fallen countryman’s place. She continued to fight in control until the Massi archer directly to her left let out a piercing scream. Her attention finally wavered and she shifted her gaze once again to the killer from Sinis. Her heart jumped when she saw that the formation on the left side had completely fallen away. Her stomach trembled as she watched the man in black slice through Anthan Drable’s neck. The young man went down without a sound. Samantha started to turn but felt her pike being knocked aside. Her eyes jerked to the front just as the sharp edge of a long sword came crashing down on her left arm, just below the elbow. Her pike instantly fell from her grip and for a moment she felt no pain. Her ears roared and her eyes glazed over as she looked, somewhat bewildered, at the stump of her limb. She held it up, morbidly fascinated, and noticed that her forearm was still attached by a thin slice of meat and skin. Blood was pouring from her wound making the white of her bone stand out in contrast. She was vaguely aware that the soldier who’d lopped off her limb was now advancing on her, but then like an avalanche, the pain engulfed her and she screamed and fell to the ground. She cradled her wounded arm as Cobb rushed forward and skewered the man attacking her. She was awake but not completely cognizant when the big man lifted her into his arms and lumbered away from the battle, heading toward the rear of their lines.
Samantha was holding her wounded arm close to her body and supporting the flapping forearm with her right hand. She stared stunned, as the blood poured from her. It was covering her midsection at an alarming rate as Cobb ran from the battle.
“Strong girl…strong girl…strong girl,” Cobb said over and over as he flew down the hill.
‘We’re going to die,’ she thought, thinking of herself and her baby, and then ever so gently she was placed on the ground where her blood darkened the grass around her.
“Move!” she heard a voice she vaguely recognized as Van’s. The young Deutzani’s features swam before her for a moment. If the pain hadn’t been completely overwhelming she might have laughed at the horrified expression which appeared on his face. He glanced up quickly into her eyes and she saw only fear, but then without hesitation he pulled a long knife from his belt and cut away the dangling section of her arm. The pain she felt was already overpowering her senses and she did not feel anything more as he cut her lower arm away. Her eyes remained glued to her severed limb as he quickly laid it aside. Samantha stared at the fingers of her missing hand with sick fascination, and then suddenly leaned over and threw up her breakfast. While she wretched over and over, Van steadily tightened a tourniquet around her upper arm. He twisted a stick wrapped in a kerchief so tightly that she thought he was trying to pinch off the rest of her limb. She was dizzy when she finally gained control of her stomach and was able to sit up once more. Her arm was still lying there before her, white and still. She stared at it a moment.
“Away!” She suddenly shrieked at the top of her lungs, causing Van to jump and flinch away from her.
“Take it away!” she yelled again, more of a wail than a command but Van nodded to one of the men standing over him and he bent down and picked up her arm. He held it gingerly, far out away from his body, as if it were a snake that might strike at any moment. Samantha continued to stare at the limb until finally he carried it out of sight and part of her was gone forever.
Samantha’s eyes were watering ceaselessly now and her arm was beginning to throb.
“Let’s do it now,” Van said and then he reached for something out of sight. Samantha was surprised to see that it was a brightly burning torch.
“Hold her!” She heard Van say but his voice seemed to be coming from underwater.
“You gonna hurt her?” Samantha heard Cobb ask.
“Cobb hold her,” Van repeated strongly.
“You’re gonna hurt her,” Cobb insisted.
“Yes Cobb! I’m going to hurt her. If I don’t she’s going to die,” Van was all but yelling though Samantha barely heard him and did not feel Cobb’s strong hands grab on to her. But when Van pulled the stump of her left arm away from her body and over the flames of the torch she let out a long, piercing scream. Instinctively she fought against the hurt, but found she could not pull away from the massive strength of the simple man who held her.
‘I’m burning….he’s burning me!’ She thought crazily and then began to shriek even louder. She screamed and screamed and fought desperately to pull her wounded arm away from the flames, but then the shock and pain drove her into unconsciousness.
VIII
Gwaynn stepped through the bridge with a heavy heart, and for a moment was completely oblivious to the chaos all around him, and then he spotted Lonogan Bock striding toward him.
“You have him?” Bock asked, catching sight of the limp body being pulled through the bridge. Bock frowned when Gwaynn shook his head negatively and then looked closer at the body his King was placing gently in the grass. The General’s eyes went wide as he recognized Krys
“Should we pursue?” Bock asked, pulling his eyes from the young, peaceful face of the former Weapons Master of Massi. Gwaynn ignored the question for a moment still concentrating on Krys. Lonogan waited with a feeling of dread, hoping this new loss would not unhinge his young King. The Palmerrio had broken their lines on both the left and the right, only the Toranado center held and if the enemy had not inexplicably abandoned their attack, he honestly believed the battle might have turned into an utter disaster. His army was mere moments from complete collapse.
Gwaynn shook his head once more and finally from his lack of reaction Bock realized that everything had gone horribly wrong.
“How did it happen?” Lonogan asked and suddenly he had a great urge to be away from this place.
“Arrow shot,” Gwaynn finall
y answered. He lifted his head slowly and gazed up at his General. “Do we have word on the Palmerrio cavalry?”
“No,” Bock answered still staring down at Krys. The young man was so skilled with his weapons and so full of life that Lonogan was having a hard time believing he was dead, even while looking at his corpse.
“Send out scouts to search for the enemy cavalry and Kommidi. We need our Captain and his horses back if we are to shadow the main Palmerrio army,” Gwaynn suddenly said coming alive. He realized now was not the time for grief. If he succumbed to his hurt he might put everything in jeopardy and Krys would not have wanted that.
“What happened?” Bock asked, watching as all around them the army began to assemble for retreat.
“They had reserves waiting…archers and cavalry…plus Executioners,” Gwaynn explained. “There were two…I moved on them expecting Krys to corral the King…” his explanation suddenly stopped. “The battle?”
Lonogan shook his head. “Our lines collapsed on the right and left…if not for the Toranado,” he explained, shaking his head sadly. “There were Executioners in the main body of the Palmerrio army as well. I counted at least three in the center; if there were more it might explain why our lines collapsed so quickly.”
Prince Phillip walked up, accompanied by Tabernas.
“We should move to the north toward Colchester…get some distance between the two armies,” Phillip said gazing down at the dead body of the young Weapons Master. Gwaynn only nodded. Phillip finally grimaced then he and his own Weapons Master moved off to see the job done.
Automatically Gwaynn started after them but stopped once more as David Hahn rode swiftly up on horseback, his face ashen.
“The Palmerrio?” Gwaynn asked instinctively, but Hahn shook his head.
“It’s…it’s Samantha,” he said and explained her injury, but Gwaynn heard nothing after her name. His ears roared and his legs went weak and shaky. He wavered slightly and was suddenly frantic to see her.
“Where?” he croaked as Hahn extended a hand to pull Gwaynn up behind him onto the horse. Gwaynn stumbled again; suddenly very weak, but then Lonogan stepped forward to help.
“Hang on,” Hahn said once Gwaynn was up and then he spurred his mount toward the rear of the lines.
They reached the wounded quickly but to Gwaynn it seemed to take a lifetime. He spotted Cobb gently holding Samantha and was suddenly revitalized. He jumped from the horse while it was still moving very swiftly. He hit the ground on a run and was by her side in seconds. Cobb gave way to his King without complaint and stood muttering. “Strong girl…she’s a strong, tough girl,” over and over again.
Van was kneeling over Samantha, but as Gwaynn approached he also stood and moved a short distance away. Samantha was very, very pale and for a brief, agonizing moment Gwaynn believed she was dead, but as he fell to the ground and pulled her into his arms he felt her warmth and pliability. She groaned and tears sprang into his eyes and he cried for the first time since promising himself that he never would again. But he did not notice his tears as he kissed her all over her face and neck; he kissed her lips, her hair, her cheeks and eyes. He kissed her until she drifted back toward consciousness.
She opened her eyes, but he was busy at her neck.
“Gwaynn,” she croaked and he pulled his head up, his heart soaring. “I’m sorry…I’m so sorry,” she whispered and began to cry softly.
“Don’t cry,” he answered, smoothing her hair gently.
“The Executioner…” she tried to explain and hatred like nothing Gwaynn had ever felt flamed in his breast. It engulfed him to such a degree that he was unable to speak and could barely breathe.
“I will kill them…I will kill them all,” he promised and this was one promise he fully intended to keep.
Samantha continued to cry softly and Gwaynn continued to sit and hold her until Lonogan Bock appeared with Jess na Gall and Monde.
“The Palmerrio are moving off to the south, hugging the mountains,” Bock informed him. “Kommidi had a small engagement with the Palmerrio cavalry but it didn’t amount to much and the Palmerrio horsemen have since ridden off, following their army.”
Gwaynn nodded. He heard the man’s words but nothing much was registering in his brain at the moment.
“I’d like to take the army back toward Colchester,” Bock said.
“What of Lynndon? It’ll leave Marcum and his men exposed,” Gwaynn said finally coming around as Samantha grew quiet once more and closed her eyes.
Bock smiled wryly. “We’ve had at least some good news today. The Deutzani army was destroyed…Arden is dead.”
“Destroyed!” Gwaynn and Samantha said as one; her eyes flying open at the news, she even smiled when Gwaynn looked down at her. She was pale and her body was shivering slightly, but even so she was heartbreakingly beautiful.
“Seems Gaston disregarded orders and moved his men down the Scar River and attacked,” Bock said and watched Gwaynn’s expression darkened. “Marcum claims he called him for aid…and that Lynndon was about to fall.”
“Manse?”
Bock nodded. “The Knights are making preparations but they’ve not attacked yet.”
“We’ll be caught between two armies,” Hahn said, but before anyone could answer Van spoke up.
“We need to get her and the rest of the wounded to Linkler,” he said strongly. “I’ve done what I can for her, but Linkler’s a true doctor.” The young Deutzani turned to na Gall. “Can you Travel with the most critically wounded?”
Jess thought about it a moment, then nodded her head. “It will put me out of action for a day, but I can…”
“I’ll do it,” Gwaynn interrupted, then glanced at Van, who nodded up the hill.
“The rest of the wounded are up the hill a bit…we’ll need a few minutes to prepare,” Van answered and left but then quickly returned with a cup.
“How do you feel?” He asked Samantha, kneeling beside her.
“It hurts,” she hissed through partially clenched teeth.
“Drink this…it will take the edge off of the pain,” Van answered, impressed with her control. “I’m sorry I don’t have anything stronger.”
She drank from the cup.
“Willow bark,” Van told Gwaynn who was looking at him questioningly. “Can you walk?” Van asked Samantha when she was finished with the draught.
Van and na Gall raised her from her prone position and helped her off Gwaynn’s lap and then to her feet. She stood for only a few seconds before her legs grew shaky then she gagged once but she somehow held down the medicine.
“I don’t…” she began but stopped as Gwaynn carefully lifted her into his arms and carried her gently up the hill to where the others were waiting.
Fifteen minutes later, the bridge was open and the seriously wounded were carried across into Manse where Doctor Linkler quickly took charge of the situation. In all fifty-seven men and women needed urgent care and another sixty where needed to help transport them and by the time they were all through the bridge Gwaynn was seriously tiring, but he managed to hold the portal open until all were through.
“See to Krys,” he said to Lonogan, his voice breaking slightly. “See to all our dead.”
Lonogan nodded and then Gwaynn shakily lifted Samantha and carried her across to Manse.
ǂ
“We were close to crushing them,” General Sanchez insisted excitedly.
“We were close to losing everything,” King Weldon snapped back glancing warily at the Speaker bubble floating in the center of the tent. “They had a Tar in our rear…and they have Travelers.”
“We had our reserves well placed,” Sanchez argued. “We should turn about and press them.”
Weldon shook his head. “They have a Tar! We need to fall back through the Aleria Pass and circle back around to the plains. Is the Gap is still open?”
“You will do no such thing,” Hothgaard’s voice boomed through the Speaker bubble. “We are preparing to
attack the northern walls of Manse. You must keep the Massi army up on the Plateau and away from the area.”
“They have a Tar!” Weldon repeated once more, still shaken by the quick, decisive deaths of two of his Executioner allies.
“I do not think he was a Tar,” the Executioner Giodart said confidently from his chair on the far side of the tent.
Weldon’s head swiveled to the man from Sinis. “If not a Tar, then who? The man killed two Executioners in under a minute. They hardly challenged him.”
Giodart stared at the Palmerrio King seemingly unperturbed by the comment, but greatly concerned by the implications. “Prince Gwaynn Massi would be my guess,” Giodart replied dryly. “Do not forget that he trained on Noble and under Tar Nev.”
Weldon barely controlled a shiver at the mention of Nev’s name. “He was only on Noble for a little over a year.”
“You will continue to engage the Massi army,” Hothgaard’s disembodied voice interrupted. “Keep them out of Manse.”
“What of the Deutzani?” Weldon asked.
“We’ve no word,” answered Hothgaard. “Perhaps their Speaker has been killed or wounded, but according to Arden’s last report Lynndon was near to falling.”
“Then the Deutzani could press west toward Manse,” Weldon answered and continued to hold out hope of moving back through the Pass and around to the plains. He did not like the Plateau. He felt trapped and unable to move though the land was wide and open. What truly worried him was the possibility of the Aleria Pass being closed off, because then retreat would be impossible…if everything went bad.
“Forget the Deutzani, though if they actually break Lynndon I will order King Arden west to support you against the Massi army. In the mean time you will continue to harass them. Keep the Massi away from Manse; when we take the city their resistance should collapse.”
There was a moment of silence then the bubble unceremoniously blinked out of existence.
Weldon shot a frustrated glance at Sanchez, who was smart enough not to show his own pleasure. The General was utterly confident that on their next meeting his troops would crush the Massi army and prove his King’s doubts unfounded.
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