The army moved nearly a quarter of a mile from camp and took up position; the soldiers did not have long to wait before the sounds of the approaching Palmerrio could be heard, though in the rain it was several minutes before the shape of the enemy could be distinguished.
na Gall and three scouts suddenly appeared just in front of Bock and Gwaynn. Lonogan’s heart soared and he did not even try to refrain from smiling.
“Anything from Gaston?” Bock asked moving forward to stand very close to the Traveler na Gall.
She shook her head, the pupils of her eyes dilated with excitement and fear. “No…I will try to get word to you if Sarbeth contacts us.
“Get to the rear,” Gwaynn said abruptly. “Look for Bethany. She’ll look after all the Travelers. Trust her…she’s young but very good,” he added and na Gall nodded. Bock however, kept her from obeying the command. He pulled the Traveler into his arms and kissed her fiercely. When they separated he caught the raised eyebrows of Captain Brandt, but did not wait for his comment; instead he nodded to na Gall and allowed her to move off through the rain and away from the frontlines.
ǂ
The rain was falling lightly when they finally pulled away from Manse, a great train of horses, wagons and walking wounded.
Doctor Linkler, who was riding toward the rear, initially insisted Samantha ride in a wagon, but after catching the fierce look she shot him, he’d backed down almost immediately. Samantha got the distinct impression that he was a bit afraid of her. It was a novel thought…a man afraid of her, but then ever since her injury men were treating her differently. No longer did they simply pander to her thoughts and ideas of war…now they listened, now they showed respect for everything she said. It was an empowering sensation, one she enjoyed, but one that she would have gladly given up for the return of her left hand.
She rode near the front of the column still slightly surprised that she’d agreed to abandon Manse and the fight. But the fall from the wall had frightened her, frightened her badly. In all her life she had never experienced such fear, not when her family was killed, not when her own head was on the block, for this was a deep aching fear, not for herself but for another. It was fear for the baby that was rapidly growing inside her. And Samantha found that she could not fight this fear, she could only obey her instincts, instincts that would hopefully keep the fear at bay. The baby had to survive! This thought was the driving force behind her existence now. Every waking thought, every dream and whisper bouncing about her brain was now about the baby and the baby’s safety. How the obsession started she did not know, all she knew was that the baby, her baby, Gwaynn’s baby, must survive and if she had stayed behind in Manse…somehow she knew…if she stayed, the baby would die. And if the baby died…she would die. Somehow the two facts were now hopelessly entwined.
“Your scar will fade over time,” Samantha heard Emm tell Cyndar. The two were riding directly ahead, while the ever-faithful Cobb rode by Samantha’s side. He left the army behind with Gwaynn’s blessing, for though the man was somewhat simple in the mind, his devotion to Samantha could not be questioned, and Gwaynn knew that he would do anything to protect her…anything at all.
“I like my scar,” Cyndar replied, thinking how she would relish showing it to Tar Nacht before she killed him.
Emm was about to reply when quite suddenly the skies opened up and the rain fell heavily on them. And it kept falling at a hard steady pace for the entire five hours it took the medical train to reach Colchester. Everyone was tired, soaked and in ill humor, but the people of Colchester were as accommodating as ever. Despite the weather, nearly the entire town rolled out to meet the Massi wounded, and almost everyone pitched in as they quickly worked to set up the hospital camp just north of town.
“Of course you will stay with us,” stated Anda Botnick, Colchester’s magistrate. “My wife, Raisa will be very excited to see you once more,” he added his eyes drifting from Samantha’s growing belly to her mutilated arm.
Samantha was too tired and wet to care. “I would love to…”
“Come…come,” the magistrate said to the girl and silently wondered if the baby growing in her belly was conceived in his home. It was a thought he would be sure to mention to Raisa…imagine it…a future King…created in their very home. It was all dreadfully exciting.
“I will come,” the hulking Cobb said and for a moment Anda thought perhaps the Prince and this woman were no longer bound together.
“Cobb…” Samantha started and Anda was immediately reassured by her tone. This was definitely a servant…or guard…he was no lover.
“He can sleep downstairs in the parlor…” Anda offered quickly, then looked Cobb over more thoroughly, “or perhaps on the porch if the wind stays down.”
Cobb nodded happily and followed behind.
Cyn de Baard, who was standing across the street just inside the double doors of the town barn, watched as Samantha moved off toward the middle of town.
‘Tonight…tonight will be the night of your death.’ de Baard smiled, warmed by the thought. She would kill the Fultan girl then head south toward the Aleria Pass, which was wide open now. Once across the Scar Mountains she would head north toward Eno, and then to Sinis and Nacht. Of Gwaynn…Gwaynn was lost to her now, even though her first and only mission was his death…but that was now beyond her. She shook her head…he may have always been beyond her. His skill was unbelievable and now with a host of Tars in the fight…the mission was doomed. But what did it matter. Now there were only two people who mattered to her…two deaths; first the Fultan girl and then High Tar Nacht.
Once she was High Tarina…why she would have the power to kill anyone…anyone she so desired.
Samantha, unaware of these thoughts and schemes, felt safe without Gwaynn at her side for the first time in many months. She was surprised to find that she was happy to be away from the action, away from the fighting and had not realized how living in constant danger was draining her peace of mind.
She was very tired and it was nice getting out of her wet clothes. She would have been happy to crawl directly into bed…the same bed she’d shared so long ago with Gwaynn, but when Raisa drew a hot bath, she could not resist and pulled her night clothes from her body eagerly, but with some difficulty. Dressing and undressing with just one hand was much harder than one would suppose, but Raisa stepped forward to help without being asked.
“Two months, I would say,” Raisa said, happily looking Samantha’s naked form over closely. “Your belly is showing nicely…but I think on a young girl like you it would show late. Yes…I’d say two more months and then you have yourself a young King.”
Samantha blushed as the older woman actually walked up to her and placed one hand on the small of her back and rubbed her stomach with the other.
“Ah…he will be big…strong. You will see,” Raisa said and with gentle pressure led Samantha to the tub and carefully helped her to climb in, mindful of the missing section of the girl’s left arm.
Samantha sighed, though moments before she felt she would never want to be wet again. The hot water quickly loosened her muscles and worked its way into her chilled bones.
Raisa smiled as the girl closed her eyes. She looked one last time at the bulge in the girl’s midsection then turned to go. “You relax…I will come and check on you after a while.”
Raisa left, but Samantha did not know or care as heat soaked into her body, causing her limbs to grow relaxed and rubbery. Moments later she was drifting comfortably toward sleep, her last conscious thought of Gwaynn.
XI
Tarina re N’dori kept her eyes on Gwaynn even as the Palmerrio army began to advance on their position. The young Prince was very calm and it was easy to see that the men and women nearby worshiped him. N’dori was sure that part of that adoration came from the fact that Gwaynn took up position directly on the front lines. And though he had great input into the preparation of the battle, once it started he allowed his General to deal with the tr
oop movements and reinforcements while he fought with the common soldiers.
N’dori studied the young man’s profile as the Palmerrio marched closer, pounding their shields, now moving through only a light afternoon rain. She, Gwaynn and Vio were located on the very far left of the Massi lines supporting the gap which would open between the Massi and the Toranado as the later attempted to push forward and circle around the enemy. Tar Kostek and Tar Endid were on the far right near the creek with the remainder of the students supporting the Massi lines that had to hold for the plan to be successful. Tar Halstad and Myson were in the center of the Massi lines. For this battle to be won, the Massi had to hold the center without the help of the Toranado.
‘For someone so young he is very calm,’ N’dori thought admiringly. ‘For someone waiting in the front lines before an imminent battle he was exceptionally calm...no matter his age.’ N’dori was amazed at how the soldiers around the Prince benefitted from his steady manner.
“You have seen too much war,” N’dori commented and Gwaynn glanced at her, surprised. The Tarina was middle aged…thin and tall but her hair had yet to go gray and her eyes still sparkled with youth. She had a strong, square face which few would have called pretty, though handsome might have come to mind for some. She stood gazing at Gwaynn intently, the approaching army apparently not giving her the least cause of concern.
“Yes,” Gwaynn replied softly, keeping his eyes on the Solitary. N’dori smiled, most men would have kept their eyes on the threat moving ever nearer, but the Massi Prince seemed without worry.
“Have you seen war?”
N’dori shook her head negatively, and then with a sweeping motion with her arm said. “Not like this…a few small battles…a few small fights.”
“Well then,” Gwaynn answered without smiling, “you should stay close.”
N’dori broke out into a loud easy laugh and when she smiled, Gwaynn could easily see the girl she’d once been. Still Gwaynn did not smile back, and Vio who was positioned just on the other side of the Prince glanced the Solitary’s way.
“I’m staying close,” she blurted, clearly nervous. Gwaynn finally broke into a grin and smiled at Vio, though he was still slightly afraid for her wellbeing, but he said nothing until he turned back to N’dori.
“Be careful,” he advised, but before she could answer the Palmerrio troops suddenly screamed out in unison and broke into a full charge, racing across the slick and muddy field.
As in all battles, it didn’t take long before everything turned into chaos. Even though the Palmerrio struck hard and fast, the Massi lines held. The rain and dreary weather muted all colors to such a degree that the attacking Palmerrio were unaware that the Massi now had significant support from the Tars of Noble Island. The damp, gray weather also had a way of amplifying sound so that the clang of steel on steel and the cries of the wounded seemed very loud making the battle even more terrifying for the soldiers on both sides.
Vio’s heart was pounding with fear and anticipation but most of all excitement. She did not think about death or the possibility that the Black Horseman might indeed be coming for her; instead she focused on the group of soldiers who were rushing directly at her. At first they were all a blur, a mass of humanity rather than individuals, but then a large soldier broke off and came for her...personally. The two lines slammed into each other with tremendous force, loud grunts, the crashing of swords, and the ringing of steel. Fear faded away and instinct took over for Vio Valencia. She dodged a spear thrust her way, parried a blow from a long sword and then another from a kali, before she finally struck out and sliced through an enemy soldier’s neck. Time slowed for the young student from Noble, and she watched in fascinated horror as blood poured from the man’s wound. She stood mesmerized as he stared at her for an endless moment, then he dropped his weapons and thrust his hands onto the wound. He waivered slightly, staring intimately into her eyes, and then he fell to his knees in front of her. Vio’s attention remained fixed on the dying man as dark red blood oozed through his fingers and then suddenly he fell over into the mud.
Vio stood stunned, feeling elated and ill at the very same time, then she slumped over and retched up her breakfast onto the dead man’s back. She felt a hand on her shoulder pushing her back, but she went unwillingly. It was several minutes before she gained control of her stomach and straightened. At first she was unaware of her surroundings but everything came into sharp focus when she caught sight of a kali slicing down toward her face. She skipped backwards but knew instantly that she was too late. The sword was going to cut into her, kill her. Even so, she tried to raise her guard but her parry was too late. The enemy blade came down, but at the last possible second another kali appeared and deflected the razor’s edge of death just enough so that it whistled by her left ear. As it flew past the sword actually cut through a patch of her short dark hair.
“Vio!” Gwaynn yelled at her, but she’d already come to life and plunged her right kali through the ribs of the soldier who’d nearly killed her. He fell quickly and without a sound and Vio instantly moved onto another. Now fully awake to the battle, she fought and killed with the efficiency of a warrior from Noble, only vaguely aware of the vast numbers of men who were falling to the true warriors on her right. Gwaynn and N’dori were gliding, slicing and killing the enemy at such an incredible rate that soon their general vicinity was clear of any Palmerrio. The break between the Toranado and the Massi left was just beginning to widen, but for now the gap was not threatened.
As N’dori killed the last remaining soldier challenging her, she turned and watched as Gwaynn, with unbelievable speed cut through the two he was facing. He did not relax immediately after seeing the ground around him clear, but instead he swiveled to check on Vio, who was currently surrounded by Massi soldiers and also looking for any threat. Gwaynn then turned to check on N’dori, who was nearly forty yards away, but she was walking quickly in his direction and smiling joyfully.
“Nev was right to choose you as his successor,” she said and squatted down next to a dead Palmerrio soldier. She used his long cape to clean off both her kali. “You fight very well,” she added.
“As do you,” he answered. They didn’t have time for any additional pleasantries as a large force of Palmerrio moved from the center to attempt to take advantage of the growing gap developing in the Massi lines. They were joined by the main section of infantry being held in reserve by General Sanchez. The bait was taken and now it was up to the Massi to hold until the Toranado could complete the circle and trap the enemy army. If the Massi lines collapsed now it would likely be their own army that was encircled and destroyed.
Gwaynn slid along the lines closer to Vio, encouraging the veteran Massi soldiers around him, but they needed little encouragement. The soldiers who had survived through the many battles to this point were hardened and skilled and though war was never desirable, some of the Massi were growing to relish it and even to enjoy fighting for their new and deadly young King.
“Are you all right?” Gwaynn asked as he finally reached Vio’s side. She was pale and looked a little ill but she turned her large dark eyes on Gwaynn and nodded. The truth be told her arms felt like rubber and her knees were shaking something terrible and she had a strong suspicion she’d wet herself during the fighting. She was not sure…the air was very damp and rain continued to fall lightly. She was still contemplating the possibility when the next wave of enemy soldiers reached her position and the fighting began once again.
Vio fought and fought, completely unaware that she was weeping through most of the battle. She killed or seriously wounded over a dozen enemy soldiers and did not take even a scratch herself. But she remembered the faces of all the men she struck down, and she remembered their dying expressions were filled with pain and fear. The Toranado were now over two hundred yards from the far left of the Massi lines but with the help of Gwaynn, N’dori and Vio the lines were holding even though the Palmerrio were throwing more and more of their
reserves in their direction.
“Hold men!” Gwaynn yelled and the men around him yelled back and then when the enemy before them began to weaken once more Gwaynn turned to N’dori who was still at his side and nodded.
“Forward!” They yelled in unison and the Massi lines began to advance and push the Palmerrio back. As they moved Gwaynn glanced to the north east and spotted the Toranado in position and threatening to encircle the Palmerrio right wings, but they were up against stiff opposition and their advance slowed considerably.
Again a mass of Palmerrio moved to engage the Massi left and again the two armies fought for control of the gap. Gwaynn fought with abandon, killing so quickly that his immediate area was once more free of any nearby threats. He glanced again to the Toranado, but the rain was falling heavily now and their position was obscured. Gwaynn moved farther to the left where the Palmerrio lines were stronger and spotted a figure draped in black, clothes trimmed in red, moving directly toward Vio Valencia. But Vio, who was currently battling a large man with long flowing red hair, was completely unaware of the danger now stalking her way.
Gwaynn’s heart was hammering in his chest as he pushed through the crowd but then three Palmerrio soldiers moved to block his way and he was forced to take his eyes from the Executioner to deal with the immediate threat. He spun and killed one instantly but the other two circled and fought cautiously and were soon joined by two additional soldiers. Gwaynn fought aggressively but as he advanced they fell away, moving and circling. He spun once and caught sight of Vio in the distance engaged with a new enemy soldier, the man with the red hair gone, and he did not catch sight of the Executioner. A soldier quickly moved in and the tip of his kali caught Gwaynn in the right thigh, slicing through his pants and the top inch of skin and muscle. Gwaynn leaped back and was immediately attacked by those behind him and it was all he could do to keep from taking another blade between his shoulders. The five he was facing were now fighting together, eyes only for him. They were a very great threat and Gwaynn knew it. He forced himself to forget Vio and the Executioner and focus on the Palmerrio who were trying desperately to kill him. From somewhere behind he heard the high pitched scream of a woman in agony and his heart fell, but he could not turn, could not help, the soldiers surrounding him were taking all of his concentration.
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