“M’lord…M’lord,” he yelled up at them from his position on the ground below.
“What is it?” Gwaynn asked loudly, a feeling of dread pouring over him.
“I’ve news from Speaker Tearrio,” Zebo shouted, making no attempt to climb the ladder to the ramparts.
“Tearrio?”
“The Speaker with Captain Wicks...the Admiral…the Captain…the leader of the Toranado Fleet.”
Gwaynn’s temper flared and he frowned down at the fat man below, fearing the worst. He hoped they were not abandoning Cape. It would be bad news indeed. “Well out with it,” he snapped impatiently.
Zebo gulped. “It’s the Cassinni!” He shouted quickly. “They’ve come to the aid of the Massi.”
“The Cassinni army?” na Gall exclaimed with disbelief.
“No, the navy…hundreds of warships,” Zebo explained as Prince Phillip, Tabernas and Tarina N’dori joined Gwaynn and his group. Tar Kostek and Monde were not far behind and moving quickly. “The High King will not be allowed to land reinforcements on your land.”
“A blockade?” Kostek yelled down and Zebo nodded his head. Gwaynn stood silent for a moment as Lonogan and na Gall embraced one another, all smiles.
“Phillip,” Gwaynn said turning to the Toranado Prince. “How would you and your mother like to return to Eno?”
“Eno?”
“When Weldon arrives in Manse he’ll order his army out of your country,” Gwaynn stated confidently.
“And if they refuse to leave?”
“Then the Palmerrio King dies,” Gwaynn answered and Tar Kostek gasped, but N’dori chuckled softly at the bold announcement once more.
Phillip frowned, thinking for several moments. “Mother of course would be happy to return to Toranado. Losing Eno has been hard on her…she’s not the same, but I will not leave until all of our enemies are defeated.”
“We may still need the Toranado heavy troops,” Bock said alarmed by the thought of losing such a well trained and powerful force. The Temple Knights were still there, just across the plain, and Lonogan did not relish facing such vaunted warriors without the Toranado.
“I’m aware of that,” Gwaynn said with just a touch of impatience. “But I need to close the Gap.”
“Gaston could…”
“We’ll need our cavalry to deal with the Knights,” Gwaynn interrupted. “The Toranado could effectively seal the Gap from any but the most determined attack. And,” he continued looking pointedly at Phillip. “Eno will need to be secured…especially now, if the Cassinni are truly guarding our shores. If the High King is denied landing in Massi, he’ll turn to Eno. Sailing around the finger and landing in Deutzani would leave them with an extended march to reinforce the Knights. It would not be a practical or timely move.”
Samantha moved close to Gwaynn and slipped her half arm through his. “We would not control the Plateau without the Toranado,” she said with care, also worried about losing the very heart of their force.
Gwaynn glanced down at her and smiled, then took a deep breath.
“Jess,” he began simply, “can you confirm the presence of the Cassinni. I’m sure Zebo is correct, and if he is, then Eno may be the key to victory. If Mastoc is allowed to reinforce the Temple Knights with another army, we may well lose Massi, but the Knights alone cannot hold the land…there just aren’t enough of them.”
Everyone waited silently, thoughtful. N’dori studied Gwaynn, a smile on her face and nodded for him to continue.
“We may not be able to defeat the Knights as a force, but if we can seal Massi for long enough, we may be able to wear them down…especially with the help of our friends from Noble,” Gwaynn finished.
Now Tabernas and Kostek were smiling, but Prince Phillip was still deep in thought. Gwaynn waited and watched as Vio, Tam and Bethany approached along the ramparts. Finally Phillip looked up and frowned at Gwaynn.
“The Toranado will hold the Gap. Two thousand heavy infantry should be able to block the way for several weeks, certainly long enough to call for reinforcements if necessary. Eno will have to wait, but if the Palmerrio truly abandon the city, my people will quickly reestablish control.” Phillip said finally, “and I’ll send Captain Wicks to Eno Harbor. That should effectively seal the city off from the High King. I’ll stay with Tabernas and five thousand troops. I’d not miss the pleasure of facing and defeating the Knights myself,” he added and for the first time Albas Tabernas heard the King to be in the voice of his Prince and felt a swell of pride. War destroyed nearly everything it touched, but in some men it also created; not just the ability to lead men in battle, but lead men in any environment. Phillip was beginning to display such leadership; the horrors of battle had strengthened and tempered his youthful, immature personality.
Gwaynn reached out and took the Toranado Prince’s hand and they shook enthusiastically, Phillip gratified and pleased by the respect he saw reflected in the younger man’s eyes.
“Now we just have to hope the Knights stay put until we can seal off the exit,” Tabernas said, and the entire group turned in unison and gazed out at the enemy army.
XIV
Captain Wicks was surprised by the order to abandon the harbor at Cape and sail home to Eno, though she had full confidence in the Cassinni Admiral to take up the cause of guarding the Massi port city. Wicks was excited and happy to be going home; she relished the idea of having one more chance at the enemy who’d driven her and the fleet away. But the thought of leaving the Massi coastline was also causing a degree of disquiet in her belly. Something was coming; something was going to happen…and soon. Fatima had learned to respect any such feelings that settled over her. Today was no different, and as she led her small fleet of ships away from Cape she set a heading far out into the Inland Sea.
“It will take many days to reach Eno on this heading,” her first mate Armitage said as he walked across the gently pitching deck to her side.
Captain Wicks stood at the bow of the ship and continued to stare out to sea for a moment, but then turned to her long time friend and comrade.
“We’ll take a circuitous route to Eno…have a look about,” she explained, though Armitage did not require one. If his Captain wanted to push out to sea on the way to Eno, no sailor under her command would question her. And so they moved out to sea, heading almost due north. Three hours later, under full sails and quarter oars, they’d made nearly thirty miles. Wicks was about to order a more westerly heading when Raskin shouted from above.
“Contact!” He yelled and suddenly the entire ship was humming with anticipation.
“Merchants?” Armitage yelled up to the sharp eyed sailor.
Raskin looked down at the senior officers and smiled. “Not unless they’re moving in force…I count over a dozen of the bastard ships.”
“Heading?” Wicks asked her heart thumping strongly in her chest. ‘This is it,’ she thought but had little idea what caused such an powerful inclination.
“What heading are they on?” Armitage bellowed as the young sailor failed to answer.
“Due east, moving quickly…half oars at least,” Raskin finally answered.
Wicks glanced at Armitage and nodded. “Signal the fleet. Half oars; set a course to intercept.”
“Aye Sir,” Armitage said with a grin and the Toranado fleet turned to the east to begin the chase.
All through the late morning the ships on the horizon grew steadily closer and steadily more numerous, so that by mid afternoon there were now over seventy ships visible. Of these, however, only about two dozen triremes and thirty galleys were spotted in and amongst the lumbering troop carriers. Wick’s inner voice had paid off again, for the approaching fleet was clearly an invasion force.
“We should engage the outer ships within an hour…perhaps a bit longer,” Armitage said as he watched the oarsman shift once again to give rest for those who had pulled oars the last shift.
“Within an hour I’d say,” Wicks replied, the troops ships wer
e riding low and slow over the sea and as they advanced closer to the Massi shore the swells would slow them even more.
A half an hour later Captain Wicks could clearly see the panic her ships were causing the crews of the fleeing vessels. A half dozen heavy triremes and another eight galleys had broken off from the fleet and were now moving directly into the path of the Toranado, hoping no doubt to slow down the advancing ships so that the troopships could make it to shore.
“Any sign of the Cassinni?” Wicks shouted up to Raskin.
“Oh yes…they’re beginning to converge in the distance, heading directly toward the main body of the enemy,” he yelled down from the rigging. He smiled and did a simple jig while holding tightly to the ropes.
“Good,” Wicks said softly. ‘We can concentrate on the warships for now.’ She checked the wind which was northwesterly.
“Armitage, signal the fleet, move us to the north,” she commanded suddenly calm.
‘Yes, this was it!’
ǂ
The sky clouded up in the early afternoon but as yet there was no rain, nor did the front look overly threatening. The temperature, however, began to drop significantly reminding everyone that winter was not far off.
“I think na Gall and Lonogan are involved,” Gwaynn said coming out of the bailey, but before Samantha could answer a soldier shouted a warning from the top wall of the fortress.
They both glanced up and then out over the Plateau in the direction the guard was pointing. In the distance they could see a growing cloud of dust, but even before Gwaynn could issue an order a group of horsemen galloped past him on their way to investigate.
“Of course they’re involved,” Samantha said. “They been together since they returned from Cassinni.”
“They’re flying Massi banners!” The guard yelled from above, clearly relieved. Gwaynn shook his head, anxious to see Gaston again, the young Captain was turning into a remarkably able commander, top notch, just as Tanner predicted.
“Since Cassinni?” Gwaynn asked and Samantha shook her head, amazed at the obtuseness of men. But she didn’t chastise her lover; instead she slipped her handless arm through the crook of his and leaned her head against his shoulder.
“Yes…since Cassinni. They must have had some trip,” she said as they watched the mass of horseman in the distance approach. “Does it bother you?”
Gwaynn remained thoughtful for a moment. “I don’t want my General distracted,” he finally answered, “but I suppose I can’t begrudge him a woman,” he added and looked down at Samantha with a smile.
“I’m just a distraction am I?” Samantha teased and bumped him with her hip. Gwaynn just laughed.
They remained silent for a moment as the cavalry arrived. The majority of the horseman rode off south of the baileys toward the large holding yards that were set up for the horses. Samantha watched the men and horses thunder pass, awed by the sight of such power.
“We’re going to win aren’t we?” She asked as a smaller group of riders broke off from the main group and headed directly toward Gwaynn.
“Yes, we will win,” Gwaynn answered almost glumly, but before Samantha could say anything there was another shout.
“Gaston!” Bock said from behind. Gwaynn and Samantha turned to see Lonogan and na Gall approaching, not far behind came Prince Phillip with his mother Ramona and Tabernas…Laynee was running ahead of the trailing group and Gwaynn noticed for the first time that she was losing a bit of her adolescent awkwardness and in fact was growing quite pretty.
Captain Gaston and David Hahn rode up to their King, both smiling proudly. Gaston leaped from his horse and then bowed low to Gwaynn while Hahn, with his bad foot, took a bit more time to dismount and present himself.
“Gaston!” Bock repeated loudly and moved forward to embrace the young man. The Captain had been under his direct tutelage for more than a dozen years now, since he was just a lad of thirteen. “Tanner would be proud.”
“He would,” Hahn agreed and clapped Gaston on the back and then the Captain of the Massi archers bowed his head low to Gwaynn and greeted Samantha with special reverence. “M’lady,” he said and couldn’t quite stop himself from looking to her injured arm, but Samantha found she did not mind.
“I’ve an idea for the pike I’d like to run by you,” Hahn said addressing Samantha and she was immediately intrigued.
“I’d like that,” she answered but fell quite as Bock asked Gaston about his many exploits. The General had spent precious little time with his cavalry commander after the battle, and then Traveled directly to Manse to help shore up the defenses of the city, but he wanted desperately to catch up. Gaston’s timing of late was becoming something of legend. Under his command the cavalry seemed to be everywhere, aggressively moving and attacking exactly when and where it was needed. The young Captain’s instincts for battle were impressive and when Bock asked Gaston to reveal his secret he just smiled.
“I try to fight like Gwaynn fights…always aggressive. Hit hard and fast, it’s what Tanner would do,” the young man explained sheepishly, clearly uncomfortable with the awe and respect that was being sent his direction. But though he was uncomfortable, he found he enjoyed the praise almost as much as he enjoyed catching his enemy by surprise.
“The Knights?” He asked, feeling the need to face the ultimate cavalry force one more time.
“Quiet,” Gwaynn said with a knowing smile, realizing the reason for the question immediately. “You’ll get your chance, but it may be a few days. I need the army to arrive in Manse before I set you free.”
“Good,” said Gaston. “Marcum is moving quickly. He should be here late tomorrow or early the next morning.”
Bock frowned. “So quickly?”
Gaston nodded. “He’s leaving a contingent of troops behind to escort the wounded otherwise the bulk of the army is marching double time. The troops don’t seem to mind even though they’re racing to face the Temple Knights…I think they smell victory.”
“Then let’s hope they have a good sense of smell,” Bock quipped with a wry smile, but truthfully he’d be relieved to have an extra fifteen thousand men to guard the walls of Manse, just in case the Knights had ideas other than defeat.
ǂ
“Captain! What are you doing?” High King Mastoc shouted in alarm as the large Rhondono trireme began to turn into the chasing Toranado ships. At first Captain Deihm ignored him and barked orders to the flags mate who quickly signaled the other warships in the area.
“Captain!” The High King shouted again, this time grabbing the man’s shoulder and squeezing it hard.
“We have to turn into them,” Deihm spat, impatient with the other man’s ignorance, High King or no. “If we run and they catch us, they’ll smash through our hull like so much kindling and then we’re all for the fishes. I expect they’d enjoy High King just as much as Captain!”
Mastoc stood horrified for a moment, peering out over the tumbling seas at the approaching vessels. He glanced to starboard and saw that Hermes, the flagship of the Rhondono navy, was also turning with them. The High King could just make out the features of King Donnis gesturing wildly in the direction of the oncoming ships.
“But we’re in luck, the Cassinni are not pursuing.”
“Traitors!” The High King yelled, his anger replacing his unease.
“Yes…now remove your hand please so I can work,” the Captain said gruffly, glancing only briefly at the three guards that always hovered near the High King.
‘Temple Knights no doubt,’ Captain Deihm thought but found that he cared little. He was old and very near to the time when he would give up his war ways and settle in the north country. There he would command only his fishing boat…and perhaps his wife, but she was growing old too and would not be ordered about easily.
“Can we break through?” The High King asked and Deihm shot the man a look of disgust.
“If the Cassinni refrain from joining the fight, we have the Toranado outnumbered,”
the Captain said as if to a simpleton. “But we will need time to gather our ships. If the Toranado commander is good they will move in before we have the chance.”
As if on cue, the Toranado ships banked sharply to the north and Deihm and his first mate instinctively glanced up to check the flags.
“No fool then,” Deihm whispered then turned briefly to the High King. “M’lord, get below or to the rear and brace yourself. We’re in for a battle,” he added with a genuine smile of pleasure.
“Blake, set a heading due west,” the Captain barked. “We can’t let them get the wind beneath their sails.”
“Aye Sir,” the first mate yelled and the Rhondono ships turned sharply to the port. “Full oars!” He added and the ship slowly began to gain speed until it was surging through the waves.
The Rhondono vessels held their westerly course for nearly fifteen minutes before the Captain cursed.
“We have to turn about,” the first mate said loud enough that Mastoc, who was now yards away in the rear, could hear him clearly. “Make a run for it. They have the wind.”
Captain Deihm shook his head. “We’d not make it,” he answered and pointed to the group of Toranado ships barreling their way. Curiosity got the better of the High King and he quickly moved forward so he stood closer to the Captain and his mate. He was quiet now however, so Deihm ignored him. And though King Mastoc knew little of naval strategy he could plainly see that the Toranado ships had turned with the wind and were now heading straight for them. The enemy ships were riding full sails and moving much faster than their Rhondono counterparts.
“Keep on course,” Deihm told Blake. “Our best chance now is to punch through and hope they attack the troop ships, then we can turn about and we’ll have the wind.”
Mastoc moved a few feet closer. “You’ll not sacrifice the troopships. I need them to conquer Massi.”
“I don’t think they’ll be landing on the Massi shore anytime soon,” Deihm retorted. “I’ll offer them up as bait for the Toranado and if there commander is foolish enough to take it, then at least we will have our revenge.”
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