Ardent

by Florian Armas

  “He is right,” Valer agreed; half of our scouts were his men.

  I scratched my head for a while, as I feared a counter-ambush. Such an elementary mistake... “Enlarge the trap then. Move our first outpost three hundred paces further toward Leyona. Here,” I pointed on the map hung on the tent’s wall, “post twenty Mountes, ten of them good archers. Boldur, cut more trees, keep them standing with ropes, and made them ready to block their way back. Gather large stones; your men are sturdy. I want an avalanche on their heads. None of them should be able to run away. We can catch Leyonan’s whole army in the trap. That will make our life easier against Devan. The rest of the Mountes will take positions on both sides of the gorge’s edges, from the outpost to the exit. Vlaicu, send Ban with twenty archers to join the Mountes. Rares, you and Garland take a hundred and fifty riders and cut off the exit, the moment Leyonan and half of his army leaves the gorge. Garland, you know Leyonan, and may Fate help your revenge.” If Leyonan dies… “I want your riders,” I glanced at Rares. “They are the strongest.” Half of Rares’ men were a sort of heavy cavalry. They had steel breast plates and shoulder covers.

  “Bucur, you will hide in the forest here with two hundred and fifty men,” I tapped the opposite side of the gorge on the map. It was a square meadow at the exit from the gorge, three hundred paces in size. “You will attack frontally, the moment Rares and Garland start their charge. Drive the Leyonans who leave the gorge toward the left. They should think they can escape this way.” I marked the road going toward Orhei. “I will wait for them here,” I tapped again on the map, “with the rest of our soldiers.”

  Did I miss anything? I glanced at each of them, one by one, and all nodded. “We have half a day to prepare the trap.”

  Having a strong army and riding through his own land made Leyonan too confident. He neglected even the elementary step of sending out scouts. In ten minutes, his army was split in two, half caught in the gorge, and the other half surrounded in the meadow. Fifteen minutes more and they had lost more than two hundred soldiers. They were at the point when any army would break and run, but there was no way to leave the trap. A horn blew in the middle of their army, and Leyonan’s banner was lowered. Caught between rocks, arrows and swords, the whole army surrendered. Some more skirmishes still occurred, and a few more soldiers fell, but slowly we disengaged, and a narrow space formed between the armies. Through that space, Garland pushed his horse toward me.

  “Leyonan is dead,” he grinned. “I killed him with my own hand. His sons are dead too, and his Spatar. Vava, the Chief of the Guard, will surrender to you.”

  “What kind of man is he?” I asked.

  “Better than Leyonan. If he surrenders, he surrenders.”

  The Leyonan army was reduced by half. Disarmed, the remaining half was gathered between the rocky wall and our men. I allowed only the Knights to keep their swords. Vlaicu reported ninety-two men lost on our side, and thirty wounded that would not be able to fight in less than a month.

  Garland ambushed me, when I entered the tent which hosted our war council. “I have a chance to enter Leyona and free my family.” He spoke fast, almost eating the words. “I need only my men, to sneak inside the city. We will catch up with you as soon as I secure my family. If I leave now...”

  “Not now,” I said. “We will talk about this after the council.”

  “You promised...”

  “I always keep my word, Garland. Let’s go inside.”

  I must be brief... There were only tired figures inside the tent. “We don’t have a map of Orhei, but I will try to draw one.” On a piece of paper, I marked the main roads going through Orhei County. “The town is here,” I marked it with a circle. “And these are the road junctions. The road to Deva,” I wrote a D. “The road to Leyona,” I wrote an H. “And the road to Mehadia. Here,” I drew a curved line, “there is a large hill towering over the junction. It has a plateau on top and not much forest. Bucur, you will leave in the morning with most of the army and all the carts with provisions we took from Leyonan. Rares, you will go too. They have good food, but their wine is bad, I warn you.”

  “I can confirm that. I spent six months in Leyona. When I returned to Severin, the first sensible thing was to get drunk,” Vlaicu laughed, and all other joined him.

  “I must keep you away from Severin until the campaign is finished,” I gestured at Vlaicu. “Tomorrow, you march toward Orhei.”

  “Have pity,” he said and lost his breath from too much laughter.

  “What a spoiled Chief of Guard.” Valer gave him a strong pat on the back.

  “You camp on this hill, in a way that makes you visible to anyone coming from Deva. I have to stay a few more days here, to gather more news, and I may not be able to catch you before you arrive in Orhei. Now, let’s have some rest. Garland, you stay.” At the same time I nodded at Vlaicu to stay too.

  “Do you want to play the same game as in Mehadia?” Vlaicu asked thoughtfully, when everybody else but Garland and Vlad left the tent.

  “With a small variation; I will not take Leyona for Orban.”

  “That’s why you want to keep only your men, here,” Vlaicu said. “You may need some more.”

  “We shall see. Garland, you said that Vava is not an untruthful man. There are seventy-five guards in Leyona right now. Not the best fighters, but even now, we can’t take the fortress by force; it has tall walls. Vava’s two sons are our prisoners too. And Vava is not a Knight. There is no Leyonan left to claim the inheritance. There are two nephews from Leyonan’s sister and sister in law, but none of them is in Leyona. One of them is Devan’s son, a thing that we should be able to solve in two weeks from now. If I make Vava pay allegiance to me, would he keep his word?”

  “Allegiance is based on will and force. Men pay allegiance if they want to, but if they are forced to, the risk is high to cut the chain, at the first sign of weakness,” Garland shrugged.

  “I want Vava to open Leyona’s gates for us. His sons will remain hostages until everything is done. Garland, you and Vava will remain in Leyona. I will give you half of your men and fifteen Mountes. Vava remains Chief of the Guard, and I make him Half-Knight. You will become my Spatar.”

  Garland rubbed his chin for a while. “It’s all or nothing. I am honored to be your Spatar,” he bowed.

  “The Mountes and Valer’s mercenaries will remain here with me, but I need fifty more men to guard the prisoners,” I said to Vlaicu, who nodded. “And Ban to lead them. Now, let’s hear from the Leyonan Knights. I hope some will ride with you tomorrow.”

  “They may say the words,” Vlaicu shrugged.

  “I may be young, but I am not naive, Vlaicu. Some will say everything my ears want to hear to keep their lives and lands. Some will refuse. I would trust the latter more. Half of those who pay allegiance stay here with me, half will leave with you. Families will be split. A father goes with you, his sons stay with me. Garland, bring Vava here.”

  Vava was a short man, and not a sturdy one. A flamboyant red moustache looked big on his thin face, contrasting vividly with his black eyes. Even in his mid-forties, there was a feline look in his stance that reminded me of captain Iulian from the Arenian Royal Guard. Captain Iulian helped me once, but I should not let their physical resemblance trick me. Vava’s closely trimmed red beard was shot with white, making him look wise. Inside the tent, he bowed, and stayed silent. I let the silence grow further. On the surface at least, he looked unimpressed, but the grim cast in his black eyes did not leave him.

  “Leyonan lost,” I said bluntly. “His sons died with him in a battle for the lands of Severin. How much land do their graves need?” I shrugged. “The Seigneury may survive or it may disintegrate, and people will react differently. Some stand to gain from the collapse, some may lose everything. There will be claims for Leyona, but none is stronger than victory. In a week, I will deal with Devan. He may be a stronger or a wiser enemy than Leyonan, but I have more men than he has, and the element of surprise
. The other one who could claim Leyona is too far to the south. You are now without liege, Vava, and you surrendered to me. Would you pledge allegiance to me?”

  “What would happen if I refuse?” Vava asked, his voice neutral.

  “You stay captive until the war ends. Then you are free.”

  “Words,” he shrugged.

  “Either we talk words or we cross swords. I lay claim to Leyona. You remain Chief of the Guard, if you pledge yourself to me.”

  “When do you need my answer?”

  “Now.”

  Vava frowned for a moment, staring away, his face reflective. “Every man must learn to face his fears,” he muttered. “I pay allegiance to you.” Looking into my eyes, he kneeled on one knee.

  I like that you did not avoid my eyes. “Arise, Vava,” I said, and touched his shoulder with the flat of Shadow’s blade.

  “Thank you, Sir. I never saw such swords.”

  “They are from Arenia.” I sheathed Shadow.

  “So it’s true that you are from Arenia?”

  “News flies, eh? Yes, I am from there.”

  “They say you are an important person there.”

  “I should be there then, not here.” I have to learn who ‘they’ are. “Stay here with me, Vava. Vlaicu, bring the Knights of Leyona. Three at a time.”

  One, I glanced at Vava.

  It came as no surprise that all the Knights pledged allegiance to me. They were less happy when I ordered them to march against Devan, and kept their sons with me.

  “It was a hard day,” I said to Vlaicu, when only he and Vlad remained with me.

  “Hard indeed,” Vlaicu yawned, “but the moans of the dying I find the hardest. I wish you good luck with Leyona. That would be the fastest rise I ever saw, but you deserve it,” he stared at me, and we clasped hands.

  In the morning, I watched most of the army leaving for Orhei. It was led by Bucur, seconded by Rares and Vlaicu.

  “In two days we should be in Leyona,” I said to Garland.

  “In two days I should be able to free my family,” Garland smiled. “Thank you.”

  Chapter 16 – Codrin

  “Curse this rain,” Garland murmured, wiping the rain from his face in the low light of dusk.

  “You are not from the mountains,” Boldur laughed. “What’s a bit of rain to a man?”

  “The only thing I don’t like dry is my throat. Let’s hope Vava will open the gates for us.”

  “He will,” I said, and I believed it up to a point.

  Thirty paces from us, Vava’s fist knocked on the gate, and the hard wood reverberated loudly through the quiet rain. A cloaked figure squeezed out through a tiny postern gate, and paused to listen, his eyes darting from Vava to us. He raised a lantern, and his eyes widened when he finally recognized Vava.

  “Open the gate,” Vava said. “There are sixty men with me.”

  “What happened?” the cloaked man asked.

  “Not now, Guy,” Vava blustered.

  “Open the gate,” Guy shouted. “It’s Vava.”

  Something clanged inside, and the massive wooden gate, bound in iron, trembled, then moved slowly, revealing a lighted passage through a short tunnel, watched by a dozen spearmen. The portcullis at the end of the tunnel opened too. I pushed Zor forward, and passed through the gate, to the rhythm of horseshoes clashing on stones. A gust of wind joined me, howling through the tunnel, and some smell of fish filled our nostrils; the river was close. The spearmen kept their backs to the wall. Like a storm, the rest of the riders followed me, to the small plaza behind the walls. Not far, in front of us, some noise came from Roun’s water passing under the bridge – Leyona was built in a narrow place between Roun and Soun rivers, west of Roun, the largest one. Their waters met a half mile south from the main gate which was built on the western shore, at the head of the bridge over Ruun.

  “Should we take the gate?” Garland asked when he joined me inside the city.

  “That would mean a fight. These are the men we need to keep, not to kill. We will take Leyona from top to bottom. We have the Chief of the Guard. We need now the Secretary, the Vistier...”

  “Dani, the Secretary, is a snake,” Garland growled.

  “He is dead, and I wager that you have a grudge against some people here for keeping your family hostage, but don’t let that cloud your mind. They will be free soon. There are two ways to keep a conquered castle. Turn the people in power on your side, or clear out the top positions and make a new start. We will still need guards and secretaries and servants.”

  “Servants,” Garland shrugged.

  “Servants are important. Poison in your food is more powerful than most enemies I know. Tomorrow, we will learn which way the tide will turn. Vava made a list of desirable men. You know many people here, and will make a list of your own.”

  “The guards are restless.” Vava stopped his horse alongside Zor. “They recognized strangers.”

  “I don’t want to fight, and I need those men to keep Leyona safe. You are the Chief of the Guard, Vava.”

  “Yes,” Vava said curtly. “Give me one minute, and I will lead you inside the castle.”

  You’ve tested me, Vava...

  We rode at low speed, passing the bridge over Roun river, and through the empty narrow streets, and at the gate of the castle, we stopped again.

  “It will be harder here,” Vava whispered. “The castle has its own Guard, and the guards are more hardnosed than is necessary for their assignment.” His fist pounded the wood. Nobody answered and he pounded again. “Farcu, move your fat ass.”

  The gate opened, and a man, tall and thin as a board, came out with a torch. “Calling me fat,” he muttered. “What do you want, Vava? I thought you were in Orhei.”

  “You thought? That was unexpected. Open the gate.”

  “Who are the men behind you?”

  “I will tell you once. We’ve lost the war. Sir Leyonan is dead, as are his sons. The men you see behind me are the ones who won the war. I pledged allegiance to Sir Codrin, as did most of our Knights – those who are still alive. Now open the gate.”

  “Are you sure that Sir Leyonan died?”

  “Yes,” Vava said dryly. “I’ve heard that removing the head from the body has such consequences.”

  “If you’re lying to me,” Farcu growled, and stepped forward. Vava did not answer. One foot taller, Farcu towered over Vava in the torch’s light. “Yes, yes, I will open it. Wait a moment.” Farcu’s hand went for the sword, and I grabbed my knife, ready to throw it.

  Vava was faster, his sword touching Farcu’s neck, a moment later. “I understand that you can’t surrender, and you will pay me a bottle of good wine for my quick mind. Drop your sword.” Farcu untied his belt, and the sword, still in its sheath, fell to the ground. “Bow now, you are too tall.” When Farcu bowed, Vava hit him with the hilt of the sword, and he fell in silence. “Farcu is not a bad man, but his pride is great and his mouth even greater. Usually, there are five men inside,” he said, straining his body to push the gate. “If we are lucky, my nephew, Jeun, is among them.”

  “Boldur, help him,” I said when Vava tried to pull Farcu through the gate. We were already dismounted, swords in hand.

  “Let me enter first.” Vava allowed Boldur to take care of the unconscious man, and picked the torch from the ground. “You are a Mounte, aren’t you?” he asked, seeing Boldur throwing Farcu on his shoulder with only one hand.

  “What made you think that?” Boldur grinned in the torch’s light.

  “I’ve seen bears smaller than you.”

  Behind the gate, to the left, there was a small barrack, with light peering out through the open door and two small windows.

  “Farcu, don’t stay out in the rain. You will grow too tall,” someone shouted from inside. Most of our men were already inside the castle’s precincts when the door opened. I was on one side of the door, against the wall. Vlad was on the other. “Farcu!”

  “He is sleeping,”
Vava said. “Stay inside. We need to talk.”

  “Who are those men?” the guard asked, trying to exit, but Vava was already in front of the door, and pushed him inside.

  “I’ve told you that we need to talk. I wish to grow a little, but I am afraid that the rain will not help.”

  “What happened?”

  “Leave the door open,” Vava ordered. “Now listen to me. Sir Leyonan is dead. His sons too, and the castle has new masters.”

  “What happened?” the guard repeated, and I heard more angry voices inside.

  “We lost the war. That’s what happened. Bring that helpless man inside, Boldur.”

  Boldur had to bow a little to enter, and I followed him, biting my lip to stop a burst of laughter; the heads of the guards inside were all craning, and Vava looked like a child beside him. I coughed to clear my voice and entered the guards’ room too.

  “Sir Codrin is our new Seigneur,” Vava presented me. “Don’t touch that,” he threatened one guard whose hand went for his sword. “You are peanuts with it against me, and I am the same against the Seigneur.”

  In the camp, we had crossed swords once. It was training, and while Vava was better than Vlaicu he was far from a trained Assassin. Many times, I tried to judge my skills, matching myself to my mentor, who was a Grand Master. I could not say if I was a Master Assassin, but I was definitely Assassin level, and from all the swordsmen I encountered in Frankis, Cernat at his prime was the only one who could have reached that level. Viler was close behind Cernat, but he was more a spoiled man than a soldier.

  “Now drop your swords,” Vava ordered the guards, and glanced at me when all were disarmed.

  “You were made guards because of your values and loyalty,” I said. “Your old allegiance was shattered with Leyonan’s death. Give me your loyalty, and you will remain guards of Leyona.”

  “What’s the alternative?” the one who seemed to have taken the lead asked.

  “You will leave the city.”