by Tony Roberts
Makalis nodded in agreement. “Our orders were to make sure no group of more than ten gathered anywhere. We were to wait until someone began trying to rally support, then arrest them. That way, we were informed, all the leaders of any revolt would be arrested and there would be nobody to lead an uprising.”
Heller scowled and chewed on a chunk of half-stale bread. He swallowed, then spoke. “It’s what people like them do; they can’t run a kingdom so they do the only thing they can, and that’s to steal everything and silence anyone who protests.”
“Jerethal must be sitting on a fortune,” Lace observed.
“He needs it to pay for the army. It’s the only thing keeping him on the throne,” Heller added.
“So how do you propose to remove him? My kingdom is suffering and I want it to end before they do any further damage.” Sethen looked from one to the other.
“Capel is the key,” Lace said. He turned to Makalis. “How loyal are the armed forces?”
The sergeant shrugged. “Depends on how much money is being handed down. Capel doesn’t like to use too much, but he’s finding he has to pay more and more to the army commanders. Not a great deal comes down to the rank and file.”
“You use money to stay in power, and you find you have to pay more and more,” Lace said. “It’s always the way. So the men in your position are not well rewarded?”
Makalis shook his head. “Give the ordinary soldiers decent leaders and a reasonable coin and conditions, and you’d win them over. We were promised so much to join the rebellion, and nothing has been delivered. But the army is run by a few who are committed to the cause, so you won’t get any defections the way it stands at the moment.”
Faer cleared her throat. “So if Capel was taken out, and the treasury secured, the support for Jerethal would vanish?”
Makalis shrugged. “Maybe – but there’s a few die-hards close to the king who you’d have to take out too.”
“What is it you propose?” Sethen asked the girl.
“I sneak into Gorradan and dispose of these people.”
Heller shook his head. “Too dangerous – even for someone of your skills.”
Faer put a hand on his arm. “I’m a mercenary, and looking for a contract. If I get into Gorradan I could get into the palace and do it. One person on their own has a better chance of being undetected.”
Heller exhaled loudly; he was about to argue, but Lace tapped on the table. “It’s very risky, true – but are you sure you can do it?”
Faer nodded. “At night.”
Sethen placed his hands on the table. “Very well, Blade. I offer a contract to you – destroy Capel and those who are close to Jerethal. The king himself I want kept alive, because I wish to speak to him myself before he’s thrown into the dungeons.”
Faer bowed. “I accept.”
Heller looked at her sharply. “You’re mad, you know.”
Faer grinned. “Probably – anyone with dark elf blood had got to be.” She felt a howl of protest within herself and she smiled again. “I think we should ride to the city so you are close when I get in. I think you should follow me fairly quickly just in case.”
Heller nodded. “How about you eliminating a gatehouse garrison and we can replace them, and then we let the rest in at daybreak?”
Sethen agreed. “Lieutenant Heller, how many men would you require for that?”
“Hold a gatehouse for a watch? Oh about ten.”
Lace nodded. “Half your men, Sergeant, will go with the Lieutenant in that case, and the rest of will stay with the Prince and yourself outside, close by.”
They agreed on the plan, tweaking a few details here and there, and after a while decided to leave the caves and ride towards Gorradan. Faer found Heller alongside herself as they were packing up. “You didn’t have to volunteer for a suicide mission you know,” he said forcefully.
She turned and put a hand to his face. “Heller, I know why you’re against it, and that’s lovely of you to feel that way towards me, but trust in me; believe in me. Mmm?” She ended it by kissing him on the lips.
He responded, then gave her a long, hard look after they broke. “After finally deciding you’re not so bad, it’d be tough on me if anything did happen to you.”
“Oh, I fully intend not getting hurt or killed. I’ve got a lot to do with my life, and this little civil war isn’t going to stop my quest.”
“Little civil war?” Heller echoed, a slight look of amusement on his face.
Faer grinned. “Believe me, to me, this is a small side-show compared to what I’m chasing. I never came here to get involved in this struggle. I was looking for someone.”
“Oh?”
She touched his upper arm. “A friend, nothing more. Someone who came this way a couple of years ago. Nobody seems to have seen him and it worries me. Don’t concern yourself about that anyway; once this business is dealt with I’ll resume looking for him.”
“You’re not going to stay in Gorradan when this is over then, Blade?”
She faced him squarely. “Heller, I have a very big quest to follow, one that means so much to me, and maybe to thousands of others, too. I have to find out my past, and the answer lies elsewhere. I’m sorry – but I can’t stay, no matter how enticing it might be. Don’t feel bad about it, please. It’s something I have to do – just like you have to topple Jerethal and bring better times to Gorradan once more.”
She looked into the distance. Maybe her fate was to do something similar for the dark elves, but she doubted they would fight for ‘better times’. She would have to see if it did bring her eventually to lead the House of Owyn or not.
Heller looked disappointed. “I was hoping, maybe, once this was all over, that you and I could get to know each other so much better.” He gently took hold of her by the shoulders. “After not wanting you anywhere near me for the past few days, suddenly I can’t bear to think you won’t be.”
Faer smiled sadly. “Heller, I have to move on, but let’s make the most of the time we are together. You’re a brave man, a loyal man, and those are two qualities I admire.” Oh for the sake of the gods, enslave him, you weakling! screamed her familiar alter ego from within. Faer paused, as much to compose herself as anything. “I doubt you’d like my darker side; it’s something that’s part of me, and it quite different to the way I am. You’ve seen some of the darker qualities I possess, and I know they scare you. Its best you don’t see them full-on alone. Sometimes they take over and there’s not much I can do about it.” She pressed into his chest and felt his arms come round her, and it was comforting.
“I’ll be hurt to see you go,” Heller said.
“I know, but you must let me. I have a destiny and its not here in Gorradan.” She looked up at him. “Let’s just make the most of being together now.”
They packed and carried their equipment up to the cavern entrance. Just outside there were plenty of horses, abandoned by the doomed force of Theruddas, and some had been captured and hobbled by the soldiers. One of them was Smoke, her mare. Sherea had indeed taken her as she had threatened. Now at least they all had plenty of animals to ride and have as spares. The sky was lighter that morning, a hopeful sign that spring was not too far off. They set off, riding south-westwards, along grassy plains. Here were farmlands and villages and they kept away from these. They had enough food to last a few days and it would take that amount of time to get to the capital.
The second evening they camped and settled around a warming, comforting fire amongst a copse of trees, Lace came to Faer. He was still pain-wracked. His wound would be with him for the rest of his life, but at least he had the use of the arm. No infection had set in which was something to be thankful for.
“Blade, can you please do something about Heller?”
She looked up from preparing a meal for both her and the lieutenant. “Oh?”
Lace sat next to her and kept his voice low. He looked about furtively but nobody was close. They had decided to allow Fa
er and Heller their privacy on the journey. Not even a blind man could fail to spot the closeness between the two. “The lieutenant is ah – distracted – and his mind is clearly not on the mission. I’d appreciate it if you… well, saw to his distraction?”
Faer tried to stifle a giggle. “Oh, Captain, I see what you mean. I’ll do what I can.”
Lace nodded. “Just uh, be discreet, if you can?” He stood up with a grunt of pain.
Faer grinned, half her face in shadow. “Of course, Captain.”
Heller came back with a skin of water from one of the pack horses. “What did he want?”
“To make sure we were alright. I worry about his injury.” She felt a glow of satisfaction at changing the subject smoothly.
“He’ll be alright,” Heller said, passing her the skin. She took a pull and passed it back to him. “He’s tough as army boots. Nice scar he’ll have though. Hope his wife is alright; that Capel is a heartless piece of work and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s imprisoned her or put her to death.” He scowled.
“I doubt it; he’d lose a bargaining tool. They still need Lace, and as long as they hold his wife there they have a hostage. Lose that and the captain could quite easily go to war on any of Jerethal’s men, property or assets. So far he’s hidden in the forest, out of the way.”
“True; I always wondered why he didn’t go out and pillage places.”
Faer shrugged. “He’s not the type. Don’t forget, these villages are Gorradan, and should Sethen become king, these same people will be his.”
Heller nodded, looking out into the night.
Faer finished cooking the meat and divided it up, and both ate in companionable silence. Once it had been eaten Faer put their plates aside and knelt in front of him. “Now, Heller, I think there’s something we should discuss.”
“Mmm?”
She took hold of his hand and led him to her bed, a collection of blankets and sheets. She slipped underneath and deftly removed her clothing. “Come on, be quiet about it,” she whispered.
Heller stared for a few heartbeats, then broke the speed record for divesting his clothes and slipped in next to her, a look of surprised pleasure on his face. “Well, this is a…”
She put a finger to his lips. “Hush, no talk, just enjoy.”
And they did.
TWELVE
Gorradan stood in the near distance, the towers and walls rising from the plains all round. To the west the river ran, with the wharves and jetties and the vessels that plied their trade upriver and out to sea. It would be from there that Faer would continue her journey once this affair was finished. She took her eyes from the temptation and looked back up at the walls. To the left was a gatehouse, and it was there that Heller and his ten hand-picked men would enter and take control. They would have to hold it until Faer had done her job.
Heller was once more the efficient and professional aide to Lace, and the captain had nodded his thanks to her that morning. Faer had blushed and smiled. It had been good. Especially so that it had been voluntary and not forced by her exerting control over a victim. She had argued with her other self whilst bathing that morning. Her dark elf side had argued over enslaving to make Heller hers, while she had countered by saying the feeling of satisfaction and pleasure had been the greater because he had done so of his own free will.
They hadn’t exactly agreed in the end, but Faer had felt she’d gained a tactical victory. There was the distinct feeling of a sulk going on inside her. So, how to get in over the walls? Also where to go to find Capel? From the fleeting memories from the dead Theruddas, Capel lived in the dungeons of the palace. There were a number of obstacles to overcome first, and she would have to utilise all her skills to achieve it.
But before that, the wall. “It looks high,” she said.
“It is. Fifteen men’s height.” Lace looked at her in the fading light of evening. “Just how are you going to get up there and over unseen? I know you have skills, but what we need is a seasoned thief and acrobat rolled into one. I don’t think you are either.”
“No,” Faer conceded, her arms folded across her chest, “but then a thief or acrobat doesn’t have my powers. I’ll find a way. Have you a rope with hooks on the end?”
“Rope? Yes. Hooks? No.” He glanced at the walls. Sentries could be seen walking along them, the sinking sun’s rays glinting off their helmets. “It’ll need a good throw to snare the battlements, and even then it’ll be heard and seen. I don’t think you have the arm power to throw that far.”
Faer smiled tolerantly at him. “Could you get me a hooked rope Captain? Please?”
Lace grumbled and moved off, shaking his head. Heller took his place. He slipped a hand down and stroked one cheek of her bottom. She leaned into him for comfort. She felt more than a little scared. “Where do you want us to wait for your signal?”
She nodded at a series of fences off to the left, near the road that led to the gatehouse. At night the fence would be in darkness and out of the range of light thrown by the torches and lanterns on the walls. The gatehouse was a huge construction, made up of two round towers with pointed roofs. Arrow slits were situated at regular intervals going up each tower, and the two towers were separated by a short stretch of battlemented wall, below which were a portcullis and ditch. A drawbridge crossed the ditch, but at night this would be raised and the portcullis lowered. Both were operated from the gatehouse. The ditch was wide and deep and although not watered, was enough to provide a barrier to attackers using siege machinery. “I’ll wave a torch when all’s clear.”
Heller nodded. “I’ll get ready in that case. Good luck,” he said, and they kissed. He moved off, flexing his arms. There would be fighting that night.
Faer sighed and turned back, making her way to the camp which was in a depression so to be out of sight of the garrison. Prince Sethen greeted her. “Is everything prepared?”
“Almost, your majesty. I’m waiting for one piece of equipment, then I’ll be on my way.” She picked up her sword and put her leather gauntlets on. The sword she slid home over her shoulder, buttoned up her stiff leather jacket and tested her leather boots, ones that reached to just below her knees. All seemed to fit alright. Lace came along with a rope, with an iron hooked head fixed to one end.
“This should do, but I still can’t see how you’re going to do it.”
Faer took the coils and slipped them over one shoulder. “A little dark elf magic, Captain. Well, wish me luck.”
Lace took her hand and squeezed it. “If you can see if my wife is alright, I’d be grateful.”
“I’ll try.” She bowed to the prince who nodded in return, then she was walking away through a thin stand of trees, stepping over clumps of thickly growing grass and out onto the cleared land that led to the city. It was dark enough now for her to be concealed from the walls, so she strode confidently forward, her eyes adjusting with the twilight. Gradually colours faded to be replaced with greys, and some oranges where heat was being emitted. Intense heat would be white, and reds, yellows and oranges denoted differing degrees of heat.
The ditch yawned before her and she made her way down, carefully. It was steep and uneven, but she made it, and then walked along the bottom to the other side. She looked up. It seemed as if the walls went up to the heavens. Stars were starting to appear now. Torches were being lit along the walls and towers. She was halfway between the gatehouse and the nearest tower to it.
Up the other side of the ditch and she was then at the foot of the curtain wall. Rubbish lay here, some of it faintly foul smelling, and she wrinkled her nose. The rope was lifted off and she uncoiled the first few turns. With the weighted hook in one hand she gauged the height, then looked at the hook arrangement. She pushed energy through her arm and hand and forced the object to defy gravity. It rose up, weaving slightly, away from her. She pushed harder and it rose faster, and she leaned back, squinting up. The hook scraped the wall a couple of times and she winced, but it couldn’t be helped.
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Finally it leaned into a space and she knew it had got there. She released the force and the rope went slack for a moment, then she heard the chink of iron on stone as the hook caught. Now she grabbed the rope and began climbing, her boots planted firmly on the stonework. It was hard work, and she used muscles that she didn’t normally. Up she went, her breathing getting heavy. As she got to the top she poked her head over the top of the battlements. A guard was coming her way, a long-shafted poled weapon over one shoulder. He looked bored. She went very still and kept one eye over the lip of the stonework. The man trudged past, on his way to the gatehouse.
Faer was up and over in one fluid movement and she crouched on the walkway, allowing the strength to flow back into her arms. Climbing a rope was quite energy sapping. The first thing she did was to pull up a sphere of darkness around her. In the night it wouldn’t be easily seen, unless she was directly next to a light source. Now she slid her sword free and went after the guard, soundlessly gaining on him. She didn’t even bother to look into the city; that would waste time. Nobody could possibly see her.
The guard reached a black oblong that denoted the entryway to the gatehouse at that level. There was some faint light beyond, she could see, as she closed in on him. The man went in and she followed a matter of three paces behind. The walkway passed into a corridor with a door and another opening off to the right. The opening led to a guardroom, she could see. Men were standing there talking about the night shift, and their lack of enthusiasm in yet another boring shift. Faer grinned evilly. Boring? Not tonight.
The guard ahead of her stopped. He sensed something was not right. The light was fading around him as Faer closed in. She released the darkness and gripped her sword in both hands.
The guard turned. He received the entire length of the Royal Dark Elf Bloodsword through his guts. His last thought was of horror as his very being was sucked into blackness. Faer allowed his body to slump to the floor. She turned back. The guardroom had to be cleared.