The Guardians (Book 2)

by Dan O'Sullivan

  Kelian shook his head. ‘I’m more use out here, Colonel,’ he said adamantly.

  ‘You’re no use to anyone if you’re dead.’

  ‘I’m no use to anyone if we’re attacked and you, Borg and Gil get killed. There’s little likelihood I’d be able to defend the house by myself, so I may as well stay here and hopefully we can hold them off for long enough for your friends to arrive.’

  ‘Which is now,’ Mulgrew said in satisfaction as he saw movement on the path leading towards the house.

  There was a flurry of noise and activity as Louisa led a group of men toward the farmhouse. One of the men was driving a cart which was laden with weapons and food. They fell silent and waited attentively when Colonel Mulgrew raised his hand slightly, leaving no doubt of the high regard in which they held the old soldier.

  ‘Last night the fallen tried to burn this home,’ he stated without preamble. ‘If we are attacked again tonight I want to make sure we leave no-one alive who might take revenge by attacking Chayse.’

  ‘Colonel,’ one of the men spoke cautiously. ‘Why would they want to attack your farm? They know who you are, but they’ve never given you trouble before, have they?’

  ‘I have guests,’ said Mulgrew, ‘and it’s very important they are kept safe.’ He stepped back so the crowd could see the man standing behind him. He bowed his head respectfully towards Kelian. There was a combined gasp and cries of ‘Highness!’ and ‘Prince Kelian!’ then the crowd once again fell silent.

  ‘Prince Kelian,’ said Mulgrew, ‘this is an old and motley crew of mostly retired men, but almost everyone here once served in our army. Those who haven’t served have proven themselves to be loyal.’ He gestured towards the group. ‘Guard the perimeter,’ he said and the men melted away barely making a sound.

  As night fell they were mostly hidden by darkness. Very few of them could have been a day under sixty years of age, yet Kelian knew instinctively that these were all dangerous men. They moved with the strength and purpose of soldiers, and he wondered if they had continued to train under Colonel Mulgrew in their retirement. He made his way across the house yard toward the forest and stood staring into the darkness with his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

  ‘I beg your pardon, Highness,’ a voice at Kelian’s right began, ‘but shouldn’t you be inside?’

  ‘I’ll do my bit, it we’re attacked,’ said Kelian.

  ‘No offence, Prince, but I’ll bet at sixty-three years old I’m still a better swordsman than yourself,’ the man said grinning at Kelian.

  ‘I believe you,’ Kelian admitted. ‘I’m average with a sword but my bow skills are reasonable. I still can’t believe I didn’t bring mine with me.’

  The man unshouldered his bow and handed it to Kelian along with a full quiver. ‘Try this,’ he said enthusiastically.

  Kelian drew back the bow and smiled. It was a beautifully made. He held it out to the man who shook his head and said, ‘if you insist on being out here, Highness, you had better be armed with your weapon of choice.’

  ‘He shouldn’t be out here at all,’ said Borgulnay grumpily from the darkness.

  Colonel Mulgrew appeared silently beside Kelian. ‘Highness, you need to go inside.’

  Kelian glared crossly at Mulgrew. ‘I thought we already discussed this Colonel.’

  ‘Yes Highness. We did. May I escort you inside?’ he said politely, walking towards Kelian and practically herding him towards the house.

  ‘No!’ said Kelian indignantly as he found himself walking backwards. Colonel Mulgrew stopped and glanced around at his old soldiers who were now watching them warily. Understanding dawned on Kelian’s face.

  ‘I’ll be inside Colonel,’ he said resignedly, handing the bow and quiver back to its owner, and treading up the stairs. ‘Before I insult anyone else,’ he added under his breath. As he reached the door, he suddenly turned, went back down the stairs and practically ran to Colonel Mulgrew.

  ‘What is it?’ asked Colonel Mulgrew, looking confused.

  ‘If I could have a word with you please?’ said Kelian. ‘Inside will be fine.’

  Mulgrew followed Kelian into the house to where the ladies were now sitting nervously around the kitchen table. ‘Colonel, this entire mess has been brought upon you because we stopped here,’ Kelian began. Mulgrew was about to object but Kelian held up his hand and the Colonel remained silent. ‘We have a situation now where all of these men are in danger, not to mention the other citizens of Chayse, and this is my fault. Yet these men, these soldiers, stand willingly in our defense, and unfortunately this will leave Chayse vulnerable to attack. This cannot be allowed to happen. On top of all this, if we don’t get Louisa to the Dwellings, and she is taken by the fallen we’ll have a problem on our hands far more dangerous than we have now, so I will tell you what we are going to do. Do you have carts of your own?’

  ‘Two, Highness,’ said Mulgrew.

  ‘Good. You will take what belongings you can fit in a cart and you will go with the soldiers back to Chayse. I’m going to borrow your second cart and we’re going to take Araas, Timbul and Milgorry up to Tarlique as quickly as possible, and when we get there, I’ll send soldiers back to defend your town. I want Peta to come with us, for her safety.’

  ‘Kelian, they won’t leave this farmhouse standing,’ said Elena. ‘If we leave it unguarded, there’s no way it will be here when Colonel Mulgrew and Peta come back.’

  ‘You are correct. But they will be alive. I can have this farm rebuilt, I can have the crops replanted, and I can replace stock, but I cannot replace the Colonel and his wife.’

  Mulgrew leaned against the door frame. ‘If I may suggest, we could stay here for a while and make a show of noise and activity, whilst you slip through the fields and get a head start towards Tarlique. Then we’ll make for Chayse. I’m sure we can keep the fallen busy until you send reinforcements.’

  ‘Thank you Colonel. That would be appreciated,’ said Kelian. ‘The sooner we get to Tarlique, the sooner we can send help.’

  Chapter 10

  Conference

  Alexander approached the woman. She was about his height, with mousy brown hair falling around her face in soft curls and deep brown eyes which seemed to bore into his soul. He glanced at the tiny area of the third above level, which had been reserved for the woman and her four children. The twin baby girls were sleeping soundly on a blanket in the corner of the room, with several folded blankets preventing them from rolling. Beside the babies, two toddlers played on the floor with a small pile of wooden shapes. The little boys were aged about two and three years, and they looked up as Alexander smiled at them.

  ‘Danil already told me what happened to Mulber,’ the lady said and her voice caught in her throat.

  Alex said nothing. He gathered the woman to his chest and held her tightly, and tears rushed down both their faces. ‘I’m so sorry, Leonie,’ he eventually murmured. ‘I just wish…’

  ‘As do I,’ Leonie croaked. ‘I miss him so much, so very much.’ She glanced across at the children and sighed deeply.

  ‘How are the little ones doing?’

  ‘They don’t understand what has happened. Only Mully knows something is wrong,’ she said referring to the three year old, Mulgrew. ‘Little Alex has no idea, and Peta and Leanna…oh Alex! None of them will ever even know their father!’ She began to cry in earnest. Alex didn’t move and he didn’t try to soothe her, knowing she would need to grieve for a long time. Danil appeared beside him.

  ‘I was going to ask you to come to the conference room, but I see you are needed here far more, right now,’ Danil observed. ‘We just need to decide who is going with Callian to the Dwellings, but you will be staying, so there’s really no point to you being at the meeting.’

  ‘Thank you, sir,’ Alex said gratefully, and Danil turned and made his way down to the conference room where everyone waited.

  ‘So who’s going and who’s staying?’ asked Valeska. Despite the terrible and
heart-breaking news of the deaths of King Dannicus, Princess Elizabeth and Duke Li, they decided to go ahead with their previous plan and try to get Callian to the Dwellings on the ‘Swift’.

  ‘Of course guardian General Callian will be going, and Aithne will go with him,’ Danil replied. ‘General Marnol will remain here as will Alexander and Evan.’

  ‘Where is Evan?’ asked Dale.

  ‘Absent,’ said Danil, his tone making it clear he did not wish the subject pursued.

  ‘I think it’s time for everyone else to make their own decision,’ said Dale, taking the hint and moving on. ‘I will be staying here. Enri you should go to the Dwellings.’

  ‘No sir,’ said Enri quietly and Dale’s jaw dropped indignantly.

  Enri’s face flushed bright red. ‘Sorry sir. May I speak please?’

  ‘Go ahead.’

  ‘If I go, what use am I? Surely every single person will be needed to defend our people. There are women and children in this keep who need us. I can’t sail away from what is my duty, Baron. When King Dannicus confirmed me as your Squire I took oath ‘…to serve loyally, to both lead and defend the people of Alkira,’ …there was a whole lot more but I know it didn’t mean I was to abandon everyone just when they need us most.’

  ‘Enri, you’re only fourteen,’ Dale reminded him.

  ‘Sir, there was no part of the oath that specified my obligations began at a certain age. I took oath,’ he said emphatically. ‘I can fight, but there are also a thousand other things that need doing.’

  ‘You can fight?’ General Marnol smiled skeptically at the boy.

  ‘l know you can fight, Enri. Another couple of years and you’ll be absolutely terrifying,’ said Dale and he sighed worriedly. General Marnol raised an eyebrow in surprise.

  ‘The boy is surprisingly capable,’ Callian confirmed.

  Enri grinned. ‘Lias gave me a lot of lessons, and yesterday Kitchen Master Tolly started training me.’

  ‘That explains all the bruises,’ Dale said wryly. ‘I don’t like this Enri, but you are correct, so I guess you stay.’

  ‘Valeska?’ Danil gazed lovingly at his wife. ‘Please would you go home with Callian?’

  Valeska looked at Danil for a very long time before answering. ‘Yes,’ she said, blinking back tears.

  General Marnol took his wife’s hand. ‘My beautiful Lady, I want you to go to the Dwellings, and I wish I could make you go, but you are the most stubborn woman I have ever known and you will make your own decision regardless of what I say. You know I would never force you to do anything you didn’t want to do, but please Sophie, please go with Callian.’

  Lady Sophie look overwhelmed as she stared at her husband. ‘You want me to leave you and Evan here, and go to the Dwellings,’ she said emotionally.

  ‘Yes,’ he said simply, looking deep into her eyes.

  ‘I’ll need to pack some things,’ she said, and General Marnol sighed with relief.

  Dale turned to Baroness Kielie. ‘You should go with Lady Sophie,’ he stated.

  ‘Thank you for your concern, Baron Dale, but I will be staying,’ said Kielie firmly.

  ‘Kielie-’ Dale began but the Baroness interrupted.

  ‘No! I don’t have to explain myself to anyone, Dale. I’m staying here and that is that!’ she said adamantly, glaring at him. ‘Accept my decision please!’

  ‘Understood,’ Dale said hurriedly. ‘That just leaves you, Lias,’ he added, looking curiously at the warrior.

  ‘I have to go to the Dwellings,’ said Lias, his black eyes momentarily showing an atypical flicker of worry.

  ‘Why?’ General Marnol asked dubiously. ‘Are you looking to be returned, warrior?’

  ‘That might happen,’ Lias agreed. ‘When we came through Sheldon’s Mark, Colonel Ronden suggested I go to the Dwellings, and I think he’s right. He was surprisingly tolerant of my presence. Under any other circumstances one of us would certainly have killed or returned the other. So, I’m going with Callian,’ he said with finality. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

  ‘Now Danil,’ said Dale, ‘is our map of the camp helpful?’

  ‘It is,’ said Danil emphatically.

  ‘Why hasn’t anyone else tried to find their nest?’

  ‘We have. But we’ve had our work cut out just dealing with the problems here in Castle, and of those we managed to send out, some found nothing and the rest disappeared entirely. I wasn’t entirely sure what you were up to when you snuck out of the keep, but I was hoping if I asked Callian to follow you, he would keep you alive and bring you back safely. He’s been tearing around the countryside nonstop anyway, searching for the King. But you returned with the most valuable piece of parchment I could possibly hold in my hand; a map of the enemy camp!’ He shook his head incredulously. He smoothed out the parchment on the table and leaned over to look at it. His eyes rested on the place where Dale had sketched in the pile of bodies.

  ‘Dale, this was dangerous and reckless,’ he said resignedly. ‘We can’t have you gallivanting around the countryside alone.’

  ‘You just said it was the most valuable piece of parchment you could-’ Dale began.

  ‘So it is!’ Danil interrupted. ‘But you risked your life to get it!’

  ‘Perhaps, but it was worth it. Think of the lives we could save, knowing where they are, how many there are, what they are doing.’ Dale crossed his arms stubbornly. He stood up, turned his back on Danil and walked over to stare through the window.

  ‘You are Baron of East Inlet! Not a soldier!’ Danil declared.

  ‘There is no ‘East Inlet’. The fallen destroyed it,’ Dale said darkly.

  ‘I have to find some way to prevent you leaving the castle!’ said Danil. His eyes flicked towards Callian and a grin flashed across the guardian General’s face. He gazed at the back of Dale and the Baron unexpectedly found himself wanting to remain within the keep. He swung around and glared at Danil who raised his palms innocently. Dale switched his glare to Callian.

  ‘Stop it Callian!’ he growled, and the guardian General’s bright blue eyes sparkled with mirth. Dale was not amused. ‘Let me remind you of the exact wording of the oath. ‘I give my life to serve my King. As Baron of East Inlet, my duty is to the people. I will serve loyally, both in leadership and in defense of the citizens of our nation, in peace and in war. I swear to serve with courage, as the shield and spear of the people, ever laboring to protect and defend by whatever means I am capable, without hesitation and placing the needs of the people above my own. My life belongs to my King.’ Dale sighed. ‘So don’t try to influence me, Callian. Besides, it’s going to rain. Shouldn’t you be packing to leave?’

  ‘When do you think it will start?’ asked Callian. Dale leaned out of the window which faced north and overlooked the harbor.

  ‘Any second now,’ he said, looking upwards at the dark clouds. At that very instant, there was a tremendous flash of lightening and a simultaneous crash of thunder and Dale leapt back from the window in shock. He couldn’t help but laugh at the timing as the heavens opened and rain began to pour down heavily.

  ‘Any second,’ Callian said drily. ‘You’re right. We should prepare.’ He left the room, closely followed by Lias, Valeska and Lady Sophie.

  Danil moved his chair closer to the table. ‘Dale, would you agree to an escort, should you wish to leave the keep in the future?’ he asked seriously. ‘Please remember that my oath also involves protection of everyone from his Majesty to the youngest infant. That includes you, Dale. I can’t do my job if I don’t know where you are.’

  ‘Agreed, but I will choose who. And it won’t necessarily be soldiers. I need someone really sneaky for what I’m planning. Not someone confined by ‘the rules’.’

  General Marnol snorted. ‘Which poor sneaky bastard’s life are you planning to risk, Dale?’ he asked sarcastically.

  ‘I was planning to ask them first!’ said Dale indignantly. ‘I was going to ask Tolly if he wanted to ge
t out of the keep for a while.’

  Danil’s face broke into a grin. ‘Tolly! Alright, that’s fine. I feel sorry for any enemy you come across. Now tell me exactly what you are scheming, Dale.’

  ‘I want to try a few…experiments. I want to find out what they’re vulnerable to. If they take so long to adjust to our environment, I wonder what we can do to them whilst they’re resting. I wonder if there’s something they’re susceptible to. They must have weaknesses. I want to set up a hiding place where they can’t find me and I’ll observe them as much as I can – and try a few nasty little tricks of my own to see how they react.’

  ‘Supreme Majesty, Baron!’ Enri’s face whitened. ‘You know if you give them enough cause they’ll probably all jump up and attack us right away. Where exactly are you planning to hide?’

  ‘Callian said they can’t look up, so I think I’ll climb as high as I can into the thickest jinchilla I can find and stay there. I just need to be able to get to and from the tree without being seen, and maybe get some food up there. The other little gem of information we gleaned from Callian was that their eyesight in the daylight hours won’t be very good until they have fully adjusted. So I need to stay still and keep silent.’

  Danil looked at Dale in utter disbelief. ‘You must be joking, Dale,’ he said. Dale frowned but did not reply. ‘Alright, let’s just say by some miracle you actually manage to get yourself up into a jinchilla, tell me what ‘experiments’ you are planning.’

  ‘Well, I was hoping Callian could tell me a little more about these people, but I do have some things I’d like to try,’ said Dale cautiously.

  ‘Such as?’ Danil prompted.

  ‘I suppose I’ll start with simple things like how they react to the poison of dead and rotting animals in their water supply, or if they are susceptible to certain insect stings, or if they are vulnerable to any of our nastier snakes or spiders. I’d also be very interested to know if they burn well when covered in oil,’ said Dale grimly. ‘You can be assured I will try that one as soon as I can figure out a way to make it work.’