Lord of the High Reaches

by James Haddock

  I put the newly acquired steam engine in the train yard for Tink to work on. Tink's engine and wood car were now in use as the business car's engine. A month later East Central’s men started arriving and began laying track using the materials in our warehouses first. This would soon empty them and provide space for trade goods. A few days later, I received a letter in clannish that simply said, 'Well done'. It was signed, E.

  With the railroad building off my plate, I turned my attention to other matters. Which in this case, Lady Windford told me, was ‘putting my house in order’. She, along with Michael and Lord Windford, came to see the progress on

  the renovation of the keep. The first thing my house needed, according to her, was to set the kitchen right.

  She and Cookie walked through the kitchen, and noted what was, and in this case, what was not there. By the time the two of them finished, Cookie was beaming, and I felt my wallet getting lighter.

  After the kitchen, M’lady went through the rest of the house, talking to herself. Lord Windford spoke low, out of the corner of his mouth. “When she gets this way, I just say, ‘Yes, dear.’ Trust me, don’t even offer an opinion.”

  Once done, with a satisfied look, she said, "All that’s missing is a wife."

  I quit smiling, pretty sure, “Yes, dear” would be the absolute wrong thing to say.

  Back at the Windford Estate, we sat looking through what she called a ‘catalog’. "We'll start slowly, and as you are ready for more, we shall order it."

  She ordered a complete kitchen set, including a new stove. Currently, the keep only had a fireplace in the kitchen. Then we ordered glass for all the windows.

  "Once your windows are in, we'll order curtains, rugs, and furniture.” She was having entirely too much fun spending my money.

  Chapter 14

  “Excuse me, M'lord."

  "Yes, Fredrick?"

  "A skyship is approaching. It appears it may land."

  Lord Windford stood. "Thank you. We'll be there presently.”

  When Fredrick was gone, Michael looked at me. "A skyship? Friends of yours?"

  "Possibly."

  Once outside, we could see it was one of my cargo ships. When she landed, Captain La-mar came down the ramp.

  "Good to see you, my friend," I said, shaking his hand.

  "You as well."

  I turned to the Windfords. "Captain La-mar, may I introduce Lord Windford, his wife Lady Windford, and their son, Lord Michael."

  La-mar bowed, "M'lords, M'lady."

  "Well met, Captain La-mar," Lord Windford said. "It has been some time since a skyship has visited us. Please come in and be welcome."

  Inside, there was hot tea, coffee, and pastries. "I've brought letters and packets for you and news on our trade," La-mar said, taking them out of his shoulder bag.

  "What news on trade?"

  "We have been making trips south and southeast and doing very well. Lady Isla's contacts have opened many doors and opportunities."

  He handed me a list of cargo he was now carrying. With Lord Windford looking over my shoulder, we scanned the list of over 300 items, which included linen, wines, precious stones, perfumes, amber, ceramics, and paper.

  "My goodness! Tell me you are leaving this cargo at your trading house here," Lord Windford implored.

  La-mar nodded. "That was the intent unless my partner has other plans,"

  "There’s an empty warehouse ready for you," I answered. "Have it unloaded while I read these letters and packets."

  The large packet had King Micha’s seal. It contained the royal decree of my appointment as Baron Du-cat and assignment of lands, including a map. Looking at the map, I owned a lot of land, which meant I owed a lot of taxes. There were also 10 bank notes for 5000 sovereigns each and a letter from King Micha.

  It read:

  My friend, I hope this finds you well. Isla and Alyse send their best. We are most grateful for the drawings you sent us. They were well done. We have word of unwanted company, heading southeast and southwest. Maybe you have friends in the area who can persuade them to go home. We look forward to your next visit. It was signed M.

  Must be a royal thing to sign informal letters with just an initial. I was guessing the banknotes was for the drawing of pump wheel gun.

  The next letter was from Alyse. It was written in clannish.

  Cam, I hope you are well. Mother and I are fine, but it is rather boring without you around. I have been keeping up my clannish, and mother has found me a tutor who is fluent in the language. I miss you and hope to see you soon. Your friend, Alyse.

  The last letter was from Isla.

  “I hope this letter finds you well. Alyse and I are doing fine. We have been keeping busy, me with trade, Alyse with clannish. Since the Greenwell's failed coup attempt, they were stripped of all lands and assets. Most were killed in the fighting, the rest were executed. The king nullified my marriage and gave us the surname ‘Whitehall’. He also gave me all the Greenwell's assets, including land and trading houses. Needless to say, I have been terribly busy. I have spoken to the king about arming our cargo ships. He thought it a good idea, so much so he has given permission for all trading houses to arm their ships. As to modifying your ship, he has not decided, but said he would consider it. Take care. We look forward to your visit. Yours truly, Isla.

  I reread the king’s letter and honed in on the phrase, ‘My friends in the area’. He didn't mean Easties; he meant cats. He wanted me to bring cats to counter the incursion. Well, according to the map, cats lived on my land and were Southern Kingdom subjects. I wonder if they felt they were. This was not going to be easy. Which was the reason for the banknotes, to make me feel obligated. I placed the documents in my shoulder bag and went outside to the skyship, still pondering Micha’s intent.

  "Is everything okay?" Michael asked.

  "I have urgent business I need to attend, and I need a favor from you."

  "If I can," Michael answered.

  "Would you stay at the keep while I'm gone? Make sure everything keeps heading in the right direction."

  "I can do that, under one condition."

  "What condition?"

  "I ride on the skyship to the keep." He grinned like a cub with a new toy.

  "That can be arranged," I laughed, slapping him on the back.

  * * *

  I left the royal documents from King Micha in Lord Windford's safe with the royal documents from King Edward. I made my farewells to Lord and Lady Windford. Boarding the ship with Michael and La-mar, we were airborne within two minutes on our way to the keep.

  As the ship got close, workers excitedly began pointing and waving caps. As we landed, La-Mar commented, “Nice place”.

  "This is where we'll land skyships for now. Later, we'll build better mooring for them."

  The skyship caused quite the stir at the keep. "Michael, while I'm gone please find and rent a building for the trading house office. If you find nothing that suits, we'll build one. We need to this sell inventory to make room for the next load."

  "I'll take care of it. Take care of your business and come back safely.”

  As the ship lifted and turned south, I looked around. This was home. I needed nothing more.

  "Where to, brother?" La-mar asked.

  "I need about 50 good steel knives."

  "There’s a small port town on the southern coast. We may be able to get what you need there. I want to show you something," he said, handing the wheel to a crewman. He led me below, stopping at a barrel shaped cover. "We were one of the first cargo ships to be armed. We've got two belly guns and two forward cannons. If anyone tries to take us, they’re going to have a really bad day." He smiled. "Lady Isla pushed to have them put in, then sent me to find you. She's more influential now than before."

  "One letter you brought was from her. She now owns all the Greenwell trading houses and assets. I doubt they'll be called Greenwell much longer. The king nullified her marriage or whatever they call it and na
med her and Alyse ‘Whitehall’."

  La-mar whistled. "That puts both of them in the line of succession for the throne."

  "There have been many changes. Once we get the knives, we need to go to my old clan. They need to defend the boarders against the Westies incursions in the south and southwest."

  "Good luck with that. Cats don't much care for 'sky people' as they call us."

  "I'll appeal to their natural bloodthirsty nature. After what the Westies have done, it’s just a matter of getting the cat clans to work together.”

  "Speaking of bloodthirsty, I got these in a trade down on one of the southern islands." He opened a crate and took something out that looked like a potato with a tail.

  "What is that?"

  "It’s a bomb. They’re dropped on sea ships to blow things up. The black tails explode; the red tails explode and start fires. You just pull this pin and drop them on your target. They explode on impact.” He handed me one. “Do not drop it!”

  Turning it over, I took a closer look. “Nice, very nice." I handed it back very carefully.

  * * *

  At the port town, we bought every knife every trader had, which gave us 57. All the knives came with sheaths and belts. This would be quite a bit of wealth for a cat clan.

  Heading west, I didn't know the exact location of my clan from the air, but had confidence we'd find them. It was late afternoon the next day, when we saw the smoke.

  "Take us in slow, La-mar."

  As we passed over the smoke, it was the burned remains of a village, but not mine. All we saw were bodies, no one alive. We turned northwest toward the river and saw more smoke in the distance. I changed my fur to black.

  This was the work of men; cats don’t burn villages. Whether it was the Westies remained to be seen.

  "Have the crew stand by on cannons and guns. Continue going slow. Pass the word to the crew, we sail silent, no talking, no noise. Let's see who's raiding my lands."

  La-mar ordered the sails taken in. The ship moved over the treetops like a specter quietly walking the castle battlements at night. The next village we passed was mine; it too was burnt to the ground. Again, only bodies remained. Following the trail of destruction, we headed toward the river. Through the spyglass, I sighted a column of mounted and walking soldiers, numbering roughly 100. Captives in chains followed behind.

  "Swing wide and come at them out of the setting sun. That should blind them to our approach."

  La-mar nodded, changed course and added sail, picking up speed. I had confidence La-mar would put us where we needed to be. Cannon crews stood by, ready to fire. The rest had long guns and bombs ready.

  The Westies were making camp in an open field as the ship cleared the trees. We were on them before they saw us. The forward cannons fired, strafing the center of the camp. Men and equipment flew into the air. Horses screamed and fought their riders to get away. The belly guns started firing as soon as they had targets. As we passed over, long guns took out individuals.

  "Target their leaders!" I shouted.

  La-mar turned hard to port, putting us right back over them. Return fire struck all along the ship; damage was minimal. Bombs were dropped on men, trying to rally a defense. Ropes went over the sides, allowing half the crew and me to slide down. Before I had let go of the rope, a Westie with a blade ran forward, fully intending to gut me. Before I could react, a crewman bashed his head with his short gun barrel, dazing him. I kicked the blade away, then slashed his eyes, blinding him. Dropping to the ground, he screamed, sending a message that this was a fight the Westies could not win.

  At this point, there was no fight left in them. The soldiers were stripped of their weapons. Under guard, they were allowed to tend their wounded. Out of the 100 Westies only 20 survived. Most were wounded, including their commander. Two of our men were killed; some were wounded but would live.

  Their colonel was sitting up. "Name?" I demanded.

  "I'll speak to your leader, cat," and spat on me.

  I grabbed him by his hair and lifted him off the ground; his feet dangling.

  "I am their leader, scum," and threw him down. "Bring me a set of chains!" A crewman fetched a set of slave chains. Chained about the neck, wrist, and legs, it was the colonel’s turn to be a prisoner.

  I walked among the cat prisoners, finally finding the cat I was looking for. "We meet again, clan leader," I said in clannish.

  He looked up at me, squinting. "Kol-ha?"

  "Shame? I'm not the one in chains. And if you call me that again, that is where you will stay."

  He dropped his head, looking down at his chains.

  "Is there another clan leader among you," I shouted in clannish. No one answered. "A sub-leader, then?"

  "Here," one spoke up. He was not of my clan, but he would do.

  "Unchain him," I said in common. A crewman did so. The sub-leader followed me back to my old clan leader. "Unchain this one too."

  "Both of you, come with me."

  We walked back to where the colonel was chained to a tree. He looked up at me. "My name is Baron Lord Du-cat in the service of King Micha. You have invaded my lands, attacked my people, and taken them as slaves. Is it just you who has done this or is the Western Kingdom now at war with the Southern Kingdom? Please tell me it's just you, so I can hang you now."

  That got his attention. If he said it was he alone, he was a dead man. If he said otherwise, he was putting his kingdom at war. Wisely, he said nothing.

  "Is this true?" Clan leader asked in clannish. "You are a baron to King Micha?"

  "It is. I saved his life and was rewarded with a title and these lands.” I turned to the crewman. “Unchain all the cats, then chain the rest of the Westies to trees."

  “Yes, sir. Sykes, Campbell, Phillips, and McGregor, over here!” The Westies were chained in short order.

  "Gather round me," I spoke in clannish to the cats. They sat down in a half-circle so I could see all without having to turn.

  "For those who did not hear me, my name is Baron Lord Cam Du-cat in service to King Micha. I am baron of the lands from the river, southeast to where the river turns. By the actions of these Westie men, or Brownies as some call them, we are at war. They have invaded our lands, burned our villages, killed our people, and put you in chains as slaves." Heads nodded.

  "Ordinarily, I would just kill them, but King Micha will pass judgment on them and decide their fate. But it falls to us to protect our lands, homes, and families. To do this, the clans must unite or be picked off like wolfs pick off the weak, one at a time. Some will ask how we can stand against their guns. Their guns are their weakness. Without guns, they are sheep before us. We will take their guns to use against them. We will hunt them, and we will watch the borders of the Western Kingdom. As they come onto our lands, we will kill them, take what they have, and become rich from the spoils. They will learn soon enough not to trifle with us." Growls could be heard.

  "From this night on, cats do not war on cats. We fight as one. We wage war on the Westies and their allies. Go among the spoils. Take their guns, their knives, their horses. You young warriors scout the Westie borders, bring word when they start to cross. You older warriors spread the word to the other cat clans, show them your spoils. Tell them what happened and that the Cat Nation is at war."

  They leapt to their feet, roaring. Prisoners cringed in their chains, and crewmen took a step back. The cats rushed forward grabbing guns, shot, powder, knives, horses, and anything else they wanted. When they finished, they gathered back around me.

  "I go to see King Micha. I will tell him the Cat Nation guards his border, and no one will pass us. No longer will humans say, 'That's just some cat'. They will say those are the cats that protect the Northern and Southern Kingdoms, and no one dares try them." I turned and walked back toward the ship. The cats roared again and disappeared into the forest.

  "Well, they certainly seem excited," La-mar noted.

  "They did, didn't they?" I answered, smiling. "Have t
he men gather what spoils are left. Leave the horses and bring the prisoners. We go to see King Micha."

  Chapter 15

  Repairs were made to the ship and balloons; both had taken shot from the Westie’s guns. Once that was done, prisoners were brought aboard and chained to the deck. We didn't want them to get a closeup look at our cannons or other aspects of the ship below, such as the vacuum boilers. Once the prisoners were secured, ropes were cast off and the balloon was airborne.

  The cats had taken a little over half of the battlefield spoils, but the crew was happy with their share. I marveled once again that neither the Western nor Eastern Kingdoms had skyships. There was a good wind in our sails. If it held, we'd be at the southern capitol before long.

  One of the crew approached. "M'lord.”

  "Yes?"

  "That colonel is asking to speak to you."

  "Thank you. Your name crewman?"

  "Randall, M'lord, but they call me Scotch."

  "Your favorite drink perhaps?" I smiled.

  He sighed. "Crew's joke. I don't really drink.”

  “You did well today, Scotch. Thank you."

  "Thank you, M'lord," he said, nodding his head once.

  Though I suspected I knew what he wanted, I went forward. “What do you want?”

  "My name is Colonel Lord Oakridge. I give you my parole. Now get me out of these chairs," he demanded.

  "And your men?"

  He sniffed, turning his head away in a dismissive manner. "Mere commoners. I am nobility."

  “Your parole? You give me your parole?” I gave a cynical laugh. “You expect me to return your sword and trust that you’ll not use it to run me or one of my men through.” I showed my teeth. "You murdered those who were no threat to you, including their families, and enslaved the rest. You are without honor. Therefore, your nobility is forfeit. You are scum, a slaver. You stay chained."

  "Noblemen are not treated in this manner!" he shouted.