A Gathering of Armies

by Christopher Williams

  They rode the rest of the day, stopping once more to swap horses in the mid-afternoon.

  There wasn’t much conversation. Lord Steel and his men were a hard, disciplined group. Idle chatter didn’t seem to fit into their demeanor. Atock and Enton remained quiet as well, as anything they said would most likely be heard by the whole group.

  As the day wore on, they entered Lord Steel’s fiefdom. Lord Steel controlled these lands south to the Adelion river, and east and west for hundreds of miles. The lands had been granted to Lord Steel by the king, and he in turn parceled them out to his knights and assorted bondmen. The Knights and bondmen kept control over their lands, and farmed the lands through the use of farmers and peasants.

  As the sun began to set, Atock expected Lord Steel to lead his men off the side of the road to make camp, but as they crested a small hill, a small keep sat off to the right of the road. It was to the keep that Lord Steel led them.

  The keep was a building several stories tall and made out of stone. Several small one-story buildings were scattered around, and several stables were located behind the main building. A wall, approximately twelve feet high, formed a large square around the buildings. The wall was also made of stone, huge stone blocks linked together for the keep’s defense. Two enormous wooden gates spanned a twenty foot entryway. Torches burned at the gates, and lanterns could be seen burning inside the keep.

  The gates were standing open, and messengers were streaming in and out. Two small bands of guards stood on either side of the gates. The guards made no move to intercept the messengers, but they did move forward to block Lord Steel’s path.

  “Halt!” the leader shouted.

  Lord Steel pulled his horse up, momentarily silent.

  “Who are you?” the guard asked.

  Still Lord Steel did not answer. The man on Lord Steel’s right nudged his horse forward and peered down the guards. “Do you not recognize your liege lord?”

  The guard was momentarily struck dumb. He finally regained his voice. “My Lord, I did not recognize you in the darkness. My humblest apologies.”

  Lord Steel did not answer, except to the kick his horse forward, causing the guard to leap out of the way.

  Atock, Enton, and the rest of the riders followed Lord Steel through the gates and into an enormous courtyard. They dismounted, and turned their reins over to the numerous pages that came out to accept them.

  Lord Steel spoke quietly to his Lieutenant, and then motioned for Atock and Enton to join him.

  The two Guardians hurried up to join Lord Steel. He started walking even before they reached him.

  “This is the keep of one of my vassals. We’ll stay here for the night,” Lord Steel said. He walked at such a pace that Atock had to hurry to keep up with him.

  Before they even reached the door, it opened showing the outline of a large man against the interior light. The man quickly descended the steps, bowed his head, and raised his fist to his heart. “My Lord, I was not aware of your intended arrival.”

  “Neither was I,” Lord Steel replied. “We just left Telur this morning.”

  “This morning?” the man said. “Well, you made excellent time.”

  Lord Steel turned sideways, and indicated Atock and Enton with his left hand. “These two are Guardians.” He pointed to Atock. “This is Prince Del-Atock A’bamani, and this,” he motioned to Enton, “is Enton Dale.” Lord Steel then turned back to the large man. “And this is Knight Charles the Elder. You can call him Sir Charles.”

  Atock studied this knight, this Sir Charles. He was tall, not as tall as Enton, but well over six feet. He was broad both in the shoulders and chest, that gave him a sort of barrel-like appearance. His face was round and he had long sideburns. Despite the hair growing on his cheeks, there was a distinct lack of it on his head. He was bald, with the hair growing around the side of his head giving him a natural halo.

  Sir Charles smiled at the two Guardians. “Welcome to my humble home. We’ve already eaten dinner, but I’m sure the cook will have something ready momentarily.”

  “That would be most appreciated,” Lord Steel said. “I’ve sent the rest of my escorts to your guard barracks. I would like the four of us to meet privately, perhaps in your study. We need to discuss and plan for the coming battle.”

  “Of course, my Lord,” Sir Charles replied. “Please follow me.” He then turned and led the way back to the keep’s entrance, climbing the few steps and disappearing into the well-lit interior.

  Lord Steel led the two Guardians up the steps and inside. The entryway was well lit and warmly decorated. The floors were stone, and a light wooden paneling covered the walls. Two guards stood on either side of the doorway, their eyes lowered in respect.

  Lord Steel walked through the entryway, and followed Sir Charles deeper into the keep. A large banquet hall occupied the area directly ahead of the entryway. They passed through this hall and proceeded through a few winding corridors, finally stopping at a large wooden door. Sir Charles pulled a ring of keys from his pocket and spent several moments fishing through the keys for the right one. Finally he found it, unlocked the door, and pushed it open.

  The room beyond was dark, but Sir Charles bent down and began lighting the wood that was already laid out in the fireplace.

  Lord Steel moved forward and sat on a small couch. Atock and Enton remained standing in the doorway, waiting for the light from the fireplace to illuminate the room. Gradually, the light from the fire lit up the room where they could see the surroundings. In addition, Sir Charles lit four torches which he placed in each of the corners of the room. While not bright, they could at least make out the room now.

  It was a small study. An old desk sat along the far wall with a large cushiony chair behind. The couch Lord Steel sat on was to the left, two chairs sat directly in front of the desk, and a larger couch was off to the right. The walls were covered with ancient weapons, many of which were broken, as well as old battle banners. Two narrow, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves stood on either side of the door. There weren’t many books on the bookshelves, but in this area they were probably priceless.

  Atock stepped over and sat on one end of the larger couch. It was rather hard and not that comfortable, but after spending all day in the saddle, it was wonderful.

  Enton shot a disapproving look at Atock, and selected one of the two chairs in front of the desk. The chair was made of wood and it squeaked as Enton settled himself. Atock thought the chair looked uncomfortable, but Enton didn’t seem to mind.

  Sir Charles finished lighting the torches, and moved over to take the chair behind the desk. He smiled expectantly at Lord Steel.

  “You received the message I sent you?” Lord Steel asked.

  Sir Charles’ smile slipped away and he looked troubled. “Yes, my Lord. I did.” He looked like he wanted to say more, but glanced at Atock and Enton and remained silent.

  It seemed that Lord Steel sensed the other man’s hesitancy. “It’s all right. You can speak in front of them.”

  Sir Charles still looked less than convinced, but he nodded his head once. “My Lord, if we harvest our crops now, will lose more than half of the harvest. It could ruin many of us.”

  Lord Steel nodded his head. “I understand, and I raised the same objection to King Darion. He promised Telur’s support. He will not allow this to destroy us.”

  Atock leaned forward on the couch. “Besides, it doesn’t much matter. If you don’t harvest the crops, you’ll still lose them, because the goblins will eat them. But if you harvest them now, you and the other citizens of Telur will get something from them.”

  Sir Charles looked rather sour. “And we’re supposed to believe that an army of goblins will be here within weeks?”

  Atock could understand the man’s doubt. He was being asked to cripple his livelihood, based on an unsubstantiated threat. A sudden fear gripped Atock, what if Zalustus had lied to Flare and Heather? He could be weakening the kingdom of Telur by crippling their harve
st and spreading anger and hostility amongst its defenders. He tried to dismiss this thought, but it continued the bother him. The idea seemed almost too crafty for Zalustus, but he hated to underestimate the man. If the stories were true, Zalustus was one of two living wizards.

  “It does not matter if you believe it, as the king believes it,” Lord Steel said. “The king has given me my orders, and I have given them to you.”

  Sir Charles nodded his head emphatically. “Yes, my lord. I didn’t mean to imply that we wouldn’t obey, I was simply stressing how miserably bad this could fail.”

  Lord Steel nodded his head. “I understand. But it will not be our failure but the king’s. However, if we do not follow his commands, we will be guilty of treason.”

  Sir Charles’s face darkened. “My lord, I have never broken an oath, and I don’t mean to start now.”

  “Good,” Lord Steel said. “Tell me, what progress have you made today?”

  Atock was surprised. The orders had just been sent this morning, and surely Sir Charles could not have received them before late afternoon. It seemed a bit much to assume that he had done anything with the orders.

  “We sent messengers south, east, and west. There relaying the orders to the other nobles, and informing the peasants. My lands will begin harvesting tomorrow, and anything that is not ready for the harvest, will be burnt.”

  Lord Steel nodded. “Excellent. And how about the women and children?”

  “My wife and children and those of my men leave at dawn. I’m sending them north to Telur, and then west to my wife’s family. They’ll be safe there until this is over. The peasants will flee as soon as the crops are harvested.”

  Atock kept silent, but he doubted how safe the women and children would be. If Telur fell quickly, the surrounding castles and keeps would not last long. The only way the women and children would be safe would be for Telur to win the war.

  Lord Steel nodded his head, looking pleased. “You’ve done well. I’m sure you’ll handle the harvest quickly. And your men?”

  “I’m sending my men south to make sure the peasants follow the king’s orders. They will split, with some going east and others going west. They will then turn north traversing my lands and making sure the king’s orders are followed. Lastly, they will head to Telur to aid in its defense.”

  “Excellent. Excellent. You are to be commended. I am well pleased,” Lord Steel said.

  “My lord, if I may ask, where is this goblin army supposed to cross the river?” Sir Charles asked.

  Lord Steel sighed and adjusted himself in his seat. “We’re not sure. The king sent messengers south to warn all the ferrymen.”

  Sir Charles shook his head. “I can’t see an army of goblins crossing the river on ferryboats. Goblins hate water. I don’t see how they can cross.” He shrugged his shoulders. “I’ve studied the maps and I can’t find a suitable area for crossing.”

  “Maps?” Enton asked. “What maps?”

  Sir Charles looked surprised. “The maps of the Adelion river, of course.”

  “Can we see these maps?” Atock asked.

  Sir Charles shrugged, looking perplexed. “Of course. Give me a moment.” He stood and left the room, but returned within moments carrying several bundles of papers. He spread the papers across the desk, showing new and ancient maps alike. The maps of the river were on top, most likely due to his recent study.

  Atock, Enton, and Lord Steel rose to join Sir Charles at the desk.

  Sir Charles traced his finger along the Adelion river, from Victory Lake to Alandell Lake. “If this battle is to be joined before the end of the summer, then this is the most likely place for the goblins to cross. Going east of Victory Lake would take months, so I think we can agree that’s unlikely.” His finger traced the areas to the west of Alandell Lake. “None of the rivers in Aramonia are as big as the Adelion, but the sheer number of them as well as the Old Wood, makes that way impractical. They have to cross the Adelion between Victory Lake and Alandell Lake.”

  Enton studied the map for a moment before pointing to the far west. “Couldn’t they come by ship? It would seem to be the easiest way. Once Elem was captured, they could unload their ships with ease and then take the West road to Telur.”

  Sir Charles was already shaking his head before Enton finished speaking. “No. Goblins hate water, and the way you pointed out would only increase the amount of time they spent on a ship.” He shook his head again. “No, it has to be the Adelion between Victory Lake and Alandell Lake.”

  All four men continued to study the maps in silence. Whatever the goblins plan was, it continued to elude them.

  Chapter 8

  Heather was standing on the exterior wall of the castle, looking over the great city of Telur. Enton and Atock had left earlier in the day and their departure was depressing her. She wasn’t watching anything in particular and from where she stood, she couldn’t see the tumultuous activity that must be occurring throughout the city.

  The warmth of the summer sun on her skin was relaxing, but she still felt uneasy. It hadn’t taken long to discern why, either. Damn him, she thought for the hundredth time, thinking of that big lumbering ox, Enton. They just returned to the safety of Telur and leave it to him to go running off chasing goblins.

  She leaned out over the ramparts, allowing the breeze to blow across her face.

  It was even more galling that his leaving had affected her so. Atock’s departure didn’t have her all tied up into knots. She sighed heavily, wishing the goblins would arrive so she’d have something to do. She immediately took that thought back; she fervently hoped the goblins never made it across the river.

  Still, if she had to spend the next month or two moping around the castle, then she might very well lose her mind.

  She straightened up as that thought played across her mind. Why was she daydreaming like some love-sick cow? The entire city of Telur was being turned upside down, there had to plenty that she could do.

  Turning, she hurried from the wall. There was plenty of work to be done and she knew exactly who to ask.

  It took her nearly half an hour to find Jared. The king’s spymaster was in an otherwise empty meeting hall. Maps of Telur and the southern lands were spread across a wide table.

  Jared’s head swiveled around at her approach and then he turned back to the maps. “What can I do for you?” he asked in a distracted tone.

  “I need something to do,” she answered. “I can’t just sit here and wait for the goblins.”

  Jared looked up again, a smile playing at the corner of his mouth. “You mean that you can’t sit here and wait for Enton to return?”

  Heather felt the heat rising in her cheeks and was unable to answer the blunt question.

  Jared waved his hand at her. “Don’t worry. I’m sure the others didn’t notice, but I’m quite proficient at discerning people’s wishes and intents, even when they don’t say a word.”

  Heather shook her head. “I’m not sure what you mean,” she said, even as the flush on her face continued to grow.

  Jared waved again. “As you wish.” He straightened up from his study of the maps. “Did you have a particular task in mind?” he asked.

  Heather shrugged her shoulders. “Whatever I can be the most help.” She nodded to the maps. “Looking for the most obvious way for the goblins to approach?”

  “No. I’m looking for the best way to get a messenger away from Telur,” Jared replied.

  “A messenger?” Heather repeated. “Going where?”

  Jared bade her come closer and then began pointing at the map. “Dalar and Ontaria probably can’t help us. The goblins will be coming from the south so those two kingdoms probably have their own problems right now.” He paused but continued when Heather nodded. “To the southwest, Falda and Aramonia probably can’t help either.”

  “Why?” Heather asked. She pointed to the Southern Road on the map. “If the goblins come through Dalar and Ontaria, Falda and Aramonia should b
e mostly unaffected.”

  Jared shook his head. “If I was invading a kingdom like Telur with an army of goblins, I would send some of them to attack Falda and Aramonia. The goblins don’t have to conquer those kingdoms, hell, they don’t even have to win any battles. They just have to make the kings and peoples of those kingdoms afraid. Once that is done, they will not send any of their soldiers to Telur to help us.”

  Heather thought about it for a moment while she chewed her bottom lip, then she looked up. “I can see that. So where are you going to send envoys?”

  Jared pointed to the east. “Molain and Natesh,” he said simply.

  “Molain and Natesh?” Heather repeated in disbelief. “Those two kingdoms hate Telur almost as much as they hate each other. Surely they won’t send any help.”

  Jared sighed. “I agree, but I think they are the only ones who could help us.” He shrugged. “There’s a reason the king didn’t want to send envoys to them. They most likely won’t help us, and that’s assuming the envoys make it through.”

  Heather looked at the map again. “You think Zalustus will have goblins along the Eastern Road?”

  “No, probably not goblins. I would guess human mercenaries. Zalustus has to believe that neither Molain nor Natesh will come to our aid, but I’d guess he’ll cover the road anyway.”

  “If the envoys don’t use the road, then how will they get there?”

  Jared shook his head, still looking at the map. “That’s the problem. There are plenty of other ways to go, but there’s only one way that an envoy can get there and get back with help in time.”

  “The Eastern Road,” Heather said simply.

  “The Eastern Road,” Jared agreed. “I hate to send an emissary straight into a trap. Most of these diplomats wouldn’t even know which end of a sword to hold.”