by J W Murison
With his hand on Wynona’s forehead Gareth could see what the girls were seeing and he didn't like it much. There was a large force on its way, but it was still about ten miles away. A mall force held a causeway and a half-mile beyond it the twinkle of water. He opened his eyes.
‘Ok we got a large force heading this way, but it’s still a fair distance away, get me my commanders.’
Twenty minutes later two thousand men deployed behind the causeway and rushed it. They then made their way to the second tower. The fight was fierce but brief with the enemy pushed right into the river itself where they eventually surrendered. Stripped of their weapons and rings they were transported away quickly. Casualties had been light.
‘We need the men on the other side of that causeway, there must be a force of about six or seven thousand on its way, I want at least that number to meet them, call in the troops.’ Gareth looked up, ’where’s that fucker away to?’
He just spotted the mast of Bobs ship sail away up the river. Wynona quickly gave him an answer. ‘He is going to find the enemy force Sire and try and sail past it. He wants to know if the enemy are carrying any magic with him. He has his officers and a couple of golden ones with him. The admiral approved his idea.’
‘A good idea,’ Gareth gave way a little, ‘maybe we will find the bastard useful after all.’
The golden ones stayed in the cabin out of sight. Bob had sailed slowly up the river until he was out of sight of the main force. It wasn’t too long before he encountered the enemy. A horseman came to the banks and called out to the ship.
‘Do you know what’s going on?’
Bob stifled a grin, ‘the enemy have a fleet anchored off the estuary and have taken the right hand bank. I think they are going to try and land troops across the other side, we were sent with dispatches asking for reinforcements.’
‘How many are there of them?’
‘A couple of thousand, but their ships are deep draught, they cannot come up river.’
The man grinned, ‘join the rest of your force we are cramming every spare man we can onto boat’s and are going to attack their fleet at low tide.’
‘On our way,’ Bob stuck his thumb up and jumped down of the rigging. They just managed to relay the message to Gareth when the Eagles collapsed. The officers began to bang off the masts and furniture. Black attracted Bob’s attention to a large wagon pulled by a team of ten bullocks. It was lagging a short way behind the main force but was heavily protected. They sailed on. Bob checked his chart, ‘this rivers supposed to split shortly, in the next mile. Then a few miles after that we run the gauntlet of those catapult things. Ever seen one Black?’
He shook his head, ‘no but I've been told they can toss boulders right across the river and smash everything in their path. Do you think they will attack us captain.’
Bob shrugged, ‘that lot mistook us for their own people, they are used to seeing this ship come up and down here and maybe it’s due in for supplies who knows. Just keep your weapons out of sight and relax, lounge about a bit but don’t overdo it.’
They found the tributary and spotted another tower, a soldier leant over the rail and shouted down to them, again Bob told them what they wanted to hear. Within a few minutes large flags began to be waved at the back of the tower.
‘Very smart,’ Bob murmured to himself as they sailed past.
‘What are they doing?’ Black asked.
‘Passing messages I think, everything we have told them.’
Bob stayed at the wheel as they sailed past lines of wooden catapults. There didn't seem to be many men around. Black pointed that out, ‘we could kill the men and burn them.’
‘What with?’ Bob asked pointing to the surrounding area, ‘there are no trees or bushes to sit against them, we could maybe heat enough tar to set one on fire but what about the rest of them.’
‘Pull them into the river,’ he suggested.
‘Not a chance,’ Bob bit into a piece of fruit, ‘we wouldn’t budge them. Ok round the next corner we have to turn round.’
‘Why?’
‘Because we are getting to close to where they berth the ships, those soldiers might be none the wiser to who we are but I'm betting their own mates will know straight away.’
‘Good point.’
Bob suddenly smiled, ‘beside’s I got an idea.’
Round the bend they turned the ship around and sailed back. No one seemed to take any notice. Eventually they caught up with the soldiers the wagon was trailing even farther behind. Bob had been studying a small book he had found in the captain’s cabin and on the deck he had the men searching through a pile of flags.
From the distance there was a terrific crash and Bob realised the army’s had engaged in battle. ‘Run that flags up,’ he ordered.
The response was immediate. The escort swung towards the shore,’ what’s going on?’ demanded an officer on horseback.
Bob made his face as serious as he could, ‘we were given orders to load the ring and sail down behind the enemy to try and paralyse their army and their ships compliments.’
‘We were never given any such order.’
‘You just got it.’
‘I need that in writing.’
‘Weren’t given any written orders, everyone’s in a big panic back there, every other ship is full to the gunnels with men at arms, we were sent ahead to clear the way.’ Bob shrugged, ‘but that's ok we will wait until the boss gets here. It shouldn’t take too long to load up once they get here.’ He turned to his men, ‘drop anchor, lower the sails. Get the galley lit and well grab something hot to eat. It will be a long day.’
The officer turned back to the wagon, once there he held a conference with his officers.
Black was shaking his head, ‘we just going to sit here, they didn't go for it.’
‘They will go for it.’
‘How can you be so sure?’
‘Because it’s a bloody good idea from their point of view.’
Black scratched his head, ‘Is it?’
‘Aye, makes good sense, would to me anyway. The chance to cut behind your enemy and paralyse them. Raid all their ships and cut down their crews.’
Black scratched his chin now, ‘I suppose it does sound good.’
‘Make sure every man has a dirk concealed on his person but stack the swords and axes against the forward bulkhead, where we can get to them in an emergency and where our friends can keep an eye on them. It will reassure them nothing sneaky is going on.’
‘Aha, but it is.’ Black grinned.
‘Aye and make sure our sleeping friends will not be found.’
‘On it.’
It didn't take too much longer, just long enough to re-heat a pot of stew and distribute it to the crew. Bob was dipping a piece of hard bread into his to soften it when the officer returned.
‘My commander has decided to load the ring now.’
Bob shook his head with distain and plonked down his dish of stew, ‘get the gang planks down prepare to take the ring on board.’ His men reacted slowly, ‘come on you dozy bastards, you can get your dinner when it’s cold.’
With a lot of moaning the men produced the gangplanks and laid them on to the bank. Bob went back to his stew and hid his apprehension, what if there were too many for his crew to handle, then an idea struck.
‘Black.’
He ran over, ‘aye captain.’
‘Run a rope from the forward anchor port to the rear and run the rope round the central deck. When the anchors are up then cut their ties and attach them to the rope. When I give the signal a raised fist kick them over the side and make sure you got two competent men on those anchors and no one on the central deck, get them all into the rigging once we set off.’
It took a moment for Black to get the idea then he laughed, ‘Aye, aye sir.’
He had it done and Bob finished his stew before the wagon rolled up. It took a team of a dozen heavily armed men to get it onto the ship. Then anot
her two dozen crammed onboard.
‘Enough,’ Bob cried to the officer in charge, ‘we won’t be able to manoeuvre if you cram any more on board.’
The officer waved the rest of the men away and they raised the gangplank. ‘Cast of fore and aft, weigh forward anchor, raise the foresail get us steerageway. Ok weigh rear anchor.’
The ship bit into the water and Bob guided her out into the middle of the river. He wanted a really deep spot to kick the anchors overboard and knew just the spot. Round the next bend the battle came into sight. Men threw themselves like maniacs against the Highland line. Bob saw a pile of bodies behind the Highlanders and thought it the wounded but soon realised it was the non-Highland men affected by this gold ring. Behind the causeway there was a farther 2000 men just standing waiting, but as they got closer the men began to collapse. The officer burst out laughing at the sight and his men made their way to the rail to jeer. Bob adjusted his wheel slightly and he looked for his men. They were already in the rigging waiting, as the crossed the deepest part of the channel Bob raised his fist and his two men kicked the anchors over board. The rope whipped out. Bob reached behind and drew his dirk with one hand while the other pulled back the officers head. He cut the officers throat and tossed him away then reached for the next man. There were cries of alarm as the ropes snapped men off their feet. His sailors jumped down from the rigging with dirks in hands. The deck began to run red with blood.
‘Do it fast,’ Bob roared slashing another man’s throat. With the wheel deck clear he jumped over the rail and joined the slaughter on the central deck. Over half were pinned together in the centre of the deck helpless. They screamed in terror as the sailors slashed and stabbed them. Soon the men on the outside were dead and only the inner circle they couldn’t reach still lived.
Black took an axe and Bob nodded; with one swipe he severed the rope, it whipped away and the men rushed in over the falling bodies. It was over in seconds. Bob wiped away blood from his face, ‘did we lose the anchors?’ He roared running back to the wheel.
‘Rear anchors still here captain,’ one of his men shouted.
‘Then secure it before the rope plays out completely.’
He ran to the forward anchor where the rope was slowly disappearing over the side. He just caught it and heaved back his feet on the rail. Three men rushed to help him, they rook the strain and he handed it over to them, ‘secure it.’ Then he dashed to the wheel and swung the wheel, preventing her from broaching.
His eyes went upwards, ‘oh shit. Someone cut that fucking ring.’
Gareth was standing frustrated watching the battle from a highpoint when he noticed something was happening. He saw Bobs ship turn the bend then saw his reinforcements going down.
‘Fuck, fuck, fuck,’ he screamed believing that Bobs ship had been recaptured. ‘Warn the ships,’ he turned to find his girls all lying unconscious, he hadn’t even heard them fall.
‘Billy,’ he roared as he saw Scout go down, ‘send a runner to the ships tell them to cast off before that fucking ship reaches them, it’s got a ring on it.’
He immediately sent Steven and Alan as the fastest runners, they didn't get far before disaster struck. High above Natina and Glaciea had been reporting what they saw when Natina hit the invisible barrier, she fell from the sky.
‘No.’ Alan screamed.
Steven looked up, ‘come to me darling,’ came his wife’s words in his head then everything began to spin.
Glaciea also hit the barrier and began to tumble from the sky. Steven reached out with his arms to balance himself and found he had grown wings, fear lanced up into his throat and it took a second to realise he was now in his wife’s body falling towards the ground. He shouted aloud and heard the cry of an Eagle ring in his ears, a fierce joy raced through him and he spotted Natina’s tumbling form. He tucked in his wings and dove for her. As he came near he reached out to grab her with his hands but his wings suddenly slowed him down. ‘Shit,’ he cried to only to hear the cry of an Eagle once more, ‘grab her with your feet he told himself.’ The ground was coming up fast he knew he was risking both their lives but he had to try. He reached Natina and his talons grabbed the tumbling bird, then he threw his wings out and began to beat them as fast as he could, but the ground was still coming up to fast and Natina was heavy, they smacked into the ground in a pile of feathers.
Steven opened his eyes and found himself spitting out sand, ‘what the fuck happened?’ He sat up to find himself alone. Alan was rushing towards the two downed birds. Steven got to his feet and staggered afterwards, ‘what happened?’ he asked Alan as he reached them; he was trying to untangle the two.
Alan snarled, ‘ye mean when our wives fell from the sky and you fucking fainted?’
‘No, I didna faint it was me up there.’
‘Whit!’
‘That was me flying, my wife said come to me the next thing I know I'm falling through the sky and there's your wife in front of me.’ He sat down, ‘oh fuck that was unreal.’
Alan finished untangling the two and laid his wife out, ‘she’s alive but I think she has a broken wing. What do you mean it was you?’
‘I'm telling you, I was Glaciea up there for a moment, I grabbed Natina, shit I'm sorry man, I tried to grab her with my hands the first time, they were fucking wings, oh that was fucking something else.’ He folded his wife’s wings, ‘she has a broken talon and there is blood on it Alan.’
Alan found the wound, ‘it’s not deep, what the fuck is going on. One of us needs to reach the ships and warn them,’ but there was no need, Natina began to stir then she cried out in pain. Steven found himself looking into his wife’s eyes, ‘you did it,’ she whispered.
‘I think so,’ he spoke aloud, ‘what happened?’
‘I pulled you into my mind just before I hit the magic wall. I didn’t know if it would work.’
‘It worked all right and I managed to grab Natina but you are both hurt.’
‘Don’t worry we will be fine.’
Natina stood with her broken wing held out and Glaciea with her broken talon dangling and a wing supporting her body. ‘I fucked that up,’ Steven admitted guiltily to her.
‘No husband, considering you got no warning of what was going to happen you did really well, better than I’d hoped.’
Alan spoke up, ‘Natina says thank you for her life, she explained what happened.’
Steven grinned, ‘I'm still trying to work that one out myself.’
Their attention was attracted by the creaking of timbers. A ship nudged the bank. Blood flowed out of the scuppers in small rivers and a tall bald man jumped overboard. He made his way up to where Gareth was waiting.
Alan grinned, ‘hey I think that's the guy that decked Gareth.’
Steven scowled, ‘do you think he’s looking for trouble.’
‘By the looks of it he’s had plenty already.’
Bob nodded to where the soldiers were picking themselves off the ground and shaking themselves off, ‘sorry about that, afraid it couldn’t be helped.’
Gareth nodded, ‘no harm done, have you got that ring on board?’
‘Aye,’ Bob quickly explained what had happened.
Gareth listened patiently then coaxed everything Bob had learned out of him, ‘you did well Osgood, bloody well. We got off on the wrong foot but you have more than proved Billy’s estimation of you, will you shake my hand, let bygones be bygones.’
Bob only hesitated a second and reached out, ‘alright, I've learned you’re a far better man than I ever gave you credit for.’
They shook, ‘report to the admiral, he will brief you on the next stage of the operation.’
Later that day Bob took a force of men up river where they ambushed the ships coming down stream with flaming arrows. The arrows were dipped in a special solution devised by the Eagles and would not go out when water was poured on it. They lost half their ships and Gareth's force pushed up river. He kept the pressure up but they began to erode
away the area the Eagle breeder had stolen for himself.
CHAPTER 28
The delegation from the breeder came in the late afternoon. There were half a dozen of them and one looked like a wizard, it was he who stepped forward and placed a wooden box on the table.
‘We were sent by master Bonnily to negotiate a truce between us.’
Gareth didn't like the look of any of them even though they were obviously unarmed, ‘tell him to release all his Eagles, give us a list of all his customers and we will walk away.’
The wizard smiled beneath his greasy beard, ‘that won’t be possible, he demands you’re immediate withdrawal and the return of all the gold you have taken from him, in return he will spare all of your lives.’
‘You’re a bit of a cocky bastard, why don’t you just make your move.’
‘I don’t.’
‘Just fucking go for it, whatever it is you have in mind.’
The smile slipped from the wizards face and he made a grab for the box, but Gareth was faster his dirk went through the wizards hand and the box and pinned them both to the table. The man next to Gareth made a lunge for Gareth his fingers outstretched but Scouts knife took him on the temple and he dropped dead. Swords and axes fell, men screamed, the man at the back ran out of the tent but the sentry stopped him with a sword in his guts the dying man scratched the face of the black guards man. Gareth was shocked by what happened next, within a few minutes the guards man began to scream he fell to the ground and writhed in agony. His body began to go into convulsions. His stomach and bowls began to evacuate and his body began to arch. Men tried to help him but he kept arching until his head almost touched his backside then there was a sickening crack and his agony was finally over. The man slipped into death.
Gareth was shaken, he had never seen someone die in that manner before. Scout and Aswari stood over the body of the stricken man. Scout knelt at the man’s side and straightened him, ‘poison.’
‘Nasty one too,’ Aswari added without emotion, his eyes turned towards the box on the table and the dead wizard whose hand was still pinned to the box and the table, ‘I wonder what nasty’s are in there.’ He got up and chopped the man’s hand off at the wrist. The body hit the floor and Aswari picked up the box with the hand still attached, ‘do you want your dirk back Sire?’