A Burden Given

by James Bee

  “Go to the town hall and get some sleep, all of you,”Gerald said. Pulling Kayl close, he whispered in his ear. “Post guards on them for now. I need to come up with a plan before this gets out. The town is likely to panic, and we can’t afford that.”The big knight nodded.

  “Come with me, lads, I’ll tuck you in and read you a bedtime story,”Kayl said, leading the sallow-faced woodsmen out the door. Gerald collapsed into a nearby chair, head spinning.

  “We need to do something! Those savages could be here within a few days! Some might already be out there now!”Lucan yelled. The priest looked to be on the verge of collapsing himself.

  “Peace, my lord. We mustn’t lose our heads now,”Gerald said quietly. “Orland, might I convince you to do me a favour?”

  “Of course,”the noblemen replied with a slight tremble in his voice. Gerald saw that he looked pale and was shaking slightly. With a pang of guilt, Gerald remembered that his friend wasn’t a soldier and hadn’t seen any combat.

  “I need to know our supply situation. Find some parchment and take a record of everything that might be of importance, food, weapons, bandages, that sort of thing,”Orland nodded and went to leave the room. Gerald grasped his shoulder, stopping him. “It’ll be fine. One look at Kayl’s big head and the bastards will run back into their tree forts.”Orland nodded and flashed a smile before running out the door.

  His coat had barely disappeared before Blane and Rolan appeared. The merchant was red-faced, sweating, and out of breath.

  “What happened? Why are we meeting in your hovel? Charming though it may be,”he demanded.

  “It is highly unusual. I was doing my inspection of the perimeter. Hopefully this is more urgent,”Blane added.

  “You’re going to be inspecting the perimeter a lot, I imagine,”Gerald said.

  The old soldier’s scowl deepened as he helped himself to a glass of wine.“The scouts came back then? With bad news?”he asked.

  “Aye. A host chased them back here, ran them halfway to the grave,”Lucan answered. The priest’s normally stony voice had an unmistakable tremor.

  “How many?”Blane asked.

  “Don’t know. Sounded like a sizeable host, enough to cause us some problems, no doubt,”Gerald said.

  “Which tribe?”Blane asked.

  “Does it matter!”Rolan said calmly. “One savage is not unlike any other!”Gerald was surprised by the merchant’s demeanour. He would have guessed that Rolan would fall apart at the news. It seemed that much of his bluster wasn’t just for show.

  “It matters,”Blane said darkly. “Most of the people out there are like any of us. Just folks trying to make a living. Farmers and nomads mostly.”

  “What about the Sanish?”Gerald asked. Blane winced, shaking his head.

  “They’re different. The Sanish are bloodthirsty, prizing battle and glory above all else. Survived through a few skirmishes with them when I wasn’t so grey in the beard. Each time I left with a cut to remember it. Can’t say I relish meeting them again,”Blane said, absently scratching at an old scar on his chin.

  “Has a war band ever ventured this far south? Has Redstone ever been attacked before?”Gerald asked. All three lords shook their heads, each distracted by his own thoughts.

  “You’ve bad luck, bastard, to be here at such a time,”Blane said.

  “Aye,”Gerald responded. Bad luck? He seriously doubted it. They said that the queen had eyes and ears everywhere. Could she have sent me up here to die? To heroically perish defending innocents against bloodthirsty invaders? It certainly would be a convenient end to an embarrassing life. A son’s deeds washing away his father’s shame. Very poetic.

  “What are we going to do?”Rolan asked, jolting him out of his thoughts. “The mine has to be protected!”

  “Fuck the mine! We have to start fortifying the town right away. Our defenses are pathetic; they won’t stand up to a serious assault,”Blane shot back.

  “We can’t leave it unprotected! The savages could walk right in!”

  “And do what? Work it? Steal your precious rocks?”Lucan broke in angrily. The queen’s words rose unpleasantly in Gerald’s mind. Keep the mine operational. How could he do that? How could he defend the people and the Crown’s interest at the same time?

  “The town shall be our priority. Our forces will muster here and fight as one. We can’t afford to be divided. Our odds are bad enough as it is,”Gerald said.

  “We should evacuate the citizens! Have them take their chances on the road!”Lucan said.

  “It’s a five-day walk to the nearest town. They’d never make it burdened by children and wagons. No, we have to fight them here, with our walls to aid us,”Blane said.

  “Aye. We don't know how many of them there are. Kayl’s men are good fighters, battle-tested and loyal. With the garrison and the guild soldiers, we’ll be able to hold the town,”Gerald said, trying to force optimism into his voice. The effort was wasted on Rolan.

  “Our men do not answer to you, boy. They will be used in the way in which I see fit. And I won’t spend their lives defending a bunch of farmers!”he said venomously. Gerald saw Blane’s hands ball into fists, and he stepped in between them.

  “You and your men cannot survive on your own. They’ll slaughter all of you and burn your mine buildings to the ground,”he said.

  “Aye. Leave the strategy to the warriors. A merchant has no place at a war council,”Blane said. Gerald threw his hands up before the guildmaster could reply.

  “This is not a war council! This is a meeting of lords! If Redstone is to survive, then we have to work together! We cannot be at each other’s throats when there is a host of men coming to rip them out!”Gerald said.

  “And what exactly are we going to do?”Rolan asked. Gerald wished he had a response. There were too many questions and not enough answers. Yet he had no one to took to; he had to take control or he would lose all power.

  “Well, to start we have to make sure that no one finds out about this until we have more information. Panic’ll spread like fire if the townsfolk hear that a small army is coming. We need to come up a plan to calm them down. Until then, though, no one can know about this. Am I clear?”Gerald looked around room, making eye contact with each person. Rolan looked away almost immediately, suddenly interested in inspecting his boots. Lucan met his gaze, still looking shaken. Only Blane seemed unconcerned, as though he’d been expecting the news. Which Gerald supposed he had been.

  “You cannot hold the scouts for long. They have families in the town, families that will be wondering where they are. Folks saw them come in. Already rumours are probably spreading. We shouldn’t try to hide the truth. We’ll look like fools if it discovered,”Blane said. Gerald bit his lip. He knew the grizzled soldier was right; keeping a secret in a town like this was like trying to hide the sun.

  “Tomorrow at midday I’ll make an announcement in the square. From there we can come up with a better plan and start preparing. Tonight, I want squads patrolling the walls. It’s likely that our scouts could have been shadowed all the way here. Until then we should all get some rest. I imagine we all are going to have some sleepless nights ahead,”Gerald said.

  “One day. That’s it. I won’t lie to my men for longer than that,”Blane said gruffly before shouldering his way through the door.

  “Perhaps it would be best if I were to speak to the crowds in your place. At a time like this, the people look to their gods for protection,”Lucan said, putting his hand on Gerald’s shoulder. The desire to accept his proposal was powerful. Gerald had braved swords and arrows on the battlefield, but speaking in front of a large group terrified him. Moreover, they were not going to like what he had to say. All he had to do was say yes and the burden would be shifted off his shoulders.

  “I appreciate the offer, but no. The people need to hear it from me. In times such as this, they need to look to those who lead them,”Gerald said, causing the priest to withdraw his hand. Instead, Gerald mirrored the a
ction with his own hand. “However, I would ask you to stand with me as I tell them. Your presence would give my words more credibility than they would otherwise have.”

  “I will do that. As you say, it is important that we support each other. Now more than ever.”Lucan gave him a small smile before bowing and walking from the room. Unfortunately, that meant Gerald was alone with Rolan. An unpleasant prospect at the best of times.

  “What will you do?”Gerald asked. Truth be told, the merchant worried him most of all. Lucan and Blane were predicable, their actions not difficult to guess. Rolan was a mystery to him.

  “I will grant you your reprieve. After that, I make no promises. My first duty is to the guild and the mine. There is a great deal of money at stake here, as you well know. I know I can count on you to help me safeguard it.”The merchant leaned in closer to whisper in his ear. A strong odour of raw onions assaulted Gerald’s nose at the man’s nearness. “If not…Well, I can always send a letter to the queen, telling her of how you are impeding our progress. How you are intentionally preventing shipments of the steel that the crown so desperately needs.”The threat hung heavy between them. Gerald had known he would regret revealing the orders, but not this soon. Rolan had the right of it, of course. The Crown needed steel for its wars. Without it they would be crippled, unable to make arms for their soldiers. Anything seen to threaten this supply would be removed. Though what the queen would do about a band of marauding tribesmen, Gerald hadn’t any idea. It wasn’t very likely they would be very willing to allow that precious metal to continue flowing to the south.

  “Why do you think the Sanish are coming? To burn a small town, full of peaceful farmers? Why would they take the risk?”Rolan began to look uncertain and tried to back away. Gerald caught his arm tightly and pulled him closer. “They’re coming for the steel, Rolan. Once they have it, I’d wager they leave us alone. If you want to protect it, you need my help. The town comes first, then the mine. The queen may have ordered me to ensure that the shipments keep coming, but her gratitude won’t help me much if I’m in the grave. I don’t intend to die for hunks of metal. If an army shows up on our doorstep, we might not be able to stop them. The best we can do is give them what they want and hope they go away. More steel can always be mined, but if Redstone burns, it will never come back. Its people are worth more than some gold.”Gerald released the merchant and stepped back. The smell was giving him a headache.

  “Not to me they aren’t.”Rolan swept from the room before Gerald could respond. Stunned, he poured another glass of wine and sat down. For the first time since arriving, he missed the capital. Missed his home, with its predictable bullies and predictable struggles. How large his problems had seemed before he’d left. Now they seemed paltry concerns, hardly worth wasting time on. His life had been simple, easy to understand. Here, it seemed as though the questions just kept piling up, threatening to overwhelm him. Questions to which he had no answers.

  16

  Chapter 16

  A small town wakes up the same way every morning. Familiar voices travel down the streets, selling fresh bread and milk. The sounds are well known and soothing, as reliable as the rising and setting of the sun. It doesn't take one long to become accustomed to them, to slowly come into wakefulness at their melody.

  Rough shouting and the din of frenzied movement jolted Gerald awake. Immediately, he knew something was wrong. Even in his sleep-addled state, it wasn’t hard to guess the cause of the commotion. Someone talked.

  Swearing loudly, Gerald swung his legs out of bed. The early morning chill turned his skin into a mottled array of gooseflesh. Pulling slightly smelling and scratchy clothes over his head, he snatched his sword and burst through the door.

  Pandemonium awaited him on the doorstep. People were running back and forth, yelling the names of their loved ones or just screaming. Many had packs on their backs, full to bursting with clothes and goods. A few wagons were trying to go down the street, unable to move due to the frantic throng of townsfolk.

  Gerald was stunned. His carefully prepared speech was little use to him now. Fear had ridden into Redstone in the night and taken everyone under in sway. Here and there in the crowd, soldiers tried to intervene, but they were helpless against pressing mass. One of them ran up to Gerald, a youth with pockmarked skin.

  “What do we do, my lord? Everyone has gone mad. They’re fleeing the town!”he said, barely able to be heard over the roar of the crowd. Gerald grabbed him and yelled into his ear.

  “Get as many men as you can and go to the gate. Bar it and don’t let anyone through. It’s not safe outside the walls.”The young soldier swallowed and looked out at the seething mass. For a moment, Gerald was sure he would refuse. Yet he didn’t. Snapping a salute, he took off running into the crowd.

  Vowing to buy the young man a barrel of ale, Gerald went to the stable. Frothy was in a panic, straining against the ropes around his neck. Putting his hand on the big animal, Gerald whispered a few soothing words. Great long strings of drool were flying out of the horse’s mouth, even more than usual. With his hand on the rope, Gerald hesitated. Perhaps taking the frenzied animal out into a crowd of people wasn’t the wisest move. Yet he had to be seen as being in control, as someone who could dispel the townsfolk's fears.

  Slipping the rope off the animal’s neck, he led it out of the cramped stable. With no time to put on a saddle, he leapt onto the horse’s back. He cooed encouragement as they walked into the choking streets. For once, Frothy’s appearance was a boon. People reeled as they passed by, clearing a space.

  Voices called at him, asking questions, demanding answers. Gerald ignored them, scanning the crowd desperately. He knew violence could break out at any moment. He’d seen what a siege could do to people. Terror could turn to anger in a moment, and blood would be spilled. Even with all his men, Gerald couldn’t control the whole town.

  His vantage above Frothy also served as a gathering point for his soldiers. They pushed through the crowd and fell in around him. They were few enough, but none in the crowd were fool enough to trifle with armed men.

  “To the gate!”Gerald yelled, gesturing down the street. Up ahead he could tell that his orders were begin followed. A mass of people and wagons were massed, not moving. The closer they got the angrier the shouting became. As he passed, Gerald couldn’t help but notice that most the people on the streets bore weapons. At his approach, the shouts targeted him.

  “Let us through, bastard!”

  “You have no right to stop us!”

  “They’re coming! Let us pass!”

  Their words crashed into him, sending him reeling, though he kept his face carefully free of emotion. If he showed them how terrified he was, it would all be over. They couldn’t look to him and see a scared, doubtful young man. They had to see a strong, confident, unyielding knight.

  At the gate, his soldiers were under assault. A dozen of them had formed a line and were holding it against an onslaught of townsfolk twice their number. Gerald could see the desperation on all faces. It wouldn't be long before a blade was drawn, and then it would all unravel.

  With a shout Gerald spurred Frothy into a full gallop. Now desperately wishing he’d had time to put a saddle on, he headed straight for the press. Cries of alarm and warning rang at his approach, and those striving to get out leapt backward. Gerald rode between the two sides before turning and coming to a halt in front of his men. As the soldiers he had brought with him caught up, he surveyed the crowd.

  A sea of scared and angry faces glared back at him, shouting and screaming. A scattered mass that if agitated further would crash right through him. He had to find a way to calm them, to buy him enough time to think of something.

  “CITIZENS OF REDSTONE! CALM YOURSELVES!”Gerald yelled. A mass of jeers and screams greeting his words. “RETURN TO YOUR HOMES! NONE MAY LEAVE THE CITY! IT IS NOT SAFE! YOU WILL BE PROTECTED FROM THOSE WHO WOULD DO YOU HARM!”The fury of the mob died down a little at Gerald’s words. Empty pla
titudes though they were, it was what they wanted to hear. A drowning person clutches on to anything they can reach, and the citizens latched desperately on to his words.

  “What is happening?”

  “How many are coming?”

  “Will the Crown send more soldiers?”

  “How will you protect us against so many?”

  “Why are they here?”

  The frenzied questions fell upon him like arrows. Now the crowd pressed forward, not to break through his men, but to listen to his words. Desperate to hear assurance that he couldn’t give. Yet he would have to give them something or he would be torn apart. Struggling, he frantically looked around the crowd. Kayl pushed through the mass with a dozen soldiers behind him, giving Gerald all the inspiration he needed.

  “THE KING AND QUEEN HAVE ALREADY SENT SOLDIERS TO PROTECT YOU! BRAVE MEN! STRONG MEN! WARRIORS WHO HAVE FACED HORDES OF ENEMIES AND LEFT THEM BROKEN. A FULL COMPANY, LED BY ONE OF THE KING’S FINEST KNIGHTS!”Gerald pointed over to Kayl, who through some foresight or chance was clad in his full battle armour. Rising above the crowd with the morning sun dazzling off his platemail, Gerald’s friend looked the part of a hero. A rousing cheer swept through the crowd as the massive knight walked up beside Gerald.

  “What the fuck is going on?”Kayl whispered, his face obscured by the full helm.

  “Just trust me. Stand there and look menacing,”Gerald whispered back. “TOGETHER, WITH THE FORMIDABLE MEN OF THE REDSTONE GARRISON, WE SHALL TURN BACK THOSE WHO HAVE COME UNLAWFULLY INTO YOUR LANDS. NOW YOU MUST TURN BACK FROM THE GATES. WE CANNOT PROTECT YOU IN THE WOODS! TURN BACK AND GO ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS!”Gerald’s shouts echoed throughout the town. Sweat trickled down his back as he waited to see what the townsfolk would do. If they tried to leave, it would get bloody, and he would lose what little grip he had. He just needed a bit more time to regroup and prepare. These people didn’t want to leave their homes behind; they were just scared. The question was who were they were more scared of, the northerners or his men?