The Warriors of Valishna (Cartharia Book 1)

by Spencer Reaves McCoy

  "A while longer," Penny said. She gestured at a group of soldiers. They'd just started another round of shots.

  Kenneth nodded. He seemed less confident now that they weren't dancing or going through the other customary wedding rituals. Penny didn't know what to say to make him feel more at ease, "You look good in your robes," she finally said.

  "Thanks," Kenneth said, and they both laughed. It was a good feeling. Kenneth took Penny's hand and drew her closer, "And you," he admitted, "look beautiful in your dress." Before any more could happen, a voice interrupted.

  "Kenneth, a moment of your time?"

  "Right now?" Kenneth asked, turning to look at the interrupter. It was a tall, older man that Penny didn't recognize.

  "Please," the man said.

  Kenneth sighed, and let go of Penny's hand. "Can you excuse me a moment, Penny? I won't be long."

  Penny nodded. She waited until Kenneth had the other man had stepped into the house and then quietly following them, staying just outside of the doorway.

  "What's going on?" Kenneth asked, "Ryan, this is my wedding. It's not a good time to interrupt."

  "I know," Ryan said, "and I wouldn't have interrupted if it wasn't important. I wanted to let you know that I'd spoken with Mike."

  Kenneth cleared his throat.

  Ryan sighed, "Sorry. I mean the gopher."

  Kenneth said, "How did he react? Did he say if he'd do it?"

  "He doesn't want Lamonte to win the war, and he doesn't want Lamonte men here in Valishna," Ryan said, "But he didn't say one way or another. He's thinking on it."

  Ryan's voice dropped down lower, adding something that Penny couldn't hear. She moved closer. Her dressed rustled as she did.

  "What was that?" Ryan demanded. He quickly moved to the doorway.

  Kenneth smiled at Penny as he followed Ryan. "Hello, Penny. Come in. Ryan was just telling me the latest news of the war. We didn't want to speak in front of the soldiers. For obvious reasons. You know."

  He waved in the general direction of the party.

  "I see," Penny said, looking between the two, "and what is the news?"

  Ryan shook his head, "Not good," he admitted, "We just found out that our main forward post was destroyed. We lost nearly the entire unit. We'd just sent reinforcements too. Only a handful made it out alive. How they did, I have no idea. That lieutenant from Teirford led them."

  Penny felt her breath catch. She managed to release it and ask, "Which Lieutenant?"

  The news of Matilyn's attack on Teirford had been everywhere. They were saying her Charge was chosen by the gods, but Penny didn't believe that. She believed Matilyn made a good leader, but she didn't believe she was a chosen person.

  "Malevus," Kenneth said.

  Penny let out a sigh of relief, "So she made it out alright?"

  Ryan nodded, "and she took a lot of her men with her. Of course, they suffered massive casualties, even in the Priests. She sent back their tags."

  "I know a lot of Priests," Penny said. She felt the familiar swooping sensation in her stomach that happened whenever someone she knew from Valishna died, "Do you have a list of the dead?"

  Ryan glanced over at Kenneth.

  "Go ahead," Kenneth told him, '"She's my wife now. She has the right to know what I know. Honesty was a vow I took today."

  "Alright," Ryan said. He took a scroll from his vest and unrolled it. "We have a copy of the report sent back. Let's see here... aha, here we are. A list of the dead."

  He held it out to Penny.

  She took the report gingerly. She recognized Matilyn's hand writing. There was a decisive, sharpness to her letter that Penny had grown accustomed to over the years. It filled her with a sense of longing that she'd managed to forget over the course of the evening.

  She had to swallow the lump in her throat. It had been nearly a year since she'd seen or heard from Matilyn.

  Penny scanned the list of the dead but it was long and fortunately, most of the names were people she'd never heard of. After a minute or two, she shrugged, "I don't see anyone I know."

  "May I?" Kenneth asked. He took the report, and looked it over.

  Penny watched his face as he read the report, wondering who the gopher was and wondering what it was he could do for Arinford. Then she saw an expression of shock cross Kenneth's face.

  "What is it?" she asked, "Someone you know?"

  "Someone you know," Kenneth said. He struggled for a moment and then turned the scroll back to her, "I'm so sorry, Penny. I really, really am."

  Penny frowned as she looked to where he was pointing. For a moment, she couldn't believe what she was reading. It didn't seem possible.

  Captain Eldrin, Sheldon: deceased.

  She ran. People shouted after her, including her father and Kenneth, but she couldn't have stopped herself if she'd tried, it was as though her legs had grown a mind of their own. She felt her dress rip at one point, but she just hiked it up further and continued on. She ran until she was free from the estate, free from the guests, free from the wedding that was little more than a fancy charade.

  Penny ran to the nearby beach, collapsing down on the sandy, rocky shore. The same shore that Lamonte had sailed to, the same shore that had started the war. Sobs racked her body.

  Captain Eldrin, Sheldon: deceased.

  The words kept popping in front of her eyes, again and again, in Matilyn's hand writing. How had she written that? How had she been able to? Penny felt as though she was going to hurl all over the sand.

  She didn't know how long she sat alone on the beach, sobbing into her ruined dress before she heard footsteps. She looked up to see Kenneth.

  "I'm sorry," he repeated, dropping down beside her, "I'm sorry, Penny. I know--well everyone knows--that you two were close."

  "I told him not to go," Penny said, "I told him not to go, and he went anyway."

  Kenneth didn't argue with her, but merely pulled her close. Penny put her head on his chest and started to sob again. She could feel Kenneth stroking her hair. She didn't want his comfort though. She jerked away. Kenneth hesitated and then just let his hand fall into his lap.

  It took a long time for her to calm down. She managed to control her crying but it was a near thing. Part of her felt as though she were on the edge of losing her sanity. Everything felt so surreal, "I'm sorry," she finally managed out, "I guess this isn't how you managed your wedding night."

  "Well no," Kenneth admitted, "Not exactly. Then, when I imagined my wedding night, you certainly were not a part of it. No offense."

  "I wasn't?" Penny wiped some tears away, distracted momentarily. "Was there someone you did imagine, Kenneth?"

  Kenneth stared into the distance, silent for a long time. Penny felt her face turn red. Other than the brief moment during their ceremony, she'd never imagined that Kenneth had someone he loved too. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

  "She's a lovely girl," Kenneth said, "Not quite what my parents wanted though. Not what your parents wanted either. Doesn't really seem fair that they get a say in it, but we can't help the families that we're born into. I suppose we both should have thought that this day would come sooner or later. It's better for you this way. You don't have to be paired off with one of those soldiers."

  "I'm sorry," Penny repeated.

  "This night isn't easy for me either," Kenneth said, "I had, well, I had plans, Penny. I had dreams of marrying this girl and making her my wife. She would raise my children and manage my household and we'd be happy together. I didn't even want to be part of my father's business. Did you know that?"

  Penny shook her head. She realized there was so much about her new husband that she didn't know; that she hadn't bothered to find out. "Why'd you agree then? You could have said no. You could have married her, then you'd be free. They couldn't the stopped you."

  Kenneth smiled. He put his hand back on her shoulder, "I could have" he agreed, "but then were would you be? There's a good chance that in a year's time, you'd be married off to
one of those soldiers against your will. Maybe even to the commander himself."

  Penny thought of Peter and his kind smile. He was still one of them though. "Why do you care about protecting me?"

  "I will always, well, I'll always protect those who can't protect themselves," Kenneth said. He sounded so serious that Penny almost laughed. It sounded so humorous coming from him, him with his awkward way of speaking and nervous habits. She could almost hear the stutter in his voice, left over from childhood.

  "Well thank you," she said when she was sure she wouldn't laugh, "My hero."

  Kenneth didn't seem amused. In fact, he looked stung by the remark. Penny almost felt bad, but then she thought of Eldrin. She thought of how he must have died. She couldn't spare any sympathy for her husband.

  "Look," he said, "I understand this is a marriage of... well, it's pure business. I get that. For both of us, it's just a marriage of business. I don't expect anything from you."

  "What?" Penny said.

  "I don't... we don't... you're my wife," Kenneth said. Penny realized he was blushing, "And I guess in some ways, you'll have to act like it. We're bound together beneath the gods. So you can manage my household, and I'll do my best to take care and protect you. But we don't have to share a bed. Not till you're ready. Not until I'm ready."

  Penny nodded, "Thank you."

  "But," Kenneth said, "You are my wife, and there are things you need to know."

  "Is this about that man? Ryan?" Penny thought of him, with his list, his list with Eldrin's name written on it, in Matilyn's sharp, crisp letters, "It is, isn't it? I don't want to know, Kenneth. I don't care."

  Kenneth slid his arm further around PEnny's shoulder. This time, when she tried to pull away, he didn't allow it, "We're doing something here in Valishna," he said, "and you have to know. You have to know because it's important."

  Penny stared forward at the sea. Part of her had already guessed what he was going to say. She was good at putting the pieces together. It didn't make it any easier to hear.

  Kenneth tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and whispered, "We're going to take back Valishna."

  TWENTY-TWO

  A Better Place

  WILL HURRIED TO CATCH UP TO RAFINNEL. "Battle-Master, wait."

  Rafinnel turned to look at him. His face was devoid of emotion, "I've given you my answer, Prince William. This attack will be dangerous. I am not risking your life."

  "That's why I'm here," Will said, "I joined the Guard to fight, not to be left in camp for every mission."

  Rafinnel shook his head, "I understand that, but I made a promise to your father. I promised to keep you safe. We're going to be traveling hard, and hitting the enemy castle with all of our strength. You are too young."

  "I'm not," Will said.

  Rafinnel sighed.

  "Please," Will said, "Let me ride with you. I've been trained, and you said you'd let me serve as a true soldier."

  "I suppose that's true," Rafinnel said, "Tell me, though, did you dream last night?"

  Will was caught off-guard by the question. He frowned, "Yes," he finally said, "I did."

  "Was it the same?"

  "Yes," Will said, "It's almost always the same, these days. Storms."

  "I wonder," Rafinnel said, "if these dreams could be related to the storms we've been facing. Lamonte is a spring and summer state, not winter. There should be no snow."

  Will shrugged, "I don't know," he said, "I wondered the same thing myself, but it's not as though I've got the answers."

  Rafinnel sighed, "We will be gone for a week, Prince William. If you are going to be riding with me, you must go prepare."

  "I can go?" Will asked. He stared at the Battle-Master in surprise. He hadn't believed he'd be able to change Rafinnel's mind. He tried to figure out the connection between his decision and the fact that he'd dreamed that morning.

  "Yes," Rafinnel said, with a slight smile, "You have earned that right, with what you go through each night. I cannot deny you the right to fight for your kingdom."

  "Thank you," Will said. He hurried away to begin his packing. It didn't take long, and soon he was back at Rafinnel's side. Rafinnel spoke to the troops about their mission and then they headed out.

  Will marched behind Rafinnel, thinking. He didn't know if he felt anxious or excited for his first battle. He tried to remember everything Deyneth had taught him.

  Traveling proved more difficult than Will had imagined. The storms had wreaked havoc all over Lamonte. Sometimes they had to trudge through a foot or more of snow in order to keep to the trail that had been laid out by the scouts. He'd never felt such cold before, and it had a demoralizing effect on both him and the rest of the troops.

  On the fourth day of the mission, Will approached Rafinnel. "Commander Amaris is dead," he mused.

  Rafinnel looked over at him, "So he is," he said.

  "He was a good officer," Will said, "I liked him."

  "Did you?" Rafinnel asked. "He's an easy man to like. He and his brother both made good officers."

  "Will you promote another commander in his stead?" Will asked. "The southern post is mostly lieutenants and captains."

  "I'll have to," Rafinnel said, "We need a strict chain-of-command."

  Will nodded.

  "Sometimes I believe we have been at peace for too long," Rafinnel said, "We are underprepared on so many levels. There was at time in our past where we would have had a standing army and dozens of revered officers to choose from."

  "We will not allow ourselves such complacency again," Will said. He'd said it without much thought but then gave a faint smile. He knew he'd someday take his father's place on the throne, but he'd never given much thought to his own rule before now.

  "No," Rafinnel said, looking at the teenager, "I don't believe we will."

  From the back of the troops, they heard a sentry yell.

  Rafinnel's reaction was immediate; he pulled his sword from it's sheathe and ran towards the sound. Will followed as close as he could, hand resting on the pommel of his own sword.

  "What happened?" Rafinnel demanded. The question answered itself as they neared the back of the troops. Several Arinford bodies littered the ground. They'd been struck by arrows.

  "Get back!" Rafinnel roared at Will as the prince leaned forward towards the bodies. He snatched the front of Will's tunic and threw him backwards. A second later, an arrow landed where he'd stood.

  He turned to the rest of the soldiers as Will tentatively picked himself off the ground, "We're under attack! Find them and kill them!"

  At his command, more swords were drawn and dozens of men spread out, searching for the attackers. It wasn't long before more Lamonte had come from the trees. Will didn't understand why--they were severely outnumbered by the Arinford troops.

  He kept close to Rafinnel as the battle-master slew man after man, leaving their bodies on the ground. He moved gracefully for a man of his size, almost as though he were dancing. Will had never seen anyone fight so well. He'd learned tactics at the knee of the Warlord herself and he'd trained with a sword since he was old enough to pick one up, but it was different now.

  "There he is!" A Lamonte soldier broke from the rest of the pack to come at Will. The prince looked over at Rafinnel but the battle-master was busy with two large, brutish looking soldiers. Will quickly held his sword up in a duelist position.

  He felt his heart begin to race. The Lamonte soldier attacked with a frenzied, half-mad pattern and Will was forced to use every ounce of muscle and knowledge he had in order to avoid getting struck by the long, lean sword the other soldier held.

  The sword that Will fought with had been crafted especially for him. It was medium length, two-handed, and with a sharp but thick edge. He'd handled his fair share of weaponry since he was a child training, but this blade was the first crafted just for him.

  It was the first time he'd used it in real combat.

  The duel only lasted minutes, but for Will those minutes fel
t like long hours. He was forced to duck back, to move around constantly, and to parry without stop. Eventually, he realized if the fight kept up in the same manner, he'd grow too tired to properly defend himself.

  He remembered something from his training then. It had been wisdom from the Warlord. She'd told him that he'd never win a fight if he stayed on the defensive for the entirety. Eventually there must be a time when he have to strike forward.

  He did so now, using his sword to attack instead of defend. Immediately, he saw the difference; now the other soldier was forced to retreat and parry the blows that Will sent. He was youthful and strong and he used to his advantage and eventually he was able to gain the upper hand.

  Will feigned a blow to his right and the soldier took the bait. Then the prince slammed his sword upwards and to the left, into the soldier's chest. It went easily. Will stumbled back, surprised He thought it would be a lot more difficult to pierce a man's body.

  As the soldier fell forward, clutching the sword protrusion, the mask they'd been wearing slipped off. Will realized he'd been fighting a woman.

  He drew his sword back and saw the red, thick blood already congealing on the long blade.

  Rafinnel put a hand on his shoulder. The fighting around them was already starting to fade as the last of the Lamonte soldiers were slain, "Are you alright, my prince?"

  Will looked over at Rafhnnle, white around the mouth. He didn't speak.

  "Your first kill," Rafinnel said. He gently pushed the young prince back towards the front of the troops. They were gathering back into formation already, wiping their blades clean and resheathing them.

  "Does it get easier?" Will asked. He thought about the woman had moved while fighting, almost as though she were possessed. He thought about the way his blade had slid into her body as though it were nothing but silk.

  Rafinnel held up a hand. He gave orders to his Executor to order the bodies of the Arinford men to be gathered and the tags to be kept. The rest of them would continue forward. Scouts would be sent out in all directions, looking for other attacks.