Death and Honor: Book 1 of 2

by James Wisher

  “Yes, sir.”

  Sergeant Orn barked orders and his men scrambled to obey. Gabriel left him to it and swung up into his saddle. He’d never commanded men before, unless you counted Griff, which he didn’t, so he let the sergeant do his thing without getting in the way.

  They got underway. Two men rode ahead to scout for trouble followed by the bulk of the column, and two more men brought up the rear to make sure no one followed them. The latter was probably unnecessary since they were only a mile from the city, but he felt better to see the extra precautions they took.

  When they’d been on the road for half an hour Gabriel urged his horse up beside Orn’s. “Have you been a ranger long, sergeant?”

  “Ten years, sir. Five in the regular army before that.”

  “Excellent, all my knowledge of ambushes and tactics are theoretical so I’d appreciate it if you joined me after we make camp so we can go over the plan in detail.”

  Orn nodded. “Glad to take a look, sir.”

  When they made camp that night Gabriel estimated they covered twenty miles. The rangers selected a campsite a quarter mile off the road near a small creek and soon had the camp set up. Every man carried a small, one man tent he could set up and take down in minutes. The large tent was for the command post, Gabriel also planned to sleep in it.

  After a hot meal stew and biscuits Gabriel and Sergeant Orn retired to the command tent. On a small folding table Gabriel unrolled a rough sketch of the stretch of beach where the pirates exchanged blood rubies for onyx.

  “This is the ambush point,” Gabriel said. “Before the ship arrives I plan to string a pair of alchemically treated ropes across the river that can be raised to prevent the pirates from escaping. When the pirates arrive I’ll meet the captain along with two volunteers who will play the role of bodyguards. I hope to draw him a good ways from the ship before he realizes I’m an imposter. Archers will pin down any reinforcements before they can come to the captain’s aid. Once he’s dealt with we’ll board and take the ship. What do you think?”

  Orn was silent for a moment then said, “It’s a sound plan. We’ll no doubt have to make alterations when we get to the location in person, but it’s a good start.”

  Gabriel smiled. “I’m sure my instructors at the academy would be pleased to hear you say so. Tell me about the rangers. I’ve read a little about the group, but the historians spent more ink on the knightly orders and even the infantry.”

  “That’s because we’re new, at least compared to the others. The rangers were created about three hundred years ago during the first great slave revolt. Runaway slaves hid in the mountains and deep forests, places where it was difficult for conventional forces to get at them. Groups of soldiers, led by experienced woodsmen, went in to deal with them. They did well so the generals decided to keep them together after they put down the revolt and so the rangers were born.”

  “That explains the lack of history. The knightly orders have existed for a thousand years.”

  Orn stretched and yawned. “Size is also a factor. There are only two thousand rangers. The knights and their squires number over twenty thousand and the main force of the army over one hundred thousand. During war time the rangers are broken up in small groups and assigned as scouts for other companies. Only during times of relative piece do we work together on tasks like this one, where our skills are of special use.”

  “Well I’m certainly glad to have you sergeant. See you in the morning.”

  * * *

  The next two days travel passed without issue; they met one other traveler and that was a king’s messenger who thundered past them without a second glance. Gabriel watched him race up the road, wondering what message he carried.

  That night they set up camp and Gabriel ate his meal with them as usual. They were a tightlipped bunch and he didn’t know them any better now than he did when they first met. He assumed it was because he was an outsider that they didn’t want to talk with him. After another silent meal he retired to the command tent. He offered to take a turn on watch but they’d made it clear they neither needed nor wanted his help. He hadn’t offered again.

  Gabriel yawned and pushed aside the tent flap. Seated in a folding camp chair was Kiera. She was dressed much as she had been the last time he’d seen her, but now she had twigs tangled in her hair. “How’d you get past the sentries?” He spoke in a low voice, not wanting the others to know she was here.

  She smiled. “Like this.” She faded from sight, reappearing a moment later.

  “Handy trick.”

  “It’s saved my life more than once. The Guardian said you were going after the river pirates.”

  “They’re smuggling blood rubies. Why do you call him guardian instead of by his name?”

  “We communicate mainly by messenger bird so there’s always the chance the enemy may intercept a message. We never call each other by our given names, and I’ve gotten so used to it I think of him as the Guardian rather than as Solan.”

  “What about the pirates?” Gabriel asked.

  “They patrol from the mouth of the river north to Glacier Lake in the mountains. Their ship is sixty foot long with a shallow draft. It has one square rigged sail, ten banks of oars, and a front mounted ballista. They make their living charging tolls form the merchant barges traveling the river. If you don’t pay the toll you go to the bottom.”

  “Numbers?”

  Kiera chewed her lip. “That’s harder, but I’d say between twenty five and thirty.”

  “That’s more than I knew an hour ago. Can you think of anything else?”

  “The bargemen’s guild has twice hired mercenaries to deal with them, but the mercenaries got wiped out both times.”

  “Well, I hope we make out better than the mercenaries. Thanks, Kiera, I’ll see you when this is over.”

  Kiera got up and faded from sight. “I hope so, Gabriel,” her disembodied voice said. The tent flap rose and fell.

  * * *

  They reached the ambush site three days before they were to meet the pirates. Sergeant Orn set his men to making their camp, well back from the river bank, while he and Gabriel went to check out the beach. They walked out by the edge of the river, sinking into the sand up to their ankles.

  “Footing won’t be great,” Orn said.

  “If bad footing is the worst thing we have to deal with we can consider ourselves lucky.” Gabriel shaded his eyes and tried to gauge the width of the river. “Do you think the ropes will reach?”

  Orn shaded his eyes as well. “Looks like it. The real question is, who are you going to get to swim across there and tie them off? Drawing lots would be the most fair.”

  “I’ll do it,” Gabriel said.

  Orn raised a questioning eyebrow.

  Gabriel smiled. “I don’t want anyone watching my back that’s angry with me. If the ropes are unpacked I’d like to get them strung and ready this afternoon, in case the pirates arrive early.”

  “I’ll get them.”

  While Orn was off getting the ropes Gabriel stripped down to his small clothes. The ropes weighed a ton, so he’d have to take them one at a time. Orn returned with the coiled ropes, the rest of the rangers in tow. There were a couple whistles but Gabriel let them pass.

  “The camp all set?” Gabriel hated having an audience.

  “Just about, sir,” Orn said. “Some of the men don’t think you can do it. I assured them you could, but they insisted on seeing for themselves.”

  “That right?” Gabriel said. “There better be a nice fire waiting for me when I get done.”

  Gabriel took the end of one of the rope from a grinning Sergeant Orn and waded into the river. The current was slow and when he reached deep water he only had to angle a little upstream to allow for it. He kicked hard and paddled with his free hand. A couple minutes later his feet touched bottom and he walked up onto the opposite bank. A quick search and he located an oak tree about two feet in diameter. He tied the rope to it as close to
the roots as possible so the least amount would be visible from the river. To further camouflage the rope he covered it with rotten vines.

  Satisfied that he’d concealed the trap as well as the terrain would allow Gabriel swam back across the river. When he climbed out he wasn’t breathing hard though his heart beat a little faster than usual. He looked back but couldn’t see the rope, which was a good sign. Someone muttered and the rangers turned back for camp. Whatever they’d expected they hadn’t seen it.

  “What’s that about?” Gabriel asked Orn.

  “They expected a little more entertainment.” Orn sounded disappointed.

  Gabriel understood then. “They really didn’t think I could handle a little swim across the river. They came here expecting to have a good laugh.”

  “Could be,” Orn said.

  A slow, cold smile spread across Gabriel’s face. “You didn’t think I could do it either. You gathered them up and brought them out here expecting me to come sputtering out of the water, barely able to breathe, then you’d have one of your men do the job for me.”

  “Aye, you got me,” Orn said.

  “Why?”

  “Lord St. Jaques said you can handle yourself, but you’re his son so I took it with a grain of salt if you know what I mean.”

  “And now?”

  “Now I think you’re a hell of a swimmer.”

  Gabriel shook his head, getting angrier by the minute. “But you still don’t think I can handle myself.”

  “River doesn’t have a sword, sir.”

  “No, it doesn’t. Tonight we’ll have a sparring match. Me against whoever and however many of your men you’d like.”

  “Sir, you don’t have to—”

  “Quiet! This needs to be settled before the pirates arrive. Once and for all I will show you and your men I’m not some pampered noble boy out here to get in your way. If the only way to do that is to bloody a few noses and knock out a few teeth, so be it.”

  Gabriel secured the second rope and camouflaged it in about fifteen minutes. He and Orn returned to camp together, the latter carrying Gabriel’s cloths so they wouldn’t get wet. The rangers had a fire going and Gabriel was soon dry and dressed. A large pot of stew bubbled over the fire. While Gabriel ate his dinner Orn spoke with his men, his voice pitched low enough that Gabriel couldn’t overhear what he said, though judging from the occasional chuckle he could guess the subject.

  When they’d finished the evening meal Orn said, “We’re here early and the lieutenant doesn’t want you losing your edge so we’re going to have a mock duel to make sure everyone’s still focused.”

  Orn nodded and one of the men brought out a pair of wooden practice swords. “We carry these along when we’re in the field to pass the time and settle arguments.”

  Gabriel accepted one of the swords and found the weight and balance close to his real sword. “So who’s my opponent?”

  The youngest ranger in the group got to his feet and the rest cheered. Gabriel said nothing as his opponent accepted the other sword. He glanced at Orn.

  “Michael’s only a year older than you, sir. I thought it would make for a fairer fight.”

  “Did you?” Still no respect.

  “Don’t worry, sir. I’ll go easy on you,” Michael said to a round of laughter.

  Gabriel offered a cold smile. “Generous of you.”

  Both men brought their swords to guard position.

  “Ready?” Orn asked.

  Gabriel nodded and Michael said, “Ready.”

  “Begin.”

  The two men circled and Gabriel wondered if Michael would attack for a quick victory or if he’d show off a little. He got his answer a moment later when Michael set his back foot, a sure sign he was planning to lunge. The lunge came as expected. After training with a master like Zin, Michael’s clumsy attack was pathetic and easy to dodge.

  Gabriel spun, letting the blade breeze past him. Michael staggered, surprised he missed. As he passed Gabriel brought the hilt down between his opponent’s shoulder blades. Michael collapsed in a groaning heap. Gabriel laid the edge of his sword on the young ranger’s neck.

  “Next!”

  Before there had been laughter, all of it directed at Gabriel. Now silence filled the clearing. The next man got up and went down just as fast. Gabriel laid out four more rangers, the last Orn’s second in command, who lasted a whole half a minute, before no one else would answer the challenge. When Gabriel looked around the clearing wide eyes stared back. If there had been contempt before fear had replaced it. If he’d improved his situation time would tell, but he felt certain the laughter would end.

  “I believe I’ll call it a night, Sergeant.”

  “Yes, sir.” Orn’s tone was different too, gone was the good natured humoring of the stupid kid, a hard understanding that whatever Gabriel may look like he knew which end of the sword to hold had replaced it.

  * * *

  They spent the next two days practicing the ambush, running through it twice a day until everyone had it down cold. One of the rangers brought down a good sized deer so they had plenty of fresh meat. Near midday the third day a scout came running into camp. “They’re coming,” he said when he’d caught his breath.

  “This is it,” Gabriel said. He threw on the fine cloak that was the main component of his disguise. “Everyone in position. Guards with me on the beach.”

  Gabriel and the rangers that volunteered to pose as his bodyguards took their places halfway between the forest and the river. Gabriel felt half naked with no armor or weapons. The rangers had traded their neat leathers for dirty mail coats and one of them wore two swords, one for Gabriel and one for himself.

  While they stood waiting for the ship to round the bend Gabriel said, “Sean, Dean, it’s been an honor serving with you gentlemen.”

  “Likewise, sir,” Dean said.

  “Yeah, I wish I’d had sense enough not to challenge you the other night,” Sean said.

  “You put up a good fight,” Gabriel said. “Nothing to be ashamed of.”

  “Right, fifteen seconds, some fight.”

  A loud crow call sounded, that was the signal that the pirates were almost on them. “All right, try to look menacing. I’ll stay a step behind you so they can’t get a clear view of me.”

  “When do we make our move?” Sean asked.

  “Unless they attack don’t do anything until the archers loose.”

  The pirate ship rounded the bend and came into sight. It looked like Kiera described, low slung with ten banks of oars pulling it ever closer. The mast and sail were lowered, but the ballista had a yard long bolt tipped with a broadhead fitted in the slot. It was manned by a big, bald pirate who looked like he knew how to use it.

  “Damn,” Dean said.

  “Steady, and try not to act nervous, remember these are our business partners. They’re not looking for a fight.”

  The rowers pulled until they were even with Gabriel and the rangers then a heavy iron anchor rattled down to splash into the river. With the ship secure the pirates lowered a ramp to the beach and six men descended. They were a grim lot, each sporting several scars, tattoos, and piercings.

  The man in the lead, Gabriel assumed he was the captain, was a huge man with a red beard wearing a full mail coat and carrying a massive double-bitted battle ax, a curved saber belted at his waist. He must not have known how to swim as the armor would send him straight to the bottom. The other five wore leather vests and carried a mixture of short swords, daggers, and cutlasses.

  The big man raised his hands and grinned. “Alec, good to see you again. How’s business?”

  “Fine,” Gabriel said. The pirates fifteen were feet away. “You have my merchandise?”

  The captain lowered his arms and frowned. “Are you all right? You sound ill.”

  The twang off bows filled the sky with arrows sparing Gabriel the need to reply. The pirate at the ballista died at once along with several others that had gathered at the rail to
watch the transaction. There was a splash when the ropes came out of the river, blocking the ship’s escape.

  “Ambush!” The captain shouted. He raised his ax and charged. The five men beside him drew their weapons and followed a step behind.

  The moment the rangers fired the first arrow Gabriel’s guards drew their weapons. Gabriel caught the spare sword and tossed his cloak aside so it wouldn’t get in his way. He let the rangers take the lead, their heavy mail coats would give them an advantage he lacked.

  The pirates reached them and with a tremendous blow the captain sent Dean flying ten feet down the beach. So much for letting the rangers lead. Gabriel ducked under an ax blow that would have cut him in half. Before the captain could reverse his swing Gabriel ran through one of the other pirates.

  From the forest Sergeant Orn and six rangers charged, hoping to even the odds, but they were fifty yards away running through soft sand. It would take precious seconds for them to close the distance. The archers were faster and three well placed arrows returned the odds to two on two.

  Gabriel squared off with the captain, leaving the final pirate for Sean. Gabriel dodged another ax blow that would have killed him instantly. He had no margin for error; one blow from that ax would kill him on the spot. Ducking and dodging Gabriel stayed alive by inches, his only counter blow turned by the pirate’s heavy mail.

  Reinforcements arrived as two of the rangers leapt at the captain. He swung his ax and sent them flying like he had Dean. Orn handed Gabriel a small round shield about a foot and a half across.

  “Thought you could use this,” Orn said.

  The captain swung his ax in great circles, keeping the rangers at bay. More men came pouring off the pirate ship, ignoring the arrows still flying form the forest they charged down the beach to their captain’s aid.

  Gabriel strapped on the shield. “You take care of the reinforcements, I’ll handle him.”

  Orn hesitated then nodded and ran with his men to meet the charging pirates. Gabriel faced down the captain in their own private section of beach, the sand like an arena.