Hayley turned to look at the assembled knights; six of them, all there was, save for herself, Beverly and Arnim. She wondered how many of them would be left at the end of this day. Hearing the sounds of horseshoes, she turned to see Revi Bloom coming down the road.
"Let's go," she shouted. "The mage will catch up, he's not slowed by armour."
She moved out, the group falling into pairs behind their leader. Revi soon caught up and took his position beside the ranger.
He grinned at her, "Lovely day for a ride."
"Are you insane?" she reacted. "We're going into battle."
"Oh, I know," he retorted, "but still, it's nice weather. I like to look on the bright side of things."
Hayley shook her head; she didn't know what would happen on the bluff, but Revi Bloom certainly made things interesting.
"The assault has begun," announced Beverly, "and I have Hayley's report."
"What do they have?" asked Gerald.
"She estimates a hundred or so ships. They have two large barges with siege engines being pulled by some sort of large creatures. They appear to be controlled by mages."
"How are the barricades?" he asked.
"They're almost ready," she returned. "Hayley has set off for the bluff."
"Are the ships landing troops?"
"They're sending forward multiple ships jammed with men. They seem to know exactly what they're doing."
"I would expect no less," he groused. "They've already demonstrated their abilities by claiming the bluffs. How long do you think the gates will last?"
"She says the catapults are quite large. Once they get the range, the gates won't last long."
As if to emphasize the fact, a large rumble ran underneath their feet.
"Get to the barricades, Beverly, they'll need you there. Hold back far enough to see them all, then rush to whichever one needs help the most. See if Prince Alric can spare some horsemen, you'll need a quick reaction force."
Beverly rushed out of the room while Gerald looked down at his map with all its annotations. "I should be out there," he said, through gritted teeth.
"You're needed here," chided Anna. "You're far more important to the defense where you can control things."
Arnim looked down the corridor in frustration. "Five rooms so far and nothing. Perhaps we're on a fool's errand."
"Are you sure there IS a traitor?" asked Lady Nicole.
"There had to be collusion to get the siege engines to the bluff without sounding the alarm. Someone has to be responsible."
"How many more rooms are there?"
"From my conversation with the princess, there are only a half dozen or so people with the authority to pull this off, and there's only two rooms left."
He grasped the door handle to find it wouldn't budge. "This one's locked."
"That's surprising," commented Nicole. "None of the others were."
Arnim knelt by the door, examining the keyhole, "This is no ordinary lock."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning, someone has something important to keep safe."
"Whose room is it?"
Arnim consulted a folded piece of paper, "Captain Fraser."
He returned his attention to the lock, withdrawing some small metal tools from his belt pouch. Lady Nicole kept her eyes on the corridor while he worked until she heard the knight curse.
Turning her head, she asked, "What is it?"
"Saxnor's balls, this lock's too hard," he exclaimed.
"Shall I have a go?" she volunteered.
He moved to the side to allow her room, "Do you still have your tools?"
In answer, she lifted her skirt to reveal a small folded pouch tucked into her garter belt.
"I see you're still prepared," he commented.
"Some things never change," she returned, removing the tool she needed and deftly inserting it into the lock. A moment later there was a clicking sound, and the door swung inward.
"It seems you have been successful," Arnim glumly observed.
"Let's see what's here," she suggested.
They stepped inside to a rather nondescript room. Save for a wooden bed and a chest, there was little to offer in the way of adornments. Arnim bent to open the chest, the lid springing open easily. Nicole began patting down the bed, but it didn't take long to realize there was nothing of interest here. Arnim stood, pondering the situation while Nicole threw her arms up in resignation.
"What now?" she asked.
"You don't put that type of lock on a door for no reason," he commented. "We must have missed something."
"Like what? There isn't exactly a bounty of furniture here."
Arnim cast his eyes about, taking in every detail. Nicole waited patiently, but the silence began to wear on her. She was about to speak when he held up his hand, forestalling her.
"The floor is discoloured there," he said, pointing.
She came over to examine the indicated boards. "A hidden stash, perchance?" she asked.
"Let's find out," he replied, pulling out his knife and digging the tip in between the floorboards. One of the planks popped up. "It seems the captain has a few secrets," he remarked.
As he withdrew the board, the small space beneath revealed a pouch, which he removed, spilling its contents onto the floor.
"Very interesting," said Nicole as the gold coins poured forth.
"Indeed," agreed Arnim. "What do you make of it?"
"It seems a large amount of gold for a captain."
"I would have to agree. If I made this much, I could retire."
Nicole crouched beside him, reaching forward to take a coin, examining it in the light that streamed through the windows.
"What can you tell from the coins?" asked Arnim.
"It's definitely foreign," she observed. "It's nothing like the coins they have here in Weldwyn."
"Could it be Mercerian? Or maybe from the Clans?"
"No," offered Nicole, "or at least I don't think so. The Clans speak the same language as us, don't they?"
"I believe so, why?"
"These have different symbols on them. It's not a language I recognize." She held the coin in the palm of her hand, testing its weight. "It's about the same size as one of our crowns, though. Any merchant worth his salt would take this in payment."
Arnim started gathering up the coins, returning them to the pouch. "It seems we have found our traitor."
The Knights of the Hound galloped across the causeway, taking the road north until they found the path they were looking for. It ran east for a short space, then turned south, where the ground sloped up gradually towards the top of the cliffs. Hayley slowed them to a trot to conserve their strength, while further up the hill, a group of soldiers was forming a thin defense. Beyond them, the catapults rained down their fire on the defenseless city.
They spread out, with Hayley and Revi in the middle. "Hold the line," she yelled, above the beating of the horse's hooves. Slowly, but surely, they climbed, a constant formation moving against a rail-thin defense. A few arrows whizzed by, one even striking Dame Levina, but the armour protected them, and the knight simply snapped off the shaft that jutted from her cape.
Revi sat low in the saddle, using his horse's head for cover, for he alone did not wear armour. Hayley cast him a glance as they pushed forward. "Are you still thinking this is a nice day?" she called.
The mage didn't answer, merely kept his head down as they rode. The enemy line grew closer, and Hayley knew this was the moment of truth. She drew her sword and raised it over her head, then pointed it forward, the signal to begin their charge. Onward the mounts surged, bringing them inexorably closer to their prey. One more flurry of arrows, and then the knights were among their enemies.
Hayley struck out with her sword, and then pushed her mount forward. The nimble beast sidestepped a soldier as she struck again, driving the blade into an enemy. She felt an arrow hit her shoulder; deflected by her armour it bounced harmlessly off into the distance. The other knig
hts were attacking all around her. Dame Abigail struck with her mace, an underhand swing that came up into a raider's face, exploding blood and bone in a wide arc. She kept riding, her massive mount trampling the body as she advanced.
They all knew the target, the catapults, and so they rushed past most of the defenders, not bothering to destroy every soldier, only doing enough damage to push through, to make it to the siege engines that were destroying the city below. The catapults grew close, and Hayley watched in amazement as an enemy soldier, intent on loading a catapult, suddenly twitched and collapsed. She cast her eyes about to see Revi finishing a spell.
Dame Levina was struggling with a group of three men. Sir Barnsley rode to her rescue, cutting down a man as he went, and trampling another.
Chaos reigned, and before she realized it, Hayley was among the catapults, slicing down anyone who was within range. The crews started running while the knights chased after them. Suddenly, a series of sharp twangs emanated from the watchtower, and she realized that crossbows had been fired. She saw one dig into Sir Howard's arm, causing him to drop his sword. He clutched the wound but still managed to keep control of his mount. Another shot narrowly missed Hayley, sinking instead into a nearby catapult. Dame Juliet rode past, her sandy hair flowing behind her, an arrow protruding from her back. All around her, Hayley saw the effect the bolts were having.
"Back! Back!" she shouted, turning her mount and driving her horse down the hill, all the while hearing bolts fly past her. The knights followed her until they were finally out of range and came to a rest, their mounts breathing heavily. Revi, riding over to Sir Howard, cast the spell of healing. Hayley, looking around, was thankful there had been no loss to her group.
"Well, that didn't go as expected," yelled Dame Levina.
Revi, finished with Sir Howard, now rode over to Dame Juliet to examine her wound. "You're lucky," he said. "The wound missed vital organs. Hold still while I pull it out and then I'll heal you. This will hurt...a lot."
As he tugged at the bolt the Dame let out a scream of agony.
"Pulling it out like that will cause more damage," offered Dame Levina.
"It doesn't matter," said Revi, "I'm healing it anyway. This is faster." Once he removed the bolt, he began gesticulating with his hands, reciting the magic words while the wound closed up.
"What do we do now?" asked Dame Abigail.
"We stopped them for a moment," replied Hayley, "but they're already returning to the catapults; we need to take out that tower. As soon as we were among them, they started firing, and unfortunately, our armour doesn't protect us from bolts."
Wounded soldiers and scared citizens were streaming past, clogging the road and making progress difficult.
"We'll never get to the Traders Gate at this rate," grumbled Arnim.
"Thank Saxnor, I thought we were headed for the docks."
"Still afraid to get wet, Nicole?"
"Don't be an arse, Arnim, you know I can't swim. Do you think this Captain Fraser will be at the gate?"
"That's what I was told. He's a seasoned warrior so when we find him, be careful, he's likely going to put up a fight."
"It's just like old times, Arnim," she responded with a smile.
He stopped short, turning on her, his face a mask of rage, "Like when you betrayed me? I think the past is best buried!" He turned his attention back to the gate and continued his progress.
Nicole fell silent, a tear running down her cheek. She struggled to find the words, to explain, but thoughts flew from her mind as they approached the gate and saw the scene that was before them.
The Traders Gate was an immense double door, held in place by a large bar dropped across it. A tremendous sound of thunder erupted as a great ram struck the door, splintering the drop bar at its centre. The defenders moved back, behind a secondary barricade, their spears and swords ready to repel the attackers, should the gate fall.
Arnim spied Captain Fraser; he was behind the barricade, holding his men in place. They all had their attention riveted on the door in front of them that shook each time the ram struck. The sounds of the attack suddenly went quiet, the enemy no longer battering the gate.
It was an intense moment of silence that Arnim broke, calling out, "Captain Fraser!"
Fraser turned to see Arnim, advancing with drawn sword, but at that precise moment the next phase of the attack began as a giant ball of flame struck the door. Another battered the guard tower on the west side of the gate, sending fragments of stone flying. Men abandoned their barricade rushing to the door, desperate to keep it closed, but whatever they had used to light their missile was burning through the wood with alarming speed.
"Hold the door at all costs," Captain Fraser yelled, then he turned and fled.
A final giant crash and the door flew into pieces, shards going everywhere. There was a lull in the fighting while the defenders looked to the opening, waiting for the enemy to come. It didn't take long until a swarm of men came forward, their weapons drawn.
Arnim was closing the distance, but when the gate fell, he dove to the ground, burning chunks of wood passing overhead. Glancing over to his left, he spotted Nicole crouching behind an upturned cart.
In mere moments, the defenders were overwhelmed and cut down, the surge of invaders rushing past him into the city. Arnim rose, trying desperately to spot Captain Fraser, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Beverly moved cautiously down the street toward the gatehouse, followed by a dozen mounted men. The base of the gate couldn't be seen from her position, but a lull in the fighting was evident from the sounds around her. She drew her sword, her men doing likewise, and waited. The rush came soon after, a veritable wave of Kurathians pouring up the street.
"We must buy the barricade some time," she yelled. "Follow me!"
They charged forth, their horses rushing into the mad mob. Lightning knocked men aside with his mass while Beverly struck left and right, her sword biting deep as she swung; the light armour of the raiders unable to stop the fury of her steel.
A sword stabbed at her from the left, while to the right a spear bounced harmlessly off of her shin guard. She smashed her sword down, using the hilt to break the haft, and then stabbed with the tip, feeling the blade pierce flesh.
The riders of Weldwyn slashed and hacked away, the sound of the conflict ringing in her ears. Lightning rose up to come crashing down in a flurry of hooves, pulverizing an attacker into a red mess. The masses continued to flow in from the gate, and she quickly cast a glance over her shoulder to see her own men struggling to stay in their saddles.
"Back," she yelled, "back to the barricades!"
Lightning whipped around, sideswiping another attacker while she struck out again with her sword. She urged him forward, coming to the rescue of a soldier fighting the invaders. Looking down from her mount, she recognized Sir Arnim Caster, and she held out her hand for him. Instead of taking it, he pushed a woman forward, and Beverly was stunned to see Lady Nicole Arendale. She grabbed the woman's hand, pulling the maid up behind her. Arnim had already begun sprinting north, helped by the gap in the assault caused by the horsemen. Someone tried to grab Lightning's reins, but the great beast bit down, tearing into the man's forearm. They wheeled around, and Beverly struck out once more, a wide sweep of her sword to keep the attackers at bay.
Back up the street they rushed, the others quickly joining, to the barricade where the defenders were set to stop the flood of raiders who approached. The riders cleared a small gap in the defenses, and then men rushed to move a wagon into the empty space.
"What happened?" asked an officer. "Where are the soldiers from the gate? They were supposed to fall back when the gate fell."
"This is it," she responded. "This is all we've got."
"Then Malin have mercy on us," the man prayed aloud.
All morning the reports came into the manor. Gerald had been marking the progress of the enemy in red paint, but now, as he looked down at the map, all he saw was crims
on.
A warrior stumbled in, his armour covered in blood. "The Fishermans Gate holds, Commander."
"Get this man to the healer," he commanded.
"They're getting close," observed a sergeant.
"Order the men at the Fishermans Gate to fall back, or they'll be cut off from the rear. Form them here," he stabbed down with his hand. "See to it personally."
"Aye, sir," the man responded, rushing from the room.
Sophie had come to help, and now she stood, looking incomprehensibly at the marks littering the map.
"How is it going?" she innocently asked.
"They've broken two of the gates, and we'll soon have to abandon the third. We've formed up on the barricades, but the western one is weak. Beverly reports there were no survivors from the Traders Gate."
"Will they hold do you think?"
"I honestly don't know, Sophie. I think you should get Lily and prepare to escape. It won't be a pretty sight once the city's fallen."
"We'll stay," replied the maid, "to the bitter end, if necessary. What can we do to help? Both Lily and I can fight, if need be."
"No," said Gerald, "I can't ask that of you. But I will send you to Alric. Tell him to bring his men here, to the western barricade. He must charge with his horse and drive the enemy back. If we can get the enemy to hesitate, even for a moment, then they'll lose the momentum."
"Any news from the bluff?"
"No, we've heard nothing, and the catapults are still firing. I pray to Saxnor that Hayley hasn't failed."
"You all know what you have to do," said Hayley. "If we don't do it right, there won't be another chance."
They all nodded their heads.
"Keep in formation," she continued. "We need to keep the mage covered."
"Are you sure this is going to work?" asked Abigail. "It's very dangerous."
Hayley grinned, "I've done dangerous things before. I once climbed down into a gryphon's lair."
"Impressive," commented Sir Barnsley.
"Not as impressive as you might think," she retorted, "it wasn't home. Of course, I didn't know that at the time."
Heart of the Crown Page 38