After he discussed their return trip with Jim and the Oxbow brothers, they agreed to travel through the area of Hearthshire Town on their way to Broken Arrow. Michael was curious about the fate of his former home and wanted to retrieve books from William’s library. Next they would ride to Broken Arrow. After learning the fate of the wagons and troops who went there, they would ride south through Marigold Meadows to Southport. If conditions were stable enough, their next wagon caravan would take food from the south to Hearthshire Town. The whole system of roadblocks had broken down. The king’s travel restrictions were no longer being enforced in central Glastamear, but the letter from Governor Talton had been sufficient for passage at the remaining roadblocks. If there were a problem now that they were no longer escorting wagons, Michael knew a few gold crowns would clear almost any obstacle in this time of turmoil.
On his final night in Azure Falls, Michael flew back to his apartment in Southport to visit Diana. They enjoyed each other’s company and discussed plans for additional relief supplies. Diana would soon dispatch the next caravan north towards Hearthshire Town, but it would wait in Broken Arrow for the final word from Michael before going to the city. They didn’t want to hand the goods to the church or to some bandit group.
Diana commented as they sat together in their bedroom, “This Azure Falls sound beautiful. I’d like to visit someday. It disturbs me that so few knights could hold a town in servitude. We need to find a way for ordinary people to defend themselves.”
“There are certain arrow points designed to penetrate armor. Each arrow would not do much damage, but enough of them will bring down even a knight protector. Maybe Henry Ironmaster will find a better solution in the future.”
“I’ll see that the next caravan’s guards will have armor piercing arrows. It will at least give our guards a chance against a knight, but they have no defense against fireballs unless they’re near one of your quench fire magic enchanted items.”
“My love, I need to go, but I’ll come back when I can.”
“Keep safe for me and the twin girls who have begun to grow inside me.”
“There was something I haven’t mentioned,” Michael said sheepishly.
“What’s that?’
“I was sneaking around Azure Falls and the knights figured out I was there. All six of them attacked.”
“But you were invisible. Why didn’t you just run away, hide in an outhouse or something.”
“I made a bad choice. I stood and fought.”
“Why are boys always so stupid? Every stick they pick up they transform into an imaginary sword. Why in Father God’s name would you stand and fight six armored knights?”
“I had killed two in the attack near Swamp Ford. I just reacted and was over confident. I should have run back to where Jim and the Oxbow brothers were waiting, but when I saw what they were doing to that young man, I …”
“For my sake, and the sake of the twins who will be born this summer, you must learn to control your aggression and anger. You are a healer, not a warrior. All of Glastamear needs you, and I need you.”
“I swear to be more careful.”
They kissed and parted. Michael flew back to Azure Falls and joined his friends on a trip to his former home in Hearthshire Town.
Chapter 10
Michael and his friends camped for three nights on the ride to Hearthshire Town because every village had barred the gates to their stockades and every remote farmhouse had refugees crowded around it. The massive flight from the chaos of Hearthshire Town had occurred more than a month earlier, but many city dwellers preferred camping in the fields near any stream or well to the terrors of the nearly deserted city they had fled. Everyone they saw on the road was wary of six armored men, and Michael made no attempt to interact with the frightened and demoralized refugees who hid at the sight of them. They no longer transported food or other supplies to offer the refugees since the wagons had headed back to Southport a week earlier, but Michael, Jacob, and Roger still got close enough to heal anyone who showed the signs of the pneumonia when they cast fever search.
The epidemic seemed to be receding in this area. Many of the survivors camping in the countryside had survived the white pneumonia and were now immune to this specific version of the epidemic. Unfortunately, immunity to this version of the pneumonia did not guarantee immunity to all future versions. Unless healing magic was returned to Glastamear, plagues and epidemics would be likely to return on a regular basis.
As the group of friends neared the city, Michael noticed the weak manna of a low level priest. He was walking the road with two other priests who showed no sign of manna. They all wore the brown robes of the lowest level of the priesthood.
“Greetings good men, I am Michael Son-of-William, a merchant of Southport. We’re traveling to Hearthshire Town on behalf of High Priest Simon of Southport to see how the province fares in this terrible winter. Are you from there?”
The priest who showed some manna replied, “Greetings Michael, I am Goodman Kyle of village of Peeps Crossroads here in Hearthshire Province. In great sorrow, I must tell you that chaos rules Hearthshire Town. With both the high priest and governor dead, the knight protectors now subjugate the weak and steal their food and property. Even the King’s Own Guards, who should keep order in the city, have fled from the knights. The soldiers are now camped outside the city and provide no help to the suffering citizens. With the governor dead, they seem to have no one to direct them. These scoundrel knights lord over everyone. Six days ago, they expelled all of the priests who had followed the Holy Son’s orders to spend the winter in the compound from the Great Temple and murdered any who resisted. They want to retain all of the stores of food and the church’s chest of golden crowns for themselves.”
“I’m sorry to say, we are faced with rogue knight protectors throughout central Glastamear,” Michael said.
Goodman Kyle replied, “Priests are not welcome anywhere in the villages in this province because the citizens blame us for the Pogrom on the Healers’ Guild, even though it was King Richard the Vengeful who ordered those executions. My Friends and I can’t return to our own village shrines. Now, rogue knights who rape and pillage the weak rule the nearly abandoned province capital. Do not go there. Tell High Priest Simon that most of the citizens have fled and that evil has overcome Perry’s church in that lawless place. What of Southport? Is it safe there?”
“Southport Province offers refuge to all who can reach the Green Mountain Pass,” Michael explained. “The white pneumonia is uncommon there and food is abundant. A gift of food and supplies has already reached Broken Arrow and Marigold Meadows. If you travel south, take word of what has happened in Hearthshire Town to High Priest Simon. He is a good man, and he will surely help you.”
After they rode on Michael explained to his friends that four nights ago, he had enchanted the Perry’s Hand symbol over the door of the Great Temple of Hearthshire Town with a spell that would prevent any fire magic. The rogue knights would still be formidable warriors, but not fire mages.
“I suggest that we go to this camp of the King’s Own Guards and find out if they are willing to try and bring order to the province.”
Later that day, they saw the encampment of the guard units who were assigned to Hearthshire Province. The soldiers had built earthen berms and trenches around their camp. Sharpened stakes made from small trees guarded the berms from horse charges, but the whole place looked temporary and disorderly. Recent rains had flooded areas of the camp and mud clung to everything and every soldier. Their misery in the cold and wet of winter was obvious.
They rode to the gates of the makeshift ramshackle encampment, and Michael removed his helmet. “Soldier of the King’s Own, I am Michael Son-of-William. I’ve been sent by Governor Talton of Southport to see how this province fares in this terrible winter. Refugees on the road claim that the knight protectors have gone rogue and driven you from the city. I would like to speak to your commander.” Michael gave
the soldier a copy of the letter from Governor Talton appointing Michael as his agent in distributing aid to the provinces of Northport, Briarton, and Hearthshire.
“You don’t look like a merchant in that armor, good sir, but only a merchant would have a sword that elaborately jeweled. I’ll send someone to check with Double-Cohort Commander Farrier.”
“These troubled days, even a merchant with five guards needs armor,” Michael replied and the guard nodded.
The commander’s title would normally indicate the commander of four hundred, but there could hardly have been two hundred soldiers in this camp. Michael sat on his horse and talked with the guard about how these troops ended in this rough and muddy camp rather than in their barracks in the city. He expected to learn more from the common soldiers than the unit’s commander would be likely to explain.
A guard returned, gave the document from Governor Talton back to Michael, and escorted him to a large tent with the purple banners of royalty flying in front. A huge ancient oak tree stood behind the tent, its fallen leaves littering the ground. The tent’s banners still bore the insignia of King Justin who had been murdered that past summer on Perry’s Day Eve, and Michael didn’t know if the heraldry was intended as a statement, or merely the unit had not received new banners from Min Hollow before winter closed the only route into the great city. His five friends remained outside when Michael was escorted into the tent.
Commander Farrier, a stout man with a military bearing, greeted Michael. “I know both Governor Talton and High Priest Simon because I served in Southport for five years when I was younger. They are good men. It does not surprise me that they would send what aid they could north.”
“Yes, they are good men, and they’re preparing another shipment to send north. So far they have delivered provisions to Marigold Meadows, Broken Arrow, Oxbow Narrows, and Azure Falls. The next shipment would have come here, but if rogue knights control the town, I assume they will bypass Hearthshire Town and send the aid to Northport or Briarton.”
“Even the King’s Own grow hungry. We’ve been foraging to supplement the meager provisions that we were able to gather before we left Hearthshire Town; actually it was before the knights drove us out of the unfortunate city. We have no way of fighting fireballs. Until more knight protectors can come from other cities or from the capital when the Snow Pass Road opens, we’ve no choice but to remain outside the gates. I lost fifty-two men in the battle that drove us out and even more than that to desertion since then. Men fear for their families and go home to look after them. I can’t even track them down for punishment in this lawless land.”
“How many rogue knights remain in the temple compound?”
“They got into fights with each other and with the priests. All of the priests and some of the knight protectors fled. At last count we believe that thirty-one or thirty-two are still in the temple. By day, they roam the city taking whatever they want; at night they gather behind their walls and post guards. It would be suicide for my men to attack those walls manned by over thirty knights. They’d kill every single one of us before we touched the stones of that six-paces-high fortress wall. The leader, the degenerate scum, calls himself the Lord of Hearthshire, but he’s merely a knight turned brigand.”
“You said they are in the compound at night with only a few guards on the walls. They must take that steel-plate armor off to sleep. If we could get in at night, we could take them.”
“I know you are a merchant and probably a good one, but you’d best leave the military situation to professionals. They’d burn all of us when they awakened. Maybe we could kill a few while they slept, but it would be carnage among my men when they use those fireballs.”
“I believe that the Church has a way of taking the power of fire away from those who disobey the hierarchy. I have seen rogue knights lose their fire magic. If there is no high priest or even any ordinary priests left in the High Temple, it has been deconsecrated by the act of driving them away. If they have desecrated Perry’s temple, there will be no further fireballs from these knights.”
Commander Farrier merely looked at him as if he’d lost his wits, and Michael continued, “Commander, it’s easy enough to find out if they can still cast fire. Send some archers in to loose arrows from longbows at the guards on the wall, and then, they must immediately run for cover. We’ll know soon enough if fireballs follow in response.”
Commander Farrier replied, “Even if they no longer have fire, their armor is so superior, that it would be a terrible risk. Even if most are sleeping when we attack, they’ll put on their armor before we can breach those gates. I’d like to do more, but not by getting all of my men killed.”
“If I could open those gates for you, would you at least attempt an attack?”
“Yes but how would you open them. Are you a burglar rather than a merchant? The walls are six paces high”
“In my youth, I loved to climb almost anything, walls, trees, even mountain cliffs. My father nearly despaired of me ever taking up the family profession. I’ll climb the postern wall and knock out the guards one by one. After that, I’ll just open the gates from the inside and your men can rush in and attack the unarmored knights where they sleep. Simple?”
“If I had not read your letter from Governor Talton, I would assume you’d escaped from some hospital for mental problems or head injuries. Nevertheless, I will send some archers tonight. If they are not roasted, we’ll talk some more tomorrow. Good day Michael Son-of-William.”
Michael and his friends made camp upstream from the King’s Own Guard. As they roasted a brace of rabbits over a pecan wood fire, Michael explained his discussion with Commander Farrier.
Jim laughed and said, “It’s not difficult to scale a wall if you’ve got wings, nor difficult to sneak around while invisible.”
Jacob added, “Nor difficult to put a guard to sleep with a cast of surgery sleep.”
Roger added, “Just think of the reputation you’ll build since no one knows you’ll do all these things the easy way - by cheating.”
Michael said, “I’ve never tried to cast a sleep spell on a man in full armor. I’m not sure if it will work.”
Peter commented, “You master healers can reach directly into a person without cutting into their skin and pull out the cancer. Can you do the same through armor?”
Michael leaned over and cast cancer reach. He reached through Peter’s armor and wiggled his fingers to tickle his insides. It worked.
They all laughed and told jokes until late in the evening. Although everyone was ready for sleep, Michael still longed to see Diana. Unfortunately, he was now too far away to fly to Southport as an eagle and return the same night. Seeing her would need to wait, but he used mage’s thought-talk to contact her with an update and to say goodnight.
Chapter 11
Michael and his friends woke before dawn on that cold morning. Peter built a fire of twigs ignited by flint because not even Michael could cast the fire spell he often used as a shortcut. The enchantment that eliminated fire magic reached even to their camp, two thousand paces from the city walls. They were eating a breakfast of boiled oats and dried sweet red berries when a messenger from Commander Farrier arrived on horseback.
He spoke in the accent of the far north, probably the White Plains where this epidemic had originated. Those who chose the life of a soldier never knew if they would see their home provinces again. On this wintry morning in Hearthshire Province, when Michael’s water jug was frozen solid, it would feel like a summer’s day to a hearty man of the White Plains where it might snow even in summer.
“Greetings honorable Michael Son-of-William. Commander Farrier said to tell you that you were correct about the fireballs and that he would like to meet with you at your earliest convenience.”
“You are from the far north I think, White Plains?”
“Yes sir. I’m Eric from the village of Great White Bear. Do you know it?”
“I knew a healer named Otto who was
born there.” Michael had rescued Otto and his friend Trucha. They were now safe in the village of Rock Point on Mitchell Island where many other healers were hiding from the pogrom.
“Aye sir. Otto was a close friend and a cousin. I heard he disappeared somewhere south of Snowport. I pray to Father God that he escaped and found a safe place in these terrible times. He would never have had anything to do with a plot against good King Justin. It was unjust that they took him from our village.”
“Eric, I hope he is safe as well. Please tell Commander Farrier that I will come to his camp immediately.”
The conversation helped Michael realize that anyone with a friend or relative who was a member of the Healers’ Guild, would know that the King’s accusation that all healers were part of a conspiracy to kill King Justin was a pack of lies. Most people already knew that the person who benefited from the death of the late king as well as the deaths of most of his relatives was the man who took his place.
King Richard the Vengeful was only thirteenth in line of succession until all of those ahead of him died from poisoning at the same Perry’s Day Eve feast, which he didn’t attend for some unexplained reason. The conversation with the soldier from the far north reminded Michael that King Richard’s crown was not at all secure. Michael wondered who would be next in line of succession. It had been over eight hundred years since there was a change of dynasties, but it had happened twice in Glastamear’s history and might happen again.
This time when they rode up to the camp, the guards ushered them through. Commander Farrier came from his tent as they road up and dismounted.
“Well met, Michael Son-of-William. You were correct about the fire magic, at least as far as we were able to determine. I will consider your dangerous plan if you can convince me that you have any chance of actually climbing the fortress wall to open the gates.”
The Mages' Winter of Death: The Healers of Glastamear: Volume Two Page 8