The King's Buccaneer

by Raymond Feist

  “You didn’t have to do this!” accused Margaret, while Abigail stood mute, eyes wide in horror.

  “A demonstration,” said the woman. “You have special value to me, and I will not risk harming you as long as I have other options. But I will not hesitate to take the youngest child from your home and slowly cook him over coals before your eyes to get your cooperation. Am I making things clear to you?”

  Margaret swallowed hot anger, leaving the taste of raw bile in her mouth. Her eyes were moist with tears of rage, but she forced her voice to calmness as she said, “Yes. Very clear.”

  “Good,” said the woman. Turning, she drew her robe about her and left. The guards who had dragged the girl in picked up her lifeless body and carried it out. The other two guards closed the door, leaving the cabin as it had been before, save for the spreading crimson pool on the deck.

  —

  WHEN EVERYONE HAD gathered at the site of the ambush, Nicholas had the area searched. They discovered three swords in the tall grass, as well as a handful of daggers. A barrel of hard bread and dried beef was found and quickly passed among the men.

  Tuka observed the ragged band and said, “Oh, Encosi, it would seem your company has fallen upon hard times.”

  Nicholas observed the little man and judged him a shrewd customer. “You could say that,” he answered. “As you have, it seems.”

  The little man visibly sagged at that. “So true, mighty Captain. My master will be sore vexed to have lost so valuable a caravan. His standing in the Dhiznasi Bruku will diminish, and I shall be the one held accountable, no doubt.”

  Nicholas didn’t know what a Dhiznasi Bruku was, but he was darkly amused by the little man’s last remark. “Why should your master, obviously a man of perspicacity, hold you, a lowly wagon driver, responsible?”

  Tuka shrugged. “Who else is there being alive to blame?”

  Ghuda laughed. “No matter how far you travel, some things never change.”

  “This is so,” said Nakor, who had come up behind the Prince. “So it would be likely that this intelligent man might also be thankful for the recovery of his property.”

  A feral light arose in Tuka’s eyes. “Would so mighty a captain accept a commission from one being so lowly as myself?”

  Ghuda imperceptibly shook his head no, and Nicholas said, “I would not, but I would accept one from your master should you be empowered to act upon his behalf.”

  “Ayee,” said Tuka with a genuine note of frustration. “You make sport of poor Tuka, Encosi. You know that I cannot. I may endure shame and punishment from the Bruku, perhaps being cast out and fated never to know honest work again, but I cannot be binding my master to any contracts, oh no.”

  Nicholas rubbed his chin, at a loss for what to say next. Ghuda, however, said, “Well, I suppose we could go after these brigands and simply take from them what they took from your master.”

  Now Tuka looked thoroughly stricken. “Oh, mighty Captain, should you do that, I shall be again cast upon the river of hopelessness. No, some bargain must be possible.”

  Amos, who had been standing silently nearby, finally said, “Well, laws of salvage are pretty much the same everywhere.”

  Nicholas turned and said, “On the sea, perhaps, but in—where we’re from, we hang those who receive stolen goods, remember?”

  Amos sighed. “The niceties of civilized law; I’d forgotten,” he said dryly.

  Nicholas said, “Tell you what: we’ll see what we can do after we’ve scouted out these bandits, and if we can recover anything, we’ll take the usual fees.”

  Something like hope appeared in Tuka’s expression. “How many warriors in your service, Encosi?”

  “Thirty-three besides myself,” said Nicholas.

  Tuka pointed to Brisa. “Including the girl?” he asked, instantly seizing upon any chance to bargain.

  A dagger suddenly appeared between Tuka’s feet, vibrating in the earth from the force of the throw. Brisa smiled with as nasty an expression as she could muster. “Including the girl,” she said.

  “Women warriors,” said Tuka, with a forced smile. “I am being a progressive man. Thirty-three warriors and you, Encosi. From here to Shingazi’s Landing, with a bonus for fighting, you would be entitled to sixty-six Khaipur cerlanders, and—”

  Not waiting for the man to finish, Ghuda grabbed him and pulled him around roughly. Seizing his tunic, he half lifted the little man and said, “You seek to cheat us!”

  “No, master of kindness, I was merely beginning my accounts!” He looked about to faint. “I mean sixty-six cerlanders, each day, with food and drink, and a bonus to the captain when we reach Shingazi’s Landing!”

  Nicholas shook his head. “When we reach the City of the Serpent River, and your master, you mean.”

  Turning pale, Tuka looked as if he might offer another option, but Ghuda hiked him up so that his toes dangled an inch above the ground. “Eeep!” the little man said as he rose into the air. “If that is the Encosi’s pleasure, then I’m sure my master will be obliged.”

  Ghuda set him down and Nicholas said, “Oh, your master is obliged, if he wants to see his cargo back.”

  Tuka looked as if he were dancing on hot coals as he shifted his weight back and forth from foot to foot; at last he said, “Done!”

  Ghuda said, “I’ll take Calis.”

  Nicholas nodded. He said to Marcus, “Supervise one more sweep through the surrounding grass and see if there’s anything useful we’ve missed.” Turning to Tuka, he asked, “Is there any place between here and Shingazi’s Landing where those men on the wagons could have offloaded what they’ve stolen to the boats?”

  “No, Encosi. They were small boats, in any event. If they have large riverboats, they will be at Shingazi’s Landing.”

  “Then that’s where we’re bound,” said Nicholas.

  —

  NICHOLAS CONSULTED WITH Amos, and quickly they evaluated their forces. The company now possessed one bow, five swords, and enough knives and daggers to arm the others. Of those men who survived the wreck, all were seasoned soldiers, or sailors with some experience in a fight.

  Nicholas discussed a variety of plans with Amos, but mostly to keep his own nervousness under control, as he knew little of warfare save from his lessons. Theory he had more of than any man present, he was sure, but in battle he was the least experienced. Marcus had fought goblins with his father, and even Harry had ridden out with his father to chase off bandits before coming to Krondor.

  Calis returned near midafternoon. He leaned on his bow and said, “Ghuda watches. There was a supply of wine or ale—”

  “Fine spirits,” supplied Tuka.

  “Well, those with the wagons are determined to drink most of it before joining their fellows at the landing. They’ve pulled off the road and are working on a heroic drunk.” Motioning for Nicholas to move off out of Tuka’s hearing, he said, “There’s more. They have prisoners.”

  “Prisoners?”

  “Women.”

  Nicholas thought for a long moment, then slowly, with great drama, drew his sword. He advanced upon Tuka, who turned pale as the rough-looking young man bore down upon him. “Encosi?” he croaked.

  Putting the point of his sword to the little man’s throat, Nicholas said, “Tell me of the women.”

  Tuka fell to his knees, crying, “Spare me, master, for I am being a fool to lie to so august a captain as yourself. I am telling you all if you will but grant me leave to breathe until Lady Kal takes my life.”

  “Speak,” demanded Nicholas, trying his best to look threatening.

  He must have been convincing, for Tuka told everything in a flood of words. The women were a noble’s daughter, the Ranjana by title, though Nicholas didn’t have any idea what that meant, and her four maids. She, from the city of Kilbar, was bound to someone called the Overlord, ruler of the City of the Serpent River. She was to be his wife. Tuka’s master, Andres Rusolavi, was being paid a large sum to broker the a
rranged marriage and provide safe transport for the girl from the city of Khaipur to the City of the Serpent River.

  Tuka swore that he believed the bandits to be men sent to cause friction between the Overlord and the Dhiznasi Bruku—which Nicholas guessed to be a trading consortium or association—and drive a wedge between them.

  “Who would wish to do so?” asked Ghuda.

  Tuka looked confused. “Surely you are not being from so distant a place that you do not know the Overlord is being a man of multitudinous enemies? Most certainly it is being the work of the Raj of Maharta, he being the ruler with whom the Overlord is presently at war.”

  Nicholas said, “We are from a very distant city.”

  “My master, and his associates, seek to bring favor upon their lot by sending gifts to the Overlord along with his newest wife.”

  Ghuda said dryly, “And they’re probably sending gifts to this Raj, as well.”

  Tuka grinned. “My master is known as a man to consider all options, Sab.”

  Sab was a term Nicholas did recognize, and he knew it meant “master.” Nicholas said, “So, if we rescue this girl and her companions, we stand to gain from both your master and this Overlord.”

  Tuka said, “My master, most certainly, Encosi, but the Overlord…?” He shrugged. “He has many wives already.”

  Calis said, “Attacking will be little problem.”

  “But keeping the girls alive will be,” said Amos.

  Hunkering down in the dirt, Nicholas said, “How are they deployed?”

  Calis drew with a dagger in the dirt. “Four wagons, and they’re pretty confident they’re not going to find trouble, because they’ve made no laager. They’ve only pulled off to the roadside.” He made four long lines in the soil, representing the wagons. “The girls were in the second wagon.”

  “How many men?”

  “Four per wagon, all well armed.”

  “How close can we get?”

  “There’s a lot of tall grass away from the riverside. I think five or six of us could get within a dozen paces of the wagons.”

  Nicholas thought. “How many can you kill from that distance?”

  Calis said, “All of them, if I had enough shafts. I could probably bring down three or four before they were aware what was going on. More if they’re drunk enough.”

  Nicholas said, “I’m going to circle through the grass with Marcus and a few of the men. I’ll come in from this end while Ghuda will lead another ten or so from this side. The rest will attack along the length of the wagons, and I want you to give the order to attack, Calis. We’ll come when we hear shouts.”

  Calis thought a moment, then said, “You want me to kill those closest to the women?”

  Nicholas said, “No telling what they’ll try to do: kill them or use them as hostages. We can overwhelm sixteen of them, but we can’t ensure the women will be safe. That’s your job.”

  Calis nodded. “I’ll keep the bandits away long enough for you to reach them.”

  “Good.”

  Nicholas instructed the men who were selected to attack the bandits. He turned to Anthony and Nakor. “Stay here with those who aren’t strong enough to fight, and follow after things get quiet. We may need your skills.”

  Anthony said, “I’ve found a couple of things here that I can use on wounds.”

  Nakor nodded. “I’ll wait.”

  A half-dozen others were told to wait behind, including Brisa, who seemed not in the least anxious to join the attack.

  It took them until almost sundown to reach the point where Ghuda waited. He lay on a rise overlooking the last wagon in the train. When Nicholas came up beside him, he said, “They’re pretty drunk already; I think there was a fight a while back over the women. Look.”

  Nicholas looked where he indicated, and saw a body lying under one wagon. “They’re not gentle about settling disputes, are they?”

  “Indeed,” said Ghuda. “What’s the plan?”

  “I’m taking a bunch around to the far end,” said Nicholas. “Calis will keep the bandits off the girls while we hit them from three sides.”

  Ghuda said, “Basic, but I can’t think of anything better.”

  Nicholas signaled for those not staying with Ghuda to follow him and Calis. Calis took the lead and moved along the back side of a ridge that paralleled the road. When he was opposite the second wagon, he motioned for Nicholas to lead his company to the far end.

  Nicholas ran along half-crouched, and when he was at his designated position, he motioned the men to be ready. Everything depended on speed and surprise. If the bandits got organized, fifteen well-armed men fighting in concert would be more than a match for Nicholas’s band.

  Suddenly a shout erupted from the men with Calis, and Nicholas was up and running. He didn’t look to see if the others were behind; he assumed they were.

  A blur of images greeted him. A man stood up, holding a small cask from which he poured amber liquid down his gullet, and he turned to see Nicholas running at him; he stood blinking in confusion as the attackers came at him, letting the liquor pour down his chin. He finally dropped the cask and pulled his sword, but someone threw a dagger, catching him in the shoulder.

  Nicholas dashed past him and killed a man who was turning to see what the noise was. Then another swordsman stood opposite him, and the duel was on.

  Nicholas was vaguely aware of the fighting around him, but kept his concentration on the man facing him. He was middle-aged, a veteran, and his attack was basic and direct. Nicholas took only a minute to discern the pattern of his attack and kill him.

  Suddenly the fighting was over. Nicholas looked around and realized that his own men had struck a disorganized and drunken band, and that most of the bandits had been killed before they knew they were under attack.

  Nicholas saw one of the sailors from Amos’s ship. Grabbing the man, he said, “Gather up every weapon you can find, and anything else that might be useful. Make sure no one dumps the bodies in the river.”

  He went to the second wagon, where five women, all about his own age, were cowering in terror. Two of them had their clothing torn, and their faces were bruised. Thinking of nothing else to say, Nicholas asked, “Are you all right?”

  One of the women, wearing fine silk robes, said, “We’re not hurt.” Her wide brown eyes and trembling voice indicated she wasn’t certain if they had been saved or simply had traded in one band of captors for another. Nicholas paused a moment when he was struck by her striking beauty.

  Shaking himself out of staring at her, Nicholas said, “You’re safe now.”

  He looked around and found Ghuda. The old mercenary was inspecting the camp. When Nicholas reached him, he said, “These were not trained soldiers, Nicholas.”

  Nicholas looked around and was forced to agree. “They’ve picked one of the least defensible places on the road to camp, and they had no sentries.”

  Ghuda scratched his beard. “Either they thought there was no one around…”

  “Or they expected reinforcements,” said Nakor, appearing at Nicholas’s side.

  Nicholas said, “We’d better get organized and get moving as soon as possible.”

  “Too late,” said the little man, pointing to the ridge where Ghuda and his company had waited before the charge.

  Upon the ridge a line of horsemen watched impassively.

  15

  DISCOVERY

  Nicholas signaled.

  Quickly men ran to places of defense behind the wagons, while others stripped the dead bandits of their swords and bows. Marcus appeared at Nicholas’s side carrying a short bow. “Not to my liking,” Marcus observed, testing the bow’s draw, “but it’ll do.”

  Tuka said, “Jeshandi!” as he pointed to the dozen men on horseback.

  Nicholas said, “Are they friends?”

  The little man looked clearly worried at the question. “There is being a bond of peace upon the Spring Meeting, where all may come and trade. But the meeting en
ded and we are on their side of the river.”

  “Their side of the river?” asked Harry, holding a well-used short sword.

  Tuka nodded. “From Shingazi’s Landing to the north, then westward to where the Serpent River comes near to meeting the Vedra, and from the river to the desert, the grasslands are the home to the Jeshandi. None may pass without their leave. At times their hospitality knows no ending, but at other times they can be little better than brigands. That one who is in front with the red tassels upon his bridle is a Hetman, that being a very important personage.”

  Nicholas said, “Well, we can wait as long as they can.”

  Then another dozen men each appeared on the northern and southern edges of the ridge. Nicholas said, “Maybe we can’t wait.”

  He climbed up on the wagon and held his sword high, so they might clearly see it. Then he made a show of putting it in the scabbard at his side. Nicholas leaped down from the wagon and said, “Ghuda, come with me. Marcus, you and Calis be ready to give us cover if we need to get back here in a hurry.”

  Ghuda joined Nicholas and the two of them walked to a point halfway between the wagons and the ridge. Two riders left the others and slowly picked their way down the ridge.

  As they neared, Nicholas studied them. Each rider carried a bow and quiver, as well as an assortment of swords and knives. They wore long dark cloaks over tunics and trousers, and on their heads they wore conical hats of indigo or red, some with cloth neck coverings. Their faces were protected against the dust by cloths that left only their eyes exposed.

  When they reached Nicholas and Ghuda, they reined in. Nicholas touched his hand to his forehead, his heart, and his stomach in the fashion of the desert men of the Jal-Pur and spoke their formal greeting. “Peace be upon you.”

  Speaking in the variant of Keshian that seemed the common language in this land, one of the riders said, “Your accent is terrible.” Jumping from his horse, he added, “But you have manners.” He waved his hand. “And peace be upon you as well.” Then he stepped closer and Nicholas saw a pair of vivid blue eyes above the indigo face covering. Pointing to the wagons, he said, “What passes here?”