Dies the Fire

by S. M. Stirling

  "This is the catapult," he said, pointing to the first. One of the Sackets lit a gasoline lantern and hung it on a pole. "It'll shoot great big steel spears. This is going to be the tre-buchet."

  "Tree bucket?" Peter Sacket asked.

  "Tray-boo-shet. It's just a big lever with a weight on the short end and a throwing sling on the long one," Larsson said. "It'll throw rocks; rocks weighing hundreds of pounds, and throw them half a mile, hard. Then this thing is going to be a covered ram, with a sloping steel roof and a big I-beam for the ram. Last but not least, this'll be a pump with a long nozzle controlled by the gantry I showed you the drawings for."

  "Might be useful for firefighting," Sacket said.

  Behind him, his son rolled his eyes.

  Larsson grinned. "No, what'll be pumping is a mixture of chopped up tires dissolved in gasoline, then thickened further with detergent—soap flakes."

  "Napalm!" the older Sacket cried in delight. "Christ, I was an armorer's mate in 'Nam and we loaded that stuff all the time. Those sorry-ass bikers will get out of town fast when that comes calling!"

  "Yup," Larsson said. Guess I'd better not mention being an antiwar protester back then. "Then there are these metal shields on wheels, to push up to the wall—"

  He stopped. Neither of the other men were listening to him anymore. Both were staring over his shoulder. He wheeled himself …

  * * * *

  "That's torn it," Havel said grimly.

  "What?" Luanne Hutton looked up; she'd been scrubbing blood from the foot-long steel head of her lance with a handful of grass.

  Everyone else was doing the chores; piling up enemy weapons and armor, getting the wounded onto their horse-drawn ambulance and headed back to camp with Astrid and her teenagers; the battle had looped around quite close to Craigswood in the course of pursuit and maneuver; And making sure the enemy dead really were. Piling up the bodies and taking tally, too—the Bearkillers were being paid a per-confirmed-kill bonus.

  They had taken a couple of prisoners, both wounded, and Pam was patching those up too. The sun was low in the west now, making Cottonwood Butte a black outline across the rolling prairie.

  "Signe!" Havel called, cursing himself behind an impassive face. "Signe!"

  The girl was a few yards away, helping with the captured horses and not looking at the gruesome clean-up work.

  "Sound Fall in!"

  She gave him a startled glance and then scrabbled for the bugle slung across her shoulder. The first try was a startled blat; then it rang out hard and clear. Everyone was tired, but they moved fast; horses were resaddled and everyone ready to go within a few minutes.

  "Look yonder," he said grimly, as Signe fell in by his side.

  The balloon had been winched down. Now it was rising again, rising high and paying out southward as fast as the cable could come off the windlass. The propane flame lit the white-and-red envelope from within, turning it into a Chinese lantern of improbable beauty with each flare as it rose against the darkening horizon to the east.

  Havel rose in the stirrups and raised his voice: "Possibly I'm being too nervous, but I'm going to assume that means an attack on our camp. We're going home—as fast as the horses can carry us. Now."

  He pulled Gustav's head around and clapped the spurs home.

  * * * *

  "Buttercup," Billy Waters said. The teenager standing guard at the Bearkillers' notional perimeter nodded and replied: "Bluebonnet—advance and be recognized."

  There was a sneer in the words as he gave the countersign, and Waters felt his teeth grind at it.

  You'll be laughing out of the other side soon, you little fuck, he thought.

  The twilight was deepening, but the youth's eyes widened at the sight of the men coming up behind the bowyer. A dozen big hairy shaggy men, carrying wrapped bundles in their hands.

  "Hey, you guys aren't locals!" the teenager said. He raised his bow. "You stop right there!"

  He raised his voice, a warbling yell with a break right in the middle of it: "Camp boss! We got a problem here!"

  One of the Devil Dogs shoved Waters aside with a curse; that saved his life, that and Jeb Smith's hand on his ankle pulling him to the ground.

  The Devil Dog swept his war-hammer free of the concealing rags and charged roaring, flourishing the massive weapon overhead. The boy on guard fired by instinct, with the same reflex he would have used if he'd suddenly found a scorpion in his bedroll.

  The bowstring went snap against his leather bracer, and the Devil Dog's roar turned into a scream of pain as the arrow sank to its feathers in his thigh; the sweep of the war-hammer buried itself in the hillside turf.

  Smith went tsk between his teeth and leveled his crossbow from where he lay. The short weapon gave a tung! and the heavy bolt hammered into the boy's body just below the breastbone, and he dropped like a puppet with its strings cut. Waters stared at the figure that jerked and then lay still …

  "Thought you wanted 'em all dead," Smith observed, kneeling to drop the spanning claw over his crossbow's string and hook the crank to the butt.

  "Uh . yeah," Waters said, licking his lips. Too late to back out now. Christ, what have I gotten myself into?

  "Too late to back out now," Smith said, and Waters started at the words. "Well, get his bow, man. We've got work to do, and you wanted to see to your family, didn't you?"

  Waters nodded dumbly and took the weapon and quiver; he already had a sword and knife at his waist, but he'd never pretended to be a blade man. The bow he could use; it had a lighter pull than his regular one, but just as heavy as the models he'd used to hunt deer. Together they ran on through the growing chaos of the camp; he could see fires and hear screams from the darkened town beyond as well.

  I'm gonna be a big man here, he told himself. The Duke knows he needs me.

  The dark was getting deeper, but only a few of the lanterns had been lit; what light there was came mostly from the hearths and cooking fires, red and glimmering. Figures ran past him amid a rising brabble of voices and the sudden scrap-metal clamor of edged metal striking its kin. Suddenly Smith was cursing beside him; he grabbed the lighter man by the sleeve and yanked him around.

  "Jesus!" Smith said. "They're going to see that and Lord fucking Bear's only a couple of miles away. Come on!"

  Waters's head jerked around. The balloon was rising again, with a booming roar of propane and a flare of light. He ran in Smith's wake, fumbling out an arrow for the bow.

  * * * *

  "We're killing the horses!" Luanne cried.

  "We can replace them," Havel snarled over the thunder of hooves.

  "Shut up and ride, girl," her father gasped.

  The Bearkillers came over the last crest. Craigswood lay below them, T-shaped—one main street, a crossbar and some laneways beyond. There were a couple of houses burning already, and more fires in the Bearkiller camp beyond.

  No time to blame yourself, he thought. Just do what you can.

  "Will!" he said, dropping back beside him. "We'll punch through Craigswood, and then clear the camp out. When we've finished there, we'll punch back and do the same in town."

  "Yeah," the other man said. "How'd you know something was happening when you saw the balloon?"

  "It occurred to me that if Duke Iron Rod was smart and had spies in Craigswood, he'd know that sitting and waiting for a siege where we had Ken's doorknockers was a bad idea. Looks like he threw double or nothing. Infiltrated most of his men in small parties, hid them out in ravines or something, and then launched that raid in broad daylight to draw us out."

  "I'll take the rear," Hutton said, nodding. "Chance to finish him off, too."

  He dropped back along the column of twos, pausing to brief the fighters. Everyone was grimly anxious—they could see their families and moving home under attack in front of them—but nobody broke ranks. Riding fast in the dark was risky enough as it was …

  They passed the first house, dark and shuttered; then there were a line of m
en across the road, barring their way. Light gleamed red on the blades of their swords and axes.

  Havel drew his sword, leaning forward with the point advanced and feet planted firmly in the stirrups.

  "Haakkaa paalle!" he shouted.

  "Haakkaa paalle!" the Bearkillers roared behind him, louder than the thunder of hooves on asphalt.

  * * * *

  Waters raised the bow uncertainly.

  In and around the balloon wagon were a knot of Bear-killers; a couple of armored fighters, and a tangle of women and children. Not his children, except for Reuben … and then he saw the faces of the others peering over the edge of the balloon's basket; them and half a dozen others and a twelve-year-old to keep them in order, and the weight must be why the rise was so slow. But there were Devil Dogs about, too, and he saw a brief bright glitter from the head of a crossbow bolt as it arched up towards the gondola.

  "No!" he shouted.

  "Oh, we are so fucked," Smith said conversationally. "I think a move's in order. Portland, maybe."

  The other man's head swiveled back and forth; then he shrugged, sheathed his weapons and faded into the darkness. Waters felt an overwhelming urge to follow him … but walked forward instead.

  His wife, Jane, was beside Reuben and Angelica Hutton, clutching a spear in an uncertain grip and prodding gingerly at dark figures that dodged about. Astrid Larsson sprang up from behind the massive winch that controlled the balloon and shot, the arrow a flickering streak in the semidarkness; someone shouted in pain amid the scrimmage beyond.

  A huge bass voice bellowed: "Out of my way, you pussies!"

  Iron Rod's great sword spun in the firelight, a pinwheel of light. The ash-wood of the spear shaft cracked, and the head flew off into the night. Iron Rod bellowed and strode forward, an iron-clad giant, swung again. Jane Waters flew sprawling; the merciful darkness hid what fell. The long sword rose again, over Reuben and Angelica where she stood by the wagon wheel, knife and hatchet in hand, spitting defiance.

  Waters shot. The arrow punched into Iron Rod's heavy shield and stood quivering, humming a malignant note under the shrieks and clatter. He dragged his own sword free and ran forward, trying to remember the detested lessons, threw himself forward in a lunge. The point struck something hard and slipped, and he dropped the hilt and pinwheeled his arms as he staggered on the wet ground trying to regain his balance.

  Something hit him, and he was lying on the ground. Thunder drummed in the earth beneath his ear, and then faded into a warm darkness. A sharp pain came with it, and then seeped away in weariness.

  * * * *

  "Haakkaa paalle! Haakkaa paalle!"

  Signe was screeching it as they thundered down the laneways between the tents, sheerly mad.

  "Oh, shit!" Mike Havel shouted; he couldn't keep Gus-tav abreast of her—the gelding had been carrying more weight all day.

  A huge figure in armor turned, throwing aside his broken shield. Ken Larsson toppled away as he turned; his face was a mask of blood, but he was clutching at his left wrist with his good hand as his sledgehammer dropped.

  Havel could see the Devil Dog—surely Iron Rod himself— grin tautly as he poised ready, the bastard sword in a two-handed grip with the point up and back. The big man moved with astonishing grace as the horse thundered down on him, pivoting, the sword lashing out in the same motion. It cut the left foreleg in two just above the cannon bone, with a sound like a giant ax striking home in hardwood.

  The horse's scream was enormous even among the clamor of battle. Iron Rod spun with the impact, laughing in his dense mat of beard, and Signe flew from the saddle to land with a bruising impact. Even then she managed to get her shield up, but the targe splintered under the stroke that glanced off it and into the nasal bar of her helmet.

  He could hear her scream through the snap of breaking metal.

  "Haakkaa paalle!" Havel shouted, as he slugged Gustav back on his haunches.

  The big gelding reared, his hooves steelshod clubs flailing in the darkness. Iron Rod skipped backward, but that gave Havel the time to kick his feet free of the stirrups and slide cat-agile to the ground. The horse ran free, wild-eyed; Signe rolled in the dirt, both hands clutched to her face, screaming through her fingers.

  Iron Rod roared and charged, his great blade whirling and scattering red drops. Havel landed with his knees bent and shield and blade forward, poised and ready.

  The bastard sword swung down from left to right, a blow that would have lopped through a four-inch sapling. Havel moved into the stroke, hilt up and blade angled down behind him.

  Iron Rod's sword struck his; there was a long skr-rinnnngg as the steel slanted away, redirected by the angle of impact. Even then, the weight of it nearly tore the hilt from his hand.

  "My turn," Havel snarled.

  The stepping lunge had taken him past Iron Rod, and the Devil Dog was twisted to his own right, locked for a moment by the momentum of his two-handed blow; not even a man that strong could stop a heavy sword instantly after putting everything he had into a strike.

  Havel cut, backhand, the saber whistling with the speed of it. Then there was a heavy wet thunk as it struck behind Iron Rod's right knee below the skirt of his scale hauberk— the hamstring parting like a tense cable as Havel twisted and pivoted.

  Iron Rod tried to pivot as well, and the leg buckled under him. He struck the earth with a bellow that was more rage than pain. The Bearkiller leader pounced again, smashing one heel down onto the hand that still gripped the heavy sword. Bones crunched, and Iron Rod shrieked;

  Havel lashed out with one foot and the metal-shod tip of his boot struck his foeman's skull.

  Iron Rod went limp. Havel sheathed his sword and took three paces before he knelt, holding Signe by the shoulders.

  "He cut off my nose!" she cried in a thin shriek.

  "No!" Havel said sharply.

  She quieted; he forced her hands down and washed away some of the blood with his canteen.

  "No, it's just a cut. It'll heal—not even much of a scar. The shield and the nasal bar broke the force." He pulled a bandage from the first-aid pouch at his belt. "Hold this to it."

  Then he rose, looking around him; Pam had a tourniquet whipped around Ken Larsson's left forearm, he had his good hand pressed to one eye socket … and there was still fighting in the dark. Most of the attackers wouldn't know their leader was down. They'd have to do it the hard way, hunt them down through the night like the huge cunning sewer rats they were.

  "Rally to me, Bearkillers!" he shouted.

  To himself: "Let's get this cluster-fuck under control."

  * * * *

  Sheriff Woburn nodded. "Let's give him his last wish!" he called up to his men. "He wanted to be hung here, and here he'll swing. Prod the bastard out!"

  Michael Havel leaned on the pommel of his saddle as the Duke of the Devil Dogs stepped from the window of St. Hilda's tower; there were spearheads behind him, but he moved before they touched him.

  Plus I think Sheriff Woburn has decided that his HQ should be here too. Smart man.

  The heavy body fell four feet and jerked to a halt as the noose went tight; Iron Rod kicked for a moment and then hung still, his eyes looking out over the fair land of his duchy.

  Chapter

  Twenty-nine

  "Didn't know you played country!" Sheriff Laughton called, as he whirled by in the line of dancers.

  The late September night was cool, but his face glittered a little with sweat in the red light of the great bonfires. Every now and then someone stumbled on the sheep-cropped grass, but enthusiasm made up for want of grace and a smooth floor.

  Juniper grinned as she fiddled; the tune was actually "The Green Fields of Rossbeigh," and Celtic as all get-out even if it did start out with banjo and spoons. At least you could play country or traditional styles all-acoustic. People devoted to rap or metal were just shit out of luck.

  The expression on the Laughton's face changed a little as Judy and Diana came in o
n the flute and the bohdran drum, standing behind her beneath the great oak. Suspended from a branch was the twelve-foot shape of the Green Man, a human form made from wicker and laced with leafy vines and twigs.

  But "Rossbeigh" made an excellent toe-tapping hoe-down tune, and her free foot—she was sitting on the green mound with one leg tucked under—started tapping on its own. Her developing stomach wasn't getting in the way, quite, but she couldn't see the tapping toe, either. Luckily, a kilt and plaid made good maternity clothes. She'd hated the Mother Hubbards that were all she could wear when she was bearing Eilir.

  The fiddle sang on. American country music started with the Scots-Irish, anyway, she thought. This is where it all came from.

  The big trestle tables with the food were off to the side, including heaps of honey-sweetened pastries and fruit-and-nut scones to honor the occasion and—strictly rationed— some homemade ice cream with bits of dried cherries and filberts in it; sugar was the bottleneck there, since they'd used just about every scrap for putting up jams and jellies. Fruit-flavored yogurts were plentiful as all get-out.

  People moved from dance to the food tables and back … or sometimes out into the darkness, hand-in-hand; it was an eat-dance-and-eat occasion.

  Not to mention a drink-and-dance occasion, she thought. Well, Wine Harvest is another name for Mabon, after all.

  There were also a couple of barrels of Dennis's beer and mead, besides what they'd salvaged from a winery. He thought that would be better in a year or two, but it was certainly drinkable now; he wanted to put in a winepress of their own next year.

  She finished the tune with a flourish, and everyone came to a halt as the bohdran gave a long final rattle; someone put a mug of the home-brewed in her hand. She drank it down with another flourish to whoops and cheers, and wiped the foam from her lips; nicely hopped, with a nutty undertaste.

  "Brigid linn is deoch is ni raibh tu riamh bocht!" she cried to the assembly. "Brigid with us, and a drink, and may you never lack!"