Dark Healer (An Empire Falls Book 1)

by Harry Leighton

  “You saw Tate?” Garrow said.

  “Young ass,” Daron said. “4th digging the ditches though, as per your order.”

  “Young ass with a lot of money,” Garrow said. “Eyes on your position probably.”

  “Seen his like before many times, I’m not worried,” Daron said.

  “Indeed.”

  “You wanted to see me sir?”

  “Yes. We’re not assaulting the city.”

  “We’re not?”

  “No.”

  “Understood. Can I ask why?”

  “This has to be handled delicately. It’s much easier taking a city when everyone inside is considered an enemy.”

  “Much easier sir.”

  “They’ve not declared rebellion yet?”

  “Not that we’ve heard sir, no.”

  “Then we wait.”

  “We wait for them to declare rebellion?”

  “I know what I’m doing Captain.”

  *****

  “Do you have anything to drink?”

  The man looked up at Alia, and around the mill. “I have some ale?”

  “Excellent, could I have some?”

  “Look, I’m not going to get in trouble for,” and he gestured upward, “them am I? Because my family really…”

  “It’s fine, no one will know we’ve been here.”

  “And which side are you again?”

  Zedek took over. “We’re historians. We write the chronicles. We aren’t rebel or imperial.” He smiled, and it was a little odd.

  The miller looked upwards and hoped.

  Above him, with the sail passing regularly in front of their faces, Trimas and Daeholf were stood on the balcony of the windmill. They hadn’t come to repair anything, as the balcony was meant to allow; they had come to study the soldier camp.

  Even at this distance, some useful details could be discerned.

  “Usual size,” Trimas noted.

  “Yes, and given how many tents they’ve put up, you have to think they’re far from a shell of themselves,” Daeholf said, concerned.

  “Unless the tents are a ruse.”

  “Always possible, of course, but how many generals did you know who’d start trying to fool farmers?”

  “Imperial generals are a precious bunch, I’ll give you that.”

  “More so now you’re not among them?”

  “I like to think I boosted the pragmatism level.”

  “So are we concluding anything on numbers?”

  “You’re right, these comings and goings are too much for any legion which got pretty much destroyed. There’s a solid fighting force here. Would have been too much to hope they’d been ruined and there was a thousand here.”

  “And they’re building a full base. Trenches dug, ramparts erected. They’re not passing through. They mean to be here and act.”

  “Balls.”

  They continued observing, making sure no one in armour was approaching the mill … yet.

  “I suppose we could try and pretend there’s a bloody plague and have them march on out of panic.”

  “Put scabs on a load of peasant faces?” Trimas replied.

  “Is this where one of us jokes about peasants always looking like that? And by one of us I mean the formerly rich one?”

  “I know peasants aren’t all disease ridden.”

  “Presumably you have knowledge of their daughters.”

  “Anyway, if he’s a general who knows his history he’ll know that’s been done before.”

  “Because people always learn from history.”

  “Let’s leave my own failures in politics and focus on the impending chaos.”

  “Coward,” Daeholf said smiling.

  “I’d still have my inheritance then.”

  “Yeah, fair enough. So what can we tell of their equipment.”

  “We can tell your eyes are better than mine.”

  “Your princess eyes. But they’ve taken a hell of a beating.”

  “And taken it, dealt out worse, and survived. I’d be proud if I didn’t used to be in charge of the bastards.”

  “Yep, this isn’t a green unit. This a bloodied one.”

  “Which means all the psychos will be left.”

  “Charming.”

  “Alright, the ones least suited to calmly subduing a crowd-control problem. More suited to cutting them up.”

  Daeholf tilted his head. “Are we suited to subduing a crowd?”

  “You’re suited to starting it off these days.”

  “Fair point. Does this base have any weaknesses?”

  “Sadly they neglected to build it on a river, a marsh or a sinkhole.”

  “We might get lucky with the sinkhole.”

  “Never too late to start praying.”

  “Well we have a rebellion full of people who can join in. How many prayers would God need to notice?”

  “Never enough.”

  “Right, armour coming this way.”

  They took their hands from the wooden balustrade, having found they were gripping the wood, and went down inside as quickly as the rickety steps allowed.

  Jonas, Alia and Zedek looked up from the table they’d occupied.

  “How much trouble are we in?”

  Daeholf laughed at Zedek. “Every possible thing that might make this better, forget it, it’s not happening. It’s worst case.”

  “And we better get moving or we’ll be digging ditches.”

  “Question,” Zedek began, “if they’re conscripting locals, how do they know rebels haven’t snuck in and seen the layout?”

  “Ah, well, it’s a standard imperial war camp, every child can draw a map of that.”

  “Harsh,” Alia grinned back.

  “It’s attacking it that’s bloody hard, even when you know the layout.”

  “Or assassins!”

  “Zedek, the day rebel farmers turn into skilled assassins is the day we need to move to an island somewhere.”

  “Sounds appealing anyway.”

  *****

  In more peaceful times, the Governor would have been embarrassed, but this was a bloody mess and the fact his office didn’t have an accurate map of the city and had to send to a planning department for one was ridiculous. But he promised if he made it through this he’d keep a closer eye on the city, and as he studied the map, onto which his nephew had arranged little pieces of clay so carefully it was clear why this had all gone wrong, he was confident they’d survive. Auxiliaries were coming. Help was at hand. It was going to be alright.

  He looked up as Vance came into the room, and smiled as he saw the man smiling too.

  “Good news sir, your reinforcements have arrived.”

  “Excellent, excellent, I knew those auxiliaries would be here soon. You can always rely on the other governors.” Which was a lie, because they all schemed against each other, but hey, they’d come through.

  “No, sir, not those. Even better!”

  “Bett— who exactly?”

  “The legion has answered your call.”

  Erland froze, but his stomach dropped through the floor. “Sorry?”

  “The legion. Just spotted marching close by. As you asked.”

  “Legion?”

  “Yes!”

  “Legion?”

  “Yes… Is something wrong sir?”

  “I didn’t summon a legion. That is the last thing I would do. By legion you mean soldiers, a detachment or something.” His voice was rising, getting desperate.

  Vance, knowing his master was sinking, could only explain: “An entire legion, complete with general and a few thousand veteran soldiers.”

  “Oh, right, that legion. Vance, why is there a fucking army outside?”

  “I thought you’d summoned them…”

  A hand to his head, it was all he could do to answer, “Whoever summoned them, it wasn’t me.”

  “At least they’ll stop the rebellion, sir.”

  “Oh they’ll stop it alright.
They hang them all. That’s not the problem Vance. The problem is us.”

  “Us?”

  The Governor walked over to his desk. He slumped down, tapped his fingers on the table, then pulled the drawer out so far it came loose and fell onto the ground. Reaching in, Erland was able to remove a cache of hidden documents.

  “Come here Vance.”

  “Sir?”

  “Do you know the chance of a legion leaving me as governor after this debacle?”

  “I suppose not high sir.”

  “Zero. And do you know the chance of them leaving me a free man after this debacle?”

  “Reduced but possible?”

  “I thank you for your optimism.”

  “And your nephew?”

  “Oh they’ll probably court martial him like the soldier he’s pretending to be.”

  “You don’t sound too upset by the thought.”

  “At this point I want to hang him myself. Never appoint your nephew to anything Vance. Never.”

  “I will hold to those words sir.”

  “Actually, Vance.”

  “Yes sir?”

  “Why are you still here?”

  “Because…”

  “Yes, yes, duty, employment, I know. But this whole place is going to shit and I’m going with it. Why don’t you flee out of the area and start again somewhere else. You’ll always find employment.”

  “Very kind of you to offer sir, but duty is real for me, and I work for you, and I will until you are dismissed.”

  “Less optimistic there.”

  “The documents?”

  “What, ah, yes. These liquidate all my assets and provide for their transportation out of the region at speed.”

  “Ah, pre-planning.”

  “This might have gone horribly wrong Vance, but credit me with not being a total idiot. Now, if you’re staying, you’re the only one I trust to execute them.”

  “Perhaps a poor choice of words.”

  “Oh. Yes. It might go that badly. What do we know about this general?”

  “Has been fighting in the s…”

  “No, sorry, is he very forgiving or does he flog everyone all the time?”

  “That I don’t know sir.”

  Which, Erland had to concede, was a first. “Can we find out quick… I don’t suppose it matters, they’re here.”

  “This transfers my property too.” Vance had been looking through the notes.

  “Yes. I assume you want it. This means you keep it.”

  “Very kind of you. And if I’d fled?”

  “You wouldn’t have needed it anymore.”

  “I suppose that’s how you become a governor.”

  “But not, sadly, a general.”

  “I’d like to see the moment your nephew meets a real one.”

  Erland raised an eyebrow. That was more emotion than his aide normally revealed. Times really were difficult. “God likes to answer requests like that. I suppose these soldiers are marching on the city.”

  “Our report said they were making camp away from us.”

  “Oh. What does that mean?”

  “I don’t think it means we’re any safer.”

  “Sir, sir…” Erland and Vance turned to the door, where a city guardsman stood looking torn between fear and hope.

  “Let me guess, you have a message from the legion.”

  “There is a squad waiting outside wanting to deliver a message.”

  “They’re acting quickly, let them in.” ? he wondered.

  “We didn’t wait,” came a voice which was soon followed by an officer and several soldiers. They weren’t the sort to have polished armour, they were the sort to sneak into a city undercover and see what was happening.

  “I assume you have proof of who you are?”Erland sighed.

  “We have a warrant here transferring all your powers over to the General. And the guard. And, er, everything.”

  “I don’t even get an interview?”

  “Oh, we only action the warrant if you’re gone or refuse. Otherwise we’re here to hold an ‘interview’.”

  It wasn’t the smile you’d want to see.

  *****

  Ospin sat on the side of a cart and looked at his arm. The wound wasn’t healing well and was starting to smell. Damn. Now he’d probably have to go and look for this healer that everyone was talking about. Damn that captain. First Galen and now this. Ospin had to admit to himself that things had got a little out of hand. What was supposed to be a protest had become a full-on riot, he and his villagers battling against the city guard. And then the locals got involved, many of them pitching in on his side. That was welcome and unexpected. Unexpected by the guard too as they’d been pushed back a long way. Pretty quickly they’d taken a full quarter of the city but that was where it had stalled. The guard had drafted in more men from who knew where and built barricades much more solid than those back in the town that they’d been able to storm. Oh, so long ago it seemed now.

  It had become a stalemate. He and the ‘rebels’ as they were styling themselves now still controlled a quarter of the city and one of the gates which was how they were able to get supplies in and out. Where these supplies were coming from he wasn’t sure. He didn’t have much of a head for organisation — if he had then he’d have been doing more than apprenticing himself to a carpenter. Still, the supplies were welcome. Speaking of, perhaps there were some clean bandages and he could get his arm dressed again. Much as he hated to be away from the frontline, he was starting to feel a little unwell.

  “Take my watch,” he said to the nearest person, not really bothering to see who was listening. It had been a couple of days since the imperials had been repelled again by the barricades on the rebels’ sides and they seemed to have stopped coming. It was eerily quiet at times and aside from the mess it was hard to tell there was a battle on at all.

  Ospin walked down the street, wobbling slightly as he went. Just a little tired he told himself. He’d been awake for what seemed like days, napping here and there but not getting much real sleep and it was taking a toll. One more thing to take out on the Governor and his city really. He’d not expected this. Galen would probably have said something supportive but he was gone now. Ospin missed him really. They’d grown up together. And now he was a martyr, or at least that was now how Ospin liked to think of him.

  Ospin wobbled once more. Where was he going again? Ah, yes. To look at the supplies that were coming in to see if there were any clean bandages. He looked at the street as he walked along. They’d made a mess, he admitted. Parts of this quarter were little more than rubble and ash. Setting fires had seemed like a good idea when driving the guard back but they made much less sense when you had to live in the area afterwards. Maybe there were those who knew what they were doing better than he. There certainly seemed to be some sort of guidance going on beyond his orders. People were moving according to instructions he’d not given. Maybe he wasn’t in charge anymore, he mused. That didn’t really matter though. As long as the rich fools in charge all got what was coming to them it didn’t matter who did it.

  He stumbled slightly and put out an arm to stop himself falling over. He winced as he raised his bad arm. This really did need seeing to. Maybe someone at the gate would be able to point him in the direction of the healer.

  Ospin got to the gate and stopped. So many people, where had they all come from? He’d brought more than he could count with him but that was probably only a couple of hundred. Here there were many more, perhaps even thousands, moving with purpose and a stream of more coming through the gate. He looked out through the gate. So many people. So maybe this was a rebellion after all.

  He sat down heavily, feeling dizzy. This was a lot to take in and his head was spinning. Maybe if he just lay down for a bit. Yes, that was it. Everything would make more sense after a little sleep.

  “You don’t look well young man.”

  Ospin opened his eyes and looked up. A kindly looking man with a st
range looking eye was standing over him.

  “Just tired,” Ospin managed.

  “Here, let me help you,” the man said.

  *****

  Larly stopped outside a door, raised his hand to knock and paused. Then he snatched the hand back and looked around… The street was empty, he wasn’t being followed, no guards or marauding rioters. It was quiet, and the meeting was safe.

  Satisfied he’d followed his responsibility, he knocked on the door and it was opened a short way and a head poked out.

  “Good morning Chairman.”

  “Come in, quickly, you’re the last.”

  “I’m last? But I’m early?”

  “It seems everyone has been motivated by recent … events.”

  They passed through the house, causing Larly to ask, “Where are your servants?”

  The chairman harrumphed. “Somewhere beyond the barricades. Left us here.”

  Soon they were in the meeting room and Larly was looking at some very worried faces… Except Makern, who retained his old composure.

  “Gentlemen, gentlewomen, welcome to the most important meeting in the history of the rebel council. We are called here today in an emergency session, to disregard previous minutes and agendas, to tackle what is happening outside these walls.”

  “It’s madness,” Julen blurted as he couldn’t contain himself any longer.

  “Surely it is a rebellion?” Lavine countered.

  “I have something I wish to say,” the chairman continued, “and I don’t think we’ll find your points opposed to each other.”

  “Please go on,” Gaken purred.

  “Thank you Gaken, I expected no less. But first, context. Does everyone know what has happened?”

  “Watch tried to arrest someone, attacked by peasants.” Larly was ticking it off on his fingers. “Watch tried to hang them, got the wrong person, peasants came here, whole thing exploded.”

  “Indeed, Larly. What has happened in the last week and more is a fully fledged spontaneous rebellion of the people.”