by ich du
'One more chance.' Kurt said, tossing the sword back to Kjarl. The young Norscan advanced even more warily than before, and then shot forwards, lunging with sword outstretched. The blade punched into Kurt's stomach, ripping into his guts and forcing him back a step. Kjarl gave an exultant shout, but his look of joy turned to one of panic when Kurt slowly reached out and grabbed Kjarl's wrist, pulling the blade in further until it pushed through out of his back. Face to face, Kurt smiled at Kjarl and then smashed his free hand into the boy's chest, fingers spread like claws, his muscles feeling as tough as iron. Kjarl was hurled a dozen yards back by the blow, landing heavily in the snow, a howl of pain torn from his lips. The other marauders huddled around him and gasped when they saw the circle of five bloody holes in Kjarl's chest, each as deep as a spear wound. Kurt pulled out the sword, its blade slicked with black blood that oozed fitfully from the wound rather than poured, and tossed it into the ashes of the fire. He flicked Kjarl's blood from his fingertips into the snow and looked at Hrolfgar.
'The gods have spoken.' the chieftain cried out, striding forward and snatching up Kurt in a massive bear hug. 'You are one of the chosen!'
IN HIS CAMP on the outskirts of the forest, Marius heard a loud cheer break the stillness of the night. For a while now he had heard the faint pounding of drums, and had seen the flicker of firelight and a column of smoke at the far side of Tungask. They were obviously up to some devilry, he told himself. No matter, he would soon raze this miserable place to the ground and be done with these Sigmar-forsaken lands. He turned to Ruprecht beside him.
'Is everything ready?' he asked, receiving a nod in reply.
'Good.' Marius said. 'Send the girl in.'
CHAPTER NINE
Trap
Tungask, Winter 1709
URSULA THOUGHT THE town strangely quiet as she walked through the deserted, snow-shrouded streets of Tungask. The windows in the log houses were dark, and the only sound was the quiet sighing of the north wind. She walked slowly, trying to collect her thoughts. Earlier she had been confident that Kurt would come with her, but now she was not so sure. Ruprecht's words were etched on her mind. Could she persuade Kurt to hand himself willingly over to Marius? And what of herself? Now she was free of the witch hunter, did she really think he would give them a fair trial? Had too much blood been spilt now to ever resolve this peacefully or would it, as Ruprecht had said, be a matter of who survived the battle to come?
A shadow loping through the snow made her jump, but she relaxed when she saw it was just a dog, hunting between the buildings for vermin. It stopped and looked at her for a moment, head cocked to one side, and then ran on, sniffing the air, its ears flat against its head.
As she walked through the town, Ursula could smell smoke. There were also the sounds of life up ahead: voices talking and the ring of metal on metal. Walking into the open space in front of the tavern where they had stayed, she saw that many of the townsfolk were gathered here, both Norscan and Kislevite. She saw a group of Hrolfgar's marauders in front of the tavern door, and they noticed her too, drawing weapons as she approached. One of them said something in Norscan and held out a hand for her to stop. Another of them gave her a scowl and then opened the door and disappeared inside. The crowd, some hundred or so men, had fallen silent and now all eyes were on her. The remnants of a large fire smouldered to her left and she noticed the telltale red of blood in the snow. She looked at the gathered men and saw that they were all armed, with axes, swords, bows or knives. They were clearly preparing to fight. Looking at their faces, some familiar, others not, she hardened her resolve to avoid battle.
KURT WAS IN the main room of the tavern sharpening his sword when Svelka stepped inside and crossed over to him.
'The woman is outside,' the Norse warrior said.
'What?' Kurt asked, looking up.
'Your woman, she is outside,' the marauder repeated, glancing back at the door. 'Shall we bring her in?'
Kurt didn't reply, but sprang to his feet, the sword dropping from his hand as he ran to the door. He wrenched it open and shouldered his way through the Norscans gathered there. Sure enough, there stood Ursula. She looked beautiful, swathed in furs, her long hair blowing slightly in the wind. Her face was slightly red with the cold, her cheeks ruddy. He stood there for a moment longer before stepping forward and hugging her close, burying his face in her hair. He felt her arms encircle his waist and lifted her up, kissing her forehead lightly.
'How did you escape?' he asked with a grin, almost not believing his own eyes.
'We need to talk,' she replied, letting go of Kurt and stepping away. 'But not here, not in front of all these people.'
Kurt glanced around at the crowd, who were watching everything in silence, though most of them could not understand what was being said.
'Of course.' Kurt said. 'We'll go inside.'
'No!' Ursula said quickly. 'I want to walk for a while, in the fresh air.'
'I'll be back shortly.' Kurt said in Norscan to the men at the door. 'Hopefully she'll know where Marius is hiding. Then we can go on the attack rather than sit here waiting for him.'
The men nodded and grinned, eyeing Ursula with less suspicion now. Kurt ignored them and looped Ursula's arm around his own.
'You're getting ready to fight.' Ursula said as they walked out of the square, heading southwards towards the bridge.
'I have to kill van Diesl.' Kurt replied frankly. 'He isn't going to simply go away. And besides, do not forget that he murdered my mother, father and sister.'
'Do you think they would thank you for more killing?' Ursula asked quietly. 'Killing Marius will not bring them back. Would not they be more happy for justice?'
'Justice?' laughed Kurt. As they walked, the town got darker, and thicker clouds gathered overhead to obscure the newly rising moon of Mannslieb. 'My sword will give van Diesl the only type of justice he understands.'
'And what of us?' Ursula said. 'Assuming you don't die and leave me here in this bleak land on my own, what then? Do you think we could really go south again? Do you think that we would ever be safe?'
'No, we would not be safe in the Empire.' agreed Kurt. 'That's why we head north, with Jakob, back to his people.'
'I cannot live amongst these barbarians.' Ursula snapped, flicking her head in irritation and causing more strands to come loose from her plait. The dampness in the air made her red locks stick to her face in the same way it had when Kurt had first seen her.
'You give me no choices.' Kurt complained, ignoring the sudden memory. 'You say we cannot return home, and you are right, and yet you also say that you won't go north with me. What would you have me do?'
She didn't reply immediately, instead she quickened the pace, leading him by the arm through the streets of the town towards the bridge. The log huts on either side were quiet and dark, the people of Tungask having fled to the far side of the town in fear of Marius's attack.
'I said we couldn't return if you killed Marius, but there is another way.' said Ursula.
'I cannot see it.' said Kurt, stopping to let go of Ursula and face her.
'Give yourself over to the mercy of Sigmar.' Ursula told him, laying a hand on his chest.
'What does that mean?' Kurt laughed back.
'Marius has agreed to stay his hand if you come back peacefully.' Ursula said, her stomach tight with tension.
'He's lying.' hissed Kurt. 'You're a fool!'
'No, I believe him.' insisted Ursula. 'We go back and stand trial. We are innocent, and with our names cleared we can try to make another life for ourselves.'
'You may be innocent, but I am not.' Kurt replied with a shake of his head. 'I killed three knights, remember? I killed two of Marius's men in the woods yesterday.'
'You were only defending yourself.' Ursula said. 'That is no crime.'
'I'm a deserter.' Kurt added. 'Had you forgotten that? Do you think the Osterknacht will just agree to letting us go? I don't think so!'
'We have a chance,
have a little faith in me.' Ursula said, her hand dropping to her side. 'Have some faith in Sigmar.'
'Sigmar had his chance.' Kurt replied. 'I fear it is too late for him now.'
'What do you mean?' Ursula asked sharply. She looked closely at Kurt and for the first time saw the faint scars on his face. His armour was also finely carved with swirling runes and crude pictograms, put there by Hrolfgar and his men while he slept in the afternoon. It was to be his gift from them if he passed the test, and if he had failed, Hrolfgar would have claimed the armour for himself. Kurt now looked more like the warrior of Chaos he was becoming than the proud knight of the Empire he once was. 'What have you done?' she demanded, pushing him away.
'You might get your strength from Sigmar, but I have found a better way.' Kurt said triumphantly. 'I am so much stronger now, faster. I was going to rescue you.'
'You're disgusting!' snapped Ursula. Immediately, her eyes dropped to the ground and she took a deep breath. When she looked at him again, her eyes were wide and pleading. A tear rolled down her cheek. 'But it's not too late,' she said quietly, stepping closer again.
'Not too late for what?' Kurt said, looking down at her.
'Not too late for you to renounce this evil that Jakob has put in your soul,' explained Ursula. 'Come with me back to Marius. Clear our name! Would you abandon me, after all this?'
'It was for you that I have done this,' Kurt insisted, frustration evident in his voice. 'For the last two years, it is you who has been my reason for living. Don't you see? I could have died, but I wanted to see you safe. I risked everything because I want you.'
'I did not want this,' Ursula replied. 'Did I ever ask you for any of this?'
Kurt said nothing, confused, his emotions whirling. He strode a few paces down the street, back towards the tavern, and then stopped and looked back at Ursula.
'Van Diesl has poisoned you against me!' he said suddenly. 'Jakob was right, you have betrayed me.'
'No, I haven't!' cried Ursula, running to him. 'I could never betray you, I love you!'
'I love you too, with every ounce of my soul,' Kurt replied, once more sweeping her into his arms. 'Can you not see that?'
'I don't think your soul is yours any more, is it?' came a voice from the shadows. They both looked up to see Marius van Diesl striding out of a sidestreet, blade in one hand and a torch in the other. More men closed in around Kurt, armed with crossbows. He recognised Lord Militant Trevigar, clad in his ornate Osterknacht armour, his naked sword held across his chest.
'Marius!' Ursula cried out. 'What are you doing here?'
'You traitor!' spat Kurt, hurling Ursula to the ground and reaching for his sword. But his weapon was on the floor of the tavern where he had dropped it. 'Was this your vile plan?'
'I swear this was not my doing!' begged Ursula, clutching at Kurt's leg.
'She brought me straight to you.' Marius laughed, walking closer.
'Why?' demanded Kurt, tearing his leg from Ursula's grasp.
'This was not how it was supposed to happen, please believe me.' Ursula said, crawling towards Jakob, shivering from the cold touch of the snow.
'Kill them both!' snapped Marius, motioning to the crossbowmen with the blazing brand.
'No!' shouted Ruprecht, from behind Kurt. 'We take the girl back with us to stand trial, like you said!'
The men looked hesitantly between the two of them, one their leader, the other their true comrade-in-arms.
'Very well.' Marius said dismissively, sheathing his sword. 'Spare the girl.'
Ursula threw herself at Kurt with a shriek, putting herself between him and Marius's men.
'No!' she yelled. 'I won't allow this!'
A crossbow bolt sliced through the air, but Kurt reacted with preternatural speed, plucking it from the air barely inches from Ursula's chest.
'I'll make you swallow this.' he growled, tossing Ursula aside and striding towards the man-at-arms who was now backing away fearfully, frantically trying to reload his crossbow. Kurt felt something hit him in the side, and glanced down to see a quarrel sticking from his thigh. Gritting his teeth, he ripped it free and snapped it in his fist. 'You'll have to try harder.' he laughed, advancing quickly.
'Kurt!' he heard Ursula scream, and turned to see Marius dragging her off through the snow, his blade hovering at her throat. Another crossbow bolt slammed into his back, pitching him forward onto one knee. With a growl, he rose up and reached around to the bolt, snapping the shaft with his hand. He glanced back and forth between Ursula and the men-at-arms. Trevigar was backing away, sword held out in defence in front of him. Blood was dripping down Kurt's leg and back, and he began to feel the pain of the point lodged near his spine.
With a roar, he charged towards the closest man-at-arms, who flung down his crossbow and fled. With Kurt rushing towards them, the others fired hastily, their shots flying wide, and then they too were sprinting away into the darkness. Turning around, Kurt saw that van Diesl had disappeared, along with Trevigar.
'I will kill you all!' Kurt bellowed into the night, his voice echoing over the town. 'All of you!'
CHAPTER TEN
Judgement
Tungask, Winter 1709
RUPRECHT WATCHED AS the men kicked in the doors to the houses, tossing in burning torches. Behind him, a dozen homes were already burning steadily. There had been no opposition so far; most of the townsfolk had deserted their homes for safer buildings further from the bridge, or had fled Tungask altogether. The warrior band was steadily and methodically making its way through the town, razing everything, herding the inhabitants to the north. Ruprecht glanced ahead to Marius, who was standing with Ursula. It had taken all of Ruprecht's skills to dissuade the witch hunter from killing her out of hand. Ruprecht wanted no part of the bloodlust that was fuelling Marius, and had only stayed the witch hunter's hand by convincing him that Ursula was still more useful alive than dead. Luckily for Ursula, Marius wanted to kill Leitzig more than her, and while the ex-knight still lived, she had a stay of execution. After that, Ruprecht hoped Marius would be more reasonable and perhaps be persuaded to take the girl back to stand a proper trial. If not, he was unsure what he would have to do. But those were matters for later. For now, Ruprecht's attention was focussed on not being killed.
KURT STOOD IN the middle of the room. All around were babbling voices, from Hrolfgar, from Jakob, and from dozens of the townsfolk whose homes were now turning into smouldering ruins. He ignored them all. His mind was focussed on one thing, and one thing alone: Marius van Diesl. He pictured the witch hunter in his mind, every contour and line etched into his memory from when he was seven. Again, he would see that face against a backdrop of crackling flames. This time, it would be van Diesl who would suffer. And Kurt's wrath was not restricted to the witch hunter alone. He wanted to destroy the men who followed him, to wipe out the knights who accompanied the murderer.
'The witch hunter is mine!' declared Kurt, snapping out of his reverie. 'And the girl is not to be harmed.'
There were nods of assent from those around him. Kurt looked at Hrolfgar.
'We leave van Diesl until last,' the marauder chieftain told him. 'I want him to see his men being killed, just like I watched him butcher my men.'
'Good,' Kurt agreed. 'Are your men ready?'
'Hungry for it!' announced Hrolfgar with a grin. 'Almost as hungry as you, Sutenmjar.'
'Why do you insist on calling me that?' asked Kurt. 'Have I not proved that the gods are with me?'
'You are a southern whelp, nothing can change that!' laughed Hrolfgar. 'You are one of the sheep that the wolves of the north prey upon, but you are a sheep that has grown teeth!'
'No, I am not a wolf of the north,' Kurt said with a nod, 'but I shall be the lion amongst your wolf pack.'
'What is this lion you speak of?' asked Bjordrin.
'I saw one at a travelling circus once,' Kurt told them. 'It's a gigantic cat, as big as a man, and heavier. They have a great shaggy mane of fur, and eat
the deer.'
'From where do these lions come from?' Bjordrin continued. 'I have raided your lands many times and never seen one.'
'They come from far to the south.' Jakob told him. 'Much further south than the Empire, further south than even Bretonnia. In the lands called Araby they can be found, and there are also other giant cats, such as the black-skinned panther, and the spotted leopard.'
'You speak as if you have been there.' Hrolfgar said.
'No, I have not seen the deserts, but I would like to some day.' Jakob replied, tightening the buckles on Kurt's vambraces.
'We go north first.' Kurt said. 'To the mountains and fjords.'
'Assuming we survive tonight.' muttered Jakob and a murmur of agreement rippled around the room. 'The witch hunter has a small army, with armoured knights and men with bows.'
'The knights will be on foot in the town, I have a way to deal with them.' Kurt said with confidence. 'And since when have archers scared the marauders of Norsca? Besides, we have hunters here, whose aim is better than any man who learnt his trade on the training field and did not rely on his eye for food for the night.'
'But we are few, they are many, and they already are halfway here.' Bjordrin pointed out. 'I am no coward, but the gods will not reward us for being foolish either.'
'We shall survive tonight.' Kurt assured his companions. 'I have a plan to deal with these troublesome knights. And as Jakob keeps telling me, are not the gods with us?'
THE FIRST ATTACK on Marius's warband was haphazard and desultory. Kislevites fired arrows at them from the windows of their houses, forcing Marius and his men to take cover in doorways and down behind walls. However, it was easy to send some of the squires and men-at-arms around side routes to come at the houses from the other side and toss brands through the windows. Marius laughed as he heard the screams of the people inside, and marched up the street brandishing his sword and dragging Ursula along by her furs.