by C. R. Daems
"Lady Shelly, are you willing to take Zara and your troops to the Monis Pass?" Bradley asked.
"Yes, Baron Bradley. I'm sure Duke Wetzel would want us to support you in getting rid of the Sirens, and I trust Zara."
"Alright then, we will say you are returning to Hipula and then back to Calle by boat. If Zara is right and they have informants, that should provide a reasonable explanation as to why you are leaving. I'll give you a four-day lead, which should get you in place about the time we are two days from Monis." Bradley looked to Higgins, who was frowning. "If you don't find the Sirens in the Pass, I expect you to meet us at Monis."
"Understood," Shelly said. I would imagine she understood quite well—"or else."
* * *
"You aren't planning on leaving, are you?" Shelly asked several hours’ travel from Arucci's city gates.
"And you said you trusted me. I'm hurt, Lady Shelly."
"I'm sorry. But I know a little something about the maturations of the royalty and the uncomfortable position Duke Phipps has put you in. You did what you promised Duke Wetzel, and that should have been the end of it. But they are forcing you assist them by holding me hostage, and you will get all the blame if things don't go according to Duke Phipps's wishes. It's not fair, and I wouldn't blame you if you did leave." Shelly looked miserable. She was struggling with too many conflicting issues: she wanted to help capture the Sirens, wanted me to help, but understood the cost.
"I won't desert you, Lady Shelly. If my assumptions are correct, we will catch the Sirens and you can return home a heroine."
"What about you?"
"I may just pick a tribe and go live with them. A warrior is at the top of the tribe’s hierarchical structure, and the life is simple," I joked, although there was a lot of truth in the statement.
"You wouldn't!"
"Or there is the Manola community. They let me keep my shares when I left. They have no hierarchical structure, and the local Baron is only interested in receiving his taxes."
"What should he be interested in?" Shelly grinned.
"You tell me, Baroness Shelly," I asked, and her grin disappeared.
"The people who pay for his fine dinners, silk clothes, woven rugs, servants … I'm going to be eating off wooden bowls and cooking my own food." She laughed long and hard.
"I don't know Duke Wetzel, but I think he is a reasonable ruler. It was truly my decision to take his assignment. His Cheyo Monk said he would honor my decision, which confirmed my opinion."
"I agree. He's a very persuasive man, but I agree he wouldn't force you." She remained quiet for a long while afterward. By the time we stopped for the night, we were on the other side of the Wild Mountains and within three days of the Pass.
"What do you think about our chances of seeing Indians this close to the mountains?" Eaton asked as we sat around the fire eating.
"I doubt it, but then I was surprised when fifteen Indians attacked the caravan. But because the Pass isolates this segment of the mountains and because Arucci and Monis are so close, I would think they would prefer the mountain ranges farther away from Monis. A hunting party may roam this far, but I doubt they would attack a military unit—high risk and little reward. Your weapons are the only things of value."
"That does put it in perspective," Lutz said. "We tend to think in terms of what we value—like horses. But horses aren't much good in the mountains. However, given they did find something of value, when would the most likely time be?"
"When the group was least prepared and all in sight. For a community, that would be in the daytime when people were working outside. For a caravan or army unit, when you're sleeping."
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Monis Pass
We reached Monis Pass three days later, a few hours after noon. Shelly called Eaton, Lutz, and me to a meeting.
"What do you suggest we do?" She asked, not addressing anyone in particular, but everyone looked in my direction. I understood. None of us had ever been through the Monis Pass, and we might encounter Sirens or Indians on the way. I decided no one was going to say anything until I did.
"I've never been through the Monis Pass; however, the map Baron Bradley gave us makes it look like we could make it through in a day. That's good, because tribes would find the Pass a good place to ambush travelers, and nighttime would be ideal to ambush a military unit."
"I thought you said they were unlikely to attack a military unit because of the risk and little value," Eaton said.
"In the open, yes. But in the mountains at night using bows they would have a real advantage and might try a hit and run to see the results. They would disappear before you could get organized. And if you tried to move, they could harass you all night long. And I would expect the Sirens to travel at night."
"Wouldn't they also have a problem with the Indians?" Lutz asked.
"I think they could handle the Indians with illusions or by clouding their minds. And it would be safer because they would be less likely to accidently run into a military group coming through the Pass."
"So you recommend we camp here and begin in the morning?" Shelly said, looking around the group, which appeared to agree.
"But post a watch in case the Sirens come through tonight. I'll volunteer," I said, then thought of Sonya. "Sorry, Sonya. I didn't ask you—" I began, but she shook her head.
"I volunteered to guard you. It's doesn't matter where you go or when."
I gave her a small bow. I guess I felt the same way about Shelly—she was worth protecting. Sonya and Joanna certainly had found where they fit in society. I had hoped this assignment would help me find where I fit. It hadn’t, unless I counted finding places where I didn't fit, like royalty, Cheyo Monk or Guard, or as a soldier under some noble. I collected a blanket, trail food, and water and trotted toward the Pass with Sonya following. A horse would have been of no value, so I left Greystone in camp.
When I reached a narrow place in the Pass, I sat—which would give them no option but to confront me to get by. Sonya stepped off to the side and appeared to sleep, but I'd wager her training would have her in action at the slightest noise.
A few hours before dawn, I heard the sounds of horses. Several minutes later, twenty mounted troopers came into view, led by a captain on a white stallion. When he held up his hand, the detail stopped, and I could see the telltale blue around the captain, a sergeant, and four corporals—apparently all of the Sirens had decided to flee Monis. The captain looked down at me and smiled.
"Fool!" he said, pointing his sword in my direction. "Kill her!" he shouted, and the detail spurred their mounts as they leapt into a charge. They drew swords but it was hardly necessary, as the horses would trample me to death. I waited unmoving as they closed the distance. When they were within two horse lengths, I dove toward a large bolder where Sonya sat quietly. As I rolled behind it, Sonya's chain lashed out, wrapped around the leading horse's leg, pulled, and the horse tripped and fell.
Shouts, screams and panicked neighing from horses erupted. Behind, horses fell or stumbled or tried to jump the tangled mess. Sonya stepped out into the chaos—a killing storm of destruction.
I drew my sword and dashed after her, since there were too many even for a Cheyo Guard. She had already been wounded at least twice. Even so, she seemed not to notice as she continued her path of carnage. I followed, taking on those trying to attack her from the rear. The only reason the soldiers were dangerous was their numbers. I had trained with Lutz and many soldiers over the years and knew their basic style and techniques. Pain scorched my side as a soldier to my right and behind me managed to leap over a dead horse while I was engaging another soldier. Before I could respond to his follow-up strike to my neck, Sonya had spun and cut off his sword arm. My opponent took the distraction to lunge with a killing blow to my chest. I twisted away barely in time as his sword tore through my shirt and skin. I buried my dagger in his throat as his forward momentum brought him within reach.
"Well, a Cheyo Guar
d and no Monk," the captain said, surveying the pile of dead soldiers and horses. A sergeant and a corporal stood near him. "They are as deadly as those merciless Monks. But I fear your Cheyo Guard isn't fit to chase us in her present condition and can't help you in the blue dimension. Ironic, isn't it? You would think they would be magnificent there as well, but they aren't. We think it's because the Abbot does something to make them relatively immune from an attack in the blue dimension, and it inhibits their ability to fight there. The Monks don't care because that is their battlefield and they never thought to need help there. So you're alone, and there are three of us. And I'm afraid we are going to take great pleasure in killing you, since you killed several of our friends—no, our brothers and sisters abandoned by the Monks."
The world turned blue as I quieted my mind for the confrontation to come. The three sat apart, each in their own world. The sergeant sat in a forest area with animals caught in a variety of traps. The corporal sat in the middle of a stream spearing fish as they swam by. And the captain, a man in his late twenties, sat in a large royal-looking room with women tied to chairs.
"Yes, our comforts did not fit with the Monks’ childish joys. We couldn't change any more than they could, but they insisted we had to. We pretended for a while, but the Monks aren't stupid and eventually threw us out. I see you are the savage rumors say you are." He seemed to enjoy toying with me, or maybe wanting someone to understand them, although that wouldn't matter if they killed me. I said nothing, taking the brief reprieve to anchor myself for what was to come.
The sergeant attacked first, with the image of a giant man with a sword, and a net came rushing toward me. I stood sword in hand, waiting. As he threw the net, I shrank into a tiny man, jumped through the now large gaps in the net, grew back to normal size, and attacked. My attack was so vicious that he was so caught up in defending himself that he failed to change into something else.
I had scored several hits and was getting ready for the kill when the corporal came thundering toward me as an image of himself on a giant warhorse holding a lance. I moved to the left, forcing the sergeant's image to the right and in the way of the charging warhorse. The corporal managed to divert the warhorse just in time to avoid running down his fellow Siren.
But before I could continue the attack, the captain transformed into a wildcat and sprang at me. I changed into a wolf. We crashed together in midair. I latched my jaws on the cat’s neck as its claws tore at my flanks. My jaws tightened. He changed into a boa and twisted around my body. The boa slowly tightened, ignoring my jaw clamped onto its body. My ribs and chest felt on fire as he continued to tighten his grip.
Meanwhile, I could see the corporal and sergeant, swords drawn, looking for an open spot to attack. I changed into a small, thin poisonous snake and slid out of the boa's grip, curled around the corporal's leg, and struck him in the calf. In desperation, he swung his sword at me, cutting off my tail and creating a deep gash in his leg. I fell off and became human with sword and dagger. They also changed back to men with swords—two each. It was a stupid idea, since I doubted any of them were good with even one sword. Two would be a hindrance. The captain appeared the best of the three. I could defeat any of them individually, but together they had a significant advantage. I had to spend all my time defending myself as they constantly changed weapons: long sword, poleaxe, axe, and ball-and-chain.
I was losing, so I sank to the ground and became a tree, my roots sinking deep. They laughed as they hacked at the bark, working to get to the heart of my tree. My roots touched lava, and I created a tunnel for it to escape. They jumped back screaming as it poured out.
"Troops are coming through the pass," the sergeant shouted.
"Come with me," the captain said as he and the others left the blue dimension. "They won't follow us, and if they do, the Iappo savages will make short work of them."
I watched as the three limped off the trail and into the trees and rocky terrain that led higher into the mountains. We each had wounds, some more serious than others—a mental fight but the damage was real. A cut to the arm or chest or leg couldn’t be seen but it could be felt, just as real internal bleeding could still occur. I doubted the corporal would last the day; however, the sergeant and captain had only minor wounds that would heal in time. They would be sore but functional. I needed rest and my side stitched, but I too would heal. But I was definitely in no condition to chase them. I managed to crawl over to Sonya. She had done a reasonable job of stopping most of the really bad bleeding. I helped tie off the ones she couldn't get to or had missed or ignored.
"Where are you hurt?" Shelly said as she slid beside me and ran her hands over me, looking for damage. She screamed when her hand touched my side and came away bloody.
"Have someone take care of Sonya. She needs immediate attention. I can wait," I said, looking into Shelly's misty eyes. She nodded and began shouting for a medic—two of the current troopers had training in treating field wounds that weren't too serious.
Eaton appeared a minute later. "Are they dead?" he asked, surveying the carnage.
"Two of the five," I said, watching as the two troopers worked on Sonya.
"Which way? We'll get them," he half shouted, looking around. I pointed at the place where they entered but looked to Shelly and shook my head.
"Don't let them. It's certain death."
"You don't want us to catch them? Why?" His voice was loud enough to be heard by anyone in the area, which was everyone. Lutz wandered up just then.
"Probably to keep you and your men alive, Lieutenant. Besides, you'd have to leave Lady Shelly unprotected to chase after Sirens who you don't know how to fight in a mountain full of Indians."
"Lieutenant Eaton, have your men set up camp again where we were. Sonya and Zara need treatment and rest."
"What about the Sirens and Baron Bradley?" His voice was an angry snarl.
"Now, Lieutenant." She looked up at Eaton like a mountain cat ready to spring on a mouse.
"Yes, Lady Shelly," he said, and turned, giving orders as he went.
"Lutz, do you think you and whoever you want could make it through the Pass?"
"Yes, Lady Shelly, with two horses each."
"Take what you need. You have my permission if anyone asks. Tell Baron Bradley we encountered five Sirens and a troop of mounted soldiers. We killed the soldiers and two of the Sirens; three fled into the mountains. We have wounded and are staying until they recover."
"Yes, Lady Shelly," Lutz said before rushing off.
"For someone who didn't volunteer, you take a lot of risks." Shelly looked down on me with a worried frown.
"What choice do I have? If I don't cooperate, they will lock me in a dungeon or maybe kill me. I would make as bad a prisoner as I did a slave. If I run off, they will accuse you of some fake crime. You'll be lucky to just lose your title. The only other choice is to try and help them catch the Sirens and then leave before Duke Phipps decides he owns you and me."
"Thank you. I know you are doing this for me, but don't die for me—if you can't win, leave. I'll survive." Tears dripped down her cheeks, and she squeezed my hand. She wouldn't survive in a real sense. Like the warrior who wouldn't be a slave, Shelly was a duchess who wouldn't be a commoner. She would wither like a tree without water. I sought a quiet mind where I didn't have to think and could lessen the pain of my injuries.
* * *
On the evening of the fifth day, Bradley came through the Pass with thirty mounted soldiers. I wasn't completely healed, but rest and herbs had me feeling almost normal, and to my relief, Sonya was looking better. The medic soldiers had given her up for soon-to-be dead.
"You were fantastic, Sonya," I said after checking on her many cuts I had packed with herbs gathered from around the area, a combination of herbal medicine I had learned from the Ojaza and Dana at the Manola community. The two soldier-medics had followed me around as I collected herbs, asking hundreds of questions I did my best to answer.
"You
were very good yourself. I'm no good in the blue dimension, but I could see what you and they were doing. Considering the odds, I think we put on a respectable performance," Sonya said in a still weak voice, although she had improved significantly over the past few days.
Bradley went straight to Shelly, who was sitting by the fire preparing to eat.
"Lady Shelly, I'm glad you are well, but I'm surprised you didn’t join us in Monis." He remained standing, I presumed to assert his importance. Shelly didn't appear impressed and looked to Lutz with a scowl on her face.
"Lutz, I told you to tell Baron Bradley we had wounded and would remain until they were fit to travel."
"I did, Baroness Shelly," Lutz replied, playing along with the game by emphasizing her title.
"You expect me to leave wounded behind to die, Baron Bradley?"
"Of course not, but—"
"Zara and Sonya were wounded in a fight with five Sirens and sixteen soldiers. Zara could have travel yesterday, but Sonya still isn't fit. So, we will be here a couple more days." Shelly picked a piece of meat out of her stew and chewed it quietly. Bradley stood there looking stunned.
"You let three Sirens get away. Why aren't you chasing them?" His tone was harsh and angry.
"Because we had wounded. I thought you would be here the next day, since it is your responsibility to catch them. You have thirty troops with you. Zara, which way did they go?" Shelly said, looking at me. I marveled at the discipline it took for her not to laugh or at least smile. I pointed to the trail they had used to enter the mountains. "There, and you certainly have enough troopers to find and capture them." She took a sip of her stew.
"How can we be expected to find them in the mountains?"
"You have thirty troopers and are telling me you are incapable of finding three Sirens on foot, but you expect me to find them with only ten troopers—two seriously wounded. Either sit and have something to eat, or go away. You're tired and not making any sense." She was smart in that her voice remained normal and couldn't be heard by anyone but Eaton, Sonya, and me. He sat. I guess he knew he wasn't going to win this argument, and he was beginning to look foolish. Shelly had a valid point.