by James Wymore
"I know," he said. "It's a promise. I'm not ready for more. If I find I am not free, I will ask for it back. Until then…"
She wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed his ear against her soft cheek. She held him there a long time. Eventually he stopped holding the ring out in space and put his hands on her back to return the hug. It felt like he had discovered a long forgotten hole in his soul and filled it with love.
When she finally let go, he already missed her. She looked at him through curious eyes. "Does this mean we are engaged?"
He squinted. "There is no time for such things now," he said. "I will not have anybody saying I chose you because of the battle. Let us say, if all goes well, we will be engaged once Winigh is safe."
"I don't think Winigh will ever be safe," Jewel said. "If these are our last days, they are precious."
Elwood felt her words pull on his heart, dissipating some of the gloom. "I cannot postpone leaving with Bowen tomorrow."
"I know," she said. He placed the ring in her hand and she closed her hand around his fingers, holding them in place. He leaned over and kissed her.
Elwood knew in that instant a kind of warmth and softness, which could only be felt on lips. He knew he had kissed before, but his emotions said it had never been so wonderful. Nothing could.
Chapter Ten
After visiting several single houses in the morning, Bowen took them to another, larger group of houses in the early afternoon. Dogs put up the alarm before the sleigh parked. Young kids came out to see what was up. Then they ran inside the larger, central building to announce visitors. An older man came out, leaning on a cane. He called a greeting to Bowen and raised his free hand.
They were invited in, and offered food and juice. Bowen made introductions. They all knew about Elwood, of course, so they were happy to meet him.
Bowen talked of family and farms during the meal. When it was over, he moved closer to the fire and asked that everyone be assembled in this room. When everybody was gathered, the conversation turned to the business at hand.
"The road to Sel has been cut off by Hyzoi," Bowen said. He said the word with an accent, like 'high-zwa.'
"Who?" the old man asked as he tapped his cane.
"Fishmen," Bowen explained.
"We got no business up north," the old man said. "We let them settle their own affairs."
Elwood nodded. They had encountered much the same attitudes everywhere they went. Several men came in at once, dusting snow off their pants and hoods. They all made slow and deliberate greetings.
"Elwood, this is Drake," Bowen said.
"We are always glad to see you again, Bowen. Nice to meet you, Elwood." He pulled his mittens off to shake hands. "What brings you out in such terrible snow?"
"Dark tidings," Bowen said. "We fear the Hyzoi are planning to take over Winigh."
"What makes you think so?"
"Some of them attacked us near the reservoir."
"The reservoir was taken when they killed the Selenes. We knew they had it. Why'd you risk going back there?"
Elwood answered, "Something has changed. They have a new technology we don't know about. It's letting them move farther away from water."
"But not up to Winigh, surely," Drake said.
"That's exactly what they said in Southwall," Bowen said. "Now, I'm the last Southwaller alive."
"There's a big difference between Southwall and Winigh." Drake looked at the old man who was staring into the fire, rocking back and forth on uneven chair legs so they tapped rhythmically.
"Not in the eyes of the Hyzoi," Elwood said.
"What do they even want with Winigh? We don't go by their coastal regions. Why should they want to take the mountain?"
"We don't know what made them decide to invade lands they can scarcely use," Elwood said. "But we must prepare to stop them."
"You agree with him, Bowen?"
"He stood between them and me, and saved my life," Bowen said. "He's the only one who knows the ways of waging a war. Without him, I think we will all be dead when the snow thaws."
"And what do you propose to do about this?" Drake asked.
Elwood started, "We need to…"
"I was asking Bowen," Drake interrupted with one hand up. Elwood felt anger rise. He knew this would be the reception. It was just frustrating him how long it took to go to each family.
"We need to prepare for war," Bowen said.
"Has there been no talk of taking the road to Sel?" Drake asked.
"The Hyzoi have taken the pass. When the snow melts they will still be there, guarding it."
"Even after such a winter?"
"We saw four of them come out of the river. They'd been hibernating there since the freeze. No reason to think they couldn't do as much on the pass. And everybody knows to cross it in winter brings down the avalanche."
Drake turned to the old man. "What do you think, Grampa?"
"Got no business up north," the old man repeated. "We stay put."
"No. Bowen says the fishmen are coming to get us."
"Can't get here," the old man said.
Elwood had turn away so they wouldn't see him roll his eyes.
"We are setting up a base," Bowen said. "They will attack from the north streams. We intend to arm every able man and woman in Winigh and set up a defense there."
"In winter?"
Bowen looked at Elwood and borrowed his words. "Be glad it's winter. If not, we would all be dead already."
"It just doesn't seem possible," a younger man said from Drake's shadow.
"We already know they can live a month beneath ice without air," Bowen said. "They have hard plates of armor covering large muscles." He held one hand around his biceps, to indicate their strength. "To a man, they are faster and stronger than we are, and we are outnumbered."
"Where are they?" Drake said. "Why have we not seen tale of them before?"
"Southwall is gone!" Bowen yelled. "My mother and father, brothers and sisters. All gone. The only Hyzoi they saw was the one that killed them. And if you don't help us, the first one you see will be the last. Have I ever lied to you? Why do you doubt me now?"
"I don't doubt your heart," Drake said. "It just seems incredible. What can we do from here?"
"Nothing," Elwood said. "We must gather everybody together."
"Lanny's place," Bowen said. "We need strong alcohol, fuel for fire, and weapons. We need food for provisions, and strong backs to build a wall of defense. Everybody has to put everything in, or we have no hope."
"This is a hard thing to ask," the younger man said.
Bowen pulled his serrated scimitar, and held it out under the young man's nose. "We aren't asking anything. We're telling you if your courage fails you now, everybody will die." He lowered the blade. "Tomorrow night, we are gathering at Lanny's. We need your final word then."
As the sleigh swished between snow covered vineyards and over goat tracks, Elwood broke his silent vigil. "How many more?"
"It'll get dark soon," Bowen said. "We'll stay overnight at the next place, then three more tomorrow. That'll bring us back around to my place. Winigh is little more than a big loop. We can get the herd ready and drive them up to Lanny's. We'll be back in time for the big meeting.
"Do you think they will all come?" Elwood asked.
"Every family will send somebody to the meeting. If we get most of them to join, the last few will have no choice. Nobody wants to live in a town this small, being the only family branded as cowards."
"Have you ever seen a catapult, Bowen?"
"Not many cats in these parts."
Elwood had to laugh. "No, it's a machine designed to throw things very far."
"Can't say I have."
"We'll talk about it later. For now, put your mind to spreading fire."
"Fire. Are the Hyzoi easily burned?"
"No. But they are easily dried out. With fire, I think we can cut the distance they can travel away from water."
"S
o you mean to use alcohol and oil to spread the fire?"
"Exactly. And maybe poison."
"To foul the water. I can't think of any poisons potent enough to do the job. Once the stream dilutes them, they would be ineffective."
"Probably," Elwood nodded.
Guiding a herd of goats along a snowy trail was an experience Elwood never wanted to repeat. With each of them holding whips and taking the sleigh as slow as they could, it still required frequent stops to chase one down. Sometimes Bowen could bring them back to the group with his voice. Elwood found his patience long gone. It was all he could do to keep from beating the strays after an hour.
Even so, he realized these goats were just like the people of Winigh. Moving them was slow, and there was always somebody trying to take things in the wrong direction. By late afternoon, Elwood doubted if they had enough time to organize such fiercely independent people. He'd been planning to train soldiers. Now, he realized he didn't have soldiers. He wouldn't be training a group of people standing in line, trying to absorb the knowledge and skills necessary to survive. They would be analyzing and questioning every order. They would not submit to discipline or accept censure. They didn't understand rank.
How could any group so wild transform into any kind of fighting force?
As he cursed the goats and pondered the problem of training the villagers, the sleigh came to a stop in front of Lanny's place.
Elwood stopped chasing the shaggy white beasts around and abandoned the lot to Bowen. He found himself looking for Jewel, even knowing she couldn't possibly have predicted when he would return. He walked alone through the door of the great building to discover a beehive of animated faces and raised voices buzzing all around. The population of the place had doubled at least, leaving little spare room. Two cauldrons of soup bubbled in the great kitchen fireplace. Dozens of loaves of raisin bread were in various stages of rising, baking, and slicing. Young girls were serving drinks, circulating hot bread, and taking orders for soup.
"So what if he is wrong," Vince shouted over the shorter man near him. "Better to build a wall and defend against nothing, than sit and wait for our doom without fighting." He had his hand on the pommel of the serpentine sword, as if he were already appointed as a captain.
Elwood smiled. At least once they joined, they committed fully.
When Jewel saw him standing in the doorway, she left the kitchen and rushed to him. Elwood had several seconds to prepare for her coming. He had hoped to keep things quiet. Now he saw his ring dangling from a leather thong around her neck. Apparently, she had different ideas. He put his arms out to catch and hug her as she arrived. The noise in the room dropped.
When she heard it, Jewel turned around and called out, "You lot got nothing better to talk about?" Grins dropped and people went back to their conversations. To Elwood, she said, "It's all going, just like you said."
"What? All of it?"
"Alcohol, poison, fuel, stores, sheds, rooms, and weapons," she recited the list.
"In two days? You are amazing," he said.
"We all do our part." She saw him looking at the ring. "I know you wanted to keep things quiet, but there was too much for me to do it quietly. When I put this on, everybody just did what I said."
He nodded his approval, against the screaming of incomprehensible voices in the back of his mind. He loathed the very thought of a marriage of convenience.
"What's wrong?" she asked. She used one gentle finger to tip his face up to meet her gaze. "I can take it off. I didn't mean to…"
"No," he said. "You're right. In your practical way, you are right. We need to use every resource and influence at our disposal. I was wrong to offer you only a thought. You deserve more than half a man." His heart threatened to stop if he continued. His gut twisted. The dark force opposing what he knew he would now do was screaming on the inside so loud his ears rang.
"What are you saying?"
"Can I have the ring back, please?"
Jewel put one hand up to cover her mouth and suppress any crying. The other she used to pull the ring off and hold it out to him. "I'm sorry," she whispered.
"No," he took her hand with both of his. "No, it's not like that." He looked in her eyes and smiled. "I was wrong, not you. Can you send someone to get your sister?"
Jewel didn't know if she should laugh or cry. She sent a boy outside. Bowen and Macey came in shortly after. "What's the matter?" Macey asked.
"Nothing," Elwood said. "I just wanted you here." He drew his sword and clanged the flat of it against the doorframe three times, until he had everybody's attention.
"Thank you for coming." Several people looked at him suspiciously, as he returned his sword to the wide scabbard. "I know there is a lot of important business to discuss here today," he said. "Before that, I hope you will allow me a personal indulgence."
He turned to Jewel and held out the ring. "Jewel, will you be my wife?"
Tears flowed from half the women in the room. Jewel wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him in front of everybody. Cheers filled the crowd. Elwood smiled and hoped nobody could hear the voices in the back of his head screaming at him not to do this.
Chapter Eleven
The tone of the room seemed to change immediately. Macey, Bowen, and a dozen other people Elwood had only just met, lined up to hug them with warm embraces and more than a few tears. After a crushing bear hug, Vince took up position behind and to the left of Elwood, and he stayed there the rest of the night. Jewel hugged everybody twice. She stayed as long as she could before she saw somebody opening a cask of wine and ran off yelling, "No! No wine! We need that for the war. Put the cork back in and serve the juice."
"Congratulations," Drake said with a vigorous handshake. His demeanor was lighter than the day before.
"Thank you," Elwood said with a smile.
"It takes a brave man to try and tame the likes of Jewel."
Elwood just nodded. "Maybe she's the one doing the taming."
"I guess you're both well suited. She comes with a lot of dowry, too."
"How so?" Elwood asked.
"She's Aunt Lanny's favorite," Drake said. "She'll probably get all of this when the old woman departs this world."
"Not so," Vince said, stepping up from behind. "The running of the big house goes to the oldest unmarried woman. It goes to Jewel's oldest sister already. Only Jewel's been running things on account of her sister likes to keep to herself."
"Strange, that," Drake said. "Seems you'd want to give it to your sons who get married, bring up children, and pass on the family name."
"This family, the women have magic," Vince said. "You have to respect that. Right, Elwood?"
"I don't know about magic," Elwood said.
"But it saved your life," Vince said. "Macey used hers on you."
"True enough," Elwood nodded. "I owe Macey my life."
"Still," Drake turned to grab a slice of raisin bread off a girl's tray as she walked by, "dark times to be getting married." He took a bite of the warm food.
"Jewel said if our time is short, we shouldn't waste it," Elwood said.
"And it gives him something to fight for," Vince added.
"Aye," Drake agreed. "Folks're going to be more likely to listen to him now." He didn't try hard to veil his concern the whole marriage made a convenient political alliance.
"Some of us listened to him already," Vince said. Elwood was glad to see some loyalty was spreading. "We already have Bowen's word."
"True enough," Drake said. "Anyway, congratulations. I'm sure you'll be happy." He stepped down with a nod, and followed a tray of roasted meat.
Elwood looked at Vince who just nodded. With his feet shoulder width apart, he looked like a sentinel guarding royalty.
Elwood made eye contact with Jewel frequently throughout the night. Everybody seemed much more positive. It made Elwood wonder.
When Bowen finally worked his way back, he looked like smiling so long was hurting the muscles in hi
s face. "It's like everybody changed their mind," Bowen said. "I guess your engagement reminded them all how important it is to protect their own families."
"Or they trust me more," Elwood offered. It felt disingenuous to buy their trust this way.
"We need all the trust we can get right now," Bowen said. "And, one way or the other, happiness is always worth taking."
"That's what Jewel said," Elwood noted. "I guess I'm just nervous."
"We never know when the end comes," Bowen said. His brow drooped, thinking of his family in Southwall.
"Maybe the end for some of us comes this spring," Vince said. "But not for all. It's the best bargain we can make."
Bowen nodded. He asked Elwood, "Are you ready?"
"For marriage? I don't know. I hope so."
Vince laughed and clapped him on the back. "Nobody's properly ready for that. He meant the voting."
"Oh, that," Elwood laughed. "That's a lot easier."
Once they had everybody's attention, Bowen started again by relating the story of the Hyzoi coming out of the frozen water. Elwood thought after so many retellings, Bowen might be embellishing things a bit. It wasn't important.
"Times have changed," Bowen said. "Was a day the Hyzoi came only a league up out of the water. Now, they are marching much farther. After they took the south dam, they destroyed Southwall. Those monsters killed one of my families. Now, I have only one left. By grace, we have a Selene soldier, now set to become my family. He has seen the transport ship bringing their weapons and ungodly soldiers against us. I agree with him. If we do not fight now, only one winter will separate the fates of Winigh and Southwall."
After a pause, Vince joined in. "Our house has pledged to fight. But we need everybody. Every man and strong woman in Winigh must gather, or we will fall. The Hyzoi take no prisoners. They eat woman and child alive. I will not live to see my children eaten before my eyes."
Elwood gauged the visitors. They shifted their weight from foot to foot, looking around for anybody who might save them with wisdom against these horrible events. Drake finally stepped up. "I'm not saying we won't join you. I just wonder how you propose to fight them."