Lucy's Blade
Page 31
She removed the pawns and placed a black knight on the board. "They then deployed their knight, Packenham, to check the white king but the black knight was removed by Captain Hawkins," Lucy placed a white rook beside the knight, "and the white queen." Lucy removed the knight.
"You are the white queen, Lucy?" asked Walsingham.
"Yes, Uncle," she said. "We then counterattacked and removed two of their rooks, the safe house and the despatch boat. That just leaves their back line where the king lurks. You gentlemen are assuming that he is protected only by pawns." Lucy placed some in front of the black king. "But you are forgetting something. Where is their queen, Isabella?"
Lucy picked up the piece and showed it to the men. "Why, here, of course. Defending the king." She placed the black queen by the black king. "The black queen is very powerful and can open portals for demons. So she can convert these pawns to other more powerful pieces." Lucy replaced the black pawns by rooks and bishops and knights. "When you attack the Black king, uncle, you will find that your pieces," she placed a knight for Gwilym, a bishop for Simon and a rook for William and his crew, "will be heavily outnumbered unless you reinforce them."
Lucy picked up the white queen and placed it behind the white attacking pieces.
"I like this not, Lucy," said Walsingham.
"I agree with Sir Francis; it is too dangerous," said William.
"I am sure you would die gallantly fighting impossible odds, Captain, and I promise that I would weep prettily over your grave," said Lucy, sweetly. "But surely the aim is to crush the plot?" She pushed the white queen right through the defending pieces until it touched the black queen. "The queens will cancel out to let the rook check the king." She picked the white rook up and placed it against the black king. "Checkmate."
She looked around the room. "Of course, Lilith and I may be wrong, Can someone point out the flaw in our argument?" There was silence. "I take that as agreement then. I must come with you. I know little of military matters and I am fatigued, so I shall take my leave of you while you plan your campaign."
Anyone who looked in her chamber would have seen Lucy asleep on her bed. Up to a point that was true. Her body was asleep. Lucy herself was with Lilith, in the meadow that Lilith had downloaded from Lucy's mind. This was a new convenient place where Lucy and Lilith could talk face to face, without risk of Lucy being discovered talking to spirits. They sat high on the meadow bank near the dark wood. Up here, cooling breezes alleviated the summer heat.
"I have to stop leading him on. To do otherwise is dishonourable," said Lucy.
"I don't understand your concerns, Lucy. He seems happy to be led on. Indeed, I get the feeling he would follow you anywhere, over broken glass if that is what it took," Lilith said.
"But it's not fair, Lilith. It's not fair to him. I know you can't understand because you are just a demon. You may be clever but you can't comprehend what it is to be human."
"Explain it to me, Lucy. I know you like him. You may tell yourself otherwise, but I see how your body responds to him."
"And why should I not like him, demon? He is handsome, commanding, and stands with that arrogant tilt to his head that dares the world to gainsay him. He answers me straight and looks me in the eye. He gazes at me with a hunger that makes my knees go weak. And when I was lost, he came for me at great risk to his own life, suggesting that something nobler than mere wanton lust drives his interest. So why should I not like him?"
"Then what is the problem?" asked Lilith.
"The problem is that it is all impossible. I am not destined for a provincial sailor, no matter how worthy he might be. I have my position to consider. Uncle has my position to consider. He would never countenance such a match."
"And you have to obey your uncle?"
"Yes. He has raised me as his own, Lilith. He has spared nothing for my security and comfort. He acts only for my benefit. I could dishonour neither him nor my dead parents' name by openly defying him. William's suit is just not possible."
"Your world is changing, Lucy. I have been modelling your society and it is in the throes of rapid evolution. New types of leaders are emerging from the wealth associated with marine technology. The old order of land and blood is fading. The Queen is at the head of this revolution so, as long as she rules, it will continue. If your uncle came to believe that this match was possible and desirable, would you then countenance it?"
"If wishes were lands we would all be rich. Stop it, Lilith. No good can come of such idle speculation. It leads nowhere but dissatisfaction. Why are you so concerned, anyway?"
"I see inside you Lucy. I see what you want and I think that you want this man. I want you to be happy, that is all."
"I am happy, Lilith. We all have to face duty and put selfish desires aside at some point in our lives. And those, like me, who have received the greatest bounty, must shoulder the greatest duty."
* * *
Lucy knelt down beside Gwilym under a tree. Irregular bushes broke up the ground cover. The dawn twilight lit up the horizon, infiltrating rays into the woodland around them. Oxford's house lay before them. The house had been described variously as a gentleman's country house and a hunting lodge. Both statements might have been literally true but were utterly misleading. The house was a farmhouse. In Surrey or the Weald of Kent, that would have meant a rambling building with various outhouses, orchards, and walled gardens. It meant something very different here on the Essex coast. William joined them and crouched down so that he did not break the skyline.
"The place is a bloody fort," said William. "A pox on Walsingham's intelligencers. If that's a hunting lodge then the Swallow is a fishing boat."
The house and grounds was completely enclosed by a high wall such that only the top floor was visible. This was the frontier of Southern England and it faced a hostile continent. The sea represented a highway rather than a barrier, and it was not unknown for envious foreigners to invade the realm looking for booty.
"We have no scaling equipment to get over that wall so we will have to go through the gates," said William. He pointed to a double wooden gate that was as high as the wall. "I bet that it's reinforced with wooden bars at the rear. It could take us whole minutes to get through. A successful raid depends on surprise and speed. We might as well send them a letter telling them that we are coming."
He signalled to the boatswain who ran doubled over to join him. "We will need to cut a sizable tree to make a battering ram."
"That cannot be done quietly, Cap'n," said the boatswain, pulling thoughtfully on his chin."
"You think I don't know that," said William, snarling. "Go back a ways into the wood to dampen the sound. As quick as you can, boatswain, the house will be stirring soon."
"Sir," said the boatswain, knuckling his forehead.
"Hold," said Lucy. "Mayhap there is another way."
She stood up very deliberately and walked out onto the grass. She looked at them over her shoulder with a mischievous grin. "Gentleman, follow me." Then she walked down the slope.
"Lucy, wait," said William and reached out for her.
Gwilym seized his wrist. "Don't grab at 'er 'ighness. It ain't polite." He rose to his feet and followed her. She was moving slowly so he soon caught up and took his position, three steps behind and one to the left.
William cursed quietly to himself. Who was supposed to be captain here? He rose to his feet and held a fist over his head. He stepped out of cover, where he could be seen, and rotated the fist left and right. The Swallows emerged from the tree line and started down the slope.
The strange phalanx walked silently towards the fortified farmhouse. Lucy was at point with her bodyguard. William strode along behind her with a skirmish line of Swallows behind him. He had positioned Simon in the rear with a couple of sailors to look after him. Simon was there to search for evidence, not to fight.
They walked at a measured pace. What a how-do-you-do, thought William. He had followed some gallant officers in just such a skir
mish line but not one led by a sixteen-year-old court girl. He had no idea what they would do when they reached the farmhouse but, knowing Lucy, it would be spectacular.
As Lucy walked she spread her arms down, palm out. Her skin took on a shine and then a glow. Her hair rippled. She looked as if she was moving into a headwind but it was a headwind no one else felt. She started to bounce as she walked as if her body was suddenly light. William knew that Lucy was possessed by Lilith and that she was now as much demon as human.
Lucy started to speed up into a fast walk at fifty yards from the gates and then a jog trot at twenty-five. William had once seen a Spanish lancer regiment charge in the Low Countries. Gentlemen abed in England made light of the Spanish army but William had never seen anything to sneer at. Amateurs think a cavalry charge is some uncontrolled gallop from the first wave of a sabre. Not a bit, the idea is to deliver the horses at full speed in a concentrated mass at the point of impact. The regiment William had seen had started at the walk and then gradually speeded up onto the target.
At fifteen yards, Lucy broke into a run with the Swallows following. At ten yards, she sprinted faster than any of the men could match. At five yards, she jumped into the air and rolled over until she flew feet first. At one yard, she drew her knees back. At six inches she exploded into motion. Her legs shot out and her feet hit each side of the join between the gates.
The gates did not open. They exploded, showering the air with splinters and Lucy landed in the middle of the wreckage.
"Ow," she said.
William and Gwilym rushed up. "Are you all right, milady?" asked William.
"I have a splinter," she said, through gritted teeth. "You are both to look away while I remove it."
"Oh holy saints," said William. He stared at the heavens. War was suspended while their general removed a splinter from her seat.
Lucy gave a yelp. "You can look now." The girl stood up and tried to hold on to her dignity. William chuckled and got a murderous look in reply, which only made him more amused.
A long straight path led up to the front of the farmhouse. At some point, it had been rebuilt in red brick. A thin orchard was planted on each side of the path nearer the house. The trees were of an unusual type, with large bright green fruit that was shaped like teardrops. Lucy started up the path, Gwilym at her back. The sailors followed them.
The trees did not improve upon close examination. Brightly coloured patches of fungal rot caused a strange appearance. Purple veins lined the fruits. No birds flew amongst the branches but large grey moths crawled over the fruit, as if feeding off the secretions that ran down the sides. The fresh, twisted body of a squirrel lay under one of the trees. The fruit above had little teeth marks.
The front door of house opened and a lady dressed in maroon court dress emerged. "Lady Dennys, I said there was more to you than met the eye, especially true as I see that your dress sense hasn't improved."
Lucy wore a working woman's dress rather than court clothes. They were far more practical than the elaborate costumes of the upper classes.
"Uncle always says that a young maid like me would look attractive in a turnip sack. It's only ladies of a certain age who need the support of artefact," Lucy said, sweetly.
"A man! What would he know?" Isabella shielded her eyes with her hand and examined the shattered gates. "Couldn't you just knock like everyone else?"
"I suppose that I just don't know my own strength," said Lucy.
"You do seem to be overburdened with energy," said Isabella. "Positively glowing in fact. We must find some way to burn off some of that surplus." Isabella raised her hands and started to chant.
'Danger, Lucy,' thought Lilith. 'Isabella is building up energy.'
'Really, Lilith? Oddly enough, I had worked out the same thing, despite my small mind.'
Lilith thought Lucy sounded worried. She tended to get waspish when she was concerned. Caution was a sensible emotional response to the situation. Frankly, Isabella scared Lilith witless. Lilith sensed a large vortex of spinning energy over Isabella's head. It had some of the characteristics of a portal but without the rip in space-time.
'Time to stop this,' thought Lucy. She drew her knife and flipped it so that she held it by the tip of the blade between her thumb and forefinger. Lucy drew back her arm to throw, when Isabella clapped her hands.
Lilith patched her senses through to Lucy so the girl could see energy spin from the vortex. It streamed over her head, divided and poured into the trees. Lucy flipped her knife again so that she held it by the hilt. This was no time to lose her blade. What William saw was a squall rip through the unsettling orchard, shaking the branches and causing the fruit to sway. Lilith and Lucy saw the trees glowing with power—power that drained into the fruits.
Fruits dropped to the ground where they beat like obscene green hearts. "Black magic," said a sailor, in horror. The Swallows shrank back except for William and the boatswain, who stood their ground.
Cracks showed on the outer casing of the fallen fruit. One split wide open to reveal the pulpy fruit within. The fruit hesitated, quivering for a moment before uncoiling. It expanded with extra body weight. Once upright, the plant creature stood on two legs. It had two arms and a sort of extension that served as a head. Its arms came up in a fighting stance, showing "hands" like shovels with shining hard edges like blades. More plant creatures emerged and moved towards the humans.
Lucy drew her blade and ran towards the nearest two monsters. She kicked the first one in the centre of the body, forcing it away. With her left hand, she spun the second around and cut its head off with her dagger. It fell with a hissing, deflating noise, losing body mass. Gwilym struck at the first one with his cutlass, lopping off an arm but it attacked with its other hand, forcing him back. Lucy ripped it open with her glowing blade. It fell with the same keening hiss as the first.
"Fire," William said. The sailors unleashed a fusillade into the plant things. Sea dog crews were heavily armed with guns so they could fire a withering volley. The shot hit home on the monsters, bursting straight through their bodies in places, but the creatures seemed unaffected.
"I doubt they have organs like an animal to be damaged," said Simon.
William raised his cutlass over his hear, "Follow me!" he cried and charged, his men running behind him. They pushed the monsters back with the ferocity of their attack but the plant things were almost impossible to kill with normal weapons. The Swallows cut chunks out of the plant creatures but they always returned to the attack. More fruits dropped all the time adding to their numbers. The sailors were soon fighting for their lives.
"Isabella is the key to this, Gwilym. I'm going for her," Lucy said over her shoulder.
"Right, 'ighness. I'll cover your back," Gwilym said.
Lucy spun down the path, punching, kicking, and slashing. Her blade inflicted terrible damage when it cut through the plant men. But mostly, she just smashed them out of the way. Gwilym walked behind her using his cutlass two-handed, as a club, to bat away any creature that tried to get behind her.
Behind them, a creature knocked one of the sailors to the ground. The creature slashed at him. In desperation, the man put his pistol against the creature's chest and pulled the trigger. The shot burst through clean through the monster, doing little damage. However, the charge left a black scorch hole that caught fire. The flames spread quickly and the sailor had to scoot out of the way to avoid being burnt. The monster staggered around wreathed in flames until it crashed into a second plant creature, setting it alight in turn.
"Fire. Cleanse them with fire. Reynold, Hoggit, back to the gate for wood. Break branches off the trees and set them alight. Drive them back with torches." William was exultant. The key to any victory was finding the right weapon. The trees shook and moaned as the seamen lopped branches off.
Isabella greeted Lucy's advance with amusement. Her smile slipped as Lucy and Gwilym came on, foot by foot, yard by yard, leaving a trail of wreckage behind them.
'Isn't that interesting?' thought Lilith. 'The fireball is actually on a fixed speed and trajectory. The apparent changes in velocity are an optical illusion caused by misalignment of your eye-brain functions.'
Lucy dodged desperately to avoid the next missile while shoving Gwilym down under the line of fire. 'Fascinating, Lilith, now how about you devoting your exceptionally large mind to devising a strategy to avoid us being flame-grilled?'
The first fireball had ploughed harmlessly into the back wall but the second hit a plant creature, setting it on fire.
'Oh, I have already thought of that. I can—'
'Multitask, I know Lilith,' thought Lucy, ducking under a rising fireball.
'I have put an electromagnetic field into your blade. You can parry the fireballs,' thought Lilith, who was definitely in a huff.
"You can't keep dodging around like that forever, Dennys," said Isabella. "One of them will get you when you tire."
"You're right," said Lucy, standing upright. "I am fed up with dodging."
Isabella made a flick motion with her hand and another fireball curved towards Lucy. The girl deflected it with the blade of her dagger. The ball shot off at a tangent and hit one of the demonic trees. The tree burst into a conflagration, burning with much crackling and spitting of fire.
'There must be inflammable spirits under the bark,' thought Lilith.
Several of the plant monsters rushed back towards the tree, trying to put out the flames. They were singularly unsuccessful, managing only in succeeding in setting themselves alight.