Engaging Evil (Warriors of Vhast Book 2)

by Cary J Lenehan

  He sat there stroking his beard, looking at a young dusky-skinned girl fetching water. The girl saw him staring at her. A look of fear appeared briefly on her face and she quickly finished what she was doing and scurried out of sight.

  I will try and kill him myself…or maybe to capture him and let Bianca do it. If what she has said is right then Bianca has some good ideas in that regard. Having made that compact with herself she returned to watching the rest of the village. Astrid lay there all afternoon counting heads and relaying what she saw back to Thord. Thord busied himself staring at the ground around him. He said that he was working out how to firmly fix rope so as to lower people onto the roofs below. Being a shepherd apparently gave him a lot of patience as well.

  Towards the end of the day the guard on the wall rang a bell and the fieldworkers returned with their guard behind them. The gate guard counted them in and they immediately put their tools in a shed, which was locked afterwards. It seems that these people are really afraid of their slaves in a way that no-one I have heard of is. Most slaves I know of have free run of their owner’s houses and all that I have ever seen carry knives just like everyone else. One at home in Wolfneck even has a sword…but he will be freed soon and will surely settle into the village rather than go to his old home.

  Soldiers started coming out of the barracks and other buildings and slaves were gathering in the street in groups, and soldiers started to count them. Apart from the guard on the wall and Thorkil, there were three soldiers. Two men in houpelandes and one dressed like those from the Caliphate came out of the mage’s house onto a raised platform; one of them was the man they had seen at the lookout. She also noticed the soldier they had seen at the watch point come out of the other large house. He didn’t join the rest of the soldiers, instead went over and chatted to the three mages, all of them looking down on the others. Finally, emerging out of the same large building as the soldier came a dwarf. This must be Dharmal, the leader of the brigands that the Khitan had talked about. He was followed down to the platform by Thorkil, with his helmet on and his axe over his shoulder. Astrid could now see that he had a brace of small axes at his belt. His hands might look more like a bear’s claws when they were clenched, but they had to be free to grasp the handles of his weapons. The soldiers came up to the Freeholder and reported to him. He, in turn, reported to Dharmal. They chatted briefly and then the man in armour turned around. From where she lay she could hear him softly but clearly, “After t’selection get on with your duties, t’ose who ha’ no duties go to your quarters,” he said in Hindi. He looked down at the soldiers. “T’ose off duty, if you a want a girl, get one.”

  A soldier headed off to the wall and the man that was there already came down when he arrived. It seemed that he and two others would be off duty. Astrid realised that one was female, while another was Thorkil. The three went over towards the slaves who waited in rows. They stood there in a dejected fashion with their eyes to the ground. Thorkil went straight to the clump of little girls, who all shrank back from him. He strode up and grabbed one. A southern girl, perhaps the one he had been looking at earlier; at any rate, from her black hair and darker brown skin, she was from Haven. He pointed at the barracks. The girl looks terrified and the relief on the faces of the others is evident, even at this range. The woman, who was dressed as a man in the clothes and armour of Freehold, chose a girl who looked like she came from the Caliphate. That is curious, that the woman she chose looked as scared as the little girl did. The other soldier, possibly also a woman, chose a Havenite girl. She actually looks pleased. The three chosen ones moved towards what appeared to be the soldier’s quarters, while most of the others headed for the other barrack building. A guard, who reached up and removed a bunch of keys from near the door, followed them. He must be going to lock them inside.

  Some slaves went to other buildings on their own account. This group included the men, and a small group went towards another building beside the main one, which appeared to be a large kitchen. Another guard was going around the small buildings, locking them. I wonder if those who are locked in will be fed. The captain was walking out of the gate. It must be his turn to be the watcher again. The mages and the dwarf returned to their dwellings. At the last minute one of the mages turned and went over to the slave barracks. He disappeared inside and came back with a woman. Although she was not dressed like one, from her hair and the shape of her eyes Astrid had a feeling that she was a Khitan. The girl followed behind him by several paces, with her hands clasped and her eyes on the ground.

  “Three mages, the dwarf and six soldiers. If there are no others and we strike fast then we have the advantage and can take them like a baby seal on the ice,” Astrid said to Thord.

  “If we strike and t’ere are more hidden somewhere we may have trouble,” Thord replied. “We need to watch ’em for a day. If t’ere’re others around we should find out during t’at time.”

  “Perhaps you are right,” Astrid reluctantly agreed. “Now we look for ways to get to them. We must be able to kill some without the others noticing. Depending on how good their watch is I am sure that we can all get down onto the roof below us.”

  “Easy,” said Thord. “If t’ey cannot climb t’emself, I can lower ’em from here. T’ere is plenty to brace against. All t’same, once we go in, we’d better be sure of success. Retreat wouldn’t be easy.”

  They settled down to observe. Once the soldier’s leader had returned the gate was closed and a bar put across the back of it. Under guard, food was delivered to the slaves, the barracks and the mages. Shortly after this the kitchen slaves were taken to their barracks and then, once the dishes were picked up by some of the little girls, taken into what must be a kitchen and they emerged and were locked up, the brigand village had settled into its nightly routine.

  The leader of the soldiers had the first watch.

  “They must be very short on men if he is drawing duty. They still have to stand guard during the day as well, when the slaves are out and about, so they must all be very tired,” said Astrid. Tired or not, a series of sharp noises came from below, followed by short and pained cries, subsiding to muffled sobbing. It emanated loudly from the soldier’s barracks, showing that at least one of the brigands was still taking cruel pleasure from a slave.

  The single armed guard did not seem to have a fixed post. He wandered into the guardroom beside the gate, through the village and the slave’s barracks, checking locks and barred windows. They climbed the wall and looking out and sometimes sat down near the front of the building below them, from where they could see the front of all the buildings in the village. Not once did he look up to where the watchers waited. Lights went out in the buildings, the last just before the guard changed. When he had roused the next person the guard leader stayed inside the guardroom, rather than return to the building he shared with the dwarf, and where the mages had also retired for the night. The guardroom must be where the guards on duty slept.

  The night was quiet and Astrid and Thord were able to take turns to sleep and eat. Luckily for them, although the sky was covered completely in cloud, there was no rain. So, although it was chilly, at least they were not wet. Thord commented on the cold, but Astrid was dismissive of calling these warm southern nights chilly. A wind, blowing through the gap from the west, kept off any frost. That was more than enough.

  Once the sky began to lighten the process of shutting the village down was reversed. The kitchen slaves were let out to begin work and gradually the village returned to life. The three slaves who had spent the night with soldiers crossed the street to their barracks. Two were naked and carrying clothes—the little girl and the Caliphate woman. The latter showed marks around her wrists and on her body and legs. She had been beaten hard enough to draw blood. It must have been her cries that had echoed loud last night. The Havenite woman stooped and picked up the little girl and carried her. The girl immediately threw her arms around the woman’s neck and started sobbing on her shoulder. The
Caliphate woman was obviously stiff and sore, but she walked erect and proud, as if she were fully clothed, ignoring comments from a guard as to what he would have her do the next time he had her.

  A different mage went to the lookout—the one who had taken a slave to bed. The slave girl followed him out of the building, walking with her eyes down and hands clasped, and moved quickly down the street to the barracks.

  “I think they are waiting for reinforcements,” said Astrid. “There are too few of them to do anything and they need more men. If we can get them now, and then get their new men, then we will have removed this menace completely.”

  “You may be right,” said Thord. “T’ey seem to be just pickin’ at t’walls rather t’an doing serious digging.”

  That must be a Dwarven expression.

  The guard commander was waiting when the lookout returned. He asked a question, Astrid could not make out what it was, but it was rewarded with the shake of the mage’s head. They talked briefly and quietly before both going into Dharmal’s building.

  “See,” said Astrid. “He was waiting to see if their reinforcements were arriving. They aren’t coming now, but they are expected. Do we watch further or do we go back to the others now? Even a day’s delay might be important.”

  “Let’s go now,” replied Thord. “T’ey have just done t’eir check, so we know t’at no-one is in sight. If’n we come back t’is afternoon we can attack tonight. Even if’n t’others arrive later today t’ey will be tired.” Quickly they packed up and prepared to move down the slope. Before they went down, Thord, as quietly as he could with a muffled hammer and a cloth over the target, drove an iron spike hard into a crevice and left his rope under cover. This is where he would need it next anyway and it was better to do this work with the daily noise from down the hill in the village masking the blows. Astrid, still watching, could see no sign from below that anyone had noticed what the dwarf had done above them.

  Chapter IV

  Father Christopher

  While he was clearing away after his service, Thord and Astrid had left. When he was finished it a watch had been set up by those left behind, with one person looking each way from the trees. Christopher went and peered out. It seemed that they could see quite some way to the north. At least an hour’s march was visible in parts as the road weaved in and out, up and down. Less could be seen to the south—they could see just past the bridge—but if anyone arrived from that direction, they would be seen. Due to the shape of the rock they couldn’t quite see the lookout, or the entrance to the valley itself, but they could see the track. I suppose that is good. Anyone coming south along the track will have to pass within easy range of even my sling. He went back inside the cave. The rest had set about making themselves at home. Ayesha even cleared a small patch of rock and washed it for her prayer rug. It was facing east. They only had to leave the cave to gather food for the horses and to fetch water. He realised that Astrid would have looked for water and there was a stream only a short distance away. About two hundred paces away, down slope to the north, and further back into the cliff, a small waterfall splashed into a pool screened by ferns and bushes and then wandered under the road to probably eventually join the larger stream. Basil attended to washing clothes, unconsciously digging into Astrid’s pack as well as his own and the mages’. Father Christopher noticed that Basil kept looking south, to where Astrid was, and went over to him.

  “Don’t worry,” he said. “I have travelled with her. She moves like a cat and seems able to disappear in the woods. She will be fine.”

  “What makes you think that I am worried?” asked Basil.

  Father Christopher nearly laughed out loud. Try as I might, I am not used to dissembling. My amusement must be evident on my face.

  Basil realised that his own dissembling was useless and continued. “All right, I am worried. I have never had anyone that I worried about like that before. I mean, I know that she is capable and will probably be fine, but I still feel worried. Is that normal? Does that mean that I love her?”

  “You’re asking me?” asked Christopher with a smile on his face. “I have been raised in a monastery most of my life. What would I know? Mind you, I think that I now know why they make priests marry. If I was in love and married, then I might be able to answer you.” Just then Bianca walked past with two leather buckets of water for the horse lines. “Bianca,” asked Father Christopher playfully, “you might know more than me on this. If you love someone, do you worry if they are away from you?”

  Bianca looked stunned. “I wouldn’t know.” Is that a trace of bitterness in her voice? “I have never had anyone to miss. The nuns, my horses…and Hulagu…as a brother you understand…are as close as I have ever come to loving anyone and having anyone care about me. Anyone else I have always lost, so I try not to get close to anyone.”

  “Don’t you miss your parents?” asked Father Christopher curiously.

  “I never knew them. How could I miss them?” replied Bianca.

  Now it is certain that there is bleakness in her voice. I wonder what I could say to ease her pain. “I knew very little of mine. They died when I was only a baby,” said Father Christopher regretfully, “but I still miss them. I miss the boys that I grew up with. I even miss my teachers.” I surprised myself a bit when I said that, but it is true. He said, “Basil, you are lucky. Perhaps one day I might be like you and have a woman to love. I think that I am jealous.” I am getting more and more taken aback with myself in finding out just how serious I am sounding. “Perhaps the Abbot was right and I do belong in the world. Oh well, if it is to be I will trust in God to provide me with a woman whom I can share love with.” This is all getting too serious. I need to try and lighten the mood a little. “I think that I will have to spend a lot more time on prayer and contemplation about this matter now.”

  Basil laughed at his tone, and even Bianca smiled. Father Christopher went away smiling. I know that I have done my work. Basil now felt somewhat better—as long as his woman comes back. I am surprised to discover that I really meant what I said. He shook himself and settled down with his prayer book to rehearse a few prayers that he never had to actually use seriously before. Battle is coming against the forces of evil and, if I fail, then people who I already care about and who are in my care will die. My role will largely be not to attack, but to heal them in spirit and body and so keep people alive and in God’s grace.

  ~~~

  Hulagu

  Even though I am not on horseback, it is a fine afternoon to be on guard. The last warm days before winter are always to be treasured. I give thanks to the sky spirits for this sun. Around him he could hear the others, in their own way preparing for the upcoming fight. I notice that the mages have disappeared into an alcove of the cave for a while and everyone is pretending not to notice or to hear anything. When they emerged and Stefan had taken over from him on watch, Rani took him aside and started making him work on mental exercises. Why did I suggest this? He sat cross-legged and thought about having a blank mind. My sister is interrupting my thought. Under Ayesha’s guidance she is throwing her knives over and over again. Bianca is determined to be as good as she could be. Now she is learning which of the knives seem to better than the others, whether due to workmanship or magic. These are the ones she will rely on the most. Rani eventually released him and then it was a time for blades to be sharpened and arrows checked as they all sat around and chatted about their past.

  Soon it was time for the Christian priest to hold yet another service. Doesn’t his God ever get tired of being talked to? This time Hulagu noticed that his sister sat with the other Christians from the start and the Hindi mage came with the Christians and sat holding hands with Theodora, although she didn’t say anything or join in. He moved off to take a watch as the day passed. Soon it was dark and the night proved to be as quiet as the afternoon, cold but with no rain.

  The next morning started the same. Ayesha and Bianca went off to bring water up the slope and w
ere returning when suddenly there was movement on the road to the north. Hulagu called out to them, “Hurry—and keep close to the cliff. Horsemen are coming from the north.” The camp went into a burst of activity. I can only catch glimpses of a hand of riders. They are still a long way away. We were very cautious coming along the same road. “Coming as fast as that, it is unlikely they are innocents. What is more they are all armed as if they are warriors. Two are Khitan, one a Havenite and the rest are Freehold. I think they are headed towards their village in the valley and want to get there as quickly as they can.”

  He looked at Rani. I am not the only one to do that. There was a pause for Rani to realise this and think. “We should stop them,” she said. “Of course there is a risk, but if they make it into the village then it will make our task there harder.” She looked around and paused for a little while longer in thought. She pointed at the rocky slope. “I think from here we can take them all with either bow or sling with no risk.”

  “That will not stop their horses,” said Bianca. “They might return home on their own, or stay around and be seen by their watchman. I can be down there quickly, with Sirocco and Firestorm, and round them up.”

  “But if one makes it through us, then you may be at risk,” said Rani.

  “If I go as well, then we will be safe,” said Basil. “Besides, I have no long range weapons. I only throw my darts and I cannot easily reach them from up here.”

  “Can you get down in time?” asked Rani.

  “Watch us,” replied Bianca, springing towards the cave where the horses were and reaching for a saddle. Basil checked his weapons and then began moving down the slope without waiting for her return. He was on foot. Bianca would not be.