It was hard to count the survivors, but it was something close to four hundred maybe. There had to be several thousand in pursuit of them however and they looked to be gaining on the forward group. The archers formed in three rows along the wall top and readied their arrows.
The front group started funneling together in order to stream through the open gate. They were going to make it!
The front runner of the strung out group streamed through the open gate and into the city and soon after all of them began to enter. I saw several riders fall from their saddles from arrows farther back in the column. A lot of the riders showed evidence of a long-running battle.
Many fell off their horses once they made it into the city, with arrows protruding out of their arms and legs and their mounts, some of which almost resembled pincushions. A horse stumbled at the rear of the column and went down throwing its rider head over heels forward. The rider jumped up and then fell back down obviously wounded.
A big red horse I recognized abruptly pulled up and its rider jumped off.
“Holon you noble fool!” I fumed hitting my free hand down savagely on top of the wall.
Four other riders had also drawn up and were shielding the dismounted man as they fired back at the fast approaching enemy line. One of the riders was Sazen. Had they all gone mad!
I saw Holon throw the wounded warrior across the front of his saddle and then leap onto the horse pausing only to snap off an arrow that had suddenly appeared sticking through his upper arm. They were moving again and the enemy was almost in range.
The five riders seemed to get an extra burst of speed out of their mounts and were soon closing in on the gateway.
“Fire!” I bellowed at the top of my lungs and several thousand arrows streamed out over the battlements towards the onrushing enemy host.
The wall of arrows hit them in their onrushing charge in a whistling shockwave of deadly force. Hundreds of them tumbled to the ground both man and horse alike, as still more arrows came whistling into the pandemonium of the fray of bucking horses and dying men. The survivors wheeled their horses and fled back the way they’d come after having suffered one more defeat at the hands of their enemies that they had dismissed for so many years as being weak. Over half their number lay dead on the plain, because they had wandered too close to the walls, so dead set had they been on avenging the many thousands of their own slain within the charred walls of Boratasa.
Lennia let go of my hand, which I had forgotten that I was still holding and started hobbling as fast as she could for the stairs. I swooped in front of her and folded her over a shoulder making sure to grab her crutch before it fell off to the side, as I then turned to run down the stairs with her over my shoulder.
I tried to keep her leg stationary, but she was probably feeling it some coming down the stairs. She didn’t seem to mind, as I set her back onto her good leg at the bottom of the stairs and gave her crutch back to her. She gave me a grateful look before hobbling toward the indomitable figure of Holon standing in the middle of the courtyard.
He was covered in blood, but he would be okay being the big healthy animal that he was. He was being wrapped up by several caregivers, when he saw Lennia hobbling toward him. He pushed away from the people attending to him and started walking towards Lennia a big sappy grin spilling across his rough featured face that only his mother could have loved.
The smile went away abruptly however when Lennia leaned up and slapped him across the face with all the strength her slim muscular body could muster. She almost fell in the process.
Holon’s face twisted into a frown as he grasped her shoulders quickly to keep her from falling.
“What was that for?” He bellowed out.
“For scaring me!” Lennia replied equally stormy and then she dropped the crutch and locked both her arms around Holon’s neck and proceeded to kiss him with everything she had.
I couldn’t help the laughter that escaped me, when I saw the look of utter confusion on Holon’s face at what was happening. I wasn’t the only one laughing. The two of them were center stage to the amusement of the whole courtyard.
Holon reached down and picked Lennia up into his arms their faces still sealed in a kiss that might go on for forever.
How he did it I’m not sure, but Holon started off in the general direction of his living quarters amid the rampant cat calls and snickers of the onlookers. The two lovers didn’t seem to care though. Two hearts had found each other for life and it was clear that they intended on celebrating their reunitement together with passion.
I shook my head still chuckling. Lucky dog! Truth be told we all had been very lucky or more accurately stated blessed by the Creator to still be alive. We had inflicted maximum casualties on the enemy, while only sustaining minor losses on our own part. It was in all accounts a tremendous victory.
It was possible that we had reduced the enemy force that would be coming against us by almost a third before we had ever met in the field of battle.
My pressing needs took over then. I needed sleep and then food. No make that food and then sleep followed by more food. That sounded like a good plan.
My pleasant thoughts were rudely interrupted as Talin exploded out of the doorway in front of me with far more energy than one should have after going through what we had the past several days.
Seeing me he grabbed my shoulders and shook me violently, “It’s a boy!”
Pounding him equally hard on the back I said, “Congratulations Talin best wishes now let me go!”
Talin’s face turned sheepish looking, “It’s not my child Zevin!”
Before I slipped past him I laid a hand on his shoulders and gave him a serious look, “Perhaps not but maybe you should change that. Every child needs a father, which is something I know that you can personally attest to.”
Talin’s father had been killed in battle when he’d only been five years old and it had been hard to grow up without a father. I slipped on past after giving his shoulder another hard pat.
Talin’s voice burst out after me, “I hardly know her!”
Turning back smiling I said, “She’s well spoken, she’s tough, she’s very pretty and she even seems to like you matchmaker man. What more could you ask for?”
I turned away leaving him there staring after me. Commitment did not come easy for Talin. I hoped that he didn’t let that stand in the way of what I thought would be the best thing for him.
Chapter Nine
Free to be Safe
Talin stared after Zevin for a long moment and then he turned to go back inside. While he had been gone the women, who had assisted in the delivery had cleaned Salien up and she looked much better, but still very tired.
She smiled when she saw him. The little bundle in her arms cried out and she gave her attention to the little boy, who was still hungry, but not quite getting the way things worked yet in terms of feeding.
Getting him satisfied she looked up at Talin and blushed slightly, “I did not mean to hold on to you and keep you here throughout the whole birthing! I can never repay you enough for what you have done for me and my baby! Thank you so much!” She said her voice full of emotion.
Talin spoke huskily, “Don’t thank me I was happy to help you. I’d do it again for you. I’m glad everything turned out well.”
He looked like he wanted to say more, but after an awkward pause he turned to go.
“Talin?”
He turned back, “What is to become of us now? Are we to be slaves here to?”Salien asked hesitantly.
Talin studied her for a long moment until she grew slightly uncomfortable under his direct gaze. He broke eye contact with her and closed the door. He then unbuckled his sword and then his armor laying it all piled up on a chair.
Salien watched him closely, what was he doing?
He sat down in another chair and pulled off his boots and then he took off his sweat stained over shirt. Standing he walked over to the bed and gently eased her forward a l
ittle and then he slipped in behind her.
He pulled her back to rest against his chest as she lay between his legs. One arm came around her and helped to support her arm holding the baby and the other hand slipped down to enfold with hers, which rested on his thigh.
His breathing evened out and she thought he had gone to sleep, when he spoke up suddenly surprising her, “You will never be a slave again and you will be answerable to no one except me and your son will have a father, even as I now claim you for my wife. Does that sound good to you?”
“Yes!” Salien breathed out unable to believe what she was hearing.
“Good.”
After a while she heard and felt his breathing deepen and she knew that he was asleep. She looked down at the big hand that held hers, even as she felt the steady beat of his heart against her back.
Tears coursed down her cheeks, but they were happy tears and not sad tears for the first time in her life. She wanted to just ball her eyes out because she was so happy, but she restrained herself because she didn’t want to wake Talin or the baby that had fallen asleep against her breast.
She’d had a few happy moments in her life before now, but this was the first time in her life that she could remember ever feeling as safe as she did now in Talin’s arms.
The God of the strangers must be real because nothing like this had ever happened to her until now and couldn’t be explained in any other way. She had been praying to the God of the strangers ever since the old woman, who had helped her up off the street after she had been raped yet one more time by the men of her people, had told her of the great Creator.
She didn’t deserve any of this, but she would gladly take and live every moment of it to the fullest. She turned her head to listen to the heart of a man she knew would never hurt her, even as she felt the warm presence of a new life snuggle deeper into the crook of her arm.
This man would teach her son how to be a better man than the men of her people had been for a very long time.
There was hope for the future and peace and more joy than she had ever known possible in the present. She closed her eyes and restful sleep soon overtook her.
I awoke to the sound of hammers. Rubbing my eyes I tried to get rid of the tiredness I still felt. From the sounds of it the General was hard at work on the next phase of the plan.
I hadn’t seen anyone the day before on my way to my quarters where I had collapsed. There had been something I was going to do before I slept.
Eat!
I had forgotten to eat! My stomach was one long grumble as I sat up and I received a pleasant surprise. There were three trays heaped high with steaming food in front of me.
“God bless you Gavin!”
There were certain perks to being a king’s brother after all it would seem.
“How’s it going General?” I asked from beside General Lasho as I viewed the construction of the temporary shelters.
The General was as ebullient of mood as I had ever seen him before. “Everything is going according to plan Master Zevin! We should be done with these shelters in two more days and then we’ll send the fleet out north!”
“Good! I’ll head north myself tonight.” I said.
“Tonight! Shouldn’t you rest more before starting out on that phase of the plan?” General Lasho asked with evident concern.
I shook my head no, “Now is no time to rest. Resting can be done after the war. Now is the time to keep eating away at the enemy, while we have them thrown off guard by our aggression.”
“I understand Master Zevin. You are wise to keep pressing at the enemy’s throat.”
“I really wish you would stop calling me master General Lasho.”
There was no comment from the General.
“If I’m successful in convincing the North I will be back with the relief troops needed for the battle for the city. If they do not come with me I will return any way and take my place in the city and together we will see what comes of us.”
The General turned to me and said, “Let us hope that they see the side of reason and decide to throw in with us. I look forward to your return Master Zevin!”
The old general moved off to bark an order out at someone, who had the misfortune of being at the wrong place at the wrong time.
The night was cool and quiet as I stood beside Relentless checking my gear. He was eager for the trip and the next adventure. I wish I could say the same. I was getting a little adventured out in all honesty.
Gavin was beside me protesting, “I really think you should take some men with you Zevin! What if you run into trouble or have an accident and are unable to get north to broker an agreement?”
I snorted, “Don’t write me off that easily brother please!”
“Well if you won’t take a party of warriors at least take Holon and Talin with you!”
“They’re both preoccupied and needed here in the defense of the city Gavin.”
“You won’t see reason will you?”
“I’ll be all right Gavin. Trust me it’s better that I go alone.”
Gavin walked off frustrated, but then came back to give me a brief hug before he left again.
Zalisha stepped out of the shadows of the night and I indicated after my brother’s retreating form, “Watch over him. He worries too much.”
“In this case I’m inclined to believe that his worrying is somewhat justified. I wish you safe passage Zevin.”
I nodded and was about to mount Relentless when she spoke again, “Zevin.”
I looked back at her.
“There’s something I neglected to tell you about the mountains. They’re dangerous in many ways, but one of the worst dangers they hold are the mountain demons.”
“Mountain demons?” I asked skeptically.
“Yes they have the form of humans only they have glowing eyes and sometimes their bodies glow as well. They like to play tricks and worse on people. Avoid them at all cost! You’ll only have to be concerned about them at night, as that is when they come out of their caves to hunt unwary victims. I just wanted you to know about them before you left, as I neglected to mention them before to you. Godspeed Zevin.”
Zalisha moved off into the darkness and I watched her go. I hadn’t given her much credit for a sense of humor before and I didn’t give her any now. Her sense of humor was as bad as mine.
Mountain demons? ‘Oh by the way I forgot to mention that the mountains are crawling with demons, who glow in the dark and come out and feed at night on unwary travelers, have a safe trip see you back soon.’
If she thought I was that gullible well…… well I wasn’t! An involuntary chill went down my spine, as I gazed at the distant snowcapped mountains highlighted by the moon, as I thought a very unkind thought in regards to my new sister-in-law.
By moonlight I made my way out onto the plain and then headed north for the distant mountains and their glowing demons.
Chapter Ten
Temptation
By day I stayed in the ruined cities and towns of the Eastern Kingdom and at night I traveled northward. I didn’t see anyone or anything of note worthiness.
It was a depressing ride traveling through the empty ruined cities and vacant fields of the once vibrantly thriving kingdom. Hopefully one day, after the battle was won and balance was restored to these lands, these cities would become occupied and prosperous once again.
The morning of the third day I reached the trees at the base of the mountains and I kept riding up through them not stopping.
It was like being home only different. It was with relief that I welcomed the cooler temperatures of the mountain atmosphere. Other than the mountain demons my only worries were slipping past the Blue Castle unnoticed as well as the city of Unasa.
It wasn’t populated by the Western Kingdom, but rather by the private forces of the sorcerer. It was from these troops that the assassins that had killed Zalisha’s family had come from.
They were to be avoided, which meant I had to go f
arther up into the mountains in order to avoid any possible contact with them.
I passed the city far off and to the right in the moonlit darkness. It was a beautiful looking city. Too bad that it had to be populated with the Sorcerer’s assassins and strong arm men.
I made camp later that night without a fire. It was early when I broke camp to leave and continue experiencing the scenic wonder of these mountains. I saddled Relentless and went for my saddle bags that lay on the ground a couple of feet away and froze.
In the soft ground there was an unclearly defined footprint. One of the straps on the bags had not been retied right either. Looking around but seeing nothing amiss I cautiously approached the bags and opened them expecting a snake to come striking out at me or a poison dart of some kind.
Nothing appeared to have been taken however, but the contents were slightly rearranged. I caught a whiff of something sweet smelling and I lifted the bags up to smell them, but I smelled nothing more than the natural leather smell of the saddle bags.
A chill coursed through me as I considered that whoever had done this had been within six feet of me while I had slept.
How had I not heard whoever it had been who had been rummaging through my pack?
Why hadn’t Relentless alerted me to someone’s presence?
The involuntary thought went through me and I swallowed looking around me. Mountain demons?
I got up and walked over to Relentless. “What’s going on here big boy?”
I noticed something in the corner of Relentless’s mouth out by his gums and I picked it off and looked at it. It was part of an apple skin!
Relentless loved apples, what horse didn’t, but this! What kind of a mountain demon sneaks into a warrior’s camp in the dark of the night to feed the warrior’s warhorse apples and engage on rifling through the warrior’s saddlebags without taking anything from them?
Relentless held his head low, as if he knew he had been bad. As mad as I was at him I couldn’t get over the fact that Relentless wouldn’t have allowed himself to be bribed by apples and put his master in danger unless…… unless it had been a woman!
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