Talon of the Unnamed Goddess, a Fantasy Adventure

by C. R. Daems

  When Rhiannon seated herself on the raised platform, she looked to me.

  "Aisha, what do you suggest I do to them?"

  "You have several choices, hi'Lady Rhiannon," I said loudly. The room fell quiet once the woman's screaming died into the distance. "First, you could have them all put to death. That would prevent any possible thoughts of revenge." Looking around the room, I saw that most of the women shook with terror, and with good reason. The adults probably deserved the death I had threatened them with and might consider that a kinder fate. "Or you could just confiscate their goods and lands and throw them out of the castle."

  Rhiannon did nothing for several minutes while everyone held their breath and awaited her decision. Finally, she shook her head. "No, I don't want to punish any who are innocent of treason against my father and me."

  "You can be overly generous and give them the chance to prove that they are innocent of treason and murder," I said.

  "Yes, that is my decree. They are to be held here and given a chance to prove that they didn't take any active part in the treason. If they are innocent, they may reclaim their lands. If they are guilty, the lands will be given over to me to distribute to my loyal followers, and they will share the fate of the other traitors."

  A woman in the back of the room sobbed. The rest were dead quiet. Rhiannon stood. "I would remind everyone that sec'Tadzio and hi'Radulf and their followers have killed nobles, hundreds of Granyan soldiers, maids, cooks and others who did nothing to harm them. Sec'Tadzio, hi'Radulf, and their supporters have committed treason. I vow to you and to them, they are dead men." Rhiannon rose and exited the room.

  "Leszek, you are free until tomorrow morning. Take a couple of Granyan soldiers and search for your wife and son," I said. His face brightened and he hurried off. I knew that Rhiannon had decided to stay the night and that Leszek would be distracted, thinking about Luminita and whether she and their son were in Livorno.

  Rhiannon left Lucjan in charge and twenty-five Granya soldiers for support. He promised to raise a small army while we were gone. Rhiannon promised him a reward when she again had control of Granya. We left at dawn the next day. Leszek spoke little as we rode away, but I knew he had failed to find any trace of Luminita and their son.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Dassel: Eagles challenge Talons

  We reached the outskirts of Dassel and had no trouble finding Anton and Jiang. Their warriors stopped us on the road about two leagues outside the city.

  "Halt, this road is closed to travel!" A Jaddahan warrior sat on his horse next to five others. I noticed several more on each side of the road, more hidden among the trees.

  "Warrior, I'm Aisha Talon. I'm here to see Anton Talon." I hoped that would identify us.

  "Follow us, Aisha Talon. We were ordered to look out for you." The warriors turned and headed into the forest. We followed them for an hour until we arrived at the main camp, their tents scattered among the trees with lookouts, which I spotted, and a line of horses picketed to one side.

  "I see you were successful, hi'Lady Rhiannon," Jiang said as we seated ourselves around a small fire.

  "Yes, Master Jiang, it was almost too easy and yet very painful. Your Talons are very efficient," Rhiannon replied. She walked over to Tafadzwa and kissed him on each cheek. "Greetings, my future brother."

  "I am delighted to see you in good health, future sister. My brother is far more fortunate than he realizes." Tafadzwa held Rhiannon at arms' length and surveyed her, then grinned at his brother over her shoulder.

  "It is nice to see you well, Master Anton." Rhiannon turned toward where he stood.

  "Thank you, hi'Lady Rhiannon," Anton said. "You have been very busy since we last talked. Terni and now Livorno are back under Granya control. And I see that the council didn't censure you, Sister Aisha. In fact, I understand you share joint command with Master Jiang. Very impressive."

  "It seemed so easy back in Zenjir, Master Anton," I said.

  "That is true, Sister Aisha. You can never make a perfect plan. Although your plan has been relatively successful so far, Salda has complicated the situation. But the plan could still work. The attack may work out to our benefit if the Salda and the Valda armies destroy each other. In fact, there could be an added benefit. Salda has ex-Talons with them, under a Raptor Clan fatwa for the past ten years."

  "So, what do we do next?" I asked. I had heard of the fatwa against the Salda Talons while at the Aerie, a teaching example of what happens to Talons who disobey the clan.

  "I thought you would tell us," Jiang said with a small smile. "The council approved your plan. It needs modification. Who better to amend it than the person who developed it?"

  I wondered if Jiang was having fun at my expense. At least, I hoped he was. Worse than that, he could expect me to come up with the next action.

  I stalled. "I need more information."

  "Very good, Sister. That is the correct response. No one could make a good decision without knowing what hi'Radulf will do and how Salda's army will react. We'll make a better decision with more information. The next few days should be critical."

  "Aisha, you were right," Tafadzwa said. He bowed his head to me in respect, locked eyes with me for a long time, then continued. "We did draw out half of the castle's force, and my warriors destroyed them. They then sent word to hi'Radulf, who we could have ambushed on the road to Dassel. You planned well. You couldn't have predicted that the Salda would attack Dassel."

  "We must now adapt," Anton said as Tafadzwa stared at me with a smile frozen to his face.

  "For now, we wait," Jiang ruled.

  * * * *

  Two Talons frequented the city over the next four days, reporting back to Rhiannon's war council at each evening meeting. We heard the reports of the spies as they managed to find warriors to drink and talk with and bring us back current news.

  On the first day, Radulf had tried negotiating with the Salda warriors in command of the castle. He claimed he could starve them out. Salda claimed he couldn't, because reinforcements were on the way.

  The second day Radulf tried an early-morning assault. It was partially successful, and the Salda suffered the loss of forty-five soldiers. Salda only had around two hundred warriors remaining after they secured the castle. Our report said Valda's forces lost about seventy warriors in the fighting.

  The next day messengers arrived with the news that the reinforcements from Salda had been ambushed by the Jaddahan and had turned back. Our spies from the city didn't report more fighting until the following day, when Valda again assaulted the castle. Again, both sides suffered heavy losses. I knew that the ex-Talons probably accounted for the heavier-than-normal losses by Valda.

  The next day was quiet, and our spies brought us news of only minor skirmishes.

  "Would this be a good time for us to enter the game?" I asked that night after we listened to the reports.

  "Why?" Tafadzwa asked.

  I felt strange the way he looked at me at times, especially when he thought I wasn't aware he was looking. He seemed to be everywhere I was. He was good looking and intelligent. He must already know the answer to that. I gave him a puzzled smile. Maybe he just wanted to talk, and I didn't mind. In fact, I enjoyed his company.

  "If we let the Valdans gain the castle with hundreds of warriors, we will never get them out. If we wait until their attack is about to succeed, the number of Valdans and Saldans will be significantly reduced. We could destroy the Valdans, because they will be distracted with their attack, and the Salda will be left with only a small force to defend the castle."

  "Warrior Aisha is right." Tafadzwa grinned, a sparkle in his eyes. "If we time it right, we might even gain access to the castle at the same time. At worst, the Salda will still control it, but their numbers will be insufficient for a defense." I felt myself color at Tafadzwa's remark. "Warrior Aisha." "Warrior" had a special meaning to the Jaddah.

  "I agree," Jiang said. "Fir'Warrior Tafadzwa, it is time to call in
all your warriors. We will move closer to Dassel, tonight."

  * * * *

  At dawn, we waited for word from Dassel. Jiang had sent in twenty Talons and another twenty Granyans to ensure the city gates remained open when our army advanced.

  "Master Jiang," the Talon scout reported, "the attack has started, and the fighting is heavy. It appears hi'Radulf has thrown his entire army against the castle gate. I doubt the Saldans can hold out for more than a couple of hours."

  "Fir'Warrior, we move now. We go straight for the castle and hit the Valdans from behind. If they have breached the gate, we follow them in."

  We moved toward the city walls, five hundred strong. Beautiful from outside the gate, red brick walls towered close to twenty paces high with turrets every thirty paces. The river, splashing in whitewater as it moved fast over the rocky bed, gave more protection along one side. As we got closer, we saw the gates open and the bodies of the four guards the Talons had killed. I wondered if the city guard had been called to help attack the castle.

  As we entered the gate and flowed into the city, the residents scattered. Doors and shutters slammed shut. It was so quiet I could hear the battle cries a good three hundred paces from the fighting.

  When we emerged from the inner city into the open area in front of the castle, the battle was at its height, the gate hanging open where a ram had bashed it in. I hung back with Leszek and some fifty warriors, guarding Rhiannon and the war council.

  As the Jaddahan warriors stormed the walls, they overwhelmed the Valdan army, which was caught between two enemies and outnumbered. The Salda couldn't take advantage of our attack, as the main gate had already been breached. In an hour, both armies had been defeated.

  "Fir'Warrior, we have secured the castle." The warrior messenger panted from having dashed to find us. "Many are dead or scattered, but we have about seventy-five captives who surrendered. However, there are some ten Eagles holed up in one of the buildings. They are asking for Master Jiang."

  "I guess we should see what they want."

  "I could order my warriors to attack them. If there are only ten, it should not take long," Tafadzwa replied.

  "No, fir'Warrior Tafadzwa. If they are fortified, the toll on your warriors would be higher than they are worth. Let us hear what they have to say. This is a Talon issue. They are under a Talon fatwa."

  The castle was not so much beautiful as it was massive and built to be defended. The whole structure including the walls was a circle. The outer walls were fifteen paces high with no turrets but a continuous parapet with crenellations every few paces. A second inner wall was built on higher ground and rose another twenty-five paces and had turrets spaced around it. And rising thirty paces was a rounded keep complete with parapet and crenels. Inside, the Eagles controlled the top floor.

  We passed through corridors and stairways crowded with Jaddahan warriors. I didn't think a mouse could get out of the castle, much less a man.

  One of Tafadzwa's sec'Warriors strode up as we entered the audience chamber. He bowed and reported, "Fir'Warrior, we haven't found hi'Radulf, and my tri'Warriors report all buildings have been searched. We are examining the dead, but it is unlikely he attacked the walls."

  "Keep searching. This is his home. He may have a secret room somewhere." Tafadzwa shrugged in Rhiannon's direction.

  "He must die, my brother," Rhiannon said quietly to Tafadzwa.

  "Yes, my sister, and he will. You have my word."

  We continued walking until we reached the stairway to the rooms the Eagles controlled.

  "I'm Jiang Talon. What do you want?"

  "I'm Algis Eagle. We Eagles demand a fair fight with you Talons, one on one. We know that we will die, but we demand to die fighting. You swore a fatwa against us. So, enforce it, Jiang Talon." The voice shouted down from above.

  "No, you do not deserve the honor of a duel," Jiang said.

  "We have fourteen of the women nobles and their daughters up here. We will kill them all. Since we deserve no honor, we have no reason to be honorable," the voice said.

  "Wait," Tafadzwa shouted. "Master Jiang, if you will not, the Jaddah will. This will taint my rule if I allow it."

  "Your warriors are excellent knife fighters but will not match well against Talon-trained fighters."

  Jiang looked to Anton and Bakaar. They nodded. "We agree, Algis."

  "The rules are thus, Jiang. One Eagle will enter the ring with one Talon. The winner may stay in the ring for the next fighter or leave to let another fight the next match. We will fight until all the Talons or all of the Eagles are dead. The youngest girl plus one other will be released as each Eagle enters the ring. Agreed?"

  "Agreed. Two knives, no throwing."

  "Agreed."

  "Give me a few minutes to gather my Talons, Algis."

  "You have ten minutes before the first dies."

  "Fir'Warrior Tafadzwa, have your men take word to all the Talons they can locate. I need them with me."

  We waited, not speaking. Within the ten minutes, Anton and several more Talons joined us. Warriors straggled in to watch as news of the challenge spread. At last, Jiang shouted up to begin.

  A middle-aged man with the smooth, measured stride of a fighter came down first. Tall with long arms and legs, he dressed much like a Talon in black shirt and pants, but with two embroidered eagles on the sleeves. He held a small girl about eight, whom he released when Bakaar entered the ring with him.

  I didn't know what to do. War Sigils blazed. If I used my Negation Sigil, who would benefit? I decided I should do nothing for now.

  "I am to remind you that there are no rules. However, if anyone interferes, our agreement is void and the remaining women will be killed." The man paused. "Master Bakaar, I remember you from the Aerie. You were pretty good."

  "I don't remember you, so you couldn't have been that good," Bakaar said as she stared into the man's eyes. The Eagle began weaving an intricate pattern with both knives, which Bakaar evaded. First blood went to the Eagle when he slashed Bakaar's arm. Then she moved so fast I couldn't follow it. The Eagle stumbled and fell. Bakaar left the ring, where the healer checked the cut on her arm.

  "It is deep but not life-threatening," the healer said to Jiang.

  "I'm all right," Bakaar replied.

  "Rest for a moment. Another will fight next."

  Another Eagle came down the steps with another girl around ten. He released her and stepped into the ring. The fight was quick, with the Talon scoring a slash across the Eagle's chest, but he had his throat cut in return. The Eagle chose to fight again and Bakaar decided it would be a fair fight as they were both wounded. Her bleeding had stopped. Bakaar won but received two more cuts that weakened her to the point she stumbled as she left the ring. Jiang declared it would be too dangerous for her to fight again.

  So the dueling went for the next hour. Four Talons died and six more Eagles. Anton had a deep slash across his chest being tended. I thought the Eagles had lost their edge, but they were Talon trained and dangerous. And they seemed to be better each time. When the ninth Eagle came down the stairs, he had a young woman about twenty-two or three whose dress was ripped, and she had a dark bruise on one cheek. To my surprise, Master Jiang stepped into the ring.

  "Master Jiang, I am disappointed. Aren't you a bit too old for fighting?" The Eagle sneered.

  "I should have thrown you out the first year or killed you before your fifth Ordeal, Petras. I knew you would disgrace the clan," Jiang said in a cool voice.

  "Yes, you should have killed me, because today I'm going to kill you." Petras began circling. He moved like a cat. Jiang stood, only moving to keep Petras in sight as he circled. The audience of about two hundred was silent. Petras sprang. Jiang had a knife in his side and a deep slash across his chest. Jiang's knife protruded from Petras's chest up into his heart. Jiang was carried out dripping blood but alive.

  "I will take the next Eagle," Anton said. He stepped into the ring in preparation.

 
; "No you won't!" a woman shouted down. "I have five women up here. I want the woman Talon who hasn't fought. Or I will kill them all."

  "NO! I forbid it, Aisha," Rhiannon shouted, tears forming in her eyes. "I need you."

  "I am a Talon like the others, Rhiannon. You can't forbid it. It is my duty. Besides, could you live with five women being killed when I could have saved them?" It sounded harsh, but I was mad. I had seen four of my brothers killed and several seriously hurt.

  "How do you know she won't kill you?" Rhiannon asked.

  "Because, she is a coward. A coward doesn't have the ability to kill me in a fair fight." She was a coward, as were her friends, but they were Talon trained.

  Rhiannon stood and said nothing until a woman screamed and a finger was tossed out, bouncing down the stairs, leaving a trail of blood drops.

  "Please live, Aisha. I do need you," Rhiannon said and turned to walk away. I gently stopped her with a hand.

  "Hi'Lady Rhiannon, emotions kill. I want you to hold my hate, my anger, and thoughts of revenge. Will you do that for me?"

  "Yes, I will hold them in my heart, Aisha."

  But as I turned toward the ring, Tafadzwa stopped me with a hand on my shoulder. Our eyes met, but he just nodded, squeezing my shoulder.

  "Bring the women down. I will fight you." I emptied myself and prepared.

  A tall dark woman in Eagle garb appeared leading five women, one with her hand wrapped. They were quickly led away. The Eagle too had a strong War Sigil. I invoked my sigil as I entered the ring, my world expanding. I heard her taunts but not the words, saw every ripple of her body as she and I moved with the ease of the wind. No hate, no anger, only the fight. Her knives wove in the same pattern as those of the man who had fought Bakaar. I knew the pattern and where it was going. Chest, neck, chest. I took the first cut to my chest and then a deep cut to my arm as I rolled out of the way and came up under her guard, one knife slashing her from just under her chest to her groin the other opening the artery on the inside of her thigh. Before she could respond, I scissored her legs, throwing her to fall to the side, and I was on my feet. She was still alive, but she did not attempt to get up. Blood pooled under her.