by Unknown
The tall one sat with Hawkmoon.. She turned to the warrior and held his hand. Her thoughts came to him:
We know of your quest …
Can you help?
Across worlds, wherever water flows we move and have our being. We live while the river lives. We die when it dies. We do not go on beyond death. My sisters will tend to your friend. His wife bathes at the falls near the great city. She is with child.”
Bekter’s foot was covered in ointment and wrapped in silk. He found he could stand without pain. They finished eating and prepared to leave. The one who tended to his foot held onto his hand, gazing at Bekter with limpid green eyes.
“She seems very friendly, Hawkmoon.. Maybe we could stay a while longer”
Hawkmoon gathered the weapons.“ Get in the boat “
Downriver Hawkmoon told him about Shula . Bekter was silent.
“How does she know?”
“They are spirits of water, what one knows, they all know.
“I wanted to stay with her. It was like a spell had come over me.”
“It wears off once you are away from them”
“Did you learn anything else?”
“I asked for help at the Gorge. We can stay on the river at night. They will keep the boat away from trouble. ”
As the boat surged downriver Bekter sat, thinking of his wife.
An hour after darkness the twins rose over the horizon. By their luminance they floated until late in the night. Challon Gorge was two days. At the wolf dawn they pulled in to sleep and prepare for the rapids .Flooding upriver had lifted the water to the point where most of the rocks were covered. The passage would be even more dangerous.... They were eating when horsemen rode to the opposite bank. Hawkmoon studied them through Bekter’s spyglass.
Reiver cavalry was a new development. The riders were smaller than usual. Hawkmoon watched, judging how they handled their mounts… He wondered if rumours of trade between the Khanate and the Reivers might be true. If so their problems had become considerably worse.
The current sped up as the river narrowed for passage of the Gorge.. They were hauling on the oars to get to the far side when a second troop came to the opposite side. In the distance a dull rumbling could be heard. The Reiver‘s carried no bows but they wouldn’t need them. Nothing survived the Gorge. Trees entered as giants to emerge as kindling. The cavalry stopped at a wall of Granite. Some of the troopers waved farewell; others gave an ironic cheer..
The river took a turn as it poured through a gap. Hawkmoon peered through the mist, deafened by the roar. The Gorge narrowed further. They bobbed on the rising current. The danger of submerged rocks was gone; nothing would stand in the flood. Hawkmoon shouted at Bekter who sat in the back, vomiting. The roar made it impossible to be heard. Out of his misery Bekter saw Hawkmoon brandishing the pole and pointing at the wall.
He was barely in time to meet the rock and push as the boat swung for the side. They shot through on an arching curve of water. The boat went under but came back with natural buoyancy. Light faded between granite walls. The food was gone. Except for his crossbow and Hawkmoon’s axe, so were the weapons. Bekter checked to see the powder bags secure in the bows. It became quiet. Sound faded. They floated on calm water.
In the Dead of Winter.
Morah stood at her window blowing to cool her soup as ice locked the world outside. Two rangers had died in since the start of winter. The Queen ordered that she move her offices into the palace. She wondered if it would be any safer.
The Reivers were predictable. They prepared for war in the same way, invaded from the same direction, fought in the traditional manner. No strategy, No guile. She did not like anything she had learned about the new Marshal..
Now that winter had come no force would move until the spring. The demise of an unpopular queen and the succession of a young woman attentive to the wellbeing of her people was a cause of popular satisfaction. Most of the new laws would take years to have effect.
Cremation had seen a reduction in the number of revenant attacks. With the expansion of cavalry, lawlessness in the country had abated. Dhampirs sent by the Noridin were hunting vampires from forest and woodland cave. Tracts of land uninhabitable from their predation were returned to human control…
In return for their services the Gypsies were rewarded with land grants.. The Queen was seeking to persuade them to change their routes from the north to the safety of the southern coast. While the young people were amenable the older generation felt bitter at the knowledge that the Wampyrhii would mock the Clans for their cowardice
With support from Silverlode and the return of their funds from the Free Cities they could begin reconstruction of the army. Orders had been placed for war materials but nothing would come until the ports were ice free.
With every day that passed Morah became more thankful for the snow that blanketed the country . The barons were biding their time. Certain meetings had taken place. She had sent letters detailing their conversations and reminding them that, notwithstanding the Queen’s tolerance, a state of emergency existed giving her power to seize their lands and have them executed.The evening she sat in Dwarfdale’s parlour and listened to Mira’s plans she found herself wondering if the Queen in waiting had any appreciation of the forces she was about to unleash.
In the months since her speech at the Royal Pavilion, clubs, associations, and political parties had formed in other kingdoms of the West. Seminars were organized in universities questioning the right of monarchs to absolute power.
Foreign powers were set against Mira’s reforms and determined that they would not take root in their countries. Numidia and Karpis were aggressive states with competent armies In Numidia and Karpis her best agents were dead, in prison, or worse. The king of Numidia considered himself absolute ruler by divine right. Mira had turned what should have been allies into dangerous enemies.
It was late. The lamp was guttering low. Her eyes were bleary from reading. A knock came to her door. Melanon put his head in. “Pardon, director. You have visitors”
“Can’t it wait? I am about to retire.”
“They are from Witch’s Keep.”
Morah sighed, rubbing her eyes. “Show them in” The first was a young woman, shaking with cold. The other was Kerris.
“Matriarch, my secretary did not recognize you” she glared at Melanon who shrugged as he closed the door.
“Think nothing of it dear.” They were exhausted, Kerris more than her companion.
“The Queen will be delighted to see you”
“Might we ask for some refreshment?. We have been riding since dawn”
Morah called the secretary and ordered food to be served in her private quarters. Servants were sent to bring their travelling gear..
The room was comfortable from a fire lit earlier. The younger woman returned with travel bags. She was introduced as Patrizia.
“Matriarch you and the sister will be my guests . Tomorrow we can see to quarters more suitable to your rank.”
“Thank you my dear, perhaps we might stay here? Formal chambers tend to be overlarge and uncomfortable.”
Kerris wanted to talk as soon as they were settled. Morah insisted they eat and warm themselves. Melanon served hot drinks flavoured with honey, cream and cloves. He was rewarded with grateful smiles. Morah wanted her guest asleep in as quick a time as possible. “Might I enquire the purpose of your visit? I have no wish to seem peremptory, however if you can tell me why you have come I can arrange for a briefing in the morning .Matriarchs do not ride a thousand miles in the Winter without good reason.”
Kerris regarded the director. “You are kind. Journeys in the snow are hard even on young women..I will tell you what has brought me to a cold and draughty castle.”
She settled in the armchair , a hand extended to the warmth of the fire. The middle finger bore a single diamond.. It glittered in the light. It had a name that Morah could not remember. Every Matriarch took the ring on her accession
. It was said to render the wearer invisible.
“Mira came into our care a broken woman. She lost a baby and a husband for whom she had renounced a kingdom. Some thought she might join the order. I could never see that happening. She has a strong ethic of service. She believed that the duty of a Queen was to serve her people.
She discovered an item in our library; a book concealed in the covers of a larger volume. Written by Hattim al Jiddah it proposed that a device created by the Elders had produced unfortunate consequences both for them as a civilization and for the Land itself. It led to the destruction of their civilization and its submergence in the ocean. The technology built by the Elders was said to enable passage to other worlds. al Jiddah proposed that their experiments affected our sun and the inner planets..” She started coughing. The Matriarch was about to speak when it became worse, racking her as she fought to breathe. Patrizia brought her water....
“If it exists we have to find it before others get their hands on it. I want to discuss the matter with Hawkmoon.”
Morah sniffed. “He assassinates a reigning monarch without as much as a by your leave. I am undecided between decorating him or having him killed.”.
Kerris gave a wry smile. “Many have sought to end his existence. He continues while they are no more. On occasion he tends to be precipitate but he is seldom wrong”
The director was at her desk before dawn. Early as she was Melanon was up before her. He brought a light breakfast. Patrizia came and sat by the fire.. Kerris was still sleeping. She had a fever. The doctor had seen her and recommended complete rest.
“I am grateful to you for persuading the Matriarch to retire. You seem to have more say with her than her sisters”
“I could hear her coughing during the night. Will she be fit to attend the conclave?.. I was reluctant to invite her given the time of year but I am glad she is here”
“She asked me to speak with you privately”.
“Have you broken your fast?”
“Not yet”
“We will retire to my rooms. Melanon will take a tray to the Matriarch”
Patrizia finished her meal by the hearth . The journey from the Keep had been difficult with heat stones in the lining of their cloaks. Without them it would be unthinkable.
They could hear her coughing from the next room.
“It might be better if she stayed in bed. She is unwell and the Hall of Audience is cold at the best of times. It would be better no one knew she was in the city. I have sent word to the Queen . She will come in an hour.”
Morah poured coffee. “I am a worrier. I worry about everything. I worry about known enemies. I worry about unknown enemies. The head of your order comes unannounced and, except for yourself, unaccompanied through one of the worst winters on record. She lies ill in my chambers. This is the risk she was prepared to take. She spoke of certain matters but something must have happened to bring her to the city at this time”
Patrizia sipped from her cup. “The Keep was attacked. A number of people were killed. The Library was ransacked. They did not find what they were looking for.Parras had the volume in her cell completing last minute repairs before putting it on display. The Queen had taken the Supplement with her. They tortured several of our community one of whom survived long enough to tell us they were Shadows. Three of them.” Patrizia drew her shawl tight .
“Imagine the power to get three of their kind into a fortress like ours. Every alarm should have gone off. No castle, or chapterhouse belonging to the order has ever been attacked like this..”
Patrizia set her cup to one side. “It appears that the enemy is taking the existence of these portals more seriously than we The nightmare is that they would find a means of invading another world. Imagine the havoc in a world that did not know the Vampire and had not the skill to resist them?”
“It might be a boon to us. We might be rid of them.”
Patrizia leaned forward.“Director, with respect, you are not thinking clearly. If they invaded and subjugated a defenceless world what would be the consequences? They would have access to unlimited resources. We have been fighting them for centuries. We know our enemy. We have Dhampirii and the Gypsies. We have the Rangers and the Order of the Golden Dawn. If all else fails we have the Khanate and the threat of decimation. In spite of that we are barely surviving. The Land is infested with Vampirism. They keep their numbers low not because they fear us but because they risk internal war when their resources cannot support the population. If they reach a new world we will have to fight for it as hard as if it were our own. It is certain that once they have control there they will remember us here. Vampires have long memories.”
“What are you saying? We should build and equip an army to fight a war in a world that might or might not exist? Don’t you think we have enough to contend with?”
“Director, I am saying that you cannot pick your battles. They made two mistakes when they attacked the Keep. First, they failed. Second they revealed their interest. By spending so many resources they showed how seriously they take this. The Wampyrhii are vicious, they are not stupid. If they take this seriously so should we.”
Morah leant back in her chair.
“You are correct when you state that whatever they take seriously, we should but in all honesty I do not have resources for a problem that might never develop. If Hawkmoon were here I would give him the task. “
“The bridge was destroyed. They have gone downriver and are on the Plain of Tarsis. They are trying to get to Elfhome.”
She paused to organize her thoughts.With the bridge destroyed they would have a chance to complete the reconstruction..
“Might I ask how you know that?”
“We have agents in the Reiver High Command. The destruction of the bridge has caused consternation There have been a number of executions including the guards that returned and the officers assigned them to guard the installation. The rest are in pursuit over Tarsis. “
Morah regarded the younger woman.”That should have been the first thing out of your mouth. Why did you not mention it when we spoke last night.”
“It was remiss of me. “
“Might I enquire how you know? The bridge is a thousand miles from this city and almost twice that from Witch’s Keep. You say you have agents in place but so have I and I have heard nothing. From the moment the bridge came down to when it reached their capital to the time it returned to the Keep would take almost three month. You have not told me everything”
“ Director, I cannot reveal any more than what I have said. Suffice it to say, the bridge is down and you have at a year to prepare for invasion.”
“Will they try to rebuild it”
Patrizia raised her hands. “Who knows? The bridge was a chokepoint. Their new Marshal is not a gambler. Our agents at the court of Tsubodai picked up on rumours that the Confederacy had been warned that an attempt to move an army so close to their borders would be seen as a provocation and a cause for war.”
“The Reivers would never attack the Empire. They would not be so foolish. Why would Tsubodai send a letter like that?”
“Someone we know was at the court at the time.”
“Who”Patrizia said a name. “ Enoch is a busybody but he may have performed a service on this occasion. There will be no attempt to rebuild that bridge.”
Morah rose to stand by the window overlooking the courtyard. The main gate was locked. “. All my efforts have failed. It became clear that they were being supported by someone with resources and the brains to use them. They might have invaded next Summer but the man that gave us our Queen destroyed the shortest route. We have a chance, no more than that.”
The Bridge.
Light strokes brought them to a bend on the river. Waiting at the other side the fury resumed. Directly ahead lay a whirling pit of water... Bekter heard voices, singing. Glancing aside a lithe form dipped underneath the boat. .They were pushed to the walls where water boiled only to be sucked into the mael
strom. In moments a rising wall of water blocked everthing from view. Overhead a circle of blue sky shrunk as they were taken deeper.. Figures circled in the water column. Hands reached from the water, grasping the tiller. They felt a push and the boat started to rise. Emerging on top, with a last push they shot forward .
Hawkmoon signalled to Bekter, pointing to shallow water. Beyond was a narrow shale beach. It would hide them until darkness.Tying on to a pointed rock Hawkmoon took the spyglass...Except where engineers had braced it the bridge was as he remembered. Lives were lost but few compared to the thousands who died when it was first built .
Hawkmooon made notes as he watched; senior officer, troops in clean uniforms, good discipline, weapons, new and well cared for... Guards snapped to attention as an officer strode across .He stopped at the side to light a cigar. They found some apples in the bottom of the boat and ate them as they waited.At dusk they untied the boat and floated to the bridge. Approaching the span a door opened at the guardhouse . They flattened themselves as laughter came from above.
Lifting their craft they hid it at the base of a column.. Hawkmoon examined the footings.
“It must be where the force is resisted by the strength of the structure.” Bekter was puzzled“Surely you would place it where the structure cannot provide resistance”
Norry shook his head. “When I was a boy, we made fireworks for Soul’s Day. There was one boy who would hold one in his hand and dare us to light it.. His father was a blacksmith. One night he took the biggest we made. He never became a blacksmith”
Footsteps rattled above . The scent of tobacco reached them. A cigar butt landed on the gravel, tip glowing in the dark. . Bekter picked it up and took a lungful. He started to cough and Hawkmoon hissed at him. At first they thought he was leaving. Instead the Reiver began to climb down . Hawkmoon moved to the river side of one column ,Bekter crouching by another. The air was clear with frost giving light enough to reveal a form as it stepped onto the sand.. Something tinkled as it tipped the ladder; a sword or bladed weapon.....This would have to be done without a sound… The Reiver came near, sniffing. “Step out where I can see you.” He spoke in the common tongue a sign that he knew whoever was hiding was not part of his command..