by Stas Borodin
Mash shook his head, looking at the captain’s colourless eyes. “We will not give you such pleasure.”
The scouts laid down their weapons without objection. Mash kept a sharp eye to make sure that no one forgot to hand over a small knife or a sharp awl.
“They would kill us, boys,” he said. “Just give them a reason. Let’s not look for trouble yet.”
✽✽✽
We were thrown into a pit. Not the one in the centre of the courtyard, but the dry one in the far corner, hidden under a wooden roof. Fortunately, the bottom of the well was covered with knee-deep mud mixed with rotten straw, so that no man fell to his death.
We lay side by side, trying to recover after the fall. Mash inspected everyone, and quickly got to work to fix the dislocated limbs. Two scouts had injured their hands, and one fellow had broken his leg.
As soon as we had surrendered our arms, the jailers began to beat us. They were dark-skinned sken. Cruel and mean creatures, they looked more like monkeys than humans. Each sken had a short leather club stuffed with sand, and a length of rope. They skilfully tied their victim’s hands and feet and, with evident pleasure, started to pound him with their clubs.
My arms and legs ached unbearably. The bastards did their job with gusto. At that point I really wanted to just lie down and die. But the humiliation was much stronger than the pain. How dare they do that to us! We’ve just returned from a bloody battle and won a great victory.
However, everything was construed against us and we were called traitors and rebels.
After my beating, an old scout helped me get up and sit down, leaning me against the cold stone wall. The world around me was still spinning and I almost puked. Suppressing nausea, I looked up, trying to concentrate on something. High above my head the bluish gas sphere was shimmering. The pit was rather deep; its walls were made of black stone, wet and very slippery. It would be impossible to get out without outside help.
I dropped my head dejectedly. Mash patted me on the cheek. “Don’t worry, laddie, we’ve seen holes even worse than this.”
From the shadows came a chuckle; nothing seems to dampen the scouts’ spirits.
“But this hole looks like Mistar’s asshole!”
The scouts laughed in unison, and even the wounded cheered.
“A rat ran down my hand!” a happy voice sounded. “They can’t starve us to death!”
“And there is plenty of water,” someone added. “It oozes from the walls. We can drink it!”
“So, we are in honey?” someone else asked. A chorus of chuckles came in response and I couldn’t help but smile. We were sitting in honey up to our waists.
I was glad to be back with my friends, even in this hole, separated from Annuvir by only a thin wall.
Mash sat next to me. “Quiet there,” he said. “God forbid the wardens get wind that you’re enjoying your life here!”
The scouts laughed again.
“I don’t know what will happen next,” continued Mash. “But we will get out of here and spill some fucking blood!”
The scouts were silent, obviously imagining blood spilling.
“I hope Ash warns the king in time,” someone said in the dark. “Otherwise, they will find for him a lot deeper hole.”
Night came, according to Mash. We could only take his word for it because there was no way to check.
“Marcus and Ferr,” the old scout ordered, “you take first watch!”
He quickly broke the squad into pairs, as if we were camped in hostile territory. He wanted to instil discipline and not allow us to relax. We all knew this and did not complain.
Calling to one another, we found our teammates. We sat in a circle, back to back, resting our feet on the wall.
“And how will we know the time?” someone asked.
“Just listen!” Mash said.
All fell silent, and indeed, after a while we could hear a muffled bell toll. Nothing escaped the Master Scout.
The first watch, like the last one, was the easiest. With the knowledge that I was doing something, I gradually calmed down. In fact, what bad could happen to me when I was surrounded by true friends? I even smiled.
The scouts were snoring and wheezing, sleeping soundly, and only Ferr occasionally squeezed my hand, making sure I did not fall asleep. I squeezed his hand in return. Several times a big fat rat jumped over my feet, and I wondered how the scouts were going to catch it in the dark.
Everything was as before. I loved the night watch.
There was no point staring into the darkness, so I shut my eyes. Right away, before my mind’s eye appeared the wounded Korn and my father’s body on the table. Arms and mutilated armour in the corner. I saw the body of Master Dante, wrapped in a rich carpet, and the pale face of Nikos, who was lying at the bottom of the wagon.
I saw Master Keandr standing on the spears. I saw the fire. The fire which devours everything. I saw the Dragon of Lieh!
Was it worth sacrificing everything to protect this city? The city that is full of betrayal and jealousy. The city that knows no gratitude.
I thought it was still worth it. Here our families lived, and the families of our friends. Countless generations of our ancestors built this city. We loved Lieh and we had always sought to come back here after a long journey. Winners or losers…
How’s Mum? I sighed. I hope she’s all right. Old Melvin is still strong. He will take care of her. Meanwhile, the Master Scout will figure out how to get us out of the dungeon…
Hearing the bell toll, we woke up the next couple of sentries, and immediately fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
“Good Morning!” Mash shook me without much ado.
I opened my eyes, and for a while could not understand what was happening.
“Our dark-skinned friends are already up,” Tori, a young scout, shared his observations. “I guess they’re preparing breakfast for us.”
“I wouldn’t count on that,” his friend Atri said. “Rather, they gonna eat us for breakfast!”
“Skens don’t eat human flesh,” Mash reassured him. “That’s all prejudices.”
“Maybe,” Atri chuckled. “Or maybe not!”
“Nonsense!” Tori grimaced. “They are no fools. They would all have died of poisoning. You know, lads, our Atri is as toxic as a venomous fish.”
The scouts laughed. In the dark I could not see their faces, but I could make out who was who by their laughter.
The gas sphere at the top shone brighter, then black shadows flitted across, obscuring the light. Someone big leaned over the pit. I heard dull thuds and the grumbling of wardens.
“Catch me!” someone shouted from above. A moment later, Ash fell right on our heads. We managed to catch him in the air and lowered the laughing scout to the floor. Mash hastily touched his friend and, after making sure that he was still intact, wholeheartedly gave him a good slap.
“How could you let them grab you?” the old scout snorted.
I was worried, but at the same time extremely happy that our friend was still alive and apparently unharmed.
“I did it on purpose,” Ash grinned. “And I brought an order from the king!”
Mash gave him another slap in order to shorten the prolonged dramatic pause.
“Ouch! We were ordered to stay in the city at all costs in order to monitor the situation. We will have to swear allegiance to Lord Brezel and convince him of our loyalty…”
“Well, that’s the easy part,” Mash chuckled. “We just need to make up a story that our guys will be able to remember. What else?”
“The king thanked us all for the service and asked me to convey that he would never forget our loyalty.” Ash was bursting with pride that he brought us good news.
We all felt as if a heavy burden had fallen from our shoulders, but we were worried sick about Master Keandr’s safety.
“I have sent many more dispatches,” Ash said humbly. “So we can just sit on our butts and wait for the king’s plan to spring into ac
tion.”
We had to wait for a very long time. For the first two days there was no food. We ate rats that were caught by the nimble scouts. The rats were fat and big as rabbits.
Ash taught me how to flay our prey without a knife, using just our teeth. The first time I tried I had to work hard, and the scouts almost died with laughter listening as I fought with the rat’s carcass and with my own stomach. The raw meat was tough and smelly, but it was only a matter of habit, and I quickly got used to it.
On the third day, the skens dropped us a dead dog. Mash ordered us to bury it in the corner – where we had a latrine.
Over time, the stench in our prison became unbearable. But it would have been tolerable if the wardens had not made a habit of relieving themselves on our heads. The scouts just laughed and made bets: who would get it next time.
Mash did not let us sit idle. At any time of the day and night we had a sentinel. Every morning we had to carefully study our bodies for diseases, abscesses and parasites that might stick to the skin at night. Then the old scout arranged arm-wrestling matches and games of klatches.
The game of klatches trained our memories perfectly. Since we did not have any boards, cards, or figurines, every move had to be kept in mind. At first, I lost every time, but the other scouts played with ease. As it turned out, playing imaginary klatches was quite normal for them.
After a week, we had all lost weight so that the remnants of our clothing hung on us like sacks.
“It’s good,” Mash said, poking Ash under the ribs. “The last fat has gone, only the essence is left.”
I did not know what he meant, but I had never been fat. My strength gradually diminished, and I could no longer compete with the other scouts.
A few days later, the warders started to throw us the tops of vegetables and poured down some disgusting slop.
“They are trying to fatten us,” Locke chuckled, picking the scraps out of the mud.
“Mark my words, lads, this time they gonna eat us,” Gor replied. The young scouts considered themselves incredibly witty.
“C’mon guys,” Ash laughed. “This means that they don’t want to starve us to death. That’s all.”
Those scraps were the most delicious thing I’d eaten in my life.
✽✽✽
Ten days later, a large wicker basket fell from above, and we were pulled one by one out to the surface. It was night, but even the faintest moonlight hurt eyes accustomed to darkness.
In the courtyard next to the pit stood a trough filled with water, and on the other side was a massive chopping block with an axe sticking out of it.
We were met by the familiar captain. Behind him were a dozen guards on full parade.
“It’s nice to see you in good health,” the officer grinned, turning to us. “How do you like our famous hospitality?”
“Your feather bed is a bit hard.” Ash stuck out his jaw defiantly. “Would you like to try it yourself?”
“Thank you, but some other time,” the captain laughed. He raised his arms majestically. “I have a wonderful offer for you, gentlemen. I hope that you have had enough time to think things through.”
“Come on,” Mash muttered. “Spit it out!”
The captain nodded, pointing to the trough and the chopping block. Then he turned to us. “As you may know, freedom of choice is everything to us.” The smile on the captain’s face widened. “Whoever wants to wash must swear allegiance to our master, Lord Brezel, but those who want to die filthy can walk away. The chopping block is always at your disposal!”
“The choice is clear,” Mash paused. “Come on, guys! Let’s scrub up!”
The scouts rushed to the tub, removing the remnants of their clothing on the run. I ran with them.
The water was cold and fresh. At first, we drank as much as we could, and then, when our stomachs were bloated like wineskins, we began to scoop it with ladles and pour it over our heads. The stinking mud did not want to be washed off from our bodies. It had penetrated into every fold and every pore. We took soapstones and set to work with a frenzy.
Soon the prison courtyard was filled with foam up to the knees. The captain and his guards hastily retreated and watched us from the balcony. The dark-skinned skens tirelessly hauled buckets of cold water from the well, and the scouts were laughing, splashing it on each other. That was fun! The stones underfoot were slippery as ice; we fell, rose and fell again. It was a real celebration of life after a long imprisonment in the dungeon.
Even gloomy Mash smiled at his men who frolicked and laughed like children. I had fun with them too. I took a ladle of ice-cold water and doused Ash, who for the umpteenth time was trying unsuccessfully to soap his own back. The scout growled menacingly and lunged at me, soapstone in one hand and a sponge in the other. After a couple of steps he slipped. His feet flew over his head, and he loudly plopped back to the ground. Sponge and soapstone scattered in different directions!
Gor, who was particularly nimble, tripped a huge sken who was carrying heavy buckets of water. There was a burst of laughter when the giant fell to the ground, almost crushing Lock. The sken decided to protect his honour, and kicked Gor in the stomach with gusto. With a chilling battle cry, our scouts rushed into battle. After a moment, the rest of the skens joined the brawl enthusiastically.
“Don’t kill them!” Mash shouted, swinging a bucket over his head. He understood that the hatred of the scouts towards their jailers was so great that the fight could easily turn into a massacre. “Give them a good beating, but don’t kill!”
Despite their size, strength and superior numbers, the skens were no match for the scouts in real battle. Ash chose the largest jailer and kneaded him like dough with his fists. The black man screamed in pain and tried to protect his face from the blows. Soon the battle was over. The warders lay unconscious on the ground, and the scouts triumphantly waved their sponges.
A wave of applause came from the balcony. The guards were laughing and pounding their spears against their shields.
“Thanks for the fun.” The captain came down from the balcony and went to Mash. “Thanks to you, I have become richer by ten silver coins!”
He held out his hand and put several silver circles on the scout’s palm. “This is your share,” he said. “Treat the guys to a beer. They have earned it.”
Mash grinned and tucked the coins into his cheek. “Hmm, we’ll get along just fine,” he said.
“Of course, we are now on the same side,” the captain shrugged. “We’re just soldiers, why should we quarrel?”
“Attention!” sounded a familiar voice.
The scouts automatically complied with the order.
Nikos entered the courtyard. His face was waxen in the moonlight. He staggered and limped, but otherwise there was no evidence of the fact that he had recently hovered between life and death.
The naked scouts lined up in a trice. Mash stood at the head of the column, I was at the very end.
We looked at the commander and could not believe our luck. Nikos had survived, and he was with us! “I’ll take these beauties,” he said, addressing the captain. “And get them clothes, for God’s sake, or they will scare half the town with them pricks!”
The scouts chortled happily but held ranks.
The skens gradually regained consciousness and began to clean the courtyard. They brought long tables on which neat stacks of uniforms were laid. The scouts began to dress.
“What is this shit?” Ash cursed in a low voice, showing me the Unicorn Company insignia on the right sleeve. “And we have to wear this?”
“Shut up and get dressed,” Nikos hissed through clenched teeth. “I had to work hard just to get you out of this fucking hole. So don’t make a fuss!”
Ash nodded stiffly, and carefully buttoned his new uniform.
I looked at Nikos and could not look away. I had three thousand questions spinning on my tongue, but these questions would have to wait a little bit longer.
My comrades, dressed
in new uniforms, no longer resembled the scouts. They looked more like the city watch.
“What a sight!” the captain chuckled. “But that’s all right; I’ve seen worse. Believe me, in a couple of days these clothes will fit you like a glove.”
I seriously doubted that the uniform would ever fit me like a glove. The sleeves and the trouser legs were too long; the jacket hung on my emaciated body like a sack, and I had to hold my trousers with a free hand, because no belt had been issued.
The rest of the scouts swore fiercely. It was impossible to look at our party without laughing.
“Clowns,” Mash muttered, throwing a sideways glance at Nikos.
Only now did I notice that my friend was wearing a master sorcerer’s jacket. It turned out that Nikos had become the First Sorcerer of Lieh. It was unexpected, but quite logical.
Nikos approached me and put his hand on my shoulder. “You don’t need a uniform, my friend,” he smiled. “Lady Era is waiting for you outside.”
I was delighted and disappointed at the same time. One part of me wanted to see my mother, but the other didn’t want to part with my new friends.
“Thank you, Nikos!” Tears gushed from my eyes. “We’ll always be friends!”
“I hope so,” Nikos smiled. “Our scouts will wait for the young wizard.”
The scouts cheered approvingly.
Ash and Mash approached me from both sides. “Our wolf cub has a lion’s heart,” Mash said quietly. “Always remember the one who said that!”
Chapter 2
A familiar carriage was standing at the prison gate. I saw Melvin’s bewhiskered face illuminated by a green gas sphere. Korn came out of the shadows and squeezed my palm with his only hand. “How happy I am that you are still alive, Master Marcus!” he exclaimed.
And how happy I was!
Melvin bowed deeply, taking off his hat. “Young master!” he said, furtively wiping his eyes.
My eyes were glued to the open carriage door. It was dark inside, but I already know who was sitting there. The carriage lurched when I climbed the stairs, the door slammed shut behind me, and I fell into Mother’s arms.