The Death Wish

by Jules Marks

  “As do we all. You can see what a success he’s made of these new friendships. We have become Larkin’s family, as he has none of his own. Don’t you agree?”

  I nodded. “I feel it, too. I don’t know what it is about him…perhaps he reminds me of my own sons, or what I’d hoped they would become…I don’t know. I just don’t want to see him come to harm.”

  Hugh smiled. “With so many people watching over him, I doubt that he will.” He gestured towards the doorway. “Come, let us fortify ourselves for our journey tomorrow. We’ll be leaving early.”

  Chapter Ten

  Once again the weather was first-rate: it was a bonny day for an outing…or it would have been if we’d been going someplace other than the cave. Those of us who had already been there couldn’t look forward to the journey no matter how fine the weather. I could see that Ioan, in particular, was somber. He was quiet, speaking to no one unless first spoken to. When he raised his cowled head to look at me, his eyes were dark, opaque and dull. I knew that they reflected his spirits.

  I wondered what Akimba’s troops would feel when they learned of the Uplanders’ feeding den. Would they be inspired to fight the savages harder…or would the revelation send them into a spiral of despair?

  There were thirty-two men in our party…and Lady Rebeccah. Twelve of the group were knights; all of Akimba’s troops were well armed and seasoned. Many were obviously battle-scarred. It was evident from their demeanor and behavior that the men were war-weary. They seemed to look upon our group with suspicion…or indifference…I couldn’t be sure. Perhaps they were so tired of their comrades getting killed that it didn’t seem worth the trouble of getting to know any new soldiers: they would soon be dead, as well.

  The exception to this was Nordz. The little dwarf rode beside me on a small but sturdy horse, and, unlike Akimba’s other men, he was more than willing to converse. He asked about our journey to Castle Beckman, and related what news of the outside world he’d learned from the knights visiting the castle. He was a most agreeable fellow, and our conversation made me curious about his position at Beckman. Akimba seemed to rely upon him as a trusted right hand, and Nordz apparently fulfilled the position well.

  We arrived at our destination by midday. Most of the company was to remain at the base of the cliffs, and I was grateful that Sir Hugh ordered Larkin to stay there as well. Those who were to enter the cave included Akimba and Rebeccah, Sir Hugh, Nordz, Ioan, and four of Akimba’s knights. I was designated to carry a torch, as were two unfamiliar squires.

  Lady Rebeccah had dressed as a man, but even then, she wouldn’t be confused as one unless she wore armour and a helm. Even in plain soldier’s clothing, she was attractive; I could not forget that she was womanly, and as we climbed the slope, side by side, my natural inclination to keep her from harm became manifest in speech.

  “Must you go, too, Lady? It is not a sight for gentle eyes.”

  The lady showed the forbearance to avoid snapping at me, but I could tell by the way she narrowed her eyes and bit her lip that she’d considered it. “I shall forgive you the lapse this once, Gael, but do not make the mistake again.” She cocked her head to one side as she paused to look at me. “Know you not of my reputation?”

  “I have heard that you are brave in battle…that you fight alongside the men.”

  She nodded. “This is so; not only do I fight, I have killed many Uplanders. Therefore, think you not that I can bear to look upon some bones?”

  “Forgive me, my Lady.”

  Then her smile bloomed like a rose, and she looked lovelier (and more womanly) than ever. “You are forgiven, dear Gael.” Just as quickly as her smile had come, her face grew serious once more. “Now, come, let’s get this over with: let us see this horror and be done with it.”

  We continued our ascent. I watched Ioan hesitate at the fissure, but, as the guide, he was first to enter the cave. As for the rest, we lit our torches, and entered one-by-one, walking and then crawling through the narrow opening before reaching the large inner chamber.

  It was as Ioan had described, but seeing it was much more terrible than hearing of it. The children’s skeletons were the worst part. My imagination was simply too active: I envisioned the torture of those poor babes, and my hate for the Uplanders grew tenfold.

  Initially, few words were spoken within the cavern. Then, like a rolling stone gathering momentum, there were a number of groans and exclamations of grief murmured by the group, and those sounds soon turned angry.

  “The devils!” said one knight.

  “Bloodthirsty sons of witches!” said another.

  “I shall kill every one that I can lay hands on!” Those words were spoken by Nordz, and, considering the violence with which they were spoken; I do not believe that anyone doubted him.

  The smell was sickening, and the gloom oppressive. There was no point in staying long, and we were beginning to file out when I heard Ioan’s voice come from behind me.

  “Hugh, come and take a look at this. Gael, bring the torch closer.”

  I turned and followed Hugh to where Ioan stood. He was leaning forward into a hollow; he had a hand stretched out, tracing something on the wall.

  I held up the torch, and we could see it clearly: it was a painting done in ochre. The lines were primitive, but the intent was clear. The rendering was of a horrible creature with a man’s body…and a wolf’s head. Upon the head there sat a crown.

  “What does it mean?” I asked the question, but I wasn’t certain that I wanted to know the answer.

  “What, indeed?” was Hugh’s reply. “Cousins, you need return,” he called out to Akimba and Rebeccah. “Look you upon this…and tell me what you see.”

  They stood for a moment, simply looking, and then Akimba turned away. He exhaled loudly, and shook his head.

  “Perhaps, then, it is true,” he murmured.

  “What is true, Akimba? What is the meaning of this?” asked Hugh.

  Rebeccah faced him. “We have heard rumours of a new cult among the Uplanders. There were several survivors in one of our encounters, and that in itself is unusual, because those left behind after a battle typically kill themselves before we even get to them. But that one time, more than a month ago, we found three survivors upon the field. Before they died, they told us why there had been so much unrest among the Uplanders. They said that they had a new leader: a magical half-wolf, half-human creature who urges them to annihilate our so-called ‘civilized’ society.” Rebeccah scowled. “We didn’t believe them; the tale sounded absurd. We assumed they did have a new leader—why else would they suddenly begin the attacks—but the story of his being part wolf…well, would you have believed it?”

  “Not I, but I’m certain that Larkin would have,” replied Hugh.

  Rebeccah looked at Ioan.

  “Would you believe such a thing?”

  He shrugged. “Possibly. Would you believe in Hydorians?”

  “I see your point.” She held up a palm. “What, then, are we to do?”

  “We find the source, this new leader, whoever or whatever he may be, and we slay him.” Ioan offered up an eerie smile. “Sounds simple enough, doesn’t it?”

  “If their territory was small, it might be,” said Akimba. “But we all know that such is not the case. Until we learn more of this new leader, he retains the advantage. We need to interrogate more Uplanders; we need to find a group of them who are traveling to where they mass.” He looked around the dark cavern and shivered. “Let us leave this den of death…I need to see the sun.”

  No one disagreed with that declaration. We left the cave, and stepped out into the light, only to be confronted by a group of angry soldiers down below us…all ready for blood.

  “I say we hunt them down and skin them alive!” shouted one burly archer.

  “We will burn their villages to the ground; no man, woman, or child will survive!” was another battle cry.

  Akimba held up a hand to quiet them, and though it took l
onger than he would have liked, the soldiers became subdued. They had to look up to listen to him. He stood, resplendent in the flashing sunlight, with the darkness of the cave entrance behind him. He couldn’t have picked a better stage if he’d tried.

  “You will have your chance at revenge…” He had to stop, because the soldiers began to cheer. Again he held up a hand.

  “Now you know why we needed to examine this cave: the Uplanders have always been a blood-thirsty lot, but we now have further proof of their barbarism.” He held up his fists in the air. “They eat our young!” he snarled.

  Another roar…and this time Akimba let it go on for a bit before again shutting them off.

  “Brothers, we cannot falter…we will not falter. This is no longer a fight to save our people’s crops, livestock, and homes. This…” He pounded a fist into his palm. “…This is a fight to save the people themselves, our mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, our wives and our children. We have a proud history here in the lands of Piereene. We have survived many hardships: famine, plague, drought, and war. We cannot allow our glorious past to end at the hands of these bloodthirsty Uplanders. We must now look to save our very future, and the only way we will be able to secure this future is to put our own fears aside, to go, as brothers-in-arms to face these heathen barbarians, and to sacrifice our lives if need be. We must kill the butchers of our young; we will burn their bodies, and we will pound their bones into the dust!”

  This time there was no stopping them: the cheers went on, and Akimba allowed it.

  Though I was not native to the lands of Piereene, I, too, felt my blood stir at Akimba’s words, and I cheered with his men. I was ready to give my life to kill the vicious animals that had murdered those children back in that cave.

  We could not fight a major engagement without the full force of men from Castle Beckman. But our goals were not so ambitious: we wanted information. To reconnoiter and gather intelligence, we needed to encounter one of the roving bands of Uplanders. Akimba and Rebeccah held conference with the other knights, and it was decided that we would take a detour home in the hope of meeting a contingent of the enemy. This would also provide the opportunity for our party to hunt some much-needed game, for the castle’s provisions were dwindling, and everyone’s spirits would be bolstered by a good meal.

  Late in the afternoon one of the scouts spotted a small lake on the edge of a wooded area. It seemed a good place to stop for the day: there would likely be game in the vicinity, and an abundant source of water always is of benefit in camp.

  I watched Ioan’s eyes light up when we reached the spot on the shore where we were to make camp. The lake wasn’t as lovely as Ioan’s, nonetheless, it was a pastoral spot; the waters were ample and clear. He performed the obligatory chores of making camp, and then announced to Hugh that he was going for a swim.

  Hugh frowned and shook his head. “You should not go in…not this time.”

  “You are wrong; I should swim. It’s been days…”

  Hugh wasn’t convinced. “Is this wise? You shouldn’t go off on your own: there could be Uplanders in the area. And, Ioan, these soldiers here with us do not know your identity; I thought that you wished to keep it that way.”

  “I can be discreet.” Ioan’s eyes narrowed. “Listen, Hugh, I’m not asking your permission. I was simply telling you…” He stopped mid-sentence, because it was obvious Hugh’s attention was diverted.

  Hugh looked to Akimba and Rebecca, who were standing nearby speaking with Nordz about the watch for the evening. He beckoned them join in the discussion. I was determined to eavesdrop, curious as to which of these strong-willed men would win the argument.

  “Akimba, talk some sense into this stubborn Hydorian. He wants a swim…”

  “I need to swim,” Ioan added in a firm but quiet voice.

  “But he’s putting himself at risk!” argued Hugh.

  Akimba appeared indecisive, and this gave Rebeccah an opening.

  “I would love a bathe. The idea of washing off, after being in that cave…” She crinkled her noise, as if remembering the smell. “Yes, it sounds like a good idea.”

  Ioan positively beamed; he seemed delighted to have an ally, especially one such as Rebeccah.

  “It is a good idea,” he said.

  Akimba looked at Rebeccah sideways. “You’re certain you want to do this?”

  In response, she rolled her eyes and gave him a “big sister” look that I was sure he was all too familiar with.

  “I would rather you didn’t, but I suppose...” It was obvious that Akimba was wavering.

  “But, Akimba…Rebeccah…” Hugh began to sputter.

  “Oh, give it up, Hugh. It’s no good once she’s made up her mind.” Akimba pointed to the far shore as he faced Ioan. “Most of the hunters will be on the heavily wooded side of the lake, so I doubt that you’ll be bothered. You will be careful, will you not?”

  Ioan flashed him a smile. “I’ll have Rebeccah there to protect me…what more could I ask?”

  Akimba’s initial response was a groan, but we could tell that he was accustomed to these defeats. He waved the two away. “Go on with you; get this done so I can worry about truly important concerns.”

  Ioan and Rebeccah each gave triumphant grins, and then they jogged off, laughing and talking, as if they had not a care in the world.

  “You’re just going to let them go?” Hugh seemed disgusted that Akimba had so easily relented.

  Akimba nodded. “Yes, I am letting them go.” He turned, and pointed at me. “…And Gael will keep watch over them. After all, they won’t be armed once they’re in the water, and the two fools are at risk, whether they admit it or not.” He looked across the campsite, and gestured to someone I couldn’t see. “Take Larkin with you. Be discreet. Trust me: you don’t want that woman angry with you.”

  <><><>

  We settled back in the trees on the shore’s edge to watch from an inconspicuous distance. I imagined that Ioan realized that we were on guard, knowing of his eyes’ ability to pierce the shadows, but he surely knew the wisdom of our being there…though he wisely didn’t acknowledge our presence to Rebeccah.

  I had never seen a woman so bold, so uninhibited as Rebeccah. Like Ioan, she quickly stripped to her undergarments, and within moments they were gliding through the depths, pausing occasionally to tread water and talk.

  We’d been there almost an hour when two of the hunters drew near the shoreline where the swimmers cavorted. I warned them off.

  “Make haste and depart. The Lady is having a bathe, and you know what she will do to you if she finds you have watched.”

  Either they had good imaginations, or they’d seen Rebeccah angry: they quickly turned tail and headed back for the woods.

  Larkin didn’t know what to make of the situation. He spent most of his time while on guard obsessing over the contents of the cave…and the men’s reaction to it. Akimba’s speech had certainly had an effect on him. Larkin kept referring to what Akimba had said—and how he’d said it—and it was evident that, as a consequence, his case of hero worship had grown. Though apprehensive about open warfare, Larkin was obviously trying to maintain his enthusiasm for killing the enemy. He kept grumbling about the outrages the Uplanders had committed. He was doing his best to look fierce while he cursed our foes, but it was hard to take him seriously. He was such a pretty youth, after all; he didn’t seem particularly threatening, but I didn’t let on that I felt that way. I cursed the Uplanders as well, and we two talked about shooting a quiver or two into a group of them.

  “How can those two enjoy themselves after what they’ve seen today?” He pointed in the direction of the swimmers in the lake.

  I shrugged. “You’ve been around Ioan enough to know that swimming rejuvenates him. After the day he had yesterday—did you notice how stiff he was this morning?—he undoubtedly wanted to ease his pain. You surely can understand his desire to swim. As for Lady Rebeccah? Who knows what is in that woman’s mind
? But remember, Larkin, that they have had hard times at Beckman Castle of late. We shouldn’t begrudge her this diversion.”

  “I suppose you are right.” He looked out at the lake and frowned. “I wonder how she’s managing…I know she cannot keep up with him. No one can.”

  “He’s probably going easy on her.” I gestured towards the snare I was working on. “Does the idea of roast rabbit appeal to you?”

  It was near twilight when the two swimmers finally called an end to their sport and emerged from the water. Larkin and I waited until we were certain they had ready access to their swords, and then we headed back for the camp.

  “Why not walk back with them?” asked Larkin. “For my part, I would like to know how Lady Rebeccah managed to swim for so long.”

  I shook my head at his naïveté. “We’ll give them some time in private,” I replied.

  “But…” Larkin’s expression suddenly changed. He smiled, and nodded his head. “Oh, I see! Ioan may truly discover if the lady finds him interesting.”

  I laughed, and tousled his hair. “I believe that that is a foregone conclusion, Larkin. Let’s just leave it at that.”

  Chapter Eleven

  The fair weather held, so our sleep under the celestial blanket was relatively comfortable. Akimba and Nordz had, not surprisingly, done a thorough job of arranging watch, and with the numbers in our group, there was more than one sentry at a time to ensure the party’s safety.

  I was assigned a watch at midnight. When my predecessor on guard came to wake me, I dragged my tired body upright, and gathered my weapons. I was feeling my age in aching bones and joints; still, there wasn’t any use complaining about it. I noticed that Hugh was not abed, but I assumed he’d gone to relieve himself, and thought nothing more about his absence until I met him as I checked the perimeter of camp. He was walking the lakeshore…pacing, actually…and he seemed alert, agitated. I whispered his name. At first he was startled, but when he realized it was I, he stopped, and beckoned that I pause to speak with him awhile.