Justan reported Deathclaw’s findings to the others.
“Sixty cages, and most of them full?” Pall said. “Looks like they’re keepin’ more than just dwarves in there.”
“Got ‘em stacked like chickens!” Lenny said with a scowl. “That just ain’t right.”
“At least they’re alive,” Bettie said. She stood behind him, one arm around his shoulder. The other dwarves watched her with a dubious eye, but said nothing. They had learned their lesson when Lenny punched out Derk for asking why he let the half-orc touch him.
“This news is both a good thing and a bad thing,” Justan said. “The fact that they’ve been isolated means a small number of us could possibly go in and take out the guards to free the prisoners. However, after being cramped in those cages this long, they aren’t going to be in good shape for an escape.”
“Bah!” said Rahbbie. “They’re dwarves. A week of sittin’ ain’t gonna stop ‘em.”
“Yeah, they’re tough,” Lenny said. “But we don’t know ‘bout the human folk they locked up. Maybe Coal should come with us to heal some of ‘em if’n we need to.”
“Stealth isn’t a strength of mine, I’m afraid,” Coal said apologetically. “Besides, if what our good friend Kile tells us is true, I am needed elsewhere.”
The dwarves had seen a large contingent of armed people from Sampo camped out on the plains. Evidently there was a segment of the population that chafed under Lord Protector Vriil’s new rules and Master Coal wanted to talk to them. The hope was that he could convince them to join in on an assault of Vriil’s men. If they could free Sampo, they might be able to get a head start in recruiting their army to help the academy.
“‘Course it’s true. We saw ‘em out on the plain the other day,” Kile said with a frown.
“Then I am glad you will be there to guide me,” Coal replied with a good-natured smile and the dwarf relaxed. Having the named wizard along had helped to put the dwarves at ease. They acted tough, but by the way they kept their hands on the pommels of their weapons it was obvious they were nervous around the bonded.
“Then we’ll need the wagon with us when we rescue the prisoners,” Justan said. “We won’t be able to fit all of them inside, but we can load up the ones in the worst shape.”
Justan laid out a plan. While there was still daylight left, Bettie would take the wagon and drop off Master Coal and five of the dwarves at the camp of the estranged people of Sampo. Then she would return to join the rest of them in the rescue attempt that night.
“How come Pall’s the only one who gets to help free the boys?” Rahbbie asked. “They’re our friends too.”
“‘Cause Y’all are noisier than a bucket of empty bottles dropped down the stairs,” Lenny said. “We’re only takin’ Pall ‘cause we need one dwarf that knows the others and he’s the least likely to do somethin’ stupid.”
“Rahbbie, the people of Sampo have already seen you fighting Vriil’s men,” Justan added. “Having you with Master Coal will help lend him credibility. Other members of our group can’t go because . . .” He gestured at Fist and Samson who stood a short distance away talking. “We don’t want to scare them off.”
Rahbbie nodded reluctantly.
Coal smiled. “Come on, then. It’s time we set out to meet them. It will only be light for a few hours yet and if we leave now, Bettie can return for the others by dark.”
The five dwarves climbed into the back of the wagon and Coal sat next to Bettie on the driver’s bench. She would have to drop them off a short distance from the Sampo refugees to make sure that no one noticed she was half-orc.
Lenny watched them drive away. “I’ll tell you right now, Bettie’s gall-durn pissed ‘bout bein’ the driver tonight. She wants to be fightin’ along side us.”
Samson chuckled. “She is seething. Coal’s trying his best to calm her down.”
“Someone needs to wait at the road with the wagon while we free the prisoners,” Justan said. The wagon was too noisy to bring all the way to the enemy encampment undetected, so it would have to wait a short distance away ready to pick up the others when things got hairy. “She’s the only one that makes sense.”
While they waited for her to return, Lenny and Pall reminisced about old times and Justan spent the time teaching Fist through the bond. It was nearly dark when the wagon came rolling back up the road. Bettie was still fuming.
“This sits about as well with me as a stomach full of rocks,” she said as she pulled up.
“How’d it go, darlin’?” Lenny asked.
“He’s talking to them now. There are a lot more people down there than we expected. Maybe two thousand people. All of them left their homes rather than give up their weapons to Vriil’s men. Even if he can convince them to join us, I don’t know what we’re gonna do with them. More than half of them are women and children. They’re families, not soldiers.”
“We’ll worry about that when we get back with the prisoners,” Justan decided. “Let’s go.”
Justan rode Stanza and Lenny took Alfred, leaving Fist and Pall to sit in the wagon while Gwyrtha and Samson ran alongside. Justan checked in with Deathclaw along the way. The raptoid had been spending the time scouting out the rest of Ewzad Vriil’s forces and he had some unwelcome news.
There are many more humans camped on the far side of Sampo.
How many? Justan asked in concern.
Many many. More than I know to count.
Show me. Justan wasn’t as used to Stanza’s movements as Gwyrtha’s. He held tight to the reins, trusting Stanza to follow the wagon as he absorbed Deathclaw’s memories.
The encampment was enormous. It blocked off the road from Sampo to the Mage School, stretching from the river Sandine to the ravine on the far side of the road. There were thousands of troops, all flying the banner of House Vriil.
All those soldiers the dwarves saw on the road. Justan sighed. So that’s where they were going.
They stink of the wizard, Deathclaw said.
This will impede our plans, Justan thought. Every new development made things worse. How were they to get to the Mage School now? What have you seen of the city?
The raptoid did not know much of human cities. It is the largest I have seen. But it seems . . . quiet. The streets are empty. I saw only a few of the wizard’s men.
Alright, what about the encampment near the prisoners?
Nothing has changed. The other men camp away from the cages. Only the twelve men guard the prisoners.
Are there any scouts we need to worry about? Justan asked.
None, Deathclaw replied, his thoughts laced with ridicule. What a lazy human pack. No-one takes watch. They all huddle together laughing. They see nothing to fear. I could kill many before they even noticed.
I am glad you are in my pack, Deathclaw, Justan said, thinking of the many times he had been guilty of the same lack of discipline as Vriil’s men. He had come to rely on Gwyrtha’s sharp senses and Deathclaw’s vigilance to warn him of danger. What of the guards around the prisoners?
Some play at . . . Deathclaw sent Justan an image of what the men were doing.
Cards.
They play ‘cards’ while others drink. But I have gone closer and there are two of them that taste . . . dangerous. I smell the wizard’s taint on them.
Justan nodded grimly. He rode up next to the wagon. “Stop here, Bettie. Any closer and they might hear us coming.”
Justan hopped down from Stanza’s saddle. He opened up pathways between all of his bonded so that they could stay in communication with each other. It is time to set up our attack. Gwyrtha, go ahead of us and help Deathclaw keep an eye on the men guarding the prisoners. Watch for weaknesses. Fist stay with me for now. We’ll fine tune our plan as we get closer.
I hunt! Gwyrtha said as she slid into the grass, eager for the chance to hunt with Deathclaw.
She may get in the way, Deathclaw said.
Gwyrtha can be just as silent as you when she wants to
be, Justan said. And her senses are more keen. She will be valuable. Just tell her what you wish her to do.
Very well, the raptoid replied, his thoughts thick with irritation.
He will learn her value, Fist assured him.
If he doesn’t learn quickly, I may just tie them together until he does.
Samson trotted up to them and Justan saw that he had changed. The centaur was slightly smaller in size and Coal had thickened and solidified his skin, making it hard and segmented, giving his upper half an almost insectile appearance. The hair along his equine half looked coarse and slightly shiny as if made of wire and he carried a heavily runed spear.
Samson saw Justan’s stare and his stiff face formed a slight smile. “Coal prepared me for battle. He thought that now would be a good time to show you what can be done.”
Justan wished he had started learning to transform Gwyrtha sooner.
Lenny hopped down from Albert’s saddle. He walked by the wagon towards Justan, but Bettie reached down and grabbed the back of his collar. Lenny’s eyes widened in alarm and her muscular arm flexed. She yanked him up off of the ground and slammed him down on the seat next to her.
“I don’t like sitting here waiting with the blasted horses while you run off and fight, Lenui!” she growled.
“I don’t friggin’ blame you, darlin’,” Lenny said with a tender look. He gently pulled her hand from the back of his collar and kissed it. Justan nearly fell over. Pall let out an audible gasp. Lenny ignored them. “You know I’d rather have yer arms swingin’ a hammer right beside me. But there ain’t nothin’ we’cn do about it. Yer the only one can do this. Edge is our best fighter and the boys need to see me and Pall. No one else can drive the wagon. We need you to be ready to come save our arses if’n it gets too heavy out there.”
“Still don’t mean I have to like it,” she grumped. A slight smile touched her lips. “And don’t go sweet talking me around other folk. You almost gave poor Pall a heart attack.”
“He’ll live, dog-gone it,” the dwarf said and pulled her in to kiss her full on the lips. Her hands gripped his hair and drew him in closer for a moment. Then he dropped down from the wagon to join the others. She watched him walk away, her eyes still angry, but the slight smile never left her lips.
“You will not be alone. Squirrel will stay here with you, Bettie,” Fist said and extended his hand. Squirrel darted up his hand and leapt to the wagon bench. Bettie’s eyes widened in surprise as he scurried up to sit on her shoulder.
“Uh, thanks, Fist,” she said.
The ogre nodded and left to join Justan and they headed through the grass towards the distant campfires.
They hadn’t traveled fifty yards from the wagon before Lenny shot Justan a glare. “What’re you smilin’ at?”
“Nothing. I was just surprised to see you kiss her like that in front of everyone. I thought she was going to smack you.”
Lenny rolled his eyes “Son, you know nothin’ ‘bout women. Sometimes they need to be hollered at, sometimes they need to be ignored, and sometimes they need kissin’ on. This was one of them kissin’ on times.”
Justan blinked. “I’m pretty sure that’s just dwarven women . . . and Bettie, I guess.”
“Nope. Lenui’s right,” Pall said with a nod, though from his face Justan could tell he was still shocked to see his friend with a half-orc.
Lenny noticed it too. “You got somethin’ to say, Pall?”
“Nah,” Pall said.
“Keep your voices down,” Justan said. They were still a fair distance from the prisoners, but this late at night, sound traveled differently. Justan could faintly hear men laughing.
Lenny grabbed Pall’s shoulder. He turned the older dwarf to face him and said in a voice which for him was an intense whisper, “You done think it’s her fault her ma got raped by an orc?”
“No!” Pall whispered back, though he wouldn’t meet Lenny’s eyes.
Lenny grabbed the older dwarf’s face and pulled him in close so he couldn’t look away. “You think her ma should’a strangled her at birth? Fed her to the dogs?”
“‘Course not! Nobody thinks like that,” Pall said.
“‘Cept you do. That’s the kind’a thing good folks only think down deep and only say out loud when they’re nice and drunk. I’ve heard it in taverns all my life. So’ve you,” Lenny said and Justan saw shame in Pall’s eyes.
“Quietly,” Justan reminded and Lenny’s voice lowered a little, though it remained just as fierce.
“Think what you want ‘bout her daddy. She’d right kill him herself if she knew where he was. But that’s where you stop. Her ma raised her good, but she died when Bettie was young. She done been mistreated all her life fer just bein’ born and I ain’t gonna stand fer it no more. Bettie’s a fine woman. Finest woman I seen in two hunnerd years.”
Pall met Lenny’s eyes glare for glare and he pried Lenny’s fingers from his face. “I believe you, dag-gum it! If you say so, Lenui, that’s good enough fer me. I’ll treat her like she was my own daughter.”
“Good. You watch her and you’ll see what I see,” Lenny said with a curt nod. “And better tell the others to respect her like they’d respect me. If’n I see even a hint of disgust in their garl-friggin faces, so help me, I’ll plant Buster right between their goat-lickin’ eyes!”
“I’ll tell ‘em.” Pall said. “You know they’ll come to accept her eventually. Just . . . gimme a chance to talk to ‘em before you start killin’ folks, okay?”
“Are you two done?” Justan asked. They both turned their glares on him. He pointed to the flicker of the enemy camp fires. “The real enemy is over there and we need to get moving if we are going to save your friends.”
“Right, let’s go then,” Lenny said and marched ahead through the grass.
He needed to say it, Fist sent as they followed behind him.
I agree, Justan said. He just could’ve used better timing.
I could hear the short dwarves talking from here, Deathclaw said. But these humans are too stupid to listen. They will be easy prey.
I heard too, said Gwyrtha.
Justan turned to the task at hand, focusing in on the enemy position through his bonded’s eyes. Deathclaw had situated himself in the grass between where the prisoners were being held and the rest of the camp. He could see five guards sitting around a fire and drinking while one more was in a tent snoring away. Gwyrtha was on the far side of the cages, watching six more guards playing cards.
Which men are the ones you said were dangerous? Justan asked Deathclaw.
One sleeps in the tent. The other plays the game on Gwyrtha’s side. It is hard to tell which man. Their scents are mingled with the prisoners.
Can you pick it out? Justan asked Gwyrtha.
The one with the red hat or the one with the blue hat, she replied and Justan could see why it was difficult. They were sitting right next to each other.
Justan pulled the rest of the group together. “Lenny, Pall, and Samson, join Gwyrtha on the side of the cages facing away from the rest of Vriil’s men. There are six guards playing cards. Take them out as quickly as you can. The quieter the better. Fist and I will join Deathclaw and take out the guards on the other side.”
“How can you see all that from here?” whispered Pall.
“He’s named, you idjit,” Lenny replied with a sharp elbow to the dwarf’s side.
“Just be careful,” Justan added. “One of the men on your side has been modified by Vriil’s power in some way. Gwyrtha will try to smell him out. Watch her and attack when she does. I will signal her when it’s time. The moment the guards are down, open the cages as fast as you can. If we’re lucky, we will be on our way before the rest of Ewzad’s men know we attacked.”
They split up and Justan and Fist circled around towards Deathclaw’s position. They crouched in the grass, doing their best to remain unseen. Justan’s bond with Deathclaw allowed him to see much better at night and it was hard for him to g
auge how bright it would be for the guards. Luckily they kept the camp lit with fires and torches, so their ability to watch the darkness would be impaired.
Are you okay with this? Fist asked. Killing other humans?
Justan frowned. It had indeed been bothering him. We have no choice. My father taught me that killing men was only okay if they were attempting to harm me or people I cared for. He clenched his fists. Ewzad Vriil declared war on people I care for, Fist. These are his men. They have chosen the side of monsters.
Yes, but what if they have families at their homes? Fist asked. Small children of their own to care for?
The War of Stardeon (The Bowl of Souls) Page 19