The Wolf At War

by Terry Cloutier

  “It was a great surprise to us all, Highness,” Daughter Gernet said, her voice neutral. Jin stood beside her, the apprentice’s eyes brimming with happiness. The four of us were alone now, everyone else having been cleared out after Grindin’s long and reluctant testimony. “But despite this Cheny person being alive,” the priestess added gravely. “Some of Son Oriell’s accusations still bear weight. He has a case against Hadrack that can’t be easily ignored.”

  Jin blinked in surprise, her face falling as Tyden waved a dismissive hand. “Nonsense. Hadrack might have been a little rough with the apprentice, I’ll grant you that, but it was hardly without cause.”

  “I do not believe using a heated blade on naked flesh can be termed a little rough, Your Highness,” Daughter Gernet said.

  The king’s grin faltered and he glanced at me. “Well, that may be true enough, but under the circumstances, I think that it is justifiable.” Jebido and Sim had missed the king when he’d left Gandertown to come south for my trial, so Tyden had known nothing about Pernissy’s escape or the clever plot that the bastard had hatched. However, he had heard of Lord Boudin, who he’d never met, but knew was a very rich and powerful Cardian lord. Why that lord was in league with Pernissy was a mystery none of us could understand. Tyden studied Daughter Gernet thoughtfully. “Are you saying that you will cast your vote with the First Son, despite what he has been up to?”

  The priestess snorted. “Certainly not, Highness. I enjoyed watching that fool get humiliated and, if it were possible, I would gladly see the First Son removed from his office. But since he has denied everything and we have no actual proof of his guilt, there is little within the law that can make that removal happen, which leaves us obligated to acknowledge his current complaint. One that isn’t without some merit.”

  “But certainly not worthy of banishment or execution?” Tyden said.

  Daughter Gernet glanced at me appraisingly, and then she shook her head. “No, it is not. Not yet, anyway. But I think all of us here understand the singular path that Hadrack has always taken regarding those who destroyed his village. That apprentice was one of them, which means I guarantee you Hadrack intends to kill him, probably sooner rather than later. When that happens, I will have little choice but to side with Son Oriell.”

  Tyden turned to me. “Is that true? Do you still intend to kill this man, Hadrack, even though you know what the consequences will be?”

  I briefly considered lying as I toyed with my mug of ale, then I shrugged. “Of course I’m going to kill him, Highness.”

  The king sighed in resignation, drumming his fingers idly on his chin as he studied me. “I had forgotten how direct and honest you can be, Lord Hadrack. It’s a refreshing change after being surrounded by two-faced vipers and fawning arse-lickers with liquid-honey tongues.” He started to pace, then stopped and turned to me. “What if I say I forbid you to kill this man?”

  “I have no wish to anger you, Highness,” I said, meaning it. I turned and nodded to the priestess. “Nor bring down the wrath of the House upon my head, Daughter. But not even the power of a king or the word of The Mother will stop me from killing Grindin when the time is right.” I took a deep breath. “But you have my word that he won’t die by my hand anytime soon. There are, unfortunately, greater problems that must be dealt with first.”

  “You mean Pernissy?” Tyden asked.

  “No, Highness,” I replied with a shake of my head. “I mean the Piths.”

  “What do those heathens have to do with anything?” Daughter Gernet said.

  “They attacked one of my villages last month,” I explained. “Slaughtering everyone but the Son, the Daughter, and the apprentices.”

  “That is terrible news,” the king said. I thought I detected a brief flash of outrage rise in his eyes, but it faded quickly. “You have my full support to deal with this unfortunate incident in any way that you see fit. It’s been years since the Piths raided us, and I had hoped never to hear their cursed name spoken again. Beaten people should accept their fate and lie down and die.”

  “I have already dealt with it, Highness,” I said. “The Piths who sacked Lestwick have all been killed.” King Tyden’s eyebrows rose in surprise. I explained then about how I had rescued Daughter Tessa and Apprentice Lucenda and about sending Nedo back to the Piths as a message—though I didn’t go into any detail about what I had done to the boy. That could wait. Then I told them of the battle in Camwick and my letting Saldor go home with the Pith dead.

  “Mother help her,” Daughter Gernet whispered when I was through, looking stunned. “Have those heathens no decency? She wears the yellow robe!”

  “Piths care nothing for that, Daughter,” I said. “They view our beliefs as backward and strange.”

  “Then what do these people care about?” Daughter Gernet challenged.

  I shrugged. “Gambling, horses, drinking.” I glanced at Jin, then shifted my eyes away. “Rape and plunder.”

  “You said you let a Pith take his dead and return home,” Tyden cut in. “Why would you do that?”

  “I needed information, Highness, so I made a deal with him. The souls of his brothers and sisters in exchange for what I wanted to know.”

  “And did you get what you needed?” Tyden asked.

  “Yes, and no, Highness. The Pith was no fool, and he answered most of my questions with riddles, lies, and half-truths.”

  “Yet, he told you enough to cause concern,” Tyden said, his face tightening.

  I nodded. “He did. There is a Pith chieftain named Lorgen Three-Fingers.” I paused as Daughter Gernet snorted in contempt at the name. “This Pith has raised a sizable army, and according to the man I spoke to, he plans on invading us.”

  Tyden pursed his lips. “Are you certain of this?”

  “Yes, Highness,” I said. I hesitated as I collected my thoughts, knowing now was the time to tell Tyden everything. “There is more, Highness. Nedo was Lorgen Three-Fingers only son, and I gelded the bastard and sent him back to his father like that.”

  I heard both Daughter Gernet and Jin gasp, but I kept my gaze focused squarely on the king.

  Tyden’s eyes narrowed. “You’re telling me that because you, in your judgment, felt the need to disfigure a man’s son, that my kingdom might now be facing a war?”

  “It is possible that my actions might have made things worse, Highness,” I conceded. “But I needed to draw the Piths to where I could kill them, and the only way that I could see to do that was to enrage them. I had no idea at the time who Nedo was, but even if I had, I would have done the same. Those men killed people under my protection, and I could not let that stand.”

  Tyden turned his back to me, scrunching his still-bare toes aggressively in the soft fur as he thought. I waited, sharing a glance with Jin, who smiled weakly at me in reassurance.

  Tyden finally turned to face me after several long minutes, his expression and eyes calmer. “Very well, Lord Hadrack. I accept your explanation. I agree with you that you could not have known who this boy was. It is unfortunate, but what is done is done. You did what you thought was best for the people of your fiefdom and the realm.”

  “Thank you, Highness,” I said. I paused, reluctant to bring up my fears with Jin and Daughter Gernet listening, though I knew they needed to hear it. “There is something else.” The king frowned, but he remained silent as he motioned with a hand that I should go on. “The Pith I spoke to said Lorgen Three-Fingers had gathered as many men as there are blades of grass, and that war was coming for Ganderland and couldn’t be avoided. At the time, I’d thought that he meant because of what I had done to the man’s son. But I no longer believe that is the only reason. I believe the raid on Lestwick was just one of many and that this coming attack has been planned for some time.”

  “Then why raid at all if that’s true?” Tyden asked. “Why not attack in force and be done with it?”

  I shifted my gaze briefly to Daughter Gernet. “Because I believe there might be
a purpose to the raids, Highness. I pray that I am wrong, but from what I could get from the Pith I questioned, it’s possible that they may have come north to capture Sons and Daughters.”

  “What!” Daughter Gernet said loudly. “That’s preposterous. Why would they do that?”

  “Yes, why would they do that, Hadrack?” Tyden asked. “You said yourself that the Piths care nothing for our people, so why take them as prisoners?”

  “Because I think the Piths intend to sacrifice them to the Master, Highness.”

  “Dear Mother, preserve me!” Daughter Gernet gasped. She wobbled on her feet and Jin had to move fast to steady her. Tyden hurried to help, and together, the girl and king supported the priestess as they gently sat her down on the stool. Daughter Gernet clutched at the king. “This can’t be true, Highness! Hadrack must be mistaken.”

  The king patted her hand, and then he stood to face me. “I too pray to the gods that you are wrong about this, Hadrack,” he said. Tyden brushed his blond hair from his eyes, looking suddenly young and vulnerable as he stood in indecision.

  “Highness,” I said to break the sudden silence. “I sent riders to warn the southern lords and garrisons about the Piths several weeks ago, so they are aware of the danger. I also sent all the Sons and Daughters on my lands north, away from the Piths, and suggested that they do likewise.” I shrugged. “I have heard nothing back from any of them, so I can’t say whether or not my warnings were heeded.”

  “That was very wise of you, Hadrack,” Tyden said, biting at his lower lip. He took a deep breath. “We’ll have to—”

  Braham abruptly appeared, pushing his way without announcement into the tent. “Forgive me, Highness, but a rider has just arrived with an urgent message.”

  The king and I shared a look, then he nodded. “Show him in,” he said.

  I moved to stand beside Jin as Braham slipped aside the tent flap and gestured outside. A moment later, a thin man wearing nothing but a tunic and trousers and looking worn, tired, and dusty appeared. Jin slid her small hand into mine and squeezed it anxiously. I pressed back, knowing whatever this was about, it was going to be bad news.

  The man knelt, bowing his head. “Highness,” he said.

  “You have a message for me?” Tyden stated, motioning impatiently for the man to rise.

  “I do, Your Highness,” the rider answered. He briefly shifted his eyes to me—eyes filled with apprehension, I thought—before focusing back on the king. “I have just come from Gasterny, Highness. An army of Piths have laid siege to the garrison.”

  King Tyden blinked, and his already strained white face drained of whatever color was left. “How many?” he managed to say in a strangled voice.

  “Many, Highness?”

  “How many men do they have!?” Tyden snapped.

  The rider flushed, looking at the rest of us helplessly. “Forgive me, Your Highness,” he said. “I am very tired, and I’m not good with numbers. There were a lot of them.”

  “That tells me nothing useful,” Tyden growled. “There are lots of whores in Gandertown, too, but I don’t actually know how many.”

  The rider looked crestfallen. “My pardon, Highness.”

  The king sighed. “What is your name?”

  “Bona, Highness.”

  “Very well, Bona, give me your best guess. How many Piths do you think there are?”

  The messenger looked down at his feet as he thought. “Seven hundred perhaps, Your Highness,” he finally mumbled. “No more than that, I would say.”

  “Seven hundred?” the king repeated, looking thoughtful. “You’re certain?”

  “Yes, Highness,” Bona nodded. “I believe so, yes.”

  “When did this happen?” I asked.

  “Four days ago, lord.”

  “Highness,” Braham said urgently. “If we issue a call to arms now, we can raise double that in a matter of days and crush these heathens.”

  “I agree,” Tyden replied. He nodded to Braham. “See to it.”

  “Just a moment,” I said, raising a hand. I turned to the messenger. “Were you in Gasterny when the Piths arrived?”

  Bona nodded. “Yes, lord, I was. Captain Destin had me slip over the walls the first night.” He shrugged his shoulders. “I’m a really good swimmer, lord. The Piths had blocked the bridge, so he needed me to cross the White Rock.”

  “You swam the White Rock?” I asked, impressed, remembering how treacherous the waters near Gasterny were.

  “I did, lord,” Bona said. “I thought I was dead for sure. Three Piths saw me jump in the river, but all they did was stand on the bank and watch me. I figured they expected me to drown and didn’t want to waste an arrow, but when I made it to the other side, they didn’t do anything, either. I eventually found a mule in a village and rode here as fast as I could.”

  I nodded absently. “What were the Piths doing before you left?”

  “Lord?”

  “You said they blocked the bridge, which I find curious. Didn’t they attack the gatehouses?”

  Bona shook his head. “No, lord. They just blocked the southern end of the bridge, that’s all.”

  “And after that?” I asked. “What did they do then?”

  “Why, they made camp, lord.”

  “Did you see them attack the garrison or gatehouses before you left?”

  “No, lord, but I’m sure they were about to.”

  I nodded, convinced now as I turned to the king. “They don’t want Gasterny, Highness,” I said firmly. “They just want you to think that they do.”

  “That’s ludicrous!” Braham snapped. “Of course they want Gasterny. Why wouldn’t they?” He faced the king. “Highness, if we don’t attack now, we could lose that fortress and with it control over the entire southeastern corridor. We must take the fight to them as soon as possible.”

  I frowned as Tyden glanced at me. “You don’t agree, Lord Hadrack?”

  “Piths don’t care much about sieges, Highness,” I replied, uneasy with Bona’s description of the army outside Gasterny’s walls. I knew Saldor might have lied to me about the strength of Lorgen Three-Fingers men, but my gut told me that he hadn’t. The Cimbrati had described that army with a certain amount of pride, almost bragging about it, but his words had a ring of truth about them. As many men as blades of grass, he’d said. Seven hundred men didn’t seem to fit that description. “Piths prefer to move fast, grabbing what they can and burning and destroying everything else in their path,” I added. “Nothing this man has told us makes sense. I think this is a trap, Highness.”

  Braham snorted. “The Piths already took Gasterny once,” he said, not hiding his contempt as he glared at me. “With your help, Lord Hadrack, as I recall. It’s obvious they want it back.”

  I ignored the man’s jibe. “I know Piths, Highness. They prefer fighting in the open, man against man, and blade against blade. Gasterny has been greatly reinforced since it fell, and the walls are much stouter now and are well defended. The Piths don’t have siege engines, nor do they understand them. Taking that fortress will be no easy task with that small a force.”

  “Lord Corwick managed,” Braham responded with a sneer.

  I stared at the other man coldly. “That’s because the garrison was weak then, and he had no qualms about sacrificing as many lives as he needed to. Piths don’t think that way. They always fight to win, but will never needlessly lose men to do it.” I turned to the king. “We need to be cautious, Highness. Something isn’t right about this.”

  Braham strode forward, stopping in front of me. “Cautious!” he spat into my face. “So says the man who thought of the Piths as brothers not that long ago. A man who was loyal to a bunch of heathens and one who gladly shed the blood of Ganders for them! Now we’re supposed to listen to your advice? You could still be allied with these Piths right now for all we know!”

  “That will do, Braham,” King Tyden said. “Lord Hadrack’s loyalty is not in question here.”

  “Well
, maybe it should be,” Braham grunted.

  “I said that will do, Braham!” Tyden snapped. He closed his eyes and rubbed them with his thumb and index finger. Finally, he sighed. “Very well,” he grunted, focusing on Braham. “Issue the call to arms. We march on the Piths as soon as possible.”

  Braham’s face broke out in delight and he bowed. “Yes, Highness,” he said, giving me a look of triumph before he took Bona’s arm and guided him outside.

  “You disapprove of my choice, Lord Hadrack?” Tyden asked when they were gone.

  I felt Jin gripping my hand tighter in warning, and I glanced down at her before turning back to the king. “My place is not to question your orders, Highness,” I said dutifully. I could feel my insides roiling with apprehension, but I made sure my features showed none of it.

  “Good,” Tyden said. “Then we understand each other. Once the levy has been raised, we will smash these heathens once and for all, and then you and I can deal with Pernissy together.”

  “I look forward to it, Highness,” I said, knowing that the king had made up his mind. I squeezed Jin’s hand one last time before letting her go. “With your permission, I would like to return to Corwick Castle to prepare.”

  “By all means,” the king agreed.

  I turned to Daughter Gernet. “Daughter.”

  The priestess inclined her head slightly. “Lord Hadrack.”

  Jin and I shared a look, and then I stepped outside, where Baine, Niko, and Wiflem were waiting for me. Torches lit the campground, flickering in the cool breeze as I led my men toward our horses.

  “What was that all about?” Baine asked. “Braham ran out of there as if the husband of the woman he’s been humping just came home.”