Jorick pulled up behind one of the men looking at the tree.
“We are going to have to find a way around that.”
“Jorick, pull the men back. That tree was helped down by someone with an axe. They’re either stupid, or this is a setup.”
“Quick. You all heard Glem. Pull back,” Jorick ordered as he turned his horse.
“Well. Isn't this a fun sight? Five little birds trapped in a tree.”
The man stood in the middle of the narrow road with his sword already in hand.
“I don’t know who you are, but you are making a mistake,” Jorick told the man. “You are outnumbered, and we have somewhere to be.”
“It is you who is mistaken,” the man in the road replied as the road behind him filled with men. “You should be flattered, though, Jorick. I brought all my men just to deal with you.”
“Who are you, and how do you know me?”
“For a leader, you are not very bright,” he replied. Looking over his shoulder, he added, “I think we were overpaid for this. Not that I’m complaining, mind you.” His men began to laugh.
“It’s an ambush. They were paid to stop us, Jorick.”
“We have been betrayed, Glem?”
“Old man got it in one. At least one of you has some brains. Maybe he should have been leading you?”
Glem had calmly taken his new bow from the saddle and strung it in his lap.
His patience with the loudmouth worn, he drew and released an arrow in one smooth motion. The arrow found its way into the leader’s throat and continued through and into the breastplate of the very tall man behind him.
Glem tucked the bow away and drew his sword. “I hate it when people can’t shut up.”
The five men dismounted and left the reins loose.
They moved forward with Glem and Jorick together at the front, the other three behind them. The group of ambushers rushed forward in an unorganized herd and spread out across the road. A couple of the smarter ones went to the side to try and get around behind them.
Just as Glem and Jorick reached the front of the group, they separated so that the first man ran between them. In his haste to get behind them, he failed to see one of the young guards step forward and brace his sword’s hilt against this other hand to create a makeshift spear.
The ambusher's momentum drove the sword point through his ragged chainmail and out his back. The guard kicked the man in the chest as he fell to free his blade while he looked for his next opponent.
Four of the ambushers had gotten around behind the guards and were beginning to engage with them, trying to distract Glem and Jorick from the large group in front. The two guards were fighting hard against their multiple opponents. Glem cut down two men in front of him as he worked his sword smoothly from one form to another. Jorick took a hard blow on his chainmail-covered shoulder, using the opening to cut sideways across the un-armored man's belly. He dropped his sword and used his hands to try and hold his guts in until Jorick gained enough space to neatly run the point of his sword under the man's chin.
The ambushers in front of Glem and Jorick were jammed together, pushing one another from behind to get into the fight. The two cut the men down almost as fast as they could step up, the dead becoming an obstacle that had to be worked around, and the ground slick with blood and entrails, making the footing perilous. Despite the difference in skill between Glem’s group and the ambushers’, the numbers were heavily against them.
A slip would be all that was needed to turn the tide against the guards. It never came.
The guards held against their ambushers, with Glem and Jorick leading in the front, and one guard behind them to clean up anyone surviving their exchange.
The last two guards behind were holding against the four ambushers there.
The fight ended faster than it had begun. Glem blocked a sword with his dagger and kicked the man in the stomach. As he did, he reached back behind him with his sword and over the shoulder of one of the guards behind. His point went through the man's eye and into his brain.
When the odds changed with the man's death, the remaining three ambushers engaging the two guards at the back were outclassed. All three fell within a few seconds, one after another.
The two guards turned back to help the others in time to see the last standing ambusher take Jorick’s sword to the chest. It was over.
Glem bent to clean his sword on the cloak of one of the downed men. “Quickly, take everything of value or that is identifiable. We will throw the bodies down into the narrow and cover them with brush. That should buy a few days if anyone comes looking for them.”
“There is nothing we can do about the blood on the road, but if we get another rain, it will disappear. Glem, who do you think sent them?” Jorick asked.
“I don’t know. There were not many that knew our plans, and the ones that did are men I trust. Either someone spoke out of turn in front of the wrong people, or I’m going to have to kill a friend.”
Jorick dragged a body to the edge of the road and pushed it down toward the creek a length below. His expression was dark as he considered Glem’s words.
With a man held forgotten in each hand, Glem paused. “I hope that someone spoke when they shouldn’t have. It is stupid and dangerous, but I can forgive that.” He looked up at the other guards. “You fought well. If we have time, I will help you improve.”
He heaved the two men off the road.
✽✽✽
The agitation was evident to Rues as she walked back to the market.
The old woman they had seen the day before to get measured had been rude and pushy.
She had really upset Alyra, but she reminded Rues of her grandmother from when she was very young, and she kind of liked her. Glem had been gone for two days, and they had spent most of that time cooped up in the inn. Alyra didn't seem to mind very much.
She had spent her time in the kitchen with Eiriean, helping her cook; Eiriean probably reminded Alyra of her mother.
"Well, don't just stand there. Come in. Your things are ready," snipped the old woman to Rues standing just outside her door.
"She must like you," a deep rich voice said softly from off to the side. "She is never that nice to anyone."
"Hush boy, you may be taller than when we found you, but I can still soap your mouth for telling tales, " she said.
"Yes, Cerya, respect for my elders and all that," he teased.
Coming into the shop, Rues turned toward the pretty voice only to freeze in shock. Sitting on a low stool in the corner lacing up new boots, his patched cloak hanging nearly to the floor, was the man from the kitchen.
His dark skin in the light streaming through the window practically glowed.
"You're the other one from the inn. Your friend likes to cook. What do you do?" he asked.
"I... I'm a blacksmith," Rues stuttered in surprise.
✽✽✽
Two days later, Glem and Jorick belly-crawled forward under the low brush. Three days of rain had saturated the forest and made their movements silent, and thick fog blanketed everything beyond the tree line. It muffled the sounds, causing them to carry strangely, the clink of steel on steel and the smell of smoke. The smoke smell was why they were lying in the wet, waiting for the sun to rise and burn off some of the fog. Glem’s thoughts were on his granddaughter and the war he believed was coming, while Alyra was stronger than she had shown.
The soft shuffling in the damp leaves at the edge of the forest froze them in their place. They looked carefully through the poor light, the sun just beginning to rise. A pair of tall boots and the end of a sword scabbard became apparent through the brush.
The rest of the soldier was hidden by the shrubbery under which they were hiding.
He was only five or six yards away.
The men tried to breathe as quietly as possible as they waited, hoping he would move on before the fog cleared too much. After a few minutes, they heard a grumbling voice moving toward them. "You
're late. You were supposed to relieve me before dawn," complained the soldier standing near us.
"Quit whinin’. I had to eat breakfast and drain the dragon. Then the new LT had to shine his brass this morning, giving us orders to do the jobs what we was already doin’.
“Relieve the guards, break camp, blah, blah, blah.
“We all been soldiers longer than he been off his mamma's tit," said the relief.
The men laughed together. "Fine, I'm gettin' some food before it's gone," said Boots as he moved away and rapidly disappeared into the fog.
The new guard continued with a steady stream of grumbling to himself as he started a slow pace away from Glem and Jorick along the edge of the forest.
The fog started to burn off as the sun rose, and the warmth brought more noise to the men. The sounds of a large encampment were coming across the field as more and more of the soldiers were moving around. The camp was huge, easily stretching a half-mile wide and back over the hills. Neatly ordered, it boasted neat rows of tents and fires, temporary corrals for horses set every few rows. Spread through the camp were also some peculiar gaps that glared against the uniformity. Each clearing had three tents with a black pennant fluttering above, and the soldiers of the camp gave these black pennants a wide berth.
Not sure what that's about, Glem thought.
Glem motioned to Jorick, and the two men slowly crawled backward out of the brush, not standing up until they were deep in the woods. They rushed back to the rest of their men, who were still holding the horses waiting patiently for them.
"Let's go," Jorick said, "Glem, we'll talk when we are farther away."
"That's a good-sized army... probably the better part of the available forces. Based on the size and layout, there must be at least fifty thousand men. It looked to be about a third cavalry.”
“Did you see any siege engines?"
"No, I didn't," Glem replied. "What did you make of the rings of tents with the black flags? Officers, or something else?"
"I don't know, but I don't think those are for the officers. The soldiers looked like they were avoiding those tents, almost like they fear them for some reason," Jorick replied. "I don't know what's going on there, but I have a bad feeling about it."
"Let's try and cover as much ground as we can. That army is big enough that it will probably take four days to cover what we can in two.”
“But that's not enough time to get the city ready," Jorick said grimly.
Alternating a trot and a walking pace, the men moved quickly through the heavy forest, Glem’s butt and saddle breaking in one another painfully. They didn't know what to make of the odd tent formation, and no amount of thinking about was getting them to an answer.
At least the path was opening up. Once they hit the main road, they’d be a straight shot to the city. The day turned quickly to the evening, and it was well dark before they stopped for the night. The evening was overcast, and the cloud cover thick enough that the stars were hidden from view. The first night of the new moon was as black as an empty ale glass.
Jorick rightly decided that they sleep cold tonight since even a small fire would be too dangerous with them between the army and the city.
After only a short night, the men were up and moving again. The three guardsmen were getting jittery with nerves; the more they thought about the army’s size, the worse they got.
I will have to head that off soon, or we will have a problem. If they get too nervous, they'll be worthless in a fight, Jorick thought. Not only worthless, but will surely get us slaughtered.
The road snaked around the giant boulders scattered through this part of the forest. They reminded Glem of Alyra's marbles scattered on the floor when she was small—at least if the marbles were granite and three times the height of a man on horseback and spread by giants.
Ha. That's how myths get started.
They followed the curve of the road around a boulder.
Suddenly, they were confronted with a group of men who were visibly armed.
"Move aside," said the grizzled man leading the group as the ones behind him begin to fan out slightly to block the width of the road.
"This is not going to go well," Glem said to Jorick. “We're heavily outnumbered, and they have no intention of leaving us alive."
"I said move aside, you fools."
Riding forward slightly, Glem said, "Give us a minute. We are discussing your request."
"It was not a request," he replied.
Glem noticed the medallion that he was wearing matched the one he had taken from the forge floor. "That's an interesting medallion you have there."
He swung down from his mount and unclipped his sword and scabbard from his belt, holding it loosely in hand. "Looks a lot like one I picked up not so long ago from the floor of my friend’s forge after it was burned," Glem said, slowly beginning to walk toward the soldiers.
"Hmm, the blacksmith killed the man I sent to the forge. Crushed his head like an overripe melon and provided an example to my men about underestimating your enemy. I respected his strength. I had my men bury his family under cairns to show my respect."
"Jorick," Glem said over his shoulder, "Make sure no one gets away. We can't have them telling the army we’re aware they are there."
Glem turned back to the leader.
"Thank you for burying them. They were friends of mine and didn't deserve to die; neither did anyone else in the town,” Glem said as he slipped his blade clear of its scabbard, the sound soft as a caress. "None of you will leave here," Glem then said louder to all the soldiers.
The soldier's laughter was loud in the forest.
Twenty of them. Four of us. It should be a short fight, Glem thought.
Anger burned in Glem’s chest like fire, his sword so light as to be almost forgotten in his hand. A couple of quick steps and he was in among them. His blade flicked out rapidly.
"Glem, wake up. C'mon, wake up, man. Glem! Glem!"
Glem slowly opened his eyes to the sight of his four companions standing above him. A mixture of terror and relief showed on the men's faces and a considerable measure of concern.
What just happened? Glem wondered as he took stock of his current condition. My whole body aches. Burns.
He attempted to sit up but was weak. So very weak.
"What happened, boys? Help me sit up. Did I fall from my horse?" Glem demanded.
Jorick responded first. He moved forward to pull Glem up. "What happened? What do you mean what happened? We were attacked. Look around you!"
Glem looked Jorick in the eyes. Is that fear? Why is Jorick afraid?
Jorick dropped eye contact and stepped back. The other three followed his lead.
They are all afraid. Afraid of ME! What has happened here?
Glancing around, Glem noticed what lay around him, finally seeing what had the others so terrified. Chunks of flesh and clothing littered the field. Horses lay broken, twisted, their bodies contorted into ghastly shapes. Pieces of men and armor, scattered for dozens of yards, encircled where he sat. The charred remains of uniforms and flesh slowly smoldered in the still air, and the smell of death hung heavy around him.
"What manner of man or beast could cause such devastation? These soldiers, these uniforms, they are from Hasdingium, aren't they? Tell me, Jorick! What happened?" Glem pleaded, his own fear leaching into his voice.
"You don't remember?" Jorick shouted incredulously. "How can you not remember, My Sentinel! You caused this destruction!"
My Sentinel? I did this? How could I have done this? Sentinel? Why would he call me that now? He shouldn’t use that title for me anymore. He CANNOT use that title anymore.
As Glem considered Jorick's words, he stared at a piece of torn tunic on the ground beside him. The memories flooded back.
Glem remembered.
He remembered everything.
Filled with horror, he watched the events unfold in his mind. He was the monster who had massacred these soldiers. It was h
im! It was all him! How? Why? What had he become?
✽✽✽
Six minutes earlier…
The four companions had their horses at a gallop, no thought for their comfort or health spared. The Hasdingium Army was on the move, and the city of Eshly could not stop them. They must evacuate at once and flee for the capital.
Suddenly, Jorick yanked back on the reins, forcing his mount to a stop. A lone man stood on the path in front of them. Wearing the uniform of Hasdingium and brandishing a sword, the man called out to the small group.
"Move aside!" he shouted.
Glem pulled up beside Jorick. "What did he say?"
"He's asking for our surrender," Jorick replied flatly.
"This is not going to go well," Glem said to Jorick. “We're heavily outnumbered, and they have no intention of leaving us alive."
"I said move aside, you fools."
Riding forward slightly, Glem said, "Give us a minute. We are discussing your request."
"It was not a request," he replied.
Glem's companions shared a nervous chuckle.
"We will not be surrendering to you. Move aside; we are coming through one way or another," Glem proclaimed.
The Hasdingium soldier smiled while signaling the rest of his men. Twenty soldiers lined up behind the man, who Glem now recognized as wearing the insignia of Captain.
"I may not have an army, but you're outnumbered five to one."
The Captain smiled in return.
The soldiers spread out in a simple crescent formation. Glem and his men had not been flanked, but that was no sure path to escape. The archers could take their lives before they could even turn their horses around, a perfectly executed ambush.
Yorick had pulled them to a stop too close to retreat, yet too far away to attack before the archers could lose their arrows. They were in no man's land. They were going to die.
A moment later, Glem was among the soldiers. His blade flowed through them like water, his movements so fast they were impossible for the men to follow. Fire wreathed around both of his arms and down the length of his sword, each cut wreaking devastation on its target.
Reciprocity : Volume 1 of The Fledgegate Cycle Page 13