by Wade Adrian
"They're all crazy."
"You're a shoe-in for pope next time."
Movement at the top of the ramp had Max dodging for cover again.
Tom sighed when he saw it was Einar. The boy was running down the hill, nearly tripping more than once, clanking in his intricate suit of armor all the while. He had the map in hand.
"Sup, kid?"
Einar stopped beside them, doubling over, hands on his knees as he caught his breath. He held up a hand with one finger extended.
Tom rolled his eyes. "You can probably ditch the armor for a bit, you know."
Einar looked horrified at the thought. "Why?"
"Never mind. What's up?"
"I've had an idea on how to break the Turtle."
Tom tilted his head. "What did some poor turtle ever do to you?"
"What? No. The Turtle. The next fort." He held up the map, pointing at the northernmost mark. "This one."
"Pfft. That's a dumb name for a fort."
Max's eyes kept moving. "You forget this one is the Ladder?"
"Piss poor ladder, it's only got one rung."
Einar blinked a few times. "Yes... so the turtle is called that because it used to be our primary sea trade port, so the back bit of it is in the water. It's also round, and has a double gate house at the front so it's got a little turtle head. See?" He held up the map, pointing.
Tom rolled his eyes. "Yes, very turtlesque. How far is it?"
"About a day's ride."
"How did I guess that?" Tom leaned in to look over the map. "What's the problem? Looks like we storm the gate."
"Heh." Einar's little laugh was a nervous sound. "Oh, you're serious. No, we can't do that." He pointed again. "The gate we'd be attacking is in front of a second gate, and they are set up to pelt people who actually make it past the first gate from above. They might well let you in so they can close the first gate, trapping you and then drop things on your head."
"Murder holes, yeah. I noticed you guys have those."
"And that's if you make it to the gate. The wall has parapets all the way around. They'll be shooting at anyone in range, if they have the arrows."
"So we attack at night again. Send this guy over the walls." He hooked a thumb at Max. "We'll load him in a catapult or something."
Einar deflated slightly. "Even if that wouldn't result in his untimely death, no doubt angering father... he won't be able to open the gates. The ones here were simple. The turtle, formerly being the kingdom's primary source of income, was much more carefully held. Each gate is twice as thick as the one here, too heavy to open by hand. They use a system of cranks and counter weights. Each gate has one, and they make a tremendous amount of noise."
Tom raised an eyebrow. "You seem to know a lot about this place."
"I visited once, when I was a boy. Father briefly retook the fort from our eastern neighbors, more specifically the cult of Mehtan, before moving on to the next fort. Then bandits retook it. They have held it since."
He wanted to say Einar still was a boy... but he fought back the urge.
For now.
"And?"
"The gates are designed so the weights can close them at a moments notice, but they take a few minutes to open fully. They clank and clatter the whole time. I saw them in use. It took four men turning the crank, like raising the anchor of a large ship. And that's for one gate. We need to open two. Then two other men need to operate the mechanism to lock the gate open, or the weights will shut it again. One man is sufficient to unlock it, setting into motion the gate closing when the weights are let loose."
Tom tugged on his beard. "And we have to open both at once or they'll just go behind and close the other. And we'll have to defend both gate houses while we do that... huh. Not sure we have the manpower for this."
"No." Einar shook his head. "Which is why we won't bother."
Tom narrowed his eyes at the boy. "Then why mention it at all?"
"So you understand?" Einar moved his finger pointing at the fort to instead point just north of it, at the water. "We can attack from the sea. The dock section is kept safe from the rest of the fort, yes, but it only has one gate leading in, and it was usually left open."
Max shook his head. "If I was a bandit, I would have shut that one too."
"They need some way in and out to raid and bring in food." Einar traced his finger along the water. "They are known to raid this area. They use ships, then return to the fort. They can always close that gate if needs be, but it's safer for them to operate from that side, just hiding in the fort if anyone follows them."
Tom wasn't convinced. "It would take half our number to open and defend even a single gatehouse, and we don't have that many that can sneak."
Einar's shoulders slumped. "Uh... yeah. Still, the sea is the better approach."
Tom narrowed his eyes. "That was your big revelation?"
"I... guess? Now you know?"
He sighed.
Eira wandered down from the fort.
Max made a careful study of the map, clearly trying not to notice her. "So this will be more of a siege, then. Like, an actual siege. We need to get them to surrender because we'll never be able to get it open. A far smaller number of defenders can hold it indefinitely."
Tom groaned. "Fuck that. I don't have months to sit around while they starve."
"Maybe we can speed that up. Einar, where did they keep their food stores?"
"Umm..." The boy turned the map around to look it over. "I don't know. Probably in one of the buildings?"
Tom rubbed at the bridge of his nose.
This was the kid that was going to get credit for all of their work? Tom didn't even give a damn to stay here any longer than he had to, but it was getting kind of insulting anyway.
Eira tilted her head slightly. "I have a suggestion."
Tom raised his chin. "Can't be worse than Einar's. What you got?"
"We need to scout to find their supplies, then we can set fire to our arrows to destroy the building and the food. That will reduce the time they can stay in the fort."
"Great... except how do we do that? I mean the scout part, not the arrows part. I think we can manage that."
She held a hand high into the air.
A black bird flitted through the sky, coming to rest sitting on her finger.
She lowered her hand, the bird calmly seated. "We have friends too, priest. They can see for us."
"Huh." Tom was... genuinely impressed with the trick. Yar hadn't given him any pets. "And they can look around and tell you what we need to hit?"
"Me? No." She shook her head. "But some are so favored by our mother as to speak with them, even see through their eyes."
"Neat." Tom nodded. "So, who can do that?"
She swept her hand into the air, the bird flapping up into the sky for a moment... before flapping back down and settling on Max's shoulder.
Eira feigned shock quite poorly. No doubt on purpose. "Well, that was easy."
Max scowled at her. "No." He waved his hands at the bird, who flitted into the air only to settle on his other shoulder. "I refuse." He swept his hand at his other shoulder, the bird hopping, landing for the briefest moment on top of his head, and landing back on the shoulder it had first claimed as its own.
Tom tilted his head a bit. "Okay, I'm sensing some hostility here. Failing this method... how long can the defenders hold out?"
Einar held the map up between him and the bird Max couldn't seem to get rid of. "Weeks, easily. Perhaps months if their raiding has gone well of late."
"I see..." Tom shrugged and pointed at Max. "Talk to the bird lady."
Max scowled. "What? No. I don't want to."
"You would prefer to starve a bunch of bandits out of a fort for weeks, at best? And then do it twice more?"
"... maybe."
"Nope. Not happening." Tom shook his head. "Executive decision. Work with the bird witch."
Eira's eyebrow crept up.
"What? We've got a
god rivalry thing going on. I could have said something worse."
She narrowed her eyes at him.
"Cool your jets, lady. I'm on your side. In this. Right now."
She didn't seem amused.
Einar stared at his map, his face twisted into intense concentration.
Max was trying to get rid of the bird. It wasn't having it, and he was getting annoyed.
Tom planted his hands on his hips. "So no one is happy but me? Perfect. Good to be in charge." He pointed at Einar. "Figure out the fastest way to get us to the turtle place as soon as we can get out of here. Then make sure we're ready to do that at a moments notice." He turned to point at Eira. "You help Talren with whatever he's doing. Talren? You do the thing you don't want to do."
Max sighed.
Tom swept his hand, pointing at the soldiers at the top of the gate as he started walking. "Get the prisoners working to clear the path up to the other half of the fort. Let's avoid using the bridge between until someone who knows what the hell they are doing can get a look at it. Also find a building inside with only one exit and lock the prisoners that are not working in there. Post guards and set up a rotation. People not doing that or watching the workers are to make sure this fort is clear of hostile people, animals, insects, whatever. And raise a flag or something. Make it shine. Got it?"
Guards at the top saluted. "Sir!"
Tom smiled back over his shoulder.
"Super good at this."
Max was fighting with the bird. He looked miserable.
Well at least it would keep him busy for a bit.
Max made his way to the top of the walls.
He understood Tom's logic, yeah... but he still didn't like this idea.
Eira was shadowing him.
He didn't like that either.
The one bright point of the morning was when the stupid bird had flown off. Unfortunately it hadn't gone far, and it had friends now. The growing flock circled overhead and crowded along the walls, hopping and keeping pace as it grew.
The little buggers were chatty, too. Crowing and cawing back and forth. Some of it seemed to be pointed at him.
He sighed as he sat atop the wall. "I want everyone involved to know I am against this."
Eira sat in front of him. "Why? You should feel honored."
"I'll be honored when it's a god of justice and righteousness. Let's just get this over with."
The girl held out her hands.
He stared at them.
She opened and closed her fingers repeatedly.
He rolled his eyes and placed his hands in hers.
"Shh... quiet. Calm."
The squawking grew in intensity all around them.
Max scoffed. "Quiet. Right."
"Shh."
He hated this. He hated all of it. The idea of being stalked by a pervert god was downright annoying.
The squawking climbed to the point Max couldn't hear himself think. All squawking and birds flapping, scraping, circling...
The sound ended in an instant.
Silence reigned.
He could still see the bird's beaks moving, their wings flapping... but there wasn't a sound.
"Excellent work, my dear Eira."
The young woman smiled. "I live to please, mother."
Max scoffed. "Suck up."
The annoying disembodied voice laughed. "Still so charming."
"I am when I want to be."
Eira narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't be rude."
Corvi's voice was soft, kind. "So fascinating, isn't he dear? All the trappings of a killer, but through your eyes I saw such bravery. Valor, even. He risked himself to save you, despite his greater purpose."
Max glared at the empty air around them. "I am no more important than anyone else."
The voice laughed again. This time it was the unfriendly biting kind. "A childish notion. Some are simply born to greatness, dear."
"Super." He rolled his eyes. "Since you're calling collect, I won't keep you. What do you want?"
Eira glared at him.
He really didn't care at the moment. This was her fault.
The voice sighed. "I was hoping we could be civil, dear. No matter. Our time will come." There was a small laugh. "As a sign of my good will towards you and your mission, I have granted you a boon."
"And I'm sure there are no strings at all..."
The voice seemed... amused. "These lovely creatures that flock to you are mine, as Eira is. As you shall be. They will aid you, so long as you serve me."
"See, I've got a few problems with that."
Corvi ignored him. "Their eyes will be your eyes. They understand your words and will respond in kind."
"I can talk to birds? Super. I'm sure they've got lots of worm related gossip."
"Secrets are their business. They will seek them for you, as they do for me. But their eyes are likely more use to you this day. Hold my symbol, focus your mind, and you will see through their eyes. Direct them at your will."
"Why can't Eira do it? Why me? I'm not on your team."
"Because, dear, I want you on my team. And I would see your mission fulfilled."
Especially the extra bits.
Tovi was all too happy to dance on these strings. If she was in charge she would do whatever Corvi wanted.
The voice... giggled?
"Yes, boy. You understand perfectly."
Bloody hell. "I'll speak when I want you to listen."
"That is no longer necessary. By your willingness, our bond has strengthened. You are now closer to me than many who wear my symbol."
Max grumbled. "You know, you catch more flies with honey than vinegar."
"I offer power. Is that not honey?"
"No. You're coercing. Coercing is vinegar."
The voice seemed... closer. Just beside his ear, as if Corvi was kneeling behind him and whispering. "Then honey shall come later, dear. There is work to be done."
The sound of birds reappeared in an instant. Loud cawing, wings flapping and... voices. Countless voices talking over each other. Like being in a crowded subway station. All of them only a few feet away. A cacophony of sound.
He clapped his hands over his ears, his eyes closed tight.
"Shut up!"
The sound faded away... into the distance.
When he opened his eyes most of the birds were gone, sailing away into the sky every which way. A handful remained, watching him with giant black eyes.
Eira let out a breath. "I have heard her voice, but I have never felt her so... close before."
"Yeah." Max stood, dusting himself off. "Lucky us."
"It is fortunate. Amazing. We are blessed."
"That's not the word I would use."
She frowned. "Do not speak ill of her. She can always hear."
"Well she can now." He shook his head. "Bloody hell."
A black bird sat on the stone wall staring at him. He got the impression it was the same one that had been hanging out on his shoulder. "Can you really talk, or was that a trick?"
It tilted its head back and forth. "Trick?"
Well... that sort of confirmed that.
Max glanced at Eira. "You hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"The bird. It talked." He pointed at the ball of black feathers.
"It cawed. They do that." She shook her head. "Mother offered this gift to you, not to me."
He leaned against the wall next to the bird.
It didn't seem to mind him at all. Most sensible birds would fly away if a person got so close.
"That doesn't bother you? That she's throwing gifts at me, but you're everything she wants in a follower?"
Eira stood. "I am what she wishes me to be. You are something else, something she wishes to understand."
"And to use."
The girl shrugged. "She is a god. That is their way. As are kings, so are gods. We learn this as children."
"Yeah, well, we're not big on kings or gods where I come from."
"Maybe that's what she finds so interesting."
Max leaned his head to the side, looking down at the bird. "What do you think?"
The bird stared up at him. It's head twitched this way and that for a moment. "I'm hungry."
19
Tom lowered the little spyglass one of his subordinates had come up with.
He didn't like the look of the turtle. The name was dumb, but the place was imposing.
Einar had neglected to mention the walls were all made of stone and at least sixty feet high. There was no getting in there over the sides.
He sat atop his horse in a little copse of trees high on a hill. He didn't want to skyline himself. If he could see them, they might well be able to see him.
Tom glanced aside at Max. "Okay, beastmaster. All you."
Max scoffed, but glanced aside to the bird sitting on his shoulder. "You're up, Skip. Go have a look around. And take some friends."
The bird tilted its head back and forth, looking at Max before belting out a caw.
"Yeah, yeah." Max held up what looked to be a sunflower seed. Tom didn't trust his plant knowledge around here, but he was pretty sure it was too cold for those.
The bird snatched the seed out of his hand and took to the air.
Tom was... a tad annoyed. Animals were a ranger thing. Well, more a druid thing, but they were usually friendly to rangers. The birds wanted nothing to do with him, or anyone else. Only Max, who didn't much care for them.
On the other hand, Max looked like shit. He hadn't bothered to sleep the night before or today, aside from dozing in the saddle.
He rather adamantly refused to talk about it.
Tom shaded his eyes. "Skip? The bird said its name was Skip?"
"No. Don't be ridiculous. I named him Skip."
Tom watched the bird fly away. Several others joined it in the sky, formerly hanging out in the trees.
All of them were black as pitch.
"Why Skip?"
"Why not Skip? What would you have named him?"
"I dunno... blackey?"
"Lame."
"Shadow."
Max scoffed. "No."
"Sombra?"
"So still shadow, but in spanish."
Tom shrugged. "Sounds better. Tell one its name is Sombra."
"Okay, fine. I'm sure they will be delighted."
Tom lifted the spyglass again, turning to look out at the sea. "How do you think prep for phase two is going?"