The Hammer of Champions

by A L Issett

  “Your Uncle sounds like he needs a good woman” Perry remarked sending the table into uneasy laughter. “He wouldn’t be so spun up ready to fight all the time if he knew how to relax.”

  “My Uncle with a woman?” Carolina laughed as Tanner glared at her. “There is no use in giving me that face Uncle. I’m not scared of you one bit and it's the truth. I had hopes for poor Tara but it turns out her actually getting along with my parents knocked her out of the running. I spent the night consoling the poor girl. I doubt seriously if there is any woman out there living that could land my Uncle, he cares nothing for titles or prestige or any of that other fluff.”

  “You Uncle is a man though” Queen Darlene replied. “I would think he would have all kinds of women throwing themselves at one such as he. I find it hard to believe he finds none of them attractive and has not at least entertained the idea of settling down unless he is the playboy type.”

  “Uncle Tanner a playboy?” Carolina laughed. “No, I can tell you he far from that and he uses that angry exterior to make sure girls stay away from him. Not that he even tolerates staying in the same room with one that’s single and looking.”

  “Can we please stop talking about the man’s love life” Perry said with a sigh. “There are plenty of men without a significant other, like myself for example.”

  “I agree with him” Tanner said gruffly.

  “So Your Majesty” Perry began. “What is going to be your first action once you win this war, besides executing war criminals and those who poisoned your father I mean. Have you taken any thought about what is next for you?”

  “I haven't really thought about it” Darlene admitted. “Maybe come up with some sort of plan so things like this will not happen again. I have good people around me and if we can make it out of this war I will see to it that they are rewarded.”

  “That sounds pleasant” Perry replied. “Is that an instrument I hear playing outside?”

  “It is” Galero said joining the conversation. “I told my men to enjoy this brief victory but not to drink too much since we will most likely be chasing the separatist. Right now they are dancing, maybe you want to join them?”

  “Dancing sounds like a plan” Tanner said as he got up. “I’ll be outside.”

  “You are dancing Uncle?” Carolina said as Tanner could see she kicked Jessica under the table. “Can you take Jessica with you if it is alright with our hosts? She loves to dance but hardly ever really gets the time with all the eyes that are normally on her reading too much into things.”

  “C’mon then you” Tanner replied as turned around and waited for Jessica to join him. The girl had went scarlet and had kept looking back at Carolina who waved her on. Tanner led the girl out of the tent and towards the music. Tanner recognized the dance, it consisted of changing your partners often while dancing around in a circle which could depending on the band playing change into a square. Tanner was amazed at his quick-thinking niece and led Jessica on the ground set aside for dancing.

  “Where are they keeping you at?” Tanner asked as he looked down on the small woman and swung her around a bit. Another man took her away briefly and gave Tanner his partner, a woman who looked to have had too much alcohol judging by the look on her face. Tanner traded his new dancing partner and got Jessica back just as the song ended and another one was about to start.

  “I don't know but we are heavily guarded” Jessica replied. “We were blindfolded and led to the tent and some of it was on horseback. They treat us well enough and even gave us servants. Where ever it is I am sure it is underground, it must have taken a mage to extract all that earth or even a team of diggers. You won't be able to rescue us if that is what you are thinking.”

  “Is there any way you can escape?” Tanner asked as another song was starting up.

  “Do you mind if I cut in?” Tanner looked up and saw Captain Galero. The man was smarter than Tanner thought and recognized the mistake of letting Tanner and Jessica talk.

  “You could pick from any one of these lasses with your fancy uniform with your wee little stripes and ribbons and shit” Tanner replied.

  “Possibly, but it is not everyday I get to dance with a beautiful noble woman” Galero replied smoothly. “Besides, the rest of our dinner party is going to join us, see behind you.”

  Tanner turned and saw Queen Darlene greeting soldiers who were all too happy to see her. Tanner could see Perry following her around like a calf on its mother’s teat and Tanner was still smarting about being told to calm down. Tanner walked towards the group just as the song started playing. He could see Perry get up the nerve but beat him to it.

  “You want to go out there and dance?” Tanner asked to a shocked Darlene.

  “Are you talking to me?” Darlene replied.

  “No, I’m talking to some other woman with big eyes and a clueless expression” Tanner said with a huff. “I should have known you were too good to dance out here with the common folk.”

  “No, I’ll dance with you if that is what you want” the Queen replied.

  People parted way as the Queen stepped on the floor with the big warrior, at first causing gasps but then people went back to their revelry quickly enough. Tanner stared down at the woman and looked into her eyes, for her part the Queen seemed shy and embarrassed to the point Tanner had to remind himself that this was no more than a girl who was forced to grow up too fast.

  “I think you are being played” Tanner whispered as he looked over and could see Perry dancing with another female that seemed to be caressing his arms. The man was too stupid to realize that the girl was probably a plant by Galero, the way she rubbed herself up against the arrogant noble probably had him thinking more of sleeping with someone than remembering he was in enemy territory.

  “What do you mean by that?” the Queen replied as a confused look crossed her face.

  “Your men are what you call wielders, according to Galero it is a closely held secret” Tanner began. “But Perry is also a wielder on a power level you could not imagine, he made it seem like he could forge more of the weapons if he wanted to. If Galero is correct about knowing the only source for such items, then you have a rat in the grain house. Taking my niece was not your call, you were as desperate as a mouse in a room full tomcats. You went along with the plan but I believe the real plan all along was to get Ket involved in this country, or to make you eternally grateful for the help you received.”

  “Your explanation sounds plausible” the Queen began. “But why would you tell any of this to me?”

  “To let you know you are not the focus when I find out whoever is behind this and shove my sword up his ass” Tanner began. “I doubt whoever is working in the shadows fanned the flames of war but they are certainly taking advantage of it. Whoever this person using the Hammer of Champions is, you need to make sure they are only answering to you and not one of your proxies when it comes to magical weapons.”

  “H-How do you know about the hammer?” The Queen asked as she started pushing him away.

  “Just because I talk different than you fancy folk doesn't make me daft” Tanner replied. “But that's not the mead we’re drinking right now, what are you going to do about what I told you?”

  “I-I don't know if there is anything I can do” the Queen replied. “My father would still be dead and I need all the help I can get in order to take my revenge and free the people of Quet from military rule. Let’s say everything you are saying is the truth, what do I gain by exposing these hypothetical manipulators? Does it outweigh what I would lose?”

  “I don't know” Tanner admitted. “That would be for you to decide. I don't like how my niece is involved in this, let her go and I promise you will have my blade and my men by your side. The King of Ket also owes me a big favor, I’ll see to it after this is all over no repercussions come your way.”

  “Why would you help me?” The Queen asked. “What do you get out of it?”

  “I was manipulated once” Tanner said with a
sigh. “If I could go back and she was still alive I think I would have just killed them all and been done with it. I can’t stand by and watch you go down the same path because some tosser has you by your cobblers. I’ll stand with you until this whole thing is over, no matter which way it plays out. If we get our asses handed to us, then you will always have a place in Tox.”

  “I will check on this” the Queen said as the song ended and Tanner gave her a bow. Tanner could see Perry was still flirting with the woman while Galero gave her a look. The woman Perry was dancing with then started coughing and backed away leaving Perry dumbfounded. Perry then turned his gaze to the Queen as she was walking away. Tanner could not see Jessica or Carolina around, they must have whisked them away while Tanner was busy. Despite some of the women around looking his way Tanner decided to call it a night, whatever was going to happen would happen as far as the Queen went.

  CHAPTER 6

  The next couple of weeks all went by in a blur, the separatists didn't put up too much of a fight, when things got a little tough they just withdrew. Tanner could see the reason why though in the marks left on the land. The separatists must have chased Queen Darlene’s army of commoners such a great ways that they out ran their support. This must just had been an advanced force who were trying to win the war easily and took the chance that they could just force the Queen and her army out the border. The land Tanner was passing by wasn't really built up for fighting like it should be if they got into a bunch of little battles and Tanner knew that soon the separatists would stop running. They would meet up with their support, have a definite answer to the two catapults and kill many. When Tanner noticed the retreat went in a valley between two hills he was grateful Galero stopped the army from moving. It was a killing field to go in there, if the enemy had anyone on those hills they could have a very effective arrow attack without worrying about returning fire. Worse than that was that Tanner had not seen any of the enemy cavalry, if Tanner was in control of the separatist he would have them on that hill. They could cut off retreat while the main army stood its ground and archers killed at will.

  “It's an ambush” Tanner said as he looked over at General Kasing, Galero’s right hand in the war. Tanner thought it was weird a general was taking orders from a captain, but Galero was in the Palace guard and military guys were not really trusted during a time like this.

  “You have a good eye” Kasing said as he spit the wad of chewing leaf he had inside his mouth out. “They will wait us out. If we don't move they will get a chance to catch their breath then they will attack. If we do move then we will get killed no doubt. The only wildcard we have is they don't know about is your people riding to our rescue. Never thought I would be back fighting alongside Ketian soldiers once I defected.”

  Tanner watched the old man run his fingers through his gray hair. He was tense and nervous all at the same time. Galero joined him at this point with a serious look in his eye as he eyed the hills.

  “I am not taking this on without input” Galero replied. “Tanner you have somehow indebted yourself to the Queen. Your request of her was granted two hours ago and my best four men are personally seeing to their safety and comfort. I am not sure your people will come once they have what they want, but trust no one knows about the arrangement.”

  “You don't have to talk in circles around me” Kasing said as he stuck another leaf in his mouth. “I know I’m not trusted but it's damn rude to do it in my presence. Now for the hills I say send men up there and wait for them to report back. During this time we better build fighting positions for our archers and pikemen.”

  “That seems as right as a hog in slop” Tanner replied.

  “Well let's bring all this to the Queen” Galero replied as he turned away. When the party approached the Queen’s wagon Tanner could see she was already out staring at the same thing they were. A cry went up from the back of the army as men started running forwards. Tanner could see nothing but dust on the horizon and knew what it meant, they were trapped.

  “Bring me my armor” Tanner said bluntly to no one in particular. “Your Majesty things are about to get nasty, if you have armor put it on and change out of those clothes and disguise yourself as a common soldier. I’ll make sure I am the focus of whatever is to come.”

  “You’re insane” Galero said as he looked at the growing dust cloud. “We are trapped, throwing yourself at them wouldn’t do much no matter how many you kill. They will get to us in the end, what we need to do is form up this army and move the catapults in position, one to the front and one to the back.”

  “You do that Galero” Tanner replied. “Your best warriors that we talked about previously, if any of them have courage send them to me. Surviving this will be difficult but I aim to shove my sword up all of their asses. I need good men next to me to do so.”

  “Our best warriors need to protect the Queen!” Galero bellowed.

  “You think that after tricking you like a couple of kids barely off the teat that these knobbers ain't going to notice a woman being protected by a bunch of hardened men and not think that she is someone important?” Tanner asked.

  “Whatever we are going to do it needs to be done immediately” General Kasing said breaking in. “I am going to get the perimeter set up, put the catapults in their place and get the men ready for a fight on all sides. You decide the best way to keep her Majesty safe.”

  Galero eyed Tanner then looked at the Queen’s carriage driver and nodded. Four soldiers appeared from the ranks around them. It was easy for Tanner to pick out the mages from the wielders once Tanner used his power. Someone had brought Tanner the armor and weapons he had been using as Galero started handing out orders to the Queen’s mages. As Tanner had help putting on the armor the Queen had already changed into nondescript clothing and was about to leave when Tanner called for them to wait.

  “I need paper and wax” Tanner said to the mage known as Dalane. Dalane was the first mage he attacked when he had met the Queen not too many days ago. “I am going to give you all passage into Tox, don’t be drinking up all my ale if you get there. Those folks of mine will make sure you are done up right.”

  Tanner wrote out his note and stamped it shut with wax and a seal from his signet ring. Everything was in place as a lone rider came riding towards the army from the incoming horde. The Queen waited to see what was to be done as Tanner along with the two wielders and their support mages followed him out to meet this rider. The rider’s horse was foaming, that Tanner could see as the man rode up, his lips cracked and dusty. Tanner noticed across his chest the symbol of King Golden on his tunic and immediately drooped his weapon and pulled the man off the horse.

  “Get this horse some water and a brush down before this things bites it” Tanner said as he carried the messenger in his arms like a babe. “The people behind you, are they Ketians?” The man nodded as Tanner carried him, too tired to even speak. Tanner carried the man into the camp and immediately sat him down under the shade of a wagon and took a nearby soldier’s water and had him drink. Galero came over with the Queen’s primary advisor and Perry to look at the newcomer.

  “This is a king’s man,” Perry replied. “That must be the king’s army, finally I can command real fighters.”

  “They won’t be in any shape to fight right away” the Queen's advisor who Tanner now knew was named Farlane replied. “This one is not that far away from the rest so all of them must have been riding hard. Either way it is a lot better than having more separatists on us, I must tell the Queen, she will be overjoyed.”

  Tanner watched as the army had gotten closer, General Kasing still lined up the Quetian royalist army as he said he would. To Tanner’s surprise as the army got closer he could see it was Edmonson leading the way. It had to take him at least three days to reach Tox, another two to gather everything needed then with the whole of Tanner’s fighting force it would take at least a week with all the gear they had to even make it back to the estate. Tanner noticed all of them had
horses, there were no infantry so this must just be an advanced force meant to bolster Tanner and the Duke’s son. As Tanner saw Edmonson jump off his horse the look in his eyes said a lot as he drew his staff and walked angrily over.

  “Where is my wife” Edmonson said as he looked around.

  “Show a little respect, you are in presence of Quetian royalty, mage” Perry said as Tanner watched Edmonson raise his staff and was going to blow the mage away.

  “She is back on her way to Ket Jinx flinger” Tanner said as Edmonson lowered his staff. “The Queen released her this morning, I am surprised you did not see her on the way here.”

  “You were about to make a huge mistake, I don't care who you are married to.” Perry replied as he took his hand off the hilt of his sword. “Striking a noble, the rules are very clear in this matter.”

  “I hate when your boyfriend is not around” Tanner began. “It leaves your mouth free to speak instead of doing the other things he has you doing to keep you silent.”

  “Have your laugh Tox” Perry said dismissively. “We both know what happened the last time we fought.”

  “That was a duel little man” Tanner said laughing. “Right now I am in full armor and your little pig sticker would do nothing while my axe would cut you down like a sapling. You are in war now and your daddy doesn’t scare me. I should stand aside and let the Royal High Mage reduce you to cinders.”