Wollfen was right, the nation as a whole had become decadent and self interested in these soft times. While this coming war would probably galvanize the people to some sense of unity and patriotism, she could see it slipping away just as quickly again once it was over. So what were they defending? What were they fighting for? It troubled Dark having those thoughts, it was stuff Wollfen had taught her. Looking across at Vaughn and Justin, she wondered if their simple lives would ever be different once the adventures were over. She got up and padded over to Keera who was on watch. Sitting next to her she contemplated what she might say to this young girl.
“
Can’t sleep?” Dark shook her head,
“
Bloody blanket stinks of man sweat and I can’t stand it, anyhow I can’t stop thinking.”
Keera nodded in agreement. She too had been lost in her thoughts over the last hour wondering about their fate and whether they would be able to get Wollfen back. Things were looking rather bad.
“
Do you suppose we will manage to find a way out of all this?”
Dark didn’t have an answer and just shrugged her shoulders,
“
All we can do for now is hope something presents itself and gives us a sign of what we should do.”
Keera sighed loudly, affirmative action was tough when you had nothing. Dawn was starting to break. Keera looked at Dark, it was time to move and continue onto Port Valderus.
Keera got up and went over, kicked each of the men’s feet and awoke them. They dragged themselves up, yawning and stretching. Justin commented,
“
These blankets stink.”
Having packed, they mounted their horses and started off on their journey each of them chewing some beef jerky that Dark had handed out. Another day’s ride and they would be close. Dark wriggled about trying to get comfortable but the more she wiggled the more uncomfortable she got. It was starting to piss her off. Saddle sore, tired and stiff what else could they ask for? During the day clouds gathered and became ominous, but held back. That was one small mercy, but it didn’t last too long.
That afternoon after they had eaten some more out of their saddlebags it started to drizzle. It wasn’t heavy at all but eventually they became soaked anyway. If their spirits were down before, they were positively miserable now. They itched in their boots, armpits and their crotches and they were becoming testy.
“
Watch where you are riding you keep running into my leg!” One would snap,
“
Give it a rest, I have been listening to you moan and bitch all afternoon.”
Dark listened on and remained silent. She was also getting tired of all the gripes. Eventually the drizzle let up, but they weren’t going to get the pleasure of any sunshine, it was too late in the day. The air was getting cooler and a breeze had picked up, it was getting rather chilly.
Evening set in without any sign of the Port. Dark had really hoped they would get there before night set in. They continued on hoping with every turn there might be something but this road was empty. No taverns yet so they still weren’t close enough to the town. Dark decided it was time to pull up,
“
Let’s make camp, we aren’t going to get there tonight,” she turned to Vaughn, “You take first watch, then Keera, after that Justin and then me alright?”
Vaughn nodded quietly at Dark as she pulled the smelly blanket off the horse kicked her boots off, more or less fell down and was asleep.
The next morning Dark awoke and saw everyone else up. Her throat was sore and her joints aching. She was coming down with something and she saw Vaughn coughing too. Dark felt miserable but they needed to go on. Getting up she instructed the others to get ready. She grabbed the blanket, slapped it together and tied it to the back of the horse. Then lifting her boots she sighed and stuck them in her saddlebag. Too much effort, she would put them on when she needed to. She lifted herself into the saddle, which was an effort in itself and motioned for them to move out. She was pushing herself but they needed to go on, sick or not, things needed doing.
Another two hours ride saw them approach a rise and as they crested the ridge they saw it. A few miles distant and standing isolated, Port Valderus sat on the edge of the coast like a beached whale, long and narrow. It’s protective wall wasn’t anything like Cholandra and it was only a town really, three long jetties jutted out into the bay with maybe eight small boats tied up. They could see a fleet of fishing vessels at work sailing out to the far reaches of the bay and back. Of the eight boats tied up, only three looked big enough to handle the ocean.
They spent a few minutes looking down at the panorama of the view. Sand hills receded from the beach covered in low-lying grasses, the surf like white tendrils closing into the shore. Dark signaled to the others and led the way, moving down the hill and towards the beach. The horses too could sense their journey was nearing an end and they picked up their pace. Once on the beach it was an easy trot along the firm part of the sand near the waters edge.
There were guards posted at the entrance to the town. As they approached one of them got up from his bench and raised his hand.
“
What be your business travelers?”
Dark moved forward and addressed him.
“
We have come from the occupied city of Port Cholandra with grave news. We wish to enter your city and seek counsel with the head of the town.”
Port Cholandra? They knew that the city was occupied by troops of some description and that it had been shut off. The gate guard sent another off to get the officer of the watch.
Sergeant Burkhard came out of his small outhouse near the gate and approached the strangers.
“
You say you are from Port Cholandra?” Dark nodded in the affirmative.
Feeling sick and her throat sore, she didn’t feel up to speaking too much.
“
Then you are aware of the goings on in the city?”
Again Dark nodded but this time added,
“
Not only are we aware of what is happening there, but also in the outlands and their plans. We can also speak of their troop strength and where they are from.”
“
If what you say is true them I am sure Lord Raz will be very interested in meeting you, allow my men to escort you there.”
The Sergeant waved at some men and they came forward ostensibly as a shadow guard for the four. A Corporal walked out front and they moved through the gates and into town. It was a simple place with sandy streets and low buildings mostly. It was certainly far smaller than Cholandra and Dark could see why the troops of Isogorr hadn’t bothered with it. There just wasn’t anything here of value, materially or strategically.
They approached a building larger than most and with wide doors, one of which was wide open, the corporal motioned for them to stop. Then he went inside, Dark could hear some words spoken and then the corporal came back out. He looked to Dark and informed her of the Lord’s acceptance,
“
You may go in, the Lord will see you immediately.”
The corporal moved off and they were left at the entrance. Dark strode forward and into the room. Before her was a large open area and towards the far wall a very large desk. It could have had banquets held on it. She continued forward towards a figure there. She could see, sitting behind it, a large man portly but sun bronzed by many years outside. As she regarded him, Raz was looking her up and down and the rest of her group too.
“
I understand you have ridden from Port Cholandra?”
“
That is correct your Lord.”
“
May I ask your names?”
“
My name is Dark Bruadar of the nightclan Berengah. This here is Keera, her partner Justin and that is Vaughn.”
Raz was surprised to see her. From what he had heard all the nightclans had been wiped out.
“
You are from the nightclans of the northern snowlands? That is interesting, I had heard the wild tribes were wiped out by the orcs.” Dark nodded,
“
That is so, I was one of the few survivors that moved west to seek refuge, but I am now a temperate woman who calls Wollfen her partner and it is for he that I seek your counsel.”
Raz nodded in return,
“
I would like you to tell me what is happening with our brothers up north, we have not been able to get word at all of the goings on within those walls.”
“
May I?” Dark motioned towards a chair off to one side a little, “I have a wealth of information that you will want to know.”
Dark began to explain from the time they had seen the burning villages, the sending out of a messenger to the King, the clash with a troop of men then the infiltration of Port Cholandra and seeing the enslavement of many of the city. She also spoke of the capture of Wollfen, the great interest they were showing in him and of their escape under unusual circumstances, the last part made Raz chuckle.
Raz sat there deep in thought, so many things churning over in his head. These four before him had quite an adventure this past week. He missed that. For so many years he had been a sea captain plying the trade routes of not only this ocean, but many oceans that most here didn’t even know existed. Fighting pirates, struggling though mighty storms and even surviving the occasional sinking. Yes he had had a full life and sitting here now having become leader of this town by popular demand, he had been dealing with the daily grind of the administrative and state needs for the last five years. It had become a kind of death and he hadn’t even been aware till now. He did have his pet project, but he wouldn’t tell these people of that right now. Raz finally spoke having sat there for a few minutes thinking.
“
You know just over two days ago there was a great fire that left much of the wharves burnt out in Cholandra. I’m thinking it could be a couple of months before they recover from that. I only heard of this from a fishing vessel that arrived back last night from a spy patrol up the coast.”
Dark’s eyes widened,
“
The fire we started?” Raz nodded.
“
It would seem mostly likely yes. You have done well for only four people.” Dark felt quite pleased at that information. “I know of these Isogorreans. Many years ago I sailed a ship into their port across the ocean a couple of times and also spent a few months there. It is a hot harsh country where the rights of men do not exist. The people know nothing but hard work and the taste of the whip and sometimes the blade. The sorcs are entwined in the power of the throne there and it is a very big country. I am afraid that they are more than the Kingdom can handle. That’s a pity, I actually like it here and if they have plans of conquering this land then there isn't going to be much stop them. I know you have an emissary as mentioned probably talking to the King right now, but I know this administration and it will take them a long time to act. In fact too long.”
Dark had to admit that he was right. there was no stopping a well trained and well supplied force from marching on the capitol city of Kassandrea. Then a thought occurred to her,
“
How long do you think we would need to delay the enemy forces to get us to winter?” Raz thought about this.
“
Are you seriously suggesting we take on the might of the Isogorrean army stationed at Port Cholandra?”
Dark thought some more, that of course was a ridiculous proposition, but surely there was something they could do. Raz went on,
“
Wait, wait, wait. What makes you think that we here in this town are going to do anything?”
Dark looked at him, she needed allies and she needed them now, no matter who they were.
“
Lord Raz, we are only two days ride from a major enemy army and while they have left you alone for now, what guarantees are there they won’t come here to take what little you have to feed their war machine?”
“
And if we carry on any aggressive moves against them then we will be only accelerating the inevitable then wouldn’t we?” Raz countered.
Damn, she hadn’t thought of that but Dark went on,
“
We need to do something Lord Raz, we just can’t sit here while the enemy grows in strength and we watch as the rest of the country falls. They will eventually come here, think about that.”
Raz knew she was right, but there were families here, women and children all who deserved a safe life. Then again, the Isogorreans had wiped the outlands of all people. That may be an inevitable result here from just sitting and doing nothing. He came to a fateful decision, it was time to mobilize what they had and go to the defense of their lands.
“
I think that I have something of real value to add to this conflict. We should be able to harass their supply lines extending across the ocean with a few Man O Wars.”
Dark looked at him, turned and looked out the door, those three boats moored at the jetty? They weren’t anything more than ocean going fishing craft with no real combat capability, even she could see that. Raz looked on with a little smile, he had an ace up his sleeve and he was enjoying the perplexed looks on the faces of these four. Oh how he liked to intrigue, but it was time to let them in on his little secret. Dark looked back at him, lifting and turning up her hands with a questioning look. Raz leaned forward,