Dragonlance 15 - Dragons Of A Fallen Sun (21 page)

respectable. Under Bight's protection and encouragement, good

and honest merchants moved into the city. Both the Solamnic

Knights and the Knights of Neraka approached Bight, each side

offering to move into Sanction and provide protection from the

other.

Bight trusted neither side, refused to allow either to enter.

Angry, the Knights of Neraka argued that Sanction was part of

the land given to them by the Council in return for their service

during the Chaos War. The Knights of Solamnia continued to try

to negotiate with Bight, who continued to refuse all their offers

of aid.

Meanwhile the Dark Knights, now calling themselves Knights

of Neraka, were growing in strength, in wealth, and in power-

for it was they who collected the tribute due the dragons. They

watched Sanction as the cat watches the mouse hole. The Knights

of Neraka had long coveted the port that woulq allow them a

base of operations from which they could sail forth and gain a

firm hold on all the lands surrounding New Sea. Seeing that the

mice were busy biting and clawing each other, the cat pounced.

The Knights of Neraka laid siege to Sanction. They expected

the siege to be a long one. As soon as the Dark Knights attacked

the city, its fractured elements would unite in its defense. The

Knights were patient, however. They could not starve the city

into submission; blockade runners continued to bring supplies

into Sanction. But the Knights of Neraka could shut down all

overland trade routes. Thus the Knights of Neraka effectively

strangled the merchants and brought Sanction's economy to ruin.

Pressured by the demands of the citizens, Hogan Bight had

agreed within the last year to permit the Solamnic Knights to

send in a force to bolster the city's flagging defenses. At first, the

Knights were welcomed as saviors. The people of Sanction ex-

pected the Knights would put an immediate end to the siege. The

Solamnics replied that they had to study the situation. After

months of watching the Knights study, the people again urged

the Solamnics to break the siege. The Knights replied that their

numbers were too few. They needed reinforcements.

Nightly the besiegers bombarded the city with boulders and

fiery bales of hay flung from catapults. The burning hay bales

started blazes, the boulders knocked holes in buildings. People

died, property was destroyed. No one could get a good night's

sleep. As the leadership of the Knights of Neraka had calcu-

lated, the excitement and fervor of Sanction's residents, which

had burned hot when first defending their city against the foe,

cooled as the siege dragged out month after month. They found

fault with the Solamnics, called them cowards. The Knights re-

torted that the citizens were hot-heads who would have them

all die for nothing. Hearing reports from their spies that the

unity was starting to crack, the Knights of Neraka began to

build up their forces for an all-out, major assault. Their leader-

ship waited only for a sign that the cracks had penetrated to the

enemy's heart.

A large valley known as Zhakar Valley lay to the east of Sanc-

tion. Early in the siege, the Knights of Neraka had gained control

of this valley and all of the passes that led from Sanction into the

valley. Hidden in the foothills of the Zhakar Mountains, the

valley was being used by the ~ghts as a staging area for their

armIes.

"The Zhakar Valley is our destination," Mina told her

Knights. But when asked why, what they would do there, she

would say nothing other than, "We are called."

Mina and her forces arrived at noon. The sun was high in a

cloudless sky, seeming to stare down upon all below with avid

expectation, an expectation that sucked up the wind, left the air

still and hot.

Mina brought her small command to a halt at the entrance to

the valley. Directly opposite them, across the valley, was a pass

known as Beckard's Cut. Through the cut, the Knights could see

the besieged city, see a small portion of the wall that surrounded

Sanction. Between the Knights and Sanction lay their own army.

Another city had sprung up in the valley, a city of tents and camp-

fires, wagons and draft animals, soldiers and camp followers.

Mina and her Knights had arrived at a propitious time, seem-

ingly. The camp of the Knights of Neraka rang with cheers. Trum-

pets blared, officers bellowed, companies formed on the road.

Already the lead forces were marching through the cut, heading

toward Sanction. Others were quickly following.

"Good," said Mina. "We are in time."

She galloped her horse down the steep road, her Knights

followed after. They heard in the trumpets the melody of the song

they had heard in their sleep. Hearts pounded, pulses quickened,

yet they had no idea why.

"Find out what is going on," Mina instructed Galdar.

The minotaur nabbed the first officer he could locate, ques-

tioned the man. Returning to Mina, the minotaur grinned and

rubbed his hands.

"The cursed Solamnics have left the city!" he reported. "The

wizard who runs Sanction has thrown the Solamnic Knights out

on their ears. Kicked them in the ass. Sent them packing. If you

look" -Galdar turned, pointed through Beckard' s Cut-"you can

see their ships, those little black dots on the horizon."

The Knights under Mina's command began to cheer. Mina

looked at the distant ships, but she did not smile. Foxfire stirred

restlessly, shook his mane and pawed the ground.

"You brought us here in good time, Mina," Galdar continued

with enthusiasm. "They are preparing to launch the final assault.

This day, we'll drink Sanction's blood. This night, we'll drink

Sanction ale!"

The men laughed. Mina said nothing, her expression indi-

cated neither elation nor joy. Her amber eyes roved the army

camp, seeking something and not finding what she wanted, ap-

parently, for a small frown line appeared between her brows. Her

lips pursed in displeasure. She continued her search and finally,

her expression cleared. She nodded to herself and patted Foxfire's

neck, calming him.

"Galdar, do you see that company of archers over there?"

Galdar looked, found them, indicated that he did.

"They do not wear the livery of the Knights of Neraka."

"They are a mercenary company," Galdar explained. "In our

pay, but they fight under their own officers."

"Excellent. Bring their commander to me."

"But, Mina, why-"

"Do as I have ordered, Galdar," said Mina.

Her Knights, gathered behind her, exchanged startled

glances, shrugging, wondering. Galdar was about to argue. He

was about to urge Mina to let him join in the final drive toward

victory instead of sending him off on some fool's errand. A jar-

ring, tingling sensation numbed his right arm, felt as if he'd

struck his "funny bone." For one terrifying moment, he could

not move his fingers. Nerves tingled and jangled. The feeling

went away in a moment, leaving him shaken. Probably nothing

more than a pinched nerve, but the tingling reminded him of

what he owed her. Galdar swallowed his arguments and de-

parted on his assignment.

He returned with the archer company's commander, an older

human, in his forties, with the inordinately strong arms of a

bowman. The mercenary officer's expression was sullen, hostile.

He would not have come at all, but it is difficult to say no to a

minotaur who towers over you head, shoulders, and horns and

who is insistent upon your coming.

Mina wore her helm with the visor raised. A wise move,

Galdar thought. The helm shadowed her youthful, girl's face,

kept it hidden.

"What are you orders, Talon Leader?" Mina asked. Her voice

resonated from within the visor, cold and hard as the metal.

The commander looked up at the Knight with a certain

amount of scorn, not the least intimidated.

"I'm no blasted 'talon leader,' Sir Knight," he said and he laid

a nasty, sarcastic emphasis on the word 'sir.' "I hold my rank as

captain of my own command, and we don't take orders from

your kind. Just money. We do whatever we damn well please."

"Speak politely to the talon leader," Galdar growled and gave

the officer a shove that staggered him.

The man wheeled, glowered, reached for his short sword.

Galdar grasped his own sword. His fellow soldiers drew their

blades with a ringing sound. Mina did not move.

"What are your orders, Captain?" she asked again.

Seeing he was outnumbered, the officer slid his sword back

into its sheath, his movement slow and deliberate, to show that

he was still defiant, just not stupid.

"To wait until the assault is launched and then to fire at the

guards on the walls. Sir," he said sulkily, adding in sullen tones,

"We'll be the last ones into the city, which means all the choice

pickings will already be gone."

Mina regarded him speculatively. "You have little respect for

the Knights of Neraka or our cause."

"What cause?" The office gave a brief, barking laugh. "To fill

your own coffers? That's all you care about. You and your foolish

visions." He spat on the ground.

"Yet you were once one of us, Captain Samuval. You were

once a Knight of Takhisis," Mina said. "You quit because the

cause for which you joined was gone. You quit because you no

longer believed."

The captain's eyes widened, his face muscles went slack.

"How did-" He shapped his mouth shut. "What if I was?" he

growled. "I didn't desert if that's what you're thinking. I bought

my way out. I have my papers-"

"lf you do not believe in our cause, why do you continue to

fight for us, Captain?" Mina asked.

Samuval snorted. "Oh, I believe in your cause now, all right"

he said with a leer. "I believe in money, same as the rest of you."

Mina sat her horse, who was still and calm beneath her hand,

and gazed through Beckard's Cut gazed at the city of Sanction.

Galdar had a sudden, strange impression that she could see

through the walls of the city, see through the armor of those de-

fending the city, see through their flesh and their bones to their

very hearts and minds, just as she had seen through him. Just as

she had seen through the captain.

"No one will enter Sanction this day, Captain SamuvaL" said

Mina softly. "The carrion birds will be the ones who find choice

pickings. The ships that you see sailing away are not filled with

Solamnic Knights. The troops that line their decks are in reality

straw dummies wearing the armor of Solamnics Knights. It is a

trap."

Galdar stared, aghast. He believed her. Believed as surely as if

he had seen inside the ships, seen inside the walls to the enemy

army hiding there, ready to spring.

"How do you know this?" the captain demanded.

"What if I gave you something to believe in, Captain Samu-

val?" she asked instead of answering. "What if I make you the

hero of this battle? Would you pledge your loyalty to me?" She

smiled slightly. "I have no money to offer you. I have only this

sure knowledge that I freely share with you-fight for me and on

this day you will come to know the one true god."

Captain Samuval gazed up at her in wordless astonishment.

He looked dazed, lightning-struck.

Mina held out her raw and bleeding hands, palms open. "You

are offered a choice, Captain Samuval. I hold death in one hand.

Glory in the other. Which will it be?"

Samuval scratched his beard. "You're a strange one, Talon

Leader. Not like any of your kind I've ever met before."

He looked back through Beckard's Cut.

"Rumor has spread among the men that the city is abandoned,"

Mina said. "They have heard it will open its gates in surrender.

They have become a mob. They run to their own destruction."

She spoke truly. Ignoring the shouts of the officers, who were

vainly endeavoring to maintain some semblance of order, the foot

soldiers had broken ranks. Galdar watched the army disintegrate,

become in an instant an undisciplined horde rampaging through

the cut. Eager for the kill, eager for spoils. Captain Samuval spat

again in disgust. His expression dark, he looked back at Mina.

"What would you have me do, Talon Leader?"

"Take your company of archers and post them on that ridge

there. Do you see it?" Mina pointed to a foothill overlooking

Beckard's Cut.

"I see it," he said, glancing over his shoulder. "And what do

we do once we're there?"

"My Knights and 1 will take up our positions there. Once ar-

rived, you will await my orders," Mina replied. "When 1 give

those orders, you will obey my commands without question."

She held out her hand, her blood-smeared hand. Was it the

hand that held death or the hand that held life? Galdar wondered.

Perhaps Captain Samuval wondered as well, for he hesitated

before he finally took her hand into his own. His hand was large,

callused from the bowstring, brown and grimy. Her hand was