Fire And Ice (Book 1) (77 page)

             
“I take it that you have some ideas?” she questioned.  She passed one tent where a man stood outside of it.  He had a dark, bushy beard and wore dirty leathers of brown.  He inclined his head to her.

             
“I was thinking that they could be placed in the trees that flank the field Roland was looking at.  They could use their skills best there,” he said as they turned left down an open aisle between camp sites.  “They could also be useful at night.”

             
She watched the faces of the men in the camps.  They were hard faces of men who knew what killing was about.  That they were here meant that they were ready to use the knowledge they possessed.  “Is this what you wanted to show me?”

             
“Part of it,” he stated and led her to another camp even more disorganized. 

             
Tents were set up every which way and to her surprise there were women among the men.  Some of those men had gray in their hair and others were too young to shave yet.  Most had long bows and full quivers nearby.  There were also rusty swords and axes present.  Instead of the hard faces of the previous camp these faces were a mix of wary innocence and nervous determination.

             
Her horse stopped when Martin’s did before a gathering crowd.  They watched her curiously, maybe not realizing who she was.  “Why are you here?”  She asked a skinny man with tuffs of hair sticking out of the sides of his head. 

             
“To fight,” he said simply.

             
“Soldiers aren’t the only ones who can fight.”  A woman stepped up to the front.  She was a large woman in a plain gray dress.  “We aren’t gonna roll over and let them take what’s ours.”  The people around and behind her voiced their agreement.

             
Katelyn was pleasantly surprised by the resolve shown by such plain folk.  They reminded her why she was fighting.  It was good to know that it was worth it.  She straightened in the  saddle to address them.  “I thank you for any help you can give.”  She had a sudden idea.  One that would give them some purpose and also keep them from the forefront of battle.  “Perhaps I could ask you to perform an important task.”

             
“What task?” the woman asked her first.

             
“Someone needs to hold this side of the river in case we need to fall back and regroup.  Also the wounded will need to be brought across for care.  And the healers protected.  Would some of you be willing to help?”

             
There were some approving comments.  “We can do that,” the woman said as if she spoke for them all.  Then she leaned forward.  “No offense, My Lady, but who are you?”

             
“That’s the Queen,” someone shouted and the woman and the others in front went white in the face and practically fell to their knees.

             
“Forgive me,” the woman begged.  “I am from Taragon and have not seen you before.  I meant no offense.  I swear.”

             
“It is all right,” she assured them all.  “I am the one who is grateful for your being here.  Please rise.”

             
They looked to each other, uncertain if she really meant it.  Slowly they started to stand.  “We will hold the bridge,” the skinny man promised and his words were echoed by the rest. 

             
“Thank you,” she told them honestly.  She turned her horse and shook the reins to take the lead until Martin caught up. 

             
She was not in the mood for speech right then.  She had asked people who had no experience in fighting to risk their lives.  Would she use anyone?  She had used Coran to get the North.  No, she couldn’t blame herself for that.  He would have gone no matter what she had said.   He was the only person who could get away with defying her.  She was never going to tell him that though.  It would not do to have him thinking he could get away with anything.

             
They returned to her tent where Martin left her, he took her horse with him sensing her mood.  She entered the square structure that was home for now.  Alys was talking with Devon on the cushions.  They both looked as she entered. 

             
“Finished with business for the day?”  Alys asked her.

             
“I think so,” she replied sounding a bit sad.

             
“What is the matter?” 

             
“Nothing.  I am just a little tense.”

             
“Hmm.  Maybe you could use a relaxing ride?” the brown haired girl suggested.

             
“That sounds like a good idea.”  Devon shrugged.  “A nice ride with nowhere important to go.”

             
It did sound good to get away from the camp for a time.  But...  “Martin would not approve, and I have just returned from a short ride.”

             
“Martin is not the Queen,” Alys stated matter of factly.  “But if you need a reason, how about inspecting the old bridge to the south?”

             
“You mean the rope one that only one or two can cross at a time?”

             
“It is a legitimate inspection.  How do you know what is there unless you see it firsthand.  It could be important later on.”  Alys was very convincing.

             
“All right.  I should go tell Martin just the same,” Katelyn decided.

              The road they followed south was little more than a worn track through the trees that was barely wide enough for two horses abreast.  The track ran parallel to the river which narrowed the further they went.  The trees were winter bare of leaves and the rolling landscape offered plenty of places to hide. 

             
Katelyn rode beside Alys with Martin and Devon in the lead.  Four Knights brought up the rear.  It was a simple ride to a seldom used bridge.  Because of the mild winter, birds were in abundance.  It was obvious by the amount of chirping.  

             
The road dipped and the land to either side rose as they passed through a large copse of trees.  Martin slowed and eventually stopped altogether.  Everyone heard the silence that descended on the forest.  The birds had gone silent.  The Commander surveyed the surroundings with a critical eye as the others exchanged worrisome glances.  

             
The men that appeared from behind trees surprised some of the horses.  Katelyn’s black remained calm and she patted its neck to keep it that way, for now.  The newcomers were all armored and had swords already drawn.  There were about twenty of them.  Too many for the six men with her.  From the side of the road another five men approached on horses and a burning torch was on their sur coats.  The one in the lead she knew. 

             
“What a pleasant surprise,” Lord Meneroe said with a wicked grin.  “It seems the question of my daughter’s loyalty has been answered.”

             
Katelyn looked to her friend with dawning horror.  “What is going on?  Alys?”  But Alys would not look at her.

             
“The taste of betrayal,” Meneroe said pleasantly.  “There is someone who will be very happy to see you, your Majesty.”

             
“And who would that be?” she said with scorn.

             
“Elthzidor.  He wants you dead, but if I bring you to him alive he will honor me above the others.”              

             
“You said you would not hurt her,” Alys protested from her saddle.

             
“And I will not.  Elthzidor, on the other hand, will do what he wants.”

             
Martin and Devon moved to draw their weapons.  “I would not do that,” Meneroe told them.  “Or the Queen dies first.”  He was close enough now to carry through on the threat.  They reluctantly let their hands drop to their sides.

             
“How could you do this?”  Katelyn nearly shrieked at her one time friend.

             
Alys still would not meet her eyes.

             
“She has already betrayed you once,” Meneroe stated and Alys slumped in her saddle.  “She told me where Coran was going.”

             
Katelyn fixed Alys with a look of pure hatred.  “I cared for you like a sister.”

             
“Enough!”  Meneroe ordered.   “You will drop your weapons and come with us.”

             
“Why Lord Meneroe?” she had to ask.  “Why do you do this?”

             
“Power,” he answered incredulously.  “What else is there?”

             
“And I suppose you were behind the attack on me after my crowning?”

             
“That was a bit premature, but yes.  Too bad that it failed.”  His smile infuriated her.

             
“You would kill the Queen you swore an oath to?”  She just could not believe that a Lord of the Plain could be so selfish.

             
“An oath to a woman is no oath at all.”

             
Katelyn shook her head sadly.  “You want to know what else there is besides power?” she asked the man who smiled so smugly.  “How about friendship, or love?”

             
“Foolishness,” Meneroe snickered.

             
“Really?”  She turned to Martin.  “I think we have heard enough, don’t you?”

              “Yes, Your Majesty.”              

             
“What is this?”  Meneroe asked in confusion.  The irritating smirk was gone.

             
Martin put two fingers in his mouth and blew.  There was a high pitched whistle that carried in the still air.  All around them men appeared in clothes of browns and greens.  They seemed to rise right out of the earth.  In less than a minute each of Meneroe’s men were covered by swords from at least two of the woodsmen. 

             
Katelyn allowed herself a brief, triumphant smile.  Meneroe was decidedly less than happy himself.  His scowl was very satisfying.  “You said something about betrayal?”

             
“Where did they come from?” he said in surprise.  “I had the road watched.”

             
“For men in armor maybe, but not for woodsmen from Anders, or hunters from Tyelin.”

             
Meneroe was staring at his daughter as he realized the full implications of what had happened.  “You have betrayed your family.  You will pay for this.”

             
“I think it is you who will be paying,” Katelyn told him.  “If you think to frighten her again I do not recommend it.  Oh, you did scare her that first time at Summerhall.  It took her a whole day to decide to come and tell me everything.  I expected you to go to her again.  Then you approached her about Coran.  I knew that would not be the last time, so when you came to her in our tent I just could not pass up the opportunity.”

             
“Coran?”  Meneroe asked in confusion.  Things were not going the way he had expected at all.

             
“No, he did not go to Grendin,” she said and watched the despair grow on his features.

             
“Your Majesty,” Martin spoke up.  “I believe first things first.”  He raised his voice.  “Order your men to drop their weapons.”

             
Lord Meneroe remained silent.  His eyes went this way and that to assess the situation.  His men knew they were surrounded and flung their weapons to the ground.               “Father?” one of the horsemen said from beside Meneroe.

             
The decision was taken from him as brown garbed woodsmen grabbed his sword arm and wrestled the man to the ground.  They grabbed the four men who tried to remain mounted as well.  In a few moments Meneroe and all his men had their hands tied behind their backs and were in the dirt, kneeling before the Queen.

              “Lord Meneroe,” Martin began formally.  “I hereby charge you with treason.”  He turned his head to Katelyn  “The penalty is death.”             

             
She knew the penalty and how it was to be inforced.  Not that Soros’ proscribed punishment had been used more than twice.  It applied only to the leaders of any treasonous acts.  The guilty would be tied spread eagle onto a wagon wheel.  Their arms and legs would be broken and then...Well it was not pleasant.  Fortunately she did not have to be so brutal.  The question that ran through her mind was what to do with the others.  The four men had to be his sons, Alys’ brothers.  They did what their Lord Father told them to do, but still they were directly involved by being here.  The guards were a different matter since they had little choice in any decisions.

             
“Your Majesty?” one of the bound men, a guard called to her.  “We only did what we were ordered to do.”  Some of the others added their agreement.