Hawkmoon (The Hawkmoon Chronicles) (10 page)

                                                  The House on Willow Lane 

The next place was a small town, defended by armed men with axes and rusty swords. Someone with a tactical mind had organized the construction of a wall of sharpened stakes.

Hawkmoon stopped the wagon before the stockade.  A team of workmen were driving sharp stakes. “Where’s Bekter?”

“Who wants to know?” A burly woodsman shouldered his way through the group and stood in front . He carried a woodman’s  axe.

“O it’s you”. They recognized each other.  Weeks before Shem had gone to the tavern.  After drinking his wages he was out of funds to visit  the Gypsy woman at her camp down by the river. Frustration and drink made him  combative… Hawkmoon was in the back with a plate of  stew when  Shem lumbered over.

“We don’t have time for strangers here”.

Hawkmoon ignored him. “I said , we don’t have time for the likes of you.. Sticking a grimy finger into the stew he sucked appreciatively. Someone sniggered. Hawkmoon pushed away the plate and  reached inside his shirt. Taking it as an excuse  Shem  lashed out .  Hawkmoon swayed to one side as  the fist went  by . Shem’s head exploded as something struck him from behind.

Bekter stood over the woodsman, a club in his right hand, an apple pie in his left. . A growl of anger came from his friends. They quietened when the Innkeeper  glared at them.

“Still making friends, I see” .He placed the pie before Hawkmoon  who lit a cheroot. Two of his friends took the woodsman outside.

The next morning Bekter called to see the woodsman. Shem sat on his stoop nursing a sore head.  Between the drink, the wallop from the innkeeper and his wife screaming at him all morning his head was the size of a melon.

“Was it you that hit me?”

“You don’t have to thank me”

“Who is he?”

“You don’t need to know . He gave me this for you.”

Shem took a small leather pouch. It held ten silvers.

“What’s this?”

“He wants you to stay home today. Don’t come looking for him. Alone or with your friends…”

“I knew he was a coward”

Bekter sighed. “That is not money for his life. It’s for yours. He does not want to kill you. We talked after you were taken away. I told him about you. That you are a bit of a blowhard but steady enough when sober. He has some repairs to do on the wagon and then he’s gone. You sit here and you will be ten silvers better off”

“I want satisfaction”

Bekter spat a wad of tobacco. “You are too stupid to live…. Listen to me. I know this man. We used to be in the same trade. I was a soldier and   good at it, but he is different. He has never been bested, with weapons or without. One way or another he always finds a way to win. You can’t stand against him and live. Leave him alone”

Shem took Hawkmoon to a warehouse on Willow Lane. Bekter was standing by the door talking to a group of drovers. Hawkmoon nodded his thanks.

“Here”. Shem held out a pouch. It held the money. The woodsman left

Bekter looked at Hawkmoon “You haven’t been gone long enough to get to the Keep so I take it something   brought you back”

Arrangements were made to bring  a doctor for Norry. Except for his head he had no serious injuries.. He would recover or not. There was nothing to do but wait.. Bekters’ wife was a tall  redhead who stood a head above her husband She had put on weight over the years which gave her a matronly air. She disliked the Ranger and worried for her husband whenever he came around. Reba and Mira were bustled to an upper room where hot baths and fresh clothes awaited.

Hawkmoon sat with Bekter  by a blazing  hearth. The afternoon had brought the first of the autumn gales. Bekter put  a log onto the fire. They sat, enjoying the comfort of an old and tested friendship.

“I am thinking of leaving this place”.

Hawkmoon put down his pitcher. He told Bekter of the Daywalkers and the Shadow...

“How odd that the very weapon that would kill one of those would fall into your path only days before”.

“I was lucky”

Bekter looked at him from across the hearth.
You have an unnatural amount of luck Hawkmoon.

“May I see it?”

Hawkmoon passed him the blade.

The hilt was covered in runic lines, traced in copper wire to help the grip. It had a ruby inset. A burst of heat made him drop the blade, It struck the floor point down , burying itself  in a flagstone. Bekter  reached for it but it would not yield. Hawkmoon put his hand to the hilt and it slipped from the floor.A serving girl brought food and  drink.

“I want to leave the girl here under your protection”.

“I can do that but  the way things are now I am not sure how safe she will be. We are leaving in a few weeks”

“Is it that bad?”

Bekter shrugged.” After you left, the town was attacked by Daywalkers, maybe the same crowd you ran into. No one knows where they came from. We are isolated here and we thought we were safe. The worst of it was that some of them were local people. Nothing like that happened before.

I can understand why Shula doesn’t like to see you. Trouble follows you Hawkmoon” They sat, quiet, as the fire took hold. Flames leaped with the draught of air  rushing up the chimney It was dark outside.  Wind moaned at the eaves... A standing clock struck the hour. The voices of womenfolk came from above.

“Maybe I follow trouble?”

“Well you better stop following it or one of these days it will turn around and bite you”.

“How is business?”

“I couldn’t give the place away. It was good when we came here after the Cormalin War. The King had patrols on every road and Dhampirs to take care of the odd bloodsucker… If I had known there was a Shadow lurking I would have left weeks ago.

Out here on the edge I hear things.  The Reivers are starving. I have it on good authority that they will send an army  half a million” Hawkmoon stared at his friend.

“They want all the Kingdoms of the West. They will start with the Dasatii Their new Marshal is brilliant. He has convinced the other kingdoms  to stay neutral. If they stay out of it he won’t attack them. They believe him..”

Hawkmoon  sipped the last of the ale. “You should pick a destination other than the Royal City. It might not be the safest place in times to come”.

“I would but Shula has family there.

Hawkmoon took a notebook from his breast pocket. Writing in it he tore a page and handed it to his friend.” Go to this address and give my name. You will be helped.

Bekter folded the note. “Why?”

He shrugged “You won’t be able to sell any assets…. Not at a decent price”

“Why would you do this?”

“I have few friends”

“Hawkmoon you don’t have any  friends, at least, none that survived”

“You did”.

“ You pulled me out of a pile of corpses and had me throWn out of the army. Speaking of friends what about those that came with you? “

Hawkmoon reached for the pitcher .Bekter shouted and a servant appeared. The thumb and first  finger of his right hand were missing. Bekter ordered more ale  and a cold platter.

“Find out what the women are up to”

The servant bowed and hurried off.

“He looks familiar”.

“Reeves, he won the Seaver Cup two years running.  Someone didn’t want him to win a third so one night they waylaid him in a back alley and took his fingers.  They should have taken all of them. He is almost as good with the left as he was with the right ….Showed up here last winter with his wife and kids. I gave him a job. He is useful to have around. Keeps an eye on things when I am away. He wants to stay and keep the place running when we leave.   I asked the women  up at the Keep to keep an eye on him …. You didn’t answer my question”

“I was sent to find a half man. The plan was to go to the Keep and ask the Matriarch”

“A bird couldn’t fart in the woods without those women  knowing about it. I heard a rumour about one of the wee men running about the forest with a price on his head. …The girl is royalty. Trouble follows them like bees to sugar.”

“There would be an army after him if they knew his value. He  made an ointment  that saved her life. Before the Daywalkers came he coated the bolts with the same paste.It was effective whatever was in it. He got between her and a Shadow. Combat  hardened veterans have fallen  to  Shadows but the half man  survives, ... “Hawkmoon shook his head “I am caught up in a web, worse than anything I have ever  known.”

“Someday you will have a small problem and I will die of shock .He is a handy little fellow to have around. What about the woman?”

“I have a feeling about her... You know what happens when I get those feelings”

“People die… Do yourself a favour Hawkmoon, get her to the city and have done with her”. Laughter came from the stairs. Mira entered accompanied by Reba. They were wearing new costumesand made a glamourous pair. Shula stood beside them.

“My lady, have you eaten”  Bekter enquired getting to his feet..

“Thank you Master Taverner, we have had food brought to us. Your good wife has been most kind” Mira smiled at Shula who beamed. Hawkmoon stood to give his seat to the princess. As she  walked past him she touched him lightly on the shoulder.. Bekter invited Reba to his chair and went to bring another for his wife.

“Are you leaving us?”

“Your pardon my lady, I have to show Hawkmoon our defences”

“Very well, carry on”

As they stepped out into the street Bekter turned to Hawkmoon..

“Being told to carry on in my own house. Some things never change”

Hawkmoon chuckled.

They made their way to the graveyard by the light of torches .Inside the entrance was a stack of logs and straw. Women stood near , crying. A shout brought them to the side of an open grave. It was a man, perfectly preserved. As they looked his eyes opened. An axe  took his head.

“Burn every corpse, regardless of age”. A cry drew them to another grave . It was empty.

“Send groups of men through the town. Find it”

Hawkmoon started to run. “Where are you going?” Bekter called.

“Back to the Inn”

Bekter grabbed an axe and followed.

The tavern was in uproar. Lights were on with people running  in and out. Bekter stopped a servant. The man was pale...”A vampire… he tried to get in”.

“Is anyone hurt?”

“He walked past me……”

Bekter slapped him. “Answer me”

“Reeves, Reeves stopped it. I think he’s dead”.

Hawkmoon ran at the front door. The place stank of rot and burning flesh. Shula was on the flagstones in Mira’s arms. Something crawled towards them. Bekter brought the axe down. It passed through the neck striking the flagstone in a shower of sparks. The head rolled to the fireplace, blinking. Reeves was crumpled in a corner.

“What happened?”

Reba stood to one side. “Reeves brought us food. Then it was there. It caught Reeves and threw him  against the wall . It moved towards Mira. Shula pulled a faggot from the hearth . She hit it and it went on fire. But it would not stop. It lashed out at Shula . Reeves came  from behind and hit it with a chair. It backhanded him, then it fell.”

“It attacked Mira”

“It was trying to get to her. Shula would not let it pass.”

Bekter was holding his wife. It was the first time Hawkmoon had ever seen his friend cry.

In the morning everyone was sombre. People were talking  of moving  but the truth was most could not afford to leave. The mood lightened when Shula  appeared, insisting on seeing to her guests. Reeves was in his quarters being cared for by his family.

Reba  stood by the wagon as  Hawkmoon came out...She glared at him... Earlier she had informed the Ranger   that she had no interest in going to Oran, that it was her grandfather’s plan to travel to Oran, that she had no wish to travel to Oran, now, or at any time in the future...

The horses were fed, watered and tackled.  Wheels had been repaired, the axles freshly greased. Norry had been deposited in the caravan. Mira was inside saying her farewells. Shula gave her a pitcher of cream, flavoured with alcohol and honey.

“I made it myself”

“Are you coming to the city? “Mira enquired, sipping appreciatively.

“I don’t know, my Lady… I want to. If it were not for the children he would never come home.” They embraced and walked out arm in arm. “You take care of her, Hawkmoon, or you’ll have me to deal with”Shula scolded.

“I will do my best, mother”.

“Do more than your best, tinker, this one is precious…”  Mira climbed up beside him, taking the reins. Reba tied the spare mounts to the rear.  She walked to the side and handed a packet to Hawkmoon. His favourite cheroots. Hawkmoon took her hand and kissed it.

“If I were ten years younger, I’d marry you myself” Reba  blushed.