Hawkmoon (The Hawkmoon Chronicles) (17 page)

                                                      In the Dead of Winter.

Morah stood at her window blowing to cool her soup as ice locked the world outside.  Two rangers had died in since the start of winter. The Queen  ordered that she  move her offices into the palace. She wondered if it would be any safer.

The Reivers were predictable. They prepared for war in the same way, invaded from the same direction, fought in the traditional manner.  No strategy, No guile. She did not like anything she  had learned  about the new Marshal..

Now that winter had come  no force would move until the spring.  The demise of an unpopular queen and the succession of a young woman attentive to the wellbeing of her people  was a cause of popular satisfaction. Most of the new laws would take years to have  effect.

Cremation had seen   a reduction in the number of revenant  attacks. With the expansion of cavalry, lawlessness in the country had abated. Dhampirs sent by the Noridin were hunting vampires from forest and woodland cave. Tracts of land uninhabitable from their predation were returned to human control…

In return for their services the Gypsies were rewarded with land grants.. The Queen  was seeking  to persuade them to change their routes from the north to the safety of the southern coast. While the young people were amenable the older generation felt bitter at the knowledge that the Wampyrhii would mock the Clans for their cowardice  

   With support from Silverlode and the return of their funds from the Free Cities they could begin reconstruction of the army. Orders had been placed for war materials but nothing would come until the ports were ice free.

With every day that passed  Morah became more  thankful for the snow that blanketed the country . The barons were biding their time. Certain meetings had taken place. She had sent letters detailing their  conversations and reminding them that, notwithstanding the Queen’s tolerance, a state of emergency  existed giving  her power to seize their lands and have them executed.The evening she sat in Dwarfdale’s parlour and listened to Mira’s plans she found herself wondering if the Queen  in waiting   had any appreciation of the forces she was about to  unleash.

In the months since her speech at the Royal Pavilion, clubs, associations, and  political parties had formed  in other kingdoms of the West.  Seminars were organized  in universities questioning the  right of monarchs to absolute power. 

  Foreign powers  were set against  Mira’s reforms and determined that they would not take root in their countries. Numidia  and Karpis were aggressive states with competent armies In Numidia and Karpis her  best agents were dead, in prison, or worse. The king of Numidia considered himself absolute ruler by divine right. Mira had turned what should have been allies into dangerous enemies.

It was late. The lamp was guttering low. Her eyes were bleary from reading. A knock came to her door. Melanon put his head in. “Pardon, director. You have visitors”

“Can’t it wait? I am about to retire.”

“They are from Witch’s Keep.”

Morah sighed, rubbing her eyes. “Show them in” The first was a young woman, shaking with cold. The other was Kerris.

“Matriarch, my secretary did not recognize you” she glared at Melanon who shrugged as he closed the door.

“Think nothing of it dear.”  They were exhausted, Kerris more than her companion.

“The Queen will be delighted to see  you”

“Might we ask for  some refreshment?. We have been riding since dawn”

Morah called the secretary and ordered food to be served in her private quarters. Servants were sent to bring their travelling gear..

The room was comfortable from a fire lit earlier.  The younger woman returned  with travel bags. She was introduced as Patrizia.

“Matriarch you and the sister will be my guests . Tomorrow we can see to quarters more suitable to your rank.”

“Thank you my dear, perhaps we might stay here? Formal chambers tend to be overlarge and uncomfortable.”

Kerris wanted to talk as soon as they were settled. Morah insisted they eat and warm themselves. Melanon served  hot drinks flavoured with honey, cream and cloves. He was rewarded with grateful smiles. Morah wanted her guest  asleep in as quick a time as possible. “Might I enquire the purpose of your visit?  I have no wish to seem peremptory, however if you can tell me  why you have come  I can arrange for a briefing in the morning .Matriarchs  do not ride a thousand miles in the Winter without  good reason.”

Kerris regarded  the director.  “You are kind. Journeys in the snow are hard even on young women..I will tell you what has brought me to a cold and draughty castle.”

She settled  in the armchair , a hand extended to the warmth of the fire. The  middle finger bore a single diamond.. It glittered in the light. It had a name that Morah could not remember. Every Matriarch took the ring on her accession. It was said to render the wearer invisible.

“Mira came into our care a broken woman. She lost a baby and a husband  for whom she had renounced a kingdom. Some thought she might join the order. I could never see that happening. She has a strong ethic of service. She believed that the duty of a Queen was to serve her people.

She discovered an item in our library; a book concealed in the covers of a  larger volume.  Written by Hattim al Jiddah it  proposed that a device created by the Elders  had produced unfortunate consequences both for them as a civilization and  for the Land itself. It led to the destruction of their civilization and its submergence in the ocean. The technology  built by the Elders was said  to enable passage to other worlds. al Jiddah proposed  that their experiments affected our sun and the inner planets..” She started coughing. The Matriarch was about to speak when it became worse, racking her as she fought to breathe. Patrizia brought her water....

“If it exists we have to find it before others get their hands on it. I want to discuss the matter with Hawkmoon.”

Morah sniffed. “He assassinates a reigning monarch without as much as a by your leave. I am undecided between decorating him or having him killed.”.

Kerris gave a wry smile. “Many have sought to end his existence. He continues while they are no more. On occasion he tends to be precipitate but he is seldom wrong”

The director was at her desk before dawn. Early as she was Melanon was up before her. He brought a light breakfast. Patrizia came  and sat by the fire.. Kerris was still sleeping. She had a fever. The doctor had seen her and recommended complete rest.

“I am grateful to you for persuading the Matriarch to retire. You seem to have more say with her than her sisters”

“I could hear her coughing during the night. Will she be fit to attend the conclave?.. I was reluctant to invite her given the time of year but I am glad she is here”

“She asked me to speak with you privately”.

“Have you broken your fast?”

“Not yet”

“We will retire to my rooms. Melanon will take a tray  to the Matriarch”

Patrizia finished her meal by the hearth . The journey  from the Keep had been difficult  with heat stones in the lining of their cloaks. Without them it would be unthinkable. 

They could hear her coughing from the next room.

“It might be better if she stayed in bed.  She is unwell and the Hall of Audience is cold at the best of times. It would be better no one knew she was in the city. I have sent word to the Queen . She will come in an hour.”

Morah poured  coffee. “I am a worrier. I worry about everything. I worry about known enemies. I worry about unknown enemies. The head of your order comes unannounced and, except for yourself, unaccompanied through one of the worst winters on record. She lies ill in my chambers. This is the risk she was prepared to take. She spoke of certain matters but something must have happened to bring her to the city at this time”

Patrizia sipped from her cup. “The Keep was  attacked. A number of people were killed. The Library was ransacked. They did not find what  they were looking for.Parras had   the  volume in  her cell completing last minute repairs before putting it on display.  The Queen had taken the Supplement  with her. They tortured several of our community one of whom survived long enough to tell us they were Shadows. Three of them.”  Patrizia drew her shawl tight .

“Imagine the power to get three of their kind  into  a fortress like ours. Every alarm should have gone off. No castle, or chapterhouse belonging to the order has ever been attacked  like this..”

Patrizia set her  cup to one side. “It appears that the enemy is taking the existence of these portals more seriously than we The nightmare is that they would find a means of invading another world. Imagine the havoc in a world that  did not know the Vampire and had not the skill to resist them?”

“It might be a boon to us. We might be rid of them.”

Patrizia leaned forward.“Director, with respect, you are not thinking clearly. If they invaded and subjugated a defenceless world what would be the consequences? They would have access to unlimited resources. We have been fighting them for centuries. We know our enemy. We have Dhampirii and the Gypsies. We have the Rangers and the Order of the Golden Dawn. If all else fails we have the Khanate and the threat of decimation. In spite of that we are barely surviving. The Land is infested with Vampirism. They keep their numbers low not because they fear us but because they risk internal war when their resources cannot support the population. If they reach a new world we will have to fight for it as hard as if it were our own. It is certain that once they have control there they will remember us here. Vampires have long memories.”

“What are you saying? We should build and equip an army to fight a war in a world that might or might not exist? Don’t you think we have enough to contend with?”

“Director, I am saying that you cannot pick your battles. They made two mistakes when they attacked the Keep. First, they failed. Second they revealed their interest. By spending so many resources they showed how seriously they take this. The Wampyrhii are vicious, they are not stupid. If they take this seriously so should we.”

Morah leant back in her chair.

“You are correct when you state that whatever they take seriously, we should but in all honesty I do not have resources for a problem that might never develop. If Hawkmoon were here I would give him the task. “

“The bridge was destroyed. They have gone downriver and are on the Plain of Tarsis. They are trying to get to Elfhome.”

She paused to organize her thoughts.With the bridge destroyed they would have a chance to  complete the reconstruction..

“Might I ask how you know that?”

“We have agents in the Reiver High  Command.  The destruction of the bridge has caused consternation There have been a number of executions including the guards that returned and the  officers  assigned them to guard the installation. The rest are in pursuit over Tarsis. “

Morah regarded the younger woman.”That should have been the first thing  out of your mouth. Why did you not mention it when we spoke last night.”

“It was remiss of me. “

“Might I enquire how you know? The bridge is a thousand miles from this city and almost twice that from Witch’s Keep. You say you have agents in place but so have I and I have heard nothing. From the moment  the bridge came down to when it reached their capital to the time it returned to the Keep would take almost three month. You have not told me everything”

“ Director, I cannot reveal any more than  what I have said. Suffice it to say, the bridge is down and you have at a year to prepare for invasion.”

“Will they try to rebuild it”

Patrizia raised her hands. “Who knows? The bridge was a chokepoint.  Their new Marshal is not a gambler. Our agents at the court of Tsubodai picked up on rumours that  the Confederacy had been warned that an attempt to move an army so close to their borders would be seen as a provocation and  a cause for war.”

“The Reivers would never attack the Empire. They would not be so foolish. Why would Tsubodai  send  a letter  like that?”

“Someone we know was at the court at the time.”

“Who”Patrizia said a name. “ Enoch is a busybody  but he may have performed a service on this occasion. There will be no attempt to rebuild that bridge.”

Morah rose to stand by  the window overlooking the courtyard. The main gate was locked.  “. All my efforts have failed.  It became  clear that they were  being supported by someone with resources and the brains to use them. They might have invaded next Summer but the man that gave us our Queen destroyed the shortest route. We have a chance, no more than that.”

                                                               The Bridge.

Light strokes brought them to a bend on the river. Waiting at the other side the fury resumed. Directly ahead lay a whirling pit of water...  Bekter heard voices, singing. Glancing aside a lithe form dipped underneath the boat.  .They were pushed to the walls  where water boiled only to be sucked into the maelstrom. In moments a rising wall of water blocked everthing from view. Overhead a circle of blue sky  shrunk as they were taken deeper.. Figures circled in the water column. Hands reached from the water, grasping the tiller. They felt a push and the boat started to rise. Emerging on top, with a last push  they shot forward .

   Hawkmoon signalled to Bekter, pointing to shallow water.  Beyond  was a narrow shale beach. It would hide them until  darkness.Tying on to a pointed rock Hawkmoon  took the spyglass...Except where engineers had braced it the bridge was as he remembered. Lives  were lost but few compared to the thousands who died  when it was first built .

Hawkmooon made  notes as he watched;  senior officer, troops in clean uniforms,  good discipline, weapons, new and  well cared for... Guards snapped to attention as an officer strode across .He stopped at the side to light a cigar. They found some apples in  the bottom of the boat and ate them as they waited.At dusk they untied the boat and  floated  to the bridge.  Approaching the span a door opened at the guardhouse . They flattened themselves as laughter came from above.

Lifting their craft  they hid  it at the base of a column.. Hawkmoon examined the footings.

“It must be where the force is resisted by the strength of the structure.” Bekter was puzzled“Surely you would place it where the structure cannot provide resistance”

Norry shook his head. “When I was a boy, we made fireworks   for  Soul’s Day. There was one boy who would hold one in his hand and dare us to light it.. His father was a blacksmith. One night he took the biggest we made. He never became a blacksmith”

Footsteps rattled above . The scent of tobacco reached them. A cigar butt landed on the gravel, tip glowing in the dark. . Bekter picked it up and took a lungful. He started to cough and Hawkmoon hissed at him. At first they thought he was leaving. Instead the Reiver began to climb down . Hawkmoon moved  to the river side of one column ,Bekter crouching by another. The air was clear with frost  giving light enough to  reveal a form as it  stepped onto the sand.. Something tinkled as it tipped the ladder; a sword or bladed weapon.....This would have to be done without a sound…  The Reiver  came near, sniffing. “Step out where I can see you.” He spoke in the common tongue a sign that he knew whoever was hiding was not part of his command..

Hawkmoon stood up. “Please, help me “

“Who are you? Come forward”

“ Please mister, we are fishermen, that’s all.  We was carried down, see.  … We lost the boat. “

“I know  about you. There was another”

“He drowned. We came too far. It was too late  when we tried to get out of the …”

The reiver turned slashing downward. Bekter caught the wrist his other hand reaching for  the throat. They stood for a moment locked in a battle of strength and will.  Bekter was strong but the Reiver  was taller and stood over him bearing down. He smiled at Bekter, his teeth a flash of white in the dark.

“Anytime you’re ready” Bekter grunted through jaws clamped with effort.  A  strip of rawhide came across the Reiver’s face.  The officer released a hand to scrabble for the rope. Bekter searched for the knife. Hawkmoon’s breath rasped in his throat.  Bekter was being forced down. For a brief time the Reiver was choking Bekter while simultaneously pulling the rope  from Hawkmoon.  In the half light Hawkmoon glimpsed the rope over the Reiver’s mouth.. Slacking it for a moment he coiled it on the throat and pulled. Blood seeped  through Hawkmoon’s fingers where the rawhide  cut.  Still the Reiver fought. Passing the cord into one hand Hawkmoon reached down , hand searching..  His legs buckled as a  rock  broke his skull. They dragged the corpse to the water and set it into the current.

“Big bastard, wasn’t he”  Bekter sat, gasping.

Hawkmoon started to gather the packs.” As soon as they miss him they are going to come looking”

“We can hide.”

“We couldn’t hide from one of them. We go up, get under cover and wait for tomorrow night.”

Dawn was  an  hour away; a line of lesser dark heralding  its arrival. They passed the guard house  and  the sound of snoring Further along sentries  loomed in the dark; a structure  outlined against the starlight..  There was a door, secured with a heavy lock. A draught of air made Bekter look on the other side, where it backed to the edge. Steps leading down. . He counted three; after that nothing but a straight drop. Sometime in the past a rockfall had torn the rest of it away.  Doubling a coil of rope   he looped it about a tree stump.  With his back to the river he stepped over the edge. The bridge loomed on his left.  In ten steps he could see underneath. It went back twenty feet to meet the base  . There was a space between the slab and the bridge... He could make out crevices, some large enough to sleep in without  rolling off. Bekter  made a warbling sound. Hawkmoon began to pull him up.

“There’s a place under the bridge where we can lay up. The guards can’t come down unless they use ropes. Untie that rope and let it down at  both sides. We have to take it with us”

“How are we to get back up?”

“We don’t. There is enough rope to get down to the river.”

They laid up listening to the commotion caused by the disappearance of their officer. Arguments broke out. Threats were exchanged, followed by blows. One Reiver, seemed to have taken command. He turned out the garrison.  The guards on the bridge were doubled, then doubled again . Bekter examined the underside, measuring sightlines.“There isn’t a chance in hell of making a shot from here..”

“Take this “ Hawkmoon handed over the battleaxe. If I can’t get out I don’t want it falling into the hands of a Reiver. If I make it I will meet you downriver.” Holding  the axe  as if it were a poisonous snake ,Bekter tied  over his shoulder and climbed over the side.Hawkmoon  finished the last of the food. He wrapped himself in his coat and went to sleep.The sun was  tipping the heights of the gorge when he woke..

Norry  stopped the little mine pony at the edge of the trees. To the north a line of mountains swept to Shaleen’s gate and the wild lands. “What you need is a means to set off the explosive in a way that allows you to leave the vicinity. I recommend a distance of two hundred and fifty paces.” He showed Hawkmoon a glass vial.” “This has two chambers. One contains the acid, the other is the catalyst. Break the glass at this end. Acid will start to eat its way to the powder. You will have fifteen minutes.”

The rock was pockmarked with cracks. Close to the underside was a  hole  the size of a watermelon. Hawkmoon poured  the chemicals until it was full.  Cracking the vial he  set it in the centre .Collecting loose rock he piled it until  it reached the base.. Moving  to the edge he started to climb down. A ledge took him around to where they had first landed. Bekter stepped out from the column... “You took your time”

The current tugged at the craft , speeding it away downstream. A breeze came from upriver,   sweeping the mist before it... A burst of moonlight shot through the overcast. Shouts came from the north bank .Bekter swore.“I knew our luck couldn’t last”They ducked low  to make the smallest target.  Fire arrows rose  arcing in their direction.. Hawkmoon started to row for the opposite side.“What are you doing, we can’t stop here.”

“They have war canoes. We can’t outrun them.” Bekter was  tying the  boat when  night turned to day. The sky lit with flames bright enough to reflect from the undersides of the  clouds..Parts of the bridge were falling  on the forest, on the sides of the gorge and in the river. From where they  watched they could see figures burning as they  jumped into the water. “By the gods.. That was worth waiting for” Bekter looked across. The canoes had turned, bows pointing upriver. They started to paddle back.

“Losing the bridge is a death sentence for them. They can try to hide in the forest and live as outlaws or run south where the rivermen will get them … Their only hope  is to catch us  and bring us back alive.. Bekter, we are about to be hunted like we have never been hunted”Hawkmoon opened the pack with the last of the powder and started to pour it into the water.“What are you doing”

“If we are captured, I don’t want it falling into their hands.  They will try to take us alive. My  advice, if it looks like you are about to be taken; kill yourself. We will be in the torture pits a long time even after we break, and we will break. At best we have a day and a night... Come tomorrow we have to be off this river . I hope you’re up to it  because you have to run like you never ran in your life”

“Don’t be concerned about me Hawkmoon. I have all the ereason I need ; a pack of murdering savages behind me and a pregnant wife  in front…. I have to tell you. After this I will be giving serious thought to retirement.”