Sheepfarmer's Dauther

Chapter Twenty-seven

For some days of the journey away from Sibili, Paks rode in the wagons, unable to stand without help. Between the pain in her head, the rain, and the swaying and lurching of the wagons, she was miserable enough not to regret having missed the sack of Sibili. From Volya, who came every evening to check on her, she learned some of what she’d forgotten: which night they’d assaulted the wall, which day the paladin had repelled a black cloud near them, which day the citadel had been taken. Volya’s tale was incredible—it didn’t seem possible that she could have forgotten such fighting, just from a knock on the head. She worried at her mind, trying to force the memories to return, but nothing worked. She had fought beside a paladin—he had come later and tried to heal her—and she could not remember.

Volya’s reports of the city’s sack were almost as strange, but not as disturbing; it bothered Paks less to have missed something completely than to have been there and forgotten. Volya told of rich treasure in the palace:

“Gold,” she said. “I never imagined so much. Even a gold mirror. And most of the rooms had pictures on the floor, made of little bits of rock laid in patterns: all colors. And in one room, the walls and floor were all white stone, carved in patterns of vines and leaves. When the light came in the window, it glowed. We just stood and stared; it was wonderful. But underneath—” Volya paused, and went on to describe the horrors that Sibili had concealed. Both Siniava’s palace and the temple of Liart overlay dungeons and torture chambers. They had found victims still alive, but hopelessly crippled, and on the high altar in Liart’s temple a child’s body, still warm. Paks thought at once of the girl in Cha who had feared for her little brother—was that what she’d expected?

“How many days did I miss?” Paks finally asked, when Volya had run down.

“You were out for more than a day—but from what you say, you don’t remember much from the day or so before that.”

“Huh. Not doing the Company much good.”

“No, the fighting was almost over when you went down. Oh, and Paks—you should have seen the servants in the palace—”

“Why?”

“They all had marks on their faces—tattoos,” Stammel said. “Seems Siniava marks all his own household—his personal bodyguard, too: blue or black tattoos all over the face. It should make them easy to recognize.”

Paks nodded. “It should indeed. Makes it hard for them to run away, too.”

Volya grinned. “I hadn’t thought of that.” After she left Paks realized that she’d have to quit thinking of Volya as a recruit: she and the others had come a long way since the winter. Already they had more combat experience than Paks had had in her entire first year.

By the time they passed Cha again, retracing their earlier route, Paks was walking part of the day, and had started exercising her burned hand, under the surgeons’ directions. She knew that the Halverics and Clarts were traveling with them, that Golden Company had taken a contract with Andressat to govern and control Sibili and Cha; the Count of Andressat had laid claim to the South Marches and those cities.

“That’s why he was so angry with the Westland and Pliuni troops for destroying the orchards and vineyards.” Jenits, eating lunch with Paks and Volya, took a pull at his flask. “They made a mess—hacking down trees for cooking fires—”

“They cut down orchards?” Paks was shocked. Jenits and Volya nodded. “But we don’t do things like that. What about the crops?”

“Those troops from Pliuni,” said Jenits, “want to destroy everything the Honeycat ever owned. We’ve got some of ’em marching with us now.” He made a sour face. “Huh—it’s all the Duke and the Halveric can do to keep them from torching everything we pass.”

“Then why are they with us?”

“Well—they can fight. They want to fight Siniava. That’s it, I suppose. We’ve had losses—if they’ll fight, that’s what the Duke wants. But they’re not much like us, I can tell you that.”

“Are they spread through the Company, or what?” Paks glanced around, trying to distinguish them.

“No. They’re in their own formation, under their own captain.” Jenits craned his neck to look. “You can’t see them from here; they wear green and purple.”

After marching east from Cha, along the river, they took the same shortcut across the loop, this time moving northeast. But when they rejoined the river, they forded it instead of turning toward Cortes Andres. Atop the rising ground to the east was a thick forest. Paks had heard of this—the haunt of Alured the Black, the sea pirate turned brigand.

As they neared the trees she felt grumpy and nervous at once. She was still unarmed, for the skin of her hand was not tough enough to hold a weapon, the surgeons insisted. She hated marching in back with the other wounded. Once in that cool shade, undergrowth screened the view to either side; the sunlight almost seemed green. Paks had relaxed a little when the horn call for danger rang out ahead. She felt her heart thudding; her hand dropped automatically to the sword that wasn’t there. Halveric fighters moved up from the rear to screen the wounded. Once they were in place, it was quiet but for the rustling leaves overhead. Paks looked at the broad back of the Halveric nearest her. He looked strong, but she still wanted her own sword.

Her first sight of Alured the Black came as the Duke and the other captains escorted him along the column, introducing him to the troops. He looked nothing like the pirate or brigand she had pictured in her mind. He had long black hair in a braid, and a black beard; his face was darkly tanned. Strong bones, strong arched eyebrows, snapping black eyes. He sat his black horse easily, his broad shoulders square and erect, his hands quiet on the reins. As he and the others rode on down the column, she saw that his glossy black braid was bound with green leather and decorated with several bright-colored feathers. Paks thought this looked a little silly, but his longbow and sword were workmanlike enough.

They spent almost four days crossing the forest, camping each night in clearings Alured designated, and closely watched by his men. These wore mottled, drab clothing well-suited for forest work, with a badge on the left breast: a gray tower on a green field. Paks wondered what it meant. Alured’s men provided fresh meat each night: rabbits and other small game, for they would not hunt the red deer in spring.

On the afternoon of the fourth day, they reached the forest edge. On their left, the land dropped steeply to a river they could see but not hear—the eastern branch of the Chaloquay. Ahead were the pastures and fields of Cilwan—three days ahead was Cortes Cilwan, the city. Scattered groves and patches of forest extended some distance from Alured’s domain; they marched to one of these before camping for the night. Paks thought of the band of men she had seen watching the column as it left the forest. She wished she knew what they were thinking.

By this time Jenits’s arm was out of splints; he carried a shield as he marched to strengthen it. Paks had been cleared to return to her cohort. The lump on her head was much smaller, and her hand healed with little scarring. She had to rub and stretch the scars with oil every day, and wear a glove all the time, but she had a sword at her side again.

Cilwan was much lusher country than Andressat or the South Marches. Never a stone showed in the dark soil; flowers edged the garden plots on the farms they passed. Most buildings were well-kept, shutters and doors brightly painted. But the people shunned them, hiding in the fields until the column had passed.

Near noon a day or so later, they passed through a small village. Paks was shocked to see the Pliuni troops in front of her slip from the column to enter houses, emerging with arms full of food and clothing. Hooves pounded up from behind. Arcolin yelled at the Pliunis. They shambled to a halt. Paks could see the resentment in their hunched shoulders as Arcolin argued with their captain. A loose shutter creaked in the breeze.

“No raiding!” Arcolin was still shouting. “These aren’t enemies—we aren’t robbers; we’re soldiers. You have enough food. You don’t need to do this.”

The Pliuni captain had pale red hair; his skin flushed to the same color. “This is silly. Siniava robbed us often enough—these are only peasants—”

“They aren’t even Siniava’s peasants! No. No raiding. You wanted to come with the Duke, and you agreed to obey him—”

“The Duke, yes,” growled the Pliuni captain. “Not a bunch of damned nursemaids!” Paks heard a mutter of agreement from the Pliuni troops near her. Her hand slipped toward her sword; she saw Arcolin’s hand move toward his. The Pliunis seemed to draw together. Paks looked for the sergeants. They both nodded slightly as they moved, one on either side of the column, to the head of the cohort. From the rear came another clatter of hooves. Pont and Dorrin rode up beside Arcolin.

“Problems?” asked Dorrin.

“They were raiding,” said Arcolin, with a nod toward the Pliunis.

The Pliuni captain’s face was now beet-red. “And we will raid, Duke’s man, when I say so. Your Duke isn’t paying us anything for our help, after all.” Again a mutter of agreement from the Pliuni troops. Dorrin frowned.

“If you march with us, you follow our rules,” said Arcolin.

“Not yours,” sneered the Pliuni. “Your Duke’s maybe—if it suits us.”

Arcolin was white with rage. Dorrin spoke before he could say anything. “Are you not aware of the Duke’s policy on raiding?”

The captain glowered at her. “Oh, he says there’s to be none—and that keeps the peasants quiet—but of course he knows we must do some.”

“Perhaps you’d like to hear the Duke’s opinion in person?” Arcolin’s voice was cold.

“Perhaps I’d like you to mind your own business!” The Pliuni captain glanced back at his men. “You think you’re so special, Captain—just because you mercenaries fight for money instead of honor—” At the word, Arcolin’s hand signal passed to the sergeants. Every blade in the cohort slipped from its sheath. Paks saw the Pliuni captain’s eyes slide sideways to see what had happened. Arcolin’s eyes never moved.

“Captain Pont, ask the Duke to attend us, please,” said Arcolin. Pont nodded, and legged his horse to a hard gallop toward the front of the column. Paks grinned as she saw the Pliuni captain’s shoulders twitch. Men in the rear Pliuni ranks glanced back at Arcolin’s cohort, paling as they saw the naked blades. Their own hands twitched; those who had taken bundles from the houses dropped them.

“You can’t attack us,” began the Pliuni captain. “We’re your allies. You shouldn’t draw sword against us—”

“Against you?” asked Dorrin. “The captain has not moved his troops an inch—are you afraid to see swords inspected?”

“Inspected! It’s not—he was—”

“You,” said Arcolin firmly, “were insulting us. I saw a dozen hands on sword among your troops. So I thought we’d best be sure ours were clean—ready for any—difficulty.” He looked at Stammel. “They are, aren’t they?”

Stammel grinned broadly. “Certainly, Captain. Any time.”

The Pliuni captain turned even paler. “It’s—it’s treason—a trap—you’re looking for some excuse to kill us all.” His men shifted in their ranks, murmuring.

“Tir’s gut, Captain, if we’d wanted to kill you, you’d be dead by now. Don’t be ridiculous.” Dorrin’s scornful voice caught all their attention. “We—and you, I hope—want to kill the Honeycat. That’s why we’re here. That’s why you asked to march with us. Isn’t that right—that you hate Siniava?”

“Yes.” Most of the Pliuni troops were looking at her now.

“Then concentrate on that, and not on making trouble. Plunder Siniava’s camp, not some poor peasants who hardly have a spare tunic.”

The Pliuni captain was still disgruntled, and looked ready to argue, but they heard the beat of many galloping hooves. Duke Phelan, Aliam Halveric, Captain Pont, and the senior Halveric captain halted beside Arcolin and Dorrin.

“Do I understand, Captain, that you have a problem?” Duke Phelan was angry, his voice icy. The Pliuni captain looked around but found no support.

“My lord Duke, we—we were but—”

“Plundering,” said the Duke. “Stealing. And from peasants we hope are still loyal to their count, who is our ally.”

“No one’s paying us,” said the Pliuni, unwisely. “We have to have something—”

“No one’s paying me, either,” said the Duke. “I have no contract to defeat Siniava, only the vow I made to our dead. If you want plunder, Captain, you can wait until you take it from Siniava—or you can march alone. I won’t have thieves under my protection.” The captain flushed again, but the Duke went on before he could speak. “Either you control your men, and obey my commands as given through my captains, or you march away, right now, and stay clear. And if you leave, you’d best not use my name, or that of my allies: we’ll consider you as any other band of brigands. Is that clear?”

The man turned to the Halverics, but both of them gave him a tight-lipped stare that promised no softening of the Duke’s position. His shoulders sagged.

“Yes—it’s clear.”

“Well, then?”

“Well—” He looked around at his men. “We’ll march with you.”

“And obey? That means at once, without question.”

“Yes—my lord.”

“Good.” The Duke swept his eyes over the Pliuni contingent. “Have your men return whatever they took to the correct houses, at once.” The captain turned to his sergeants and gave the orders. Those who had taken bundles picked them up and moved reluctantly toward the houses. “Hurry up!” called the Duke sharply. “We’ve wasted enough time on this nonsense.”

In a few minutes the men were back in formation and the march resumed. Paks wondered how good the Pliuni troops would be in a fight—and how loyal.

The next morning they met Vladi’s Company in a narrow wood. They were grim and weathered-looking; soon the stories of their campaign spread through the troops. Vladi’s men had reached Cortes Cilwan before Siniava, but had found the city divided in allegiance. The city militia, so the tavern gossip ran, was half for Siniava already. The Count of Cilwan would not risk rebellion on the eve of war, and refused to arrest even known traitors—some said because his dead wife’s brother was chief among them. Although it had been planned otherwise, the Vonja militia had not joined Vladi’s men, wanting to be sure which way trouble was coming before moving. So although messages were sent as soon as Siniava’s presence in the Immer valley was certain, the Vonja troops were several days’ march away.

“And that left us,” said the burly sergeant talking to Stammel. “We marched out to meet his whole army. Just us. Those damned militia wouldn’t leave the city walls, and Vladi refused to take the Count’s Guard—said they were loyal, and he had too few who were.” He hawked and spat “You can imagine—outnumbered about five to one—all we could do was slow ’em.”

“Did you get the Count out?” asked Stammel, as he offered the other man a skin of wine.

“Mmm. That’s good; we haven’t had anything but water these last weeks. No, their fool Count wouldn’t come. He said he was Count of Cilwan, and he was staying where he belonged.” He swallowed again. “They killed him when they broke in, a couple of days later. Hung his corpse on the gate, and that. He did let us get his heir out. Boy of eleven or so. Nice lad. I suppose now, with the news you brought about the south, they’ll send him to Andressat. The old Count’s daughter married the Viscount of Andressat; he’ll be safe enough there.”

“I imagine so. We don’t need a child with us on this campaign.” Stammel shook his head. “Well, did they pursue you when you came here?”

“Pursue! Ha! We tried to attack their rear, before they broke the citadel, and they drove us back—pretty bad, that time; we lost too many. Then we moved south, toward Immervale, and harried their supply line. We kept hoping those Vonja militia would show up in time to save the citadel. Finally Vladi took us around north of the city. We finally found the militia, a day’s march out, after the citadel fell. We were all well chewed up by this time, and Vladi gave their captains a few choice words. About took the bark off the trees, he did, and so they said they’d get Siniava themselves if we’d guard the Andressat approaches. That’s when we moved over this way and tried to get back in shape. But you can imagine what they did.”

“No, what?”

“Well, our spies said Siniava had garrisoned Cortes Cilwan and was moving toward Koury. We thought even Vonja should be able to trap him there, with Ambela and Sorellin coming down from the north. But that fell apart because Siniava’s factions in Cortes Vonja and Pler Vonja revolted, and as soon as the militia heard, they hared off home to join in the fight. Sorellin never moved, so Koury fell easily, and Siniava had fresh troops. He went for Ambela next, and held off the Sorellin militia long enough to breach the wall and loot. In fact, I hear he routed both the Sorellin militia and a group from Pler Vonja. The last I heard, he was actually marching on Pler Vonja, and Foss Council had finally decided to send someone like they promised. Of course, they’re on the road somewhere, and Tir knows if they’ll come up in time to fight. Or if they’ll fight. Militia!”

Stammel nodded his agreement. “Has it been quiet over here, then?”

“Not really. You’ll find out. He must have a small army of agents in Cilwan; they can take out sentries without a sound. You’ll lose a man or so every night if you don’t double your guardposts. And all you ever get back is pieces—hands and feet lying in the trail, or an arm tacked up on a barn.”

“And you’ve never caught them at it?”

“No, not since we left the city. We lost three men in Cortes Cilwan, but we caught those bastards who did it in the same house with the bodies. Out here, no.”

A shout from the captains ended this conversation, and the army was soon marching again, enlarged by Vladi’s Company. The rest of that day and the next they marched north and west, angling toward Cortes Vonja. By nightfall the first day, they had reached the south bank of the Immerest, the great western arm of the Immer River. They passed no bridges, and the river was too deep to ford, so the commanders decided to march upstream another day rather than risk a boat crossing. The Halverics thought they remembered a ford somewhere south of Cortes Vonja.

It was on this day, in broad daylight, that Siniava’s agents struck at the column. The first Paks knew about it was in forming up again after a rest break at midmorning. Three people were missing; a search of the river-bank and woods along it yielded nothing. The Pliuni smirked, and Paks heard one mutter something about “typical mercenaries—deserters.” After a half-glass spent searching and calling, the column moved on. Paks knew that old Harek, a veteran, would never have deserted.

Perhaps an hour later, Aliam Halveric rode up beside her cohort and asked Stammel if he’d seen the senior Halveric captain. When Stammel said no, he rode on up the column. Stammel looked worried. Paks wondered if the Halveric captain had disappeared. She felt a cramp of cold fear. Could he have been captured? In daylight? When the column halted at midday, orders were given that no one move out of sight of the column. Paks saw the Duke and Aliam Halveric ride down the column together, talking quietly. She had never seen the Halveric like that, gray-faced and drawn; it must be that the Halveric captain—his oldest living son, she’d heard—was gone. She thought of what might be happening to him, and felt cold again.

Shortly after dark that night, Stammel told Paks to report to the Duke’s tent. When she had found her way across the darkened camp to his tent, she found the Duke and the captains and several other soldiers. She had just greeted them when three more soldiers came in.

“That should do it,” said the Duke. “Now—I have a very dangerous and difficult mission for you. If any of you are not fit—if you think you’re coming down with a fever, or a wound’s bothering you—or if you don’t want to risk yourself away from the Company—tell me now, and I’ll release you. You’ve all been recommended by your captains, both for bravery and woodscraft. But this is no ordinary soldiering I’m asking of you; I want only those who are willing.” Paks thought of what he might want them to do. Sneak into Siniava’s camp and kill him? One of the others sneezed explosively. “Now that,” said the Duke, “is what we can’t have—you may be excused.”

“But my lord,” said the man. “This just come on since we ate—I can pinch my nose. I wouldn’t make that noise, my lord; I know I wouldn’t.”

The Duke smiled. “I know you’d try not to—but you can’t pinch your nose if you’re carrying something. This is too important to chance it. Go on, now. I don’t think the worse of you.” The man looked at his captain, Dorrin, who nodded toward the entrance. He shuffled out, shamefaced. The Duke glanced around. “I take it the rest of you are willing?” They nodded. “Good. Some of you may have guessed that the Halveric’s eldest son has disappeared. We are fairly sure he was captured. I think they will not kill him at once; he’s too valuable as a prisoner.” Paks felt a thrill; the Duke must be planning to get him out. She could not imagine how they could get into Siniava’s camp, find the Halveric, and escape, but it was a worthy endeavor.

“You will not be going into Siniava’s camp yourselves,” said the Duke, breaking into her thoughts. “We have agents who can move there openly. You don’t need to know about that, but they are trying to find and free Cal—the captain—and move him out of camp. If he’s already dead, they’ll bring his body out. You’ll meet them beside the river, on the far side, and bring him back; they cannot be seen near us. Now—several of you can handle a boat, right?”

“Yes, my lord.” Tam and Amisi from Cracolnya’s cohort, and Piter from Arcolin’s stepped forward.

“Good. The rest of you, listen to these three when it comes to crossing the river. Come and look at this map.” They all gathered around the map table. “Here we are,” said the Duke. “Take this lane, west of camp, then look for a big stone barn. Cut across here—there’s an orchard and two fields—and you’ll come to the river. There’s a big willow with a limb hanging out over the water—the only tree that size for a half-mile along here, so you should find it even in the dark. There’ll be a boat there, big enough for you and Cal. Across the river is a stone ledge, three men high. Upstream of that is where you’ll wait for them to bring him. Remember that sound carries more over water than on land. Whatever you do, don’t separate. They’ll cut you up if you do, and you’re more likely to be captured. The password on the far side, to the men who’ll be bringing Cal, is a question: Where lies Havensford? Their answer is: Across the mountains. Anyone else will tell you it’s four days march upstream. Siniava’s watchword is a challenge of apricot, and the answer is brambles. Don’t confuse them.” No one asked how the Duke knew the enemy watchwords. With the rest, Paks repeated them several times. The Duke nodded finally.

“Good. You’ll go armed, but without shields. Make sure you don’t show anything shiny. You should be back by dawn or a little after. If you have trouble on this side of the river, make as much noise as you can. I don’t want to move troops around tonight, or his agents might figure out what we’re doing, but I’ll have them ready to move fast if you call. If they do get Cal to you alive, don’t let him be captured again—whatever you have to do. Give him the death-stroke before you’re disabled, if it comes to that. Are you ready?”

Paks’s throat felt like dust. She hardly heard the boat specialists giving them a few advance instructions: sit still, don’t move around, don’t stand up, don’t trail your hands in the water, don’t talk or spit. In a few minutes they were clear of the camp, walking quickly down the lane the Duke had shown them on the map. After some minutes of walking, Paks could hear something besides the blood pounding in her ears. In the clear night, brilliant stars gave some shape to the land and trees. A vast dark shape loomed up before them: the stone barn. They turned aside. Starlight glimmered on the blossoms left on the fruit trees in the orchard; their scent was stronger in the damp night air. The first field beyond was plowed, and their boots rasped on rough furrows and clods. The next was in grass; once more they moved quietly, slipping along the margin of the field by a hedge as fragrant as a flower garden.

Trees loomed before them, and starlight danced on the river. They slowed, looking for the willow tree they were to find. Suddenly Paks felt a hand-grip signal passed back: there. She edged forward, alert for stones that could roll beneath her feet, or sticks that could crack. Once in the willow’s shadow it was even harder to see. Paks stumbled on a rock, lurching forward and biting her tongue against any sound. Someone grabbed her arm and steadied her. She did the same for another who stumbled into her a moment later. They found the limb, wide enough to walk on, and then the boat.

The boat experts urged everyone into a huddle, then loaded the boat, guiding them with nudges and handgrips. It had looked a large dark shape to Paks when she saw it empty, but once aboard it felt too small. Not crowded—but the sides were too low, and she felt too close to the water. And the boat tipped and shifted with every motion of its passengers. She tried to keep from moving in response, fearing to tip the whole thing over.

With a rower at each end, and one in the middle, they moved quietly across the current. Paks did not know how the rowers could tell where they were going. When they landed on the far side, just where they had been told to wait, she was glad to crawl from the boat to solid ground again. She crouched silently in the dark, waiting for someone to arrive. It seemed a long time.

They heard the hoofbeats coming from upstream for some time before the riders were close enough to challenge. Amisi, in a southern accent, asked, “Where lies Havensford?”

“Across the mountains,” came the soft reply. The horses had stopped, and Paks could just see two cloaked and hooded shapes swing off their mounts and move to help a third.

“You’ve got him alive?” asked Amisi.

“Aye.” Paks and the others moved toward the voice, and helped to steady the man they were supporting.