The Warrior's Tale Part 32

'The Sarzana defeated us today,' I said. 'And we ran from him like fish flee the shark pack. Are we to return to Konya with that on our souls? Are we going home to tell our loved ones what cowards we were, and for them to prepare to face all of The Sarzana's terror?'

'What else?' It was a voice from the rear. There was a clatter of agreement. Once more I let the words die away into the wind.

'What else? We're going back to Ticino!' I said. 'The battle's only begun.'

'When?' This was an officer in the front row I didn't recognize. 'How long will it take to get reinforcements up from Konya? A month? Two months?'

'We're going back tomorrow. Tomorrow at night,' I said. 'That's impossible!' That came from Admiral Bornu. 'Nothing is impossible,' I said.

'To blazes with you,' he said, and bounded halfway up the companionway and turned to face the other captains. 'We were beaten badly this day, beaten by wizardry and the force of arms! There's no way for us to recover, not now, not as outnumbered as we are! This whole d.a.m.ned campaign was doomed! It never should've been fought! We should've waited for The Sarzana to get closer to Konya and then defeated him on our own grounds, in our own waters!'

I heard agreement building.

'Or maybe,' I said, *you think we should have just surrendered without fighting at all?' Now there was dead silence.

'Maybe, we could've struck some kind of arrangement,' Bornu said, nearly mumbling. 'Maybe if we'd gone to The Sarzana and offered-'

'Offered what?' I said. 'Your daughters? Your wives? Your gold? You couldn't have offered your honour, since by your words you possess none!'

Bornu's hand was on his sword. I heard a rustle from behind me, and knew Locris or another bowwoman was reaching for her quiver. I moved one step closer down the companionway. 'Now, Admiral,' I said, lnow lnow you reach for your blade, after letting it rust in its scabbard all day?' you reach for your blade, after letting it rust in its scabbard all day?'

'This is quite mad,' he said, but moved his hand off the weapon's grip- 'Is it? Listen, you men. Listen to that wind. Isn't it stronger than it was an hour, two hours ago? Do you really think The Sarzana and his familiar, the Archon, are done with us? Now that they've got us on the open seas, weak of will, bleak of mind and heart, don't you think they'll cast a tempest against us? Do any of you believe they intend for us to return home so we can stand against them once more? If any of you do, that that I term madness! I term madness!

'Not that it matters what you believe. You are soldiers and sailors. You swore an oath to defend Konya with your lives. The only ones among you who've kept their oath, who still have their honour, lie back on the stern, sewn into canvas sails with a coin in their mouth and a bit of pig iron at their feet to carry them down into the depths.

'The rest of you? What do you you think of yourselves? How many of you fled the battle with never a shaft being fired, with never a spear being cast? Now, I call on you to obey me. We will attack The Sarzana once more. And this time we'll destroy him!' think of yourselves? How many of you fled the battle with never a shaft being fired, with never a spear being cast? Now, I call on you to obey me. We will attack The Sarzana once more. And this time we'll destroy him!'

'Obey you?' Bornu sneered. 'An outlander? A woman?'

I turned to Xia. She stepped forward.

'I am Princess Xia Kanara,' she said. 'My father sits on the Council of Purity. I claim to speak for him. Are there any of you who will dispute that claim?'

'You're a child,' Bornu said. 'I swore no oath to obey you.'

'But obey me you shall. And I command you to follow the orders to be given by Captain Rali Antero, who was hand-picked by the Council as the one who best knows how to destroy The Sarzana. It is to all our shame this expedition wasn't put in her charge from the beginning.'

I was impressed - I'd told Xia some of what I hoped she'd say if the occasion came up, but not this last.

Bornu began to say something, but before he could Admiral Bhzana was beside Xia.

'Admiral,' he said. 'Both women are right. This is a day of infamy, and we must make recompense. I know I am not your superior in the naval lists, but you must obey Princess Xia and Captain Antero.'

'I am Admiral Nepean Bornu, a landed baron,' the other man replied, 'and my family has served Konya for generations. I have a duty as well, and my duty is to take my ships safely home, where they may help protect Konya in the final battle to come. For me to follow the orders of you, my junior; this foreign sorceress who may well be in league with The Sarzana himself and who brought this evil on our lands; and this stripling who's besotted with the outlander... no. I refuse.'

'I order you once again, Admiral,' Xia said, her voice hard beyond her years.

'And I have my duty, a greater duty.'

'Princess,' I said. 'I myself vowed to serve your Council to bring down The Sarzana. I must tell you this man's words const.i.tute treason.'

There were low outcries from the officers, and I saw heads turn towards the device I'd had erected earlier.

'Not merely treason, but high treason? high treason? I continued, 'since he also spoke against the commands of the Council of Purity.' I continued, 'since he also spoke against the commands of the Council of Purity.'

'Treason you call it, and treason it is,' Xia said.

Bornu looked around wildly. Before he could move, or anyone come to his aid, I said, 'Sergeant Ismet!'

My women went down the companionway as if they were attacking lionesses, swords whipping out, spears at the rise and arrows nocking. Ismet and Dacis had Bornu by the arms before his own sword could come out. The officers on deck were shouting now, and I saw the glitter of weapons.

'Sergeant! Hang him!'

Bornu shrieked, and struggled, but could do nothing. In a moment he was dragged to the top of the companionway and to my device. It was a gibbet, a simple gallows I'd had constructed aboard our own galley, moved to Bhzana's flagship and remounted. The rope went around his neck, hanging slackly down to his knees then up to the crossbar, its long knot set just behind his left ear.

I turned to Princess Xia. Her lips set in a firm, thin line.

'Execute the traitor,' she said.

Sergeant Ismet swung the gibbet on its axis, and Bornu was sent stumbling out and down, off the deck and falling. The rope came tight and over the wind's snarl I could hear the sound of his neck snapping. The body flipflopped, then hung limply from the rope's end. Now there was complete stillness.

'I condemned Admiral Bornu as a traitor,' I said. 'I further condemn as traitors all who disobey or disagree with the orders I have issued and am going to issue, and they will face the same penalty.

'You will will obey me,' and I let the steel show, 'or by the heavens I will decimate every ship's crew and then we'll go back into battle with bodies dangling from every yard if it is needed!' obey me,' and I let the steel show, 'or by the heavens I will decimate every ship's crew and then we'll go back into battle with bodies dangling from every yard if it is needed!'

I didn't give them time to recover.

'Now, I want all division and element captains in Admiral Bhzana's cabin immediately, and I'll give you orders to pa.s.s along to the others.'

I said no more, but strode back into the shadows, and I heard the others behind me. I may've sounded like iron, but inside I felt my stomach turn. I'd dealt with fear and panic before, but never from so many. And while I'd ordered the law many times, up to and including the final penalty, even on one occasion sending a murderous Guardswoman who'd terribly shamed us to the city for sacrifice in the Kissing of the Stones as expiation, I'd never ordered anyone sent to their death out of hand, with no court, no recourse, no appeal.

But I saw then, and see now, nothing else that could've been done. When battle is on the cusp, there cannot be any debate nor hesitation, and any weakness must be cut out as swiftly as a poisoned dart, or everything will die.

I note my Scribe is intent on his writing, and doesn't raise his head to meet my eyes. This is yet another part of war that isn't talked about by anyone, especially by those who wish to forget killing is the heart of the matter, not battlesongs, banners, parades or armour gleaming in a summer sun. Remember what I said, Scribe, and tell this to your sons and daughters before you allow them to run laughing into the recruiter's embrace.

I was just as stern to the division officers when I gave my orders, although I did give them an explanation, mentioning, and this was the truth, that I'd checked with the shipmaster Oirot, and he'd confirmed that storms in these waters at this time of year were unheard of.

With Bornu's body now unseen, the officers had time to consider. Reluctantly, they agreed with me, that it was most unlikely The Sarzana wouldn't attempt to finish us with magic, and that we were as unlikely to escape as if his fleet were still hounding us.

'Of course,' one said, 'we could always split up and make for home ship by ship, which would really give that b.a.s.t.a.r.d a chance to pick us off one by one.'

While a bit of understanding hung in the air, I presented my plan. Tomorrow I would send representatives to each ship, and give the battle plan. Late in the afternoon, we would set sail back to Ticino and sail past the portal cities after full dark, which would mean we'd close on the fleet anch.o.r.ed in the roadstead near Ticino around midnight.

'A night attack,' one officer said, and scowled. 'My men aren't used to fighting in the dark.'

'Do you think The Sarzana's are?'

The officer smiled a bit, and shook his head.

'The advantage is always on the side of he who strikes first,' I said. 'Isn't that true? Isn't the day carried by the boldest?'

'What about magic?' another one said. 'My ships held, until they saw those G.o.ds-blasted covered ships of theirs, and the ships behind them crewed by the dead.'

I said neither the turtleships nor The Sarzana's magics would be as effective, their surprise gone. There would be Orissan magic cast before our attack began, magic that would shatter their spells like thin ice on a pond.

I gave them a flurry of other orders, to make sure the other ship's officers understood the overall plan, to make sure their ships were repaired as best they could, and most importandy to feed the sailors and rest them in watches. At dawn, the division officers should attempt to rea.s.semble those surviving ships belonging to their elements and stand by for orders.

All this was important, of course, but I wanted the Konyans to be so busy no one would have time to let cowardice creep into his heart again. I further told them that our Orissan galleys had been given special orders - to sail guard around the a.s.sembled fleet, and ensure no one attempted to flee. 'I won't,' I said, 'even bother putting up a gallows if I seize such a ship but will send all its crew down to the sea demons unburied so their ghosts will never rest.'

I dismissed them and the others.

The Konyans summoned their boats that lay just off Bhzana's ship, and, one by one, disappeared into the night. There were many looks cast back at the dangling corpse of Admiral Bornu.

I waited until the last was gone, then started down the boarding ladder to our longboat. Admiral Bhzana asked me for a private moment, and I stepped away.

'They'll obey now,' he said firmly. 'And so will I.'

I looked at him, very long, very hard. But I made no answer as I went down into my boat.

Aboard our own ship, I knew there would be no rest for the remainder of the night for any of us, least of all me. This was the second night I'd go sleepless, so I'd have to force myself to get at least two hours or so of rest during the day, or I'd be as worthless as a toy dagger in battle.

My first tasks weren't those of a war leader, but of an Evocator. First I had to divert that storm that was building that'd most likely strike during the night. But that was where the surprises began.

'We can't cast a spell that directly,' Gamelan said.

'Why? I know he's got great powers, greater than ours, but it seems-'

'You don't realize?' Gamelan said, his voice showing surprise. 'Realize what?'

'I thought you knew, and that was where your idea to strike back came from. The Archon believes you dead.'

'What? How? Why?' I must've sounded as dumb as I did the first time my watch commander told me my unchecked sentry had taken the opportunity to let two winesellers into the compound after taking and drinking a full gallon as her share.

'You still are a journeyman,' he sighed. 'Remember back, aboard Trahern's ship, when I smeared a bit of your blood on that shield or whatever the reflecting metal was? I said a few words when I did, hoping some of my powers had come back, since that spell's something a veritable baby Evocator can cast, especially if the seer is looking from afar.'

'Oh. The bronze was a mirror, intended to reflect ... me?' I guessed.

'Just so. When the Archon cast about, in the flurry and frenzy of battle, with wisps of spell and smoke and magic all about, he "saw" you aboard Trahern's ship. You don't think he gave one tinker's d.a.m.n about that old b.a.s.t.a.r.d, do you? Why would he bother casting whatever spell he sent out to explode that ship like it was a melon dropped from a tower? You were his target and, as far as he knows, he succeeded.

'Frankly, I'd suspect that was why the pursuit turned back, and why this storm has taken so long to build. This fleet's destruction may be The Sarzana's ultimate dream, but it's hardly the Archon's. He knows he can destroy Konya when and how he wants now that you're gone.

'I think we've also solved another puzzle as well. Remember when we wondered just why The Sarzana would allow word to slip out that we'd rescued him, rather than it appearing like some grand miracle all his very own.

'Again, it wasn't his idea, but the Archon's. The Archon must have sent some sort of whispering spell across Konya so that everyone knew knew the Orissans had freed The Sarzana, but none knew where they'd got the knowledge. the Orissans had freed The Sarzana, but none knew where they'd got the knowledge.

'He must have your death in hand, and, unlike crude villains such as Nisou Symeon or arrogant men like Raveline of the Far Kingdoms, he's quite content to let others kill his snakes for him.'

'He's behaving like I'm some great Evocator, like I was you, with all the powers of the Orissan Evocator's Guild behind me. The man, if that's what he still is, is no coward. Am I to believe he's that great a fool?'

'Don't be absurd, Rali. Consider it from his perspective. If you and your brother were great wizards, once in league with even greater magicians to the east, and your plans were first stopped short by someone named Antero, and then your own brother killed by another, possibly even more powerful, Antero, what actions would you take? It's quite clear that you do have great powers, even if they're still developing.'

I was silent, considering. Then I shook my thoughts away. 'Be that as it may, Evocator, we have a spell to work out. Let's come up with something that keeps me still dead. I like it a great deal better being out from under that b.a.s.t.a.r.d's gimlet gaze.'

And so we did, in about an hour. It was a powerful spell, yet a simple one, a spell of delay, not negation. The storm would continue, would still build, but would take at least two days to reach its full fury. Neither of us thought the Archon would sense any opposition, especially since, if Gamelan's reasoning was correct, he had little immediate interest in our scattered warships.

The second spell was more hazardous, and chanced exposing the fact I was still alive. But I thought the risk worth taking. I drained a few drops of mercury from the binnacle our compa.s.s needle floated on. With that, and a bit of the 'flying' unguent, I sat alone in Gamelan's cabin. I lit a single candle, fed certain herbs, sprinkled an aromatic oil from Gamelan's kit on it and breathed deeply of the fumes. Next I set a steel mirror beside the candle, and concentrated all my attention, my being, on the reflection of that candle. The distance, the remove, would keep 'me' safe from being found out, or so I hoped. But I had no concern for the Archon, no thought for The Sarzana as I became the flame, no more than the flame, only the flame.

Fire, fire Elemental fire There is no other There is no other You live alone You need no other You are the moment You are the fire.

The one who was Rali Antero was gone, was absent, and there was only a small flame, looking to illuminate the dark. The fire was fed a trifle of the unguent on a piece of wood, and flared, and became something else, and found new surprise and joy at flying, at flying over water, over land, over its two great enemies. The flame 'saw' itself reflected in that tiny drop of mercury, and somehow the fire felt what a human would've known as words.

Now there's another Now you've a brother Fire seek Fire find.

Now I was, for just a moment, that drop of mercury and again for an instant I 'felt' for my brother. In the same moment I found 'him', there was ice across my soul, and I could feel darkness gathering, coiling behind me, and in that same instant I I was fire, I was alone, was fire, I was alone, I was the candle, I was safely back aboard ship, and knew, my drop of mercury having 'found' that larger pool of liquid metal that floated atop The Sarzana's table, just where I could find and kill him. I was the candle, I was safely back aboard ship, and knew, my drop of mercury having 'found' that larger pool of liquid metal that floated atop The Sarzana's table, just where I could find and kill him.

This time we wouldn't be sailing blindly into battle. But it would be a deadly fight - The Sarzana's refuge was the most secure place in Ticino. There'd be much blood shed winkling him out.

It was almost dawn. I spent the last hour before the sun rose drawing an exact map of Ticino and our objectives. Then I cut it into almost two hundred pieces, said a simple duplicating spell, and my table crashed to the deck under the weight of two hundred full-size maps of our target I could find nothing more to do, so turned matters over to Corais, and collapsed into a dreamless sleep.

When I awoke, I had a screen erected on the quarterdeck, and took a salt.w.a.ter shower, dumping buckets of water over my head that one of my privates hauled up and pa.s.sed to me. It wasn't what I wanted -what I wanted was a long soak in a scented bathtub like the ones in my family's villa; a tub about as large as the entire deck I stood on with water as hot as that cast by a geyser; as soft as a kiss and perfumed with the most expensive oils and salts. I allowed a moment to dream. A soak, followed by a long ma.s.sage. The ma.s.sager would be Xia, although a part of my mind wondered how she had got to Orissa, but that wasn't important since we'd both be naked, and she would slowly rub the oil into my skin, her nipples hardening as they caressed my back, and then ...

... and then Corais begged the Captain's pardon and said there was a signal from Nor's galley. So I put aside the dreams of what would've come after, the carefully chosen meal, the slow twining of our bodies as we coupled on a silken bed, and then hour after hour of dreamless sleep, to wake once more to the scent of love, and no d.a.m.ned war, sorcerers or order-giving.

I said to ignore whatever his signal was, but to order him to our galley at once. I dried myself off, feeling the itching start as the salt dried, and put on my battle gear.

I had the quarterdeck cleared of all but the watch officer and helmsman, and had Nor brought to me by two fully armed Guardswomen. I wasn't sure what I'd say to him - he was a hard man, harder than Bhzana or his captains. He knew his officers had broken their oath when they went sailing off to blind destruction, and I saw no point in reminding him. Instead, I told him neither he nor the other two galleys would be needed in this battle, which was why they weren't summoned to the conference on Bhzana's ship. He visibly flinched, then gritted there was no way of stopping him.

I said there was indeed, and I would have no compunctions about ordering three of Bhzana's ships against each of his. The Broken Men were feared and hated by the others, because they reminded sailors of what could be their fate. Also the other men were eager to prove themselves still warriors, and would leap to my bidding.

He said nothing, and there was nothing to say - he knew I was right. He sagged. 'Is there no chance of changing your orders? I will not apologize for what Yanno and Nasby did, but they did break the oath we all swore. I can't expect you to believe any promise I make, but it shall not happen again. All my men saw their brothers die, with no harm at all coming to The Sarzana.'

Now I had him. I told him he had only one option, and told him v what it was. This was the only way he could fight in the battle, and possibly make amends for his men's broken promises. He started to protest, then stopped, realizing I meant what I said, and even though my orders would result in giving up everything they'd planned, and the way they'd dreamed of fighting; it was that or nothing.

Reluctantly, he agreed. I told him he had two hours to ready his men for trans-shipment, and we would have boats standing by at that time.

And so it was. Even as his men were taken off their galleys, their ships were taken in tow by the larger Konyan vessels. Heavy longboats busied themselves around those hulks too badly damaged to return to battle, lifting their stone ballast out of the bilges to provide fresh ammunition for others' trebuchets. Then those ships were abandoned and scuttled.

The fleet set sail for Ticino. We moved slowly, our speed held down by those damaged vessels that would've been abandoned and scuttled if I intended using normal tactics, but now, together with Nor's Broken Men, they'd be the opening wedge in my attack.

As we sailed boats were crossing back and form from ship to ship, taking certain supplies to the damaged vessels, taking sailors from ship to ship, and other tasks.

I myself was busy. I'd told Bhzana I needed five ships with only the bravest crew, for a special task. He didn't need to think for more than a minute, but said I could take five from Captain Yezo's squadron. They were crewed by men who'd escaped from islands that had been ravaged by The Sarzana, and Yezo's entire family had been slain by The Sarzana years ago when he held the throne.

I'd heard too much talk of bravery from these people, and seen d.a.m.ned little, so I told Bhzana I'd judge for myself. I had myself rowed to each of the ships whose crews had volunteered. Grudgingly, since at the moment I felt little warmth for these d.a.m.ned Konyans, it appeared they might be capable of what I wanted, although I knew, as always, battle is the only truth. I must take my chances. I wished I had a battalion of Guardswomen, or even enough to provide a stiffening squad on each ship, but of course I didn't.

I made very sure each sailor on each ship knew exactly what he would be required to do, and how it was unlikely he'd see the sunrise on the morrow. No one stepped back. If the hulks Nor's men now crewed were my opening wedge, these five ships would be the levers to pry the door full open.

I had the most skilled whittler on our ship sent to me, and gave him his orders. Surprisingly, it was the murderous Santh, Fyn's compatriot. I began to explain why I wanted what I wanted, but he already knew.