The Weapon Takers Saga Box Set

by Jamie Edmundson

  It was hard for Clarin to fully understand Belwynn’s total investment in this conflict. She had stayed in Kalinth for this? While Soren and the others left to continue the quest without her? Something didn’t add up.

  The army left Heractus for the south-west of the country. The Knights had ridden ahead, on their expensive horses, each of them bringing at least one spare, while the infantry had to walk behind, eating their dust. It was a ragbag infantry force Theron had collected, and to give him some credit, at least he knew it.

  Clarin had been put in charge of a division of a hundred soldiers. Apart from his group from Samir Durg, the rest were Madrians, half of them women—followers of Elana whom the priestess had persuaded to fight for the cause. She had gone up in the world, the leader of a powerful Church now. And he had witnessed her using that power. She had insisted to Sebastian that her religion should now be the only recognised creed in the land. That was her price for recruiting so many men and women into the army. And while the priestess had made her demands, Belwynn had smiled peacefully, as if it was the most wonderful outcome in the world.

  They camped outside the first night, in a rocky landscape that was the southern end of the Dardelles mountains they had traversed on their way through Haskany. It wasn’t a bad spot, with views across the countryside that would afford them early warning of enemy activity.

  Theron also went up in his estimation a little that night. By the time his force trudged into camp, the tents had been put up for them and hot food was being cooked. The Knights also took on lookout duty, leaving the infantry to rest after the march. Clarin did a quick round of his troops, trying to take his new officer role seriously, though his heart wasn’t in it. Eventually he settled down at a fire with Rudy, Jurgen and the two Dog-men, happy to be left alone with his thoughts.

  His thoughts, inevitably, turned to Belwynn. They nagged at him, not letting him relax. Because Clarin was the one who had got his dream. His dream, during the days in the mine, the nights in the pit, was to see Belwynn again. And he had. But it wasn’t how he had imagined it. She was pleased to see him, but she hadn’t thrown her arms around him and kissed him. He hadn’t had a chance to properly speak to her in private, to tell her how much she meant to him. She was always busy, with Elana, or Sebastian, or Theron.

  Theron. The man behind this madness. It was Theron who Belwynn spent her time with. It was Theron who she looked at, the way Clarin wanted her to look at him.

  He looked across the fire at Rudy and lame Jurgen, forced to walk all day again so soon after their escape, in the opposite direction to their homes. They hadn’t got their dreams yet. Clarin had got his, and it had already turned sour. Which of them was the worse off?

  Sebastian, Theron and Belwynn walked up a gravelled pathway to the home of Diodorus, Count of Korenandi. His house was fortified, much the same as Sebastian’s home of Sernea; strong enough to withstand minor attempts at entry rather than whole armies.

  Theron lifted a hand to knock on the front door, but before he got the chance, it had swung open, and a servant was gesturing that they should come in.

  In the hall of his house stood Diodorus, with what Belwynn presumed were his wife and two sons. It was an oddly formal way to greet them, but she supposed this was the traditional way to welcome guests. Once the introductions and pleasantries were over, the family departed. The Count led them into a side room, where he sat them down in comfortable chairs next to a blazing fire. He offered them a drink called arak, perhaps again what tradition demanded. But they weren’t really here for a pleasant fireside chat, and they all declined the offer.

  Diodorus poured himself a drink and took a seat.

  ‘Straton is raising an army against you,’ he said.

  ‘He has asked you to join him?’ said Theron.

  ‘Of course.’

  ‘And?’

  ‘I declined. I am not so popular with the royal family after I surrendered their army to you. There is no reason for me to risk my life to see Straton rise to power.’

  ‘You have also declined our summons,’ said Sebastian, sternly.

  ‘I see no reason to risk my life or those of my people for you, either,’ countered the Count.

  He spoke slowly, with little emotion, but Belwynn detected the undertone of melancholia in his voice and face that she had noticed when they had spoken with him last summer. Then, he had made a wise decision not to fight them. She hoped he would do the same again now.

  ‘These are not easy times,’ Sebastian admitted. ‘You may think otherwise, but the last thing I wanted to do was stand against my own king. But the future and the honour of Kalinth was at stake. It still is. Standing on the sidelines isn’t an option, Diodorus.’

  Diodorus took a sip of his drink. ‘My father left this county to me and I would leave it to my sons. I would not see it destroyed. If I side with you there will be reprisals from your enemies. It is not what you want to hear, but I intend to stay out of this conflict.’

  ‘You can’t,’ said Theron. ‘We are desperate for infantry. One hundred extra men, well-armed, could make all the difference when we fight Straton. We need you to give us a hundred men. If you refuse we will bring our army onto your lands, take this house, and force you to give us a hundred men. That’s the choice you have. A hundred men now or a hundred men later. Staying out of this isn’t a choice available to you.’

  Diodorus looked at them all in turn, his eyes blinking owlishly. They stopped at Belwynn. There was something about her he didn’t like, she could sense it, but couldn’t put a finger on it. Something more subtle than hatred or fear. He didn’t want her here in his house. She shouldn’t have come.

  ‘Is this what the Knights of Kalinth are now?’ he asked.

  ‘We have no choice either, man!’ said Sebastian, losing his temper. ‘You know we fought with the Isharites last summer! They will be back, they want to see Kalinth burned to the ground, our people enslaved. I can’t afford division, internal conflict. I can’t afford men with the title of count who sit back and do nothing. Give us the men and we’ll let you be. We’ll return them to you once Straton is defeated. I give you my word.’

  ‘You give me no choice,’ retorted Diodorus.

  ‘Now you understand,’ said Theron.

  Diodorus looked in his drink, as if he would find an answer there.

  ‘I’ll give you your men. I’ll lead them myself, and when your war is over I’ll lead them back home. And if you break your word to me, you will have made another enemy. How many more can you make, before you lose your grip on this country?’

  Neither Sebastian nor Theron answered that, though Belwynn was sure they both knew the answer. Their grip on Kalinth was already slipping, and it would take very little for them to lose it completely.

  They left Chobo and shadowed the Lipper coast, using the oars to row farther south. After two days they rounded the southernmost tip of Dalriya, a rocky land where strange animals roamed the shoreline. Great fat creatures that Sebo called suliks lounged on the rocks, then suddenly dived into the sea. Farred saw that underwater they became agile and powerful, and worried that they might attack the ships, before Sebo laughed off his concerns.

  Once Red Serpent turned to the north, Sebo unfurled the sails. Until now the crew deck had had little to do, but now their experience was needed to steer the ship and adjust the sails. Sebo was in his element at the centre of things, shouting out orders. At times orders were relayed to the rowers to row hard to get the ship moving again. At others they could rest, as the sails caught the wind and Red Serpent effortlessly cut through the waves.

  In the afternoon Sebo gave himself a break, relinquishing the helm to his second in command.

  ‘It’s easy to make a mistake when you are tired,’ said Sebo, by way of explanation to Farred.

  ‘We seem to be making good time,’ Farred observed. Indeed, while he could see ships to the rear of Red Serpent, there appeared to be none ahead of them.

  ‘Aye, the wind i
s on our side now. There are few hazards, save not to stray out too far to sea.’

  ‘Why is that?’

  ‘My charts tell me to stay clear of the Asrai, who dwell out in the Lantinen.’

  ‘The Asrai?’ repeated Farred. This was the name given to a people by the Caladri wise man, Szabolcs, who had said that they took a weapon to the fight with the Isharites. But no-one in that meeting seemed to know who or where they were.

  ‘Before you ask,’ said Sebo, ‘I’ve never seen ‘em, nor has anyone I know who isn’t a drunk or a liar. I just know them from stories and what’s on my charts, drawn up by explorers.’

  Despite Sebo’s words of caution, Farred grew excited at the possibility that he had stumbled onto something.

  ‘Could you show me these charts?’ he asked Sebo.

  The captain gave him a look.

  ‘This to do with those weapons?’ he asked.

  ‘Yes. It could be.’

  Sebo reluctantly set off to grab his charts, coming straight back with them. The parchments he brought back looked new.

  ‘I had them copied,’ said Sebo, as if reading his mind. ‘With the best will in the world, everything gets wet on a sea voyage. I never bring originals with me. Anyhow, I have two maps which reference the area. Here,’ he said, passing Farred the first and pointing to the location.

  The word Asrai was written in an area of sea out to the west of Dalriya and south of Halvia. Next to the text a hand had been drawn, apparently reaching out from the ocean.

  ‘And here,’ he added, passing a second map.

  This time the text spelt ‘Ashray’ rather than Asrai. It was written in a similar location, next to what looked like a collection of small islands.

  ‘And why avoid this area?’ Farred asked.

  ‘All Caladri seamen are told to avoid it because it belongs to the Asrai. Various stories say that the Asrai will pull a ship under the water and drown everyone aboard. Or capture the crew and make them work as slaves, never to return home. Or some other variation. With no reason to sail in that direction, no modern mariner that I know of has taken the risk.’

  ‘And what if there is a reason to go?’ asked Farred.

  ‘Then still, neither I nor anyone I know would do it.’

  With that, Sebo took back his charts.

  The Caladri ships harboured on a beach that Sebo said was in the far northwest of the Lipper peninsula. There was no history of trade here and the local inhabitants, if they knew of their presence at all, stayed away.

  The crews could fill their skins from a nearby stream, but food was getting scarce and when the sun rose everyone seemed keen to move on. Minor repairs were held off until later, and one by one the crews dragged the ships into the shallows.

  The winds continued to be favourable, carrying them on the last leg of their journey to Magnia. It wasn’t long before Farred began to recognise landmarks he knew, though they looked different from the new perspective afforded by Red Serpent.

  It was still morning when they approached Fripport, located in a sheltered bay near the border with North Magnia. It was the largest harbour in the country and the only place capable of holding such a large fleet. Farred could see Magnian ships moored in one corner—what amounted to Edgar’s fleet, but it was insignificant compared to the wave of Caladri warships that were about to join them.

  Red Serpent was the first to dock on the wooden piers. Farred almost felt like he would miss her when he found himself walking down the plank and returning to Magnia for the first time in two weeks.

  The local officials were already at the dock, waiting to deal with the logistics of mooring the Caladri fleet and accommodating the sailors. Farred spied Aescmar, the leading magnate of the area, directing his men as more and more Caladri ships approached his port.

  ‘You’ve brought the Caladri with you,’ Aescmar said, as Farred approached. ‘Edgar will be pleased. I’ve already sent a rider to tell him the news.’

  ‘You’re well organised here,’ said Farred, impressed.

  ‘We did get some warning of your approach. Which is just as well, because if we don’t see a fleet of this size coming, the whole of South Magnia will be in trouble. Is it right that they have trading ships with them as well?’

  ‘Yes, stocked up with goods from the Sea Caladri and from the Lippers. You would do well to open negotiations with them. I will tell the captain of the ship I travelled on if you like.’

  ‘I am much obliged. Trade has totally dried up since the Kharovians took the Lantinen, and there are many here whose livelihoods have suffered. This could be a boon to them.’

  Aescmar was good enough to put Farred and Sebo up in the house he owned in Fripport. The rest of the Caladri were allocated to various patches of land inside and outside the port. Soon a forest of Caladri tents had sprouted up, doubling the population of the town. They were polite guests, however, and there was no trouble. They paid for their food and the traders amongst them wasted no time in bringing their goods to shore, so that an impromptu market appeared. Caladri and Magnians bartered with each other good-naturedly, and in the end there were few locals who failed to turn some profit from the arrival of the fleet.

  By the evening of the next day Edgar arrived, and Aescmar was able to accommodate him and his three companions at his house. With him came Elfled, sister of Cerdda of North Magnia. Farred had first gained her acquaintance last year, when he had visited the North Magnians on Edgar’s behalf.

  In addition, Edgar now had two bodyguards. Brictwin had come, and Farred was pleased that Edgar had followed his recommendation and appointed Morlin as a second bodyguard. The man had served with distinction under Farred in the Empire last summer, and had the ideal temperament for the job. Edgar had been reluctant to replace Leofwin, Brictwin’s uncle, who had died while preventing an assassination attempt on the prince. But Morlin was intelligent and easy-going enough to fit in.

  They ate a late supper in Aescmar’s dining room. Edgar was keen to hear about Farred’s adventures since they had left Coldeberg, which he duly recounted, with Captain Sebo adding in details of a nautical nature that he felt Farred had overlooked.

  ‘I must know for sure, though,’ said Farred, ‘about your own news since leaving Coldeberg. Elfled’s presence by your side is a good sign,’ he added.

  Edgar grinned, and Elfled smiled too, touching the prince’s hand.

  ‘I visited with Elfled’s family in North Magnia after leaving Coldeberg,’ said Edgar. ‘Then Elfled and I visited with my mother. Having received our family’s approval, Elfled and I can announce our engagement.’

  He took Elfled’s hand and held it up so that they could see her engagement ring. A deep red garnet was set in rose gold, on a finely worked silver band.

  ‘Congratulations,’ said Farred, his words echoed by the others at the table. ‘And did you ask Elfled amidst all that approval?’ he asked.

  ‘Don’t worry about that, Farred,’ Elfled said. ‘I’ve already made it quite clear that this is going to be a partnership.’

  Edgar rolled his eyes, and Elfled gave him a slap. Aescmar asked them about their wedding plans and Farred watched the two of them talking. It was good to see Edgar so happy. His expedition to the Empire had left him looking exhausted, but Elfled was obviously good for him.

  ‘How have you celebrated your engagement?’ Sebo asked the couple.

  They looked at each other. ‘Coming here, I guess,’ replied Edgar. ‘We haven’t had the time for anything else yet.’

  Sebo frowned. ‘Not good enough. It would be an honour for my crew and I to take you out on a pleasure ride on my ship, Red Serpent. I promise to make it special enough to suit such a happy occasion.’

  Edgar and Elfled looked at one another.

  ‘It would be something we would always remember,’ she suggested carefully.

  ‘Why not?’ agreed Edgar. ‘Can we find the time tomorrow?’

  ‘Tomorrow?’ Sebo said. ‘Why not now? You two are young enough
to stay up a while longer surely?’

  ‘In the dark?’ questioned Farred, peering outside.

  ‘There is nothing so special as a moonlight boat ride,’ said Sebo, turning to Edgar and Elfled. ‘Just don’t bring him along. He will just spend his time throwing up Aescmar’s delicious food.’

  They smiled, agreeing to the idea, and Sebo set off to round up those of his crew who were in a fit enough state to man the ship. The rest of them spoke for a while longer, before leaving Aescmar’s house to head down to the harbour.

  Aescmar walked ahead with Elfled, while Farred fell in with Edgar. The two bodyguards walked on either side. Farred realised that they now had two people to protect. That fact must have convinced Edgar to take the step of recruiting Morlin.

  ‘This is another great service you have done for me, Farred.’

  ‘You are welcome, Your Highness.’

  ‘I must find a way to properly repay you. I have been thinking about it a little. It is perhaps time you settled down too. Neither of us are getting any younger, after all.’

  Farred nodded, trying to be noncommittal. Edgar was straying into awkward territory.

  ‘The easiest way for me to reward you would be to find you a wife who comes with a nice estate. I would like to see you become a bigger landowner here in Magnia. It would help me as well as rewarding you. What do you say?’

  What should he say? Edgar, I like men? Maybe Edgar wouldn’t care if he did. Edgar, I fell in love with your fiancée’s brother and now my heart is broken?

  ‘It’s something I should think about,’ he found himself saying.

  ‘Yes, we’ll talk more. Oh my.’

  They all stopped walking to look.

  Sebo had Red Serpent ready. He had placed candles all over the deck and it looked beautiful—ethereal—in the moonlight. Farred wasn’t sure that candles and wooden ships were a good combination, but no doubt he was the only one worried about that.