The Nine

by Terry Cloutier

  ​ “Motherless heathens,” Baine whispered. He opened his mouth as if to say more, but Jebido gave him a hard look and he fell silent. Luckily, the guards behind us and Eriz were all focused on the rutting couple and they appeared not to have heard. Finally, having grown bored of watching, Eriz gruffly ushered us up a set of stone steps and into the great hall.

  ​ “Watch your tongues in here,” Eriz warned as we stepped inside. “Your lives hang on the Sword’s word and nothing else.” He pointed to the back of the hall, where I could see Einhard splayed out on furs on a raised wooden platform. A woman lay beside him with a goblet in her hand and my breath caught in my throat as I stared at her. She was dressed in a long-sleeved, fur-trimmed white dress cut low at the neckline. Red and yellow swirling patterns ran along the arms and down each side from her armpits to the hemline. The dress was cinched at her thin waist by a black belt and two gold broaches shaped like shields and about the size of my hand covered her large, full breasts, which threatened to spill out from the top of the dress. A single blue pendant hung around her neck on a gold chain and her hair was long and blonde and done in the traditional Pith fashion. Her face was pale white and fine, with a long straight nose and thick lips that seemed too red to be real. I saw her smile in amusement at something Einhard said to her and she tilted her head back, laughing. Our eyes met across the room and I felt trapped like a fly in a web and couldn’t look away as she studied me curiously. Finally she said something to Einhard and gestured toward us with her chin.

  ​ “Ah!” Einhard shouted when he saw us. He jumped up unsteadily to his feet and beckoned to us. “Come here, men from Gander! I have something I want you to see!”

  ​ Eriz folded his arms across his chest and stood in the doorway as our guards moved to stand on each side of the entrance. Four dead Gandermen with ropes around their necks hung from the rafters and Baine, Jebido and I were forced to make our way through their dangling feet. Piths lay everywhere on the wooden floor, many of the warriors obviously drunk and passed out in each other’s arms. Beer, piss and vomit covered the planks in pools and at first I tried to avoid the worst of it, but finally just gave it up as impossible and walked through it. A naked female Pith lay unconscious and draped across the legs of two male Piths who sat with their backs propped up against the raised platform. I made my way around them, glancing back to share a look with Baine behind me just as one of the Piths began slapping the woman’s bare ass with his hand as he sang happily to himself.

  ​ “Come! Come!” Einhard gestured to us impatiently. He fell back on his rump with a grunt and then banged his open hand on the furs beside him. “You sit here, puppy!” he roared at me with a lopsided grin. His green eyes seemed glazed and out of focus and I realized that he was quite drunk. “Your friends can sit back there,” Einhard added, waving vaguely behind him. Jebido put his hand on my arm and squeezed gently, giving me a look before he and Baine made their way to the furs that lined the wall at the back of the room. Torches flickered along the walls, creating a smoky haze that enveloped us all like a cloak. I coughed and wiped at my eyes as they started to sting. Several large planks laden with food lay on the furs before us and the smells were beyond tantalizing. Bread and cheese were stacked almost a foot high on one of these and on the other lay an array of fish and meat. I recognized pike and salmon and I was certain one of the meats was stag, which I’d had once at the Holy House, but the others I could not identify. Einhard gestured with his hand and grunted something and several Pith women who’d been lounging nearby immediately got up and went to lie down next to Baine and Jebido. I saw Baine grin widely as one of the women whispered something in his ear.

  ​ “Sit, sit!” Einhard ordered. He grabbed my arm and dragged me down to a sitting position, then leaned toward me. I could smell the strong odour of drink on his breath. “I’ve been thinking about you, Ganderman,” he said, wobbling slightly. He sat back and took a long drink from the tin mug in his hand, burping loudly before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He noticed I sat there empty-handed and he frowned and then banged his mug on the furs. “More beer!” he cried. He looked down at the mug and banged it a few more times; seeming confused when he realized it wasn’t making any noise. “More beer!” he shouted again. He gestured to the food. “Eat, Ganderman. There’s plenty for all, courtesy of the kingdom of Ganderland!” I reached for some bread and a hunk of cheese, nodding gratefully to him and I started to eat. It seemed like a long time ago that we’d eaten in the tent and my stomach gurgled happily as I crammed the bread into my mouth. A grey-haired Ganderwoman carrying a metal flagon of beer appeared and she filled Einhard’s mug with it. She offered some to the woman who sat beside Einhard but she just shook her head without saying anything and covered her goblet with her palm. The grey-haired woman then offered me a mug and filled it while I held it out. I noticed her hand was shaking as she poured and the moment she was done, she turned and hurried away. I took a gulp of beer and casually glanced at Einhard’s companion, surprised to find that she was looking right at me. I quickly averted my eyes and felt my face redden as she laughed. She leaned forward and put her hand on Einhard’s arm and said something to him. He made a face and nodded. “Ganderman,” he said, turning to me. “My wife tells me that I have the manners of a wild boar.”

  ​ “And the whiskers to match,” his wife said as she nuzzled his beard with her hand. Her deep blue eyes sparkled and she laughed before she took a sip from her goblet. I stared at her and she held my gaze boldly as she drank.

  ​ Einhard chuckled and put his hand on her knee. “Just be thankful the Master didn’t give me a boar’s nose to go with it.”

  ​ “Praise the Master for that!”

  ​ “Ganderman,” Einhard said, sweeping his hand toward the woman. “May I present to you my wife, Alesia.”

  ​ “A pleasure,” I managed to mumble. I could feel the heat burning my face and hoped Einhard wouldn’t notice.

  ​ “Is your name actually Ganderman?” Alesia asked, one fine eyebrow arched coyly. Her eyes were bright and gleamed with intelligence and mischief and I had to force myself to look away.

  ​ “Well, no,” I said. I downed the rest of my beer and wiped my mouth before replying. “My name is Hadrack.”

  ​ “Hadrack,” Einhard said, looking thoughtful. He glanced at me, looking me up and down as if doubting I spoke true. “Hadrack,” he finally repeated, testing the name on his lips. Finally he put a big arm around me and drew me to him in a great bear hug, shaking me as he laughed. It felt like my bones were about to snap from his grip. “I like it!” Einhard cried. He pushed me aside, leapt to his feet and lifted his mug to the ceiling. “To my friend, Hadrack, the Ganderman!”

  ​ “To Hadrack!” the few Pith’s still awake and sober enough cried in a disinterested chorus as they lifted their mugs.

  ​ “Now, Hadrack,” Einhard said to me smugly as he half-sat, half-fell back into the furs. “I have a gift for you and your friends.” He lifted a hand and motioned to the door where the Piths stood guarding the entrance. One of them nodded and left and I looked for Eriz, but he was nowhere to be seen. The Pith guard reappeared prodding a man and woman ahead of him with his sword point. Behind the three of them more Piths followed, laughing and jeering. Both the man and woman were naked and had their hands tied behind them. The man was tall and heavily muscled and his face looked battered and bruised. Despite this, I sat up in surprise as I recognized him almost immediately. It was the Quarrymaster. As with Fanch, he was older and greyer looking, but it was unquestionably him. The woman was weeping softly and her plump breasts were shining with wetness as the tears fell on them while the Piths walked around her, poking at her and making fun of her heavy thighs and grabbing at the thick patch of black hair between her legs. I assumed she was the Quarrymaster’s wife and I tried to keep my face neutral as the Piths teased her. I didn’t care what they did to the Quarrymaster; nothing would be too good for that bastard. But as far as I knew the
woman was innocent and I wanted nothing to do with what I knew was coming.

  ​ “Enough!” Einhard shouted. He was about to bang his mug on the furs again, then thought better of it and banged it loudly on the meat tray. He looked at me as the Piths fell silent, though one or two of the more drunken ones continued to laugh. “Do you know this man?” Einhard asked me.

  ​ I nodded my head. “He’s the Quarrymaster,” I said. “He’s the one that sent us down into that hole nine years ago.”

  ​ Einhard looked over his shoulder at Baine and Jebido and they both nodded as well. “Yes, I thought as much,” Einhard continued. He gestured to the naked pair surrounded by the Piths. “My men are going to have some fun with them and I thought you might enjoy watching.”

  ​ I motioned to the Quarrymaster with my chin. “You can do whatever you like with him,” I said. The Quarrymaster glanced my way, then dismissed me with his eyes and stared at the ceiling. He showed no recognition on his face, nor had I expected him to. After all, I was eight the last time he had seen me. The Quarrymaster’s face was set in a grim, determined line of defiance, while beside him his wife continued to sob. I gestured to her with my hand. “But the woman has done nothing. Let her go.”

  ​ “Let her go!?” Einhard cried in mock surprise. The Piths burst out laughing and I noticed even Alesia was chuckling and shaking her head. “Why, in the name of the Master, would I do that?” Einhard asked.

  ​ “Because she hasn’t harmed anyone and is innocent,” I replied. The Piths laughed even harder at that and I felt my face tighten as the white anger started to spread. I opened my mouth to speak, to tell them what I really thought of them, but before I could say anything Jebido appeared by my side and he slapped me roughly on the shoulder.

  ​ “You must forgive, Hadrack!” Jebido said loudly. “He’s just a boy and knows nothing of the way things work.” I started to speak again and he squeezed my shoulder, hard enough to make me wince and clamp my teeth together. “His sister was raped and killed before his very eyes when he was young,” Jebido continued, “and the experience has left its mark on him.”

  ​ “Ah,” Einhard said, nodding his head in understanding. He took a sip of beer and smacked his lips loudly. “Well, Hadrack, my friend,” he said, looking at me happily. “Then you will be pleased to learn that there will be no rape done here tonight.” He grinned widely and looked around at the Piths. “Am I right?” The Piths all shouted in agreement and Einhard laughed, clearly enjoying himself. He jumped down to the floor and stood before the Quarrymaster’s wife while the Piths around her moved back and watched. Einhard leaned forward and twirled his fingers in the naked woman’s long black hair while he whispered something in her ear. Her eyes widened and she glanced at the Piths in horror and began shaking her head emphatically. Behind the Quarrymaster several Pith women moved to stand beside the naked man. Each of them held a knife in their hands.

  ​ “It’s not rape if you have a choice,” Alesia said with a smile as she slipped over to me. She was suddenly breathtakingly close, her slim white hand now on my bicep, squeezing it gently. I could smell the scent of her and I swallowed as she looked at me in amusement. Her eyes were flashing with excitement and her lips glistened as she prodded them unconsciously with the tip of her tongue.

  ​ “I don’t understand,” I said to her.

  ​ Alesia laughed and put her hand on my leg. “My husband is giving her a simple choice,” she said with a shrug. “She can either service all of those men down there with her mouth or stand by and watch as my sisters cut off her husband’s manhood and feed it to him.”

  ​ “What?” I gasped. “That’s barbaric!”

  ​ Alesia just shrugged and pressed herself even closer to me. “Perhaps,” she said softly. “But it’s all in good fun.”

  ​ “Fun?” I repeated. I jumped as I felt a hand reach between my legs, pressing and kneading down there. Despite my disgust at what was about to happen to the Quarrymaster’s wife, I felt myself responding and I pushed her hand away. Alesia laughed mockingly and moved away from me as she sipped her drink. Below us the Piths were talking heatedly among themselves as Einhard returned and flopped on the robes between us. If he’d seen what had occurred between his wife and I, he gave no indication.

  ​ “So?” Alesia said to him.

  ​ Einhard nodded. “She’ll do it.”

  ​ “Of course she will,” Alesia said knowingly. “Who did you pick?”

  ​ Einhard motioned to where the Piths had sorted themselves into a line. “Orixe, number six,” he said.

  ​ Alesia snorted. “Any woman here can get past six.”

  ​ Einhard grinned. “That’s because you’re all whores and have had years of practice.” He nodded to the Quarrymaster’s wife, who had by now sunk to her knees before the first Pith and reluctantly taken him into her mouth. “I’m guessing she hasn’t had much practice judging by that uptight bastard she married.”

  ​ Alesia laughed. “Probably true, my husband.” She frowned as she watched the Quarrymaster’s wife. “You’re right,” she said critically. “The woman has no rhythm at all.” She glanced at me where I sat in glum silence. “Don’t they teach your women anything in Ganderland?” I felt Jebido’s hand tighten on my shoulder and I knew it was a clear message. Make no trouble here or we’ll all die.

  ​ “So, Hadrack. Care to place a wager?” Einhard asked me.

  ​ I felt Jebido squeeze my shoulder again and I looked up at him and nodded, letting him know that I was under control. Jebido seemed to understand, for he nodded back to me before turning to go and sit with Baine and the Pith women. I turned to Einhard. “Why?” I asked, keeping the disgust I felt for all of them from my voice. “It’s cruel what you’re forcing that poor woman to do. There’s no honor in it.”

  ​ Einhard snorted. “Cruel! I’m giving them a chance, which is more than any Ganderman would have done for us!” I started to protest that we weren’t anything like the Piths, but then an image of what the nine had done at Corwick came to me and I slowly shut my mouth. Einhard was right, and there wasn’t anything I could say to dispute it. Einhard laughed when he saw the look on my face. “Do you think us stupid, Hadrack? We heard what the old ones told your king to do to us. Kill all the Piths, they said. Leave no man, woman or child of them alive.” Einhard took a gulp of beer, his eyes flashing. “Your fat king came to our lands with his army to do the old ones bidding and we sent him scurrying back to them with his tail between his legs.” He glared at me. “But not before they had raped and killed our women and murdered any of us that they could find.” He gestured to the Quarrymaster's wife. “So don’t lecture to me about cruelty and honor! We didn’t start this.”

  ​ “But you raided our lands all the time,” I protested. “How can you justify that?”

  ​ “Why do I need to?” Einhard asked with a snort. “That’s what Piths have always done since the Master made our world. It is our right!” He waggled a finger at me. “But when we came, we always left your Holy Houses strictly alone. Your beliefs are twisted and wrong, yet we tolerated them, which is more than I can say for your fat king.”

  ​ “But The First Son and Daughter were tricked into thinking you...”

  ​ “I don’t care!” Einhard snapped. He angrily took a sip of beer and wiped his mouth with his hand; then sighed as he fought to regain control of himself. Finally he looked at me. “Perhaps it’s not such a bad thing after all,” he said. “Before your king waged war on us, we Piths were hopelessly divided. We constantly fought among ourselves, tribe against tribe and Pith against Pith.” He chuckled. “That’s all changed now. The Master has lost patience with your kind and He has spoken, and we know now what we must do. For the first time in our history all the Piths stand united under a single king and with a single purpose.” He lifted his mug to me in mock salute. “That purpose is to rid the world of your false gods once and for all.”

  ​ “The Mother and The Father are not false g
ods!” I protested, horrified that anyone would even suggest such a thing.

  ​ “Not to you, perhaps,” Einhard said. He pounded his chest. “But we Piths know better. The Master created these lands and all those who live on them. He created the sun and the moon and all the stars above us. This is not debatable. Why anyone would choose to believe different astounds me.” He glared at me and his green eyes turned hard. “Mark my words, Ganderman, we will take this war to your fat king and we will destroy your false gods. There is nothing that can stop us from doing this.” Shouts arose below us as the Quarrymaster’s wife moved on to the next man in line. Silver was changing hands already and Einhard looked away from me and shook his head in wonder. “What kind of fool would bet on her not even getting past one?” he muttered.

  ​ “She does seem to be getting better at it,” Alesia said to him. She popped a hunk of cheese in her mouth and grinned around it. “Perhaps she’s beginning to enjoy it?”