Anger flashing in her eyes, she said, “No more nonsense than your expecting me to come at yours. I am the Ranjana! Of course you will come when I call you, peasant!”
Nicholas flushed. He had never been addressed in this fashion in his life and he didn’t like it. He was tempted to explain to her that his father was a Prince and he was brother to a man who would be King, but decided simply to put it in more basic terms. “Lady, you are our guest, and it would take very little to turn you to prisoner. I don’t know what fate those from whom we rescued you had in mind for you, but I can guess.” Inspecting the other four girls closely, he said, “The five of you would bring us enough wealth on the slave block to live on for several lifetimes.” Pointing an accusing finger at her, he added, “Though we would certainly lose some profit for your foul temper.” He rose. “So don’t tempt me!”
He turned away, and she said, “I haven’t dismissed you!”
Reaching the door, he turned and said, “When you learn some manners and some gratitude for those who saved you from cutthroats, we’ll talk. Until then you can stay in this wagon!”
He left the wagon and closed the door behind, saying to the guard, “Don’t let them leave for a while.”
The soldier saluted and Nicholas returned to his bedroll. He rolled it up and motioned to Marcus and Amos to follow him. A short distance from the others, he said, “Only the three of us, and Calis, know what’s really at stake here, so we can’t lose sight of that. But this situation we find ourselves in has possibilities.”
“How?” asked Amos.
“We can take this loud and rude child to her future husband and put ourselves in good stead with him, and arrive in the city with a plausible story: we’re another mercenary company and we just happened by at the right time.”
Marcus called Tuka over to where they stood. When the little man joined them, Marcus asked, “What can we expect when we reach this City of the Serpent River?”
“Encosi?”
“He means, does the Overlord keep a watch at the gate, or shall we have to inform any official of our presence in the city?” said Nicholas.
Tuka smiled. “You shall be wanting to hire a crier to announce to all your great deeds, so that you may be offered rich commissions, Encosi. As far as the Overlord is concerned, what occurs in the city is of little consequence, so long as his peace is not being too disturbed.”
Ghuda said, “I’ve visited some places like that. Treat it like an armed camp and you’ll do well.”
Amos said, “We’ve got one small problem before we need to worry too much about the city.”
Nicholas nodded. “Shingazi’s Landing.”
Marcus said, “You think those bandits in the boats will be waiting there?”
“We have to assume so, otherwise it could be a short trip.” He asked Amos, “Did everyone get armed?”
“Not as well as I would have liked. We have a half-dozen short bows, and every man has something that looks like a sword. No shields, and the ones the Jeshandi use are made out of hide, anyway. No armor. As mercenary companies go, we’re a pretty poor one.”
Nicholas said, “We do have one advantage.”
“That being?” asked Harry.
“They don’t know we’re coming.”
—
AN HOUR AFTER Nicholas had left the Ranjana’s presence, one of the handmaidens had tried to leave the wagon and was prevented from doing so by the guard. That set up a howling exchange between the guard and two of the girls and forced Nicholas to return. At the end of his patience, he simply used a strong hand and pushed the girls back inside, closing the door, then ordered it barred.
As he left, he noticed Brisa looking on with an expression that could only be called insufferably well pleased. With the coming fight on his mind, Nicholas was in no mood for smugness. “Give me half an excuse, and I’ll toss you in there with them.”
Brisa pulled her dagger and made a show of testing the edge with her thumb. “Oh, please, brave Captain. Please.”
Nicholas waved her away in disgust. A shout went up from the Jeshandi camp, and suddenly there was a flurry of movement.
Amos came to Nicholas and said, “They’re striking their camp.”
Nicholas nodded. “We’d better be on our way, as well. Tuka says that if we roll all day and an hour into the night, we can arrive at this landing at sunset the next day.”
Amos stroked his chin. “Talk it over with Ghuda, but I think it might be wise if we pulled up a little short and showed up at dawn the day following.”
Nicholas considered. It was a truism of battle that had been drilled into him by his teachers that men were at their worst at dawn. Either still asleep or fatigued from long, boring, quiet guard duty, they were at their least alert just before sunrise. “I’ll talk to Ghuda.”
A few minutes after the order was given to move, every Jeshandi tent had been taken down and the community was moving out. Nicholas was impressed. Before his own little caravan was ready, they had completely vanished from sight.
The heat along the river was more moderate than upon the plateau, but not by much. And what was gained in slightly cooler temperatures was more than offset by biting flies. Nicholas rode on the second wagon, the Ranjana’s, next to Ghuda, who turned out to be an experienced hand with horses in harness. As the four wagons were moved out, Nicholas could hear the Ranjana’s complaints echoing from within his wagon. The girl seemed oblivious to the fact that mere hours before, sixteen bandits had held them prisoner, and one had died because he had wanted to indulge himself in the pleasure of their bodies.
After a few minutes, Nicholas was startled by a touch on his shoulder. He almost jumped off the wagon, but he maintained enough composure to turn and discover a face looking out of a tent flap in the front of the wagon. One of the handmaidens said, “My mistress complains of the heat.”
“Good,” said Nicholas. Something about the girl irritated him more than anyone he had known since his older sister, who had been a serious plague for a small boy. But even Elena had turned into a reasonable human being once Nicholas had stopped playing little-brother tricks on her.
A moment later the complaint was repeated. Nicholas turned and saw a different girl at the window. “If your mistress had the manners to personally come and ask me nicely to take down the canvas walls, I might consider it.”
There was a flurry of voices from within and the first maid reappeared. “My mistress requests most modestly that the walls of the wagon be raised to admit some air.”
Deciding not to push the issue, Nicholas turned and climbed down from the wagon. As they were moving slowly enough to permit those not in the wagons to walk alongside, it was not difficult for him to walk along and untie the cords binding the canvas sides. He then pulled the cords that raised the canvas and tied them off.
A particularly pretty maid leaned out. “My mistress thanks the brave captain.”
Nicholas threw a half-aggravated glance over his shoulder and saw the Ranjana staring off to the side of the road, ignoring him. He decided the maid had presumed to be polite on the Ranjana’s behalf.
The day passed without incident, and Nicholas took stock of their situation, conferring with Ghuda on various options. At one point the old fighter said, “There’s one thing about those boys that troubles me.”
“What?” asked Nicholas.
Ghuda flicked the reins and said, “They weren’t what they seemed to be. When we buried them I got a good look, and they weren’t soldiers.”
“Bandits?”
“No.” Ghuda looked concerned. “If this Tuka is telling us true, the raid was conducted in pretty decent fashion, nothing fancy, but effective. The company set to guard this wagon train was good, according to Tuka. But those fifteen we hit were as green a bunch as I’ve seen in the field. Decent swordsmen, who could fight as individuals, I think, but there was nothing like order among them.” He shook his head. “Half of them…their hands were soft, and despite their clothin
g, they weren’t poor bandits. More like rich boys in costume.”
Nicholas shook his head. “What do you think?”
“I think someone expected these wagons to be found, maybe by the Jeshandi.” Ghuda scratched his chin. “I think we’re only seeing a little bit of what there is to see.”
Nicholas said, “So you think there may be no one waiting at Shingazi’s Landing to meet those men.”
“Or someone who’s there to ensure that if they do show up, they don’t go any farther.”
Nicholas nodded. He climbed down from the wagon and ran to the first wagon, to where Tuka sat next to Marcus. “Tuka,” Nicholas called.
The little man looked down. “Yes, Encosi.”
“Is there anyplace between here and Shingazi’s Landing that you would judge a likely spot for an ambush?”
Tuka thought, then said, “Yes, Encosi. There is being a wonderful place a half-day before us, where a small band might be causing great difficulty for an army.”
“Wonderful,” said Nicholas. He said to Marcus, “Pull up.” Waving to the other wagons behind, he ran to the third, where Calis rode next to Harry. To the half-elf he said, “Tuka says there’s a perfect place for an ambush a half-day ahead, and Ghuda thinks that’s likely.”
Calis nodded and jumped down without a word, setting off at a half-run. Moving to the fourth wagon, where Amos and Brisa rode, he informed them of the reason for the unexpected stop.
Amos leaped down and said, “Well, Ghuda knows his craft, I’ll warrant.”
Nakor and Anthony had been riding in the rear of the last wagon, with the men who still needed attention. They came up and Nakor said, “Ghuda knows enough to lead his own company, should he have the ambition.”
Glancing around, he said, “Anthony. This is as good a place as any.”
Nicholas said, “For what?”
Anthony said, “To see if I can locate the prisoners again. I haven’t tried since the shipwreck.”
Nicholas nodded and Anthony closed his eyes. After a long minute, he said, “It’s faint, but there.” He pointed to the south.
Nicholas said, “Well, that’s where we’re going.”
—
CALIS LAY ON the ground. He pointed. “There.”
Nicholas squinted against the setting sun. They lay in the tall grass to the west of a large inn, surrounded by a low wall. What Nicholas strove to see was a company of men who were keeping to themselves in the far corner of the yard. After counting, he said, “There are twelve, I think.”
Ghuda said, “There are a lot more inside, from the sound of it.”
What they could hear were clearly celebratory, shouts and laughter, music and the playful noises of men and women enjoying themselves. Nicholas crawled backward down the hillside. They were close enough for him to take no chance of being seen, even with night rapidly approaching.
As the others followed, they hurried back toward the waiting wagons, camped a mile down the road. Ghuda had already suggested to Nicholas that they make cold camp, in case someone at the inn was alert enough to notice light in the distance. The Ranjana had let it be known that she didn’t care much for the notion, and was even more irritated at being ignored by Nicholas.
When they were a bit down the road, Ghuda said, “It’s that dozen or so hanging out by themselves in the court who make me nervous.”
“Why?” asked Nicholas.
“Those are professionals, if I know my trade. They were the ones who led that raid, who coordinated its timing, and the others are…I don’t know who they are. But while they’re in the inn getting drunk and getting into fights over the whores, the professionals are outside having a meeting about something.”
“Betrayal?” asked Nicholas.
Ghuda shrugged, the gesture clear in the falling light. “It’s on my mind. Those who were left to bring in the wagons were certainly abandoned to their fate. If their mission is to mess up Tuka’s master’s alliance with this Overlord, why didn’t they just kill the girl? Or why not take her to the slave auctions? Or hold her for ransom? Why not put her on the boats? And why would they leave all those jewels she’s wearing? For bandits, they’re pretty indifferent to plunder.” Ghuda scratched his chin. “There are a lot of questions here, and I don’t have any answers.”
Nicholas said little as they made their way back to the campsite. As they approached, a voice cut through the darkness. “Good evening, Captain.”
Nicholas waved at the sentry, who had hidden himself behind a low scrub bush, and smiled slightly at the title. It had taken a while to get everyone into the habit of calling him Captain, but now they all did, including Amos, who seemed to like the irony of it.
Reaching the center of the wagons, which had been drawn up into a defensive square, they found Marcus and the others eating a cold meal. Kneeling next to his cousin, Nicholas said, “Most of them are getting a snootful in the inn.”
Marcus said, “When do we hit them?”
“Just before dawn,” answered Nicholas.
Brisa, who was sitting next to Marcus, observed, “You said most of them.”
Nicholas said, “There are about a dozen that look like they know what they’re doing, and they may be a problem.”
“How big a problem?” asked Marcus.
Ghuda said, “They look like seasoned veterans.” He glanced around at the faces of the sailors and soldiers who were close by and said, “We’ve a good number of hard men with us, too, but we’re poorly armed and some of us aren’t back to full strength yet.”
Nicholas nodded. “But we do have surprise on our side.”
“I hope you’re right,” said Ghuda.
Harry asked, “How are we going in?”
Nicholas took out his dagger and said, “The inn sits beside the landing, with one side right up against the river.”
Tuka said, “Encosi, there is a trapdoor below the storage room, that Shingazi put in to make it easier to bring in ale and food from the river.”
“You’ve been there before?”
“Many times,” said the little man.
Ghuda said, “I’d say from the look of the place that the owner doesn’t expect much trouble.”
Tuka said, “No, Sab. The Jeshandi ceded the land to his father years ago, and traders and travelers are putting in there most regularly. Shingazi has many friends and no enemies, as he is being a fair trader and innkeeper. It would be most difficult for any company bringing trouble to Shingazi’s Landing. It would be making them many enemies.”
Nicholas said, “So if we hit these bandits there, we’re going to be making things difficult for ourselves?”
“Sorry I am to be saying this, Encosi, but that is true.”
Nicholas said, “If we don’t show up, someone’s going to come looking for us. Those who were left with these wagons may have been lazy and sloppy, but they couldn’t take more than another half-day to reach the landing, so, by late tomorrow, someone’s going to come looking.”
“And there goes our surprise,” said Calis.
Nicholas said, “Marcus and Calis, each of you take five men and all the bows. I want Calis’s group to circle around and come back up the river toward us. Marcus you’ll be coming down along the river. The rest of us will trail down the road, and leave it this side of the last ridge before we see the inn. We’ll circle around and come over that ridge opposite the main gate.” He thought for a minute, then said, “If they’re drunk enough, maybe we can slip in and disarm them.”
“If that dozen who were outside are all asleep,” said Ghuda.
“No, if they leave only three or four sentries.”
“That low wall gives no defense, Nicholas, but it provides a little cover,” said Ghuda.
Nakor said, “I have a trick.”
All eyes turned to where the little man sat next to Anthony. Nakor put his hand on Anthony’s wrist. “He’ll help me.”
“I will?”
Nakor had taken to carrying his rucksack again and he
reached in and said, “Ha! The merchant has repaired his storage room!” Pulling out his plunder, he held it up for all to see. “Anyone want an apple?”
Nicholas laughed. “Sure.” Taking a bite, he said, “What’s the trick?”
Nakor said, “I’ll swim down the river, climb up through the trapdoor that Tuka said is there, and light a bunch of wet grass. It’ll make a lot of smoke, and when it’s really burning, I’ll start shouting ‘fire’!”
Nicholas laughed. “I thought you meant magic.”
Nakor made a face. Nicholas half expected him to say, “There is no magic,” but instead he said, “How do you think I’m going to get in unseen, if the trapdoor is bolted, and start the fire?”
Nicholas said, “Ghuda?”
“If we take out guards outside, there’s only the one door and a couple of big windows…maybe.”
Nicholas said, “Let’s try it.”
Brisa said, “I may be a little stupid, but why are we attacking this place?” From the sound of her question, it was clear that she didn’t like the idea. “Why don’t we just circle around it?”
“Because that’s where the boats are,” said Harry.
“Boats?”
“Which we’ll take downriver to the City of the Serpent River,” said Nicholas. Looking at Tuka, he said, “How long to the city by wagon?”
“Almost impossible,” said the little man. “The trails south of the landing are for hunters and horsemen. There is no more road. Even if a road was being there, such a journey would be taking months. My master is expecting myself and the other wagoners to return to Kilbur with the empty wagons, after the cargo and the Ranjana were put on the boats. By the river it is taking only weeks.”
“So,” said Nicholas. “They’ve got the boats and we need them, and we don’t want to turn every mercenary band in this land against us, so we want to do this without damaging the inn. Having a confused, hung-over band of men scrambling to get out of a burning building in the middle of the night sounds like the best plan to me.”
They discussed the details of the plan for an hour, then ate cold food. Nicholas was suggesting to everyone that they turn in and rest as much as they could when one of the sentries came hurrying into the camp. “Captain!” he said.
The King's Buccaneer Page 38
