Benjamin Ashwood Box Set 2

by A. C. Cobble

  An officious-looking man with a thin mustache was sitting at a delicate desk. On top of it was a single sheaf of parchment, a feathered pen, and an ink jar.

  “Appointment?” he asked.

  “No,” rumbled Lloyd. “We’re here to see Lord Vonn.”

  An eyebrow arched, and the man’s lips pursed. His small mustache came together like icing on a cake of disapproval. “An appointment is required to see the lord. Shall I mark you down for some time next week?”

  “Tell Lord Vonn that Lloyd is here to see him.”

  The small man smiled. “I will not be doing that.”

  “Do you know who I am?” growled the blademaster. He shifted, so the sigil on his scabbard was obvious.

  The clerk merely steepled his fingers and raised his eyebrows.

  Lloyd bent over, picked up the man’s ink pot, and slowly dumped it onto his sheet of parchment. The man’s mouth popped open in surprise.

  “I don’t see any appointments on here for this afternoon,” growled the blademaster. “Now go. Tell him Lloyd needs to see him immediately.”

  “I-I will have the guards on you,” stammered the clerk.

  “Vonn knows who I am even if you do not. Tell him now so I don’t have to explain why I mopped the floor with his clerk’s face.”

  The little man shot up and scurried over to the guards. They appeared agitated at first, until they had a chance to see the group. The blademasters stared at them calmly, and the guards made no effort to intervene. In short order, the little clerk was scurrying off to find a higher ranking or bolder official.

  “Everywhere we go, clerks are in the way,” remarked Ben.

  “Not your first time busting in somewhere you aren’t wanted?” asked Lloyd.

  “I had to knock out your clerk earlier this morning,” reminded Ben.

  “Fair enough,” allowed the blademaster. He sighed like he wished he’d taken the opportunity to knock out Vonn’s clerk.

  Soon, another set of officials arrived. This set apparently had no concerns about taking the blademasters in to see the lord. They gestured for the party to follow. They were led through the public spaces of Venmoor’s stark keep and then into the private quarters.

  Ben couldn’t help but study the furnishings as they passed, comparing it to the other enclaves of wealth that he’d been inside. It reminded him of Northport. Both cities controlled monopolies on their industries and had bountiful wealth. Neither one appeared to find a need to display it liberally, though.

  Amelie studied it as well, paying particular attention to a set of tapestries that depicted some ancient battle. She could probably identify it, thought Ben, but he had no idea. It looked like any other battle to him.

  “First time in a lord’s castle?” Lloyd asked Amelie.

  She smiled back at him. “Not quite.”

  When they finally found Lord Vonn, he was sitting alone at a massive oak table. In front of him, a map was spread out. A half-empty decanter of red wine anchored one side and an ornate dagger the other.

  “Good,” barked the lord. “I was just about to send for you. We’ve received terrible news.”

  Lloyd strode to the lord’s side and glanced at the map.

  “Northport has fallen?” asked the blademaster.

  Vonn glanced at him. “How did you know?”

  “We have our sources,” claimed Lloyd, looking at Ben out of the corner of his eye.

  Vonn grunted and then turned back to his map. “I’m told the size of the swarm is historic. Like nothing anyone has seen before. Obvious, I suppose. There are a number of possible routes they could go from there. East, roughly following the high road. South on the river. Even west to Narmid.”

  “They’re coming south,” stated Lloyd. “They’re already on the move. They might be able to cross and head east at Kirksbane, or they’ll come here. I’m afraid it’s impossible to predict which they’ll do, but we all know demons dislike water. Even the shallows may give them pause, which leaves Venmoor as the most likely destination.”

  “They’re coming south?” exclaimed Vonn. “Are you sure?”

  Lloyd nodded, ignoring the shuffling of Ben’s party. “I am sure.”

  Lord Vonn flopped back into a velvet-covered chair and snatched a crystal wine glass off the table. He scrubbed at his face with his other hand.

  “How can you be certain?” asked Vonn, glancing at Ben and his friends. His eyes lingered on Towaal. “Never mind. I didn’t think you liked the Sanctuary over at the college, but I should have known. There is little that the mages don’t stick their noses into, is there?”

  Towaal inclined her head to the lord and did nothing to disabuse the man of the idea that she was from the Sanctuary. If he thought they had the Veil’s blessing, it wouldn’t hurt.

  Lloyd cleared his throat to get the lord’s attention back. “I’ve come to tell you that a number of us plan to march north. We’ll hold a line north of Kirksbane. I’d like your support and your men. We’ll need every blade we can put in the field.”

  Lord Vonn’s lips twisted. He breathed deeply and was about to respond when the clatter of breaking crystal drew everyone’s attention.

  Rhys was standing at the side of the room, a broken goblet on a hutch in front of him, a full decanter of wine in his hand. “Sorry about that,” the rogue mumbled.

  Lord Vonn stared at him incredulously.

  “We mean to leave tomorrow,” interjected Ben, speaking quickly to draw the attention away from Rhys. “Based on our reports of the demon swarm’s progress, we could arrive in Kirksbane three to four days before them.”

  “Who is this?” Vonn asked Lloyd.

  Towaal spoke up before Lloyd could respond. “This is Benjamin Ashwood from near Issen. He’s leading the combined forces against the demon swarm.”

  “And what is your name?” asked the lord.

  “Lady Karina Towaal, and you know where I am from.”

  Lord Vonn turned up his wine glass and set it down on the table hard. He glanced at Rhys, and the rogue grinned sheepishly.

  “The Sanctuary is sending support?” asked Vonn, turning back to Towaal. “I assume it’s not just you.”

  “Of course,” murmured Towaal. “There will be a contingent of mages. I was merely the first ready to leave, so I was dispatched to assist in recruiting allies. The demons are a threat to us all, and we have little time.”

  Vonn turned to Ben. “I hope you understand, Lord Ashwood, I cannot offer you much on such short notice. I must retain sufficient forces here to ensure order within the city. I will give you what I can, though.”

  “Your rangers, my lord,” interjected Lloyd. “I believe those men would be best suited for this campaign.”

  “Good idea,” replied Vonn, rubbing his chin. “I’ll check with Commander Rakkash, but I believe we could muster near three hundred of his men by tomorrow. First light?”

  Ben nodded, his head swimming.

  “I’ll send word to Whitehall as well,” murmured Vonn, his eyes dropping back to the map. “If the demons are already on the move, it will be too late for Argren to intercept them, but maybe it will give his new foreign general something to do other than harass me for more weapons. If the worst happens, at least they’ll be on the way.”

  “We have preparations to make and forces to gather at the college,” said Lloyd. “We’ll leave you to organize things here. First light tomorrow, outside the north gate.”

  “Good luck,” responded Vonn, meeting Lloyd’s eyes. “I think we’re going to need it.”

  “That moved rather quickly,” said Ben.

  He and Amelie were preparing for bed in one of the college’s spare rooms. It contained two narrow cots, and that was it. The hallway outside was loud with students bustling about, excited about the news of a giant demon swarm descending upon them. Ben thought they sounded a little cheerful about the matter, but most of the students were younger sons in highborn families or from wealthy merchant clans. They’d never faced
real hardship and had no idea what was coming. Assuming Ben and his friends failed, that was. None of the youngest students would be going with them.

  “We’re nearing the end,” said Amelie. “Things will be quick now, one way or the other. Besides, with news of Nothport’s fall, the blademasters and Lord Vonn have little other choice. It doesn’t take much to imagine Venmoor is the next major city in line, and Whitehall and the Sanctuary aren’t rushing to defend them. Vonn knows they will have to face the demons. We just happened to arrive at the right time with a plan and allies.”

  Ben grunted. “Not many allies.”

  Amelie smiled. “We’re gaining more every day.”

  “Do you think the Veil will come for us?” asked Ben.

  Amelie shrugged. “We have the staff. I’m not sure if that means she will confront us or avoid confronting us. If she thinks we intend to use it against the demons, perhaps she will wait until the battle is over. If she thinks we’ll use it against her, she’ll send everything she has after us. She’s been plotting for centuries, and who knows what webs she’s spun.”

  “She could help if she came to Kirksbane,” suggested Ben.

  “Maybe she will, but I wouldn’t count on it.”

  Ben stripped off his tunic and splashed water on his face and body from a small bathing basin. It wasn’t as good as a bath, but it was better than nothing. He toweled himself off and turned to Amelie.

  “Your bed or mine?” he asked.

  “I’m not sure it matters. This may be the smallest bed I’ve ever slept in,” she mumbled. “We’ve slept under bushes that were more comfortable than this.”

  “I think there’s a reason this is the room that’s open,” responded Ben with a grin, “but I wasn’t thinking about sleeping.”

  Amelie smiled at him. “Is that all you ever think about?”

  Ben winked.

  “You did well today,” said Amelie. “We have an army now. I’m not sure it will be enough, but I’m hopeful. Hope is something we didn’t have a lot of before today.”

  Ben’s smile faded. “We have an army, Amelie, but I’m not ready for this. Towaal keeps thrusting me forward, but I’ve never led so much as a herd of sheep.”

  “You’ve been leading us,” reminded Amelie.

  “You, Rhys, and Towaal don’t count,” said Ben. “That’s different. These are people we don’t know. People who are just following orders. People who aren’t going to take several months to get to know me and then decide they need to atone for their past sins like Rhys or Towaal. This is too much, too quick.”

  “Ben,” Amelie assured, “no one is ready for this. Did Lord Vonn look like he knew what to do? You’ve gotten us this far, through more than anyone could have ever imagined. Have faith in yourself, Ben. It may not feel like it, but you are ready. As ready as anyone could be.”

  He sat silently until she put her hand on his chin and turned his face toward hers. Their lips met, and he forgot about his worries.

  12

  The Road II

  Dawn was breaking, the sun struggling to shine through the thick clouds above Venmoor’s smithies. They stood beside the road, Ben kicking at the black dirt just outside of the city gates. In the distance, he could see green, but near them, everything was covered in soot.

  “Good hard rain during the spring washes most of that away,” remarked Lloyd. “When the wind blows, that helps too. Venmoor isn’t so bad once you get used to it.”

  Ben glanced at the man and asked, “Why are you really here?”

  Lloyd grinned. “You sold me on the demon threat. What else am I going to do, sit and wait for them to come? No, my choices were to fight or to run, and I’ve done enough running in my life already.”

  “No,” said Ben. “I mean, why are you in Venmoor.”

  A flash of regret washed over Lloyd’s face, but his tone was still light when he responded. “Thought I told you that. Had a falling out with my big brother. He’s not the type you argue with and then hang around.”

  “Why Venmoor?” pressed Amelie, evidently sensing the blademaster wasn’t ready to share more about his brother, but still hoping to prod him for information.

  The blademaster stretched, his joints popping and cracking with the motion. “I figured I needed to get as far west as I could, and I sure as hell wasn’t going to Akew Woods or Narmid. Northport is too cold. The City is too full of mages. Whitehall is too full of pompous fools. Where does that leave me?”

  “Venmoor,” replied Ben.

  Lloyd nodded and then gestured toward the gate. “Finally.”

  “Is it a bad sign that they’re half a bell late?” wondered Ben.

  “Nah,” replied Lloyd. “Lord Vonn is a good man and true to his word. His rangers are his best troops for this kind of work. We’re lucky to have them.”

  Through the gates, row after row of heavily armed men streamed out. They were in a rough formation, but even Ben could tell they weren’t used to it. He guessed men like these rarely traveled in such a large group. At their head was a tall man with red-orange hair. It was piled up in a top-knot, and from one hundred paces away, Ben could tell he moved like a stalking hunter.

  “Commander Rakkash,” he said when he got close. He offered a quick bow to Lloyd.

  Lloyd inclined his head toward Ben. “That’s the boss right there.”

  Ben held out his hand. “Ben.”

  Commander Rakkash took it and pumped it once. “Pleasure to be of service, my lord.”

  Ben flushed. “I’m not a lord.”

  “Sorry, general,” corrected the commander.

  “I, ah…” Ben closed his mouth.

  What was he going to say, that he was a simple brewer from Farview? However it happened, he was leading several hundred men. He wasn’t sure that qualified him as a general, but there was no point arguing it and undermining his authority with the rangers.

  Instead, he asked Rakkash a question, “Lord Vonn wasn’t sure how many troops could be ready on such short notice. How many were you able to assemble?”

  “Three hundred and twenty-seven, sir,” responded the commander.

  Ben nodded and scratched the back of his head. He glanced at Rhys out of the corner of his eye.

  “I think we’re all here and ready to go,” suggested Rhys.

  “Right,” said Ben. “Let’s, ah, let’s march.”

  They set off down the road, Ben at the head with Amelie and Lady Towaal, the rest of his friends, a contingent of two-score blademasters and their students, and three hundred twenty-seven of Lord Vonn’s elite rangers behind them.

  Ben kept his eyes ahead, afraid that if he paused or looked back, someone would ask him a question. Even in his dreams where he was a hero of great battles, a blademaster, and a skilled lover, he never was so bold as to predict this.

  Benjamin Ashwood, previously of Farview, was striding to war against an army of demons. A highborn lady on one side, his girlfriend if he thought about it. A mage of the Sanctuary on the other. An assassin and drinking buddy beside her. More blademasters than he could remember the names of followed them. Plus, an actual army. It had happened so quickly he wasn’t quite sure what to think.

  “Sir,” asked Commander Rakkash, “could you brief me on the mission? Lord Vonn only told me that we marched to face demons. A swarm unlike anything this world has seen, he said.”

  “Well,” replied Ben slowly, “that’s true.”

  “Are, um, are we the only ones marching?” inquired the commander, glancing around curiously.

  “There are others meeting us in Kirksbane,” responded Ben. They marched another hundred paces before he admitted. “There aren’t very many of them.”

  “Oh,” said Rakkash.

  “I think you’ll find what they lack in numbers, they make up for in effectiveness,” said Ben.

  “Mages,” said Rakkash, bobbing his head. “I expect you’ll want them to do the bulk of the fighting, and my men will be the shield in front?”

&nb
sp; “Yeah,” answered Ben. “Something like that.”

  “Have your men faced demon swarms?” asked Amelie.

  “They have, my lady,” answered Rakkash. “Every one of them has. No one gets into the unit now without combat experience. These days, it’s necessary. It has fallen on the rangers to keep the hills around Venmoor clear of the monsters. We send out squads every day. Sometimes, they find a demon, and sometimes, they don’t. Sometimes, they go missing.”

  Amelie raised an eyebrow.

  “Then we know it’s a swarm,” explained Rakkash. “For a swarm, I send a company. Every man that is walking behind us right now has faced demons in the field, but to be honest, it’s wearing us down. I could have mustered twice as many experienced men last year.”

  “We understand Commander,” said Ben. “That’s why we’re going to do what we’re going to do. The rifts between our worlds are closing, but we’ve still got to deal with the ones that are already here. One way or the other, at Kirksbane, this fight ends.”

  That evening, they made camp on a flat, grassy lawn that sloped down to the Venmoor River. Ben was saved from embarrassment when Commander Rakkash gently suggested that he could see to his men while Ben and the other commanders camped separately. Ben gave a sigh of relief, caught himself, and tried to appear general-like.

  “It’s okay,” said the commander. “I’m guessing this is the first time you’ve had this many men serving under you. Would have to be, how young you are. No offense.”

  “None taken,” assured Ben. “You’re right. This is my first time leading a group this large.”

  “We’ll follow you,” said Rakkash. “The blademasters are following you, which means they think you’re gonna do something right. I’ll be right behind them until it looks like you’re going to do something stupid. Then, I won’t be. Orders are orders, but I won’t throw away my men’s lives. Know what I mean?”

  Ben chuckled. “Fair enough, commander. All I ask is that when things look scary, give us a chance to show what we can do.”