Hoshmaniah's Hold

by Cyle Young

  Hoshminiah’s Hold

  Cyle Young

  A3 Publishing

  Contents

  Glossary:

  Map of Keth

  1. The worth of a man is revealed in his death

  2. The love of a family makes one brave

  3. A moat only protects if your enemy cannot swim

  4. An enemy’s power is birthed from your weakness

  5. Never trust a Lisin on a horse

  6. A man’s sword is his most loyal ally

  7. A coward’s home is filled with laughter while a brave man’s home is filled with tears

  8. Death’s merchant is war

  9. Time cannot bind love

  10. A hero’s valor is never found in a tale

  Bonus First Chapter:

  About the Author

  Announcement:

  Also by Cyle Young

  Copyright © 2017 by Cyle Young

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  For Patricia,

  Glossary:

  Aken: Olvish word of love and respect. Taught to draka as a launch command.

  Bagh Nakh: Claw-like weapon concealed in the palm of the hand. It attaches over the fingers.

  Battleflight: Aerial combat while riding a draka.

  Cift: Term for a draka rider and his draka.

  Coraq: Term for half-human, half-corol offspring.

  Draka: The small offspring of one of the Ancient dragons of Ol.

  Drakaback: Riding aboard a draka.

  Drakruach: Draka breath. The weapon(s) a draka has to defend or attack with. The breath emanates from the draka’s mouth in a cone or line. Each draka type has two distinct drakruach. After one use, the draka must rest for an extended period of time before using its drakruach again.

  Durban: Site of the waveschool and capitol of the Northern Reaches.

  Favored Sons: Humans in Nod, chosen offspring of Ol.

  Horndale: Prosperous port city on Keth’s Western coast.

  Ictus: Corol word meaning “shock”.

  Kak: Insult meaning “jerk”.

  Kelldonia: Free city state off the Western coast of Keth.

  Keth: One of the human kingdoms in Nod.

  Nod: The planet.

  North Wing Army: Draka army of the Northern Reaches made up of all eight draka types and numbering around 1500 cifts.

  Ol: The god and creator of the universe.

  Pterasor: Agile winged dynosars. It resembles a pterodactyl, but can be ridden by humanoid races.

  Ramulus: Corol word meaning “splash”.

  Map of Keth

  1

  The worth of a man is revealed in his death

  Kethian Proverb

  The barracks door burst open. Startled, Hoshminiah doused the front of his trousers with the remainder of his mead.

  “Invasion!” A castle guard, no more than seventeen-cycles, cried out in a panicked voice. “The Lisin are invading!”

  His heart skipped. Brushing the remainder of the spill from his trousers, Hoshminiah sprung to his feet. He surveyed his wet pants. The damage had been done. War was upon them—he’d have to fight it wet.

  Intentional footsteps carried him to his bedside. The once quiet living quarters swarmed with commotion. His elite wardsmen hustled about gathering their armor and weapons. Metal scraped against stone. Boots thumped like drums in the great hall.

  Still dressed from his day’s responsibilities, Hoshminiah slipped on his chainmail and fastened his sword belt around his waist. His hand brushed his soaked trousers. Oh how he wished he could have finished his drink. The day would be long and his hunger would persist. His stomach growled, but he ignored it. As the commander of the wardsmen—food could wait.

  Slipping on his iron helmet, Hoshminiah bellowed orders. “Men of Askadan—to arms! Muster in the courtyard prepared for war.”

  “Hoo hoo, hoo hoo, hoo.” The men chanted their popular Askadanian war cry in response.

  Hoshminiah raised his fist above his head. “Hoooooo!”

  The stone room cleared as quickly as it cluttered. The men emptied out the only door. Sunlight poured in from outside.

  He hustled behind his men, eager to lead them into battle. Blindness welcomed Hoshminiah when he exited the building. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust from the dull interior light to the brightness of summer in the Boghold.

  He scanned the castle.

  Soldiers scurried up wooden staircases and moved to defensive positions. Heavy ballista rimmed the top of the stone walls.

  His well-trained men stood in four perfect lines of five men each. They were the best of the best. He’d hand-selected each of them to fight at his side. Without a doubt, he trusted each of them with his life.

  They waited eagerly for his command in an open area situated between the keep and castle wall. Dust, disturbed from all the movement, swirled in the air. It hadn’t rained in weeks. This would be to their advantage. The Lisin loved the water. Their leather reptilian-like skin would dry out without a fresh supply. They wouldn’t die, but they’d be very uncomfortable. Askadan faced attack and a possible extended siege. Anything would help them right now.

  The castle knights would send a messenger with new orders soon. Until then he knew what to do. They’d drilled this dozens of times before. He needed to get his men into the city to evacuate the Askadanian citizens.

  As the eastern-most hold in southern Keth, their region bordered the swamp infested Lisia. Border skirmishes with Lisin tribes were daily occurrences. Hoshminiah loved the beauty of the Boghold, with its distant mountains and the fertile plains. His ancestors were one of the first families to settle in Askadan, hundreds of cycles before. It was his home, but he relished the day when they’d find lasting peace.

  Hands on his hips, Hoshminiah tramped to face his troops. He surveyed their anxious faces. All of them had loved ones that would be in the path of danger if not for the troops’ remarkable courage. Each wardsman’s spouse, children, and parents lived outside of the castle, in the surrounding city of Askadan. Every man, loyal to the hold lord, wanted to rescue the people, but saving their kin is what drove their spirit.

  A commander couldn’t be any prouder of his troops. What an honor to fight by their side at times like these. Hoshminiah arched his back. “You know your duty. You’ve tested your skill. Now go out and prove your vigor.”

  The men leaned forward like rabid dogs on a lead—ready for battle. Mumbled war cries mixed in mangled impatience.

  He drew his sword and raised it above his head. “Each man to his ward. Evacuate every building, let none stay behind.”

  The restless wardens fidgeted.

  He turned his back to the men, and with the thrust of his sword, he released them with a shout. “Ahhhhh hoo!”

  A thunderous war cry echoed through the castle.

  The wardsmen bolted past Hoshminiah in a full sprint to rescue their loved ones and the rest of the citizens. The commander waited for the last man to brush past before sheathing his sword. He burst into a run heading to his family’s ward. Once he evacuated his beautiful Sizanne, and their children, he’d feel much more secure.

  2

  The love of a family makes one brave

  Kethian Proverb Kethian Proverb Kethian Proverb

  Hoshminiah exited the castle gate heading towards home. He rushed across the wooden drawbridge thirty-feet above the moat. Hollow thumps resounded with each booted footfall.

  His line of wardsmen peeled off from the main road, disappearing down side s
treets in a hurry. In only a few sil, the street emptied and he ran alone. But it wouldn’t be for long.

  Shouts arose over distant rooftops. He couldn’t make out the words, but he knew the words all too well, and he’d be shouting them soon. The Lisin are coming.

  His men warned the citizens of the invasion and ordered them to the castle for protection. Soon the streets would fill with a seemingly impassable flume of evacuees. He needed to get to his home with haste.

  Without doubt, Sizanne had heard the rumblings spreading through the city like a spring flood. He expected to find her packing for an extended stay in the castle. Once he checked on her, he’d gather the children. Maycel, his son, and Fohn, his daughter, shouldn’t be hard to find, they never strayed far from the house.

  He made an immediate right turn down the first side street. It carried him along the moat to a small set of houses provided to high-ranking officers of the hold. He’d always felt privileged to live here.

  The stone buildings weren’t the largest around nor most well maintained, but they were free. An extra benefit bestowed by Hold Lord Vadam, when Hoshminiah devised the current evacuation strategy. Over the last nine cycles his plan had saved hundreds, if not thousands, of Askadanian lives. Lord Vadam often reminded him, and his appreciation was always generous.

  His plan separated the city of Askadan into twenty-one wards. Along with Hoshminiah, twenty elite troops were recruited and trained to serve as wardsmen of Askadan. Lord Vadam presented each man’s family with a dwelling place, situated at the farthest point away from the castle in their assigned ward. During times of invasion, the wardsmen were released into the city to alert their wards and to evacuate the citizens to the castle.

  Hoshminiah wondered why no one had thought of it before. The real genius of the plan was the relocation of each wardsman’s family. His troops moved with a zeal and purpose that no soldier could ever replicate, unless they were protecting their families. He’d centered his evacuation concept around the passion a soldier has to protect his loved ones.

  Lord Vadam took to his idea well, but the first time they were invaded by the Lisin army, and no citizens were killed during the initial attack—the Lord was sold. With each successful evacuation, Hoshminiah’s fame grew in Askadan. As did his favor with the lord.

  He approached merchants loading sizable clay pots in an ox-drawn cart. “The Lisin are coming.” His words hung in the air, heavy for any hearer.

  A pot slipped from the shaky hands of one of the older men, shattering on the ground. The dark liquid poured into the dry street. Hoshminiah leapt over what smelled like gooseberry wine. He couldn’t stop to help them. Sizanne would be waiting.

  Sweat dripped into his eyes. He wiped it in one quick motion, his leather armor scrunched with each move.

  Why did it have to be so hot? Today of all days. With no clouds in the sky, no rain or shade would come. It was going to be a long day.

  He continued his evacuation proclamation to each group he passed. By the time Hoshminiah collected his family, many of those he’d seen would already be halfway to the drawbridge.

  Living close to the castle had its advantages, especially in times of war. Sizanne had more time to pack food and belongings to make their stay in the castle as pleasant as possible. Once, a siege lasted six-weeks before the Army of the Southern Reaches arrived to repel the invaders. He was glad for the extra clothes she’d packed for him then.

  He rounded the corner near his home. His heart beat faster when his stone house came into view. The front door hung open, and his neighbors loitered about outside. Hoshmaniah cleared his throat, his voice echoed off the neighbors houses. “The Lisin are coming!”

  Every man, woman, and child stopped in their tracks. They all looked to him and it only took a moment for the terrifying reality of the situation to overtake their countenances.

  He repeated himself and a woman screamed. Sizanne appeared in the doorway. Looking back and forth, she scanned the dead end street. Her hand covered her mouth. Something was wrong.

  Hoshminiah pulled up, slowing his approach. He surveyed the area. Maycel and Fohn were missing. Maybe they were inside.

  “Where are the children?” His words fell on deaf ears.

  Sizanne kept searching.

  “Sizanne, where are the children?” The words came out much harsher than he intended, but now she had him worried.

  Paleness replaced his wife’s normal glow. She stammered her response, “They were just out here. Only a few sil ago.”

  Anger quelled up inside Hoshminiah. He fisted his hands. He knew it wasn’t her fault, but this was not the time to misplace the children. If history were a good indicator, they’d have a few hours before the Lisin army arrived. But he needed to spend that time at the drawbridge verifying the successful evacuation of each ward with his men, not looking for his children.

  With a ferocious point he ordered, “Get packed. I will find the children.”

  Sizanne’s eyes went wide. Her face said it all—too harsh, too military. He’d have to apologize later, or it’d be a long siege indeed.

  3

  A moat only protects if your enemy cannot swim

  Kethian Proverb Kethian Proverb

  Sizanne couldn’t believe her ears. Was Hoshminiah really going to yell at her, at a time like this? She swallowed back tears. It’s best to keep busy, and not dwell on what her husband said. Once they were all safe in the castle, she would address it—but not now. He needed to locate the children and if she didn’t pack for a long siege, life would be difficult over the next few weeks.

  Time for focus.

  Hoshminiah disappeared around the corner of the neighbor’s house, prompting her to continue packing. There was so much to do in so little time. As soon as her husband returned with the children, he’d whisk them all away to the protection of the castle.

  She had to be ready.

  Strutting through the dining room, she swept the empty breakfast dishes into her arms. Carrying them into the kitchen, she plopped them in a large washbasin splashing water into her face. She hadn’t noticed it before, but her heart raced in her chest. Closing her eyes, Sizanne inhaled, the smell of the cooking fire soothed her.

  She exhaled. Calm down. Keep control.

  A pitcher filled with water sat on table. With a quick movement she grasped the pitcher, dousing the fire. Best not to risk burning the house down while I’m gone. If the swamp rats don’t choose to burn it down anyways.

  She hated the Lisin. Living in Askadan, a person always worried about the next invasion. At any moment the vile creatures could attack, leaving a path of destruction in their wake. Many of her friends and family had to rebuild their houses multiple times—thanks to the Lisin razing the city.

  Since they lived within an arrow’s shot of the castle wall, their house had never been destroyed, but it had been raided on multiple occasions. Coughing, she waved the steam and smoke away from her face. Kneeling, Sizanne palmed the stones framing the fireplace. She tried to wiggle each of them loose. A few cycles back, Hoshminiah hollowed out a secret compartment behind one of them. It was the perfect hiding place.

  Found it. The stone pulled free. A leather coin purse sat crumpled in the opening. It was easier to leave their valuables hidden at all times, than to risk forgetting to secure them during an invasion. Laying the brick down, she removed the necklace her father had given her on the day of her wedding.

  What a great day.

  She placed the jewelry in the purse and replaced the brick. Safe for now.

  There was so much still to do. Her feet carried her to the bedroom. The centrally located bed still unmade from the children’s late rise. When Hoshminiah served his shifts in the castle, she’d let the children sleep in. She missed him when he was gone, but snuggling with the children helped ease her loneliness. If only he could be home more.

  Making her way to the cupboard to the side of the bed, she retrieved a folded sack. With a flip, she aired it out opening i
t like a large mouth river jux. Not taking much care, Sizanne slid clothes from the cupboard into the bag, making sure to have a couple changes of clothes for herself, Hoshminiah, and the children. It wasn’t a lot, but it would hold them over until the siege ended. She hefted the bag into both hands and carried it from the room dropping it near the front door with a loud thud.

  A quick peek outside revealed a busy street, but still no sign of the children or her husband. Where could they be? They should have returned already. Is everyone fit?

  She couldn’t worry. Hoshminiah would find them and return soon. Maybe the street was too packed with evacuees for them to travel fast. They’d arrive soon, better pack the food and be ready.

  4

  An enemy’s power is birthed from your weakness

  Kethian Proverb

  “Fohn! Maycel!” Hoshminiah rushed through the city streets near his home. Anger welled in his chest. Where were his children? He had a job to do and he needed to return. His men would be waiting for him at the drawbridge.

  Citizens of Askadan pushed past in a hurry. A steady stream of evacuees moved toward the castle. The Lisin were coming. He needed to find his children soon. There was no other choice, he couldn’t return to Sizanne empty-handed. She’d never let him forget it. And as a father, he’d never forgive himself.

  He continued to scream through the streets until something hit him in the back of his legs. His knees buckled, almost sending him into a heap on the ground. Flinging his arms out, he caught himself on a passing cart.