Marlfox (Redwall)

by Brian Jacques

  ‘Sounded like somebeast tripping into a broom closet at Redwall Abbey. Come on, the Marlfox’s room must be somewhere up this passage. Go careful now, he’ll have heard the noise.’

  There were other chambers either side of the torchlit passage, but Song knew right away that the one with ornate double doors would be the chamber where the Marlfox had been sighted. Dippler and Burble had armed themselves with the sentries’ spears. Brandishing her Leafwood stick, Song gave them a quick nod. They charged the doors yelling their battle cries.

  ‘Logalogalogaloooog! Waylahoooo! Redwaaaaaalllll!’

  The doors were not locked, in fact they were not even closed properly, and they slammed inward under the force of the charge. Song, Dippler and Burble exploded into the chamber, heads over tails in a mad jumble. The squirrelmaid was first upright, ready to do battle, but feeling rather foolish at the instant realization that she was facing an empty room. Dippler and Burble sat up, gazing around the chamber in awe. Silken hangings, burnished metal mirrors, incense burners and satin cushions were everywhere. The watervole scurried over to the large carved oaken chair which was serving as the High King’s temporary throne and plumped down on it. ‘Yiss yiss, this is a grand ould chair, so ’tis. I always promised meself one of these. I think I’ll plunder it!’

  Song and Dippler were not listening. They were staring at the great Redwall tapestry, hanging in all its glory. Martin the Warrior’s likeness seemed to smile down on them both.

  Dippler clasped his friend’s paw. ‘Wait’ll Dann sees this, missie. You’ve completed yore quest!’

  Pride flooded through Song. It had been a long and perilous journey, but they had completed it successfully.

  Snapping out of her reverie, she rousted Burble from his plundered throne. ‘Come on, cushytail, up with you, we need this chair!’

  She and Dippler dragged it over to the wall where the tapestry hung. Climbing on to the seat, they began taking down the heavy object, with Burble hopping about protesting. ‘Ah go easy now, don’t scratch the woodwork, watch how y’treat me lovely ould chair, yiss yiss, be careful!’

  Rolling the tapestry up, they stood it behind one of the doors. Dippler tore down a silk wall hanging and draped it over the prize, effectively hiding it from view. ‘There, it should be safe enough here for the moment. What’s up, Song? What’re ye lookin’ round like that for?’

  ‘Where did the Marlfox go? There’s another thing, too. Have you noticed that it’s gone quiet out there?’

  Burble looked up from the chair he was covering with drapes. ‘Yiss yiss, y’right there, mate, there should be a grand ould battle ragin’ round this castle by now, but there’s not a single peep from outside. Well now, there’s me plunder all wrapped up nice’n’tidy. Let’s go an’ take a look!’

  As soon as Dann and his party had charged, the guards fled back into their barracks and locked themselves in. Torrab posted two hedgehogs and several freed slaves in front of the barracks, calling in a loud voice so the water rats could hear, ‘Stay thou by here, slay any who come out!’ She turned with a shrug to the bemused Dann. ‘Mayhap yon vermin do not move without command from some Captain or Marlfox. They bear the look of beasts who be not overburdened with much intelligence.’

  Dann took a parting glance at the dull-faced soldiers penned within their own barracks. ‘Aye, I think yore right, Torrab. Let’s go and see how Gawjo an’ the others are farin’ at the front entrance.’

  Ullig and Wilce were in the main barracks, demoted to the rank and file. When they saw Gawjo and his small force enter the courtyard, both vermin grasped immediately their chance of being restored to favour. After a hasty conference together, they took up weapons. Ullig faced the horde of soldiers, who were lounging about awaiting orders from Toolam, who had not yet appeared. ‘Arm yourselves, there are enemies within our gates. Hurry!’

  The rats looked at him, but made no move. Wilce shook her spear at them, haranguing the indifferent vermin. ‘You heard him, idiots. Pick up your weapons!’

  One, bolder than the rest, sat down on his bed. ‘You ain’t officers no more, yore only the same as us. We ain’t takin’ no orders of’n yer!’

  Wilce’s brain was racing as she challenged the speaker. ‘Us, common soldiers? Don’t be stupid. Who told you that?’

  Slightly unsure of himself, the water rat pointed out one of his comrades. ‘Er, he did.’

  Ullig did not hesitate. He slew the vermin who had been singled out with a sharp spear thrust. Turning on the rest, he shook his head pityingly. ‘Him, what did he know about it? Barrack room gossip! You all know me an’ Wilce ’ere. King Mokkan asked us to pose as common soldiers for a while, just to sniff out any traitors or rebels who was still loyal to the impostor Lantur. We’re still in command ’ere, so pick up yer weapons an’ follow us, or it’ll go hard on you!’

  Gawjo and his party were about to enter the castle when the main barrack doors burst open and vermin began charging towards them. The old squirrel warrior turned to face the foe, backed by his ten big hogs, and rushed the enemy with a bloodcurdling shout.

  ‘Gawjoooooooo!’

  Their quills bristling with the madness of combat, the hedgehogs threw themselves headlong into the water rat ranks, flailing out with long heavy clubs, smashing any spears that came close, hacking and thrusting with short broad cutlasses.

  ‘Rollin’ circle, form a rollin’ circle!’ yelled Gawjo above the mêlée.

  The water rats did not fight with the same ferocity as their opponents, but they outnumbered them more than ten to one. Two of the hedgehogs were down before Gawjo succeeded in joining his small force into the rolling circle. Shoulder to shoulder, cheek by jowl they fought, facing the vermin horde, turning like a wheel, ploughing hither and thither into the foebeast ranks. A spearblade slashed down across Gawjo’s paw as the hedgehog on his right side was overwhelmed by the crushing force of vermin. The old squirrel sighed as he slid in the blood flowing from his paw. They had underestimated the number of enemies. In a short time his column would go under.

  ‘Regubaaaaaaaa! Strike for freedom!’

  Dann and his slave army came charging to the rescue. They hit the vermin’s flank like a tidal wave, changing the face of the battle completely.

  Ullig and Wilce had fallen to the rear, careful not to be in the front line. Now, when the huge mob of reinforcements arrived, they saw defeat looming.

  ‘That’s torn it. Let’s get out of here!’ Wilce muttered to her companion.

  A huge paw smacked down on Ullig’s shoulder, and he was knocked flat by a burly hedgehog maid. She smiled grimly at him as she raised a loaded sling and spoke the last words Ullig was ever to hear in his life. ‘Well well, if’n it ain’t Ullig the Slave Cap’n!’

  A crowd of slaves cornered Wilce. She had nowhere to run.

  ‘Look, mates, ’tis madam ’igh’n’mighty, Lantur’s ole pet!’

  ‘Aye, she ’ad me beaten just for lookin’ at ’er!’

  ‘Remember she ’ad our rations cut when ’twas too cold for us to work?’

  ‘I remember that was a hard winter. I vowed if ever I got the chance I’d pay ’er back someday. Now the time’s come!’

  Wilce’s final shriek as they fell upon her was so piercing that it actually caused a lull in the fighting.

  Song and her two friends emerged into the courtyard just as Wilce screamed. It was a critical moment. The water rats ceased fighting and dropped their weapons, an uneasy murmur arising from them at the sight of their two leaders lying slain. Taking in the situation at a glance, the young squirrelmaid tried a desperate gamble. Raising the Leafwood high above her head she strode boldly among the vermin, calling out, ‘Surrender and you will not be harmed. The Marlfox has gone and your leaders are dead. Surrender, I command you. Surrender! Sit down upon the ground all those who want to live!’

  Whether it was the authority carried by her voice, or the fact that the slow-witted vermin were conditioned to obey orders, Song never knew. She
looked about, trying to hide her astonishment. Every vermin soldier was seated firmly on the ground, watching her.

  Burble’s outburst almost ruined the moment. ‘All except you four, yiss yiss, yore fine big buckoes, I want y’to carry me nice ould chair down here an’ . . . Yowch!’

  Torrab had silenced the watervole by treading heavily on his footpaw. She glared at him ferociously. ‘Seal thy foolish mouth, rivermousey!’

  Meanwhile, Mokkan hurried along the damp rock passages that ran beneath Castle Marl, holding a small lantern. The tunnels wound many different ways in mazelike patterns, but the Marlfox kept unerringly to one passage, sure of his destination. It was a rusty metal door, small and set low at the rear of an alcove. Mokkan gritted his teeth as he prised with his axeblade, forcing the door to squeak in protest as it was wrenched open. He held the lantern ring in his teeth as he scraped through the doorway and began the long upward climb along a tunnel carved into the solid rock. At the top, he slid aside a flat slab and emerged into broad daylight. Tossing the lantern into the tunnel, he drew his cloak tight and took off along the boundary where the woodland grew down to meet the rocks. A sudden sound caused him to pause, then move silently back into the shade of a rowan and become almost one with it, using the Marlfox art of camouflage. Durrlow passed by him, glancing fearfully back at the high side wall of Castle Marl. Mokkan materialized behind the water rat and dealt him a sharp blow with his axe handle. Durrlow sprawled on the ground, one paw to his injured shoulder, the other held to his face as he cringed to avoid his master.

  ‘I wasn’t runnin’ away, Majesty, I was . . . er . . . Don’t kill me!’

  Mokkan kicked him contemptuously. ‘Get up, you whining oaf. Follow me and do as I say!’

  Shortly afterwards, they lay among the loose rocks close to the plateau, Mokkan’s axeblade pressed between Durrlow’s shoulder blades as he whispered orders. ‘Get down there fast and paddle that logboat over here. I’ll be waiting for you. Hurry!’

  Gawjo allowed Song to bandage his paw as they strode behind the vermin to the lakefront.

  ‘Grandpa, will you keep still, please. This wound has to be bound, and I can’t do it while you walk!’

  The old squirrel warrior winked at her fondly. ‘My liddle Song, the sweet voice o’ reason. Time for all that when we’ve finished this job.’

  At the water’s edge the defeated rats were made to pile up their armour and weapons. Helmets, breastplates and shields in one heap, spears, slings, bows, arrows and swords in a separate array.

  Dann took command of the disposal. ‘You creatures have no need of armour. On an island such as this there’ll be no need to attack or defend from this day forward. So step up smart now an’ let’s see ye sling all this gear into the lake!’

  Gawjo admired his neatly bandaged paw as Song skimmed a shield out over the water. It skipped four times, then sank with the noon sun glinting off it. The old squirrel warrior watched as it disappeared from view, butted from side to side by the hooked snouts of curious pike.

  ‘Well, missie, there goes the garments of war. That was a good idea of yours. ‘Tis nice to ’ave a clever granddaughter.’

  Song was as tall as her grandpa, so it was not difficult to throw an affectionate paw about his shoulders. ‘Aye, and it isn’t so bad having a good old grandpa!’

  The weapons were next to go. Dann noticed that some of the vermin were actually enjoying it, laughing as they aimed their spears far out into the lake.

  ‘Hoho, mate, mine went further’n yores!’

  ‘Well, watch this fer a good throw!’

  ‘Hah, last time I’ll ever polish my spear fer guard duty. Remember ’ow Ullig used to ’ave us beaten for paradin’ wid a dust speck on our spearblades?’

  ‘Aye, curse ’is memory! This was ’is sword, I ’ope it rusts to nothin’ in the waters!’ The polished blade flashed in the sunlight, splashed into the lake and was lost to sight for ever.

  Mokkan was concealed by high shelving rock at the side of the plateau as he climbed down to the waiting logboat with the laughter and cheers of his defeated army ringing in his ears. Durrlow crouched nervously at the water’s edge, keeping a wary eye on the pike watching him hungrily from just below the waterline. He held the stern of the logboat steady for the Marlfox. Mokkan pushed past the water rat and jumped into the waiting craft, which wobbled perilously for a moment and then settled. Seating himself, Mokkan readied his paddle, nodding to Durrlow. ‘Get in!’

  ‘I ain’t goin’ with you, sire.’

  Mokkan stared at his subordinate in disbelief. ‘What did you say?’

  A look of stubborn resolution was in the water rat’s eyes. ‘I said I ain’t goin’ with you, Marlfox!’

  A quiver of rage shook Mokkan. ‘When this is over I’ll be back,’ he snarled. ‘Mark my words, rat, you’ll be screaming for death before I’m finished with you!’

  Durrlow gave the logboat a hefty shove, shooting it out on to the lake, smiling happily at the irate Marlfox.

  ‘Yore killin’ days are over. Bad luck go with yer . . . Majesty!’

  The last of the water rats’ weapons had been cast into the lake when Mokkan hove into view, paddling furiously. Dippler was first to sight him, and hopped about wildly. ‘Look, the Marlfox! There he goes!’

  Mokkan paddled like a wildbeast to get out of weapon range. Dann ground his teeth in frustration. ‘He’s gettin’ away. Gawjo, what’ll we do?’

  The old squirrel shook his head. ‘We can’t do anything, Dann. The Marlfox is out o’ range. Nobeast could throw a spear that far.’

  Suddenly everybeast leapt to one side. A whirring noise filled the air.

  Whruuuuum! Whrrrrruuuuuuummmm!

  ‘Take this with ye, vermin!’

  A former slave, the burly young hedgehog maid, raced forward to the rocky plateau brink. She was swinging an iron slave chain in both paws. Faster and faster she whirled it, until it became a blur. Song pulled her grandpa down flat, narrowly avoiding the broken manacles at the chain’s end as the links thrummed louder and louder.

  Whrrrruuuummmm! Whrrrrruuuummmm!

  Whrrrrruuuuuummmmm!

  The hogmaid released the chain and it whizzed out over the lake, a whirlwind of metal. She was carried forward by the mighty throw, slipping off the plateau into the water. Like lightning, Torrab and two of her brothers yanked her back, a pike clinging to her footpaw. Mokkan was just turning his head to look back as the chain struck him, wrapping round his neck in the blink of an eye and whipping him straight into the water.

  The Teeth of the Deeps, the ravening pike shoals that preyed upon any living thing which was cast into their domain, closed in. Long silver bodies, bristling dorsal fins and ferocious ripping teeth, threshing the water to foam. So ended the reign of High King Mokkan, last of the Marlfoxes!

  A mighty cheer arose from the freed slaves. The water rats stared blankly for a moment, then joined in wholeheartedly. The young hedgehog maid sat inspecting her footpaw and Song sat down beside her, eyes shining with admiration. ‘That was a mighty throw, miss, you must possess great strength. What do they call you?’

  ‘My name is Nettlebud.’

  Song shook her paw warmly. ‘I know your father well! He’ll be overjoyed to see you!’

  Burble scurried about, reassuring slaves and water rats as Megraw came swooping down to land on the plateau. ‘Don’t fuss now, me friend won’t harm ye, he’s on our side, yiss yiss, an’ we’re thankful for that!’

  Folding his massive wings, the osprey nodded at Song. ‘Weel, lassie, ah tek it the battle’s o’er. Ye’ll no be seein’ maggypies round here nae mair!’

  Nobeast doubted the fierce fish eagle’s word.

  Dippler eyed his logboat, floating empty out on the lake. ‘I could take a dozen or so in the logboat when we gets it back to land. Anybeast want to come with me? I’m goin’ home.’

  Home!

  The beautiful word meant everything to the creatures gathered by the lake’s edge. Some of t
he freed slaves broke into sobs and wept at the thought of it. Gawjo was one of those who could not hold back a tear. Dann thought of Redwall and his father, and his own eyes filled.

  ‘Look at ’em blubberin’, Song,’ Dippler whispered. ‘Bet you can’t start everybeast weepin’ by singin’ somethin’ nice an’ sad?’

  Song tweaked the Guosim shrew’s ear. ‘You heartless little horror! Bet I can. Just give me a moment to dry my eyes.’

  There on the rocks of the sunlit island the young squirrelmaid’s voice rang out into the late summer afternoon.

  ‘Please gaze round our garden, remember me there,

  And always be faithful and true,

  Then look to the sunset and know that somewhere,

  ’Tis I who’ll be thinking of you.

  Home, home, I will come home,

  Back to the ones I love best,

  Home, home, no more to roam,

  My weary heart will find rest.

  So leave the door open and keep the fire bright,

  As I recall it was always,

  It may be evening or dawn’s welcome light,

  I’ll wander back one of these days.

  Home, home, I will come home,

  Ere the long seasons have passed,

  Home, home, no more to roam,

  Peace we will find there at last.’

  In the hush that followed, Song noticed Dippler weeping.

  * * *

  34

  Rimrose sat at the Abbey pond’s edge with Cregga, Sister Sloey, Ellayo, Deesum and Gurrbowl Cellarmole. Between them they were candying nuts and fruit, shelling hazels, almonds and chestnuts, slicing apples and pears, removing stones from plums, damsons and greengages, and selecting berries. These they layered in pottery jars, pouring in honey, then sealing the tops with bark circles and beeswax.

  Sister Sloey watched a crew of moles carrying ladders out of the Abbey. ‘They’ve finished fixing all the windowpanes, Cregga marm.’