When the moat rebelled and launched itself into the air, he had just time to duck behind a crenellation. He was knocked off his feet and nearly swept off the wall. He was covered in filth and had a sprained ankle. To add to his misery, his advisor and the Captain had lost the ammo bags in the torrent, but they were found and the ammo was being cleaned as well as everything else on the east side of the castle.
His problems didn’t stop there, he thought, his troops were reduced to defensive mode, the castle was a filthy mess, and worse, he was the laughing stock of everyone in the town and surrounding countryside. It was only a matter of time before the king and the rest of the nobility found out.
Fortunately, his chambers did not have a west facing window open so they were clean, and after he was clean enough to enter his own chambers, he had runners sent to the Captain and Jason with instruction to present themselves as soon as they were fit to be in the room with him. That ended up taking another hour, and while the darkness hid the disaster in the courtyard, it did not help the smell.
They sat around his planning table. Jason and Tayler had no idea what state the Baron was in and were both sitting rigid in anticipation of where the fault would land. “Today was a disaster,” the Baron began, “who could anticipate a magic wall of earth thwarting my move to end this rebellion?”
“Clearly, Baron, no one has seen the like before - even in legend,” Jason ventured hesitantly, and to his relief the Baron only nodded.
“We need a way to remove him from the board. Do either of you think assassination could work?”
“Only if you find an assassin with great skill who is willing to die,” Jason answered. “The camp is patrolled and guarded. I got in before as a halfling but I don’t think you can find someone who could get close enough to kill him without sacrificing their own lives, and that would be a difficult combination to find.”
“So I need someone who would be happy to die for his loved ones safety, for instance?” The Baron pondered.
Neither the Captain nor Jason liked the way this was going. “If the assassin fails, Baron, what magic Daniel might loose could destroy the castle and all in it.” Tayler took a deep breath before continuing into dangerous ground. “He honored his part of the meeting agreement and after the attack on him today he will be less trusting,” the Captain advised cautiously still unsure of the Baron’s mood. Oddly, the Baron had taken no offense at either comment and that made both men nervous.
They discussed different possibilities for another few hours before the Baron dismissed them for the night. The Baron, however, wasn’t done thinking and laid awake till the small hours hatching his next plan.
It was only just dawn when the Captain was awakened by the knock on the door to his quarters. “Enter,’ he called begrudgingly and just loud enough to be heard through the door.
The sergeant entered and saluted to the Captain’s nod of recognition. “Sorry, to bother you, sir, but the Baron has ordered us to set the range and targets back up for that elf weapon and I thought you should know.”
That did peak the Captain’s curiosity so he thanked the sergeant, dismissed him and started to dress. Since he hadn’t been summoned, the Captain grabbed some dark bread and washed it down with warm ale to give the groomers a chance to prepare his horse. He was hallway to the shooting area when he heard a call and turned to see the Baron and three guards coming from behind. He reined in his horse and waited for them to catch up.
“Good morning, Baron, out for a practice session?” he asked and spurred his horse to follow the Baron who had never slowed.
“Yes, Captain, I have a plan but it will depend on how the day goes.”
“May I be privy to the plan, sir? The Captain asked.
“I will tell you when I am ready, Captain. There are many details to be solved yet. If you are going to stay, have one of these guards fetch a breastplate, no, two, and a means to attach them to the dummies.”
The Captain nodded to one of the men, who reined, and turned toward the castle, and then the Captain fell into his usual place alongside and slightly behind the Baron.
The Baron was nearing the bottom of the first ammo bag when lunch arrived. He was ready for a break and though his shoulder was sore he never complained or slowed his methodical approach to mastering the weapon. After lunch he moved his firing line back another fifty paces and began again.
The Baron had twenty-five rounds left when he handed the rifle to one of the guards and had another retrieve the riddled armor from the strawman. The Baron looked pleased with himself. He had missed none of his last thirty-five attempts. He remained silent until they returned to the courtyard where he dismounted and, taking the precious rifle and ammo with him, told the Captain to find Jason and both should meet him in his quarters.
When he found Jason, the Captain described the day’s activities and the Baron’s mysterious behavior adding details and answering Jason’s questions as they traveled to the audience chambers. They were announced and let in immediately.
“Good, you are here. I have devised a plan to get control of the situation back and break the rebellion for good.” He leaned back with that ‘cat who ate the canary’ smile he donned when particularly pleased with himself, and waited to be asked.
It was Jason who spoke first. “How do we help, Baron? What is this scheme you have?”
“Simple, as they say, is always the best,” the Baron smiled and waited a count of two to enjoy his suspended audience just another moment, “I will kill him myself.”
THIRTY-THREE
Lissette and Daniel slept hard. He was exhausted from the day’s activities, and, more so, he thought, from the healing process. Lissette was exhausted from the release of worry. It was late morning when they awoke to Daniel’s named being called by Argon. “One minute,” Daniel replied as he turned to Lissette and suggested she get more rest.
She gave him the catlike stretch she knew he would never tire of and said, “You are a slow learner aren’t you?” Shaking her head, she rose and started to dress as well.
Emerging from the tent into the relatively bright light, Danial asked what the matter was.
“We have a visitor or two and Calden sent me to fetch you while he is catching up on news.”
They followed Argon to the command tent and, upon entering, were surprised to see Beylvar and Draskin. Daniel’s grandfather smiled with a twinkle in his eye and sat silently watching the proceedings.
“Greetings, Draskin,” Daniel began, “While pleased to see you, I admit to being surprised that you are here. I thought you would be long back to the mountains.”
“The truth is,” Calden replied, “he never left.”
“The words Calden spoke to me when we last parted stuck in my ears and wouldn’t leave.” Draskin said, “So I decided we would observe how you progress without us and wait for an opportunity to save you from yourselves.” Draskin paused and for the first time in the sight of many, produced a noticeable if uncomfortable smile. “It became evident in your meeting with the Baron that we have more to learn from you, than perhaps, you from us.”
“You and your guards are always welcome,” Daniel replied earnestly.
“Uh, Daniel, I don’t think you quite understand.” Calden said, “Draskin will have two hundred Mountain Elf warriors here by this time tomorrow.
That surprised Daniel and everyone else in the room, save Argon.
“Does that give us what we need to take the castle?” Daniel asked Calden.
“Yes, and more,” Calden replied, “especially after the reduction of the guards that tried to attack.”
“Is it enough to convince the Baron to surrender?” Daniel asked almost pleading.
“With our army, the Mountain Elves and those humans with the Baron Below, we have an overwhelming force that any sane man would wish to negotiate with, but…”
Lissette finished it for him, “The Baron isn’t sane.”
“I wan
t to avoid killing anyone in the castle if at all possible, including the guards,” Daniel said. That raised a few eyebrows, but no one pushed back.
Hours later they had a basic plan in place. It required contact with Jason for timing and eyes on the inside, and it required Draskin and a hundred of the Mountain elves to get over the walls.
“According to what we have heard,” Calden began, “the able bodied guardsman are numbering around seventy-five. With clean-up from the wave and twenty-four hour guard duty, the walls are lightly manned and the focus is on the portcullis.” We need Jason to verify the information if we want to causalities to be kept to a minimum. We also know the Baron has expended most of his ammo and in the process has become a very good shot.”
Henry added, “A runner was sent through the communication chain back to Jason for information and suggestions on the plan.”
“How long will that take?” Daniel asked.
“A few hours,” Henry replied.
“In the meantime, the mountain elves will arrive,” Draskin stated, “and it may take a little time to allow them to adjust to your new rules. I am sure it is a topic of much discussion as they journey here, but the sight of all working together may still be shocking for some.”
The transition was far from seamless, but with Draskin’s change of attitude and example, the overt issues stopped quickly. I seemed to Daniel that the Mountain Elves either took orders well or were ready to take them.
Daniel sat outside the command tent surveying the camp. It had grown now to six hundred or more fighters. A real army by local standards, and he still had the Baron Below’s people if needed.
This has all happened so fast, he thought, it’s like everything was in place and waiting for a spark. He had also gained a new appreciation of distance. When most people traveled by foot, a two or three day walk was a long way. It made sense why in the older parts of the world, cities and towns were so close together. It also kept the area focused on friends and neighbors without much concern for the bigger world.
“Penny for you thoughts,” Lissette said snapping him out of his reverie.
He looked up and saw her standing to his side with the sun in her face and thought again how fast things had changed. He patted the grass next to him and she sat where she could see his face.
“How do I know you have a penny?” He asked playfully.
“A pretty girl like me can always get a penny,” she said with an exaggerated flirtatious tone.
“I thought we were matched?”
“Girl has to make a living, especially if she has to buy her man’s thoughts.”
They laughed together and enjoyed a moment for just the two of them. “I was looking at all this and wondering what happens tomorrow or the next day. What if the Baron actually surrenders? What if we take him prisoner? We haven’t really even talked about the king and the Baron’s relations with other nobility.”
“You are a planner when you have time, aren’t you?” She said with a smile. “Who can guess what kings think. I know the Baron was trying to improve his status with the King and it was constantly on his mind. My guess is that there were issues between his father and the King and they did not improve when he took over. The King has barons, dukes, earls and others to contend with. I would think that he might prefer a barony that was a little less trouble than this one has become, and if the Baron is gone that will give him the opportunity to select another to manage these lands.”
She took his hand and gave it a squeeze. “But we have other more pressing issues and the next is the Baron.” She paused for a minute and continued, “And, we have to decide what to do about all this.” As she spoke she gestured to the camp.
“Yes, that was where my mind was headed when you appeared. What do we do with an army after the Baron is gone?”
“She smiled again and replied, “We may want to hang onto it for a while and see what kind of replacement the King gives us?” They laughed again and then both fell into silence contemplating the next few days.
The rest of the day was quiet, almost peaceful. Plans were planned, training continued, and the Mountain Elves discussed the best ways and places to scale the walls of the castle. All was on hold waiting on the communications chain to get back to them with word from Jason.
They were well into the second day when word arrived, carried by Jason himself. Runners went out and all gathered in the command tent which now contained Draskin and a few of his men as well. Introductions were made quickly as all were anxious for news.
“I am sorry to bring these tidings,” Jason began, and he sounded truly apprehensive.
“The Baron has sent me to negotiate a meeting.”
“And why would we ever trust that bastard?” Aldon interjected when Jason paused for breath.
“It is much worse than that,” Jason continued, “he wants to challenge Daniel to single combat.” Jason quickly raised his hands to hold down the uproar and as they quieted he continued, “And the weapon of choice is the rifle. He has been practicing and is now very accurate. He almost never misses the chest on the target he has been using.”
“Impossible,” Calden stated flatly, “he knows he cannot win any other way and this is desperation. He will surrender when he sees the army arrayed around him.”
“I agree with Calden,” Draskin said, “we have the warriors to remove him and now we have, with Jason, all the inside information we could need.”
Daniel looked at Henry and Barton with his expression clearly an inquisition.
“I trust him only to be untrustable,” Barton said, “he would never put his life on the line unless he was sure he could win or the gains were too tempting to pass up.”
“What does he hope to gain, Jason? There is more to this than the Baron trying to be brave - it isn’t his style.” Henry, as usual had cut to the quick of it.
“I can only speculate based on bits I can piece together. The rebellion - that’s what he calls you now, has cost him nearly everything he holds dear to his prestige and ego. First, there was Daniel’s and Barton’s escape, then the Lady Lissette, then the gathering of this army, and the destruction of his surprise attack. He has lost at every turn. The additional insult of the moat and in front of the whole town has him a laughing stock. He is desperate to regain his credibility before the king finds out what a disaster the Baron has wrought. I think he hopes to solve this by cutting off the head.”
Draskin eyes were hard when he spoke. “Can he be such an idiot that he thinks things will slide back to normal if he kills Daniel?”
Jason shrugged, “An idiot, perhaps, but he believes the rebellion is nothing but a rabble that will vanish without Daniel’s magic to protect it. No magic, or protection and the mice will flee. In his mind this is the only way out.”
“Then we say ‘no’,” Lissette stated. “It is not worth the risk and we have nothing to gain.” She was only looking at Daniel and most in the tent were glad that intensity was not directed at them.
Daniel was no general but he knew when a battle was lost and simply nodded. The relief in the room was palpable. “Then we need to mobilize the army,” he said. “Henry, if we are going to put on a show, it’s time to call for Basil to gather his people as well. We need everyone in that castle to wake up and see themselves without hope. To know the Baron is about to get them killed and anyone even thinking about standing with him dies.”
“More than that,” Jason added, “they need to know that even if the Baron was to win, they will all die.”
“How do we deliver that message?” Calden asked.
“I can spread it through the castle,” Jason replied.
“If you get caught, you die,” Henry said, “it is better to let us push it through the chain. If it comes from common folk who know all the inside gossip it will be believed faster. Rumor spreads more fear faster than anything else.”
“We will still need the plan for going over the walls,” Draskin said. �
��It is always good to have more than one plan.”
The others either nodded or remained still. It was clear that storming the castle was not Daniel’s favorite plan, but faced with the choices and the fear of support coming to the Baron from the King, he was left with no choice but a reluctant nod.
Runners were sent and the army was organized to leave for the castle at first light.
That night in their tent Lissette was in a better mood than she had been in days. She was trying to contain her relief and pleasure that Daniel had not tried to be stupid again. After they undressed and slid into the blankets that served as their bed, she put her head on his shoulder and said simply. “Thank you.”
Elves- the Book of Daniel Page 30
