Piro couldn't bear to think of anything happening to her family.
A fire broke out, sending sparks showering up through one of the stronghold's slate roofs.
'The armoury,' Unace whispered.
Eventually the stars faded and the world took on grey form as dawn crept across the hillside. By the time the sun had come up, the fire was under control and only a smudge of dirty grey smoke hung over the Stronghold in the still morning air.
Unace stood up, returning her son to his cradle and stretching. 'Better get ready, Pi — Depiro. I plan to ride right up to the gates and demand entry.'
Piro nodded. She had listened to them debate all possible alternatives last night and it seemed the night's uprising would not change their plans. Flanked by her best fighters, decked in their finest, Lady Unace would approach the town. She hoped the townspeople would open the gate and take their chances.
If Unace and her people got that far, they would march right up to the Stronghold gates, backed by their most experienced warriors. If the usurper Steerden had not been overthrown last night, he might just be tempted to make a sally, hoping to wipe her out for good. This would entice him out of the Stronghold, which made him vulnerable.
Even if Steerden didn't venture out, someone inside the Stronghold might be convinced that the gods favoured her. They just might open the gates. If Unace and her supporters got inside, after the night's fighting Steerden's defenders might have been weakened enough for them to retake the Stronghold.
There were a lot of 'mights,' but it was their best chance. Who knew, perhaps Unace's people had already retaken the stronghold. It was hard to tell with the spar's emblem flying undisturbed.
Unace kissed her sleeping son, all bundled in his woolen blankets, and looked over at Piro. 'Ready?'
For today's assault Unace wore the green cloak again, but this time she wore chain mail and carried her weapons.
'Ready,' Piro agreed, mouth dry, heart racing.
'Remember, if the fighting starts, don't stay by me, run and hide,' Unace warned. She held Piro's eyes. 'Promise me this, if I am killed run back here, rescue my son and take him to Rolencia. He can grow up as a stable hand in your castle. As long as he has a chance to grow up!'
Emotion closed Piro's throat. She could only nod.
It was enough for Unace, who put her hand on Piro's shoulder. 'Thank you. I am lucky to have met you and your brother.'
Piro managed to swallow.
Seagrass returned. 'We are ready, Unace.'
Piro walked the unistag out of the snow-cave into the crisp first light. It was a clear morning, so sharp and bright the air was cold enough to make her chest ache. She glanced up at Unace, who had taken her position on the unistag's back. It was hard to believe that this woman, who only moments before had been breastfeeding her infant son, could soon be dead. Everything was so sharp, so beautiful.
Is this what Byren and Lence experienced every time they led a raiding party, this amazing clarity of perception?
Then suddenly they were moving, with Piro trotting along beside the healer. Apart from Seagrass and Unace, no one knew who she was, or cared. Back in Rolencia there would have been explanations if a goatherd turned up in the royal party, but here, with the chaos of the camp and the excitement, she was overlooked.
Unace's people cheered as they passed. Piro thought the spar warriors looked very fine. Not as good as her father's honour guard, when they turned out for a special event, but good in a more ferocious way. She could sense their common purpose. The intensity of their feelings called to her Affinity.
She glanced quickly to Seagrass. If he had noticed anything he did not reveal it.
Down the steep zigzag path they strode. Someone had crept out early and shovelled the snow. Uneven cobbles filled the gaps between exposed rocks, that was about all there was in the way of a road. The lower they marched, the higher and more imposing the Stronghold and its fortified town appeared.
As they rounded the second-to-last bend, Piro caught a glimpse of a bridge over a frozen stream. The bridge was only wide enough for a cart, but sturdy. The spring melt would make the stream a raging torrent.
The bridge was lost to sight as they made the last turn. Then they faced it and the entrance to the town's gate. Piro heard Unace's unconscious sigh of relief, for the people had seen their old warlord's daughter approaching and made up their minds.
The gates were open.
Anxious but hopeful faces lined the streets.
The unistag gave a nervous snort. Piro soothed it with a touch and they crossed the bridge. There was no cheering.
One voice called, 'Welcome home, Lady Unace.'
'Welcome me after I've rid my stronghold of vermin!'
There was laughter and several cheers. The healer began to sing and Piro joined him in the unistag song of praise again. Soon a full choir of voices carried the tune as they wove up the steep main road to the Stronghold gates.
Piro craned her head up and, in a gap between the teetering second storeys of houses, she saw the tall stone battlements of the stronghold. It still did not compare to Rolenhold — too many wooden protrusions — but it was an amazing sight. Several heads watched them from the crenellations, but there was no way to tell if they were Steerden's supporters.
'Can you tell if the stronghold had been retaken?' Piro asked.
'What news from the stronghold?' Unace called to the crowd as they rode by.
A man ran up to walk at her side. 'No news, Warlord Unace. There was shouting and fighting last night. But none of us dared approach.'
Piro didn't blame him as he fell back.
'Not far now,' Unace muttered. 'We'll know soon enough.'
Piro licked dry lips.
They rounded the bend to see the stronghold's portcullis being raised. The ropes creaked on the winches. A dark tunnel no deeper than a cart's length stretched before them, ideal for pouring hot oil and flaming torches on an enemy. And beyond that was the first courtyard, the killing ground. If this place was anything like Rolenhold it would have numerous slits in the buildings for archers to fire down on the invaders. But a clever invader could form a tortoise by wedging their shields together and proceed under cover.
At the sight of the opening portcullis, a cheer broke from the ranks of their supporters.
Piro's heart lifted.
'Let's go,' Unace urged, but the unistag balked.
Piro touched his muzzle, letting him sense the build-up of her Affinity, yet holding back so that he would follow her. Seagrass caught her eye, giving a small nod of approval.
Entering the dark tunnel made Piro shiver. She fixed on the paved courtyard, swept free of snow. They were so close to victory. Byren's ploy had worked. She was proud of him and proud to be here with Lady Unace.
The courtyard was empty.
Unace urged the unistag into the centre, twisting from the waist to look around.
'Where is everyone?' she muttered, then raised her voice. 'I'm Lady Unace, daughter of warlord Uniden and I claim this castle in my own right!'
Her people cheered.
Still no one appeared.
'Open the doors to the great hall so we may celebrate!' Unace swung her leg over the unistag's back and dropped to the ground lightly. She strode towards some steps.
'No!' Seagrass leapt forwards, shoving Unace in the back so that she sprawled on her hands and knees on the bottom step.
The arrow caught the healer in the hump. A murmur of horror and cries of protest filled the courtyard.
'Seagrass?' Unace scrambled to him as he collapsed, gathering him in her arms.
Piro was close enough to hear him whisper, '…knew it was too easy.'
Then the doors of the great hall swung open and a man swaggered down the steps, flanked and followed by heavily armed men. He carried the symbol of Unistag Spar, a white unistag horn set on top of a staff.
'Steerden!' Unace swore under her breath. Releasing the monk, she sprang to her feet. 'Kin-sla
yer!'
' Warlord Steerden!' he corrected. Then he used the unistag-horned staff to gesture to the walls which overlooked the courtyard. 'I have two dozen of my best archers in position. You are dead where you stand. All of you.'
Piro glanced behind her. There was nowhere to run. No way to get back to save Unace's infant son.
It wasn't supposed to end this way.
This wasn't a fireside song. There were no guarantees. And she was powerless to help herself, let alone anyone else, as blood seeped from under the healer's torso, dripping down the steps.
The unistag reared, startled by the smell of blood and the sudden rise in fear which emanated from those around them. Piro could feel it too. She caught his neck and soothed him, concentrating on her hands, so that the overflow of her Affinity came through her skin, calming him as she stroked his muzzle.
'But first I must have that unistag,' warlord Steerden announced. 'Then everyone will know that the gods favour my rule.'
What manner of man could murder his own kin, many of them children? Piro stared at Steerden, trying to understand. A strange buzzing filled her head. The world shifted.
Her knees went weak and she had to lean into the unistag to keep her balance. Nausea roiled in her stomach as her vision blurred.
Feeling strangely detached, she realised she was seeing the Unseen World. When she looked at Seagrass, kneeling on the ground, a warmth pulsed from him, brightest where he bled. The same warmth pulsed from the unistag, glowing around her hands.
But around warlord Steerden the waves pulsed differently, distorting everything, blighting it. This made no sense, unless…
…he had Affinity and it had made him a channel for evil.
'He has untamed Affinity,' Piro whispered.
Steerden's eyes widened. He fixed on her.
Panic swamped her. With his Unseen sight had he seen her, recognising her own Affinity?
She could see him gathering his power, focusing it. And she knew, he'd corrupt her with his taint, just as he would corrupt everything he touched. He had to be stopped.
The unistag responded to her terror. Leaping forwards, it lowered its head. Horn as long as a short sword, it charged Steerden, shouldering Unace aside.
Time stretched for Piro. The warriors at the warlord's side reached for their weapons, but they were too slow. The unistag mounted the steps and speared the warlord through the chest, just under the ribs. The horned staff flew from Steerden's hand, clattering on the stones.
With a wrench, the unistag lifted Steerden off his feet and swung its head, knocking the warlord's supporters off the steps. Then the unistag staggered under the man's weight and fell to its knees.
Piro sprang forwards, afraid her beast had been shot by one of the archers. But, as the warlord slid off the unistag's horn, the creature regained its feet, snorting and shaking so that it nearly fell on the shallow stairs.
She caught its muzzle and wiped the foul blood from its beautiful horn with her own hands. Tears steamed down her cheeks. It horrified her to see the unistag's purity sullied by Steerden's evil taint.
'There. It's over, King Unistag,' she whispered. And in that heartbeat everything returned to normal. Her Unseen vision faded, leaving her weak-kneed and bleary eyed. She staggered, falling to her knees on the steps near the dying warlord.
Steerden clutched her arm, fingers biting into her flesh, dragging her close to him. Bright blood bubbled on his lips as he fought to speak. 'Who are you?'
She stared at him, no longer able to see the taint of his Affinity.
He grimaced with pain. 'Who — '
'Are you all right?' Unace demanded, catching hold of Piro and hauling her upright.
She nodded.
Unace stood over Steerden, staring down at him. 'I wanted to see you suffer for killing all my kin. This is better. I'm not stained by your death.'
Seagrass gasped with pain as he reached for the horned staff. His hand closed on it and he struggled to lift it. 'Warlord Unace, take this.'
She blinked and accepted it from him with a smile of acknowledgement. Then she straightened up and raised her voice, turning to the others with the horned staff held above her head. 'The gods have spoken!'
There was a cheer. It startled the unistag, which reared, backing down the steps. Piro ran after the beast and went to rub its muzzle, but sensed the taint on her hands and stumbled, stiff-legged, to the well, where she hauled up a bucket and thrust her hands into its cold, cold water… rubbing, rubbing and whimpering.
From a distance, she heard someone sobbing. It took her a moment to realise it was her. She felt as if she could never get clean, yet there was nothing to see, just a feeling of sick miasma which clung to her.
The unistag nudged her, snuffling her neck. Its breath was hot and fresh with clean Affinity. It was trying to reassure her. She laughed with relief. Arms around the unistag's neck, she cried and laughed the evil away.
Chapter Nineteen
When Piro finally lifted her head to look around she felt drained, but refreshed. Everything was sharp and clear.
And everything had changed.
The evil warlord's body had been removed, leaving only a bloody patch on the steps. Unace was trying to convince Seagrass to go into the hall with the help of some of her supporters, but he refused to leave her side.
Unace's people must have rushed up into the towers and buildings that opened onto the courtyard, for now they escorted the warlord's supporters, who had all surrendered. Shoving them to their knees in front of Unace, the spar warriors stood back waiting to see justice done.
'Do you want us to kill them?' one of Unace's men asked.
'Spare us, warlord Unace,' they moaned. 'Spare us.'
The new warlord stared at them, her mouth set in a hard line.
Piro held her breath, sensing this was a significant moment. Her stomach turned at the thought of seeing thirty unarmed warriors slaughtered without mercy.
Leaning heavily on a shield-maiden, Seagrass spoke up. 'I know you, Bearclaw. I healed your wife when she nearly died birthing your son.' He nodded to another. 'I know you, Whiplash, I treated your toothache.'
'Yes,' Unace whispered, voice growing in strength. 'I know you all. Many's the time we dined at my father's feasting table. Why did you do it? Why did you follow Steerden? How could you kill innocent children?'
It was a cry from the heart. Some of the men and women dropped to the cobbles, heads on the stones, moaning.
'Kill me! I am unworthy,' one cried.
'I cannot live with what I've done,' another pleaded.
'Then why did you follow Steerden?' Unace demanded.
All shook their heads, unable to explain it.
Piro understood. They had been swayed by the warlord's tainted Affinity. The same might have happened to her and she hadn't even thought to use the wards Fyn had taught her. The heat of shame flooded her, then drained away, leaving her light-headed.
A moment before, Unace's supporters had been ready to slay their captives, now some wept openly, many looked confused but a few were still angry.
'What happened to my kin is too great a crime to let pass unpunished,' Unace said, her voice hard. 'By the laws of Unistag Spar your lives are forfeited!'
Piro shuddered. She did not want to see the paving stones run red with blood. Too much had been spilt already. The unistag nudged her as if sensing her distress.
'Wait.' She ran to Unace, tugging on her arm to whisper. 'Let the unistag decide the fate of these warriors.'
Unace fixed on her and Piro held her breath as the new warlord debated.
'Yes.' Unace glanced once to the bloody stain on the steps, where Steerden had died. 'Let the goddess decide.' She raised her voice. 'Bare your chests to the unistag's horn. If you are truly remorseful, the unistag will spare you.'
Eagerly, Bearclaw undid his sword belt so he could take off his chain mail. 'I cannot go back to my wife and child, after what I've done. Let the gods decide my fate.' And,
with that, he pulled off his chain mail and padded vest.
His chest was broad, covered with slabs of hard muscle, the pale skin scarred from old wounds. Piro could see the pulse beating madly in his throat, but he did not falter.
Though Steerden's death was still fresh in their minds, the rest of them eagerly tore off their chain mail and opened their padded vests to reveal their hearts.
Piro became an instrument of the goddess, as she walked slowly between the kneeling warriors, with the unistag at her side. Too tired and stunned to try to use her Affinity, she had no idea what the unistag thought they were doing as it followed her, keeping close enough to touch. Each time she passed a warrior they stared up into the unistag's eyes, baring their souls, searching for something.
It took her a moment to realise they needed forgiveness.
Like her, they had been tainted by Steerden's Affinity. She had washed his blood off her hands, but he had turned them to an evil purpose and they needed to be cleansed. So this was why the abbeys feared untamed Affinity.
When every last one of them had confronted the unistag and lived, Piro looked up at Unace expectantly.
'You are all forgiven,' the new warlord announced. 'Go home to your families, plant your crops, build, don't destroy.'
Bearclaw placed his hand on his heart. 'I beg a boon, warlord Unace. I beg to serve you if you are ever in need.'
'And I,' echoed the others.
'I am honoured to accept your service,' Unace said.
In sparing their lives, she had won their loyalty. If Warlord Unace had begun her rule with the slaughter of these warriors she would have begun it in blood and so stained her leadership. Piro felt relieved that they had all come through this test, but now that it was over she was so tired she could hardly keep her eyes open.
Unace took Seagrass's free arm. 'I am blessed by good-hearted supporters. Come into the great hall, everyone! Time to forgive and feast!'
They cheered.
Once inside, Piro discovered she was hungry. She took her seat at the high table, hardly able to think straight. Unace ordered someone to fetch her baby and another to recall Byren Rolen Kingson. There was so much to think of when you were a ruler. Piro was glad she was not a warlord.
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