Forever Knight (The Champion Chronicles Book 3)

by Brad Clark

  It wasn’t long before he could see smoke from the fires of the army camp. The stallion snorted, smelling the smoke itself. With one last burst, the horse surged forward, white foam suddenly being tossed from its mouth with each breath. But the surge was all it had left and finally its legs collapsed. Tarcious could hear the snapping of a leg as it got caught underneath its large body. As gracefully as he could, Tarcious rolled from the saddle, making sure that he avoided being crushed by the tumbling body of the horse.

  The snow was high enough that he was fully covered as he rolled along the ground. He stood up slowly, shaking the snow off his cloak. He gave one look back at the horse to see that it wasn’t getting up, and then without another thought, he marched off towards the army camp.

  The camp was at the base of one of the higher peaks in a small valley that was partially protected from wind and snow. Taran centurions had been fighting for decades in the brutal northern winters, so they were fully prepared for the relatively easy winter of the east. Centurions were grouped into teams of six and each team was given a leather hide tent and thick wool blankets to keep themselves warm. There were ten teams in a company. Each company circled their tents around a central fire that was kept burning day and night. Not only was the fire used for warmth, but it was also used for cooking as each company was responsible for their own food and water. A central supply caravan provided the raw supplies, but it was up to each company of centurions to prepare their own food. Each company was further grouped into a larger division. The number of companies per division varied based upon tactical needs. Divisions of crossbowmen were only comprised of two or three companies while the frontline infantry divisions could have as many as twenty companies in each division. Most of the northern army and its ten divisions had made the march east. Five more divisions from Tara City had joined the army as well. In all, almost five thousand men, including support and engineering companies, were camped and ready for war.

  Tarcious approached the army weary and cold. It had been a long journey that spanned two straight days of hard riding. He only managed to eat a few strips of dried meat and a loaf of bread along the way. His leather waterskin had gone dry some time ago and his body craved water, even though there was an unlimited supply all around him. He did grab a handful of snow on occasion to try and quench his thirst, but he only got a frozen mouth for his efforts.

  “Hold!”

  Tarcious looked up from his snowy path into the eyes of a soldier barely older than a boy. The centurion was in full battle armor. He wore a chainmail shirt that included a hood and conical helm that held the chain hood in place. He carried a cocked and ready crossbow that was aimed right at his chest.

  “Unless you want me to shove that thing right up your behind, I would suggest that you aim it someplace else.”

  The man-boy didn’t waver.

  “You really think I am threat? I have no weapons.” Tarcious lifted his hands away from his body and pulled open his cloak to show that he was not armed.

  “Hold!” the centurion shouted again. “None are to pass the perimeter here without leave of General Mace.”

  They were near a group of tents and heads poked out from between the front flaps. Other centurions sat by the fire, their heads turned to see what was happening.

  “I have no time for this,” Tarcious said as much to himself as to the centurion guard. He was in no mood to explain who he was. Although part of him realized that it was indeed odd for the emperor of the most powerful nation in the world to be out in the wilderness all alone, he was the emperor and was not going to go challenged by a pimply boy.

  As he took his next step forward, the words of the spell flowed off his lips with barely a thought. He had performed the spell so many times that it was becoming second nature. With a quick thrust, he jabbed his hand towards the centurion and a ball of fire struck him square in the face. The centurion screamed in agony and fell to the ground, kicking and scratching at his face. His whole head was on fire, burning uncontrollably. The screams lasted only for a moment longer and then the kicking stopped. Tarcious stepped over the body, unfazed at the smell of burned skin.

  The faces of the company of centurions were frozen in fear. No one dared breathe, much less move, lest they get a face full of fire.

  Mostly to himself, the emperor of Taran said as he passed by, “If you think that was something, just wait for what will come next.”

  Silence followed him as he navigated his way through the sea of tents towards the center of camp.

  There were two centurions posted at the entrance to the large command tent, but they did not flinch as he stalked through the opening. Several men were grouped around a map that hung in the center of the room. The youngest of them stepped forward.

  “Emperor Tarcious,” General Mace said with a raised eyebrow. He stepped away from the others. “We did not expect you so early. The supply caravans are still a few days out and we had heard that you would be arriving with them. Under guard.”

  “I could not wait,” Tarcious said sharply, looking up at the map. It was a leather hide that had been marked up with black marks from the burnt end of sticks. Detail markings indicated geographic landmarks such as the mountains and the Blackenwood forest. There were many other lines and scribbles that described the general’s plan of attack.

  “You came alone?” General Mace asked.

  “Of course,” Tarcious replied, his eyes scanning the map to study the general’s plan.

  “It is a dangerous journey.”

  “For the weak, maybe.” He spun around and glared at the general. With clear impatience in his voice, he snapped, “What is the state of the army?”

  “The army is camped and settled. We have begun our daily drills to stay sharp.”

  “Tell me your plans.”

  “We will split the army into four groups. Our attack on the city will be from three locations, with the fourth group held in reserve. This fourth group will also be moved to cover the eastern flank, to protect any attack that comes from Tyre.”

  “We out-number them at least three to one. Probably four to one. Instead, you will mass the entire army together in the woods and march upon the city in a single formation. Tactics and strategies are not necessary when we have such numbers. The key is to get through their walls as quickly as possible.”

  General Mace looked at his map, which held the sketches of his painstakingly developed battle plan. It was the perfect plan to maximize effectiveness and minimize casualties on his side. A frontal assault with the entire army would be bloody. But he did have to agree with one element of the emperor’s plan. It was the one way that they would be able to get into the city quickly. If that was indeed his goal, the general estimated that deaths and injuries would exceed half their number. This was going to be an expensive battle.

  “Of course, Your Imperial Majesty. We will make the adjustments to the plan immediately.”

  “Good,” Tarcious said. “Now, the army will break camp and march south at once. You will have your engineers conscript as many infantry as they need to assist in building siege engines. You have five days until the assault will begin.”

  “Five days!” another general exclaimed. He was an older veteran who was not afraid to speak his mind. “You are out of your mind! Just breaking camp and moving the army into position will take two weeks. You can’t expect us to march through the cold and snow and then construct the equipment we need in that time!”

  Tarcious lifted a finger and the entire room flinched, expecting his anger to be expressed in a violent way. But Tarcious unexpectedly found himself calm. He knew that his quick temper was not always productive, but sometimes he could not just help himself. Killing everyone who disagreed with him was not going to be productive in the long run. The men in front of him were all veterans of many years of combat and were not wholly incompetent leaders. But their many long years of fighting the same battles year after year had numbed them into complacency. They had lost their edge a
nd did not have any semblance of military combat imagination.

  “I was not asking,” Tarcious said. “I was telling you what you are to do. You have today to pack your camp and if your men aren’t marching tomorrow morning when the sun rises, I will find other generals who won’t disappoint me.”

  After an awkward silence, it was General Mace that spoke up with a soft voice. “Your Imperial Majesty, if we are to march in the cold and snow, attrition will cut into our numbers. We may lose a tenth of our soldiers.”

  “Acceptable losses,” Tarcious replied with a firmness that ended any further conversation.

  “Yes, Your Imperial Majesty,” General Mace replied, with some relief in his voice. Although he would be ultimately responsible for any of his soldiers dying, at least the emperor would not be surprised if a good number died of the cold and exposure. “With your permission, we have many preparations to take care of.”

  “Yes, be gone!” Tarcious said with a wave of his hand.

  The room quickly emptied, but as General Mace was about to leave, the emperor called out, “General Mace! One more thing.”

  A sudden fear of death swept over the young general. No one knew what their new emperor was really capable of. His short temper and rash decisions were legendary. If it weren’t for the tremendous power and prestige that went along with being a general in the Taran Empire, he would have never taken the job. But the luxurious life and power over life and death was just too appealing.

  General Mace did his best to hide his anxiety as he replied, “Of course, Your Imperial Majesty. How may I be of service?”

  Tarcious waited until the tent was cleared, which made General Mace even more nervous. He smiled at the attempt that General Mace was making to hide his fear. He loved that power. “Some weeks ago I sent a diplomat to South Karmon to reestablish official relations with the Karmons. This diplomat was instructed to enforce the treaty that Admiral Hestor and their former King Neffenmark put in place. Now with our army on the move, this diplomat will serve the empire in a much more productive manner. I would like you to send a man into South Karmon to find this diplomat and make contact with him. Once there, he will serve the empire more effectively as a spy, as diplomacy is no longer necessary.”

  “That is wise,” General Mace replied, feeling a sense of relief that the emperor was not going to vent anger upon him. “Having a spy in their midst while we launch an assault from the outside may be helpful. He could disrupt their defenses, lure them into a false sense of security. Any number of options. But, should we not send a team of soldiers in now while they are unsuspecting? They would more effective than this diplomat of yours.”

  “Your soldiers would only alert the Karmons that something was amiss. My diplomat will have spent several weeks establishing himself in the castle as a respected Taran official. He will have developed relationships with their lords and possibly even the queen herself. He will be placed just perfectly to serve the empire once the assault begins. But he needs to be notified about the forthcoming battle.”

  “What instructions shall I have my man to give to this diplomat?”

  “I do not expect him to open the gates for us, but I expect him to act in any capacity that will hurt the Karmons and help us. If he can get close to the queen, or to any of the favored lords and put a knife in their backs, then so be it. We have the force to crush their army. But if we can kill their queen, we can take the whole kingdom at the same time.”

  Chapter Eleven

  “Why do you keep doing that!” Melanie cried out.

  Queen Elissa had pushed open the window, allowing a blast of cold air and snow to swirl inside the carriage. She ignored the cries and pleas of her best friend and stuck her head out the side opening. She knew that they should be getting close to home and wanted to see just how close they really were. The heavy snowfall started up early in the morning and continued for their entire day, making it difficult for their driver to keep to the road. More than once they drifted off the path and got stuck in deep snow. What was supposed to have been half-a-days ride from their overnight campsite had turned into an all day journey. It was becoming difficult to control her anxiousness.

  “I think I see it!” Elissa cried out. She squinted, trying to force her eyes to see what she really couldn’t see. Along with the falling snow, the gray, overcast sky hid everything in the distance, including what might have been the tall towers of her castle.

  “Your Majesty,” Kimmie said with calm restraint. “It is cold, would you mind closing the window?”

  The queen let out a sigh, frustrated that they were not yet home. She closed the window and latched it tight. It was still cold, but at least the wind and snow wasn’t filling their space. With the excitement of trying to see her castle gone, she was suddenly very cold and pulled her wool blanket tightly around her.

  “If only they could light a fire in here to keep us warm,” Melanie wondered aloud.

  Elissa giggled.

  “Do you have your dress picked out, yet? And your mask?” Melanie asked, trying to keep her mind of the chill.

  “Dress?” Elissa asked. “Oh, for the ball.”

  “My father is coming from his estate and he is bringing a special mask for me. It is not just one that covers the eyes, but the whole top of the head. Can you guess what it is?”

  Elissa was not entirely in the mood for Melanie’s excited chatter, but she tried to play along. “I cannot image what it could be.”

  “A bear!” Melanie screeched. “It’s actually made from the fur of a bear that my father killed. What about you?”

  “My thoughts have been on the business of the kingdom, so I haven’t had much time to think about it.” The moment the words came out of her mouth, she realized how they sounded. She did not intend to sound snotty or arrogant, because she spoke the truth. She felt a definite longing for the time when she could just do anything she wanted, when she was free from any responsibility.

  “This queen thing is getting in the way of your fun,” Melanie said with a pout. “For the spring festival, you spent a whole week trying on every dress in the city to just find just the right one.”

  “Times have changed,” Elissa replied softly. “I just have so many things on my mind.” She forced herself to change her tone and perked up her voice. “I really am looking forward to the ball! I will find a dress the moment we get back.”

  “Well, you better hurry, because we only have five more days!”

  The carriage suddenly slowed as its wheels got stuck in deep snow, but after a sharp shout by the driver, the team of horses lurched forwards, pulling the carriage with them. Elissa grabbed her seat to keep from flying into the lap of Melanie. They shared a forced smile, as they tried to comfort each other’s fear.

  “Prince Toknon was nice,” Melanie said suddenly, trying to be as nonchalant as she could.

  “Yes, he was,” Elissa replied, averting her eyes from her friend.

  She did not want to have this conversation right now. There were too many other things on her mind. But she couldn’t help but to think about the handsome prince from Thell. It had been an enjoyable time visiting him, much more enjoyable than she had thought. Even though it had ended on a sad note with the passing of his father, she felt a connection with the soon to be King of Thell. Their kingdoms were very much alike, and yet so different. Thell had no large cities with walls to protect them, but their people lived and worked just as she witnessed from the top of her own walls. There were merchants of all sorts that sold their goods from open markets. Some were skilled tradespeople, who wove clothes, or made shoes, or forged the tools that farmers needed.

  Their words were different, but they still spoke Commoner, so she could understand them. They knew who she was, knew that she was from the kingdom to the south and yet they did not look at her like she was the enemy. She had a hard time looking at them as anything other than the people who killed her father, but she also knew that she had to change that attitude and it would hav
e to start right away. They were no longer the enemy and she had to stop thinking of them in that manner.

  The Taran Empire had already shown itself as being interested in their little kingdom. Neffenmark had shattered any innocence that their kingdom was allowed to have. As much as he had done, it had been the Tarans that has started it all, and she could not forget that. Their kingdoms would have to forge an alliance that was stronger than friendship, one that would be built to last generations to come. There truly was only one way to cement that alliance, and it was a thought that made her stomach queasy.

  She thought of Conner at that moment. It had been some time since his face had come into her mind, and that alone made her sad. She loved him in every way. He was a tall and handsome man, but it was his heart, strength, and courage that really attracted her to him. In some way, she hoped that she would never see him again, because it would break her heart to see him right now. She wanted him so much to be right next to her side, for the rest of their lives, but she had a duty to her kingdom and her people. As tall and strong as the walls of Karmon were, the support and friendship of the Thellians were more important.

  From the moment it had been first broached so many months ago, she had known deep down that marriage to Toknon was the right thing to do. Some sort of peace came over her as the decision was finally made in her mind. Her heart ached and she just wanted to crawl up into a ball and cry, but that was a luxury that she could not have anymore. For the second time in less than a year, she was going to make a sacrifice of her body for the betterment of her kingdom.

  ***

  “Hail! The city!”

  Elissa had dozed off under the warmth of her blanket, but was instantly awake at the shout from her drivers. The words were followed by the sound of horse hooves pounding the ground away from them. She popped open the window to see Kern and Hollin, her two armed escorts, race for the main gate of the city. There were a few people coming into the city and they stood aside as the riders bore down upon them. She let out a smile at the sight of her home.