The Desolate Empire Series: Books 1-3

by Christina Ochs

  “Most left the city when the Norovaeans came. A few who didn’t go peacefully were locked up in the fortress. I imagine they’re still there.”

  Janna shuddered. Perhaps it was safest to avoid religion altogether.

  Kendryk

  Ulla ran into Kendryk’s study. “Visitor for you, sir,” she said, out of breath.

  Kendryk smiled at her. He was a little out of breath himself, since he’d just come inside from sword practice with Karil. He’d be happy to see any visitor who wasn’t Teodora.

  A short, wide, gray-haired woman with a regal bearing swept into the room. “Your Grace,” she curtsied. No one had addressed him that way in a long time. “Charlette Bouley, at your service.” She spoke Galladian.

  Kendryk grinned some more. “Please Madame, be seated. Ulla, bring refreshments.” He settled into a chair and waited for his visitor to do the same. Ulla bustled in a moment later, bearing a tray with tea and some sweets. Bouley looked at them and sighed. “Oh, the pastries in this city will be the death of me. I wasn’t expecting to find any up here, I must admit.”

  Kendryk laughed. “I wasn’t either. But Ulla’s mother is a baker and keeps us well-supplied.”

  “How marvelous.” Bouley bit into a biscuit and sighed. “But I must speak with you first. I am here on the request of Natalya Maxima and King Gauvain. I wish to know if you are well and if your treatment is acceptable.”

  “I am well,” Kendryk said. “And I have no complaints about my treatment.”

  “Good, good.” Bouley leaned forward. “Are we at liberty to talk here without being overheard. Can you trust the servants?”

  “Not really,” Kendryk said. He felt bad about that. Ulla and Dolf were friendly and helpful but he constantly reminded himself that they worked for Teodora. “But I know what to do.”

  He asked Ulla to send for Karil Andarosz. “He’s a trustworthy fellow prisoner and will make sure no one approaches that door while we talk.”

  With Karil stationed outside, the heavy door fell shut.

  “There is much news,” Bouley said. “We aren’t certain, but it looks like your wife is on the verge of success in brokering a peace between Estenor and Sanova.”

  Kendryk shook his head and grinned. “She’s marvelous, isn’t she?”

  “I agree. No one else has managed it. So it’s possible that Estenor will enter the war within the next year. Naturally, Lennart will need time to finalize the peace and gather his troops. He will also make diplomatic overtures into Kronland. Galladium is not directly involved but will not stand in his way and will try to offer as much covert support as possible.”

  “Tell the king I thank him,” Kendryk said. “He doesn’t need to do this.”

  Bouley looked at him long. “He feels he does, but perhaps for reasons that aren’t altogether clear to all of us. Natalya sees far, and makes provision for things most of us don’t even consider.”

  “What is your connection to her?” Kendryk was curious.

  “I manage her correspondence. I used to be a priestess but found the life was not for me.”

  “Understandable. What brings you to Atlona? Officially, I mean.”

  “I’m bearing documents finalizing the marriage agreement between the Archduchess Zofya and King Gauvain.”

  “How is that going?”

  “Well enough. The little archduchess is surprisingly eager. The king has sent her a number of lovely gifts and kind notes. I think she’s in love with him already.”

  Kendryk grinned. “He was always good at that sort of thing. Besides being lovable to begin with.”

  “Indeed.” She glanced at the closed door. “There’s more. We must consider your safety, which I fear will be compromised if Lennart invades. You haven’t served Teodora as a hostage so far, but she might react strongly in the face of a more formidable opponent. We will try to get you out of here before anything happens.”

  “It’s impossible,” Kendryk said, even as he felt a small flicker of hope. “This place is impregnable. There’s no way I’ll get out if Teodora doesn’t let me.”

  “Nothing is impossible. Just start thinking about it and be ready.”

  Teodora

  It took almost a month, but finally they were prepared to attack. The weather had turned to unbroken rain which made digging go even more slowly than usual.

  Teodora was ready to pick up a shovel herself. “I want to hold a pistol to someone’s head.” She snuggled into Demario’s arms. “That would make them dig faster.”

  “Everyone is already afraid of you. They couldn’t work more quickly if you stood above them with a whip.”

  “You’re just saying that.”

  He laughed. “You’re the only woman I’ve ever met who would consider that flattery. That’s why I love you.”

  She caught her breath. He had never said those words in quite that order. “That’s why no one else does.” She tried to say it lightly, though it was too true. Since she had been a little girl, she had always known that no one loved her. Usually, she didn’t mind too much, since she didn’t love anyone either. But this was different.

  “Are you all right?” Demario asked, tapping her chin with his finger after a moment of silence.

  “Very much all right.” She smiled up at him. “I must find a way to keep you with me always. I would go mad right now if you weren’t here. How many of these sieges have you lived through? I couldn’t bear it.”

  “You get used to it. Find other occupations. That’s why so many soldiers gamble. Just imagine how bored they are out there.”

  “Do you suppose we’ll take the city tomorrow?” Everyone had agreed upon a plan and the assault would launch the next evening.

  “If we’re lucky. If not, it will be a good way to test the defenses. Then we can adjust our plans depending on what we find.”

  Teodora was surprised and annoyed at how stoutly the Norovaeans resisted. Large guns fired from the top of the stockade, but Ensden’s barrage took down a part of it and troops streamed through the gap.

  Teodora stayed back, since both generals had insisted. “There is nothing for you to do, Your Highness,” Ensden had said.

  “I can scale the walls.”

  That brought a wide grin from Demario. “I know you can. But we cannot risk you. Can you imagine what would happen if some Norovaean gets off a lucky shot as you come over the top? It would be a disaster.”

  “I suppose you’re right.” Teodora chewed on a nail. “You aren’t going, are you?” It was the most she would say in front of everyone else. She couldn’t stand the thought of seeing his bloodied, lifeless body.

  “Me?” Demario laughed. “I’m much too old for this sort of thing. I’ll walk through the gate after my hot-blooded youngsters open it from inside.”

  She stayed as close as she could, though it became difficult to see through the smoke from the guns. Once the earthworks were breached, Teodora’s troops set to scaling the walls. They nearly succeeded, but Norovaeans came out of the sally ports and pulled enough ladders down that it was no longer possible to get enough troops over the wall.

  “You can offer Karsten terms,” Ensden said afterward.

  “How? Now she knows we can’t get in, I doubt she’ll take them.”

  “Perhaps not right away. But we took a few prisoners and according to them, conditions inside are deteriorating. They are going through their food quickly. If the weather warms, there will likely be plague as well. If she knows there is an offer on the table, she might take it sooner than you think.”

  “But if I offer terms, I’ll have to let Karsten live.”

  “True.” Ensden looked amused. “It’s a rare commander who’ll agree to terms that will bring about their own death.”

  “I cannot allow her to live. It’s unacceptable.”

  “Very well then. We’ll wait.” Ensden was impossible to disturb. “Just remember we have little food here too.”

  “So annoying. I came here to fight, not worry abou
t stuffing these lazy oafs.”

  “People must eat if they are to fight.” Ensden’s voice remained calm.

  “I suppose you’re right. Send to Arcius and have Princess Zelenka send, well, you know how much you need.” Frankly, Teodora found the amounts of everything needed to feed, clothe and house an army unbelievable and far too expensive. “Tell her she’ll be paid from Kersenstadt’s plunder. We’ll do the same for Prince Herryk. It’s a good chance for these Kronlanders to prove their loyalty to me.”

  One of Ensden’s adjutants was already taking notes which meant messages would soon be on their way.

  That done, she asked, “When do we attack again?”

  Ensden looked surprised. “We need to regroup. It’s best if we wait at least a few weeks. As conditions become more unpleasant inside, there’s still a chance of surrender.”

  But he was wrong. Karsten did not surrender and sent out raiding parties to attack the outer edges of Teodora’s camp. Some even stole wagons laden with food and other supplies. Now that it was summer and rather hot, she couldn’t imagine that those in the city were happy to stay there. Surely the population would put pressure on Karsten to surrender.

  “I know you don’t want to, love,” Demario said one hot night, as they played cards in Teodora’s tent. “But you should make an offer. Make it clear that if the city is taken by storm, every Norovaean will be killed, and likely many civilians.”

  “I don’t want Karsten thinking she can survive this if she surrenders.” Teodora looked at her hand and wrinkled her nose in disgust. She really shouldn’t play and talk at the same time.

  “But it’s customary.” Demario was insistent, then played the winning hand. Teodora wondered if it was an omen. “She can expect imprisonment and a high ransom offer.”

  Teodora threw her cards on the table. “You know Arryk will pay any amount to ransom her. I’d rather he never saw her again.”

  “You can always throw up obstacles to negotiations, and plenty of prisoners die in captivity.”

  “Not enough of them,” Teodora grumbled.

  Demario chuckled. “I hope you never come to hate me. I doubt I would survive the week.”

  Janna

  Janna’s baby came on schedule. Doctor Marsel had prepared for complications, but this time there were none. Janna wondered if it was because of the siege and the gods were granting her a little mercy. She still wasn’t sure if she believed, but was grateful for an easy delivery and big, healthy baby boy. She named him Braeden, even though she knew his father wanted to name him Vluda, after Prince Novitny. They could always change it later if Braeden still felt the same way when they saw each other again. She had to believe they would.

  A week after little Braeden’s birth, Janna had fallen into a fitful sleep when an enormous crash awakened her. She jumped out of the bed she shared with Birgid and fumbled for a light. Iryna was screaming.

  Birgid was up as well and lit a candle first. “Holy mother, what was that?” she asked, her hands shaking, making the shadows on the wall tremble.

  “I don’t know,” Janna said, scooping Iryna out of her bed and holding her close. They stood quietly, holding their breaths. Another crash. This one seemed farther away. Boots pounded on the stairs as the Norovaean officers came down. Janna stood in the doorway and watched them go. Major Ellert came last. “Are we being attacked?” she asked as he went by. She was still frightened of him after he’d taken her money, though he’d remained as polite as ever.

  “Seems so,” he said, buckling on his sword belt. “Go down to the cellar and stay there until it’s quiet. It’s an artillery barrage. The house is sturdy enough, but you could still get hurt from shards of glass or pieces of stone.” And then he was gone.

  Janna wasted no time slipping on some shoes, wrapping Iryna in a blanket, then stopping in the parlor to get her cloak. Birgid had already snatched up little Braeden and waited for her in the stairwell with the candle. There was another crash as they went downstairs, closer again. Hilda and the maid huddled in the kitchen.

  “Into the cellar,” Janna said. “We’ll wait until it’s over.”

  Hilda brought another lamp with plenty of oil and Janna was grateful that they didn’t have to stay in complete darkness for hours. Sitting down here, on sacks of flour, the sound of the guns was muffled.

  “Will they break down the walls?” the maid asked, trembling.

  “I doubt it,” Janna said. “Doctor Marsel told me the duchess had great earthworks built up all around the walls. The guns won’t be able to break through. Some might shoot over the walls, but this house is sturdy. Major Ellert said we should stay down here so flying glass and stone wouldn’t hurt us.”

  “What if the house falls down on our heads?” the maid asked.

  “It won’t.” Janna hoped it was true. And even if the house fell, perhaps they could survive down here.

  The crashes continued for what seemed like hours, intermittently, sometimes near and sometimes far. Iryna fell asleep against Janna’s shoulder and after a time, Janna fell asleep as well. Every now and then she slid back into consciousness and heard Hilda and Birgid softly singing hymns. It helped her drift back to sleep. To her relief, the baby slept peacefully throughout.

  When she opened her eyes again, a faint bit of light came through the little window at street level. Janna put Iryna on a sack of flour and went to look out. The cobbles at eye level were damp and a light rain fell. She couldn’t see any debris, and there didn’t appear to be anyone about. “How long since the last blast?” she asked the others.

  “At least an hour or two,” Hilda said. She and Birgid had stayed awake the whole time. “I think it’s safe to go up. We can stay in the kitchen for awhile and I’ll make us all some breakfast. That way we can easily come back here if we need to.”

  Janna picked up Iryna, who was finally waking, and carried her upstairs. The maid built a fire and Hilda made porridge and tea. Janna wished for a fresh egg, but there had been no eggs for at least a month now. When another hour went by quietly, Janna decided it was safe to go upstairs and get dressed.

  It was well after dark when the Norovaeans returned. One was missing and the woman had her arm in a sling. Janna ran to the parlor door and intercepted Major Ellert. “What happened?” she asked.

  Ellert’s face was blackened with grime, his eyes hollow. “The empress’s troops made a run at the wall. They had ladders, but we were able to throw them off. Some of us came at them from the sally ports, but we took heavy losses. Olsen was one of them.”

  That must have been the one who didn’t return. “How terrible. Do you think they’ll try again?”

  “Probably. They were testing our defenses this time. As far as we could tell, it was all Maladenes and Ensden’s mercenaries. No sign of Sanovan cavalry.”

  Janna breathed a little easier, though now she wondered where Braeden was. Still, this was worrisome. It was one thing to huddle inside the walls, and another to be attacked. A question had been eating away at her for some time now, though she’d been afraid to ask Ellert. But now there was little left to lose. “Major Ellert, would you come in and sit down for a moment? I sent for tea just before you arrived. I must ask you something.”

  Ellert followed her into the parlor and collapsed into a chair. She had never seen him look so deflated. Janna poured a cup of tea for him and waited until they’d both had a few sips. “I don’t wish to trouble you, but don’t suppose there’s much point in waiting any longer.” Janna twisted her hands in her lap. “I’ve heard stories about sieges and how sometimes those inside will send out the poor, women who can’t fight, and children, those they consider useless mouths.”

  Tired as he was, Ellert didn’t miss her meaning. He barked out a short, humorless laugh. “And I suppose you’re wondering if you might be turned out? I understand, in your situation it might be helpful. I’m sure you’d quickly find your friends out there.” It went unsaid that things went badly for those who knew no one on the other
side, which never wanted more mouths to feed either. The unfortunate outcasts were often reduced to eating what weeds they could find outside the walls until they froze or starved to death. Janna was willing to take that risk.

  “I’m very sorry,” Ellert said. He’d probably spotted the hope in her eyes. “But Duchess Karsten gave specific orders some weeks ago. No one leaves. Teodora will be held responsible for the deaths of all innocents in the eyes of the gods. If she wishes to spare those lives, she will retreat.”

  “She won’t retreat.” Janna knew the woman she had met would sooner die than back down. “And all the responsibility in the world won’t do the dead innocents any good.”

  “I know.” Ellert put down his empty cup. “I am very sorry, Madame. You have been such a kind hostess and I wish nothing more than to spare you and your children what’s coming.”

  “It will be bad, won’t it?” Janna whispered.

  “There is still hope. King Arryk has surely been on the move since early spring. I am sure the armies of Brynhild Mattila stand in his way, but as soon as he defeats her he will come here and lift the siege. And once things have settled down, your husband can send you instructions on where you might meet him.”

  “What makes you think King Arryk can defeat Mattila? I’ve seen her army. I’ve seen her. She’s even more frightening than the empress, and that’s saying something.”

  “You forget; King Arryk doesn’t fight alone. Emilya Hohenwart and Seward Kurant will have joined him, and Ruso Faris will be back in the field. Arian Orland will be with him as well. All of them together will create one of the largest armies ever seen in the empire.”

  Janna nodded. To get herself and her children out of here alive, Teodora needed to be defeated. But Teodora’s defeat would also mean Braeden’s. It was hopeless.

  Teodora

  The rain ended, but within days the burning sun felt worse. The little grass that had grown soon died and Barela’s cavalry had to forage over twenty leagues away. The stench of the camp increased and at least two different types of plague broke out. Rations were short in spite of more supplies coerced from the local nobility. Teodora didn’t know how much longer they could hold out.