by ich du
Gert cursed. 'It's begun.'
Reiner nodded, a shiver running up his spine.
Hals made the sign of the hammer. 'Sigmar protect ye, lads.'
They turned and jogged quickly south, but less than a league later they slowed again. There were torches ahead. They drew their weapons. Reiner pulled Gutzmann's blankets over his face.
Four silhouettes stood before them. One held up his hand. Reiner could see he was a sergeant of pike. 'Halt! Who comes?' he said. 'Stand where you are.'
Reiner saluted and stepped into the light. 'Sergeant, we come from the fort with desperate news. The invasion from Aulschweig was a trick. We are attacked from the north instead. The detachment must return immediately.'
But the man didn't appear to be listening. He peered behind Reiner. 'Who's that behind you? How many are you?'
The others came up around Reiner.
'We are eight.' he said, continuing to walk forward. 'Now let us pass. We must deliver our message.'
'Er.' The sergeant stepped back. He shot a glance towards the trees. 'Can't allow that. We've orders to... to stop anyone who might be...' He looked at the trees again. 'Er, be an Aulschweig spy.'
Without warning Reiner leapt ahead and put his sword to the sergeant's throat. The man's companions stepped forward, crying out, but then stopped, not daring to move. The Blackhearts spread out to encircle them.
'Call 'em out.' Reiner said. 'Call 'em out or you're dead.'
The sergeant swallowed, his adam's apple pressing against the tip of Reiner's blade as he did. 'I... I don't know what you mean.'
Reiner extended his arm a little, pricking the man's skin. 'Don't you? Shall I tell you, since you've forgotten?'
The sergeant was too frightened to respond.
'You are here to stop anyone from the fort from warning Nuemark's force.' said Reiner, then stopped, holding up a hand. 'No. I am wrong. You are to let one man through. A messenger from Shaeder, who will make sure that Nuemark arrives just in the nick, and not a moment before.' He raised the sergeant's chin with his blade. 'Do I have the right of it?'
The man sighed, and waved a defeated hand towards the woods. 'Come out, Grint. Lannich. He has us.'
After a moment, there was a snapping of twigs on either side of the road and two sullen handgunners stepped out of the brush.
'We should kill you for this.' said Reiner. 'But there will be enough Empire blood spilled this day.'
'We was only following Shaeder's orders.' said the sergeant.
'To betray your general. Very nice.'
'To betray a traitor!' the sergeant said.
Reiner laughed unpleasantly. 'Well, ease your mind. Gutzmann is betrayed and Shaeder commands. But he needs your help in the fort's defence. Leave your weapons here and return. With luck, the men on the walls won't mistake you for Aulschweigers.' 'But how are we to help in the defence if you take our weapons?' the sergeant pleaded.
Reiner sneered. 'You will find plenty of weapons in the hands of the comrades who are dead by your treachery.'
The sergeant reluctantly began unbuckling his sword belt. His men followed his example.
AFTER SUPPLEMENTING THEIR kit with the guns, swords and spears of the sergeant's men, and sending them scurrying for the fort, Reiner and the Blackhearts continued south through the pass. After a quarter of an hour, the mountains began to draw in and grow steeper.
'There they are,' said Pavel, pointing forward.
The road twisted behind a screen of trees as it entered Lessner's Narrows, and the armour and helmets of soldiers glinted yellow and orange through the branches in the light of an orderly row of small campfires.
'And there.' Dag pointed towards the highest, narrowest part of the trail. Against the cloudy grey of the night sky, Reiner and the others could see the outlines of mounted scouts watching for the army that wasn't coming.
Reiner called a halt and squatted down in the road, thinking. 'There will be a picket, and it will be Nuemark's greatswords. He doesn't want any messenger to come except the one he expects. We'll need to draw 'em off.' He raised his head suddenly. 'Dag. How would you like to make a little trouble?'
Dag grinned. 'Ye want me to kill 'em for ye?'
'No, no,' said Reiner hastily. 'Only start a fight. I want you to run down the road like a madman, screaming about ratmen attacking the fort, aye?'
Dag chuckled. 'Aye.'
'Be loud. Act drunk. And when the picket comes, punch as many of them in the nose as you can, aye?'
Dag smacked his fist into his palm eagerly. 'Oh, aye. Oh, aye. Thank'ee, sir.'
Reiner looked around to be sure the rest were ready to move, then nodded at Dag. 'Right then, off you go.'
Dag giggled as he stood, and began trotting off down the road that curved around the stand of trees.
The others looked at Reiner, eyes wide.
Hals voiced what they all were thinking. 'They'll kill the boy.'
Reiner nodded. 'Oh, aye.' He stood. 'When the shouting starts, we cut through the woods. Got it?' He hoped none of them could see the flush that rose on his cheeks. As much as the lad deserved it, Reiner still felt ashamed. It was like kicking a dog who'd done wrong. The dog wouldn't understand why you hurt it.
Franka looked up at him, eyes unreadable, as the company moved towards the woods.
Reiner swallowed a growl. 'Don't tell me you're disappointed in me?'
Franka shook her head. 'No. On this I am with you.' She shuddered and squeezed his hand.
From a way off came a cry. 'Ratmen! Save us! Save us, brothers! Ratmen attack the fort! Get up ye sluggards! Ride! Ride!'
Reiner could see movement in the camp, soldiers turning their heads and standing. There were more furtive movements as well. Men in the trees closed in on the road, quietly drawing weapons.
'That's our cue,' said Reiner.
The Blackhearts started through the woods, angling away from Dag's shouting. Other voices soon joined him, shouting challenges and questions.
'Take me to Nuemark,' shouted Dag. 'I wan' tell him about the ratmen!'
The Blackhearts reached the far edge of the trees. The makeshift camp spread out before them. The infantry sat in formation on the road, looking towards Dag's shouts. The lancers waited in a slanting meadow off to the left, their horses tethered in neat lines. A small command tent had been set up between the two forces. Nuemark's Carroburg greatswords stood on guard before it.
Dag's shouts ended in a yelp of pain as Reiner peered through the trees beside the meadow, searching for Matthais among the lancers who stood or squatted by little fires, rubbing their hands and stamping their feet in the cold wind that swooped down from the mountain. At last Reiner saw him, sitting on a flat rock, talking to Captain Halmer.
Reiner groaned. Halmer had disliked him from the moment he rode out onto the parade ground that first day. Reiner didn't want to have to tell his story in front of him. He'd call for his arrest before he got out two words. But there wasn't time to wait for him to leave. The battle at the fort was raging. Every second meant more Empire men dead.
Matthais and Halmer were three ranks in. Reiner was trying to think of a way to reach them without being taken for an interloper, when the answer nearly stumbled on him. A lancer strode into the woods and began relieving himself against a tree not ten paces from the Blackhearts. They held their breath, but he didn't look their way.
When he had gone, Reiner turned and took the wrapped rat-head from Gutzmann's dead hands. He tucked it under his arm. 'Wish me luck,' he said.
The Blackhearts murmured their replies, and he started for the edge of the woods, undoing his flies. As he stepped into the meadow he began doing them up again, as if returning from a piss. No one remarked his passage. He walking as nonchalantly as he could manage to Matthais and Halmer and squatted down beside them.
'Evening, Matthais,' he said.
'Evening, lancer,' said Matthais, turning. 'What can I...' He stopped dead, his jaw hanging open. 'Rein...'
&nbs
p; 'Don't shout, lad. I beg you.'
'But you're meant to be in the brig!'
Halmer turned at that. 'Who? Isn't this...? You're Meyerling. Gutzmann put you in stir.'
Reiner nodded. 'Yes, captain. I escaped. But I have...'
'Sigmar, sir!' choked Halmer. 'You've some nerve. Where are Nuemark's guard. I'll have you...
'Please, captain, I beg you to hear me out.'
'Hear you out? I'll be damned if...'
'Sir, please. I won't fight. You can take me to Nuemark and be done with me. But I beg you to listen first.' He looked at Matthais. 'Matthais. Won't you speak for me?'
Matthais sneered. 'Why should I? You came here to assassinate the general. You lied to me.'
Halmer stood, drawing his sword. 'Enough of this. Give me your sword, villain.' 'This is not a lie,' said Reiner, angrily, and flipped open his bloody parcel. The rat-head's death filmed eyes stared blindly up at them. Matthais and Halmer gasped. Reiner closed it again.
'Now will you listen?' he asked.
Halmer sat down on the rock with a thump. He stared at the bundle. 'What... what was that.'
'A ratman,' said Matthais, wonderingly. 'So all that was true? The ratmen in the mine? Attacking the fort?'
'Ratmen don't exist,' said Halmer, angrily. 'It must be something else.'
'Would you like another look?' asked Reiner. He opened the bundle again. Halmer and Matthais stared.
Halmer shook his head, amazed. 'It seems incredible, but I must believe my own eyes.'
'Thank you, captain,' said Reiner. 'Now, believing that, will you also believe what I told Gutzmann about Shaeder? That he is in league with these horrors?'
Matthais made a face. 'But Gutzmann proved you wrong about that. Shaeder would never betray the Empire, and certainly not for gold.'
Reiner nodded. 'I was wrong about him betraying the Empire. He was betraying Gutzmann because Gutzmann was betraying the Empire. He is jealous of the general, as you may know, and so meant to ruin his name and take his position in one sly move.'
Halmer and Matthais stared at him, agog.
'Shaeder meant to allow the ratmen to attack the fort, and make it seem that Gutzmann was in league with them. Then by defeating the vermin, he would prove to Altdorf that he was the man to replace the traitor.'
Halmer closed his mouth. His lips pressed into a thin line. 'That sounds like Shaeder.'
'Unfortunately,' continued Reiner, 'he has been too clever for his own good. He planned to blow up the ratmen's tunnel before their full strength emerged, but they discovered his black powder and stopped him.'
'What!' barked Halmer.
'They...?' Matthais jumped up. 'You mean this happens now? The rats attack the fort now?'
Reiner hauled him down. 'Be quiet you fool!' He lowered his voice as nearby lancers looked around. 'Yes. The rats are attacking as we speak. Shaeder intended to call you back to make a last minute rescue, and so increase his glory, but he has many more ratmen to deal with than he expected.'
'I don't understand,' said Halmer. 'Where is the general? Is he not in command of the fort?'
'No,' said Matthais, his face falling. 'Shaeder drew him away to the mines. I remember now. He invited him to see the tunnel. The devious...'
'Gutzmann is dead,' said Reiner.
The two lancers gasped, staring.
Reiner nodded. 'He died fighting Shaeder's Hammers in the mine.' He looked toward the woods. 'My men carry him.'
Halmer and Matthais made the sign of the hammer and bowed their heads. Then Halmer stood. 'We must return at once. We must tell Nuemark.'
'But he is Shaeder's creature,' said Reiner. 'He already knows.'
'Not all. Surely when he learns that Shaeder's trick has failed...'
'If he believes it.'
There was a sudden clatter of hooves on the road. Reiner, Matthais and Halmer turned. A rider was pulling up before Nuemark's tent.
The obercaptain stepped out as if on cue. 'What news?' he asked in a loud voice. 'Is something amiss at the fort?'
Reiner rolled his eyes at this display. The man would never make an actor.
Nuemark frowned, confused, as the rider got off his horse and whispered in his ear instead of crying his news to the heavens. Reiner didn't need to read the rider's lips to know what the message was, for even in the uncertain flicker of the torches, he could see the obercaptain pale as he took it in. He looked around, then motioned to his infantry captains, and dragged the rider into his tent.
'What does he do?' asked Matthais. 'Why isn't he calling us to order? Why aren't we getting under way?'
They waited a moment, thinking the obercaptain would come out again and make his announcement, but he did not.
'He's bunking it.' said Reiner. 'He's going to cut and run.'
'Impossible.' said Halmer. 'Leaving the fort in enemy hands would be treason.'
Reiner shook his head. 'You saw the fear in him. He's in there now, looking for an excuse. I'll lay odds on it.'
'But we must go back!' Matthais insisted. He turned to Halmer. 'We can't leave when there's a chance!'
'Unfortunately I am not the obercaptain.' Halmer growled. 'I cannot give the order.' He glared at the company of greatswords standing before Nuemark's tent. 'And I wouldn't care to fight through his Carroburgers to usurp him.'
Reiner's head lifted slowly and he turned to look at the captain, eyes wide.
Halmer drew back, uneasy. 'What?'
Reiner grinned at him. 'Captain, you have given me an idea. Will you allow me?'
Halmer nodded. 'Speak.'
Reiner leaned in. 'We will need a horse, armour, a lance, and as much rope as we can gather.'
EIGHTEEN
Shoulder Your Weapons
A SHORT WHILE later, Infantry Obercaptain Nuemark stepped from his tent with his four infantry captains behind him. He was sweating despite the cold night. The messenger he had brought in with him was conspicuously absent.
He spoke to the cavalry captains, then mounted his horse and waited while they sent their corporals to bring the lancers and knights down to stand alongside the foot soldiers who were rising and turning to face him at their sergeants' urging.
When all were assembled, Nuemark saluted the troops and cleared his throat. 'Friends.' He tried again, raising his voice. 'Friends. Comrades. We have been betrayed by one whom we held dear. Our removal here was a trick perpetrated by General Gutzmann. There is no army coming from Aulschweig. The general has turned against us and sided with an army of monsters. The fort is overrun.'
A low, questioning murmur came from the troops, and quickly became a roar of disbelief and anger.
'Yer off yer head, Nuemark,' cried a handgunner.
The obercaptain waved his hands for silence. 'It is true! I have just received word from the fort. General Gutzmann attacked the fort at the head of an inhuman army. Lord Shaeder defended it as best he could, but at half strength he could not hold it. It is lost.'
The roar became a howl, and the troops, both infantry and cavalry surged forward. Only the curses and punches of their sergeants and corporals held them back.
'Believe me.' cried Nuemark, his hands shaking. 'I am as grieved and outraged as you are. But we cannot prevail. We must retire to Aulschweig and help Baron Caspar defend the border until word can be sent to Altdorf and reinforcements can be brought.'
'If General Gutzmann has taken the fort,' shouted a knight, 'then we are with General Gutzmann, whoever he sides with.'
'Fools! You don't understand! General Gutzmann is dead!' bellowed Nuemark. 'Killed by his vile compatriots!'
The howl dropped to a murmur as the troops took this in. They were stunned. They asked each other if such an impossible thing could be true.
Into this lull came a new voice, calling, 'General Gutzmann is not dead! The fort is not lost!'
The troops turned. Nuemark and his captains looked up.
Down the road that curved around the stand of trees came a knight on horseback,
holding aloft a lance tied with pennons of blue and white. He was led by two men, and followed by a ragged company. As they walked into the light, the troops erupted in cheers, for the knight was General Gutzmann.
Reiner, holding the general's bridle, raised his voice again. 'Your general is here, lads! To lead you against the vermin who storm the fort! And against the coward Shaeder, who betrayed us all.'
The cheers echoed off the mountains. Reiner saw Captain Halmer and Matthais and their company at the front of the troops, doing as he had bidden them and crying loudly for Shaeder's head. Good men.
Nuemark was staring, his jaw unhinged. The infantry captains were the same. Reiner beamed. Was ever an entrance so perfectly timed? Had even the great Sierck ever written so stirring a scene? It was perfect. A masterpiece, worth every moment of sweat and furious, grisly effort. For it hadn't been easy. Gutzmann had been frozen with rigor mortis and they had had to break his limbs to get him into Matthais's armour. They had had to clean his face and cut off his eyelids so his eyes would stay open. Matthais had wept. Karel had vomited.
Tying the general to Halmer's second horse had been more difficult than expected as well. He weighed a ton, and tended to hang to one side. Fortunately, Matthais's cloak was made for winter weather, long and heavy, and hid a multitude of ropes, straps and stays. Unfortunately, the youth's head was smaller than Gutzmann's and they had had to force his helmet down over the general's brow most cruelly. It had been essential however. The ruse wouldn't work in full light. Not even in the flickering light of a torch. They needed the shadows of a helmet to hide the stillness of Gutzmann's face.
'Command us, general!' cried a lancer. 'Lead us to the fort.'
Reiner swallowed. Now came the hard part. He raised his voice. 'The general was terribly wounded defending the fort and cannot speak nor fight, but he can yet ride. He will lead you! He will command you! Mount up, knights and lancers. Mount up, pistoliers! Shoulder your weapons, ye pike and sword and gun! We've a battle to win!'
The troops cheered.
'Wait!' cried Nuemark, desperately trying to shout them down. He seemed totally undone by the situation. 'We dare not... we... This is madness! The fort is taken, I tell you! Even with the general at our head we cannot hope to prevail. We must retire!'
