Heart of the Crown

by Paul J Bennett

  "Riversend has been attacked twice in recent memory. He takes his responsibilities quite seriously."

  "Glad to hear it," said Beverly. "I wish more nobles were as dedicated."

  "Would you care to rest your horse?" the guard asked. "We have water troughs just the other side of the gate."

  "No, thank you," she replied. "I shall ride back to find the column. I'll return shortly with the rest."

  The column had halted on the road to await Beverly's return. Anna stretched her legs while Tempus bounded across the field.

  "He's still got lots of energy for his age," commented Gerald.

  "Yes," she agreed. "I don't know where he gets it from. He can be dead tired one moment and then tearing across a field the next."

  "Would that we were all that energetic in old age."

  "You're not that old yet, Gerald. I know we like to tease you, but you'll be around for years."

  A hail from the front of the column brought their attention to Alric, who was approaching them.

  "How much further?" asked Anna, turning to the prince.

  "Not long, now," Alric promised. "The road up ahead bends around that group of trees, and then you can see the city itself."

  "Couldn't we have just ridden on, then?" asked Anna.

  "I shouldn't like to upset the earl," Alric admitted. "It's not very polite to drop in without a welcoming committee."

  "Didn't you inform him we were coming, Alric?"

  "I did," he admitted, "though that was weeks ago. We didn't know the exact day we would arrive and as it turns out we ended up having that stop off in Tivilton, so everything worked out. We just need to give the earl some time to put everything together."

  "What does that mean?" asked Gerald, though he had a suspicion he already knew.

  Alric smiled, "I thought it would be fitting to have a proper escort for a visiting princess."

  "Which means?" prompted Anna.

  "An honour guard, of course. The earl takes pride in his soldiers; he'll want to put on a show."

  "I see," said Anna, "and what do we need to do to make this show worthy of the great earl?"

  "I'll move my men to the front," Alric said, warming to the task. "It's only proper that the men of Weldwyn escort your party. I might suggest you split the knights, half in front and half behind, but I'll leave that to your discretion."

  "How thoughtful of you," Anna bristled. "Anything else? Is my dress suitable? Should I fawn on you at the appropriate time?"

  Alric blushed, "I'm sorry if I've offended you, Anna. It's just that the earl is a very accomplished General. I've always looked up to him, and I wanted to make a good impression.

  Anna's expression softened, "Very well, Alric. We shall do as you wish." She made an exaggerated bow and then gracefully turned back to the open field. Alric was about to speak when Anna placed two fingers to her mouth and let out a piercing whistle. Tempus bounded across the field to halt in front of her, his mouth open and dog slobber dripping to the ground.

  Anna laughed and turned back to Alric, "I think Tempus wants to kiss you, Alric."

  Alric backed up, "I can't get that mess on my tunic, Anna. What would the earl think?"

  She laughed again and the young prince, caught up in the fun, soon joined her.

  "I'll see to Tempus," offered Gerald, "but we should get the column organized. It'll take some time to rearrange, and Beverly will be back here shortly, ready to move."

  "Agreed," said Alric. "I'll have Jack take his cue from you, Gerald, if that's all right."

  "Yes, Highness," the old warrior agreed.

  The troops began to move, and by the time Beverly returned, all was in order. Alric suggested that he and Anna ride in front of the column, preceded by Jack, who would announce them, but Anna had insisted she have her own herald, and so Beverly joined the cavalier at the head of the procession.

  As Alric had predicted, when they rounded the clump of trees the city of Riversend came into view; it's grey walls standing in stark contrast to the chalk cliffs of the eastern bank.

  Gerald, who was riding just behind the prince and princess, could clearly see the earl on the eastern bank, waiting before the bridge to welcome his visitors. He had his men in line with the bottom of their kite shields resting on the ground, their hands steadying the top. They each held a spear, and Gerald wondered how well they could use them.

  As the riders grew near, the earl gave a shout of command, and the shields were lifted in unison, to be held in combat position. The soldiers dipped their spears in respect and Gerald couldn't help but admire their discipline, for they all moved in one swift motion, perfectly synchronized.

  He watched Jack ride forward with Beverly. They exchanged words with the earl, but the wind had picked up, leaving Gerald unable make out the details. Jack and Beverly turned their horses and escorted the earl back to Alric and Anna.

  "Greetings, Your Highnesses," the earl said, nodding his head in acknowledgement.

  "Well met, Lord Warford," said Alric. "It has been far too long since we have seen you at court."

  "Your Highness is most gracious," the earl replied.

  "May I introduce Her Highness, Princess Anna of Merceria?" said Alric.

  The earl nodded his head again, "I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Your Highness. I trust our young prince has kept you entertained during your visit?"

  Anna nodded her head in reply, "He has indeed, Your Grace. Prince Alric tells us that you have had quite the military career. You must swap stories with my military advisor, Commander Gerald Matheson," she said, waving Gerald forward.

  Gerald moved his mount closer but felt humbled by this man's reputation. "Your Grace," he stumbled out.

  "He is a man of few words," said Alric, "but his modesty hides an accomplished career."

  "Indeed?" noted the earl. "Then I look forward to chatting in more depth. If Your Highnesses would follow me, I've arranged a little welcome for you. My captain will see to your troops and servants, if you will permit."

  "Of course," replied Anna. "He can coordinate with Dame Beverly."

  "Excellent!" the earl exclaimed. "Now let me show you our city."

  Alric and Anna followed the earl, with Gerald trailing behind. Beverly wheeled her horse about, riding toward the earl's captain for instructions while Hayley took up her place in the reduced entourage. The ranger rode beside Jack, who followed the royals.

  They entered the city through the massive gates, and Gerald marvelled at their size. They were both open, to allow the free flow of goods and people, but could be closed and barricaded in a siege. He looked up at the massive structures, but what he saw was unexpected, for the doors themselves were thinner than he would have thought for such defenses and he estimated it would not take much to batter them down. The gates of Wincaster, though smaller in scale, could withstand the most powerful of battering rams.

  Onward they rode through the cobbled city streets. People watched as they travelled past, but there was no spectacle here. Onlookers paused only to take in the scene and then returned to their daily lives, dismissing the event as an unnecessary distraction.

  They passed an open field on the north where Gerald saw troops drilling. They were lined up, three deep and he watched with interest as they lowered their spears, forming a wall of spear tips. The idea was old, of course, but it took well-trained troops to carry out the manoeuvre in such a style, quickly and efficiently. He wondered what the knights might make of such a tactic and decided he was glad the Norlanders had never adopted the trick.

  Soon, they rode up to a large stone building; the earl's residence. It was a fortified manor house, complete with crenellations, which backed on to the northern city wall. It was a towering structure that must give the earl a great view of the city. He thought of the map room back in Bodden and wondered what Baron Fitzwilliam might make of this place.

  They dismounted in the courtyard and servants rushed forward to take the horses. The earl led them into the manor
, where other guests were waiting. Gerald had been expecting a large extravaganza, perhaps even a banquet, but the earl had kept it small. He introduced less than a dozen people, and then led them into a sitting room; a far more comfortable atmosphere.

  "I hope you don't mind, Your Highness," said the earl, "but I prefer less formal occasions. I know that a long carriage ride can prove strenuous, even at the best of times, and so I thought it might be more comfortable to have a more informal gathering."

  "An excellent idea," offered Alric in response. "What do you think, Anna?"

  "I would agree," she said, choosing a seat. "This is a very nice room, Your Grace. My compliments."

  "Thank you," he replied, "but it is all thanks to my dear, late wife. It was her hand that guided its decoration."

  Servants entered and began distributing drinks. Alric grabbed a goblet and took a sip, "I notice most of your people here are soldiers, Your Grace."

  "Yes," he admitted, "though I mean no disrespect. Since the loss of my wife, I find little time to socialize. Most of my associates happen to be soldiers. Captain Fraser here has served me for...how long has it been, Jeremy?"

  "A little less than nine years, Your Grace," the captain replied.

  "Nine years? Has it been so long?"

  "Ever since the last siege, my lord."

  "Yes, that's right. I'd forgotten."

  "You forgot the siege?" asked Alric.

  "No, Your Highness, I could never forget that. I had forgotten that's where I came across Captain Fraser."

  "This sounds like an interesting tale," prompted Anna.

  "Yes," agreed Alric, "and the princess does so love stories. Perhaps you might tell it to us?"

  "Of course," said the earl. "I shall be delighted."

  "Just what we needed," groaned the captain, "an excuse for a story. You'll never hear the end of it now."

  There was good-natured chuckling from the crowd while the earl waited patiently for it to die down.

  "There have been two sieges of Riversend in recent history," he began. "The first such attack was nigh on twenty years ago, but that was relatively minor. It was eight years ago that they put in their best effort."

  "When you say 'they', who are you referring to?" asked Anna.

  "Oh, my apologies, I forgot you're not from around here. By 'they', I mean the Kurathians."

  "I should have thought the Clans a bigger threat," commented Anna.

  The earl snorted in derision, "The Clans could never organize a siege. No, our threat has always been from the sea. What do you know of the Kurathians?"

  "They're from a group of islands, aren't they? I believe they're a collection of principalities, very independent of each other. My understanding is they raid, plunder and occasionally hire out as mercenaries."

  The earl looked stunned, "You surprise me with your knowledge, Your Highness. How is it that you know so much about them?"

  Anna smiled at the compliment and took a sip of the wine, looking to Gerald.

  "Her Highness has always had an interest in them," Gerald said, "largely because of Tempus."

  "Tempus?" said the earl. "What's that?"

  "Not what," offered Alric, "more like who. He's her dog."

  "Yes," agreed Gerald, "a Kurathian Mastiff."

  "Indeed? Their reputation on the battlefield is legendary, but I've never heard of one being a pet before. Can we meet this Tempus of yours? I'd love to see one up close."

  "Of course," uttered Anna. "Gerald, would you go and fetch him? There's only a handful of people he'll listen to."

  "Certainly, Highness," the old warrior said, standing. "I shall be back shortly."

  "Please, Your Grace," Anna requested, "continue your story, I'm afraid we have ridden off course."

  "Where was I?" the earl mused. "Oh yes, the siege, eight years ago. They came across the Sea of Storms, in large numbers. They like to use catapult ships, throwing fire bundles onto the docks. We pulled everyone back to the walls and settled in for the long haul."

  "Is this a common occurrence?" asked Anna.

  "Yes," said Alric. "Kurathians have raided our shores since...well since we've had shores for them to raid."

  "His Highness speaks the truth," agreed the earl, "though their attacks in the past were seldom more than a few ships. The attack back in '53 was quite different; they arrived with a massive armada to take the city."

  "How did they navigate the Sea of Storms?" asked Anna. "I hear it's very difficult to sail."

  "Water Mages," supplied Captain Fraser.

  "I shall have to ask my mage about them," replied Anna. "Do they control the waves?"

  "Not exactly," offered the earl, "but they can help with wind and currents. The Kurathian ships are very robust, but we still occasionally see one wrecked on the beach. I suspect that's how your dog came to be here, I doubt very much they'd be willing to sell or trade one."

  "How did the siege progress?" prompted Alric.

  "Much as you might surmise, Highness. They battered the wall quite a bit and destroyed the Traders Gate. Some of them made it into the city, but we pushed back, hard, driving them back to the sea. There was a frightful loss of life on their side, they're very lightly armoured, you see."

  "Did they try taking the bluff?" asked Anna."I would think it would provide the perfect overview of the city."

  "No," he responded, "the cliffs are too steep to climb, and even if they did, there is a watchtower up there just for that possibility. They sailed right into the docks and unloaded with everything they had."

  "And where, if I might ask," said Alric, "does the captain fit into this? You said you met him during the siege."

  "I did," exclaimed the earl. "He was a soldier in the third company. They had suffered great losses, and when I needed the troops to lead the counter-attack, he rallied the men for me. I was so impressed by his bravery that I promoted him. He's been my aide ever since. That's the short version, anyway."

  "You mentioned the Traders Gate? What's that?" asked Anna.

  "That's the largest gate leading to the docks. There are three gates all told; the Traders Gate, the Centre Gate and the Fishermans Gate."

  "Strange names," observed Alric.

  "Indeed," agreed the earl. "The Traders Gate is so called because it's the largest, allowing large wagons and such to make their way through to load and unload ships. The Centre Gate is in the middle of the south wall, beyond which lies, naturally, the docks. The Fishermans Gate is a much smaller gate right at the southeastern tip of the wall. It's the gate the fishermen used, historically, to get to their boats in the early morning hours. Of course, they weren't originally called this, they have far more grandiose names, but I'm not picky about titles, save for Your Highnesses, of course."

  "Fascinating," mused Anna, "and an interesting tale. You must tell us more about this siege when we have time, Your Grace. Military history is something I am enthralled with."

  The earl smiled but then made a grimace. Anna looked at him in alarm but he held up a hand, "Pardon me, Highness, I am merely suffering from a bout of indigestion."

  "Is there anything we can do?" offered Alric.

  "I'm afraid not, Your Highness," he replied. "It shall pass soon, it usually does."

  "We have a Life Mage with us, Your Grace," offered Anna. "Perhaps he should examine you?"

  "I would look upon it as a kindness," he said, "but for now I must excuse myself, these attacks can be quite uncomfortable."

  "We should leave you, Your Grace," said Alric. "I would hate to impose."

  "Nonsense," the earl replied, "stay and enjoy yourselves. There is much wine to drink, and I shall have my kitchen feed you. I'll return once I've had a chance to rest."

  Alric and Anna both rose to their feet. "We look forward to it," said Anna.

  The earl was escorted from the room, leaving the visitors to their own devices.

  "What do you make of that?" asked Alric.

  "I'm not sure," replied Anna, "but I'm not ta
king chances. Let's get Revi to take a look at him."

  "Agreed," said Alric. "You see to the mage, and I'll clear it with the earl's people."

  "I suppose we'll have to introduce Tempus another time," she mused.

  "Don't worry," said Alric, "I'm sure this is just an inconvenience. The earl will be back up and among us in no time."

  "I hope you're right," said Anna. "I'd hate to see him take a turn for the worse."

  Thirty-Two

  A Strange Malady

  Spring 961 MC

  Gerald stood on the city walls, looking south, across the surface of the Sea of Storms. The brisk wind here threatened to blow his cape back into the city.

  "Magnificent, isn't it," said Anna, peering over the parapet.

  "You always wanted to see the ocean," he said. "Well, there it is."

  "You don't seem overly impressed," she commented.

  "It's just water. I'll keep my feet on dry land, if it's all right with you."

  "I've never seen so many boats before," she said. "I thought Loranguard had a lot, but this place has even more."

  "Yes," agreed Gerald, "and these ships are larger."

  "They're seagoing vessels, not just riverboats. They say the Sea of Storms is well named."

  "Prince Alric mentioned that this was normal weather for around here, and yet the wind is quite strong."

  "Yes," agreed Anna, "it allows traders to get here. It's said it makes it difficult to sail down the coast."

  "Why would someone want to sail down the coast?" asked Gerald. "It's nothing but swamp."

  "That's only Merceria's coast. There's another Weldwyn city to the east of here called Southport, though it's hundreds of miles away."

  "It's a pity that ships can't make Colbridge anymore," mused Gerald. "I've heard it used to be a great port. I imagine it must have been something like this." He watched as a smaller vessel turned, edging further away. "That fellow looks like he's in trouble," he noted.

  "No," disagreed Anna, "he's tacking."

  "Tacking?"

  "Yes, he needs to sail against the wind; he has to keep turning so he's not facing the wind straight on. He's basically zig-zagging."