The harnessed creature began thrashing about in an attempt to break the chains. Hayley quickly took her bearings and guided the boat onward. They had been lucky in the first part of the plan, but now came the more dangerous element.
Without the siege engines, the invaders had little chance of doing more damage to the city, but the gates had already been breached. They knew that, come morning, the rest of the soldiers would disembark, and then the final onslaught would begin. The barges had been anchored within range of the gates, but the reinforcements consisted of a large host of sailing ships, lay at anchor just beyond the barges. They rowed toward them, closing the distance as quickly as possible.
"Get the fire going," called Beverly.
Hayley crouched in the bow, trying to shelter herself against the wind. Steel struck flint, a tiny spark falling to the deck, but it was quickly blown away by the southerly wind. People yelled in the distance, drawn to the rails by the sound of the barge splintering beneath its onslaught.
"Almost there," cried Beverly.
"It won't catch," complained Hayley.
A tiny spark appeared once more and this time, thank Saxnor, the fire took hold. The ranger lifted the burning fuse, ready to start the process.
"Wait a little further," suggested Beverly. "We have to get as close as we can. Get ready to go overboard."
The boat rolled as a wave hit it and the ranger struggled to hold onto the fuse. It fell to the deck, to ignite the oil-soaked cloth that had been prepared.
"Go!" yelled Hayley.
They carefully lowered themselves into the water, for they surely didn't want to upset the boat and extinguish the flame.
Beverly felt the water engulf her as the current tried to pull her beneath the waves to an eternal slumber. Kicking out with her legs, she struggled back to the surface, thankful for once that she did not have her armour on. As she flipped her head to clear the hair from her face, she saw the flames climbing higher as the little boat floated inexorably toward its target. Arrows were loosed from above to thud into the rowboat, but, as if in answer, the flames simply grew higher.
Sailors and warriors alike were yelling and screaming on deck as their panic grew. She watched the men jump from the ship as the rowboat passed beneath the bow. The sail mounted on the bowsprit was furled, but that failed to protect it from the flames that began to engulf it. The fire roared to life, spreading down the bowsprit to reach the tarred rigging.
Beverly looked about, trying to get her bearings. A brilliant flash drew her gaze back to the ill-fated ship. The fire had rushed to the other masts; the entire vessel was now ablaze.
"I knew Revi could do it!" cried a voice.
She turned to see Hayley swimming toward her.
"Revi?"
"Yes," replied the ranger, spitting out some water, "he packed the boat."
"Where's Arnim?" she called back.
"Just behind me," the ranger replied.
The ships were panicking now, and even over the roar of the fire, they heard the sounds of confusion as Kurathians desperately struggled to distance themselves from the flames. Beverly couldn't see through the darkness, but a horrific grinding noise informed her that at least two ships had collided in their haste to escape a fiery doom.
Thirty-Six
Aftermath
Spring 961 MC
Gerald stood on the wall, looking out to sea. The wreckage of the barges had washed ashore, though there was no sign of the great beasts that had pulled them. Six ships had burnt, but many more had been damaged in their rush to escape. Even now they were sailing south, away from this land and the fearsome defenders of Weldwyn.
"It worked," he said out loud.
"Of course it worked," remarked Anna. She was feeding the birds that had gathered on the wall. "Why wouldn't it have worked?"
"It was a gamble," he said.
"There was nothing else we could do," she replied, tossing some seeds across the walkway. The gulls descended on their new food supply with gusto, but a lone blackbird watched intensely from the parapet.
"What are you doing?" asked Gerald, turning at the sound of the birds.
"Enjoying nature," she responded. "It has been rather hectic of late."
"How is Prince Alric?" he asked.
"Revi says he'll make a full recovery."
"I thought you'd be with him."
"I was, but he's sleeping."
"I thought his wounds were grievous. How did he last long enough for Master Bloom? He was on the bluff."
"Lady Aubrey used the very last of her energy to slow the bleeding," she explained. "I sense a great career ahead for her, though I doubt Revi would admit it."
Gerald lapsed into silence and returned his gaze to the sea.
"Do you think they'll return?" Anna asked.
"I doubt it. They'll never be able to surprise us again. I'd love to know how they got onto the bluffs."
"They had an inside man," she said.
"Yes," he agreed, "but who?"
"It was Captain Fraser," she replied.
"How do you know it was him?"
"There was only a few men who it could have been so I sent Arnim to check out their rooms. Care to guess what he found?"
"I'm guessing no Captain Fraser," supplied Gerald.
"No, but he did find a rather large sum of foreign coins. I'm guessing he never had a chance to recover his bounty before he fled."
"So he got away?"
"Yes, unfortunately. His description will be sent all across the kingdom. He's a wanted man now."
"A shame," said Gerald, "I would have loved to know who was behind this. It seems unlikely for the Kurathians to attack the city like this all on their own."
"I agree," she said. "It would have cost a fortune to mount an expedition like this. Whoever hired them must have large reserves of gold."
"That rules out the Norlanders, they're pretty much broke as far as kingdoms go."
"Yes," she agreed, "and the Clans are no better off. Someone else is pulling the strings."
"So there's another player," he mused, "someone we haven't encountered yet."
"It would appear so," she said, then lapsed into silence.
The wind picked up slightly, driving the gulls away temporarily. The large blackbird kept his perch, eyeing Anna.
"What have we here?" called out Revi.
They both turned to see the mage approaching, clutching the edge of his robes to stop them from blowing up.
"Just feeding the birds," said Anna.
"You seem to have found a rather unusual one there," noted the mage.
Anna looked at the blackbird. "I named him Jamie," she said. "It seems to suit him. He doesn't eat much, but he seems to like watching me. Perhaps he wants to eat me?"
"He's a fine specimen," continued Revi.
"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Gerald. "Are you becoming an expert on birds now, Master Bloom?"
"It means," continued the mage, "that he'd likely make a good familiar."
"Familiar?" said Anna.
"Yes, an animal companion," added Revi.
"Albreda has those," she said, "like her wolves."
"More than that," the mage retorted. "A mage can see through the familiar's eyes and can communicate through him."
"More like Albreda's hawk, then," said Anna.
"Precisely," he agreed.
"Fascinating. How, exactly, does he become a familiar?
"I cast a spell," said Revi. "If he's exceptional enough, we would be bonded."
"Does every mage have a familiar?" asked Gerald.
"No," explained Revi, "it's actually quite rare."
"Why is that?" asked the old warrior.
"Although a familiar grants some abilities to the caster, it comes with a price. If the familiar should die, part of the mage would die with him, leaving him weaker. Few choose that option."
"So will you try to take Jamie, here, as your familiar?" she asked.
"Jamie?" Revi e
nquired.
"That's what I named him," she reminded him.
"Well, with your permission, I shall try," he replied.
"Go ahead, Revi," she said. "I'm eager to see what happens."
Revi Bloom closed his eyes, holding his arms out to his sides. He began murmuring the words of magic while his hands started to move, tracing intricate movements through the air. Small lights appeared to emanate from his fingertips, leaving the air swirling with hues of blue and amber.
Gerald and Anna watched, enthralled by the process. The spell appeared to go on forever, and they wondered if perhaps the young mage had fallen into a trance, but then he snapped open his eyes and ceased his murmuring.
"It worked," said Revi.
"Nothing seems to have changed," remarked Gerald. "Are you sure?"
"Everything has changed," said Revi.
The bird flew into the air, flying in a circle and then headed out to sea. Revi closed his eyes and gasped. "I can see through his eyes," he said. "It's like I'm flying over the sea myself."
"Where did Jamie go?" asked Anna, caught up in the mage's excitement.
"His name's Shellbreaker," he replied, "and he's flying south, across the water. I can see the fleeing ships in the distance; I can even make out faces. His eyesight is incredible!"
"So you can follow him forever?" she asked.
"No, there's a range limit, but as I grow in power, so, too, will my range."
They stood, watching the young mage with interest. It was evident when the bird was swooping, for Revi would crouch as if expecting to land somewhere.
"Hello," called out a voice.
The mage turned, his concentration interrupted. He looked unhappy at first, but when he saw it was Hayley, his face split into a smile.
"It seems we've finally found something that can distract Revi, other than magic," observed Gerald.
"So it would seem," agreed Anna. "What brings you to the wall, Hayley?"
The ranger reached into her tunic, "We've received news from Merceria," she said, handing over a folded note.
Gerald took the note, unfolding it with great care. It bore the seal of the Royal House, and he showed it to Anna before reading its contents.
"What does it say?" asked Anna.
Gerald lowered the note. "We've been summoned home. King Andred has died," he announced. "Your brother, Henry, is to be crowned king."
"I don't want to go," she said. "I'm enjoying it here."
"It's a Royal Summons, Anna, even you can't refuse that. We must prepare for the return journey."
"Very well," Anna said, turning to look out to sea. "Just let me have one last look at the water."
Gerald watched Anna as she gazed to the south. A tear had formed and now ran down her face. He turned away from her.
"You'd best get back, Hayley, there'll be arrangements to be made."
"Of course, Gerald. I'll see to it myself. Will the princess be all right?"
"She'll be fine," he responded, though in truth he knew she would deeply miss this foreign land and the people that lived here.
Thirty-Seven
Farewell
The return journey from Riversend had been broken only by a brief stay in Summersgate. They left the Weldwyn capital on their way eastward, but instead of returning through Falford, they chose to head directly east, toward Kingsford. Now they waited, while a Mercerian barge poled across the river to take them back to their home.
"It's hard to believe we're leaving," commented Gerald. "We've been here so long."
"A lot has happened," said Anna. "It seems like a lifetime ago when we left Merceria."
Gerald looked to the barge; it drew near the bank, and people were scrambling with ropes to tie it off. He turned his gaze back to Anna to see her smiling as Alric and Jack approached.
"Anna, Gerald," said the prince, nodding his head in greeting.
"Have you come to say goodbye?" asked Anna.
"Yes," he admitted, "though I wish it were not so. I will miss you terribly, Anna."
"And I, you," she confessed.
"Shall I give you two some privacy?" asked Gerald.
"No, Gerald," replied Alric, "not yet, there's something I want to talk about with Anna, and I know how much she values your counsel."
"What is it, Alric?" asked the princess.
In answer, Alric held out his right hand, palm upward and waited. Jack dutifully placed a scroll case in his hand, its surface richly decorated with gold. Alric took it, cradling it in both hands for a moment as he struggled to find the words. A calmness fell over his face, and he smiled, handing the item to Anna.
"I spoke with my father, and he thinks it a sound idea," he mysteriously explained.
Gerald could almost see Anna's pulse quicken, but she put on a calm demeanour. "What idea might that be?" she asked.
Alric continued his speech, "It's a message from my father to King Henry, proposing a union through marriage. If your brother agrees, we would be wed. I will leave it up to you if you wish to deliver this missive. If you should choose to decline, toss it in the river and we shall speak of it no more."
"Were it my choice," she revealed, "there would be no doubt, but only my brother, King Henry can make that decision. I shall deliver it to him and pray to Saxnor that he sees the wisdom in it."
"Is he likely to agree?" asked Alric.
"He'd be a fool not to," interrupted Gerald, who then blushed at his intrusion. "Sorry," he added, "ignore me."
Anna, who had smiled at Gerald's outburst, continued, "Were it my father, I would have had no doubt he would have refused, but I've always gotten along well with Henry. I have hope he'll be amenable to the proposal."
The two royals stared longingly into each other's eyes. Gerald turned, to face those assembled nearby. "Lady Beverly," he called out, "would you please give the order to give these two some privacy?"
Dame Beverly complied, and everyone turned away from the young couple. Only Tempus refused, barking at the command and wagging his tail.
Anna leaned forward and kissed Alric, the gentle touch of their lips lingering for just a moment.
"It's time for me to leave," announced Anna. "Know that, regardless of what happens in the future, I shall never forget you."
She withdrew and tapped Gerald on the shoulder. Her dearest friend turned back around.
"It's time to go, Gerald."
Alric watched them walk down to the waiting barge.
"And I shall never forget you, Anna," he said softly.
He watched her as she was helped aboard the waiting vessel.
Jack came up to stand beside him, "Do you think King Henry will approve the marriage?"
"I pray so," answered Alric. "All my life I've wondered about my place at court, but all that changed when Anna came to Weldwyn. I have a hard time believing the Gods would let me find her only to take her from me."
"You must have faith," replied Jack.
The barge pulled away from the river bank, toward Kingsford, and Gerald watched as Prince Alric and his retinue remained on the shore. They had spent more than a year in Weldwyn, but now he wondered what the future might bring. Beverly came up to stand beside him.
"You seem rather at ease for someone who hates water?"
"Being stuck in a cocoon aboard a ship for days on end seems to have cured me of that, although I don't recommend it as a way to get over your fears," he chuckled.
"I'll keep that in mind for the future," quipped Beverly.
"Perhaps now that we're heading home, things will quiet down."
"Agreed. I'm going to miss Weldwyn," she said, "but it'll be nice to be back on friendly soil."
"Yes," he agreed, "though I must say I was impressed with the food. They did feed us exceptionally well."
"I daresay too much," she teased. "Your armour's gotten a little tight of late."
Gerald laughed. It was good to finally be able to relax.
"I wonder what they made of us?" he mused.
"I suspect they were surprised to find we weren't all monsters with horns."
"Why would you say that?"
"They've made us into villains for centuries. When we arrived, they were fearful of war, but we really aren't so different after all."
"True," Gerald admitted, "any one of them could pass for a Mercerian."
"Except, perhaps, for Jack," offered Beverly.
"Oh, I don't know. There are lots of knights in Merceria who are just like him."
"True enough," Beverly admitted, "but at least Jack shut up when he was told."
"You liked him, didn't you?" asked Gerald.
"I respected him, but I'll be glad to get home."
"We're going to Wincaster, not Bodden," he warned.
"True, but we'll get there eventually," she said with a faraway look to her eyes.
They fell into a companionable silence, both staring over the rail. The barge moved slowly, and Gerald could still make out Alric on the far shore.
"It feels like we're all going our separate ways," Beverly mused out loud.
"How so?"
"Well, Aubrey's going back to Hawksburg and Hayley has asked to visit her uncle. Even Lily is leaving us."
"Lily? Where's she going?"
"Revi's asked her to return to Uxley to examine the underground temple again. He thinks he's close to making a big discovery."
"He always thinks he's about to make a big discovery. He needs to discover what's under his very nose."
Gerald turned around to look behind him. The mage was holding his arm out, waiting for Shellbreaker to land, while he was chatting with Hayley, who stood beside him, watching the bird as it circled the barge.
"It seems he has," added Beverly.
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