Persephonie continued to spin around and swing the staff around into Lucas’s back. Just as her staff connected and knocked him forward, another knife struck him in the left shoulder and both swords clanged to the ground.
Persephonie reversed directions again and spun the staff low sweeping Lucas off his feet. As Lucas landed on his back, she swung the staff down at his head like a club and connected with a sickening thud. After that, everything was quiet. She stood there staring at the dead man who had deceived them all. It took several seconds before reality came crashing down on her.
As the adrenaline subsided, Persephonie started shaking uncontrollably and dropped her staff. During the fight, she had been so filled with hate. She wanted to kill Lucas and was glad when she did. Now that the fight was over, she felt sick.
Banji rushed over and grabbed her by the shoulders. He shook her gently to get her attention. “Persephonie, we have to get out of here,” he said urgently. “Mat is barely conscious, and we have to get him out of here before more soldiers show up. We’ll have to carry him until he can walk on his own.”
Banji grabbed Persephonie’s staff and yanked the medallion from around Lucas’s neck. She started to come out of her daze as he led her over to Mat. Together, they helped him to his feet, grabbed the Boots of Peace, and half carried, half dragged him through the temple. By the time they got to the front door, Mat was starting to put one foot in front of the other and could walk with a little help. When they got to the street, they could hear more soldiers approaching but couldn’t see them yet. After quickly retrieving Persephonie’s bow, they disappeared into the shadows and made their way back to the secret passage under the wall.
Chapter 9
No one said anything as they hurried back to the safety of the inner city. When they got back to the barracks, Mat collapsed onto his bed. He was obviously in pain, but he forced himself to a seated position to face the questions he knew were coming.
Banji sat on the bed opposite of Mat and looked at his friend with concern. “What did they do to you?” he asked. “Are you ok?”
Before Mat could answer, Persephonie stomped over and stood between them staring down at Mat. “Banji, go find Michael and Arajin. Bring them back here ASAP,” she said, her glare never leaving Mat.
Persephonie continued to silently stare at Mat until Banji was gone. “How dare you try something like that?” she demanded when they were alone. “You are the most important man in the world, and you go sneaking off by yourself in the middle of the night. You could have been killed. If Banji hadn’t followed, you probably would have been. Do you know what’s going to happen if you don’t succeed and drive the Northern Kingdom out?”
She was just getting started and was getting angrier with every word. “I didn’t want you to get hurt,” Mat said quietly.
She was stunned by his words. She was ready for him to argue, to tell her he was trying to be a hero, or to simply say he wasn’t thinking. His simple statement of concern caught her completely off guard.
Persephonie suddenly reached down and hugged Mat fiercely. “I’m glad you’re ok,” she said, “but don’t ever do anything like that again.” She held the hug for a few seconds, then quickly turned away and walked to the opposite side of the room.
Mat sat there wondering what just happened. One moment Persephonie was yelling at him, and the next she was hugging him. To confuse him further, he was pretty sure he saw tears in her eyes when she turned and walked away. He didn’t know what any of it meant, but he did know he meant what he said. He couldn’t bear the thought of something happening to her.
Mat didn’t have much time to think about the exchange with Persephonie, because Michael and Arajin came charging in with Banji chasing behind. “What in the world was going through that tiny brain of yours?” Michael yelled. “My order has been preparing relentlessly for this day for centuries. Your little excursion almost threw away 300 years of preparation. How can you be so stupid?”
Mat tried to answer, but Michael continued ranting. After letting him vent for a few minutes, Arajin put his hands on Michael’s shoulders and steered him away from Mat. After talking to Michael quietly, telling him he would handle it, he returned to Mat.
Arajin sat next to Mat on the bed and put his hand on his knee in a fatherly manner. “You know what you did was incredibly stupid, don’t you?” he asked. After Mat nodded, he continued, “We are all here because we care about you and this quest. We’re here to help, and you have to let us do that. Before we go any further, we need to come to an understanding that we are all in this together, and this sort of thing won’t happen again. Can you agree to that?”
Mat looked Arajin in the eyes and answered him solemnly. “I only did what I thought was best,” he said, “but from here on out, I promise to keep the bigger picture in mind. There may be times when I have to act alone, but I will keep everyone informed whenever possible. That’s the best I can do.”
Arajin looked at him closely, studying him and deciding how to respond. “I understand,” he finally said. “As the leader, you have to make split-second decisions sometimes. What seems impulsive to others, may actually be well thought out. For now, please just tell everyone you agree not to do this again.”
“I can do that,” Mat agreed with a smile.
Arajin put his arm around his shoulders and gave him a one-armed hug. “For the record,” he responded, “I still think what you did was incredibly stupid, but I accept your decision as the leader of this quest. Right or wrong, I hope you learned from this experience.”
Mat glanced across the room at Persephonie then back at Arajin. “I think I have a lot to learn from tonight’s events,” Mat said. “I promise to be a better leader and a better friend to all of you.
“Good,” Arajin replied. “Now, let’s get everyone back together and talk about what happened tonight.”
Mat stayed on the bed while Arajin gathered the others so they could discuss the night’s events. When everyone was gathered around his bed, Mat was the first to speak. “Before we talk about what happened tonight, I want to apologize for running off on my own,” he said. “I thought I could sneak out, get the boots, and be back before anyone even knew I was gone. It didn’t work out that way, and I put you, my friends, in danger. For that, I’m sorry.”
Everyone was silent for a moment before Banji spoke up. “I’m just glad I saw you leave so I could follow,” he said.
“Thank you for rescuing me,” Mat replied while looking primarily at Persephonie. “I was in a lot of trouble until you showed up.”
“Hopefully you saw that we can help,” Banji said, “and you won’t feel like you have to sneak off by yourself.”
“I’ll try not to do anything like that again,” Mat replied.
“You better not,” Persephonie said with a mix of playfulness and seriousness.
“Now that we have that settled,” Michael interjected, “let’s talk about what happened tonight.”
Mat started by telling everyone about the dream that sent him out in search of the Boots of Peace. He explained his logic for attempting to go alone; he thought that one person had the best chance of going undetected. When he got to the secret passage under the wall, Michael stopped him.
“How many of these secret passages are there?” Michael asked.
“That was the only one I know of,” Mat answered, “but there are probably more.”
“We have to assume they are no longer secret,” Michael said. “At least the one you went through. We need to make sure the King knows to keep them guarded.”
“Banji, can you find the King and let him know we have important information we need to share?” Arajin asked.
“Sure, I already know the story,” Banji replied. He smiled at Mat and added, “It’s kinda boring the way Mat’s telling it anyway. I’ll share a much more exciting version with the King, so he will know what we went through tonight.”
Arajin looked to Heaven and shook his head. “Don’t
bother the King with your heroic tales,” Arijan shouted as Banji ran from the room, “just bring him here.”
After Banji was gone, Mat continued telling his story. When he got to the part about being captured, he paused, and a puzzled look came over his face. “When I was coming out of the temple, I was being very careful of my surroundings. I listened closely and tried sensing for other people like Persephonie has been teaching me. I could sense danger before I started training. Since I started training, I have become even better at it, but I didn’t hear or sense anyone nearby. I should have known there was an ambush waiting for me.”
“I had the same problem,” Persephonie added. “I could see the men, but I could not sense their presence.”
“That is troubling,” Michael said. “Druid powers can be very useful, but from what you’re telling me, I don’t think we can trust them any more. Do you remember anything usual?”
“All of the men were wearing a medallion,” Persephonie said. “I think Banji grabbed one before we left.”
“Maybe it’s nothing,” Michael said, “but maybe it’s somehow enchanted to protect the wearer from Druid powers. When Banji gets back, we can look at it closer.”
Mat had finished telling his part and Persephonie was detailing the rescue when Banji returned with King Lawrence. It was apparent the King had not slept, but he stilled moved with a purpose. “This young man tells me you found another piece of the armor tonight,” King Lawrence said as he strode over to Mat. He looked at Persephonie and added, “I heard your rescue was particularly heroic.”
“On the other hand,” the King added and looked directly at Mat, “you acted very foolishly. As a leader, you have to understand you are more valuable than just another sword. Without you, this quest will fail and our Kingdom is doomed. I was skeptical yesterday, but not anymore. You are the key, and you have to make sure you complete the quest.”
“I know,” Mat replied sheepishly. “I’m sorry and will make better decisions in the future.”
“Your friends have shown that they are a dangerous group to cross,” the King continued. “I think you have a good chance of succeeding. If I could, I would send men with you to help, but I need everyone to help get people out of the city. I need to make sure you have a Kingdom to save once you find the rest of the armor.”
“I understand,” Mat said. “I think we have a better chance as a small group anyway.”
“Mat,” the King said solemnly, “we will probably not meet again in this life. I am proud of what you have done so far, and I believe you are going to succeed.”
Mat stood and looked his uncle, the King, in the eyes. He could feel his eyes starting to water, and his throat was getting tight. “Thank you, Your Highness,” he said. “I won’t let you down.”
King Lawrence, Uncle Lawrence to Mat, reached out and pulled Mat into a deep embrace. “Mat, if you see my wife and daughter again, tell them that I love them,” he said quietly. “I should have sent them away days ago, but hopefully they can still make it to safety.”
When King Lawrence released Mat from the embrace, he was the King again. He thanked the group for their help and wished them good luck finding the rest of the armor. Before he left, he promised that he would put guards on all the secret tunnels and would get as many people to freedom as possible.
They watched him leave in silence. They knew King Lawrence’s reign was coming to an end, and the future was bleak. There were no words that would change the situation or how everyone felt. They quietly packed up their things and prepared to head to the docks.
Chapter 10
Maria looked back over her shoulder towards her old home, Rolling Rock. At her side rode her daughters, Sarah and Elizabeth. They had been riding for three days, and she could no longer see her home on the horizon; that didn’t stop her from looking in that direction and wondering what was happening.
There were three hundred refugees and forty Basilican Knights in the group. Everyone else, including Maria’s husband, Henry, and her oldest son, Gregory, had stayed behind to defend Rolling Rock from the invading army and give them a chance to escape. They were traveling to a hidden fortress in the mountains that only the Basilican Knights knew about.
Maria was doing her best to be strong and lead the refugees, but it was hard to keep her spirits up. Her second son, Gavin, was among the first casualties of war when the Wall of Salvation was overrun. She knew her husband and oldest son would likely not survive the assault on Rolling Rock, and she had no idea where Mat, her youngest son, was. The only thing that kept her going was outrage at the enemy and hope that her daughters would someday reclaim their home.
A galloping rider shook Maria from her thoughts. The man was one of the scouts sent ahead to help them avoid the enemy. She could see a score of riders chasing him and knew this would be the first of many confrontations they would have to survive if they were going to reach safety in the mountains.
The group of enemy soldiers charging at the refugees thought they were harassing an unprotected group of women, children, and elderly. By the time they realized the refugees were protected by a larger group of knights it was too late to turn around. The Basilican Knights fiercely cut down every man and left no witnesses. They stripped the men of anything useful and hid the bodies.
Maria took in every detail of the battle and the disposal of bodies. It was a grizzly affair, but she wanted to remember every detail. The fate of everyone in this group, and possibly everyone in Solandeus, rested in her hands. If the royal family didn’t survive the assault on Westport, she might someday have to lead the revolt to reclaim her homeland, and she was determined to be prepared for that possibility.
- - - - - - - - -
The refugee column entered the hidden Basilican stronghold with Maria in the lead. As she rode through the narrow crevice that hid the entrance to their fortress, she thought about how easy it would be to defend. The old Maria would have never thought of that, but after a dozen battles, she looked at things differently. She carried a sword at her waist now, and she had learned how to use it. Her daughters rode behind her, and they carried short swords as well.
The group of refugees was much smaller now. Barely a hundred people remained, but it would have been much worse if Maria had not held them together. Her leadership had ensured that at least some of the group that left Rolling Rock survived and would have a chance at trying to reclaim their homeland.
When she emerged into the hidden valley, Maria was stunned by what she saw. The valley was surrounded on all sides by near vertical cliffs. She could see several waterfalls cascading down into a lake at the far end of the valley. There were large pastures with cows, sheep, and goats. There were fields of corn, wheat, and potatoes. There were hundreds of buildings that could easily house thousands of people. They could live there for years, if need be, and never lack for anything.
Maria and her daughters rode to the side to allow the rest of the refugees to enter the valley that was going to be their new home. While she talked to her daughters about their new home, a well-dressed elderly gentleman rode over to them.
“My name is Daniel,” introduced the man, “and I would like to welcome you to Convallis. My family has lived in this valley for almost two centuries preparing for this day.”
“This valley is magnificent,” Maria replied. “My name is Maria, and these are my daughters Sarah and Elizabeth. We are from Rolling Rock.”
“I am told you are the leader of this group,” Daniel said. “After you settle in, there is much we need to discuss.”
“Are there any other groups of refugees here?” Maria asked. “A group from Westport maybe? My sister was there, and I don’t know if she made it out before the city was besieged.”
“We have had several hundred people arrive in small groups,” Daniel answered, “but you are the first group from any of the cities to arrive. There are three other hidden valleys so it’s possible that your sister is in one of those. We are in regular contact by messenger
pigeon. I can try to find her, but, with all of the people seeking refuge, it may be a while before everyone can be accounted for.”
“My sister should be easy to find if she made it,” Maria replied. “She is the queen -- at least she used to be.”
“That would make you Duchess Maria Vanderwall,” Daniel said as he bowed to her. “I am sorry for not making the connection sooner.”
“Please, just call me Maria,” she replied. “By now, Rolling Rock is probably in enemy hands, and my husband and son are likely dead. There is nothing for me to be Duchess over. For now, my primary concern is taking care of my daughters and the people that were able to escape.”
Maria had known for weeks that her husband and son would probably not make it out of Rolling Rock alive, but that was the first time she had said it. As that reality set in, she almost fell from her horse. Daniel rushed over, helped her down, and held her in a comforting, fatherly embrace. Sarah and Elizabeth also ran to her, and, with tears in their eyes, wrapped their arms around their mother’s waist.
After a few minutes, Maria withdrew from the embrace and pushed her emotions back down inside. She knew she would have to deal with them later, but there were things that needed to be done first. “There’s no need for us to worry about that right now. We don’t even know what happened so we may be worried about nothing.”
Daniel gave her a knowing look, but did not refute her. “Let’s get you settled into your new home. We don’t have anything luxurious, but you should find that we have everything you need. You can leave your horses here, and I will have them cared for.”
“Thank you,” Maria said as she took each of her daughters by the hand and followed him towards the buildings.
Armor of God (Salvation of Solandeus Book 2) Page 6
