- - - - - - - - -
Isabel put one foot in front of the other and kept moving forward. At her side, a small girl hugged herself and looked forward with a blank stare. This was her 12-year-old daughter, Anna. Both were dirty; their clothes torn. They were hungry and tired.
Not long ago, Isabel was queen, but those days were no more. Her spirit was broken, and she had no remaining desire to lead. Every waking hour for the last month had been filled with fear and hardship as the small group of refugees hid from and fought the invading army. They were finally getting close to their destination: a hidden Basilican fortress in the Great Divide Mountains.
The group of refugees had snuck out of Westport just hours before the siege began. There were originally hundreds of people with scores of Basilican Knights to protect them. They were now hundreds of miles away, but only 30 refugees remained, and there were only four knights who could still fight.
Despite the hardships of the last few weeks, Isabel actually started the day with a sense of optimism. They had not seen an enemy patrol in three days, and soon they would reach the safety of the fortress. Before they broke camp that morning, an update from Westport arrived.
After holding out for several weeks in the inner city, Westport had finally fallen to the invading army. During the siege, thousands of people were able to escape by ship, but that was where the good news ended. King Lawrence was killed during the final assault, and there was no word on what happened to Isabel’s son, Prince Lucius. To make an example for other cities that defied him, Anton the Annihilator executed every person in the inner city who had dared to oppose him. The people in the outer city were somewhat more fortunate. They were turned into slaves after the outer wall fell and were being forced to clean up the dead bodies and rebuild the city.
Isabel knew she should care about the future, but the most she could do right now was put one foot in front of the next. She would occasionally put her hand on her daughter’s head or squeeze her shoulder, but for the most part, she was lost in her own world of misery.
Chapter 11
Mat, Persephonie, and Banji stood at the forward rail of the ship as it sailed into Sorgen in the Great Northern Kingdom. None of them had been there before, but they could tell it wasn’t a wealthy city. The docks were functional but in need of repair. The buildings they could see appeared to be on the verge of collapse.
During their weeks at sea, Persephonie had spent almost every waking hour training with Mat and Banji. Her bond with Mat, in particular, had developed tremendously. She could now communicate with him mentally almost as well as verbally. Her guilt for manipulating him subsided, but her commitment to him was stronger than it had been before.
They were the first to disembark, and their initial impression didn’t improve once they were on the docks. The people they saw were dirty and their clothes were torn. Most were barefoot or wearing boots that had holes in them. It was a level of poverty that none of them were used to seeing.
Arajin, Michael, and Rohan, the ship’s captain, joined them as they contemplated the dock area while their horses and supplies were being unloaded. Arajin had been to the city before and had told them what to expect, but things had apparently changed since he was last there.
“This is a surprising sight,” Arajin said. “When I was here before, the city was in much better condition. It was never fancy, but it was prosperous. I wonder what happened.”
“Anton is what happened,” Rohan stated. “Ever since he started conquering the North, the average citizen has suffered. In the case of Sorgen, it started about two years ago when he installed a governor and left a legion of soldiers here. While the general population struggles to survive, the governor and soldiers live in luxury.”
“Why do the people allow it?” Mat asked. “If they stand up for themselves, surely they could take back their freedom.”
“They’re afraid,” Rohan replied. “When people start talking of change, they are silenced or simply disappear. My first time back after the new governor was in place, I found that over half the people I used to trade with were dead or missing. Once people started disappearing, everyone was too fearful to oppose the governor.”
“That’s how tyrants usually rule,” Michael added. “They know that they could easily be crushed if everyone united and fought back so they instill fear. The main reason men fight is to protect their loved ones and their property. When people are fearful that their loved ones will be killed if they rebel, they rarely do unless they are certain they are going to be successful.”
“There is a point, though, where a man gets pushed too far and feels like he has nothing left to lose,” Arajin said. “Until that line is crossed, tyranny rules.”
“But how can a person live in poverty?” Banji asked. “These people appear miserable and hungry.”
“Yes,” Arajin replied, “but they are alive and so are their families. As long as Anton and his governors don’t push them too far, they will be content to live out their lives in wretched poverty.”
“It’s a delicate balance,” Michael added. “You never know what will start a revolution. It could be something that seems insignificant, but most tyrants eventually go too far. When that happens, the people rise up and take back what was theirs. Unfortunately, a lot of people usually die because oppressed people usually don’t have good weapons, armor, or leadership.”
“Will it get better when we defeat Anton?” Mat asked.
“I don’t know,” Michael answered. “It depends on the governors. They may keep power or someone else may rise up and replace them. The person who rises up could be even worse, though. There is no way to know until it happens.”
“There’s nothing we can do about it right now,” Arajin added.
“He’s right,” Rohan said. “For now, you need to focus on yourself. Be careful as long as you are in the city. If you are heard talking about rebellion, you will have a lot of trouble on your hands. While I don’t doubt that you can take care of yourselves, there are too many soldiers for your small group to fight alone.”
“We aren’t here to cause trouble,” Michael assured the Captain. “In fact, I don’t think we should spend any more time in this city than we have to. I think we should leave in the morning.”
“That would probably be a good idea,” Rohan agreed. “I have a warehouse down here by the docks. I can keep your horses and gear there; you will attract less attention that way.”
“That would be helpful,” Mat said. “As much as I want to help these people, our mission is more important. We will be back in the morning to get our stuff.”
Captain Rohan promised to have their horses and supplies ready at first light. He shared a few more details about the current state of the city, as he knew it, then sent them on their way. He gave them directions to the only inn that he trusted, but, even then, he warned them to be careful.
As they traveled the streets of Sorgen on their way to the inn recommended by Captain Rohan, the true level of poverty became more apparent. Most of the buildings were on the verge of collapsing and many of them had. The people they saw were timid and fearful. The children were quiet, dirty, and obviously hungry. A few people begged for money or food, but most appeared to have completely given up on life.
As they approached the area where the inn was supposed to be, the buildings started to look better. They weren’t fancy, but they appeared to be sturdy and in good repair. When they reached the inn, they found the building in good repair and a business that appeared to be doing well. Compared to the buildings they had seen on the way, it bordered on luxurious.
The first floor of the inn consisted of a large common room with tables and a large bar across the back of the room. The rest of the group sat down at a large table in the corner while Arajin went to the bar to inquire about a meal and rooms for the night.
Most of the men in the room were dressed in plain yet relatively clean clothes. In most places, Mat would have assumed they were normal working men. Compared to most o
f the people he had seen here, however, Mat assumed these might be the wealthy citizens of Sorgen.
There was very little conversation coming from most tables, and people pointedly ignored everyone else in the room. The only exception was a large table on the opposite side of the room where a group of soldiers and a young nobleman were eating and drinking.
As he watched the soldiers and noblemen harass the young lady bringing them a tray full of mugs, Mat’s hand subconsciously reached for his sword. He felt a soft hand cover his own.
Don’t make a scene, Persephonie whispered mentally. We are in enemy lands, and we need to avoid attention. Our only chance of success lies in us traveling undetected.
“I know,” Mat replied, “but it makes me angry to see men like that.”
Arajin returned to the table and sat down with has back towards the men that Mat was glaring at. “We have rooms for the night and food on the way,” Arajin told the group. “It cost a small fortune. The innkeeper apologized for the high cost but explained that the governor takes almost everything he makes. Those men on the other side of the room are here to make sure the governor gets his cut.”
“Did the innkeeper offer any advice for staying out of trouble?” Michael asked looking pointedly at Mat.
“He did warn us to stay away from the soldiers,” Arajin replied. “He said this place will fill up with soldiers tonight, and it would be best to avoid them.”
“You don’t need to lecture me,” Mat said. “I know I can’t fight them all. At least not yet.”
“Well, son,” Arajin said, “then you should take your hand off your sword and stop staring at them. Just pretend they aren’t even here. After we eat, we can retire to our rooms. At first light tomorrow morning, we will leave this town behind.”
After eating a bland but filling dinner, the group retired to their rooms. Michael followed Mat to his room and closed the door behind them. He put his hands on Mat’s shoulders and looked him in the eyes. “You cannot get distracted from our goal,” he told Mat. “We are in dangerous territory, and, if we aren’t careful, we could have hundreds of soldiers coming down on us. That’s a fight we cannot win.”
“I know,” Mat said. “I haven’t done anything.”
“With men like those, you don’t have to do anything to start a fight,” Michael said. “Just looking at them can start a fight. They are actually worse than Anton. They think they are invincible, and they have nothing holding them back. Anton, at least, understands that there is no reason to abuse the common people. These men do not.”
“But I feel like I need to do something,” Mat said. “I can’t just let these people suffer.”
“The only thing you can do is finish the quest and defeat Anton,” Michael told him.
“But you, yourself, said that the next person might be even worse,” Mat said.
“That’s a problem for another day,” Michael replied. “We can only worry about one problem at a time, and today’s problem is finding the rest of the Armor of God.”
“I know,” Mat conceded. “It’s just hard to see people suffer.”
“I agree,” Michael said. “That’s why we are here.”
“When we are done, I’m going to make sure these people are taken care of,” Mat said.
“I wouldn’t expect anything less,” Michael replied. “For now, though, I am going to see if I can learn anything that will help us today. I used to have several contacts in Sorgen. I’m going to see if I can find one of them. If I’m not back by morning, head to the dockside warehouse. I will meet you there.”
“Be careful,” Mat told him.
“Don’t worry about me,” Michael assured him. “Just make sure you stay away from the soldiers.”
“I will,” Mat promised. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
After Michael left, Mat sat on his bed thinking about the people of Sorgen and the poverty they battled. It was still light out, but Mat decided the best thing to do was to try to get some sleep. The coming days and weeks were going to be challenging, and he didn’t know when he would next get a chance to sleep in a bed. With the Sword of Spirit still strapped to his waist, Mat fell off into a fitful sleep.
Chapter 12
Mat was startled awake by a knock on his door. His room was completely dark so he knew the sun had set, but he had no idea what time it was. A second knock was followed by a timid voice, “Sir, are you there?”
Mat walked to the door with his sword in hand. The voice calling him obviously belonged to a child, but there was no way to know if there was anyone else there. As he slowly opened the door, he recognized a small boy he had seen in the common room earlier. He looked to be about 10 years old.
“Who are you?” Mat asked.
“My name is Jimmy, sir,” the boy replied. “I am the innkeeper’s son.”
“Did your dad send you up here?” Mat asked.
“No sir,” Jimmy replied. “He would probably be mad if he knew I was here. He’s not a bad man you see, he’s just scared for us. You seem like nice people, though, so I had to come up here and tell you about it. It just wouldn’t be right to not tell you.”
“Tell me what?” Mat interrupted.
“Oh, yes sir, that’s why I’m here, to tell you something important” Jimmy said.
“But you’re not telling me anything,” Mat said as he bent down and gently put his hands on the boy’s shoulders.
“Oh, right. The soldiers are coming to get you,” Jimmy said. “I heard them talking. They said they were going to get more people and come back and show you who runs this town. That’s what they said. They’re gonna teach you a lesson.”
“How long ago did they leave?” Mat asked urgently.
“Not long,” Jimmy replied, “but the barracks aren’t far so they will be back soon.”
“Is there a way out of here other than through the main room?” Mat asked.
“The room at the end of the hall has a balcony,” Jimmy told him. “You can jump from the balcony to the building next door. From there you can climb down into the alley. My dad doesn’t know, but sometimes I sneak out like that. Please don’t tell him.”
“I won’t,” Mat assured him. “Can you tell me how to get to the docks without going down the main street?”
“I can show you,” Jimmy said. “It will be like an adventure. Sneaking out in the middle of the night, creeping through the city on a secret mission.”
“No, it’s too dangerous,” Mat told him. “Just tell us how to get there.”
“I can’t,” Jimmy said. “I can get there, but I don’t know how to give you directions so you won’t get lost. I have to show you. Don’t worry, I’ve done this before. Besides, I’m almost 10 years old. I’m practically a man.”
Mat didn’t want to get this little boy involved, but at that moment he didn’t have any other options. He quickly gathered the others, and they all followed Jimmy to the room with the balcony where they could escape. Michael still had not returned to his room, but Mat was confident he would catch up with them at the docks.
As they made the short jump to the neighboring building, Mat could hear a rowdy group of soldiers approaching in the streets. He didn’t know how many there were, but it sounded like a dozen or more. He hoped the soldiers would give up after finding their rooms empty, but wasn’t confident that would happen. He knew they needed to get to the docks and get out of Sorgen as quickly as possible.
After unsuccessfully trying again to convince Jimmy to just give them directions, Mat and the rest of the group climbed down off the roof into the alley. As they followed Jimmy into the darkest parts of the city, Mat hoped that Michael wouldn’t walk into a trap when he returned to the inn.
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There were patrols around every corner, and it took hours to travel even a few blocks. By the time they made it to the docks, the sun was rising over the eastern horizon. As they stood hidden in an alley, they could see the warehouse where Captain Rohan had hidden their
horses and gear. Between them and the warehouse were scores of soldiers.
“Now all we have to do is sneak past 50 soldiers to get our horses and gear,” Mat muttered. “Any ideas on how to do that?”
“I can get into the warehouse,” Banji offered. “I will sneak around to the back side, scale the wall, and get in through one of the windows. Once inside I can get everything ready. When everything is ready, I will let Persephonie know.”
“How in the world are you going to let Persephonie know you are ready?” Arajin asked.
“Over the last few months, we have developed a very close bond,” Persephonie explained. “We can’t really talk, but I can read and communicate basic thoughts. It’s a skill that Mat, Banji, and I have been working on while we train.”
Don’t tell them that I can talk to you mentally. Best to keep a few secrets, Persephonie silently sent to Mat.
“I had no idea,” Arajin breathed. “I think I underestimated your Druid skills.”
“So did Lucas,” Persephonie replied with a smile. “That’s how we rescued Mat.”
“When Banji is ready, we need to create a distraction to lure the soldiers away from the building,” Mat said. “Once we get to our horses, we should be able to outrun these soldiers and get out of town. They probably won’t follow us after that.”
“I can create a distraction,” Jimmy said.
Mat had forgotten that the 10-year-old boy was even still there. “Jimmy, you’ve done enough for us already,” Mat told him. “I don’t want to put you in any more danger.”
“I won’t be in danger,” Jimmy protested. “I will just run up and tell them I saw some people sneaking around in the alley. Then I will lead them to that alley. While they are searching for you, I will get away and run home.”
Mat didn’t want to involve the boy any more than he already was. He didn’t think he could live with himself if anything happened to the boy. Unfortunately, he didn’t have any other ideas on how to get rid of the soldiers.
Armor of God (Salvation of Solandeus Book 2) Page 7
