by Guy Antibes
Willa found ribbons to tie Analea’s hands and feet.
Analea wouldn’t answer.
“Shall I kill her?” Willa squinted. If Sara didn’t know Willa so well, she’d think the woman was serious.
“Not yet,” Sara said. Analea began to sweat. “You are a Red Swallow agent in the School. Since there are a bunch of your people outside the walls ready to enter and kill us all, I think we can throw you off of the wall and make an example of you.”
“My father would never permit it.” The panic was plain in her voice.
“Your father is on the other side of the wall and you have no friends here,” Sara said.
Analea’s eyes shifted and she pressed her lips tightly together.
“You know Rester was killed in Parth,” Sara glared at her captive.
Analea’s eyes watered. “Doctor West told me.”
“I killed West myself in Belting Hollow. Northern Shattuk Downs has been returned to the people. The only rebels are now outside the walls and we’ll soon have enough women and boys armed to fight them.”
“Willa, find Klark and a couple of men to take Analea to the town jail. We’ll try her for treason in the morning. Perhaps our new troops can use her for practice with their spears.”
“You wouldn’t!”
“Just try me, Analea. Your Red Swallows burned down my home. Brightlings is now a pile of smoking rubble courtesy of Doctor West. Why would I have any reason to help you?”
“Let me go. My father’s the leader. He’ll kill you all if he knows you’ve harmed me.”
“Why would he care? He let you come in here to spy around. How did you think you’d leave the city?” Sara said. “I believe he intends to kill us anyway.”
Analea wouldn’t respond, so Sara just let her lay back on the bed and whimper until Klark arrived. Sara’s old room looked so small and plain compared to Lady Grianna’s house and the guesthouse in Parth. That world had collapsed from Parth to camping out in the open for the last three weeks. How could all of this have happened so quickly? Spring was less than a month away. She should be working with Grianna on the College project. No, she should be in this room studying for Winter Term finals.
She wanted things to be normal in Obridge, not like this, anticipating a blood bath. How to stop this tiny war? If only she could snap her finger or play a trick to make the men go away. A trick! She knew what to do.
Klark knocked on the door. He led the way in. The men carried the saddlebags that carried four of the remaining eight pipe exploders. Willa had the other four.
“Analea! She’s the spy.”
Sara nodded. “Could you find Captain Gateman and have her incarcerated in the Obridge prison. A windowless cell and she’s only to be given stale bread and water.” She looked as grim as she could manage as Analea was marched out of her room. “There may be others in the city, so make sure everyone knows that the city might be infiltrated.”
“What are you going to do with her?” Willa said, putting her fists on her hips.
“I hope the trainers know how to train. I want every woman in Obridge out in the Market wielding a spear, even if it’s the carved end of a broomstick. Analea is going to see thousands of women ready to fight her father and the other rebels.”
“But they won’t be fighting, will they?”
Sara shook her head. “Only those that volunteer, but the training won’t be voluntary, not when they’re told why we need them exercising out in the cold.”
Willa whistled. That’s a risky plan.”
Sara walked to her window and opened it. She needed the chill wind on her face to calm her mind. “I know. I don’t want to see any of Obridge’s women killed and I don’t want my brothers in harm’s way, but I don’t know what we have to lose. There’s nothing of value that Analea knows. Perhaps they’ll parley. Maybe knowing about West’s death might change their minds. In any event, the more they see an Obridge preparing for battle, the better our chances. We need to be heading south as soon as possible and there are four hundred men outside of these walls that won’t let us pass.”
~
“Sara! Look at these!” Seb said. Her brother held out an ancient spear and a long knife. “We’re going to war!” His eyes were bright in the cold of the dawn.
Enos stood back, acting a bit more reserved. “I heard the rebels burned Brightlings down and it was your fault.”
“Who told you that?” Sara said. How could he get that idea?
“One of the miners. He said that the rebel leader hated you so much that he burned it up out of spite and that June died.”
“I can’t dispute that account. But it wasn’t my fault. Doctor West hates all nobles. If the manor wasn’t ours, he’d have still burned it down.”
Enos pursed his lips. “You killed this Doctor, didn’t you?”
“I wish I did. We caught him in Heartfly’s outhouse and it burned to the ground with him in it. He was the man who killed Vesty and nearly killed your father.”
‘Oh. Then he needed killing then, didn’t he?”
“Yes he did.”
Enos looked relieved and smiled. “I’m glad you’re here, Sara.” He gave his sister a hug. “Go get father from Stonebridge. We need to rebuild our house. That is after we’re done here.”
She had thought she had lost Enos, but the hug told her otherwise. “I promise I’ll do everything I can.”
Gateman walked up. “We’re ready to begin. Any instructions, Countess?”
Sara did not want the title spread about, especially in front of her brothers. “No. We train in cohorts. The boys will train together and not with the women. I think they’ll enjoy it more.”
The Captain smiled. “Good idea. Perhaps we can get a little competition going between the boys and the women.” He left Sara standing with her brothers.
“Countess? Did he call you Countess?”
“He did. The king gave me a title. I’m the only Countess in Parthy. That’s one step below Duchess. Perhaps it’s all a joke, I don’t know. I didn’t ask for it and it makes no difference. What will make a difference is that you two train really hard. We’re going to train every able body man and woman in Obridge to take care of themselves in a fight. Make your father proud.”
“We will.” Seb made a salute of sorts.
“Good,” Sara said. “I’ve enjoyed seeing you but I’ve got to check on my troops.”
“Your army. The Belting Hollow Army,” Enos said.
“Yes. Belting Hollow and north Shattuk Downs.” She gave them each a hug and went to walk the walls.
She picked up Klark on her way. “Walk with me.”
“Gladly, Miss,” Klark said.
They walked up the stone stairs to the broad wall. Obridge was once the center of Shattuk Downs in a different time. The walls were twelve feet wide at the top and forty feet high. Unlike Stonebridge, the city never grew beyond its walls, especially after the capital headed south.
The rebels split their forces. Each half guarded the two gates into the city. Sara’s army remained half of the size of the rebels and if she wanted to leave, they would have to fight their way past either gate before the other side could make their way around the wall to help.
That wasn’t her intent. She’d rather that they leave. The noises of training made her turn around and look down into the Market. A large square of women was going through basic moves with weapons. Most of them carried sharpened poles made from broomsticks or mops or anything else at hand. She did notice others with real spears and pikes.
The trainers made them shout as they made their moves and as they practiced, the sounds began to take order and the women soon moved as one. Let Analea hear them shout. Let her hear the ragged sounds firm up into barked cadences. It would only help their cause.
They turned towards the main gate. “What do you think we should do once we get close to Stonebridge?”
“Visit the Works.”
Sara fingered the carriage necklace. “And if
we can’t get through the gate?”
Klark laughed and took Sara’s hand. “That gate is rusted open. Didn’t you notice that when you went through Stonebridge? The buildings that surround the gate are like a rabbit warren. The entire city is virtually defenseless.”
“I did, as a matter of fact. How do you think they’ll fix that?”
“I’m sure they will concentrate on keeping the King’s Army out of Shattuk Downs at the Narrows and that’s where the Duke’s value as a hostage comes in.”
“Then we can just walk in, can’t we? Another Shattuk Downs unit?”
Klark kissed the inside of her wrist. “Bold. I like it.”
Sara pulled her hand away. “Not here.” She looked around. “Klark, we can get as close as you want later. I want to, I really do. You know that, but right now isn’t the time for it. Perhaps we can talk on the road to Stonebridge.”
“How can we? Your shadow, Willa Waters is always around. I had to jump at the chance to see you just now.”
“I can take care of that,” Sara smiled. “We have to concentrate on getting out intact and that means saving Obridge.” She took his hand and kissed it, despite of what she had just said. “Then we’ll see.” The sounds of a group of boys began, soon followed by women’s voices. Sara hoped the rebels could hear.
~
Three days later, Sara walked past the boys of Abbey School going through their forms. Their yells were loud and sharp. Gateman’s trainers had done their job.
“Captain Gateman, I want all of our people assembled. I’m about to escort Analea out of Obridge. Make sure they shout loud.”
Sara shut her eyes and tried to will calmness into her body. A great deal depended on her performance. Willa and Lisha Temple walked with her. A guard opened the door to the jail. Sara took one look back to see women and boys running to position. They all knew they had to make a big impression.
Analea blinked in the light. She sat huddled in the corner with a thin blanket around her.
“Get up. You’re leaving Obridge now.” Sara restrained a smile when she began to hear the crisp chanting all the way down to Analea’s cell.
“What’s with all of the yelling?” Analea said. “I have things I need to take with me when I leave.”
“You’re lucky to leave alive, Analea. Good men have died because of your father and his rebels.”
“Our cause is just.”
“What is your cause? I don’t understand. You have total freedom to live in the Downs. You can say what you want, live where you want,” Lisha Temple said.
“But there are rich people like you. Like the nobles in Stonebridge, where my father lived. He couldn’t make his business work and can’t support me anymore at the School, yet look at all of the other women supported by their rich fathers. You all make me sick.”
“So since you are jealous of another man’s wealth, you want to kill people over it?” Sara shook her head. “Enough talk. You don’t know how good you have it in Shattuk Downs.”
She roughly took Analea by the arm and led her up the stairs and into the light. The day was bright with the promise of warmer weather ahead. The chanting picked up in volume.
“Who… What are you doing?”
“The Obridge Army, Analea. We are going to kill your father and his men with superior numbers. We have over half the number of armed men plus we have thousands of women and boys from the school who will fight for their freedom. I told them how West wanted to rule the northern Downs and steal from farmers to pay for his idle troops. That’s what the Red Sparrows want. Domination so they can steal from the entire populace, rich and poor alike.”
“It’s not like that at all.”
“It was in Belting Hollow. They’re no longer there and West is dead. If your father wants to talk about life, he is welcome to parley.”
Gateman’s men opened a heavily barred man-door in one of the massive gates. Captain Gateman threw her out.
Sara ran up the stairs followed by her retinue to see Analea run for the rebels. An older man ran up and hugged her as she ran into his arms. Analea pointed back at Obridge and gestured with her hands.
Her father looked at the crowds assembled on the wall and threw them a rude gesture. Sara had seen enough. She walked down the stairs. Her gamble was about to begin. This part of the civil war had to stop here, at Obridge
“I’m going out there with a flag of truce and talk to them in an hour, just inside of the range of our crossbows. I’ll want to borrow your gun, Willa.”
“You can’t do this Sara. They’ll just kill you,” Willa said. “We need a leader.”
That stopped Sara. “How can I earn the right to lead, if I’m not willing to put my life on the line? What if they don’t fall for our bluff? We’ll have to fight them, for it’s not really a bluff. I can’t let blood spill if I’m not willing to fight.” Choster’s last moment came to mind. “Choster made a choice. It saved us all. How can I do anything less? I’m not going to lead these men and perhaps, women, on my title. I’m no Countess. I’m a woman of Shattuk Downs.”
Lisha clapped her hands. “Well said Sara. I wish I could say I taught you that, but, regrettably, duty is not something that can be taught.”
Her mother’s death had started the terrible experiences that led her to this day. Unfortunately, unless the rebels killed her, the unpleasant choices would continue.
She walked quickly to her room and put on one of her dresses that she left at the school and re-did her hair. She strapped her knife to her leg beneath the dress and she carried two pipe exploders strapped to her thighs in padded sleeves. The dress had slits cut into the seams that gave her access. Her sword hung on her back. She took a sip of water and walked back out carrying two loaded guns.
By the time she made it back to the main gate, Youngman had found a white flag. Sara asked him to accompany her. She stepped out of the main door and stopped within crossbow range. She thought of the courage of her ancestor, Lady Carolta, who had saved a dynasty. She would save Shattuk Downs.
Analea’s father approached her with three of his men. “So at last I meet the illustrious Sara Featherwood. We had you at Dry River, yet you escaped. I’ve received word in the last hour that you’ve killed our former leader.”
“West deserved to die,” Sara said, trying to control her temper. This man was arrogant and had obviously relished West’s death. “He killed my stepmother and nearly killed Ben Featherwood, my father.”
“One has to do what one can do for one’s cause. What is your cause Sara? Squeezing more money from common people like me? My business died because I was tricked by nobles.”
Sara saw a man bitter at his failure, but now grasping at the rebellion to redeem himself. “I’m sorry for the loss of your business, but there are other opportunities for free men. Shattuk Downs is a free place. What will you do to replace it? West had already started to steal provisions from the common farmers in Belting Hollow. Will you do the same? I talked to Analea about this, but evidently, you people are too committed to your cause to see reason.”
“Enough talk about the Red Swallows. Why are you out here?”
“Freedom. I don’t want Obridge to be a bloody battlefield. The clash at the River Gate was bad enough. We both lost good men. I have armed the women and boys of Obridge. We are prepared to fight you to save the city. My men and the guards of Obridge alone are equal to half of your forces. We have ten times that number in women and boys ready to die to protect their city. I’ll give you a day to leave if you promise you won’t return.”
“And if I don’t wish to keep your promise?”
“Then you’ll be hunted down and hanged for a rebel. Your success is dependent on the Grand Duke ignoring you in the north. I will assure you that you have no such luxury with me.”
He rubbed his chin and looked back at his men. “I’ll give you my decision at 9 o’clock tomorrow.” He turned on his heel and left. They didn’t talk long enough for Sara to even know the man’s name
.
She returned to the gate. The man had lied to her face. Sara had learned enough to read the man. They would fight and that saddened her.
Vanna Rider, Anton’s wife came up to Sara as she re-entered the city. “We want you to know, that we will fight for Obridge, Sara. Every one of us. We’ve talked it over. If your parley doesn’t work out, you’ve got your women warriors.” She put her hand on Sara’s arm. “Anton has been so brave for our family and now that he’s safe with the army, it’s my turn.”
Sara put her hand over the woman’s. “Then we will continue to drill and keep yelling and chanting into the night.” She called for Gateman. “Captain. Could they try to attack us tonight?”
He looked up at the walls. “Perhaps. We can put all the men on the walls and let them sleep in shifts up there tonight, if you’re worried.”
“I obviously can’t trust the rebels. Analea’s father said he won’t be giving me an answer at 9 o’clock tomorrow morning. He lied.”
Klark grunted. “Yester. Gront Yester is his name. He’s tried every dodge to get anyone to invest in his crackpot schemes.”
Sara had forgotten. “That’s right. He even had Doctor Hedge evaluate one of his ideas. He told me that the man wanted him to certify a fraud.” She had hoped so desperately that her bluff would work, but her training had told her that Yester wouldn’t be leaving. Their chances of leaving without a fight were non-existent.
“Youngman, you’ll be in charge of River Gate. Set up a way to assemble the women in that district to fight if need be. Captain, do the same for the Main Gate. Remember, there still might be some of the rebels hidden in the city so all of the women should be on the alert. I want kitchen knives bound firmly to the ends of their sticks, if they can. Have your men spread out among the women and help them if they need to. The city needs to be put on the highest alert. I am certain they will attack tonight and I know Analea spent time within the walls for a reason.”
Sara didn’t want it to come to this, but the time for action had come. She went back to the Refectory with Klark, Willa and Lisha. She hadn’t eaten all day.
