Assassin of the Heart: Book Two: The Temple Islands Series

by Richard Parker

  “What is it you want from us lad?” Admiral Cantu asked. He was beginning to like this Massi youth. There was something about him, some hidden quality that spoke to the Admiral’s heart. The boy may be quiet, but there was an intensity about him that only emanated from a fighting man.

  “Yes,” the Queen said shifting in her seat. “Tell us Cousin. What has brought you to Eno?”

  Gwaynn leaned forward directly toward the Queen. “I want you to move your fleet directly off Cape,” he said, and both Sath and Ramona gasped in surprise.

  Cantu let out a roaring laugh.

  “No need to land, no need to risk any Toranado lives,” Gwaynn quickly continued. “Just show your force and keep the Deutzani army from leaving the port city.”

  Cantu continued to chuckle, but the Queen leaned back, quickly gaining control of herself.

  “You see Mother…” Phillip began.

  “Hush boy,” she said with another wave. She eyed Gwaynn thoughtfully for a long moment then added. “You plan to take Manse.”

  Gwaynn smiled slightly and nodded. “It is the key to holding Massi, though the Deutzani do not seem to realize it.”

  “Nor did your Father,” Sath said, unable to keep the admiration from his voice.

  “A bold move,” Cantu interjected, “and it would have worked too if the Deutzani were not already on the move.”

  “On the move?” Gwaynn and Krys asked together, Gwaynn slightly alarmed.

  Ramona nodded. “The army at Cape has marched thirty miles west. The Deutzani have begun their attack on the Scar Gap. So far Captain Jima is holding. How long he can do so is not clear.”

  “Your way is clear boy,” Cantu said lifting his enormous girth from the chair. “The Deutzani will not move their army south to oppose you, but if you take Manse they will have to draw back before reaching Eno.”

  “Reach Eno?” Sath asked.

  “What of your army?” Krys asked before anyone could answer.

  Ramona gave a grim smile. “Pachout is moving my army to the north. King Weldon is marching toward the Balle.”

  “If we landed and took Cape,” Tabernas suggested.

  “No one but Massi will take Cape,” Gwaynn replied, though he appreciated what the Weapons Master was suggesting. If his rear were threatened, King Arsinol would have little choice but to withdraw back into Massi.

  Everyone sat silent for a moment. Gwaynn’s mind was racing. The High King is committed. Within a week the war will be in the open.

  “Your fleet?” He asked, suddenly galvanized with worry.

  “Spread around Eno for protection,” Cantu said, now completely serious.

  “Mastoc will send his Knights against you,” Gwaynn stated with confidence, and stood, moving immediately to a large map placed above the fireplace. Cantu followed and soon they were all gathered around it.

  “The High King would not dare…” Ramona began though she was well aware that the High King would indeed dare, and they’d begun plans for just such an eventuality.

  “He has dared!” Gwaynn added cutting her off, thinking. The Knights will not be positioned to help the Deutzani, there was too little room to maneuver between the Gap and Eno, and he would not risk such a force being lost at sea. The Toranado were the supreme naval power of the Inland Sea. No, he would land his forces somewhere safe, with relatively little risk and let them fight over land as they were designed to do.

  “The negotiations with the Rhondono Ambassador are a diversion,” Gwaynn finally said and Cantu let out another quick chuckle. “He’s landed his forces in Vaasa. Sotto is at risk.”

  Cantu laughed again and struck Gwaynn firmly on the back. Gwaynn turned to see the Queen of the Toranado gazing at him not with fear or disbelief, but with admiration.

  “It is the conclusion my council arrived at just before your arrival,” she said, her eyes sparkling. “You will make a worthy ally, Gwaynn Massi.”

  They all moved away from the map. “How soon can you take Manse?” Cantu asked, and Gwaynn swallowed, not wanting to tell them of the woefully small force he had at his disposal. He might indeed make a worthy ally, but it was going to take time, and time was one thing the Toranado did not have.

  “It would mean a great deal to us if you could pull the Deutzani back,” Ramona added.

  “Mother,” Phillip said excitedly but she again held up her hand for silence.

  “We do not have the forces to take Manse,” Sath said quietly, moving to Gwaynn’s side. Gwaynn nodded.

  “It will not be for some weeks…perhaps a month,” he added dejectedly. He knew he would risk everything they’d gained if he moved too soon.

  “A month…Mother!” Phillip said again and this time she did not deny him.

  Ramona moved to Phillip’s side and took his hand. “My son has a force of two thousand heavy foot soldiers and over three hundred mounted knights. He has asked to be released…to fight with you.”

  Gwaynn looked at Phillip whose eyes were wide with excitement.

  “They are well trained and at your service,” the Prince said. Gwaynn looked back to Ramona.

  “Why?” he asked.

  “From the beginning, Phillip has urged us to move against the Deutzani in defense of the Massi,” she explained as Phillip beamed. “We should have listened to his advice two years ago. He can make for the Aleria Passage and arrive in two weeks time.”

  Sath and Krys held their breath, waiting. Both knew of Gwaynn’s desire to defeat the Deutzani with the Massi.

  “I would be honored,” he finally said and the two Princes grasp hands and shook heartily.

  The high spirits left them quickly, however, as the Captain of the guard burst into the room.

  “Weldon has crossed the Balle…the Temple Knights are with him. Sotto has fallen…”

  VIII

  Tarina Cyn de Baard set a grueling pace, wanting to keep well ahead of the Deutzani battalion, which followed behind on the very same road. Her Captain, Robert Huntley rode at her side and following behind were another half dozen handpicked men.

  On de Baard’s orders, she and Huntley wore clothes common among the Massi peasantry, but the six men who accompanied them would enter Manse as Deutzani soldiers. de Baard did not explain herself other than to say joining the Massi army would take guile. It was two days of hard riding to reach Manse from Cape and by the pace she set it was clear de Baard wanted to make record time.

  “Join the Massi?” Huntley asked just before nightfall on the first day.

  “Ever do any knife work?” she asked back. “You have to get in close.” She smiled then slid a date between her moistened lips. He watched closely as the fruit disappeared into her sensuous mouth then glanced up and blanched when he realized she was watching him. He was afraid of the Tarina. She was very beautiful, impossibly erotic, but he’d seen her kill with lightning moves. She reminded him of a deadly female spider perched in the center of her glistening web waiting patiently for the arrival of her dinner. Even now, as he rode by her side, he tried to keep his distance as best he could and was ever vigilant for any sudden move she might make.

  That night he slept as far from her as possible, though she appeared not to notice. Even then his sleep was spotty, interrupted by dreams of beauty and death.

  The following morning they started out early and fast, not stopping to eat or to rest the horses. It was just after noon when they spotted the Scar in the distance.

  When they were about five miles from the town of Manse, de Baard turned to the men garbed as Deutzani soldiers. “Circle out to the east and follow the river down to Manse,” she ordered. “The Captain and I will continue southward and approach the town from the northwest. Make for the center of town and look for our horses. We should arrive about a half an hour before you,” she told them and without hesitation the men rode off.

  de Baard and Huntley continued on and the Tarina smiled when the town came into view in the distance. She pulled to a stop, surprising the Captain, who also s
topped a few yards ahead. He turned back toward her, a questioning look on his face.

  de Baard smiled at him then removed the thong which was securing her dark hair. It instantly fell about her shoulders, framing her face and blowing softly in the wind. Then, still looking at her captain and smiling sinfully, she loosened the top three buttons on her cotton blouse, revealing the creamy soft tops of her pale breasts. Huntley took a deep breath and glanced up into her happy, elfin face. She smiled sweetly at him and he suppressed a shudder of fear and desire.

  “Maybe someday, Captain,” de Baard promised softly, “but for now I just want my arrival in Manse to be noticed.”

  Huntley nodded. “Oh, they’ll notice,” he added and took another brief glance at her chest then together they moved into the most important town in Massi.

  Huntley’s prediction came true and though it was mostly men who noticed the tall, dark haired beauty that rode into their midst, scores of women took notice also. The two of them rode slowly into town, nodding and smiling to those who acknowledged them, but they were careful not to show such kindness to any of the Deutzani soldiers who patrolled the streets.

  They stopped near the center of town at a large three-story affair. There was a saloon along one side, but from what de Baard could tell there was an absence of prostitutes, which was what she was looking for. She wanted no association with the women of the night.

  There was an old man behind the counter, but it was a young, brown haired girl by the name of Emm who showed them to their adjacent rooms on the second floor. When the girl was gone, de Baard turned to Huntley.

  “Now we wait,” she said as she stepped into the Captain’s room and softly pulled the door closed.

  “The men should be here by the end of the day,” he answered, misunderstanding.

  de Baard smiled and Huntley had to force himself not to shiver. “No, I mean for Prince Gwaynn Massi.”

  “We’re not going out to try and join up?”

  She shook her head. “Perhaps, if it’s necessary. I believe he will come to Manse…and soon.”

  ǂ

  Gwaynn waited next to Queen Ramona Toranado as Zarina Jess na Gall used her arms and hands to carve intricate patterns into the air before her. The Queen used all her powers to try and persuade na Gall to stay in Eno, but the comforts of the city did not sway the Zarina, nor did the relative safety. It seemed the Traveler was very determined to remain in Massi with the young Prince, though why Ramona could not quite fathom. There was something attractive and powerful in the young man’s personality but why na Gall would chose to stay in Massi was beyond her. In Ramona’s mind it was a reckless decision when the very existence of the Travelers was a stake. Despite Gwaynn’s assurances of protection, Massi was a very dangerous place, and with open war soon upon the lands to the east, it would likely become even more dangerous still. Not that Eno was going to be without its own dangers in the weeks and months ahead, but inside the walled city the Traveler would at least have the luxury of time. No army, no matter how skilled, could breech the walls of the Toranado Capital City in weeks. It would more likely to take months, many months for an enemy to take the city, plenty of time for the Traveler to find another safe port of call. Death on the Massi Plateau could come without warning and be over in moments.

  Still, Ramona had to admire the young woman’s courage and resolve. If she could only survive the coming storm, the Travelers to come would be in good hands.

  It took several moments for the bridge to solidify and when it did Gwaynn turned to the Toranado Queen.

  “We will push the Deutzani hard,” he said, clearly meaning it. “They’ve taken one country by treachery; we cannot allow them to have another.”

  Ramona nodded and gave the young man an almost loving smile. She patted his shoulder but said nothing.

  “I am sorry we did not get a chance to dance with katas,” the Toranado Weapons Master said with a slight bow as Gwaynn shook his hand.

  “I too,” he answered, but truthfully the excitement of testing his skills with katas was well in the past. There’d been far too many deaths at his hands for Gwaynn to derive pleasure from such simple contests.

  When the bridge was stable and strong, he turned to Phillip, who was clearly aching to be on his way to the Aleria Passage. With the exception of the Gap, the passage was the only other way to cross the Scar Mountains into Massi with relative ease.

  “Two weeks,” Phillip said, the excitement plain in his voice, and both Gwaynn and Ramona wondered how long it would take the realities of war to temper such enthusiasm.

  “Good luck,” Gwaynn replied, grateful now for the Toranado Prince’s passion. “We’ll meet you at Colchester.”

  With that he turned and followed Sath and Krys through the bridge. Visible on the other side were the huddled masses of the Massi army waiting their arrival. na Gall paused for a moment, glancing back at the Queen.

  “Contact me if you are threatened,” the Traveler said. “I will come.” Ramona nodded and then na Gall stepped quickly through the bridge into Massi. The portal disappeared seconds later leaving them all to wonder about the coming days.

  ǂ

  Tanner and Marcum greeted Gwaynn as soon as he stepped through the bridge. Sath was standing just to one side, but Marcum addressed Gwaynn directly, something the young Prince took no notice of, but to Sath it was a telling point. He was losing his men to Gwaynn at a steady pace, but he couldn’t be any happier about it. Gwaynn was growing into a natural leader, but there was something else, something magnetic about the Prince. He had a pull on people. He made them want to follow.

  “We’ve encountered a few Deutzani scouts, and Bock rooted out maybe a dozen more back in the hills. We think they may be the remnants of the group chasing after the Hawsers,” Marcum said, very relieved that the Prince had returned. He’d not realized how worried he was for the young man’s safety until he had him in his sights once more. Although it took a bit of convincing, Marcum was now completely sure they would drive out the Deutzani. With Gwaynn, they were sure to do it.

  Gwaynn nodded and looked about, searching for Samantha…and Lonogan but could see neither of them. The camp looked larger than when he left, and it suddenly hit him how few of these people he really knew.

  “She’s out in the meadow with Hahn and Gaston. They’ve set up an archery range to train the new men coming in,” Marcum added. He did not smile outwardly but inside he enjoyed watching the younger man control his emotions. But as he suspected, Gwaynn did not deny his thoughts, as many young men would have done, instead he just nodded.

  “Show me,” Gwaynn replied.

  About three miles up above the camp was a large open field, which was relatively clear but surrounded on all sides by towering pines. There was a small, swiftly moving creek running along the west end. Gwaynn stopped short as he cleared the tree line, deciding to watch a moment from a distance. In the meadow were nearly three hundred men all with bows and arrows. They were clumped into three large groups, all shooting at a myriad of manlike targets made of straw. As Gwaynn watched, all the individual groups of men shot and shifted back in practiced, coordinated movements. He spotted David Hahn limping about with a makeshift cane and barking orders loudly to the closest group. Gaston was clearly leading the center group, but it was several moments before Samantha came into view. She was on the far side of the field and hidden among the large groups of archers.

  Gwaynn caught his breath, even from a distance she was lovely beyond anything he could imagine. Her long auburn hair, though tied up, seemed to emit a light of its own. He watched as she reached out and moved one young man over slightly, telling him something, but from this distance he could not hear her voice. She then moved farther along one line, clearly giving instructions. Everything about her, the way she looked and moved, was a wonder to him. Her very being seemed a miracle and he was content just to stand and watch for a very long time. Marcum, for his part, said nothing and stood waiting; silently pretending the
y were here to check on the progress of the archers.

  “She leads well,” Marcum finally said as Samantha’s group let loose a long series of coordinated volleys, each row shooting and moving clear of the next in rehearsed movements. Even from here it was plain to see that the straw targets were littered with hits. “And she fights well too. She has a good military mind,” the older man added.

  Gwaynn looked over a Marcum who grunted. “The men and women respect her, and it doesn’t hurt that she’s the best shot of them all.”

  “The best shot?” Gwaynn asked noticing for the first time that almost half of the archers were indeed women. This did not truly surprise him though it was still unusual. It was not strange for women to learn to fight, after all Vio was probably one of the deadliest fighters Gwaynn had come up against. It was said there were women in the ranks of the Temple Knights, the most feared combat group in the Inland Sea, but men still made up the bulk of any army from any land. To have so many women join the ranks was truly a testament as to just how weary the Massi people were of Deutzani rule.

  “How many more have come?” Gwaynn asked, amazed at the number of archers he did not recognize.

  Marcum finally smiled. “Nearly four hundred…in two days. They’re all from the Plateau of course, but word is spreading and more should be coming up from the plains.”

  Gwaynn was silent, thinking. The logistics of keeping an army equipped and fed were beyond him. He hoped someone in the group had such talent, in the coming weeks they would be invaluable.

  “Most of the new arrivals have been sent up here,” Marcum added. “Archery’s something they all know and they will be more effective in less time.”

  Gwaynn nodded without comment and they watched for maybe twenty minutes longer before Hahn’s group shot their final volley then suddenly stooped as a unit. They stood back up quickly, each archer now carrying a long wooden staff pointed at the end. They quickly arranged themselves in a tight circle with their pointed shafts bristling outward, the entire group protected by the sharpened sticks. After they were positioned, Gwaynn was reminded of a giant hedgehog, sporting hundreds of long needle sharp quills.