by Duncan Lay
“Well don’t do it. It looks disgusting as well, your hand under your robe like that,” Fallon told him with a smile.
But Padraig did not grin back. Instead he took his hand out from underneath his robe and pointed at Fallon.
“I think we need to move Feray and her boys Asleep and Otherhand.”
“Asil and Orhan,” Fallon said patiently.
“Whatever. But I don’t like the way the Duchess’s mind is working. What if she decides to move things along and force us to take on Aidan?”
Fallon laughed. “She doesn’t know where Feray and the boys are!”
“There are plenty of ears listening out there for word of Prince Kemal’s family. She just has to whisper the wrong word in the right noble’s ear and everything turns to shit.”
Fallon shook his head. “We have nowhere else to take them. Aidan’s men might have left our ship now but that is too exposed and I can’t see us keeping them a secret in here, can you?”
“Find another house. Do something! We are close to finally getting everyone back. We can’t risk that.”
“And nor will I. If I can work on Feray, get her to persuade Kemal to make a new deal with the Duchess, then Dina will be content.”
“I hope you are right,” Padraig said.
“You know I am! Now, come with me and let’s talk to Feray. Her boys love your magic and she seems to like you as well.”
Padraig picked his nose, inspected the result and wiped it carefully on his robe. “It’s my charm and manners,” he explained.
CHAPTER 26
Training was moving apace, with the city becoming used to seeing the recruits running across rooftops or blocking the roads. As fast as barrels of crossbows rolled into the city, they were being splintered into targets by the crossbow company. The last of the spears was complete, as were the rooftop ladders, while Brendan and a dozen smiths were being kept busy altering mail shirts for the sword company.
The young men were all stronger, faster and far more skilled than they had when they started, while the people of Berry had embraced both him and the army, offering them extra food and drink, while there always seemed to be young women hanging around, especially in the evenings. That was getting so bad that he was thinking of posting guards over the recruits. Not that he begrudged them the female company, but they needed their sleep.
Cheers always seemed to follow him as he endlessly paced the streets, until the area from the docks to the castle was as familiar to him as the back of his hand. That also helped him avoid Duchess Dina. She had sent him several messages, requesting his presence. He knew what that really meant. She wanted his answer – and she wanted it to be that they would take the throne. As much as he wanted Aidan dead, he wanted his recruits alive. He had nightmares about an attack on the castle going wrong and hundreds of accusing eyes facing him as their owners lay dead on the cobbles. Why take the risk, when Bridgit and the others would be back in a half-moon? He had lost the families by acting rashly. He did not trust himself now.
He followed a group of crossbowmen over a pair of roofs, as they practiced loading out of sight and then leaning forwards to pretend to loose at enemies below.
“Are we getting better, sir?” one asked.
Fallon smiled back at him. It was hard not to think of some of them as his sons. If the first children he and Bridgit had lost had lived, they would be this age. “You’re nearly as good as me,” he told them.
They grinned at him.
“Maybe one day. Kerrin was telling us how you are the greatest ever with a crossbow, how you can shoot a bee’s cock off at forty paces,” the recruit said.
Fallon laughed – and then paused. “And did Kerrin tell you those exact words?” he asked suspiciously. If those were the words he was using, there was going to be trouble – for Fallon – when Bridgit returned.
“He might have,” the recruit replied carefully.
Fallon shook his head. He needed to have a quiet word with his son and remind him that things would have to change again once Bridgit was back with them.
“Have you boys seen Kerrin today?” he asked.
“No, sir.” They all shook their heads. “Do you want us to find him?”
Fallon waved them away. “Don’t worry lads, keep training,” he told them. “Let’s try to make it across to that roof over there, quick as we can.”
But as they quickly planned their route across there, trumpets sounded from below and Fallon peered over to see a handful of the King’s guards, Regan at their head, hurrying down the street.
“Captain Fallon!” Regan shouted.
Fallon merely waved down to him.
“The King needs to see you! Now!”
Fallon sighed. Not another interminable session of the King saying how delighted he was with his new army. He waved again, to signal he had heard, then turned back to the recruits.
“Keep going,” he said. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
He let them go and knocked on a window so the owner would let him in and he could head downstairs.
CHAPTER 27
Prince Kemal locked eyes confidently with Fallon. The cowardly Gaelish scum was frothing at the mouth, his eyes wild as he held a razor-sharp knife to Orhan’s face.
“Tell me what I want to know or I will skin your son and wear him like a cloak!” he snarled.
Kemal imagined his mind was a steel spear and he drove it into Fallon’s crazy eyes. “You will not. You will release my son and then release all of us. For that is the only way you will live and the only way your families will live. Harm a hair of his head and not one of your people will survive. They will die screaming and cursing your names.”
Fallon glared at him but the Gaelishman’s confidence broke apart on Kemal’s rock-hard certainty. With a scream and a curse he threw his knife away.
“Now untie me. I shall give you the chance to get away before I come after you,” Kemal said, his voice throbbing with power.
“You have to do it,” Fallon’s friend, the big Gaelishman, said.
Fallon cursed again but Kemal could see he was broken. He was no longer able to meet Kemal’s eyes as he sawed his bonds apart and then stumbled from the room, head downcast.
Kemal stood to take the embrace of his relieved sons and then the passionate kiss of his wife.
“Aroaril, you are such a man,” Feray whispered, her hand slipping down his body and cupping his groin.
He was just enjoying that when, over her shoulder, he saw Fallon walk back into the room. “High one! You are needed on the deck!” the man shouted in Kottermani.
Kemal jerked awake and flung himself out of bed, rubbing his eyes. He looked down and cursed himself. His body had betrayed him, and he buried his head in his hands. He groaned. The same dream again. When would he get some peace?
“I will be there,” he called to the sailor outside his door.
He hurriedly washed and dressed and went up on deck to stare at the horizon with bloodshot eyes. The crew looked little better. He had been driving them hard and they stumbled around at their posts, struggling to complete even the most mundane of tasks. The wind had been with them and he had ordered the ship pushed as hard as it was able. His sailing master was exhausted, snatching a turn of the hourglass of sleep here and there.
To his men he seemed the same and outwardly he could project an image of calm and control. Inside, however, he was still weeping and begging for his son’s life. He could not get away from that until he confronted Fallon again.
“What am I looking for?” he demanded. He blinked and rubbed at his eyes, feeling as if they were filled with sand.
“Land! Adana dead ahead!” The call came from the lookout at the masthead and he felt the relief wash over him. He could not stand the thought of Feray and the boys in the hands of that madman for one day longer than necessary. He would sleep for a day, while the ships were refitted and the army gathered, then start the return voyage. That one would be easier, for each day would
be bringing him closer to his family, not taking him further away. And, of course, there was always the thought of revenge. Even though his foot was healed, it still seemed to throb with sudden agony at strange times, a reminder of what had been done to him. He owed Fallon twice as much pain.
*
“I don’t think you should do this,” Ely said.
Bridgit looked at her critically. The young translator had been growing more withdrawn and quiet as they prepared for their escape. Now it looked as if she had tears in her eyes.
“Don’t be afraid,” Bridgit said, reaching out to draw her in to an embrace.
“No!” Ely knocked her away. “This is madness and it will end in disaster. The children will be killed and we will all suffer a terrible end!”
Bridgit grabbed hold of her hands and forced the young woman to look at her. “Listen to me,” she said harshly. “I spent most of my life living in fear. I let my worries rule me, and always thought about what could go wrong. I cannot continue. We have to have hope. Without it there is nothing, understand?”
Ely shook her head, big, fat tears gathered at the corners of her eyes. “You don’t know what is waiting for you!”
Bridgit pulled her even closer. “But I do,” she said. “I have gone out there. I know what risk we take – but do you know what happens if we do nothing?”
Ely shook her head, her eyes glistening.
“We betray everything and everyone. And we watch these children be sent away, one at a time, into slavery. That makes us as bad as Gokmen and his guards. And I will not be a part of that, no matter what it costs.”
She was shocked to see Ely dissolve into tears then. She thought that little speech might have put some backbone into the girl, rather than make her feel worse. And she could understand Ely. If their places had been reversed, she would have been paralyzed by fear, imagining all the things that could go wrong. But she had not just the children but her baby to think about. For their sakes she had to concentrate on how to defeat these obstacles, not waste time and energy worrying about them.
“Sshh,” she said, drawing Ely into her arms and rocking her gently, as she had done so many times with Kerrin. That thought brought a prickle of tears into her own eyes and a renewed determination to get out of there. She had to see him again. “We shall get out of here and we shall laugh about this once we are back in Gaelland.”
Ely snuffled her tears to a stop and pulled away slightly. “Bridgit, there is something I have to tell you,” she said softly.
“Of course, anything.”
“You will hate me for it but I must tell you anyway.”
“Whist! I know how you feel only too well,” Bridgit said with feeling. “And with only a day to go, it is natural to feel fear.”
Ely shook her head angrily. “No, you do not understand!”
“Then speak, tell me,” Bridgit said. “Whatever it is, it is eating you up.”
Ely nodded at that. She took a deep breath, let it out and looked unsure as to how to begin.
“Ship! Ship entering the harbor!” Riona called, racing into the room.
Bridgit turned around irritably. “There are always ships coming into the harbor!”
“Not ones flying the flag of Prince Kemal!” Riona snapped.
Bridgit felt a touch of fear then. Why was he back so quickly? And when would he want to speak to Gokmen, who would no doubt want to know if it was true that Bridgit was carrying his child. Their escape plans would come to an end on the instant.
“We shall be right there,” she said, then helped Ely to her feet.
“What did you want to tell me?” she asked again.
Ely sighed. “It is foolish,” she said. “I am scared of Gaelland and how they will accept me there.”
Bridgit chuckled. “They will love you. Or I will want to know why not! Now come on.”
They joined Nola and Riona on the terrace and watched the ship sail in, looking ragged and dirty.
“What does this mean?” Nola asked. “Should we delay?”
“There can be no delay,” Bridgit said strongly. “Once the Prince is here, our people will be shipped out as slaves. And it can work in our favor. It means there are more ships down there ready to make the trip. We hold to the plan. Do not think of things that could go wrong. Think instead of what it will feel like to see our families again.”
They looked at her and she smiled at them. “Tomorrow we shall be free, either way,” she said.
CHAPTER 28
Fallon made his way through a series of groups of recruits being put through their paces by a mixture of villagers and guardsmen. With one trainer to no more than five recruits, progress had been swift, and each day the men were getting stronger, faster and more skilled. He still had no idea if they would be able to hold against a Kottermani army, but they could at least work together and that would give them a chance. He waved and smiled and wondered what the King would want this time. Surely there was nothing else that he could tell the man. The big decisions had all been made: now it was all about small increases in ability and stamina. He hoped Aidan was not going to call him the champion again in front of the nobles. He did not think he could take another one of those sessions.
“Quickly now,” Regan said fussily, guiding him upwards towards the King’s rooms.
At least this would mean their conversation would be without a huge audience, Fallon thought gratefully.
Quinn and a couple of guards were on duty outside the King’s rooms. Quinn glowered at Fallon while the two guards snapped to attention, making the guard officer look even angrier.
“Leave all your weapons behind,” Quinn said shortly.
Fallon was used to this by now, so unhooked the baldric that held his sword and shillelagh, took out a pair of Brendan’s throwing knives and placed them all on the table.
“Is that everything?” Quinn growled.
“What do you think I am going to do?” Fallon snapped back at him.
“Search him.” Quinn pointed to his guardsmen.
“What is this?” Fallon asked indignantly. “I have never been searched before!”
Regan was there a moment later. “It is a new set of orders, Captain. Nothing to do with you,” he said swiftly.
Fallon glared back at Quinn. “Fine. But he has to do it,” he said, jabbing his finger at Quinn.
Quinn bristled immediately but Regan nodded agreement. “Do it, Quinn,” he said.
Grumbling, the young officer moved in and began to clumsily run his hands across Fallon’s arms and legs, searching for a hidden weapon. Fallon smiled sarcastically at the officer as the man missed checking his boots, where he had another pair of throwing knives hidden. He was already looking forward to walking out of the office and dropping them into Quinn’s lap.
“He is clean,” Quinn said, stepping away.
“More than I can say for him. He pawed at me like a drunken sailor in a whorehouse,” Fallon sneered.
Regan stepped between the two of them. “Just go right in. I shall see you later,” he said, ushering Fallon into the room and shutting the door behind him.
Fallon looked around the room, expecting to see the King behind his desk, or in the armchair before the fire, but instead Aidan was advancing on him, arms wide and a broad smile on his face. Strangely, he wore a rust-red cloak inside, although the fire had the room nice and warm.
“My champion! Good to see you!” Aidan said warmly, enfolding Fallon in his arms and pounding him on the back. Fallon could not bring himself to touch Aidan, so he merely let his hands hang by his sides. Aidan did not seem to notice and changed position, moving Fallon into the middle of the room, with an arm around his shoulder.
“You really are a man after my own heart,” he said with a wink. “People see you and they think there’s a simple, straightforward man but really you are a thinker and planner.”
“I try to be, sire,” Fallon replied, wondering where this was all going. In conversations with Aidan it always fel
t as though only one of them knew what was going on.
Aidan chuckled. “When I first met you I did not know what to make of this country sergeant my poor Cavan had taken on. But you have proved yourself the equal of anyone I have met in this court. What you have done with those raw recruits is nothing short of magical. A rabble turned into an army in such a short time. And now this!”
“What’s that, sire?” Fallon asked, a twinge of concern intruding into his confusion.
“You are too modest! And too clever! You had a little surprise for me, a special trick up the sleeve! The only thing I would say is you should have come to me first of all, but no harm done, eh?”
Fallon had no idea what Aidan was babbling on about. Previously he had found the best course of action was to nod and smile until things became clearer, so he merely did that.
“I admit, if there was one worry I had, it was I didn’t think you were ruthless enough, but you proved me wrong. You are now ready to lead my army.”
As he spoke, Aidan kept his arm around Fallon’s shoulders and guided him across the room, past the pair of ever-present burly bodyguards. Both of them were also wearing cloaks in that not particularly pleasant color.
“I am willing to get the job done, sire,” Fallon said.
“Oh, I can see that! So now, let me reveal everything to you.”
Fallon could feel his heart begin to pound as the King guided him around the desk. Just in time he remembered he was not supposed to know about the secret door behind the hanging.
“Where are we going, sire?” he asked, putting some of his confusion into his voice.
“To prove you are the man Gaelland needs,” Aidan said, giving him a wink. He let go of Fallon’s shoulder to open the secret door and Fallon made himself look surprised.
“Where does that go, sire?” he asked, wondering why they were going down to the throne room this way, rather than in the normal manner.
“You’ll see,” Aidan said. “Come, all will be made clear!”
