The Forsaken Crown (The Desolate Empire Book 0)

by Christina Ochs

  “We can get going,” he said. “All the cavalry is on shore. The rest can catch up to us.”

  Kendryk looked around, surprised. While he’d been daydreaming, all of the Oricians had gathered around him, looking fearsome in their long red coats and black hats. He was glad they were on his side, even though they were foreigners.

  “They’re eager to retrieve Captain Vidmar,” Faris said. “After her confrontation with Teodora, she became a hero to them. That reputation was enhanced once they heard what happened with you. If she kills the duke, she’ll become legendary.”

  “That seems a fitting reward,” Kendryk said, “though I’ll give her more concrete honors.”

  Sonya’s improved prospects—should she survive—cheered him as they headed down the road. It was early afternoon now, and the sun occasionally broke through the fog.

  Kendryk and Count Faris were surrounded by Oricians, headed by a tall, stern-looking blond woman. There was no sign of Irena. Perhaps she was protecting Georg. Kendryk smiled at the thought.

  A few Oricians cantered ahead into the fog.

  “Scouts,” Faris explained. “We can’t be too careful, since we don’t know where the duke is.”

  They rode for a while, the sun coming out, and tatters of fog blowing away on the rising breeze. The sunlight was weak, and the breeze made it even colder. Kendryk pulled his cloak around closer, though the armor he wore did more to keep him warm.

  Galloping hoofbeats neared, and soon the scouts came back into view. They rode straight to the blond woman and chattered at her in their strange-sounding tongue.

  Kendryk looked at Faris, hoping he understood.

  A smile spread across the count’s face. “She’s a quarter league ahead,” he said, “leading all of the duke’s cavalry.”

  “Thank the gods.” Kendryk was relieved she was still alive. “She’s on our side though, isn’t she?” he asked, then chastised himself for doubting her after everything he knew.

  “Of course,” the count said, “though the cavalry might be another story. You must talk to them, if we don’t want a fight on our hands right now.”

  “I, er,” Kendryk stammered. He didn’t have a speech prepared. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “Give them a chance to join us. Here, let me take your cloak,” Faris said. “You look more princely in that armor. And take off your helmet so they can see your face.”

  “What if they shoot at me?” Kendryk handed over his things all the same.

  “They won’t. If Vidmar is leading them, they’ll follow orders. She’ll make them stand down.”

  “Gods, I hope so,” Kendryk murmured, now sweating in his metal suit. The polished steel shimmered in the sunlight, so he’d make a marvelous target.

  But he wouldn’t falter now, so he urged his horse forward, Becker bearing his standard on one side, Count Faris on the other.

  He saw Sonya first, at the head of a large mounted troop coming down the road toward them. She raised her hand and they came to a halt.

  Kendryk swallowed down his fear and rode forward. “It’s good to see you, Captain.” He forced himself to smile.

  “And you, Your Grace.” Sonya bowed, then turned to Count Faris. “You’re the last person I expected to see here, but most welcome.” She looked at Kendryk. “I haven’t been able to complete my mission. I’m sorry.”

  “No, it’s fine,” Kendryk said, “I should never have sent you.”

  A murmur grew behind Sonya. No doubt her troops were wondering who he was and what was happening.

  She held herself tall, looking unbothered while turning to address the cavalry. “This is Prince Kendryk of Terragand, your rightful ruler,” she said. “He will speak to us. If anyone harms him, they’ll answer to me right now.” And she pulled out a large flintlock pistol.

  Kendryk urged his horse forward a few more steps. He recognized the temple guard who’d accompanied Sonya, then looked over the cluster of young people who’d come closer, a few of them appearing hostile.

  Kendryk fixed his eyes on a round-faced young woman. She looked disdainful but not frightening.

  “Duke Desmond betrayed his duty and his country.” He spoke as loudly as he could so those in the back would be able to hear. “You only need to hear what he wanted Captain Vidmar to do.”

  “Who’s Captain Vidmar?” one of the young officers asked.

  “Me.” Sonya grinned. “I’ve been using a different name.”

  “Sounds treacherous to me,” the officer said.

  “Shut up and listen.” Sonya waved the pistol at him, and he did.

  “The duke tried to take over my kingdom,” Kendryk said. “He kept my mother drugged for years. And when I found out, he tried to kill me.”

  He kept looking at the young woman, sensed her softening, watched her frown.

  “I will defeat him today,” Kendryk went on. “Take a look at what’s behind me. Real professionals, led by one Terragand’s best generals.”

  “We were told you brought in foreigners,” someone said.

  “Only those under this man’s command. I will do what’s necessary to take back my kingdom. I’d rather not kill you, but will if I have to. If you join me, I’ll overlook the fact that you are currently in rebellion. If you don’t, you’ll likely die today.”

  He pulled his eyes away from the girl’s and cast them over the mass assembled before him. “So what do you say? Will you help me?”

  The Velta River

  Kendryk was becoming quite a good speaker. Sonya sensed the changing mood of the troops behind her. Most of them weren’t much older than Kendryk themselves, and could likely relate to being oppressed by unreasonable adults.

  “Most of my family is dead,” Kendryk was saying. “But as long as a Bernotas lives, we, and no one else, rule Terragand.”

  “I knew Lukan,” Marko Alsfelder said. “There’s no way I’m fighting against his brother.” He rode forward until he stood before Kendryk. “I’ll fight on your side now, if you can forgive me for going along with my parents when they supported the duke.”

  “Of course,” Kendryk said, and that did it. There was a clamor to rush to his side, and confusion, since the road wasn’t wide, with the Oricians reluctant to give ground.

  “Head to the rear,” Sonya told Fritz. “Make sure everyone there understands what’s going on. If anyone has questions, bring them to me.”

  Sonya then turned her attention to keeping her troops organized. “You’ve made your point,” she said loudly. “But we must turn back to the main road. The duke might have realized by now that no boats are coming to Diessen. We’ll stop him from returning to Ebenstein.”

  At that, a cheer went up and Sonya shook her head. These youngsters were too easily influenced. Kendryk would do well to keep an eye on them. She had to smile when she saw Gabryela Kolnitz attach herself to Kendryk’s side, an adoring look in her eyes.

  Sonya had just gotten her cavalry turned around in somewhat good order, when someone shouted, “Hey, Vidmar!”

  She pulled Zeki up short, scarcely daring to believe whose voice it was.

  A cart came into view, jolting along the side of the road.

  “Captain Danko?” She walked Zeki toward him, as troops around her moved forward.

  “In the flesh,” he said with a wide grin.

  “So you ran off against doctor’s orders?” Sonya couldn’t stop smiling. Andrei looked thinner than before, and sat with his leg stiff in front of him, but he’d come anyway. Kendryk’s young secretary sat beside him, holding a great wooden case on his lap.

  “I had to,” Andrei said, as Sonya fell in beside the cart. “I got your letter from Novuk, and then Count Faris showed up, in a big hurry to get here. No way was I letting him leave me behind. I shouldn’t have let you do it in the first place.”

  “It’s better you didn’t come.” Sonya hoped she wasn’t being too obvious about how thrilled she was. “You might have spent a lot of time in the dungeon.”

>   “Tell me about it.” Irena came up on the other side of the cart.

  “Thank the gods.” Sonya smiled at her. “Julia Maxima let you go?”

  “Only because Count Faris made her,” Irena said. “I might never set foot in a temple again because of that woman.”

  Sonya laughed, since Irena never set foot in a temple anyway. Then she explained to Andrei what was happening, and that they were likely to engage the duke soon.

  “I have to go,” she said. “Prince Kendryk brought the duke’s cavalry around, but I’d better lead them, since they have no idea what they’re doing.”

  “Go,” Andrei said, patting her leg. “But be careful. You’ve got a lot to live for.”

  As she rode back the way she’d come, prying the lovestruck Kolnitz from Kendryk’s side, Sonya cursed the duke. If it wasn’t for him, she’d be perfectly happy with her friends safe, and Andrei come so far just for her.

  She hadn’t gone far when Kendryk caught up to her, Count Faris and a small group of guards in tow.

  “I’ll come to the front with you.” His face was pale and serious. “If I’m to defeat the duke, it’s best that everyone see me do it.”

  “I’ll take care of it,” Sonya said, “don’t you worry. Now we need to find him.” They urged their horses to a trot, riding through the middle of Sonya’s disorganized unit. “We should put the Oricians out front,” she said.

  “Don’t.” Count Faris shook his head. “It’s better if Terraganders lead this fight, even if they’re not much good.”

  “I agree.” Kendryk’s eyes were sober even as he offered friendly smiles to the young troopers he passed.

  Sonya rounded up her officers. “We need to be careful,” she told them. “We will be in the forefront of this fight, and once the duke sees what’s going on, he’ll throw everything he has at us. The prince’s other troops will back us up, but you don’t want them getting too much credit, do you?”

  “No, we don’t,” Alsfelder said. “I say we take back Prince Kendryk’s kingdom all on our own.”

  It was less than a league back to the main road, not enough time to properly organize her troops. Sonya comforted herself with the thought the duke’s would be in worse shape. And now he had no cavalry, she would run right over him.

  She sent a few Orician scouts out ahead to see how the road looked. She didn’t want to ride into an ambush if the duke had somehow learned what had happened.

  Sonya wasn’t sure that all of her troops had happily gone over to Kendryk. It was possible a few had made their way back and were telling the duke what was going on right now.

  The scouts soon returned. “Infantry on the road, heading away from the river,” one of them said.

  “Any sign of the duke?” Sonya asked.

  The scout shook his head. “Just a lot of peasants.”

  “All right.” Sonya turned back to her officers. “We’ll try to scatter them. Once we reach the road I want you to charge into any infantry there. Use the flat of your blades and don’t kill anyone who isn’t trying to kill you. With any luck we’ll send them on the run.”

  The officers’ faces fell when she told them they couldn’t kill anyone, but the thought of a real cavalry charge seemed to cheer them up again.

  “Stay with Count Faris at the crossroads,” Sonya told Kendryk. “The duke is likely making his way up from the river and we’ll stop him there.”

  Kendryk nodded, his face pale.

  Sonya rode out onto the main road. The fog had cleared and straight ahead a cluster of infantry were getting into position, judging by the shouts of the sergeants.

  “Let’s go before they can do anything.” Sonya drew her sword, then shouted, “Charge!”

  Zeki galloped into a cluster of pikemen who weren’t properly placed, and Sonya gave the nearest one a smart whack on the head. She saw musketeers ahead, but they were still fumbling with their weapons when Sonya and her cavalry smashed into them.

  Someone got off a shot, but she couldn’t tell if it had hit anyone. She kept going until all of the duke’s troops had scattered into the fields beside the road. There were more ahead, but she didn’t want to draw her inexperienced troops too far from Count Faris’s.

  “Fall back,” she shouted. “Regroup.”

  Kolnitz pulled up short. “But we’re beating them.”

  “We are,” Sonya replied, annoyed at being questioned. This lot truly had no military discipline. “But we need to stay together. There are more troops coming and we’re outnumbered. On the next charge, we’ll have several squadrons of Oricians at our backs. Now go,” and she smacked the rump of Kolnitz’s horse, turning her around.

  By now Count Faris and Kendryk were near.

  “Any sign of the duke?” Kendryk asked.

  “Not yet,” Sonya said. “Do you think he’ll try to escape? He can get down to the river, get a boat at Diessen.”

  “I hope not,” Kendryk said. “I have to stop him here.”

  “Let’s keep running over his troops until we find him. I doubt they’ll hold together much longer, and then we can move faster, probably catch up to him before he can escape.”

  With that, Sonya wheeled Zeki around and galloped to the head of her troops. “We have backup now, and we must find the duke. He might try to get away on the river and we have to stop him, dead or alive.”

  They were off again, thundering down the sharp angle of the road. It gave them momentum and put the enemy at a disadvantage, trying to take a position on the low ground. A sturdy block of pike stood before Sonya, rows of musketeers on each side. She might have to kill someone after all.

  “Pistols,” she shouted, and drew both of hers.

  Zeki wouldn’t ride into the pike, so she had to shift them before she got there. Once she was close, she fired both pistols straight into the block, then drew two more.

  Troopers on either side of her fired, and the center of the block gave way. The musketeers had gotten off one ragged round, but out of the corner of her eye, Sonya saw they were already running. Same went for the pike once their first row crumpled, and she got to work with the sword.

  Now they all ran, some back down the road, but most into the fields and forests.

  Sonya let them go. She needed to find the duke. That she hadn’t seen him yet meant he was trying to get away, rather than face his punishment.

  “Not today,” she said under her breath, giving Zeki his head as they crested one more rise before the river.

  There they surprised a few more troops and the Countess Belsar herself. “Surrender, and you’ll receive mercy,” Sonya said, and the countess dropped the pistol she’d been holding.

  “I knew there was something funny about you.” The countess scowled.

  “Where’s the duke?” Sonya pointed her sword straight at her.

  “Gone down to the river, like the idiot he is,” Belsar said. “Took a few with him, though the rest are running off in all directions.”

  “Watch her,” Sonya told Fritz, nodding at the countess.

  Fritz opened his mouth to protest, but Sonya was already moving on. She’d glimpsed a cluster of people standing on the riverbank. She reloaded her pistols as she rode, conscious of a crowd of her troopers, now mingled with Oricians beside and behind her.

  Sonya turned to Alsfelder on her right. “Take ten troopers and make for Diessen. Secure the docks. I don’t want any boats getting away.”

  The duke had reached the edge of town, but he’d go no further.

  The Velta River

  Now that Sonya and her cavalry had cleared the road of enemy, Kendryk moved forward faster. He knew Sonya would be able to handle the duke, but something urged him on. He needed to be there at the end. And it had to be the end. If the duke got away, Kendryk’s position wouldn’t be secure and Terragand would remain unstable.

  Sonya had done well, scattering the duke’s troops. Most were already far away, running across the frozen fields. Kendryk noticed only a few bodies and a few dozen wo
unded, almost none of them his troops.

  He and Count Faris hurried down the road. It twisted toward the village and its docks and here Sonya had stopped the duke and a small cluster of his remaining supporters.

  Sonya and a few of her young officers rode forward. “Arrest all of them,” she said, pulling out a pistol.

  The officers hesitated. Kendryk had worried about this. It was easy enough to chase away a crowd of peasants, but now Sonya was asking them to openly defy people they’d been taught to respect.

  Sonya rode forward, shoving the others aside, her pistol now pointed straight at the duke. “You’d better surrender, all of you,” she said. “Prince Kendryk is here, and might be merciful if you give yourselves up.”

  A few of the nobles beside the duke dropped their weapons, and Sonya’s officers led them away. Two others galloped off, following other retreating troops along the riverbank.

  Kendryk moved forward, into the duke’s line of sight.

  Desmond looked at him long, his eyes cold as ever. “This is ridiculous.” His voice carried through the chilly air. “You’re going to let that puppy rule you?” He pointed at Kendryk. “He doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

  “No thanks to you,” Kendryk said, “but I’m learning. Please arrest him, Captain Vidmar.”

  “I will not be manhandled by some foreign mercenary,” the duke snarled. “Why don’t we settle this like warriors? Your sword against mine.” He stared at Kendryk hard.

  Kendryk swallowed. This was probably the correct thing to do, but he’d lose this fight. He’d had plenty of practice with a sword, but had never fought with intent to harm. He didn’t stand a chance.

  “He has no right to challenge you,” Count Faris murmured in his ear. “Don’t let him provoke you.”

  “What can I do?” Kendryk supposed Sonya could simply shoot the duke, but it wouldn’t look good, or fair, since he was effectively a prisoner.

  “Let the captain handle it.” Faris’s gloved hand took hold of Kendryk’s horse’s halter, likely so he wouldn’t do anything ill-advised.