“I may have been able to kill him more quickly,” said Lee. “But, I've learned to never underestimate an opponent. His first strike may have been a deception. As it was, he moved with great speed for one of his size. I saw no need to risk it.”
“Wise,” said Lanmore, smiling. He reached in his belt and pulled out a small red ribbon. He handed it to Lee. “You shall lead the recruits on the journey north. Do a good job and there may be more rewarding positions awaiting you.” He spun on his heels and walked toward the keep.
Lee cursed under his breath and walked to the gatehouse. Four men were already collecting the body of Lars. When he reached Jacob, he pulled him away from earshot. His face gave away his feelings.
“What's wrong?” asked Jacob.
“I have failed to go unnoticed,” Lee replied. “Captain Lanmore is a very good judge of people. At least from a soldiering standpoint. He saw my training in my movements. Now, I'm promoted.”
“How is that bad?” Jacob laughed. “Won't that make things easier?”
“Don't be a fool,” growled Lee. “As a simple soldier, I could move about without drawing attention. As an officer, not only will I be noticed, but sooner or later I'll be discovered for who I am.” He thought for a moment. “If I am captured, they will figure out who you are, as well. It may be better if you flee.”
“You know I won't,” shot Jacob.
“Yes.” Lee reached out and squeezed his shoulder. “I know. But if I'm found out, you must try to escape. You must abandon your attempt to rescue your mother, and head to Sharpstone. Millet will aid you.” He met Jacob’s eyes. “Swear it.”
“But-” began Jacob.
“Swear it!” he repeated, this time more forcefully.
Jacob bowed his head. “I swear. But only if rescue is impossible.”
Lee wanted to embrace his son at that moment, but didn't. He knew he must seem to others to be distant, and Lanmore may be watching. “I suppose that will suffice.” They rejoined the others and bedded down for the night.
The sunrise brought trumpets from the fortress walls. Captain Lanmore and six soldiers emerged from the gatehouse. Lee attached the ribbon to his coat and strode off to meet them.
“Good morning, Captain,” said Lee.
Lanmore nodded curtly. “Get them ready, Barath. We march in ten minutes.”
Lee spun around and jogged back to the recruits. “Form ranks!” The force of his voice snapped everyone to attention. At first they just stood, staring at him. “Now!” That was enough to get the men moving. In less than five minutes, all were packed and lined up along the road.
“You command men well,” said Lanmore, approvingly. “Not the first time, I'd wager.” He stepped forward then walked up and down the line. “We have an eight-day march to Kratis. We will do it in seven. Those who fall behind will be considered deserters. And I think you all know what happens to deserters.” He looked at Lee. “Move them out.”
Lee turned to the recruits and shouted, “On my order! Move out!”
The line moved with Lee in front, Captain Lanmore just behind him. The six soldiers positioned themselves three on each side of the recruits.
“Push the pace, Barath,” said Lanmore over Lee's shoulder. “I meant what I said about making it there in seven days.”
Lee did as he was told and sped his pace to a near jog. By midday, the recruits were panting and struggling with each step.
“Shall we halt for a meal, sir?” asked Lee.
“What do you think, Barath?” Lanmore replied. “Should we?”
“I do, sir,” Lee replied. “If you intend for these men to maintain speed, they must maintain strength. Twenty minutes to eat and rest still puts us in Kratis a day and a half ahead. And I would recommend a ten-minute respite every four hours.”
“And why is that?”
Lee straightened his shoulders. “Because, sir, most of these men will not be able to keep this up for seven days without it; unless you intend to execute half of them before we arrive.”
“Perhaps I want to weed out the weak,” said Lanmore. “Or perhaps I simply don't care about how tired they get.” He chuckled softly. “But as is happens, I agree. The king's army would not be served if I killed off half of the men.”
Lee was relieved. “May I asked a question, sir?”
“You may,” said Lanmore.
“Do you usually escort new recruits to Kratis?”
“No,” said Lanmore, with a hint of irritation. “I've been summoned.”
Lee knew better than to ask why. Lee joined Jacob and Fennio for the short meal, then moved the men out again.
“You will no longer eat among the recruits,” said Lanmore. “You shall take your meals with us. If you wish, your nephew can join us as well.”
“He should eat with the men,” said Lee.
Lanmore smirked. “Not wanting to show favor, I see. Or perhaps the two of you aren't close.”
“He is my sister’s son,” said Lee. “I am bound to protect him if I can. But, no. We're not close.”
“It's for the best,” he said dismissively, “gives a lad a chance to make his own mark.”
The first night Lee set his bedroll a few feet away from the soldiers. Captain Lanmore had them set up a small tent where he would bed down, but chose to eat and talk with them for a short while before turning in. Lee could hear the men laughing and talking, and wondered how Jacob was getting on with the others. He shook his head, quietly laughing at himself. He was thinking as if Jacob was still a boy, playing with other children. He wished he could be with him now. He feared soon their time together would end. Lee knew his chance for success was slim, and often on their journey wished he could turn Jacob away…to keep him safe. It no longer mattered that Jacob had betrayed him. Lee had brought that on himself. His thoughts turned to that day with the Oracle, and his anger swelled. He wished he had ignored her. He wished he had stayed with his family.
“Once this is finished, my part is done,” he swore to himself. “The world can end in fire, for all I care.” He would take his family far from this conflict. Even if that meant living in the remote desert.
Over the next few days, Lee kept the men moving at a near unbearable pace. Even the hardened soldiers showed signs of fatigue. They passed dozens of companies of troops marching south.
“War comes,” said Lanmore, offhandedly on one occasion, when they had to make way for five full companies and their supply wagons. “Soon we can march south and leave this icy land behind.”
“When will it begin?” asked Lee.
“Soon, I hope,” Lanmore replied, with a shrug. “I hear there are things to take care of in the west first. But those are matters for kings and diplomats.” He slapped Lee on the shoulder. “We're soldiers, you and I. Our job is to fight and die, yes?”
“Yes, sir,” said Lee. He couldn't help but respect Captain Lanmore. He was a true leader and soldier. Ruthless and harsh, yet educated in the ways of men. Everything he did was calculated. Even the slaying of Lars had a purpose. By then, rumors had been leaked about it, (probably at the direction of Lanmore) and the recruits gave Lee a wide berth and took his orders without question.
By the fifth day, a light snow began to fall. The sky told Lee that it would soon come down in earnest. Normally, this wouldn’t be cause for concern, given how close they were to their destination, but he knew the recruits, with a few exceptions were ill-prepared. If a storm came, many would freeze to death. When Lee brought it to Lanmore's attention, he just laughed.
“The king hadn't allowed a blizzard for years,” said Lanmore.
“Are you suggesting that he controls the weather?” asked Lee, feigning ignorance.
“When you meet him, you'll understand,” Lanmore replied. “He likes to meet all of his new officers, from the grandest general to the lowliest lieutenant.”
“That will be something,” said Lee. The thought of meeting the Dark Knight of Angraalsent his heart racing. He hoped to be away with h
is wife and son, long before that happened.
“You have no idea,” said Lanmore. Lee could hear unease in his voice. “To be in his presence is no small matter. You may have seen many battles, and slain many men, but nothing can prepare you for it. The Reborn King possesses the power of the Gods.” He rubbed his hands together nervously. “I felt like a naked child. To tell you the truth, I can't even remember where I was or what he looked like…just that overwhelming feeling.” As if catching himself in an awkward state, he cleared his throat and stiffened his back. “In any event, you have some time before you're worthy of such an audience. Now go tend to your duties.
As Captain Lanmore had said, no storm came, though the temperature dropped to a point that even walking at a quick pace did nothing to warm them. On the last night of the march they all huddled so close around the fire that several were singed. The only ones seemingly unaffected, were Lanmore and Lee. Lee had looked in on Jacob, a few times, who had decided to stay close to Fennio and the other men from Darius' guard.
“You deal with the cold well, for a southerner,” remarked Lanmore, as they took their meal.
“I am cold, sir,” said Lee. “But there's no point in complaining. Besides, I have to set an example for the men.”
“Quite right, Barath,” he replied. “Quite right, indeed. You'll do well here. And don't worry. We'll be south soon enough.” Lanmore alluded often to the coming war, but never divulged anything useful. “Thanks to you we're far ahead of schedule. It's a break in protocol, but you will stay with the officers when we arrive tomorrow. I think you'll find it more pleasant than the recruit barracks.”
“Thank you, sir,” said Lee. He stared deep into the camp fire, pleased. Perhaps the officers would have information on his wife. And it would separate him from Jacob. Should things go badly, Jacob would need time to escape.
“If you wish to speak to your nephew,” Lanmore added. “You should do so before we arrive. It's unlikely you'll see him again anytime soon. Officers and soldiers train separately.”
“I'll do that tonight,” Lee replied.
Lee finished his meal then went to seek out Jacob. He found him playing dice and passing around a small flask of brandy with several other recruits at the far end of the encampment. When they saw Lee, they jumped to their feet and stood at attention.
“Jasper, come with me,” Lee commanded.
Jacob nodded and followed Lee away from the camp.
“Did you find out where Mother is?” asked Jacob.
Lee shook his head “Not yet. But I'll be staying in the officer’s barracks when we get there. I hope to find out more then.” He placed his hand on Jacob's shoulder. “If I'm discovered, I intend to bring down hell upon Angraalbefore I go. If that happens, run. Keep to the woods. Avoid towns until you are south of the Razor Edge Mountains, then make your way to the Goodbranch and take a riverboat to Sharpstone.” He handed Jacob six gold coins. “Hide these. It's enough to get you to Millet.” he saw a flash of defiance in Jacob's eyes. “There can be no debate. If things go wrong, it won't take them long to come after you. If I fail and they capture you, all is lost. You must survive.”
“I will do as you say,” said Jacob.
“I'm so very sorry,” said Lee, forcing back a tear. “But I'm about to hit you.”
Jacob stepped back. “What?”
“As we speak, Captain Lanmore watches. It must seem as if I don’t care about you. It will keep his attention on me.” Lee clenched his fist. “Are you ready?”
Jacob nodded.
Lee's fist connected with Jacob's jaw, sending him tumbling to the ground. He looked down at Jacob, using all his will power not to rush to his side. “You're on your own, boy.” He made sure his voice carried far enough for all to hear, then marched back to his bedroll.
“Didn't go as well as you hoped?” Lanmore, spoke not from amusement but from curiosity.
“It went as expected,” said Lee. “As you said, they have to find their own way.” His heart was aching. He glanced over to see Jacob stumbling back to camp, holding his jaw.
Lee bedded down, trying to slow his mind. Thoughts of punching Jacob mingled with fears of his son being captured, made sleep impossible. At dawn, he mustered the men and had them ready to leave in short order. Every time he came close to where Jacob stood, shame washed over him. But at least hitting him seemed to have the desired effect. Twice as many recruits ate with him during the noon respite, and Lanmore made no mention of him at all.
As the afternoon wore on, Lee noticed more and more buildings and houses, mostly crafted from small gray stones, common to the region, lining the road. There were a few farms here and there, but the fields were barren this time of year. Lee reckoned Angraalimported most of its food supply up the Goodbranch, from Baltria.
An hour before dusk, the city of Kratis came into view as six massive black spires broke the horizon. Lee saw them very clearly, even though the city walls were still five miles away. Lee stood in awe of the sheer scope of the city. Construction of such magnitude should have taken decades at least, and the skills implemented Lee had believed were only known to the master builders long ago. Not even the ruins of the forgotten kingdoms of old boasted buildings of such height. The city of Kratis had indeed been the seat of power in Angraalin the distant past, yet Lee had never imagined as much more than a place the size of Hazrah.
Captain Lanmore notice Lee staring at the towers. “We’ll not be going that far. Not just yet.”
“I didn’t know buildings of such scale were still possible,” said Lee, unable to hide that he was impressed.
“Kratis is being rebuilt,” said Lanmore. “In the time of King Ratsterfel, it was the greatest city in the world. The Reborn King has found the secrets of the ancients, or so I’ve been told, and will see it returned to its former glory.”
“So it would seem,” said Lee.
The garrison came into view minutes later, and was nearly an exact copy of the one in Whiterun Pass, only four times the size, and Lee guessed that it housed at least fifteen hundred men. Lanmore halted them at a narrow road leading east just before the fort, and ordered the soldiers to escort the recruits to their barracks. Lee was told they were a mile west of the main garrison. He knew this may present a problem if things went wrong, but there was little he could do about it.
“You will come with me,” said Lanmore. “I need to present you to Lord Pollus, the garrison commander. He's a bit of a pompous ass, but a competent leader. Keep quiet and only speak when spoken to.”
Lee followed Lanmore to the gatehouse. Two guards halted them.
“And you are?” asked the guard.
“You know very well who I am.” Lanmore stepped forward bringing his face an inch from the guards. “Are we to do this again?”
“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean, sir,” he replied, with disdain. “I simply didn’t recognize you.”
The guards smirked then stepped aside and allowed Lanmore to pass, but stepped in Lee's path when he tried to follow.
“He's with me,” said Lanmore. “Allow him to pass.”
“Not until I get word from Lord Pollus…Captain.” The guard stiffened his back. “Until then, he can wait here with us.”
Lanmore glared at the guard, then stalked into the fort. Lee waited silently. The guards didn't seem interested in speaking, and completely ignored him. After ten minutes, the captain returned and shoved a piece of parchment into the guard’s chest. He motioned for Lee to follow.
“They can't stand it when a commoner advances through the ranks,” explained Lanmore, as they passed through the gatehouse. “In their mind, only a lord should command.”
Lee cracked a smile. “In my experience, if only lords commanded, it would take a year to march an army ten miles.”
Lanmore threw his head back in laughter. “I wouldn't repeat that in the officers’ barracks. Especially round those bloody Baltrian fools. Most will run straight to Lord Pollus, to try and curry favor. And fran
kly, he isn't known for his humor.”
“I'll keep that in mind.” Hearing that Baltrian lords would be near did not ease Lee's mind. He hoped that they were too young to recognize him.
The main yard was filled with soldiers drilling and marching. About three-hundred men in all. The barracks were as high as the curtain wall, with two catapults placed on each of the flat roofs. The keep was much larger than in the other fort as well, standing two stories high and covered with arrow slits capable of raining down terror inside the parade yard, should the walls be breached. The clash of metal, stomping of boots and shouting of orders roared through the air. Lee marveled that the sound did not carry outside the fort, or even through the gatehouse. The design must have held its own secrets. Even the catapults appeared sophisticated compare to others he'd seen. He saw only a single hand crank, and a long metal tube placed just above the arm. Lee guessed that it held the shot. If a single soldier could operate it, instead of the usual four, it would be a devastating weapon. A lone platoon could wreak havoc.
The door to the keep was unguarded, and still, Lanmore paused and took a deep breath. He flung open the door and Lee followed him in. The gray stone floor and walls were lined with weapon racks and maps. To his left, were three rows of long tables, with a door at the far corner, leading to the kitchens. To his right where he expected there to be an officers’ lounging area, were dozens of desks and small tables. Cotton and linen clad bureaucrats were busy at their duties, not bothering to look up as Lee and Captain Lanmore passed by.
“Welcome to the heart of the kingdom,” joked Lanmore.
“This is where we take our meals?” asked Lee.
Lanmore shook his head, chuckling softly. “No. I'm afraid the keep is reserved for the commander and these fine fellows. We take our meals in the barracks.”
They entered a door directly ahead that led to a long hall, ending in a flight of stairs leading upward, then left, to the second level. At the top, the hall split off in two directions, each with several doors along the walls.
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