Valley of Shields

by Duncan Lay

  Sendatsu squeezed his mother’s hand. It was hard to think of your parents as people with loves of their own but this was disturbing on several levels. The parallels between himself and Gaibun, and their fathers Jaken and Retsu, were too obvious.

  ‘So you were the prize between Father and Retsu?’

  ‘The leadership of the clan was the real prize. I was what came with it,’ Noriko said bitterly. ‘Once he had an heir, all his interest was in his mistresses.’

  ‘He still flaunts them in front of you?’ Sendatsu asked hurriedly, not really wanting to go into details of his parents’ sex life.

  ‘I thought he had finished with all that a few years ago. There was more than a year there when I know he was seeing nobody. But something happened and he began again. There is someone he has been seeing, although I do not know who, or wish to know …’

  ‘But if you did not love him, why did you not stand up for me?’ Sendatsu tried to get the subject onto something a little less embarrassing. His mind was already having enough trouble with the thought of his mother and Lord Retsu. If that had happened, would he have been Gaibun?

  ‘I am sorry,’ she said simply. ‘I regret it, of course. But I found it easier to just go along with things, let the stream carry me onwards, rather than try to stand up myself. Only now do I see the harm I did, by doing nothing at all.’

  Sendatsu opened his mouth and then closed it again slowly. That was close to the accusations Asami had levelled at him many times over the years.

  ‘Take care of Mai and Cheijun. I shall try to be back some time later tonight. If not, pack bags and be ready to flee. If we cannot hold the Forlish off, we shall have no choice but to run.’

  He called over Mai and Cheijun and hugged them both close.

  ‘I shall do my best to be back to put you to bed. But I may be too busy. If not, I shall see you tomorrow. Don’t worry, nothing will stop me getting back to you,’ he told them.

  Predictably, they both burst into tears and clung to him and it was a long time before he could calm them down enough to prise little arms from around his neck and legs.

  ‘I love you and I shall see you soon,’ he promised again, but that only had them crying more.

  He walked slowly towards the tombs of the forefathers, until he could get his cursed eyes under control again. Leaving them behind was the only thing to do. They could not see the battle. But it was hard, so hard to leave them again. Especially after hearing his mother talk about her regrets. But what he was doing now would secure their future.

  That was what he told himself anyway.

  Huw stepped through the gateway, out of the oak tree near Patcham. Cadel was lying nearby and jumped to his feet as Huw appeared out of nowhere.

  ‘What’s happening?’ he asked.

  ‘We need to get back to the village. Are many of the headmen there? What about the dragons?’ Huw demanded. He turned to see Rhiannon step out of the tree right behind him.

  ‘The dragons are there. As for the headmen — we’ve got as many as we can.’

  They clambered onto horses and began to ride back to Patcham.

  ‘Are we going to help the elves?’

  ‘We are,’ Huw confirmed. ‘Ride ahead and start bringing the dragons to the oak tree.’

  Rhiannon watched Cadel gallop off and sighed.

  ‘How are we going to hide my magic and still be able to do everything we need to stop the Forlish?’ she asked.

  ‘We’ll just have to be careful. Asami will be able to help us.’

  ‘But Sumiko knows I can do magic. And she has no reason to help us,’ Rhiannon said.

  ‘She has no reason to love Jaken either. But she can put that aside to help Dokuzen against the Forlish,’ he argued.

  ‘And what happens afterwards? If we do beat back the Forlish, what then? We shall be in the heart of the elven lands, surrounded by their warriors, at their mercy. And we both know how ruthless the elves are prepared to be. Have you forgotten what they did to our people three hundred years ago, when they left our lands?’

  ‘I have not forgotten. There is still a reckoning to come for that but if we don’t stop the Forlish we are all dead anyway. At least this way we can win the elves’ gratitude. That could be worth much.’

  ‘But what about me? They might be willing to tolerate you, even the dragons, as some kind of useful pets but they will not want a human who can do magic. What if I am the price of peace between the races?’

  ‘I will never allow that. Never!’ Huw spat. ‘They will touch you over my dead body.’

  Rhiannon paused in her next objection and looked at him anew.

  ‘You should know I would do everything in my power to protect you. Not that you need all that much protection,’ he added hastily.

  ‘I had forgotten that,’ she said softly.

  They rode on in silence, although it was a warm one. Rhiannon felt the last of her anger towards Huw melting away. Putting him with her father was not fair. And, while she loved her magic and the feeling it gave her and enjoyed her friendship with Asami, she missed Huw. More and more each day.

  ‘We just have to be careful when we are in Dokuzen,’ Huw said.

  ‘I know.’

  Gaibun waited until night had fallen. The Forlish were too watchful during the day and he had sheered off twice rather than risk an attack that led to his small band of warriors being trapped. But although the Forlish threw up a rough camp and had a strong ring of sentries around it, it was still an inviting target.

  Fires showed where the Forlish were sitting and eating, and where they were sleeping and resting.

  He split his little band into two, leaving one group to turn their bows on the camp while he led the rest around to the other side of the huge Forlish campsite. One of the older warriors had some ability with magic and he sent an owl soaring around the camp to the archers with a message to begin the attack. Then Gaibun settled down to wait. He had resharpened his sword and was eager to test it against the Forlish armour once more.

  They did not have long to wait. Arrows dropped from the sky, striking men and horses around the fires, throwing the peaceful camp into disarray. Men thrashed around, screaming, or dropped bowls of food and grabbed weapons.

  All was confusion as their attention focused on the direction from which the arrows still flew, clearly expecting an attack there. Even the sentries on Gaibun’s side had their attention on what was happening back at the camp, rather than out in the forest.

  It was a fatal mistake.

  Gaibun led his warriors forwards and used the shouts and screams from the camp to cut down half-a-dozen sentries. He had six of his warriors pick up the human spears and wear human helms, and stand there as if they were still sentries, as he walked brazenly into the camp, sword in hand.

  The men at the back of the camp were the ones who had been slow to rush to trouble, the ones who were the weakest fighters, the newest soldiers and those who feared the elves in the dark. Gaibun led his warriors in a rush, slicing and hacking at any they could reach. It was a few moments before anyone realised what was going on, before the screaming and shouting told the camp they were under attack from another direction. Gaibun beat aside one sword and cut left and right, aiming at the legs, knowing wounded would slow the Forlish up more than dead men.

  But he could see men with shields approaching, pushing through the crowd and knew it was time to go. He went down on one knee and sliced out in the cartwheel stroke again, cutting open legs and calves.

  ‘Back!’ he roared, turning and running.

  One or two elves were slow to obey, and were swallowed by the mass of Forlish pushing forwards, but the rest followed him in a race back to the trees.

  The ring of sentries was rushing to cut him off — but then one group shed their helms and spears and attacked the others, revealing themselves to be the elves Gaibun had left behind. Confused and dismayed, the sentries fell back, distrusting other groups, allowing Gaibun to race through the gap and his
band to disappear into the trees again.

  He paused. Arrows were still falling and the whole Forlish camp resembled a disturbed ants’ nest. Perfect.

  ‘Back to Dokuzen,’ he told his warriors.

  ‘We must send all of our warriors to Dokuzen, to help the elves,’ Huw said, looking around the table at the assembled Velsh headmen. The ones from western Gwent and northern Powys were absent, but more than half were seated there, staring up at him. ‘It is risky but the only way to stop the Forlish. If we save the elves, then we shall win their friendship and help.’

  ‘What are you talking about? You were the one to tell us the elves were not to be trusted and they had killed our kin three hundred years ago, made sure we had no magic. How can we trust them now?’ To Huw’s dread, this was not Griff speaking but one of the other headmen.

  ‘We have no choice. The Forlish will take Dokuzen and use the elven magic against the rest of us if we do not,’ Huw answered.

  ‘But all of the dragons? What if the Forlish are turned back and decide to take out their defeat on us? We shall be helpless,’ Griff pointed out.

  ‘By then the elven warriors will be back, and they can help us,’ Huw said quickly.

  ‘They refused to, before.’

  ‘Yes, but that was before they were invaded. They want revenge for the Forlish attack and that is a stronger, more certain, motive than helping us.’

  ‘Do we have a choice?’ Dafyd asked.

  Huw did not hesitate. ‘No,’ he said. ‘If the Forlish win, we are all dead.’

  ‘And if we succeed? What will the elves offer us?’

  ‘Friendship, help, protection — the Forlish have shown the magical barrier around Dokuzen can be broken. There is no sense or reason for the elves to stay hidden away any longer. If they are going to live among us, it is better to be on their side than against them.’

  Not even Griff could argue against that.

  ‘I just hope the elves will keep their word. You cannot be right that they are betrayers and murderers and right that they are good friends to have. It will be one or the other,’ Griff warned.

  ‘There is a new leader in Dokuzen. He has promised me we shall have an alliance with the elves,’ Huw said, secretly crossing his fingers and hoping Jaken kept his promises better than Daichi. ‘And it is better to fight the Forlish in the glades of Dokuzen than in the valleys of Gwent.’

  Lord Retsu had always held himself to be a warrior of honour, dedicated to truth and integrity. But he could not hold back a touch of vindictive pleasure when he saw Lord Moshin’s ashen face as the clan leader read a despatch from Dokuzen. Despite all his warnings, they had pursued the humans with increasing futility. They never got closer than a longbow shot to the human rearguard, who were able to stay tantalisingly ahead of them. Retsu had been telling Moshin it felt like a deliberate act, that they seemed more interested in leading the elves on than breaking clear. Of course, he had been ignored.

  ‘We must return to Dokuzen at once. An even larger human army has broken through the barrier to the west and is advancing on Dokuzen,’ Moshin announced in a shaking voice.

  Retsu enjoyed the satisfaction of being right for a heartbeat, but that was wiped away by horror when he realised what that meant. He was the first to grasp how bad their position was. ‘We are many days away from Dokuzen and at least three days from the edge of the forest and even the possibility of using an oaken gateway.’

  ‘We must turn and make for the edge of the forest immediately, where an oaken gateway will be used to bring us home,’ Moshin continued.

  Retsu strode away, shouting orders. There was no time for discussion if they were to save Dokuzen.

  ‘The Elder Elf knows what he is doing. He will have a plan to save our families,’ Moshin was telling the rest of them.

  Retsu ignored him. Every moment was vital and certainly too precious to waste on Moshin’s pathetic justification for his stupidity.

  The news their families were helpless before a gaijin horde added wings to the feet of the warriors. But they were tired and hungry and progress through the country was difficult. Retsu was one of many who chafed at the lack of speed.

  ‘Should we not send the few thousand warriors with horses forwards, while the rest of us make the best time we can?’ he asked Moshin, only to be dismissed out of hand.

  But then a new message arrived, written in a different hand but bearing the seal of the Elder Elf.

  ‘Clan Tadayoshi is to be given horses and sent forwards as fast as possible, with any remaining horses filled by warriors of clan Chenjaku,’ Moshin read.

  ‘But why?’ Tokosai, who had been by Moshin’s side since they left Dokuzen, asked.

  ‘No time to argue. We must obey the Elder Elf!’ Retsu snarled, unable to take any more of these fools.

  Even Moshin did not argue as Tadayoshi warriors, as well as warriors from the clan that was their closest ally, took the horses and galloped for the forest.

  Retsu was relieved the Elder Elf had finally seen sense, although the delay had cost them the better part of a day — and they had many miles to cover. One thing did make him wonder, amid the fear for Dokuzen and all they had left behind: Why had the Elder Elf chosen clan Tadayoshi to be the first to return? Surely he would have called on his own clan? There had to be a reason for it but, try as he might, Retsu could not divine it in the little time he could afford to spend on it.

  It was a mystery that would have to wait for his return to Dokuzen.

  ‘Where is the Elder Elf?’ Sendatsu asked, time and again, as he searched around the chaos that was the tombs of the forefathers.

  But nobody seemed to know. After the way Jaken had been the centre of attention earlier, it was strange nobody could point him out. His absence did not seem to have slowed the pace of activity, however, and all appeared to have their tasks to complete.

  They would make a stand along the line of the broad stream that ran past the ruins and looped around before running into the centre of Dokuzen. To encourage the Forlish to come in where they wanted, the ruin of old tombs was being transformed into a small fortress, using pulleys and muscles, as well as magic, to move stone blocks and create a wall. Around the area, Magic-weavers were also moving trees around, and causing thick thorn bushes to grow, creating a funnel effect in the surrounding area. Elsewhere, a mass of elves were practising with bows, using straw targets to mark out ranges.

  Sendatsu shook his head. Their numbers were impressive but these archers were a mass of teenagers, mothers and grandparents. Their first few volleys would be fearsome but there would be little more after that.

  ‘Have the humans arrived yet?’ He tried a new question and received terrified looks in return, until he explained he meant their human allies, the Velsh.

  But nobody seemed to know anything about that and none of the Magic-weavers knew where Sumiko was. Finally he managed to find Asami.

  ‘What is happening?’ he asked.

  ‘No idea.’ Asami shrugged. ‘None of the other Magic-weavers will work with me, so I have been standing around doing nothing much all day. I thought Sumiko might speak to them but then she disappeared and nobody else will even talk to me.’

  ‘So where are Sumiko and my father?’

  Asami shrugged and then pointed. ‘Look! Gaibun’s returned!’

  ‘The Magic-weavers will get the respect they want,’ Jaken said enticingly. ‘Once Dokuzen has been cleansed of humans, we can get back to remaking society into what we want it to be. There will be a new emphasis on identifying and teaching magic and you will receive a seat at the Council, with all its accompanying privileges. No more will the Magic-weavers have to languish on the outskirts of Dokuzen. Instead you shall receive Daichi’s old estate, in the heart of the city, to make into your training centre, and the centre of your power. Your advice will be the one I shall listen to first and wealth and power will flow to the Magic-weavers.’

  ‘You offer much, but then you need a great deal from me,’ Su
miko said.

  ‘I know you had your own plans for Daichi and I am sorry that I finished him off before you had your chance. But time was running out —’

  ‘That does not concern me.’ She waved it off.

  ‘I need to know you will help us. For that you shall be well rewarded.’

  ‘And all I have to do is help you defeat the Forlish?’ Sumiko said.

  Jaken smiled. ‘Well, there is something else,’ he admitted.

  Sumiko laughed throatily and reached into the magic, releasing it into Jaken.

  Jaken felt himself swell and grow and he chuckled as he reached for Sumiko, kissing her hard on the lips.

  ‘I thank Aroaril every day that you can do that for me,’ he said breathlessly. ‘I never thought it would happen again.’

  ‘I love that we can help each other,’ Sumiko said, twisting around so that she landed on top of Jaken as they hit the bed together.

  ‘Were the mines terrible?’ he asked softly, brushing her face.

  ‘Not being able to use magic was worse. And even that was nothing compared to the disrespect the guards gave us. When this is over, they will pay. I memorised all their faces.’

  ‘I am sorry you had to go through that. I had no idea my son would go to Daichi —’

  ‘He betrayed you also, while Asami betrayed me, and I thought she was as close as a daughter.’ Sumiko smiled thinly.

  ‘This was not how we saw ourselves taking power. But can you work with this? Are you going to be able to work with Asami again?’

  ‘I will do whatever it takes to defeat the Forlish and protect Dokuzen,’ she said.

  ‘We will be able to finally stop living in the shadows and seeing each other in secret,’ Jaken said. ‘Daichi would have pulled Dokuzen down if he had known his enemy was working with the Magic-weavers. I thought it was chance that led me to you but now I think it was Aroaril himself.’

  ‘We don’t have much time. Do you really want to waste it on talking?’ Sumiko asked.

  ‘It’s just we have not … spoken … since that night we were both betrayed. Much has happened and I want to know if there is anything you have discovered about the humans since then …’