Ashinji stooped to stuff a bag of dried fruit into his saddle bag, unsure of how to respond. That Sadaiyo would do such a thing, without their father’s permission, was outrageous, but not surprising. He looked up at his brother, considered several different replies, discarded them all, then settled for no reply at all.
Sadaiyo prodded Ashinji’s saddle bag with his toe. “Better fill up an extra water bottle. We won’t have time for a lot of stops today.” He strode off. Ashinji watched him go, wondering what Misune would do if she knew. He believed Sadaiyo loved Misune as much as he could love any person other than himself, but Sadaiyo’s idea of love clearly did not involve the concept of fidelity.
Homan trotted up. “Lord Ashinji, the company is ready to ride,” he announced.
“Thank you.” Ashinji stood and stretched the kinks out of his muscles. “Until my brother gives the order to form up, the company can relax,” he said. Homan saluted and headed off in the direction of the horse lines.
The morning sun had just topped the trees, bringing with it the promise of another hot day to come. The trampled grass in the meadow gave off a powerful, pleasant aroma. Bees buzzed in lazy circles among the late wildflowers growing in clumps along the margins. Ashinji retreated to the shade of the stately sentinel oak to wait and think. He leaned back against the rough bark, letting the trunk support his weight.
What little sleep he had gotten last night had been plagued with chaotic dreams. The vision of his death still haunted him, even though he knew no prophetic dream told of what would happen, only of what might happen. He could change his fate, if only he knew which path to take and which ones to avoid.
That’s the difficult part.
Ai, Goddess! You brought Jelena to me, chose me as her protector, and now, you show me my death? How am I to protect my wife if I’m dead? Why, then did you ever bring us together?
Raging to the heavens won’t help, you fool!
The bray of a horn, signaling the army to mount and form up, rang out. Ashinji sighed, pushed away from the tree trunk, and stepped from under the sheltering branches into the brilliant sunshine. He glanced up at the white disk of the sun and wished for the respite of a rainstorm. His brightly lacquered armor felt like an oppressive shell encasing his body, and he longed to strip it off and plunge into the nearest body of water. Even the little algae-filled pond at the bottom of the meadow looked inviting.
Homan walked up, leading Kian. Ashinji climbed into the saddle and Homan handed him his helmet. “I think I’ll ride bareheaded today, Sergeant,” he said. “The company has permission to do the same.”
“Thank you, Cap’n. I’ll pass the word along.”
Ashinji watched as the army coalesced into well-ordered ranks. Off in the distance, in the direction of the manor, he spied a splash of color. He focused his gaze until the splash resolved into the figures of four women, standing at the bottom of the path leading to the house. Sadaiyo, astride his stallion, cantered toward them.
Sadaiyo reined his mount to a skidding halt before Lady Kara and her daughters. He flung himself from the saddle and strode boldly to the first in line, who, by her height, Ashinji could tell must be Uebaru. They exchanged a few words, then Sadaiyo swept her into his arms and kissed her. He proceeded to do the same to Tamina and Shuzen. To Lady Kara, he bowed low and kissed the back of her hand.
What Sadaiyo had done for the Enzan family was not unheard of, but it usually happened only after a contract had been executed between all of the involved parties. Sen would be furious when Sadaiyo got around to telling him.
Sadaiyo remounted his horse, and with a final wave, turned and galloped back to where Ashinji waited along with Homan and Sadaiyo’s aide Lanic. “Let’s go,” he said.
As the army wound its way out of the meadow, the four women of Enzan raised their hands in farewell.
~~~
Nine days later, the army crossed into Kerala. They rode straight for the castle, arriving just as the sun dipped below the horizon in a blaze of orange, pink, and red. Iruka, Kerala’s steward, stood waiting at the outer gate to greet them. Ashinji and Sadaiyo dismounted and two stable hands came forward to take hold of their mounts’ bridles.
Sadaiyo spoke first, forgoing any greeting. “Iruka, I know Kerala has no place to billet eight hundred extra troops. What arrangements have you made?”
“Welcome home Lord Sadaiyo, Lord Ashinji. It is good to see you both.” Iruka bowed, his snow-white soldier’s braid falling forward over his shoulder.
“There is room for at least a hundred in the lower yard, and another hundred can camp in the upper,” the steward said. “It’ll be crowded, but that can’t be helped. The rest will have to make do out in the rear pastures. I had ample warning from your father, so there should be enough extra provisions laid by.” Supremely capable, Iruka had served Lord Sen for more years than Ashinji had been alive, and before becoming Kerala’s steward, he had been a sergeant in the army of Keizo the Elder.
“If it please you, my lord Sadaiyo, you may give me your requirements, and any instructions you may have now.”
Sadaiyo turned to Ashinji. “Eagle and Kestrel Companies will camp at the castle. The rest of the army will go out in the pastures, and you’ll ride with them to supervise. When the troops are settled, you may return to the castle.”
“Yes, Brother.” Ashinji’s voice was cool but his eyes burned with anger. Sadaiyo knew full well Ashinji believed in sharing the living conditions of his company while in the field. By relegating the Peregrines to the pastures outside the castle walls, he had compelled Ashinji to join them. While his brother slept in comfort, Ashinji would have the hard ground as his bed.
Sadaiyo betrayed his satisfaction with a tiny smirk; he would never dare to gloat or laugh aloud at his cruelty in front of the troops.
Ashinji remounted Kian. “I’ll see you tonight, then.” He wheeled the black gelding and started back across the bridge to where the army waited, strung out along the far bank of the river like a large, shiny millipede.
“I’ll save your old place at table!” Sadaiyo called out after him.
~~~
Three days later, Ashinji sat astride Kian under a hazy yellow sky, staring at a swath of forest in the distance. The force that had left Sendai thirteen days earlier now occupied a position a little to the east of the Saihama River fords, the only place where an army of any size could safely cross the river. Elven scouts had put the Soldaran forces about a day’s march south of the fords.
“We beat them here, Little Brother!” Sadaiyo had crowed triumphantly upon their arrival, and even Ashinji had to admit the hard march out of Sendai had been a wise decision. It had gotten them to Kerala Castle ahead of the enemy, and given the troops some time to rest.
A field of golden-brown grass, waist-high and dried to hay in the relentless sun, stretched in a gentle slope down toward where the trees began. The hay should have been chopped weeks ago, but fear had kept the farmer who worked this land cooped up at home. Ashinji felt a surge of anger, for now, the hay would go to waste.
“We’ll set up camp here and post guards at the fords,” Sadaiyo ordered and his officers, including Ashinji, moved quickly to obey. As he rode Kian through the tinder-dry grass, Ashinji thought about the danger of fire, and the questionable wisdom of Sadaiyo’s decision to make camp in this spot.
I couldn’t disagree with him in front of the troops, he thought. Dissent before the ranks looks very bad…Besides, he’d only ignore me.
He decided to give an order forbidding any cooking fires. The troops would grumble at having to eat cold rations; still, he couldn’t run the risk of a stray spark starting an unintentional blaze that would almost surely lead to disaster.
After he had seen to Kian, he spent some time arranging the postings to the fords, and making certain his order about no fires got disseminated through the camp. Only after he finished his duties would he see to his own needs.
By the time Ashinji could finally sit down and r
est, dusk had fallen. Homan had already set up his camp chair and as Ashinji sank into it with a grimace, the sergeant held out a plate and cup. Ashinji took them with a murmured word of thanks. A hunk of cheese, two journeycakes, and a pile of dried berries rested on the plate, and a sip of the mug’s contents confirmed that Homan had fetched some beer from the supply wagons. Ashinji sighed with gratitude and took a bite of cheese.
As he ate, his mind drifted back to his last evening at Kerala Castle, three days past, when he had paid a visit to the home of Gendan and Kami. The couple had invited him to help celebrate both their reunion and the impending birth of their child. Over a special meal prepared by Gendan himself, they had listened as Kami caught them both up on all the latest news and gossip. Though Kami’s pregnancy had progressed without any problems, she had expressed great weariness of her physical state.
“I’m actually looking forward to my labor!” she had claimed. Upon hearing the news of Jelena’s own pregnancy, she had wept with joy, and Ashinji had been genuinely touched at the depth of affection the young guard still felt for his wife.
That evening had been one of peace and friendship, of quiet good cheer and the deliberate banishment of all fear and uncertainty of the future. For a few short, precious hours, Ashinji forgot his anger and grief.
The thud of footfalls and the hail of a sentry broke into Ashinji’s reverie, dragging his mind back into the present.
“Runner’s here, Cap’n,” Homan announced. Ashinji nodded and gestured to the messenger to approach. A slim young woman trotted up and bowed. In her hand, she held a folded piece of paper.
“My lord, I bring orders from the general,” she said, a little out of breath from running.
So, he’s calling himself ‘the general’ now, Ashinji thought. His eyebrow lifted in sardonic amusement. He set his plate and cup on the ground and held out his hand. The girl relinquished the paper, then stood waiting expectantly. Ashinji unfolded the paper and held it up, squinting.
“Here, Cap’n. Don’t strain yourself,” Homan said, raising a lantern over Ashinji’s head so the light could illuminate the message.
“Thanks, Sergeant.” Ashinji read in silence, then looked at Homan and said, “It seems that we are to hold the left flank tomorrow.” He turned his attention to the runner. “No answer,” he said. The girl bowed, then darted off into the darkness.
A ferocious itch developed just below the upper edge of his breastplate, a hair’s width lower than his finger could reach. He gritted his teeth and tried to ignore the torment. “Goddess’ tits, I wish we didn’t have to sleep in armor tonight!” he grumbled.
“I hear you, my lord,” Homan commiserated. “Best you be turning in soon, after you finish your dinner, o’course. The humans’ll be here and spoilin’ for a fight on the morrow. Your cot’s all made up for you, whenever you’re ready.”
How wonderful it would be if I could just sleep tonight…no dreams of fire and death…just nothingness.
“Thank you, Homan. I think I’ll take your advice, but not until I’ve walked a little.” Ashinji stood and stretched. “I’m feeling a bit restless,” he added.
“What, now, my lord? You’ve not finished your dinner.”
Ashinji shrugged. “Not that hungry, I guess.”
“I’ll walk with you, if you like, Cap’n,” Homan offered.
“No, no. You stay here… finish your own dinner. I’ll not be long, and I won’t go far.”
“Very good, my lord.”
Ashinji set off at a leisurely pace, threading his way between clumps of men and women, some sitting on the ground, others standing or reclining as comfortably as they could on the hard earth.
As he made his way through the darkened camp, he could see no details in the faces around him, but he kept his ears wide open, catching every snippet of conversation. He never paused, preferring to listen as he walked, and what he heard did not surprise him.
The troops were nervous—understandably so—but unafraid, and determined to hold the line against the enemy. The Soldaran Imperial legions were arguably the finest fighting force in the known world, but the army awaiting them across the border in Amsara consisted of local levies, not professional Imperial regulars. The Duke’s force had the advantage in numbers only.
The Alasiri force, in contrast, consisted entirely of professional soldiers, all highly trained and well equipped. Ashinji knew both his father and King Keizo counted on the superior skill of the Alasiri regulars, along with the small contingent of Kerala guards, to offset the disadvantage of their lesser numbers. Despite his own confidence in the abilities of his troops, Ashinji had no illusions. The battle to come would no doubt prove brutal and bloody.
“Halt! Who goes there!” a familiar voice barked from the shadows.
Ashinji stopped in his tracks, realizing he had reached the edge of camp. “It’s just me, Aneko, out for a walk,” he answered.
“My lord!” Aneko exclaimed, materializing out of the darkness. “You shouldn’t be out this far.” She gestured with the tip of her spear toward where the Saihama River ran, chuckling and gurgling over its stony bed. “D’you remember the last time we were out here, my lord?” she asked.
Ashinji couldn’t see her face, but he heard the smile in her voice.
“How could I not remember? I almost killed my future wife that day.”
“You knew it even then, didn’t you, my lord? That you and Jelena were meant to be together?”
“I did,” Ashinji replied. “Although it took a great deal of work on my part before I could convince her.”
Aneko laughed. “Lord Ashinji, Jelena loved you from the very moment she laid eyes on you. She just didn’t believe that someone of your high station could love someone like her… a hikui, I mean. It’s obvious now how wrong she was about you.” Aneko paused, then added “She has been truly blessed by the One.”
Ashinji shook his head. “No. I’m the one who’s been blessed.” He made no attempt to disguise the emotion in his voice. “Aneko,” he continued. “There’s something you must do for me.”
“Anything, my lord,” Aneko replied.
“If…if anything should happen to me…” Ashinji had to stop talking for a moment because his mouth had gone as dry as old bones. Aneko waited in silence for him to continue. He took a deep breath.
“Go to Jelena and tell her I was thinking of her and our child…every waking moment. Tell her that my love never faltered, even as I drew my last breath. Promise you’ll do this for me, Aneko.”
“Lord Ashinji, I promise, but you’ll be able to tell her yourself!” Aneko whispered fiercely. Ashinji sensed her body shifting position in the darkness. “My lord, you must take care, watch your back. Kerala needs you too much. Your father needs you!”
My wife needs me even more, and I can’t be there for her!
“Thank you, Aneko, for being a friend to Jelena,” Ashinji said. “I think I’ll head off to bed now, before I fall down from weariness.” He turned to go.
“Lord Ashinji,” Aneko called softly. Ashinji paused. “I know I speak for most everyone at Kerala when I say that we wish things could be different.”
Though she had chosen her words with care, Ashinji understood the unspoken message behind them. He opened his mouth to reply, but Aneko had slipped away, leaving him alone in the dark of a moonless night, with only his thoughts for company.
Chapter 18
Betrayal
Ashinji stood under a vault of glittering stars, surrounded by a sea of rustling, sun-dried grass. An acrid odor tickled his nose and he sneezed. Off in the distance, he heard shouts. The sick sensation of extreme danger streamed through his subconscious mind. A voice howled his name.
Lord Ashinji! My lord, you must wake up!
Ashinji’s eyes flew open and he sat up with a gasp. Homan stumbled backward to avoid a collision with his captain’s head and fell hard on his rump.
“Lord Ashinji!” he croaked, his expression grim. “The meadow’s afire
! They’ve set it alight, an’ the entire camp’s in danger!”
“Who, Homan?” Ashinji scrambled to his feet, heart hammering in his chest. He grabbed his sergeant’s hand and hauled the man up.
“The Soldarans, Cap’n! You must hurry!”
Ashinji snatched up his sword and buckled it on, then grabbed his helmet. With a jerk of his head, he indicated that Homan should follow him. “Are they coming, Homan? Are they here?” Ashinji shouted as he and the lanky sergeant made their way through the maelstrom of running bodies toward Sadaiyo’s tent.
“Dunno!” Homan gasped. “Might just be a small party sent ahead to burn us outta this field… Sow confusion amongst us so’s we’d be too exhausted to put up a good fight tomorrow.”
A reasonable deduction, Ashinji thought. If the positions of our respective armies were reversed, I might have suggested just such a tactic myself.
The two of them arrived at Sadaiyo’s tent just as he emerged, shadowed by his aide, Lanic. “Little Brother, it seems the humans have gotten the jump on us,” he said. For once, his voice contained not the slightest trace of condescension. “The meadow has been fired on three sides.” Thick smoke now billowed across the elven encampment in stinging clouds. Ashinji’s eyes filled with tears, and a coughing fit lurked at the back of his throat.
“How did they get past the sentries?” he rasped.
Sadaiyo made an impatient gesture with his hand. “That’s just it. The fire started beyond the picket line. They must have known the flames would burn toward us. Damn it!” he cursed. “Get to your horse and form up your company. I want you to ride down to the fords and station yourself there quick as you can. If there’s to be an attack now, it’ll come from there!”
“Yes, Brother!”
Horns blared all over the camp. Sadaiyo’s other captains arrived. Orders were given, and men and women scattered to carry them out. Ashinji and Homan rushed into the smoky darkness. The sky glowed with the eerie orange light that only a wildfire could produce.
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