“I suppose you are right,” sighed Lyra. “For generations the Sakovans have hidden in the Sakova and the Omungans have tried to destroy them. This time is different. The current Katana appears to care about nothing other than the complete destruction of the Sakovan people. We have no choice but to fight.”
“And you are eagerly seeking a way that you can win,” nodded Shel. “That is understandable.”
“No,” Lyra shook her head. “We will win this war. What I am trying to accomplish is minimizing the number of Omungans that must die for our victory. We have no quarrel with the people of Omunga. We would be ecstatic if they would merely overthrow their Katana and leave us in peace, but this is not going to happen. The next best solution is to destroy only the main armies of the Katana that seek to destroy us. That is why I want as many cities as possible to stay out of this war.”
“And what will you do with your new Sakovan cities after the war?” asked Shel. “Will you abandon them?”
“No,” Lyra answered. “Those people freely chose to become part of the Sakova. They will be treated as part of the family they have become. Even those cities that we must conquer will be treated with respect and welcomed into the Sakova.”
“Come,” Shel said as she rose from her chair. “We have little time to catch the mayor before your ship arrives.”
“It is too late,” Lyra shook her head. “I cannot put up a false front when I know that the food is coming no matter what the mayor says.”
“Posh,” smiled Shel. “You will come with me and tell the mayor what you just told me. There is no need for deception. Be honest about what you want. He can only say no, but you lose any chance to keep Gatong out of this war if you do not at least ask.”
“Alright,” Lyra sighed as she rose and followed Shel.
The Gatong woman guided the Star of Sakova to the mayor’s building. The walk was short, but Shel said hello to dozens of people before they reached the building. They entered the building, and Shel announced that they wanted to see Mayor Robit. They were directed along a short corridor where two Imperial Guards stood sentry outside a door. Shel led the way through the doorway.
Inside the room a balding man sat at a large desk, and an Imperial Guard general stood before it. The balding mayor looked up with curiosity at the intrusion. The general turned and stared at the two women. His eyes grew large and his jaw dropped as he stared at Lyra.
“The Star of Sakova!” shouted the general. “Seize her.”
Lyra’s heart rose to her throat, as she stood frozen staring at the general. She heard the scuffling of feet behind her, but she could not move. Suddenly, a heavy weight hit the back of her head, and her vision spun into darkness.
Chapter 23
The Blunder
Shel gasped as the two Imperial Guards caught Lyra’s falling body. They quickly dragged the Star of Sakova from the room, and Shel shook her head sadly.
“How did you recognize her?” asked Mayor Robit.
“She was wanted after the attack on the Academy of Magic,” replied General Papper. “A picture of her was distributed at that time. I would never forget her face.”
“I can’t believe that you memorize the pictures of all law-breakers,” scoffed the mayor.
“Of course not,” balked the general, “but this one was different. She managed to slip through our fingers in Gatong. I was severely reprimanded by General Didyk personally for that failure. When it was later learned that she was truly the Star of Sakova, I was forced to give up all of my dreams of ever commanding a major army. Perhaps her capture now will redeem me.”
“You are a fool,” spat Shel as she stared at the general with disgust. “Our people are starving and all you can think of is your personal career?”
“Don’t think I have forgotten who escorted the enemy into this room,” snapped the general as he whirled to face Shel. “It is strange to see the Star of Sakova escorted by a citizen of Gatong. Perhaps you are a Sakovan spy.”
“Nonsense,” the mayor blurted out. “Shel is a fine upstanding citizen of Gatong. I doubt that she even knew who the woman was.”
“Oh, I knew who she was,” asserted Shel. “She didn’t tell me at first, but I figured it out. She wanted to talk to the mayor about peace so I brought her here. I wish I had not.”
The general’s eyes narrowed as he glared at Shel. The mayor saw the coming confrontation and swiftly intervened.
“Wait outside, Shel,” ordered Mayor Robit. “I need to speak to the general in private. Do not leave this building. I have questions for you before you will be allowed to leave.”
“As do I,” snapped the general as Shel quietly exited the room.
The general closed the door after Shel left. He returned to stand in front of the mayor’s desk.
“Allowing such attitudes in the citizenry is not healthy,” the general warned Mayor Robit.
“Shel is known to just about every citizen in Gatong,” shrugged the mayor. “She is often outspoken, but she is easily mollified. To stifle her speech would be to invite trouble. Forget about her. What do you plan to do with the Star of Sakova?”
“I am not sure,” answered the general. “She is a prize indeed, but I must be careful. My first instinct is to transport her to Okata and present her to the Katana personally, but there are potential pitfalls in that plan.”
“Pitfalls?” echoed the mayor. “What could possibly go wrong?”
“I want the credit for capturing her,” explained General Papper. “I need the recognition if I am to rejuvenate my career. If Didyk, or any of the other generals, learn that I am bringing her to the Katana, I suspect that they would seize her and claim the credit themselves.”
“What other options are there?” asked Mayor Robit. “I doubt that you could entice the Katana to come to Gatong during a state of war.”
“That would never happen,” agreed the general. “I could execute her here in Gatong and deliver the body to the Katana. That way her capture and execution would be a matter of public record. Didyk would have no chance of stealing the limelight.”
“That would work,” frowned the mayor, “but I sense that you are not entirely happy with that choice. What are the negatives?”
“She is the leader of the Sakovans,” declared the general. “As a military man I know that her mind holds a wealth of strategic information that could potentially shorten the war. She must be interrogated.”
“So you question her before you execute her,” shrugged Mayor Robit. “I do not see the problem.”
“I could attempt to get the knowledge out of her,” conceded the general, “but they have more persuasive ways of extracting information in Okata. They can use magic to force her to divulge everything. I do not quite understand the methods that they use, but they are extremely effective. This is something that I must dwell upon. The wrong step at this point will ruin my career, but the right move may well vault me onto the Katana’s Council. I will be in my office. Do not disturb me unless the matter is crucial.”
“Inform me of your decision before you do anything,” replied the mayor. “My help in this matter may improve your position.”
General Papper nodded and strode out of the room. He left the door open and Shel peeked her head into the doorway.
“Come in, Shel,” waved the mayor. “I will keep this brief.”
Shel shuffled into the room and stood nervously before the mayor’s desk. She had seen the look on the general’s face as he left, and she did not care for it. She was apprehensive about the forthcoming questions from the mayor.
“You came close to being imprisoned,” declared the mayor. “General Papper is not one to toy with. I would advise you not to mention this episode to anyone. Is there anyone else in Gatong who knows that the Star of Sakova is in the city?”
Shel breathed a sigh of relief at the tone of the mayor’s voice. Even as she felt her apprehension diminishing, her anger began to surface.
“She came her in peace,”
declared Shel. “You did not even let her talk before you attacked her.”
“I did nothing,” replied the mayor. “The general recognized her as the enemy and had her arrested. I see no fault in his actions. Does anyone else know that she is in Gatong?”
“I don’t know,” admitted Shel. “I found her in the marketplace crying. I took her to my home to feed her, but it was not her hunger that was disturbing her. It was our hunger that made her cry.”
“I don’t care about her crying,” scowled the mayor. “I need to know if anyone else realizes that she is here.”
“There are others who know she is here,” answered Shel as she recalled the magical conversation Lyra had with the ship at sea. “I do not know of any other citizens of Gatong that know that she is here, but a ship will soon dock in the port. Someone on that ship knows where she is.”
“A ship?” frowned the mayor. “Is it coming to attack us? How do you know this?”
“It is not coming to attack us,” replied Shel. “It is coming to deliver food. It should be here soon.”
“Food?” echoed the mayor as he swiftly rose from his chair. “How much food?”
“Enough to feed the city for several days,” answered Shel.
The mayor raced around his desk and into the corridor. Shel raced after him. Mayor Robit ran through the entry foyer calling for soldiers to follow him. He dashed out the door of the building before Shel could catch up.
Shel moved as quickly as she could, but the mayor continually called for more troops as he ran towards the docks. A large contingent of Imperial Guards followed the mayor and Shel had to slow down as they pushed past her. By the time she reached the docks, she saw that a new ship was already tied up. The pier was crowded with Imperial Guards, and Mayor Robit stood alongside the ship. Shel pushed her way through the gathering crowd until she was close enough to hear what was going on.
Mayor Robit shouted for the captain of the ship to come forward. Shel watched as the captain left the helm and moved towards the mayor. The captain wore a black uniform with a silver lining and the image of sinuous sword on his large belt.
“I understand that you have food onboard,” declared the mayor. “I want to supervise the unloading so that riots do not break out.”
A woman who had been standing on the deck and scanning the faces in the crowd stepped close to the captain and whispered in his ear. The captain nodded.
“This shipment of food is consigned to an individual,” the captain stated warily as he searched the crowd for Lyra. “I must wait for her to arrive before the food can be unloaded. I am sure that the delay will be short.”
The mayor frowned and gazed at the standard flown from the mast. The black flag with a silver sinuous sword on it was unknown to him, but he understood that the captain was expecting to meet the Star of Sakova. The people on the quay were beginning to rejoice that a shipment of food had arrived, and Mayor Robit knew that any delay could well end with riots breaking out. He thought briefly of sending for General Papper, but quickly dismissed the thought. The crowd would not wait for long. He turned and whispered in the ear of the nearest Imperial Guard.
The mayor waited impatiently as the Imperial Guard spread the word. When he was sure that the soldiers were ready. He turned to face the captain again. He raised his right arm high over his head as he did so.
“I am Mayor Robit of Gatong,” declared the mayor as the Imperial Guards raised their bows and trained them on the crew. “I am exercising my authority to seize this ship. You and your crew will kindly leave the ship now. If you do not move quickly, you will be shot.”
Not a single member of the crew moved.
“Am I under arrest then?” snarled the captain. “Are we to be imprisoned for bringing food to this city?”
“You are all under arrest,” replied the mayor. “Evacuate the ship immediately or die.”
The captain gazed past the mayor at the Imperial Guards. Several dozen arrows were aimed at him and his crew. He slowly raised one hand, his fingers contorting in a signal to his crew. Slowly the crewmembers dropped whatever they were holding and began marching off the ship. The crowd on the quay instantly parted as Imperial Guards began escorting the crewmembers off the pier. The captain stood firm until all of the crew had left the ship. He waited until the mage had also left before glaring at the mayor.
“Mayor Robit,” the captain said with obvious disdain, “I trust that you understand what you are doing. By seizing this ship, you committing an act of war. I ask you to reconsider before I step ashore under these conditions.”
“War has already been declared,” retorted the mayor. “Leave the ship now or die. The choice is yours.”
The captain shook his head in disgust and stepped ashore. Imperial Guards swiftly led him through the crowd. The mayor shouted orders, and the remaining Imperial Guards formed a human corridor. Dozens of dockworkers streamed onto the ship and began unloading the food. The mayor strode off the dock with a smile on his face.
“Citizens of Gatong,” he shouted loudly when he reached the quay, “a shipment of food has arrived. There is enough for everyone so I will not stand for rioting. The ship will be unloaded before any food is distributed. Spread the word to others and then form a line at the marketplace. Everyone will get their share.”
The mayor strode jubilantly back to his office. Shel shook her head in disbelief while she listened to the comments of her fellow citizens. She debated with herself as to whether or not she should explain where the food had come from. She felt that the citizens had a right to know, but she was concerned with the mayor’s preoccupation with secrecy. She didn’t want to start a riot. She tried to put the decision off as she turned and walked towards the marketplace, but then she heard questions asked that made the decision for her.
“Where did the food come from?” shouted a citizen. “Did the Katana send it?”
“When will the next ship be arriving?” asked another citizen.
Shel suddenly stopped walking as she realized that no other ships would arrive now. She turned in a circle slowly and gazed at the happy faces of the citizens. A tear welled up in her eye as she realized the travesty of what Gatong’s leaders were doing to the people. She hurried to the marketplace and climbed up on one of the tables. The ship was still being unloaded so the Imperial Guards had not arrived yet. Shel gazed at the mob of people gathering for the food distribution and wondered what the result would be of her forthcoming speech. She did not want her friends and neighbors clashing with the Imperial Guards because the citizens would surely die, but neither did she want them to die of starvation. Either way the future of Gatong was bleak indeed.
“Get off the table, Shel,” shouted a man. “The food will arrive when it arrives. Watching for it will do no good.”
Shel turned and faced the man. She recognized him as an old friend and realized that he was toying with her. She smiled thinly at him and spoke loudly.
“I am not standing up here to watch for the food,” Shel declared. “I am up here so that more of my fellow citizens can hear me and see who is talking. I have some important information to tell you about this ship of food.”
The crowd instantly quieted down as they crowded around the table that Shel was standing on. She waited patiently for everyone to settle down.
“Earlier today I stumbled across a young woman in the marketplace,” Shel began. “She was crying so I took her home to feed her.”
“That sounds like you, Shel,” a citizen shouted. “You would give your last morsel to someone who hungers for it.”
“That’s not the point,” frowned Shel as she struggled with herself about what she should say. “This woman was not crying because she was hungry. In fact, she emptied her pack on my table and left her trail rations for me. This woman was crying because WE are hungry.”
“What does this have to do with the ship?” yelled a woman.
“The ship is hers,” explained Shel. “She ordered it into port to feed us.”
“Well bless her soul,” smiled a woman. “Where is this woman that we may thank her?”
“She is imprisoned,” Shel replied. “I took her to see the mayor, and General Papper arrested her.”
“That is outrageous,” scowled a man. “Why would he arrest her?”
“He arrested her because she is the Star of Sakova,” answered Shel. “He said that she is our enemy.”
“Enemy?” shouted a man. “No one who sends me food is my enemy. My little girls are wasting away because there is not enough food to eat. This woman deserves to be praised, not arrested.”
Shouts of agreement rippled through the audience. Shel chewed on her lower lip, as the crowd grew boisterous. She looked nervously around the marketplace and saw several Imperial Guards trying to push through the crowd. She knew now that she would surely be arrested.
“There is more,” Shel shouted hurriedly before the soldiers could reach her. “She said that more ships would be coming in the future, but I do not think that will be true after what our leaders have done. Not only have they arrested the Star of Sakova, but also seized her ship. They will not send more food now.”
Shel saw the mayor arrive in the marketplace. He quickly followed the Imperial Guards who were trying to part the crowd to reach the table that Shel was standing on.
“That is not her ship,” shouted a well-dressed merchant. “The Sakovans have no ships. They are landlocked.”
“Not any more,” replied Shel. “Lyra told me that all of eastern Omunga is now Sakovan. Zaramilden, Duran, and Alamar are now Sakovan cities.”
Gasps ripped through the crowd as the Imperial Guards finally reached the table. Two of them jumped up on the table and grabbed Shel while the mayor quickly followed. He raised his hands high over his head for silence, and the crowd instantly obeyed.
“Fellow citizens,” shouted Mayor Robit. “Do not listen to this nonsense. You shall disperse from this table and form an orderly line to receive the food. Those who disobey will be dealt with harshly.”
Island of Darkness Page 30
