The Wolf At War

by Terry Cloutier

  I quickly dismounted, and Ubeth’s breath caught in his throat when he saw Tyden as he jumped to the ground. The gatekeeper dropped to one knee. “Your Highness,” he said in awe.

  Tyden clapped him on the shoulder. “On your feet, there’s a good lad.”

  “It’s an honor, Your Highness,” Ubeth said as he stood. “I saw you and your brother once years ago when your father came to visit Lord Corwick.”

  “Ah,” Tyden said. “I remember that visit. I almost went mad with boredom.”

  “My Lord!”

  I turned to see Putt hurrying toward me, his face twisted with anxiety. Something was very wrong.

  “What’s happened, Putt?” I demanded. “Is Shana all right?”

  Putt’s eyes dropped. “My Lord, I think it best that you hear it from the lady herself.”

  I put my hand on Putt’s shoulder and squeezed, ignoring the look of pain on the red-haired man’s face. “You’ll tell me now, Putt, or you can find other employment.”

  Putt nodded, not able to meet my eyes. “I am truly sorry, my lord, but the baby didn’t make...” He trailed off weakly as I groaned, feeling as if I had just been kicked in the stomach. “She’s all right, though, my lord,” Putt hastened to add. “Perfectly fine, but—”

  “But what?” I growled.

  Putt took a deep breath. “But that’s not all, my lord. Calban has fallen.” I just gaped at him, not certain that I’d heard correctly.

  “How?” I heard Jebido whisper in disbelief behind me. “How could the Piths have gotten that far north?”

  Putt glanced at him reluctantly. “It wasn’t the Piths, Jebido,” he said.

  “Tell me,” I grunted low and harsh. I felt unsteady on my feet, overwhelmed by all the bad news, but I could tell by Putt’s expression that there was still more to come.

  Putt took a deep breath. “Cardians came by sea, my lord,” he explained. “They were masquerading as Afrenian silk traders. By the time anyone suspected anything was amiss, it was too late.”

  I closed my eyes in dismay, knowing that if I hadn’t drawn men away from the castle, Calban would not have fallen. “Who led them,” I demanded, certain even as I said the words what the answer would be.

  “Lord Boudin,” Putt responded. He hesitated. “And that bastard Pernissy was with him as well, my lord.”

  18: Daughter Gernet and the Truth

  I was told that Lady Shana was meeting with Wiflem, Finol, and several other of my senior men in Corwick Hall. She clearly hadn’t been made aware of my arrival yet, and her face was set with intensity and determination as she leaned over a table, studying several maps while Wiflem talked. Shana looked up at the sound of our boots as we strode into the hall, and I saw her body sag with relief when she saw me.

  “Hadrack!” Shana cried out. She was dressed in a man’s light mail tunic, thick woolen trousers, and heavy leather boots. I was surprised to see a short sword belted around her waist as well. Shana ran to me, unashamed as she flung herself into my arms. I held her, pressing my lips to hers, while around us, men smiled or looked politely away. Shana finally broke the embrace, her hands clasped around mine as she looked up at me.

  “You lost the baby,” I blurted out before she could say anything. No one has ever accused me of being discreet, and I instantly regretted my words, cursing myself for being a complete fool. Shana blinked in surprise, her face falling. I could see she was fighting back sudden tears and I cursed myself yet again. “Putt told me,” I hurried to explain as I gently rubbed the smooth, lily-white skin that covered the back of her hands. “I am so sorry, my love.”

  Shana fought to control her emotions, and finally, she nodded, her features etched in sadness and regret. “So am I, Hadrack. But now is not the time to talk of it. There will be time for that later when we are alone and can grieve properly.” She withdrew her hands from mine and turned, gesturing to the men standing around the table. “I was in the process of preparing an army to go to your aid.”

  I couldn’t help but smile despite the somber moment. I shook my head in admiration, understanding the armor and sword she wore now. “You were going to lead men into battle to rescue us from the Piths?” I asked.

  “And why not?” Shana demanded, her blue eyes flashing. Nothing got Shana’s fire burning more than being dismissed simply because she was a woman. I hadn’t meant it that way, of course, but if her sudden anger at my words helped deflect her sadness away from our dead child for a time, then I would gladly accept it. “You would do the same for me,” Shana added, her chin lifted in challenge.

  “Well, that’s true,” I agreed. “It’s lucky for the Piths that they decided to let us go. I wouldn’t have envied them having to face you on the field of battle.” I gestured to Tyden, who stood behind me, still dressed in a worn, stuffed doublet, filth-stained trousers, and grey stockings. “We had to surrender Gasterny to Einhard of all people, but the king is alive and well.”

  Shana gasped in surprise as she dropped to one knee while the men around the table did likewise. “Your Highness,” she said. “My apologies, I did not see you standing there.”

  “Hello, cousin,” Tyden said with a wry grin. He stepped forward and lifted Shana to her feet before embracing her warmly. “I had thought I would never get to see your beautiful face again, Lady Shana. But The Mother has other plans, it seems.” The king glanced at me. “As does my protector, Lord Hadrack.” Then his face turned serious. “Tell me what has happened at Calban, cousin.”

  “We had only just arrived at the castle, Highness,” Shana said, her face clouding. “It was less than a week after we left Corwick, I think.” She glanced at Putt, who nodded. “A trading ship arrived from the north, claiming to be from Afrenia. We had little reason to doubt their story, since the ship was laden with silk, so we allowed them to dock to replenish their supplies. The traders came late in the day and as is the norm, asked to stay the night.”

  “And they opened the gates for the others,” I said as I stood with my arms crossed over my chest, listening. The quickest way to get inside a formidable castle like Calban was not with ladders, swords, and siege engines, but with trickery, as the men stationed at Gasterny had also learned to their dismay.

  “Yes,” Shana agreed. “There was no moon that night and the skies were rain-filled. The sentries clearly saw nothing, though I imagine they were spending more time trying to stay warm and dry than looking out to sea. Had they looked closer, they might have seen the Cardian ships riding in on the tide.”

  “Those sentries were probably long dead by then, lady,” Jebido said bluntly. “Letting them live to sound the alarm would have been too risky.”

  “Oh,” Shana said, looking crestfallen.

  “Did you see how many ships the Cardians had?” Tyden asked, his cheeks flushed with anger.

  Shana sighed. “Not really, Highness. It was very dark and I was confused.” Shana gestured to Putt. “Perhaps Putt can help with that answer, Highness, as I owe my life and freedom to this man’s quick thinking. It was he who had us escape through the tunnel beneath the keep and, along with his men, they ferried my court ladies and me to Sea Dragon, where we hid in the hold until morning.”

  “You have my gratitude for my cousin’s safety,” Tyden said, turning to Putt and taking his hand.

  “And mine, my friend,” I said, feeling badly now about how I had spoken to him earlier.

  Putt grinned sheepishly and he shrugged. “I would rather have faced a thousand Cardians, my lord, than let anything happen to Lady Shana.” He turned back to Tyden. “As to your question, Highness, I saw at least ten longships moored at the wharf and beached on the sands the next morning when we sailed away.”

  “The Cardians let you go?” I said in surprise.

  Putt grinned. “Of course not, my lord. But what ship can catch Sea Dragon once she has a good wind behind her? Besides, I think most of them were drunk by then.”

  “Did you say ten ships?” Tyden asked. He raised an eyebrow, lo
oking around. “How many men is that?”

  “At least five hundred, Highness,” Putt answered grimly. “Assuming fifty men per ship, which is likely.”

  Tyden sat down at the table, his elbows propped up on the hard oak planks as he rubbed wearily at his face. “So, not only have we lost Gasterny to an army of Piths in the south, now we have a second army in the north who have taken Calban.” He looked up, his eyes red-rimmed and puffy. “What is happening here? Can someone please tell me that? Are the Piths and Cardians working together now?”

  “I doubt it,” I said. “We already knew Pernissy and this Lord Boudin were up to something, and I think the Piths attacking us was just the excuse they needed.”

  “I hope you are right, Lord Hadrack,” Tyden said as he glanced down at the maps before him. “But even if you are, it does little to settle the ache of dread in my gut.” He turned one of the maps around and studied it, frowning as he ran his hand across the surface absently. “The question before us now is, what do we do?” He fixed his gaze on Shana. “This army you are forming, cousin, how many men do you have?”

  “Three thousand currently, Highness,” Shana said. “I was hoping for more, but many of the lords I contacted refused to send men. They said they needed those men to defend their own lands when the Piths came.”

  “Two-faced bastards,” Tyden grunted. He drummed his fingers on the table moodily, then glanced at me. “Any suggestions, Lord Hadrack?”

  “Yes,” I said. “You need to return to Gandertown right away, Highness. The fact that the Cardians came with that many men means that they are serious, and I fear Calban might have just been a target of convenience, not the primary one.”

  Tyden frowned in confusion. “Please explain,” he said.

  I started to pace, my hands behind my back as I thought. “We all know Pernissy covets the crown, Highness,” I said. “He always has, and he would gladly take it by force if he could. I think he has made a deal with the Cardians to do just that. Pernissy knew you would be traveling south for my trial, since he’s the one who arranged the entire thing in the first place. I think he planned on making a play for the throne during your absence. But then the Piths attacked, and like a fool, I drew men away from Calban. That changed the bastard’s plans. Calban is on the west coast, close to Cardia, and if Pernissy and Lord Boudin could take it, they could use the surrounding beach to land more men, supplies, and horses there with impunity.”

  “So, you’re suggesting that we are dealing with two separate invasions at the same time,” Tyden said, looking overwhelmed. “Either one of which might be more than sufficient to destroy Ganderland.”

  “Yes, Highness,” I said. “That is what I think. That’s why you must return north as soon as possible. Now that the Cardians have a foothold, I’m sure those five hundred men will grow. Pernissy knows how well defended Gandertown is and that he’ll need at least twenty times that number if he wants to take it.” I moved to the maps, studying them before selecting the one I wanted. “This is Calban, here,” I said as men crowded around the table. “Taking the castle gives Pernissy a strong western base to work from now, but it also offers him an uncomfortable problem. He’s secure in his position but far away from what he’s really after—Gandertown. The only way he can take the city and throne is to move his army halfway across the kingdom.”

  “Why didn’t he just sail his ships around the northern tip and land men there, my lord?” Finol asked, his white eyebrows furrowed as he studied the map. “Gandertown is only two or three hundred miles away to the south from there that way. Wouldn’t that have been easier?”

  “That might have been his original plan,” I conceded. “But I doubt it would have been easier. Far from it, in fact. At this time of year, the storms on the Northern Sea would probably have taken half his ships, even if he hugged the coastline.”

  “And those coastlines are unforgiving up there, my lord,” Wiflem added. He grimaced. “I spent two miserable years in the north, so I know. There are only a few suitable landing sites he could use, and each one of them is guarded by garrisons.”

  “He could have sailed down the White Rock,” Baine ventured forth, following the river with his finger.

  Wiflem shook his head. “The Screech Falls lie half a mile from the river mouth. He would never have made it.”

  “All of which explains why Pernissy latched onto Calban the moment he saw the opportunity,” I said, tasting the bitterness in my mouth. “Which brings us back to the bastard’s dilemma. Pernissy can either have his men pick their way through rough mountainous terrain until they get to the Silver Valley, right here,” I said, pointing to a gap in the route through the Father’s Spine mountains that I knew intimately. I had taken that same route with Sabina during the Walk last year. I swept my hand to the south. “Or he can travel southeast around the mountains and cross the White Rock at this bridge.” I looked up. “But I don’t think he is going to do that. Going around would add several weeks to the march at the very least.” I tapped the map confidently. “No, Pernissy will go northeast,” I said, knowing that I was right. “It’s riskier for him, but he’ll be impatient and want to get to Gandertown as soon as possible.”

  “So, you’re suggesting trapping his army in that valley,” Jebido said, looking thoughtful.

  “Yes,” I nodded. I turned to the king. “But to do that, Highness, you have to move fast and organize against him. If Pernissy gets to Silver Valley first, then he’ll be hard to contain once he’s free of the mountains.”

  “But what about the Piths?” Tyden asked. “What is to stop them from taking the entire southland while we fight the Cardians?”

  “Me,” I growled.

  King Tyden left the next day, accompanied by Putt and twenty of my men-at-arms. The king was to stop at Halhaven first and inform Daughter Gernet of what was occurring, then travel to Gandertown to begin the defense of the north. Lord Vestry and the rest of the survivors from Gasterny arrived three days after the king’s departure. Lord Vestry claimed that he was unwell and could not take part in a second expedition against the Piths and would be going home instead. I can’t say I was saddened to see him go, but he did leave what men he still had left under his command with us, so I sent them and the others to the western fields where the rapidly growing new levy was encamped. The king promised me the lords who had refused to send men to Shana would be reminded of their duty, forcefully if necessary, and that they would come this time. He’d also made it clear that I would be in charge of those lords, which I had immediately protested.

  My many failures the past few weeks had been weighing on me, culminating with my foolish decision to draw men away from Calban. A decision that had ultimately cost me a child. Shana was adamant that it wasn’t my fault, but I knew better, and the deep bitterness I felt was eating away at my confidence minute by minute. Shana and I had spent our first night together huddled in her rooms, mourning the loss of what I now knew would have been my son. The pain from that loss still hurts me to this day, more so than any physical wound I have taken over my long life. I have always wondered what might have happened had I not called for those men and given Pernissy the opportunity that he so desperately needed.

  I had tried to explain my feelings to the king—about how I felt that I’d let everyone down and had no right even to be a lord, let alone be left in charge of them. But my words had been clumsy and wandering, filled with self-doubt and recrimination, and the king would hear none of it. He had told me rather harshly that I was a leader of men whether I liked it or not and that my job was to lead, not to whine. Sometimes men who lead will make errors that cost lives, he’d said, and when that happened, you needed to learn to live with it and move on. I knew Tyden was right to be so blunt with me, just as I had been right to be equally direct with him back in Gasterny. But as I had watched the king ride away, all I could think about was that my son would never get to smile or feel the wind on his face or any of the other things that we, the living, take so easi
ly for granted.

  Tyden was as good as his word, and as the days went by, more and more of the southern lords appeared. Though I noted there were few actual experienced fighters among the men they brought with them. I rode out each morning to take stock of the expanding army, always returning to the castle in disappointment. How could forty and fifty-year-old men dressed in padded jackets or simple leather armor hope to stand up to Piths? Our scouts keeping an eye on Einhard’s forces had reported little change at Gasterny, though their numbers did seem to have swelled somewhat. That part worried me greatly. How many more Piths could Einhard call upon? Was the already substantial army at the garrison all there was, or were there still more on the way? It was a particularly unnerving question, considering the relative inexperience of most of the men I knew I would soon have to send against them.

  I had managed to come to terms with my self-doubts as the days passed, thanks in great part to Shana’s unflinching support and faith in me. Her unwavering strength, determination, and clear-headed thinking were just what I needed to help me start to regain my confidence. I don’t know what I would have done without her by my side.

  Four days after King Tyden left, Daughter Gernet arrived in Corwick. She was accompanied by ten House Agents led by Malo and several Daughters with a small flock of Daughters-In-Waiting attending them. I was surprised to see that Jin wasn’t among the apprentices.

  “What are you doing here?” I demanded as Malo helped Daughter Gernet down from the small wagon that led the procession.

  “It’s good to see you as well, Lord Hadrack,” Daughter Gernet said with a sniff.

  I ignored her, turning my angry gaze on Malo. “The Piths could be here any day,” I said to the House Agent. “You should have known better than to bring them here.”

  “And you should know when to keep your opinions to yourself,” Malo grunted.

  I hadn’t seen the House Agent since the king’s coronation, and it was clear to me that the bastard hadn’t changed much. I turned away from him in disgust. “Daughter, it’s dangerous to be riding about these days. You must return to Halhaven.”