Waylander

by David Gemmell

  'All very noble,' said Gellan, 'but wondrously impractical. When a wolf raids the fold, you don't make it go away by feeding it lambs! However, this is not the time for theological debate. And you have already proved where your feelings lie.'

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  'May I ask you something, Dun Gellan?'

  'Of course.'

  'I watched you fight today, and you were unlike any other warrior. You were calm and at peace. Amid the slaughter and the fear you alone remained calm. How was it done?'

  'I had nothing to lose,' said Gellan.

  'You had your life.'

  'Ah yes, my life. Was there anything else you wished to know?'

  'No, but if you will forgive me, let me say this: all children are creatures of joy, and all people are capable of love. You feel you lost everything, but there was a time before your joy when your children did not exist and your wife was unknown to you. Could it not be that there is a woman somewhere who will fill your life with love, and bear you children to bring you joy?'

  'Go away, priest,' said Gellan gently.

  Waylander returned to the wall and watched the enemy. Their leader had finished his speech and the men were sitting, staring sullenly towards the fort. Waylander rubbed his eyes. He knew how they felt. This morning they had been confident of their skills, arrogant and proud. Now they were demoralised by the realisation of defeat.

  His own thoughts echoed their despair. A week ago he had been Waylander the Slayer, secure in his talents and unaware of any guilt.

  Now he felt more lonely than at any time in his life. How strange that loneliness should lay him how while he was surrounded by people, he thought. He had never sensed this emotion while living alone in the mountains or the forests. His conversation with

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  Gellan had hurt him deeply and he had withdrawn, as ever, into flippancy. Of all the people who thronged his memories, Gellan alone he regarded with affection.

  But what could he have said to him? Well, Gellan my friend, I see you stayed with the army. Me? Oh, I became an assassin. I'll kill anyone for money - I even killed your King. It was so easy; I shot him in the back while he walked in his garden.

  Or perhaps he could have mentioned the murder of his family. Would Gellan have understood his despair and what it did to him? Why should he? Had he not lost his own?

  It was the damned priest. He should have left him tied to the tree. The priest had power: when he had touched the clothes of the robbers he had sensed their evil through the cloth. Waylander had turned him into a killer by staining his purity. But was such power double-edged? Had the priest returned the unholy gift by touching Waylander with goodness? Waylander smiled.

  A Vagrian rider galloped from the north and dragged his mount to a halt before the general. Within minutes the Vagrians were mounted and heading east.

  Waylander shook his head and loosened the strings of his crossbow. Drenai soldiers ran to the walls to watch the enemy depart and a ragged cheer went up. Waylander sat down. Vanek yawned and stretched.

  'What's happening?' he asked, sitting up and yawning once more.

  'The Vagrians have gone.'

  'That's good. Gods, I'm hungry.'

  'Do you always sleep in the middle of a battle?'

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  'I don't know, this is the first battle I've been in - unless you count when we captured the wagons, which was more of a massacre. I'll let you know when I've been in a few more. Did you finish my canteen?'

  Waylander threw him the half-empty canteen, then rose and wandered to the Keep. A barrel of apples had been opened by the cook and Waylander took two and ate them before making his way to the winding stair and the tower, emerging into the sunlight to see Danyal leaning on the rampart and staring north.

  'It's over,' said Waylander. 'You are safe now.'

  She turned and smiled. 'For the while.'

  'That is all anyone can ask.'

  'Stay and talk,' she said. He looked at her, seeing the sunlight glinting from her red-gold hair.

  'I have nothing to say.'

  'I feared for you in the fighting. I didn't want you to die,' she said hurriedly, as he stepped into the shadows of the doorway. He stopped then, standing with his back to her for several seconds, then he turned.

  'I am sorry about the boy,' he said softly. 'But the wound was grievous and he would have been in great pain for hours, perhaps days.'

  'I know.'

  'I do not enjoy killing boys. I don't know why I said it. I am not good with words . . . with people.' He wandered to the ramparts and gazed down on the soldiers harnessing the oxen to the wagons and preparing for the long ride to Skultik. Gellan was at the centre of the operation, flanked by Sarvaj and Jonat. 'I used to be an officer. I used to be many things. A husband. A father. He looked so peaceful

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  lying there among the flowers. As if he was asleep in the sunshine. Only the day before I had taught him to ride his pony over the short jumps. I went out hunting ... he wanted to come with me.' Way-lander stared down at the grey stone. 'He was seven years old. They killed him anyway. There were nine­teen of them - renegades and deserters.'

  He felt her hands on his shoulders and turned into her arms. Danyal had not understood much of what he said, but she read the anguish in his words. He sat back on the ramparts, pulling her to him, his face against hers, and she felt his tears upon her cheeks.

  'He looked so peaceful,' said Waylander.

  'Like Culas,' whispered Danyal.

  'Yes. I found them all - it took years. There was a price on their heads and I used each bounty to finance my search for the others. When I caught the last, I wanted him to know why he was going to die. And when I told him who I was, he couldn't remember the killings. He died not knowing.'

  'How did you feel?'

  'Empty. Lost.'

  'How do you feel now?'

  'I don't know. It is not something I want to think about.'

  Her hands came up and cupped his face, turning it towards her own. Tilting her head she kissed him, first on the cheek, then on the mouth. Then she moved back, pulling him to his feet.

  'You gave us life, Dakeyras, the children and me. We will always love you for that.'

  Before he could answer, another cheer went up from the walls below.

  Karnak had arrived with four hundred riders.

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  9

  Gellan ordered the wagons pulled back from the breach and Karnak rode into the fort with ten of his officers. He was a huge man, running to fat, who looked older than his thirty-two years. He dis­mounted beside Gellan and grinned.

  'Gods man, you're a wonder!' he said. Swinging round, he unfastened his green cloak and draped it over his saddle. 'Gather round, you men,' he shouted. 'I want to see the heroes of Masin. That means you too, Vanek,' he called. 'And you, Parac!'

  The twenty-five survivors came forward, grinning sheepishly. Many of them were wounded, but they bore themselves proudly before the charismatic general.

  'Gods, I'm proud of you all! You've seen off a crack force of some of the best the Vagrians can offer. What's more, you've taken enough supplies to keep us for a month. But even better than that, you've shown what Drenai courage can do. Your deeds here will shine like a torch to the Drenai people - and I can promise you that this is only the beginning. At the moment we may be down, but we're not finished - not while we have men like you. We'll take this war to the enemy and make them suffer. You have my word on it. Now let's get to Skultik and I'll really show you how to celebrate.'

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  He moved to Gellan, throwing a brawny arm over the officer's shoulder.

  'Now where's this sorcerer of yours?'

  'He is in the Keep, sir. How do you know of him?'

  'That's why we're here, man. He contacted one of our priests last night and told us of your plight. Damn it all, this could be a turning point for us.'

  'I hope so, sir.'

  'You did wonderfully well, Gellan.'


  'I lost almost half my men, sir. I should have abandoned the wagons two days ago.'

  'Nonsense, man! Had we not arrived in time and you had all been killed, I would have agreed with you. But the victory was worth the risk. I've got to be honest - I didn't expect it of you. Not that I doubt your courage, but you are a cautious man.'

  'You use "cautious" as an insult, sir.'

  'Maybe I do. But these are desperate times and they call for the odd risk. Caution won't send the Vagrians packing. And make no mistake, Gellan, what I said to the men was not mere rhetoric. We will win. Do you believe that?'

  'It is very hard not to believe what you say, gen­eral. The men think that if you wanted the sky green instead of blue, you would climb a mountain and paint it as it passed.'

  'And what do you think?'

  'I am ashamed to admit that I agree with them.'

  The men need leaders, Gellan. Men with fire in their bellies. When morale goes, there can be no victory. Remember that.'

  'I am aware of it, sir. But I am not good with speeches.'

  'Don't worry about that, I'll handle the speeches.

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  You've done fine work today and I'm proud of you. You know Purdol is still holding?'

  'I am glad to hear it, sir.'

  'I'm going there tomorrow.'

  'But it's surrounded.'

  'I know, but it's important that the fortress holds. It ties down the bulk of the Vagrian force.'

  'With respect, sir, it is far more important that you stay free. It is said they have put a price of 10,000 gold pieces on your head - almost as much as they've offered for Egel himself.'

  'Have you forgotten so swiftly what I just said about risks?'

  'But if they realise you are in Purdol, they will redouble their efforts to take it and bring in more troops.'

  'Precisely!'

  'I am sorry, sir, but I think it's insane.'

  'That's where you and I differ, Gellan. You don't see things on the grand scale. Look at me! I'm too big to sit a horse with any confidence and I am no cavalry general - give me a fortress to hold and I'm in my element. But Egel is a strategist and a fine, wily campaigner. They don't need me in Skultik. But if I can get into Purdol the Vagrians will mass troops there, giving Egel a chance to break from the forest.'

  'I see the logic and I don't want to sound like a sycophant, but we need you. If you are captured or killed, the Drenai cause will be close to lost.'

  'Nice of you to say so. But the plan is set. How do you fancy coming with me?'

  'I wouldn't miss it for the world,' said Gellan, grinning.

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  'That's my man,' said Karnak. 'Now where is this sorcerer?'

  Gellan took the general into the Keep where Dar-dalion sat with the children.

  'That is the sorcerer?' asked Karnak, staring at the young man in the silver armour.

  'I am afraid so,' replied Gellan.

  Dardalion turned as they entered and stood, bowing to the general.

  'You are Dardalion?'

  'I am.'

  'I am Karnak.'

  'I know, general. You are most welcome.'

  'You are the most unlikely sorcerer I ever met.'

  'I am hardly a sorcerer; I cast no spells.'

  'You certainly cast one over the Vagrians - you saved the fort and every man in it. Will you ride with me?'

  'I should be honoured.'

  Karnak smiled at the children, but they hid behind Dardalion. 'You know, I believe the tide is turning,' said Karnak. 'If I can but avoid the soldiers around Purdol and the cursed Dark Brotherhood, I think we might just be ready to deliver a few death blows to the Vagrian hopes.'

  The Dark Brotherhood are hunting you?' asked Dardalion.

  'They have been for months. And added to that, it is said that Waylander the Slayer has been hired to kill me.'

  'That is most unlikely,' said Dardalion.

  'Really? You are a prophet also?'

  'No . . . yes ... it is not Waylander's way.'

  'You know him?' asked Karnak.

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  'Yes, he knows him,' said Waylander, moving into sight on the stairway with his crossbow in hand.

  Karnak turned slowly and Gellan moved in front of him.

  'I am Waylander, and if I wanted you dead you would be dead. So now all you have to worry about is the Brotherhood.'

  'You think I should believe you?'

  'It would be a wise move in the circumstances.'

  'I have four hundred men within call.'

  'But they are not here now, general.'

  'That is true,' Karnak agreed. 'So you are not here to kill me?'

  'No. I have other business.'

  'Does it affect the Drenai cause?'

  'And if it does?' asked Waylander.

  "Then I will walk over to you and break your neck,' said Karnak.

  'Luckily it should help your cause,' said Way­lander. 'I have been asked to supply Egel with a new suit of Armour!'

  They rode warily, a dozen scouts ringing the main party and the warrior general at the centre of the force shielded by six riders. Dardalion rode on his left and Gellan on the right. Behind them came the wagons, each pulled by six oxen.

  Danyal and the children rode in the lead wagon alongside the warrior Vanek. She found him to be an amusing companion. At one point, as the two lead oxen pulled in opposite directions, Vanek said, straight faced: 'Highly trained these animals - obey my every command. I'm making them do this.'

  Behind the wagons rode the rearguard of a hun­dred men led by Dundas, Karnak's aide: a young

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  man with fair hair and a friendly open face. Beside him rode Waylander, in no doubt that he was a virtual prisoner; four riders sat their mounts close to him, hands on sword-hilts.

  Waylander hid his annoyance and allowed his mind to wander as his eyes soaked in the green beauty of the Sentran Plain where it merged with the grey-blue mountains of the north. After all, what did it matter if they killed him? Had he not murdered their king? And what was so special about life that he should desire to extend his span?

  None of it mattered, he realised, as the mountains loomed ever more close. How much death had these peaks seen? Who would care about this petty war in a thousand years?

  'You are an undemanding companion/ remarked Dundas, lifting his helm and running his fingers through his hair.

  Waylander did not reply. Swinging his horse's head to the left, he made to canter forward but his way was blocked by a rider.

  'The general thinks we should hold formation while in dangerous territory,' said Dundas smoothly. 'You don't object?'

  'And if I do?'

  'It will not be for long, I assure you.'

  As the day wore on, Dundas tired of attempting conversation with the dark-haired warrior. He didn't know why Karnak wanted him guarded and, in truth, he didn't care. But then that was Karnak's way - to explain only what was necessary and expect his orders to be carried out to the letter. At times it made him an extraordinarily aggravating man to serve under.

  'What is he like?' asked Waylander suddenly.

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  'I am sorry, my mind was wandering,' said Dundas. 'What did you say?'

  'The general - what is he like?'

  'Why do you want to know?'

  'Curiosity. I understand he was a First Dun officer in charge of a hill fort. Now he is a general.'

  'You have not heard of Margate and the siege?'

  'No.'

  'I should really let the general tell it. There are so many wonderful embellishments to the tale now that it would not surprise me to hear that dragons have been introduced. But still . . . would you like to hear it?'

  'Were you there?'

  'Yes.'

  'Good. I prefer first-hand accounts.'

  'Well, as you say, Karnak was First Dun at Marg­ate. The fort is not large - probably twice the size of Masin, and there is ... was ... a small town outside the keep. Karnak had six hundred m
en under his command. The Vagrians poured into Skoda and surrounded Margate, demanding our sur­render. We refused and held off their attacks for the first day, then watched as they made their night camp. We had lost sixty men during the day, but we were holding well and the Vagrians believed they had us all in their net.'