Demontech: Rally Point: 2 (Demontech Book 2) (20 page)

“Quiet, quiet please!” the mayor shouted over the hubbub. He, the two Frangerian Marines, and Captain Stonearm were behind a table on a small stage at one end of the packed room. The other three sat—Spinner and Haft on one side of the mayor looked bemused, Stonearm to the other was expressionless—the mayor stood.

“Quiet, quiet!” The mayor held one hand above his head, pounded a gavel on the table with the other. The excited people ignored him as they shouted greetings to friends on opposite sides of the large room, repeated to each other constantly growing stories of what had happened at the bandit base, laughed for joy at their imagined release from danger at the hands of the bandits.

“Quiet please!” The mayor’s voice grew querulous, and he looked helplessly to his sides.

Stonearm nodded and stood, looking out over the crowd. He filled his chest and roared out,
“Quiet!”
in the kind of carrying, penetrating voice that only sergeants ever develop.

Silence filled the auditorium.

The guard commander looked about with the expression drill sergeants reserve for recruits so impertinent as to think they’re good enough to be soldiers. Some of the real soldiers in the room hid smiles and chuckles behind their hands, most of the people without military experience sat down and leaned back timorously.

Satisfied that he had everyone’s undivided attention, he turned to the mayor and bowed. “Lord Mayor, I believe you have something to say?” He sat and the mayor stood.

“
Hrmpf.
Yes, I do. Thank you, Captain Stonearm.” He looked around the room, amazed that the guard commander had been able to accomplish so much with one word when his many words, hand signals, and poundings on the table had failed so abjectly.

“Captain Stonearm and a number of our valorous guardsmen, along with several of these worthy travelers who came among us yesterday—” Spinner elbowed Haft, who had just enough Zobran to understand who the mayor was giving credit to and was about to object—“have just returned from an, ah,
visit
to the bandits of Rockhold. I, and I’m sure you as well, would like to hear from the good captain exactly what happened there.” He bowed to Stonearm. “Captain, if you would be so good as to enlighten us.”

Stonearm looked past the mayor to Spinner and Haft. His eyes twinkled with amusement. Haft turned his glare on Stonearm, it was he and Spinner who had done most of the planning and led the raid, not Stonearm. Spinner clamped a restraining hand on Haft’s arm and nodded for Stonearm to go ahead. Spinner was more interested in the mayor’s unexpected change in attitude than he was in who got credit for what. Stonearm was well aware of who was responsible for the raid’s success, and he began with that.

“Let us give credit where it is due,” Stonearm began. “If it hadn’t been for these two bold Frangerian Marines, Spinner and Haft, and their band of brave warriors from many countries, our, ah,” he glanced at the mayor, “
visit
to Rockhold never would have happened, much less met with the success that it did.

“It began when these two Marines and four of the Skragland Blood Swords silently took out two bandit lookout posts. We then waited for the first stirring of dawn.” He went on to tell the rest of the action in detail, from the time the first fire arrow arched into the village until they withdrew, leaving all in chaos. “The entire action took about ten minutes.” He finished the narrative and chuckled. “Less time than it took to tell.

“I estimate that we burned down three-quarters of Rockhold with destruction of an unknown quantity of their goods and weapons, and scattered their horses so far it will take days—even weeks—to recover all of them. There may have been two hundred bandits assembled when we began. When we finished, there were not too many more than one hundred still alive and uninjured.” He stopped and looked to the mayor to see if he had any questions or comments.

Before the mayor could speak up a harsh voice rang from the audience, it was Alyline, the Golden Girl.

“Did you kill any women?”

Stonearm hesitated before answering. “Yes, I’m afraid we did. Some arrows meant for bandits went astray and struck women. Some others were trampled by the bandits’ stampeding horses. We did our best to avoid hurting women and children, our only interest was in killing the bandits. But anyone inside a battle is liable to be hurt or even killed, regardless of the intentions of the fighters. It is unfortunate that some women were hurt and possibly killed. I regret it. But those things happen.”

“What’s the matter with her?” Haft whispered harshly to Spinner. “She’s seen battles before—she’s seen worse than battle. She knows what can happen when the fighting starts!”

Spinner shook his head, he was as surprised as Haft.

Stonearm made to sit but stopped when another angry voice cried out, “What about children?”

Stonearm sighed. He looked at the questioner, but didn’t know her, though he’d seen her hovering near Spinner—it was Doli.

“Again,” he answered her, “it was as with the women. Some children were injured, some of them may have killed. I, and everyone else in the raiding party, regret that some women and children were casualties. Sometimes that cannot be avoided.” He sat before anyone else had a chance to ask questions.

A gloom briefly settled over the auditorium but it didn’t last long. If women and children had died in the raid, well, that was too bad, but they were among the bandits and the only way their deaths could have been avoided was to allow the bandits to ravage Eikby. The people knew the bandits didn’t hesitate to kill women and children on their raids.

The mayor stood and bowed to both his sides. To the assembly he said, “I thank, we all thank, Captain Stonearm and Masters Spinner and Haft, and all the members of the raiding party for their successful raid. Perhaps because of their efforts, this part of the Princedons will be safer for both towns and travelers in the future.” To the men at his sides he added, “If I have any more questions, I will ask you later. Thank you again.” Once more he faced front. “This town meeting is now adjourned.” He left by a door at the back of the stage, ignoring the questions shouted from the audience.

Stonearm signaled and exited with Spinner and Haft by the same door.

“What’s wrong with them?” Haft asked harshly as they left.

Spinner shook his head again. “I don’t know,” he said weakly.

The company now occupied space within the outermost houses, close inside the fences. Fletcher led the two Frangerian Marines and the other raiders to it when they left the town hall. The first order of business for Spinner and Haft was to see how the men wounded by the bandits were faring. The people who’d stayed behind during the raid and attended the town meeting followed on foot.

“That’s what’s wrong with them,” Spinner said with sudden revelation. “They have our wounded and dead from yesterday on their minds. Some of the bandits had attacked our women and children while the men fought the rest of them. They’re upset because of that, they think battle, they think women and children being attacked.”

Haft shook his head. “Alyline and Doli knew we were attacking a base before we left, a place that had women and children. They could have spoken up then.” He grimaced. “They’ve both seen battle, they know what happens—and they know we don’t make war on women and children.”

Spinner shrugged. He was satisfied with his answer. “They’ll get over it,” he said confidently.

Haft snorted; he wasn’t confident of anything where those two women were concerned.

Silent said nothing, he
knew
women’s minds worked in ways incomprehensible to men, and the upset of those two had nothing to do with bandit women and children.

None of the wounded had died overnight or that morning. The town’s healing magician was satisfied with their progress and had packed up his demons and carried them away. Only the company’s own healing witch and two of the older girls were in attendance in the makeshift hospital.

“They’re doing as well as can be expected,” Nightbird said. “Even better, thanks to Eikby’s healers.” She hesitated, then added grudgingly, “Even the healing magician and his demons were a help. Only one of the wounded is still in serious danger, and I believe he has a good chance of recovery.”

Spinner and Haft went from pallet to pallet speaking briefly with each person who was awake and able to talk. All were happy to see them, and happy about the successful raid. Spinner was in higher spirits when they finished, even Haft felt less grumbly.

“There she is,” Spinner said happily and pointed. “Let’s go talk to her.”

Haft looked and groaned. Alyline and Doli stood with their heads close together in intimate conversation as they darted glances at the two men. Haft thought their glances were distinctly unfriendly. Still, he followed. Even if Spinner was walking openly into an obvious drubbing, he had to go along to rescue his fellow Marine. Even when Spinner was being so stupid that he didn’t deserve rescue.

“Alyline, Doli!” Spinner said expansively when he neared them. He stepped close and slipped an arm around each—he felt so good after the night’s raid that he was willing to be friendly with Doli even before she brought herself to his attention.

He blinked in surprise when Doli twisted out of his arm to stand with her back to him, and Alyline pushed him away.

“What? Did I say something wrong?”

“You killed women!” Alyline, fists clenched at her sides, spat.

“You killed children!” Doli spun about and jabbed an accusing finger at him.

“No I didn’t!”

Haft bowed his head and covered his eyes with a hand; this was about what he thought would happen.

“Oh, you change your story now?” Alyline accused, stepping forward in a threatening manner.

“You said you did!” Doli exclaimed and advanced a step.

“But I never . . .”

“How many women and children are dead from your raid?” Alyline demanded, thrusting her angry face up to his.

“Murderer!” Doli jabbed a stiff finger into his chest.

“But . . .”

“You kill women and children, and expect me to allow you to put your bloody hands on me afterward?” Alyline spat into his face.

Doli elbowed Alyline aside so she could get directly in Spinner’s face. “You go out with a mere twenty men to attack a stronghold of more than two hundred bandits, and you expect me to greet you with open arms just because you’re lucky enough to live through it?”

Alyline barely glanced at Doli; she instantly turned her attention and ire on Haft. “Is that all you will ever be?” she scolded him. “A fool who forever rushes into situations that should kill you? How many times do you think you can get away with that?” She punctuated her questions with jabs that left fingernail impressions in the top of his chest just below his throat. “Sometimes I think you are learning, that you are becoming less of a fool. Then you turn around and do something like this! Do you
want
to die in hopeless combat?”

“But, But . . .” Haft backpedaled in a vain attempt to get away from her sharp nails.

“You keep raising my hopes and, every time, you do something stupid and dash them!” She jabbed her fist into his chest hard enough to stagger him back a step, then spun about and grabbed Doli’s arm. “Let’s go away before I get violent with them.”

“And you stink!” Doli shouted over her shoulder as Alyline dragged her away.

“Bu-But . . . ,” Spinner stammered.

Rubbing his sore chest, Haft grabbed Spinner’s arm and turned him about. “Time to go, Spinner. Let’s get out of here before they change their minds and come after us again.” He dragged his friend away. “Face it, Spinner,” Haft growled, “you just made a single-handed frontal assault on a well-defended position. You lost.” He shook his head, wondering why Alyline had turned on him the way she had. It was almost as though she cared what happened to him. He thought he’d rather not have her care. “Let’s go before our casualties get worse.”

When Spinner resisted, Haft grabbed him by the shoulders and turned him around by main force, then pushed him away. He sniffed. “Doli was right, we both need a bath. Let’s get one, then go into town.” He looked about for the campsite’s shower station.

At least the bucket-boys who kept the shower’s reservoir tank filled with warm water treated them with proper respect and admiration.

Later, when they were feeling refreshed if no happier, bathed and in clean clothes, they were about to head into Eikby proper when Captain Stonearm intercepted them. He wanted to show them the progress of the fence construction.

“The mayor always objected that putting up fences would take too long,” Stonearm observed, “unnecessarily take too much work away from agriculture and other activities.” He snorted derisively. “A thousand people have made short work of it.”

They certainly had. The frames of all the western and southern fences were up, and the northern fences were beginning to go up. The western fences had wire strung top and bottom. Workers were busy stringing the main wires on the rest of the frames; other teams were stringing vertical strands between the horizontal wires to make crossing the fence more difficult for footmen, and yet other teams were twisting short, pointed lengths of wire into barbs on the wires.

“When all is done, it will take a much larger band than we first expected to get through the fences in large enough force to defeat Eikby,” Stonearm said with great satisfaction. “If the Rockhold Band’s survivors are foolish enough to come now, we
will
defeat them.”

For their part, Spinner and Haft were very impressed with the progress.

Then Stonearm took them to where Fletcher and the Zobrans and Skraglanders who hadn’t gone on the raid were drilling the Eikby guard. When they arrived they found the soldiers using wooden swords to demonstrate how skilled troops with swords could defeat a larger number of less skilled swords- and pikemen. They were demonstrating on two squads of guards—swordsmen and pikemen who used their normal weapons.

“All I can reasonably say,” Fletcher calmly told the guardsmen, “is you weren’t as bad as the last time. This time you lasted almost two minutes—but you still didn’t hurt any of the attackers.” He shook his head sadly.