Siege of Pailtar (31 page)

Sharon, who had been listening to the conversation between Nathan and Everet, echoed his sentiments, “Come on let’s go.” Sharon didn’t like being indebted to the duke. Her face spoke volumes.

True to his word, Colby and his men met them at the docks. They were busy dousing the docks in oil when they got there.

As they boarded the Wandering Mistress, Nathan turned to Colby, “Anything else you need to do? Or can we leave?”

Arrows struck the ship. The soldiers from the wall had found more friends, a large number of them. The walls behind the gates had been breached. They were making their way down the docks.

“I vote we leave, now!” said Colby as he jumped aboard.

Using large oars to push the Wandering Mistress away from the docks the sailors launched the ship.

Lilliana stood at the side of the ship, and lifted her hand. A small feather was sitting on her palm. She blew on the feather and it floated and sailed over the edge of the ship, fluttering in the air until it was just about to land on the docks. Then it suddenly burst into flames. The flaming feather ignited the oil-soaked docks. With a whoosh, the docks caught fire. The flames raced down the docks towards shore. The Morthon soldiers who were on the dock dove into the water to avoid the flames while those on shore backed away.

Lilliana turned to Nathan, “Nathan Stoneblood, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Lilliana Clairmont and this is my daughter Kiana. You and your friends arrived just in time. We had meant to hold off the Meron soldiers while Colby and his men poisoned the wells. But we got pinned down, and might not have made it if your friends hadn’t shown up.”

“Lilliana, Kiana, it is nice to meet you. Queen Avera requested that we keep an eye out for you.”

“Queen Avera?” asked Lilliana.

Nathan nodded. “Yes. King Verbon was killed during an attack by Darcarion mages on Balthazar and my friend Ava. They were trying to get the tomes of the Red Order, but Balthazar burned them first.”

“I’m sorry for the loss of your uncle. I know your Aunt, she will make a fine queen,” said Avera. “I’m surprised to hear Balthazar was killed.”

“You knew of him?” asked Nathan.

“I knew him. He wasn’t originally from Balta. We actually were in the same order once.”

Someone who knew Balthazar’s origins! Nathan immediately thought of Ava. “Lilliana, do you know much about Balthazar’s magic?”

“I know some. I’m sure he’s learned much in the years, that is beyond me,” replied Lilliana.

“When the Darcarions exploded themselves, Balthazar covered my friend Ava in a blue magic.”

Lilliana looked at Nathan closely, “How would you know that?”

“Ava and I had a magical connection. I could see her memories and hear her thoughts. It was hazy during the attack, but the last thing I saw was blue magical energy and then the explosion.”

“So that explains how Balthazar died. He sacrificed himself for your friend. That was a teleportation spell that he used on your friend.”

“Teleportation?” asked Nathan. “You mean he moved her body?”

“You said you have a magical connection to her. Did it feel like she died?” asked Lilliana.

“No, it felt like she disappeared, she was just gone.”

“He teleported her, if she had died you would have felt much different. A magical connection is a strong bond. Death for one feels like your soul has been ripped in two.”

Nathan was filled with a great relief. “Why can’t I feel her then?” Doubt was hard to let go of.

“That is strange. She physically never showed up anywhere? Did Balthazar have a laboratory?

“Only his house, and a small one at the castle.”

“If she didn’t end up in the castle then she ended up somewhere else Balthazar has performed the teleportation spell from. It’s a very powerful spell, he probably hasn’t used it since he left the order.”

“The order?” asked Nathan. He could barely hold in his excitement. He always had known Ava wasn’t dead, but now he had a clue as to what really happened.

“The Order of Crows, dark mages and witches.”

“Do you know where they are?” asked Nathan.

“No. When I knew Balthazar, we were on one of the western Isles. But Balthazar left for another land. I don’t know exactly where he went.”

“So I won’t be able to find her?” asked Nathan, his excitement fading fast.

“You might be able to. I actually know someone who would likely know where to look.”

“Who?”

“Your grandfather. Balthazar went to Northern Solotine. The Order of Crows had a powerful leader from the far north. I believe Balthazar went to study with him, but where they were located was a secret.”

Nathan swallowed a hard lump in his throat. His emotions were now resurfacing from where he had locked them.  Far Northern Solotine was a hard land, full of enemies to the Stoneblood family. His instincts told him she was alive, but trapped in some magical state. Lilliana had filled him with hope. Hope that Ava could be retrieved from some magical altered state.

…

Severa was applying a bandage to a cut Everet had suffered during the battle when Sharon approached him.

“Are you here to kill me?” asked Everet.

“No. I’m here to tell you that I will never forget what you did to the people of Elderwood. I know Bailmont was behind much of it, but he was your dog. I also won’t forget the help you have given to the people of Balta. Your messages prevented King Ganus from getting the lost tomes, and exposed the traitor. I won’t be trying to kill you.” Despite her words, Sharon still had mixed feelings and at the slights sign of betrayal would gladly kill her old enemy, but for now she would show her appreciation for his more recent actions.

Everet stared at Sharon. He had expected a different reaction. He thought all the good he had done would be glossed over and she would focus on the evil that he had done. Everet couldn’t deny he had done evil. His past was filled with evil and violence, not all of it was his doing, but he would not deny his share. “I appreciate that you no longer will try to kill me.. I am sorry for the pain and suffering I’ve caused you.”

“I also need to thank you for saving me during the battle, both of you.” Sharon included Serena in her look of gratitude.

“When someone comes to rescue you, it is customary to make sure they survive the rescue attempt,” said Everet. “Without you and your pirate friend, we’d be corpses on the streets of Pailtar right now. So, I’d say we’re even on the ‘saving each other’ today.”

Sharon smirked the tiniest bit, “I might not have run so fast if I’d known who I was saving.” Nothing was closer to the truth than that statement.

Everet laughed. This attitude was something he could understand. This was not the same young woman whom he had kidnapped back in Elderwood. She was stronger, tougher. Everet respected this new Sharon. She was a warrior. “I’m glad you didn’t know. Tell me
,
Sharon, does Nathan want to kill me?”

Sharon shrugged, “That’s between you and Nathan. I don’t think he has revenge on his mind, he understands the risk you took in sending him those messages. Even if it was for your own gain, it helped his family. However, I’ll tell you this … If Nathan ever changes his mind you should run. I might be able to kill you, I’m pretty decent with a sword now, but Nathan would destroy you. He’s dangerous in a way neither you or I could ever be.”

Everet nodded, “I once faced the prospect of fighting your Nathan. He had just rescued you and killed all my men, including Bailmont. That day I chose to run instead of risking death at the hands of a child. My vanity demanded that I not die with Bailmont. Today, if I was faced with the same choice I’d probably run again, not from vanity or fear, but because I have a reason to live. I have no intentions of ever crossing Nathan Stoneblood again.”

…

Kiana sat with her mother, watching the shore. They had informed the captain of the ship that the rest of the people of Pailtar were walking up the coastline towards Balta. He assured them that they would sail along the coast and pick up the survivors. Kiana didn’t know which of her friends were still alive and which had been killed during the mercenary attacks. There had been no time. They had been so focused on preparing the defenses for the armies of Meron that she never really spoke to anyone to find out. Now that she was safely aboard the Wandering Mistress, Kiana worried about her friends. She worried about her future. Pailtar had been her home, the only place she had ever known. Now it was in the hands of the enemy.

“What are you thinking of, Kiana?” asked her mother.

“I was thinking of my friends, I wonder how many are still alive? So many people we know are dead. Our homes are lost. What becomes of us now?”

“We live. We find our friends that are still alive and we make the best of it. Pailtar was a good place, I loved it because it was where your father was. But now we’ll go elsewhere and make a new home.”

“In Balta?” asked Kiana.

“We’ll start at Balta. If not there, we’ll go to the Western Isles.”

“What about King Ganus?”

“I don’t know, my dear,” said Lilliana. “We’ll see what Queen Avera says. But eventually we’ll have to fight him. He won’t be satisfied until he rules all of Mithbea.”

“I guess we’ll be keeping up the magic studies.”

“Yes, just because the Guild school is gone doesn’t mean you won’t be studying. I’ll be doing your teaching now. You are going to be learning more magic.”

Kiana was okay with that. During the attacks on Pailtar she had been using a lot of magic, far more than she had ever before tried. She had relied heavily on her magic ring to give her the energies she needed, but there was no contest. Kiana couldn’t have helped nearly as much without using magic. Whatever the future had in store for her, Kiana knew magic would be a big part of it.
 

39

Pailtar

LIKE A KING, HASSAN TULUR STRODE up the streets of Pailtar. Victory was his.

They had lost many men trying to gain entry to the city, and they had failed to kill many of the people of Pailtar, but it mattered not. Pailtar was his. Now King Ganus would have a port to launch his war against Balta, and then across the narrow strait and into Venecia. Hassan would be a powerful man! People would tremble at his name.

“Sir, there is no one here. Pailtar has been abandoned,” said one of his lieutenants.

“I’m no idiot. I can see that,” said Hassan. Why was this fool trying to wreck his moment?

“But sir, they took all the food and water with them.”

“Impossible. What of the city
’s
grain storages?”

“They set fire to the warehouses. They also set fire to the docks.”

“Ignorant peasants,” swore Hassan. “Have the refugees tracked down and captured. Make them rebuild the warehouses and docks.”

“We don’t have enough water to send our men after them.”

“Then fill your water bags from the wells. Did you hit your head? Why are you bothering me with these stupid questions?”

Nervously, the lieutenant stood there. “There’s more, Sir.”

“What?” asked Hassan.

“They poisoned the wells. There is no fresh water in Pailtar.”

No food. No water. Hassan stopped walking and spun around looking at the deserted city. A minute ago it had been his crowning glory, now he realized it was a death trap. Pailtar without water was nothing. They could not maintain a large force. He could not stay in Pail
t
ar.”

As Hassan contemplated the enormity of the situation, Balar Arfa, came walking up the street. “Congratulations on your great success, Hassan.”

Hassan narrowed his eyes, and squinted at the smarmy southern commander. “Yes, a great victory indeed.”

“Yes, You have captured an empty city. Tell me, Hassan, where did the people go?”

“They fled.”

“Ah, they fled. Were you not supposed to surround the city until we arrived, to prevent that from happening?”

“We gained the city, and we didn’t need you to do that.”

“Yes, you gained a city, yet it is one with no food, no water, and no slaves. King Ganus will be so pleased. I’ll be returning south now, I’ll send King Ganus word of your great success. Perhaps he will send you enough water to maintain your prize.”

Hassan was furious, this upstart southerner had no business questioning his tactics. King Ganus be damned. Hassan had won Pailtar!

“We’ll be leaving now, good luck ruling your new territory,” said Balar Arfa.

“We could use water and some food,” said Hassan.

Balar Arfa shook his head, “My ships barely have enough for our return home. We have no water for you, nor can we offer you passage. You will have to figure out your own problems. But I’m sure you’ll manage.”

As Balar Arfa and his men returned to their ships, Hassan clenched his fists in frustration. How had things gone so wrong? From the loss of their supply wagons crossing the deserts, to the anti-magic runes outside Pailtar and the deadly pits, not to mention those damned trolls. The whole campaign was a disaster. King Ganus would be furious.

Hassan turned to his lieutenant, “How many people could return to Meron with the water we have?”

“Perhaps fifty,” said the lieutenant.

Fifty! Hassan had marched almost ten thousand men across the desert. “Prepare to leave. Order the rest of the men to dig new wells. Perhaps they will survive.” Hassan knew this was not likely. The wells of Pailtar were very deep and all shared the same water source, if one well was poisoned, the new wells would likely be poisoned as well. The men were going to die of dehydration and there was nothing he could do to prevent it. He could only return to King Ganus and hope for mercy.

Pailtar was now a dead city.
 

40

Balta

QUEEN AVERA MET THE SHIPS at the docks. During the sail home, they had found the refugees on the coast, they also spotted the ships carrying Pailtar’s old and young. The people of Pailtar were reunited on the docks of Balta.