The Bloody Quarrel (The Complete Edition) (23 page)

“Faster!” Fallon roared at the men.

After a quarter moon of training the men solidly with their weapons, he was moving on to the next stage. They still worked with weapons in the morning but, in the afternoon, he drilled them through the city. The Kottermani confidence was a weapon he hoped to use against them.

“Stand your ground then, at my order, run as if you’re breaking. Then reform the line!” he bellowed at the group of fifty he was working on.

At his orders they formed a line bristling with spears, four deep, which filled the road. If the Kottermanis tried to break that, they would be shredded by the massed iron points. But if they stood back and tried to use their bows, his men could not stand. There would be crossbow parties up on the roofs but they would be no match for the Kottermani bows. No, the only way to beat them would be to make the Kottermanis think they were breaking. A soldier’s first instinct on seeing a running enemy would be to chase them. That should bring them onto the spears – and make their advance more ragged as well.

“Duck down!” he roared and the four ranks tried to shelter behind the one line of shields. It was a pitiful protection and he knew they could not hope to withstand an arrow attack like that.

“Now run! Like you mean it! Look scared!”

The group broke up, the tight ranks dissolving, men looking over their shoulders as they ran, some of them stumbling, others nearly colliding with the wall or with each other.

“They are all keeping their spears. That could make the Kottermanis suspicious,” Bran said as he watched with Fallon.

“A second time, yes,” Fallon judged. “But the first time they witness this, they will see what they want – men running from them.”

Bran nodded and they watched the chaotic retreat down the street.

Fallon cupped his hands around his mouth. “Form the line!” he shouted.

It was a clumsy thing compared to their earlier attempt but they shuffled together and the spears came out and soon there was an impenetrable line across the road once more.

“Would you like to break through that?” Fallon asked as they walked down the road.

“Not really, no,” Bran agreed. “But can they do it without you yelling at them?”

“They’d better,” Fallon said flatly.

“Can’t we get the wizards to help us? Surely some magic could help defeat the Kottermanis?”

Fallon grimaced. He had already had that conversation, several times, with his friends. “I don’t trust those bastards,” he said. “Risk all our lives on the Guilds? We rely on ourselves and nobody else!”

*

“How heavy are those?” Fallon inspected the special ladders Brendan had designed. Each of them was more than three times the height of a man and had hooked ends at both top and bottom. They also had close-fitting rungs as, unlike normal ladders, these were designed to get crossbowmen from one roof to another without them having to climb down.

Brendan picked up one with a grunt, but only just. “Two men can move them. Three would be better though,” he said.

“And if they have to dump them?”

Brendan bent to demonstrate. “Pull these iron pins out of the middle and it’s in half. Then you can just kick it off the roof,” he said.

Fallon patted the big smith on the back. “How many have we got?”

“This is the fourth. But we’ll have the rest done by the end of tomorrow.”

Fallon admired the device. It was an idea straight from the child snatchers who had terrorized Berry for moons. The three hundred crossbowmen he had would be split up into ten companies and given these ladders. They could then move across the rooftops, retreating or advancing as necessary to keep raining bolts down on the Kottermanis. From up high they could stay out of the way of the Kottermani bowmen as they reloaded – and also make themselves smaller targets.

“It feels strange to making all these preparations, knowing we will be long gone by the time the Kottermanis get here. I wonder how these lads will go without us,” Brendan said softly.

Fallon nodded. “I know. But for Aroaril’s sake don’t say it too loud!” he hissed.

Brendan hit him on the chest lightly. “Here comes the King,” he muttered.

Fallon was about to hit him back harder and mock him for such a lame attempt at a jest, when he heard the footsteps and turned hurriedly to see King Aidan approaching, Kelty and Regan at his shoulders, a handful of guards behind.

“How is my army progressing?” the King asked brightly, waving them up as they sank to one knee.

“Well, sire. These are the ladders our crossbowmen can use to move from roof to roof, staying one step ahead of the Kottermanis.” Fallon stepped aside to show Aidan the work.

“Excellent! And where will you be during the fight?”

Fallon did not hesitate. “I will be on the roofs, so I can see what is happening. I shall have a few guards with flags and several trumpeters, so they can signal down to the different units. We shall have one of these ladders, so we can quickly get from one point to another. Our whole strategy is to split up the Kottermanis and prevent them from using their numbers. We want them to be confused, for we know what we are doing.”

King Aidan smiled broadly and rubbed his hands together. “Perfect. I cannot wait until we visit slaughter on those bastards! And then you can drag Prince Kemal before me and we shall so terrify him that they will never again cross the sea to threaten us!”

“How will you do that, sire?” Fallon asked innocently, hoping he would get an answer.

But Aidan merely held up his hand. “That is for another day,” he said with a half-smile. “But, tell me, where is your son? I hear he has been helping inspire my new soldiers!”

“Indeed he has, sire.” Fallon bowed his head. “But he is with friends today, taking a break from training men.”

“A wise idea,” Aidan agreed. “Truly, it was a lucky day for this country when you walked into my court! Well, don’t let me stop you. Keep going: I know there must be a hundred things that demand your attention, Captain!”

Fallon and Brendan bowed as the King walked away.

“There’s another who is in love with Captain Fallon,” Brendan muttered.

“I look forward to the day when I break his heart,” Fallon said coldly.

*

That thought accompanied him through the streets as he headed off to the Moneylenders’ Guildhouse, where Kerrin had spent the day with Asil and Orhan. The boy had not wanted to miss a whole day of training but, for the first time, Fallon sensed he was actually happy to play with the Kottermanis. While it was good to see the recruits adopt his son as one of their own, it was even better to see him running around like a normal little boy, rather than a grim recruit, always doing extra running. He had actually been woken one morning by grunts and groans as Kerrin worked out fiercely in their room, even though he would face a whole day of training. Just what had he turned his son into?

The streets were still full of groups of recruits, most of them coming back to the square after training, and he greeted each one, taking their cheers and salutes until it felt as though his face would crack from smiling so much.

He wondered if he might be able to bring them with him. Leaving them to fight the Kottermanis without him seemed like cowardice. There were plenty of ships in the harbor, after all. But then he thought about all their families as well – and the prospect that Cavan’s secret island would not be able to support so many. Even taking down King Aidan and leaving the Duchess in his place was not going to be much comfort, but he could not see another choice.

He checked around carefully before hurrying down a side street to bring him out near the Moneylenders’ square. Even though Berry was overcrowded, this place was quiet, thanks, no doubt, to all the battles and bloodshed scaring people off. But he was always looking over his shoulder as he got close, and liked to double back down an alley or two, just in case. He could never forget that the Kottermanis had agents searching the city for Feray and her sons and the King had his own spies scattered through Berry as well.

Once he was sure he was alone, he slipped into the square to see a ball game under way: the three boys raced around, laughing.

He smiled at that and then tensed as a pair of villagers appeared at his side. “Anyone come around?” he asked.

“Nobody,” they confirmed. “But some of that laughter might be getting a bit loud.”

“I’ll speak to them,” Fallon promised, although he liked to hear Kerrin laugh. It had been a rare enough thing lately.

He walked over to where Feray watched the game, calling out advice. Devlin was about ten paces away, leaning up against a doorway, and he waved to Fallon. Fallon was about to go over to his friend when an impulse made him go and stand near Feray instead, where he clapped as Asil made a particularly fine kick.

“They have learned fast. They are very skilled,” he said, thinking that every mother liked to talk about her children.

She glanced at him and for a moment he thought she would turn away and he would have to go and speak with Devlin instead, but she was distracted by Orhan making a strong catch.

“That was even better.” Fallon applauded.

“They have only trained with swords before, not really played these games,” Feray said reluctantly.

“Well, they have quick feet and hands and good eyes; you must be proud,” Fallon said, keeping his eyes on the boys, looking sidelong at Feray.

“I always was,” she said.

He took a deep breath. He could either keep going with these harmless statements or say something of worth. “I am sorry about what happened and about keeping you here,” he said softly. “More than you can know. Believe me, I never wanted any of this to happen. But your husband came to our village in the night and took all our wives and children. He may have had the permission of our King but we knew nothing of it until we returned home to find our homes empty. As soon as our families are back, you shall return to your husband, I swear to you.”

She said nothing and he just kept watching the game, wondering if she was going to pretend not to have heard anything.

“But can I believe you?” she asked. “Without us, you have no hold over my husband and no way to stop his vengeance.”

“I give you my word,” Fallon said. After all, they would not be staying in Gaelland and Kemal would never find them.

“Words are easy. Did you not swear you were telling the truth when you lured my husband into your trap? Would you offer Kerrin’s life on your word? Pledge for Aroaril to take him if you lie?”

Fallon hesitated. That was far more than he wanted to commit. Kerrin’s life was the one thing he could never, would never risk. Feray snorted in derision and he thought of the men he was training and how this woman might be able to save their lives by persuading her husband to make a peace deal with a new ruler of Gaelland.

“I swear on Kerrin’s life,” he said heavily. “And that is the strongest pledge I could ever make. As my wife saved him, as we battle now to save her – that is how I will fight to see you and your boys back with your husband.”

*

Feray heard Fallon’s words and hated him for them. Each one was worming its way inside her defenses, inside the wall she had put around her to survive this. When you hated your captors, it was easier to survive each day, for that warmed you and thoughts of revenge enabled you to get through whatever was needed to make the time pass. But her boys had begun to enjoy playing with Kerrin, to look forward to it as the one bright spot in each day. She could not deny them that. Yet with it had come sympathy for these people. As much as she tried to hold on to her anger, she could see herself and Kemal in what they had done. If anyone had stolen Asil or Orhan, she would have torn their throats out with her teeth, let alone threatened to hurt their loved ones.

If Fallon had still been angry and mad, the crazed man who had held a knife to Orhan’s eye, it would have been easy to despise him. But it was harder to stop herself talking to this man, the one who spoke easily about the children.

That was dangerous. She knew Kemal would come back with Fallon and his men’s families. He would not risk anything happening to her or the boys. But he would also come seeking revenge for what Fallon had done and she could see the day when Fallon, his wife and son were under Kemal’s power and she would be forced to watch them being tortured.

“I cannot do this,” she said, the words torn from her.

“What’s that?” he asked, his voice still light.

“You think that this will be over when my husband returns? I can understand what you did, even if I hate you for it, but he will never accept it. It will never be over,” she said fiercely.

Fallon turned to her. “But surely, understanding each other is the first step,” he said. “I understand your husband as I know myself. We are alike in what we feel for our families. Surely if we can find common ground there, we can find common ground for our people, our countries?”

“It doesn’t work like that,” she said irritably. “And while he might understand you, he will never forgive or forget. Can you?”

“If my wife and my men’s families are returned to us, then yes, we can,” he replied.

“Then you will never be able to rule a country, like my husband.”

“Really? I thought being a leader was putting aside your own thoughts for the good of your people?” he countered. “Look at our sons playing. Does that not say we can find a way to live together?”

She looked at the boys playing and shook her head.

“Well, it does not matter overmuch. I will be gone from this land, as will the rest of us,” Fallon said. “He can take his revenge against Gaelland but he will never find us.”

She sighed. “This was never about revenge. We hoped to help Gaelland, to see it freed from the rule of a mad king. With my husband controlling the country, life for many would get better.”

“Except for those sent to work for the glory of your empire,” Fallon said. “You have felt what it is like to be kept against your will in a strange place, away from those you know and love. Would you wish it on others?”

She bit her lip, knowing she had no answer. Things that seemed so simple back on the ship, or in the first few turns of the hourglass after being kidnapped from the ship with her sons, were now more complicated.