The Hollow: At The Edge (7 page)

When no one made
themselves present, Snow shrugged, and called out, “Hello?”

Serrel heard a few
faint whispers, then the sound of wooden shutters slamming
closed.

“These people are
clearly glad to see us,” noted Brant drily.

“It’s not as if we’re
coming to save them from a gods damn civil war or anything,”
muttered Holly.

Snow went up to the
longhouse, and knocked on the think double doors. “Hello? Is anyone
there? We are members of Her Imperial Legion, and we would like to
speak to someone in charge.”

There was another burst
of faint, and this time somewhat heated, whispering. Then a thud as
the doors were unsecured. They opened just enough for a giant man
with greying hair to squeeze his way out, then slammed shut again.
Several loud bangs suggested it was being barricaded again.

The man towered over
all the Hounds. He looked down at Snow fearlessly.

“My name is Asbjorn
Martinsson,” he said in a deep voice. “I speak for the village. If
it is food you want, please take what you will and go. We have
nothing else of value.”

“We aren’t raiders,
good sir,” said Snow. “We mean you no harm. I am Captain Tobias
Snow. As I said, we are members of Her Imperial Legion.”

“Yes. I heard you. That
means nothing to us. What do you want?”

“Information perhaps?
We are on our way to Vollumir.”

“On foot, it’s three
days journey north. Stay on the main roads, and do not go into the
forests.”

“That’s very helpful.
Thank you,” Snow said politely. “Have you seen any other soldiers
on the roads, or perhaps moving cross country? Elves perhaps.”

“No. No one comes out
here, except the occasional tax collector.”

“No one at all?”

Asbjorn Martinsson’s
face was perfectly blank. “What difference does it make? If there
is nothing else, please be on your way.”

“There is no need to be
afraid of us, Mister Martinsson. We are here to help.”

At this, Martinsson
snorted. “Help us? What help do we need?”

“You are aware of
the... unpleasantness occurring in Vollumir?”

“In my experience,
there is always unpleasantness in Vollumir. It makes no difference
to us.”

Caellix shook her head.
“There’s a civil war brewing in your country, and it doesn’t matter
to you?”

“Why would it? What
does it matter to us who is in charge? We stay out of the way, and
no one gets hurt. Now, please, I must insist that you leave.”

“Or what?”

“Sergeant,” Snow said
gently. Caellix fell silent. He turned back to Martinsson. “I’m
sorry for any inconvenience we may caused you. We will be on our
way.”

Martinsson took a step
backwards to the door of the longhouse, but didn’t go back inside.
He glared at the Hounds as they retreated back down the street.

“Definitely not happy
to see us,” commented Serrel.

“He’s hiding
something,” said Caellix. “I could smell it on him.”

“Most likely he was,”
said Snow. “But whether it has anything to do with us is another
matter. So unless they’ve managed to squirrel away an entire army
in one of these little houses, I think maybe we should move on.
Once the Legion’s passed by, he might feel more inclined to speak
with us, especially if we offer him gold in return for his
time.”

“We’re here to help
them,” put in Holly. “Shouldn’t they want to talk to us,
anyway?”

“They’re just afraid. I
mean, look at the Sergeant. Wouldn’t you be afraid? You could try
to be a little less intimidating sometimes, Caellix.”

Caellix scowled under
her war paint. “I
am
being less intimidating.”

During the entire
conversation with Martinsson, the group could hear a deep rhythmic
booming sound that grew steadily louder and louder. Now as they
watched, the Imperial Legion marched up the track in perfect
formation. Over a thousand armed men and women in their green
uniform, and at the very lead was the shining figure of General
Dillaini riding on horseback. It was an imposing sight, and one
that was hardly going to go unnoticed.

“Should she be up front
like that?” Serrel asked.

“Our new General is
very bold woman, Caster,” Snow replied.

“Or very sure of her
immortality,” put in Caellix in a low voice.

They stood to attention
as Dillaini rode up to them, accompanied by two soldiers in
matching steel armour and several lower ranking officers also on
horseback.

“Report, Snow,” she
said by way of greeting.

“Small village, Ma’am.
The resident elder says they haven’t seen anything out of the
ordinary. Well,” Snow added, glancing back at Martinsson, who still
stood glaring at them. “At least until now.”

“And you believe
him?”

“I don’t believe he
would have any reason to lie. But I feel that once he sees we are
not a threat, he might be more open to cooperating.”

“He is subject of the
Empress,” Dillaini stated flatly. “He is duty bound to offer us
aid.”

“I’m not sure he feels
the same way, Ma’am.”

“Does he not?” she said
returning Martinsson glare. She dismounted. “You!” she called to
Martinsson. “Come here! NOW!”

Snow shifted
uncomfortably. “Ma’am I...”

“How long have you been
a Captain, Snow?”

“A few weeks now,
Ma’am.”

“Then you still have a
lot to learn. You! Here now!
Do not make me repeat
myself
!”

Snow held his tongue as
Martinsson approached Dillaini, still eyeing her defiantly.

“Do you know who I am?”
Dillaini asked him.

“No.”

“I am Arch-General
Dillaini of Her Imperial Legion, and you answer me truthfully and
respectfully. If you don’t, it will go very hard on you. Now, have
you or any of your people seen enemy soldiers in this area?”

Martinsson’s was rigid.
“Yes. I am looking at one right now.”

Snow sighed. The two
other mounted soldiers slid from their horses.

“You regard me as an
enemy combatant?” Dillaini asked in a low voice.

“I know a bully when I
see one.”

“That wasn’t what I
asked. Since you are clearly ignorant of the proper way to address
a general in Her Imperial Legion, I will ask you one more time, and
you will be civil or I will cut out your tongue. Have you or yours
seen any enemy soldiers in this area?”

Martinisson clenched
his jaw. “No, General. I have not.”

Dillaini stared him in
the eye. “You’re lying. Take him.”

The two armoured
soldiers seized Martinsson by the arms. He struggled, and being far
bigger than them, almost succeeded in pulling himself free.
Dillaini stepped up, and punched him hard in the gut. Martinsson
doubled over gasping, and the soldiers forced him to his knees,
twisting his arms behind his back.

Serrel stared in shock.
He took an impulsive step forwards, and Caellix elbowed him roughly
in the stomach, and shot him a glare that asked,
Are you really
that stupid
?

Dillaini drew her sword
and held it at Martinsson’s throat.

“Where are the
soldiers?” she demanded.

“
What soldiers
?”
Martinsson asked in exasperation.

“
The elves, you
maggot! Where are the elves
?”

“Elves? By the gods,
you stupid woman, there were three elves passed by days ago! But
they weren’t soldiers! They were dressed like noblemen, but all
ragged like they had been travelling!”

“Three elves! You
expect me to believe only three elves passed by here?”

“It’s the truth! They
stayed but half a day! I even offered them a bed for the night, but
they turned me down.”

“Where did they
go?”

“I don’t know! Last I
saw they were headed east, into the forest.”

“Is that where the army
is hiding?”

“I don’t know of any
army!”

“The main road goes
right by your shitty little village, man! Are you telling me you
failed to notice a bloody army of elves marching right by you? Are
blind or stupid?”

“There was no army! Not
until you lot came by!”

“You’re a lying little
maggot, and a traitor, and I will get the truth from you,” Dillani
promised.

She stood upright and
addressed the closed and barricaded doors of the village.

“People of Martin’s
Rest! You are guilty of harbouring a traitor to the empire, and of
colluding with the enemy! On behalf of the Empress, I hereby
confiscate all of your property, until such time as I determine
that you are not enemies of the Empire! If you do not leave your
filthy homes and present yourselves for questioning in the next ten
seconds, I will personally raze this worthless little mound of shit
to the ground, and execute you all for treason!”

She fell silent, and
waited for a moment. Then she started counting, “One...
Two
...”

The doors on the
nearest house few open, and a man and a woman with several crying
children emerged with arms raised.

“Arrest them all,”
Dillaini told one of her officers, who were all watching with
stunned expressions. “Kill anyone who resists. Question them,
search their houses. Burn a few if you have to, I don’t care. But
there is supposed to be an army here, waiting for us, and I want it
found, NOW!”

“Yes, Ma’am,” said one
of the officers quickly.

“Ma’am,” Snow bravely
stepped forwards. “If there were elves here, they would be long
gone by now. But if my Hounds and I could search-”

“Roth!” Dillaini
ignored him, and called to her second in command. “This is a good
location for our first camp. It’s easily defensible, and close
enough to the beach to set up a supply chain. Get the men to
work.”

“Yes, General.”

“And get a squad of
your men together and go take a look for these elves. If they’re
still around, I want them found and brought to me. And you,” she
turned back to Snow. “Take your Hounds and scout the surrounding
area, so we don’t get any more little surprises. Do you think you
can handle that, Captain?”

“Yes, Ma’am,” Snow said
stiffly.

“Good. Then get to
work.”

She stormed away, as
the street filled with the screaming, crying, and begging people of
Martin’s Rest being escorted from their homes.

As the two soldiers
dragged him away, Martinsson shot Snow an ugly look, then called to
him, “Snow! Snow, you bastard, listen to me!”

“Hold!” Snow called to
the soldiers. He turned to Martinsson. “I am sorry that this-”

“Shut up and listen.
The gods know you all deserve everything you get, but I don’t want
you bringing death on my people. Stay out of the forest!”

Snow looked at him.
“What’s in the forest? Is there an army in the forest? Did you lie
to us?”

“I told you, I don’t
know a gods damned thing about any army. But the forest...”
Martinsson swallowed. “It isn’t right. It hasn’t been right for
some time now. I don’t when it started but... There are things in
there, Snow.”

“What things?”

“No one’s seen them
clearly. No one wants to. But you go too deep in that forest, you
won’t come out again. There are monsters in that forest, Snow.
Worse monsters than you and your bloody General. And they will kill
you all.”

Snow split the Hounds
into two groups, one to guard the east side of the new camp, and
one to guard the west side. Caellix took command of the west side
group and led them out into the tree line. They spread out to sweep
the forests in twos. Serrel noted that this was the very forest
they were told to stay clear of, and despite himself felt glad
Caellix had made him walk with her.

Mostly glad,
anyway.

They walked in silence.
Serrel was in awe of how the sergeant moved. Every step was
measured and quiet. She slunk through the undergrowth with an
almost animal like ability. He felt so clumsy and uncoordinated by
comparison. His every movement seemed to elicit some rustle of
leaves or snapping of twigs that seemed impossibly loud amongst the
quiet trees. Judging from the looks Caellix occasionally cast back
at him, she was having the same thought.

Without warning, she
stood upright, and sighed.

“What were you going to
do?” she asked unexpectedly.

“What do you mean?”

“Were you going to run
over to the General and ask her nicely to stop?”

Serrel shrugged. “I
don’t know! I just didn’t like what she was doing. It wasn’t
necessary.”

“You’ve been in the
Legion, what, all of a month, and suddenly you know what’s best,
Fresh Meat?”

“I grew up around
places like this. He didn’t know anything.”

“Of course he didn’t
know anything. But you don’t tell that to the General.”

Now Serrel sighed. “I
just don’t like people like that. Bullies who push people
around.”

“Me neither. My people
have strong views on the subject. But she’s the General. You don’t
question your superiors in the Legion, Fresh Meat.”

“Yes, Sergeant. I’ll
behave in future, Sergeant.”

“Don’t use that
hen-pecked voice on me, Fresh Meat.”

“I don’t have a
hen-pecked voice... And why are you yelling at me? Aren’t we
supposed to be... I don’t know, stealthy or something?”

“Why?” Caellix held up
her arms and turned in a circle, shouting, “There’s nothing out
here!”

“Shh!”

“Don’t shush me! I know
when there’s nothing around. The only footprints I can find were
Wells’. A fox came through here not long ago, and there’s an owl
nest in the tree above you. There is no, and never has been, an
army out here.”

“So why does the
General think there is?”

“Logic? That beach is
the best landing spot for an invading army. Further up north takes
us too close to Fort Etten. Down south is mostly cliffs. The rebels
would know that. They should have had a defence set, just waiting
for us. They knew we were coming. Hell, if they were the ones that
set the sea monsters on us, then there’s no reason for them not to
be waiting for us. With manticores, or... death worms.”