The Scarlet King (30 page)

Heather asked, "Would you maintain your
position here at the headland with a portion of your troops, or
transfer this responsibility to the one you call Don the
Great?"

The commander of the Red responded, "We have
many who are no longer able to travel quickly. I would assign them
this task, for I fear that if we cannot be prepared in a short time
your plan may fail." He then added, "It would be much shorter to
travel through the city."

Heather had a surprised look on her face and
replied, "If you and your troops could travel through the eastern
gate and exit the city through the secret passage, we would
maintain the element of surprise and reduce travel to the western
front by two days."

At his point their conversation was
interrupted by Jeremy, who reported that Edna had gone east based
on the partial message she had received from Jason. He had followed
her and arrived at a small cove just as their ship was setting
anchor. Edna had signaled and they acknowledged her signal as they
lowered one of the boats. In the boat was Jason, who asked before
the boat even landed, "Is Daniel here?"

Jeremy replied, "The healer is working on our
wounded about two hours from here."

Jason's anxiety was almost palpable as he
replied, "We need his services, for I fear without them we will
soon lose Captain Cook." He added, "It is all my fault and I wish
not his death to be in my hands."

Edna kept watch as Jeremy raced back to get
Daniel. Daniel had not yet arrived when the boat again approached
the shore. Daniel immediately stepped into the boat, but before the
boat had gone far he began asking questions about the injury. When
he realized the amount of blood loss, he thought of his transfusion
to Heather in their first battle for the Sacred Water and yelled to
Jeremy and Edna, "Find me a long slender reed that is hollow."

As Heather listened, a new plan began to form
in her mind. When Jeremy had completed his story, she turned back
to the commander of the Red, saying, "It would seem that the God of
the Sacred Water wishes us to move quickly. We of the Forest will
travel with our ship to the west of the Great City and from there
prepare our attack." She continued, "I would you and your troops
travel yet tonight through the eastern gate into the Great City.
With a rest and the gathering of supplies, you should be prepared
to attack at dawn on the day following."

There was a discussion about how much to
involve Don the Great with the planning. Heather responded, "We
need him and his troops to hold out for another day and a half. I
have sent a messenger asking him to meet with us tonight if
possible."

The Red commander knew that Heather trusted
not those of the palace. Her plan was dangerous but he understood
the need and the risk. He spoke up, saying, "My troops can hold
their own against the invaders from the East, but I fear their
mounted troops."

Heather nodded in agreement and said, "We of
the Forest will plan a defense against the mounted troops, but I
need to see the lay of the land. Their ferocity is also their
weakness."

The commander of the Red had a questioning
look on his face, for he could imagine not how those of the Forest,
being hunters not warriors, could take on the mounted troops from
the East. Before they departed Heather spoke up, saying, "I would
you travel with the great white horse which has carried me, because
I will travel aboard ship and the horse cannot."

They both arose to prepare, and the commander
of the Red startled Heather by formally saluting her, saying, "It
is a great honor to serve under the One with Golden Hair who is
known in our myths. I pray to your God of the Sacred Water and to
our Scarlet God for our success."

Heather but nodded in her acceptance of the
salute and said, "I would expect that we use different names for
the same God, and if it is to be, the Spirits of the Forest will
help us." She was quiet for a moment before adding, "In the
upcoming battle I will need you to retreat in apparent disarray
before the mounted troops."

Those of the Forest had built a small fire,
which Heather and the commander of the Red sat by while waiting for
word from Don the Great. Their wait was not long when the messenger
from the Forest returned, saying, "The envoy comes accompanied by a
few dozen soldiers."

Heather replied, "I would those of the Forest
scatter into the darkness and be prepared." The commander of the
Red was obviously nervous but said not. Time went by slowly until
even the commander of the Red could hear the approach of Don the
Great.

When the envoy approached he held his
soldiers back and dismounted from his horse at the outer ring of
the circle of light. He found Heather, as at their last meeting,
bending over the fire tending the coals with a stick. She now sat
on a rock, for her foot let her not sit on her haunches as normal.
At first the envoy did not even see his commander, who was now
standing behind Heather. Their greetings were brief and Heather
summarized in a few words their control of the headland and the
damage done to the black ships. In turn the envoy reported moderate
losses, mostly from the mounted troops.

Heather asked, "Can you hold your position
for another full day and part of the following morning?"

The envoy was silent as he thought, before
replying, "If we fell back tighter against the great wall of the
city we should be able to hold out, but with reinforcements coming
from the west we will be greatly outnumbered. I doubt we can stand
even two full days of attack."

The commander of the Red spoke up, saying,
"It would be enough for Heather with the Golden Hair to complete
her plan."

The envoy looked up sharply at the commander
but said not, turning his attention back to Heather, whose hair did
indeed look golden in the light of the fire. He asked her, "What is
this plan?"

Heather looked up not from the fire and
responded, "I would your forces occupy those of the East while the
commander and his troops set up a counterattack on the western
flank. They will travel tonight through the eastern gate with a day
of rest before exiting again the city through the secret passage,
prepared to attack at dawn."

The envoy began to pace as he thought, and
finally replied, "You would have us split our forces, and those who
would be attacking from the west would have no protection from the
mounted troops of those from the East."

Heather replied not and the commander finally
spoke up, saying, "Those of the Forest will be responsible for
neutralizing the mounted troops of the East."

The envoy just stared at Heather, wondering
how their small band could possibly disrupt the mounted troops.
Then he realized that they must have with them some of the powder.
He asked, "You will use the powder against the mounted troops?"

Heather again responded without looking up,
"We will do as the God of the Sacred Water directs us."

The envoy asked, "What if I refuse to split
my forces?"

Heather poked at the fire for some time
before looking up and replying, "Then we of the Forest will return
to our ship and set sail for our homelands to prepare for the
battle which will surely follow, for your city will fall."

The envoy responded not and finally quit his
pacing and sat staring into the fire. He finally spoke up, saying,
"I learned a great deal of inner peace as a captive with you of the
Forest sitting around your campfires. The flames tell me to trust
you, but my military training argues against splitting my forces."
He stood and said, "We will hold our ground for up to two days
before again retreating through the gate. I will prepare a message
for those guarding the gate and for the palace guard." He then
added, "I hope your God of the Sacred Water can help in this plan,
for there is great risk for all."

Heather replied only, "It will be as the God
of the Sacred Water wishes."

As the envoy turned to leave Heather moved
not, concentrating on the flames of the fire. Only after those of
the Forest reported the departure of all the soldiers did she stand
again and stretch. She turned to the commander of the Red and said,
"Do as you must, but at sunrise following the morrow you need to
begin your counterattack. When one of the Forest appears and tells
you to fall back, retreat as quickly as possible to set up a
defense line. We need to have the mounted troops of the East attack
in full fury."

The commander of the Red replied, "It will be
as you have ordered."

With that Heather stood and limped back to
the great white horse that was waiting for her. She mounted the
horse, saying, "I will have one of the Forest guide the horse back
and would have your troops care for it until the time of the
attack." She then turned and, with those of the Forest, disappeared
into the night.

Chapter 15

Daniel had no sooner stepped aboard the deck
of their ship when he was almost dragged below by Jason to see
Captain Cook. Jason kept on about how it was all his fault and
something about sailing closer to the rocks. For the most part
Daniel ignored him, trying to concentrate his energy and thoughts
on the injury. He noticed the small figure who stayed behind Jason
but he never got a good look at her.

The Captain's quarters were small, with a
single bed raised up and storage below. A quick look confirmed that
indeed the Captain had lost a great deal of blood, for he was as
pale as new fallen snow. He responded when Daniel pinched his arm
but his speech was incoherent. Daniel looked at the tourniquet,
which had indeed stopped the bleeding but had obviously dug into
the flesh of the lower leg. He tried to remove the Captain's boot,
but with Jason hovering over him there simply wasn't room in the
small quarters.

He told Jason, "Cover the table in the galley
with some cloths and have two crew come and help me move the
Captain.”

When Jason left, Daniel could concentrate and
did a more careful examination of the Captain. His pulse was weak
and rapid but his breathing seemed strong. He could find no
evidence of other injuries. The tourniquet had been on for almost
twelve hours and he doubted the leg would be salvageable. As he was
palpating above the tourniquet, the Captain awoke enough to
recognize Daniel. Daniel tried to explain what he needed to do, but
the Captain just mumbled, "Do as you must."

When the Captain had been transferred to the
main table in the galley, Daniel used one of the sailor’s sharp
knives to cut away the boot. The stone from the catapult had struck
the Captain’s left foot and ankle, all but tearing it free from the
rest of the leg and leaving the bone sticking out. Even with the
tourniquet so tight there was some bleeding from the large
arteries. Thankfully the Captain had passed out again from the pain
of removing the boot.

Daniel’s plan formed quickly and he spoke up,
saying, "We need to give the Captain some blood and I need a
volunteer." He continued, "I fear that removing the leg without the
blood will be too much for him."

Jason had gone somewhat pale as Daniel
described his plan, but spoke up, asking, "Is this like what you
did for Heather?"

Daniel but nodded and Jason continued, "I
would that you use my blood, for it is my fault that he has been
injured such."

Daniel objected, saying, "You and the Captain
are the only ones who can navigate the ship and we cannot risk
losing you both."

Jason responded not for some time. Daniel was
about to seek another volunteer when Jason said, "Your Heather is
capable and the crew is good. I would use my blood."

Daniel finally accepted his arguments and
instructed him to lie down next to the Captain, but facing the
opposite direction so that his head was at the Captain's feet. He
placed a tourniquet around Jason's arm and searched for a suitable
vein. When he was satisfied that the vein was available, he took
the hollow reed that Jeremy had brought and trimmed it before
soaking it in a pan of the concentrated Sacred Water. Two of the
crew stood by ready to help.

Daniel picked up his obsidian scalpel and
moved towards Jason. Jason very much liked not pain, but barely
flinched when the sharp scalpel cut into the skin just below his
elbow. A small cry emitted from his lips when Daniel began teasing
the tissue apart to expose the vein. The mysterious young woman
reached out and placed her hand on Jason's shoulder but said not.
Before opening the vein, Daniel very carefully placed two small
threads, one above and one below, so that he could secure the
bleeding if needed.

Without yet opening the vein in Jason's arm,
he now turned to the Captain. Because he had lost so much blood,
his veins could not be felt, for there was no blood to fill them.
Daniel again used the scalpel to cut through the skin below the
knee just above the tourniquet, but made a longer incision. The
Captain groaned in pain but had not the energy to move. Daniel used
the scalpel and his fingers to again tease the tissues apart
looking for a suitable vein.

The Captain was a strong man who normally had
obvious veins, but now they were all collapsed and it took some
time to find a suitable vein. The two crew members became somewhat
pale, but could not take their eyes off the work Daniel was doing.
When he had finally isolated the vein, he again placed a fine
thread above and below his intended puncture site. He then took the
reed, and using just the very tip of his obsidian scalpel, he made
a small incision in the vein and inserted the hollow reed which he
had rinsed thoroughly with the concentrated Sacred Water. He gently
tied one of the small threads to secure the reed within the
vein.

Daniel stood and stretched before repeating
the opening of the vein on Jason. As soon as he had opened the
vessel, it began to bleed profusely. He held pressure, then had one
of the crew place his finger to continue holding pressure while
Daniel inserted the free end of the reed into Jason's vein. He
lightly tied the light string to secure the tube.