Wall of Spears (32 page)

‘We shall be happy to wait for King Ward to meet us here, and to tell him news of his son, Prince Wilfrid, and how well he is being treated in Vales,’ Huw said meaningfully.

Edmund nodded, unsmiling, then waved down the cavalry leader and began shouting orders at him.

Rhiannon took the opportunity to grab Huw’s arm, feeling the tension there.

‘I know what you must be feeling but we need them.’

‘So Sendatsu says,’ Huw grunted.

‘You are doing the right thing. We have to stop Sumiko. When a wolf is ready to rip your throat out, you will use any weapon close to hand to protect yourself and your flock.’

Huw snorted. ‘A nice picture but you forget I never did much actual shepherding — more wandering off and singing.’

She smiled. ‘I remember. Glyn told me all about you.’

Huw grimaced at that. ‘I heard Bevan died,’ he said, instantly putting her on guard. ‘I am sorry. I know how fond you were of him.’

Rhiannon was tempted to shout at him but this was not the time. Perhaps he knew that, she mused, and chose now to broach the subject.

‘He was the first of my Velsh students, and probably the most talented, although there are some young ones who may eclipse him when they get older. And yes, he made no secret of his feelings for me. But I had already made my decision to be with you.’

‘You are not just saying that?’ he asked.

‘Why would I? I have never been anything but honest with you about the way I feel since I discovered my magic. And now I carry a great deal of guilt over the way he died. I refused him and he still sacrificed himself for me.’

‘He knew what you mean to us all,’ Huw said. ‘And he died like a true Velshman. I will make a song for his memory.’

‘You don’t have to say things like that. I know you did not like him.’

‘I didn’t like seeing him making sheep’s eyes at you. But if he saved your life, I will remember him always.’

Rhiannon smiled. ‘He was not you. Not only did he save my life but he made me see what I really felt about you.’

‘Well, we do have an oak tree just over there if you want to make it official,’ Huw offered.

She saw the twinkle in his eyes and laughed. Her words were not hollow — she wanted to kiss him, here and now, and more than kiss — but they needed more privacy for that.

‘How about we wait until we can swear in front of a human priest of Aroaril?’ she suggested.

‘Politically, it is a great idea. But I’d rather Walk The Tree now.’

‘Hadn’t you better get your mind back on King Ward and the alliance?’ she asked with a wink.

‘Well, it has been a while,’ he said.

‘Huw!’ she gasped, looking around to see who else had heard.

He flushed. ‘That wasn’t quite what I meant — more that it has been a long courtship, filled with unexpected twists and turns and it is not like we have not had chances for second thoughts.’

‘Well, I don’t know about second thoughts but I think I know what your first thought is! Luckily it is close to my own thoughts.’

He smiled, looking again like the young bard she had seen only as a friend, then his face hardened. She looked around to see Ward riding over, surrounded by guards. She turned back to Huw, seeing now the leader she had fallen in love with.

‘Remember your father. Let his strength guide you,’ she whispered, touching his shoulder.

He nodded and rose to his feet. ‘Sendatsu, come introduce me,’ he said.

Ward climbed down from his horse and waited for the Velsh leader and the rebel elven leader to join him. He knew now he should think of them as merely humans with different skin and eyes and ears but it was hard to break the habits of a lifetime. His guards had already told him his son was back in Vales, so he dared not risk dragging Huw back to Cridianton, as he wanted. That was a sensible move by the Velshman, he admitted to himself. He watched Huw speaking with the Magic-weaver Rhiannon and noted how close they were. So, she was indeed a valuable hostage. He stored that thought for another day as Huw and Sendatsu walked across to him.

He studied Huw’s face, noting his youth — and then gasped. He snapped his fingers and his castellan raced over to his side.

‘Sire?’

‘Why did nobody tell me that the Velsh leader is the missing bard who ran away with Rhiannon?’ he asked.

The castellan paled. ‘I didn’t realise! I thought that was Hugh of Browns Brook who vanished.’

‘Hugh of Browns Brook! That was Huw of Vales, pretending to be Forlish,’ Ward snarled. ‘He must have balls of iron to sneak into my court. No doubt he left when he learned of my plan to terrorise the Velsh into asking me to rule them. Now I see why that failed.’

‘Should I summon more men, sire? You swore to have Hugh’s head on a pole?’

Ward was tempted, then shook his head gently. ‘No, my son is at stake. If I take him here, then Wilfrid will die. And I cannot let that happen. But I shall remember this.’ He dared not say any more, for Huw and Sendatsu were now too close not to overhear.

‘Leave me.’ He waved back the castellan and composed his face into a smile of welcome.

‘King Ward.’ Sendatsu stopped a few paces away and inclined his head. ‘Let me present Lord Huw, leader of the Velsh people.’

Ward smiled warmly. ‘There is no need to introduce him. We know each other already. Although I believe he was called Hugh of Browns Brook back then.’

Huw stared at the man who had sent his most vicious men into Vales to burn, rape and kill, who had murdered his father and Glyn and so many others, and composed his face into a welcoming smile. It took all the performing skills he had amassed over the years.

‘King Ward. I am Huw ap Earwen. I wanted to be nothing more than a bard, a teller of tales and a maker of songs. But circumstances forced me to change and to become a leader for my people. In a way, I should thank you for that, although the cost has been great.’

He waited to see if Ward would react to his comment but the Forlish monarch’s face did not change in the slightest. Ward’s eyes, however, reminded him of the time he had seen a wolf come close to his fire one night, one of those rare times when he had been out working for his father and not off singing somewhere. The firelight glittering in the wolf’s eyes had been terrifying but Huw had grabbed a burning branch and tossed it at the wolf, which had turned and run.

This time, it would not be so simple. He had to persuade the wolf to protect the sheep.

‘Lord Sendatsu, you did not tell me that the Velsh leader was known to me and had spent moons at my court, pretending to be someone else,’ Ward said lightly.

‘Does it matter?’ Sendatsu countered. ‘Has the danger from Sumiko been reduced by that? Has the need for the two of you to stand together been removed? Do not forget who the real enemy is. The Elfaran army is getting closer, burning villages and killing your people as they go.’

‘True enough,’ Ward said, never taking his eyes off Huw. ‘Well, I suppose we know where to come for entertainment before the battle. But can we trust you? That is a riddle even you, Hugh — sorry, Huw ap Earwen — would have difficulty answering.’

Huw glowered back at him, wishing he still had his elven crossbow, so he could pump the evil bastard full of bolts.

‘Sumiko should be here to watch this. She would be laughing heartily,’ Sendatsu said loudly.

Huw looked away from Ward, catching sight of Rhiannon walking over to join them, accompanied by the Forlish officer who had been with her when he stepped through the oaken gateway. She winked at him and he relaxed a little.

‘There is no need for distrust,’ Sendatsu continued. ‘If Prince Wilfrid were here, he would tell you how good the Velsh hospitality has been.’

Huw looked back at Ward, seeing the man relax a little at the reminder. The wolf in his eyes retreated into the darkness, but Huw would never forget it was there, nor what it could do.

‘I am pleased. No doubt you have heard from Rhiannon herself how well we have been treating her,’ Ward said.

Huw could not stop himself from looking at Rhiannon. The thought they would be together at last, after all they had gone through, helped to balance out the anger and hatred he felt being this close to Ward.

‘Vales is ready to stand with Forland, to defeat the Elfaran menace and create a new beginning for all men. Together we can seize back the future that the Elfarans stole three hundred years ago and save us from their plan to make us their slaves,’ Huw said in his best trained voice, letting the words roll out over everyone within earshot. ‘Afterwards we shall talk about how we can give magic back to every land.’

‘We shall fight together to defeat the elves. Or Elfarans. And then we shall talk about a better future for all men,’ Ward agreed, stepping forwards and holding out his hand.

Huw swallowed his hatred down deep and gripped Ward’s hand fiercely, holding tight so his loathing could have some sort of outlet. Ward’s clasp was just as strong and Huw looked into his eyes, searching for a hint that he could perhaps be trusted. He saw none. Instead he saw again his father’s face, imagined Ward laughing as Earwen was cut down by the Forlish raiders.

‘We also have a plan of where to defeat Sumiko, and how we can do that,’ Sendatsu said, right in Huw’s ear. He had edged in next to them and now placed his hand over theirs. ‘I also pledge that the Elfarans will talk about how to restore magic and the worship of Aroaril, with its promise of healing,’ he said.

‘Then we are all agreed,’ Ward said, releasing Huw’s hand theatrically.

‘But we need to be all agreed on who the real enemy is. Sumiko must be stopped, or both your countries will be swept up into the new elven empire and those you think of as humans will work as her slaves for the next thousand years,’ Sendatsu said softly.

‘We know who must be defeated,’ Ward said crisply. ‘Now, tell me your plan.’

As far as Huw was concerned, the battle would not end with Sumiko’s death — it would only end with Ward’s death. Any chance he had to let the Forlish suffer under Sumiko’s arrows, or magic, he would take. Because he knew that Ward was going to do the same.

Sendatsu watched the two of them step apart and felt like knocking their heads together. In their desire to not just beat Sumiko but each other, he feared they would ruin any chance at victory. He had known the two of them would be reluctant allies, at best. His only comfort was they had to come together or die, once they faced Sumiko.

‘Perhaps we need to bring in your captains, sire, so they can hear what we have to say as well,’ he suggested.

‘Agreed. I would also like Prince Wilfrid to be here, as he will be one of my captains,’ Ward said immediately.

‘Luckily he already knows our strategy,’ Sendatsu said smoothly.

‘And what of the Velsh captains?’

Huw gestured at Cadel and Bowen, who stood behind him. ‘They are already here.’

They waited while a dozen tough-looking Forlishmen, the king’s war captains, were brought forwards. Sendatsu saw the way they stared at the young Velsh, at the scars they all carried, and sighed. If he could get them all to the battle without any fighting first, it would be a miracle. The Forlish war captains were introduced, their names something of a blur. He remembered two though — a short, powerful man named Wulf, who had a trustworthy look about him, and their leader, who he already met, Edmund.

‘We want to stop about twenty miles outside Cridianton, where the land is flat and featureless, where the elves cannot use trees and the like against us. That gives us room to move and to use both your cavalry and your shield wall.’ Sendatsu sketched out the map in the dirt, using a long stick and a little magic to shape the ground.

Edmund was the first to speak. ‘But how do we counter their bows?’

‘We have to draw out their power, a little at a time. The only weakness is they could not bring unlimited arrows. When you fought them at Dokuzen, the whole city was at their backs and they had thousands upon thousands of arrows at the ready. Each warrior will carry an arrow bag with twenty shafts and they will have reserves of no more than two more bags each. We have to exhaust their arrows. We have to hold the centre, anchor it with your shield wall, then send your cavalry around to either flank, force them to waste their arrows with a series of dummy charges, which will break off when they get too close. Then the shield wall advances, drawing more arrows. When we judge they are running low, the shield wall engages with the main force of the elves, then the cavalry charges for real, from both flanks.’

‘So far I have heard much talk of my men fighting and dying, but little of the Velsh taking much risk,’ Ward said.

‘The Velsh will be saving your men’s lives with their magic,’ Sendatsu said quickly. ‘Without the magical aid we can bring, Sumiko will destroy your cavalry charges and split apart your shield wall as easily as you would crack an egg. As to fighting and dying, I shall lead a force of Velsh into the heart of the elven host, to reach Sumiko and kill her, to stop the fighting, saving more of your men’s lives. Do you think that will be easy?’

Ward looked down at the ground for a long moment before replying.

‘You have to keep Sumiko off our backs and protect the cavalry, if they are to exhaust the elven arrows. It seems to me that a little mistake here or there by your Velsh Magic-weavers and thousands of my men could die.’

‘We need to keep something in reserve, for when I lead the Velsh in to get Sumiko,’ Sendatsu warned. ‘We have to be able to defeat her and force the rest of her army to surrender. The Magic-weavers will protect you from the worst of Sumiko’s magic but the Elfarans have many more Magic-weavers than the Velsh. We may not be able to stop it all.’

Ward stared at him coldly. ‘We need more than that promise,’ he said.

‘We shall give you everything we have,’ Huw said instantly.

Ward nodded. ‘See that you do. We shall make our best speed to where you say. Telling the men there is a place to stop and fight will give them new heart. How will your Velsh get there?’

‘We shall use magic to bring them there and wait for you,’ Huw said.

‘I shall have my castellan wait for you there with the men I had left to guard in Cridianton. We don’t want anyone to mistake you for an enemy.’

‘You can trust us,’ Huw said.

‘And trust shall be shown on the battlefield. We should make all haste to be there,’ Sendatsu concluded.

Ward and Huw exchanged nods and the two sides split apart, Rhiannon initially moving to be with the Velsh but, at a touch on the arm from Edmund, turning back to be with the Forlish. Sendatsu watched them go, keeping his frustration hidden. They plainly did not trust each other. Once the arrows started flying, he hoped they would forget their hatred and focus it all on Sumiko.

The word went up and down the column: they were no longer running away but were marching to a battlefield where they would wipe out the elves and every man would be able to stroll into Dokuzen and fill his pockets with elven treasure.

The change in the soldiers was immediate. Instead of dragging themselves for just one more mile, their heads went back again and the pace picked up a little. The sergeants stopped having to yell at the stragglers and even those who were going lame were encouraged to keep going. Even the cavalry surreptitiously carried the gear of injured men while their mates clustered close together, supporting the crippled men and urging them along.

Caelin thought he had been so careful in bringing little Hild along but, within a few miles, it seemed half the regiment knew about it. Not that they were saying anything to him, let alone to the officers around, but men he barely knew took his spear, his sword and then the bags from his carry pole. He had the bag with Hild inside slung over his shoulder and cupped in his left arm, hidden from the sight of officers by his cloak and his shield, which bumped against his arm with every stride but was otherwise perfect for hiding her.

She was remarkably quiet. He had been sure she would fret and cry but then perhaps she had been used to being hung up in her swaddling clothes, out of the way, while her parents worked. Children did not mean farmwork had to stop. Instead they meant things became busier, until the children could work themselves. Sometimes he glanced down at her and she was looking up at him doubtfully; sometimes she was dozing, the gentle rocking motion of the march sending her to sleep. The one time she began to cry, it made the men around him react. She had barely sent up one squawk when they burst into song, tired voices still raising high to cover her noise, until he was able to fumble a piece of hard oat biscuit out of his pouch and distract her with that. Gnawing away at that made the miles pass.

‘You’re a natural with the kids, sarge. You sure you don’t have any of your own?’ Ruttyn asked.

‘None that I admit to anyway,’ Caelin said with a smile.

At that moment, Hild decided to let loose with a cry. Caelin jiggled the bag up and down, trying to reassure her, while the company let loose with a couple of verses of ‘The Merchant’s Daughter and the Sergeant’. The noise covered her crying but he hoped she had no idea about the words they were singing or she might go back to her mother with a whole new set of expressions.

A mounted officer rode past and Caelin glanced down to see the child was now sucking her thumb, oatcake smeared all over her face and around the bag.