Wall of Spears (37 page)

Ward cut him off with the wave of a hand. ‘No,’ he said. ‘Wilfrid must show his worth in this battle. None can judge him if he is standing by my side, or if everyone thinks he is merely my puppet. He needs to be out there alone, showing what he can do.’

‘But the right wing, sire!’

‘I am keeping three hundred men back, just in case. If it comes to it, I shall ride out to rescue him.’

‘Sire, that is a great risk —’

‘That is for me to decide. And I trust my son!’

Wilfrid turned as Ward’s voice thundered out those words. ‘Thank you for this chance, Father. I shall not let you down,’ he promised.

‘See that you don’t. I am trusting you with our best men. I will give you only the most experienced troopers we have. The castellan will also ride with you. Seek his advice as if it were my own. The elves will try to lure you in close enough to gut you. You must threaten but break off, sweeping your men around them but never getting too close. They have to respond to the threat each time, loose their arrows to drive you back. You must charge at least ten times before attacking for real.’

Wilfrid hesitated, then spoke when Mildrith nudged him. ‘I hope I get the chance to come and save you tomorrow, Father, show our men that I am worthy.’

Ward laughed. ‘I would rather you don’t have to charge to save me, but rather to win the day!’

‘I won’t let you down. I will show you I am worthy of your name. I know I have disappointed you and made mistakes but Uffa’s death showed me I have to take a step forwards if I am to be prince in more than name alone. I want to make you proud of me.’

Ward looked at his son anew. Impulsively, he embraced him. ‘We will make a man of you yet,’ he promised. ‘I have not said it before but I am proud of you.’

‘We cannot trust them,’ Rhiannon said softly. ‘They will seek to turn on us.’

‘I already expected that,’ Huw agreed. ‘We cannot let them survive this battle intact. We must protect them from Sumiko’s magic enough so that they think we are helping, but not so much that she does not take a huge toll of them.’

‘Sendatsu said I should do everything I can to stop Sumiko,’ Rhiannon pointed out.

‘Is he in charge of us? He plays his own game, as before. He wants to see the elves survive the battle unharmed, so he can rule them.’

‘I thought he wanted them as a new set of allies against the Forlish, so Ward would not get ideas about adding Vales to Forland?’ Rhiannon asked.

‘The elves betrayed us three hundred years ago. Now they seek to rule us. They are not going to give up that ambition unless their strength is gutted, as well. We need both Elfarans and Forlish to be exhausted and deeply wounded by battle’s end,’ Huw said.

Rhiannon nodded. ‘I agree that would be the best situation. But doing is always harder than saying.’

Huw stretched out. ‘True. Now, are we going to waste this last night by talking endlessly around in circles about things we already know?’

She leaned in and kissed him. ‘No.’

‘Well, she’s quiet now. But what are we going to do with her tomorrow? It’s not like we can just leave her with the baggage,’ Ruttyn said, as they watched Hild dozing off, stomach full of rich milk and exhausted by her crying.

They were sitting around the remains of the fire, surrounded by sleeping men. After days of hard rations and harder marching, a night of feasting had been the last straw for most of the company. They were sleeping like the dead, scattered around, snoring. It gave Caelin a funny feeling, looking over the camp like that, as if they were the only ones left alive out of the whole army.

‘I’m open to ideas. I thought there would be a few farming families around here but it looks like they have all rushed back to the city,’ Caelin admitted.

‘Anyone would think we were facing an army of invincible elves or something, the disloyal bastards.’ Harald grinned.

‘We know they aren’t invincible. We killed enough of them when we raided Dokuzen,’ Caelin said loudly.

‘You don’t need to impress us, sarge, nor the rest of the men. After what you did with that little girl, we’ll follow you through fire and magic,’ Ruttyn said.

Caelin looked around at the snoring soldiers. ‘They probably didn’t hear any of what we said anyway,’ he admitted.

‘What about the Velsh? I saw women in with them,’ Harald suggested.

‘What are you doing, looking at Velsh women?’ Ruttyn nudged his friend. ‘You told me your wife’s mother would have your knackers off with a rusty pair of clippers and be feeding them to the pigs before you could introduce yourself.’

‘Thanks for that image.’ Harald shifted uncomfortably. ‘If I dream about that, I’ll give you a whack over the head when I wake up.’

‘I don’t think they were ordinary women anyway. I think they were magical.’ Caelin had learned to keep a thread of conversation going, despite their byplay.

‘What, you think they might want a Forlish baby for some evil ceremony to give them power?’

‘If they need the blood of a Forlish virgin, we could always offer them yours.’ Harald poked Ruttyn.

‘Everyone’s asleep. We could just wander on up there and see what happens. They’re women. They can’t help taking babies,’ Caelin said confidently.

‘And you think we’ll be able to stroll through the camp with a small child without anyone asking us where we’re going?’

‘Yes.’

Ruttyn shrugged. ‘Then what are we waiting for? After seeing Harald’s little act for the sheep guards, I think anything’s possible.’

‘Here, I have brought you some fresh bread. It is quite good, and will sit easily on your stomach,’ Gaibun said.

Asami accepted the crusty loaf warily and held it in her hands. It smelt fine at the moment but she knew as soon as she began to eat, that smell would turn rancid.

‘You need to eat. You have to be strong for our child,’ Gaibun insisted gently.

‘And the battle tomorrow?’

‘The child is more important.’

‘Winning the battle might be. If we lose, how long will Sumiko let us live?’

Gaibun sighed heavily and sat down beside her. She shifted away from him a little.

‘We have had a few nights like this,’ he said.

Asami had nothing to say to that and, besides, she could see where this was going.

‘It reminds me of the night the Forlish were marching on Dokuzen and Daichi had ordered me to go out and stop them.’

‘Except it is not a few hundred greybeards and teenagers against thousands of soldiers. It is two armies against each other, evenly matched.’

‘Well, hardly evenly matched. Sumiko’s army has more magic, more warriors and all the bows. Despite what Sendatsu says, we have little chance.’

‘Do you think Rhiannon and I cannot stop Sumiko?’

‘I think we shall be lucky to live through tomorrow. And so I wanted to be with you on this, perhaps our last ever night together. I wanted to spend it with you and our child, the family I always wanted.’

‘Well, it’s not like you are going to be able to say anything to your child,’ Asami said wryly.

‘But I will. I have begun writing down things I want to tell him. If anything should happen to me —’

‘Gaibun, I am not in the mood,’ she said firmly.

‘What? Not in the mood to spend time with me, talk about the past and the child we shall share in the future?’

She looked at him. ‘I would be happy to talk about that but I know you have other things on your mind. You are going to try the same line that I fell for last time, about your dying wish to spend a night with me.’

‘That was no trick! I truly thought I was going to my death!’

‘And yet, here we are, talking about the same thing again. I warn you — I feel too sick to do anything other than sleep. And even if I was running around and flipping over with joy, I would not be doing anything in a field, in the middle of two armies!’

‘Do you think so little of me?’ he snarled.

‘Prove me wrong. Look into my eyes and tell me you are not planning to use our child to make me feel sorry for you.’

‘I don’t have to listen to this! You are wrong about me!’ he cried, jumping to his feet and storming away.

Asami sighed, pulled a piece of bread off and chewed it tentatively. She knew she was going to regret it but swallowed anyway.

‘Are you still sick?’ Sendatsu asked gently. ‘Have you eaten much?’

She looked up to see him walking towards her, coming from the opposite direction to which Gaibun had stormed off.

Asami groaned. ‘Did you have to remind me? I try to force it down, but keeping it in my stomach is the real battle.’ She hoped he was not going to try the same thing as Gaibun. She would really need to vomit then.

‘Let Rhiannon take the lead tomorrow. Save yourself for when Sumiko makes her move,’ he said.

Asami burped lightly. ‘And you thought I would never come up with that myself?’

Sendatsu grinned. ‘Well, obviously that was not my only reason for seeing you.’

Asami sighed. ‘Sit down then. I was wondering when you would come along. I didn’t think I could get through the night without a visit from you and Gaibun.’

Sendatsu smiled. ‘Are we that predictable?’

‘As me feeling sick in the morning.’

‘So has he been to talk to you?’

‘He has been to talk to me, and try the same line that I fell for before. “This is perhaps our last night, so I just want to spend it with you and our child.”’

‘I hope he was not planning to have much to say to the baby.’ Sendatsu smiled. ‘Because it’s a good many moons before it speaks — although after a few summers it’s getting them to be quiet that is the real trick.’

‘I had the idea that he really wasn’t worried about speaking to our child but more interested in making one,’ she said dryly. ‘If he had not already used that technique on me, I might have been willing to listen.’

‘Really? I would have thought you too nauseous to think of anything like that.’

‘Well, that is more correct,’ she agreed warily, wondering what line he would try.

Sendatsu sat down gently beside her. ‘Then I shall keep this short. Gaibun was right about one thing. We don’t know how things will go tomorrow and if we shall have the chance to speak again.’

‘Always nice to imagine the best.’

Sendatsu shrugged. ‘Both Huw and Ward are imagining what they will need to do after the battle is won, to give themselves control over the other. But I know what Sumiko is capable of. She has the finest fighting force these lands have ever seen. They don’t yet understand it. I only hope we have time tomorrow for them to realise what they need to do to stop her — and the will to do it. As for me, I am prepared to sacrifice myself to stop Sumiko, if that is what it takes — and it probably will. If we all live, it will be a miracle worthy of Aroaril.’

‘You don’t think He will come down and help us?’

‘Seeing as all the priests are on the other side, using their powers to heal Sumiko and her warriors as fast as they are cut, or get tired, I don’t like the chances of divine intervention.’

‘I had forgotten about that. She will keep the archbishop close by her side,’ Asami mused.

‘Of course. But he can’t help her if her head is lying on the ground.’

‘You know there is little chance of getting that close to her.’

‘That is where you come in. You and the other Magic-weavers.’

Asami rubbed her face. ‘Sendatsu, I am tired and wondering if I can eat this bread. I have no time to keep playing with you. So come out with your grand plan to persuade me to sleep with you. I should give you this one night, because there won’t be any more?’

Sendatsu reached out and took her hand. ‘Not at all. I would not do that to you. I just wanted to say how much I regret the mistakes I made with us. If I had the chance again, I would defy my father and run away with you.’

Asami paused, looking in his eyes. It was hard to see, for the fire cast a fitful light, but his face had always betrayed him before and she scanned that as well. As best she could see, he had no hidden motive. But she was not going to relax that easily.

‘Even if it meant you never had Mai and Cheijun in your life?’

Sendatsu kissed her hand. ‘I do believe they were a gift from Aroaril for me and that we would have had them together.’

‘That wasn’t my question.’

Sendatsu chuckled. ‘You always were too clever for me! No, I could never wish away Mai and Cheijun, say I wanted them out of my life.’

‘So you want me yet would not give up Mai and Cheijun. That is the story of us, in many ways. Caught in the middle and neither one thing or the other.’

‘That was not what I meant. Even after they were born, I missed so many chances to be with you. If I had been stronger, things would be different. I was also selfish, and foolish.’

‘Yes.’

‘My mother only embraced the love of her life for a few turns of the hourglass. Now she cries herself to sleep every night. If we come through this battle, I want you to know I would do anything for you, whatever it takes for us to be together.’

‘But it is not up to you. The decision is mine,’ Asami said tiredly. ‘I remember seeing your mother and Lord Retsu together in the cell we shared in Cridianton and how happy they were. But there were no complications for them.’

Sendatsu lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. ‘That is true. You don’t need my permission but I wanted you to know that should something happen to me, I am so sorry for the mistakes I made, the paths I forced you onto, the corners I pushed you into. I was selfish, trying to force you into my life. Love means sometimes sacrificing your wishes to make the other happy. I was too blind to see it. And yet I was doing it every day, with Mai and Cheijun. It took me far too long but I see what I did wrong. So, again, you don’t need to listen to me but do what you want to be happy. That is all I want for you. And I am sure Gaibun feels the same, no matter what he said tonight. That is all. Now I shall leave you in peace.’

He stood and she looked up at him, surprised that was it. As he turned, she grabbed his hand and used it to help herself up.

‘Walk with me. I predict Gaibun will be back, innocently walking past at any moment and I do not want to see the two of you fighting each other before a battle again. I still remember how I spent the night before Dokuzen.’

‘Where are we going?’

‘Where we can talk without fear of Gaibun disturbing us.’

They walked away from the Velsh campfires, into the darkness, where the light of the Forlish campfires cast shadows towards their feet.

‘Just hold me for a moment,’ she said. ‘Don’t say anything else, just hold me.’

She felt his arms go around her and relaxed, her cheek against his. They said nothing for a long time and she felt her mind clearing. She knew what she had to do, who she had to choose.

She took a deep breath, thinking how she could tell him.

‘Anyone want a baby?’ a strange voice said.

They sprang apart and turned around to see three Forlish soldiers standing there, looking sheepish, one carrying a bundle in his arms.

‘What does that mean?’ Sendatsu demanded, his hand going to his sword.

‘It means we have a baby here and we need some woman to look after it, so we thought we’d ask you Velsh. And you looked like you might be thinking in that direction anyway,’ the one with the bundle said slowly and distinctly, holding out his arms.

‘We’re not Velsh, we’re Elfaran,’ Sendatsu said suspiciously.

‘Really? We can’t see much out here. Would you look after her anyway?’

‘Wait! You’re not going to sacrifice her to gain magical powers, are you?’ the shortest of the three asked anxiously.