Chapter thirty

Amansk

 

They climbed up through the trees using a deeply wooded path that followed the contours of the steepest part of the hill. Dom, who was a much better tracker and very light on his feet, went first, picking his way through the shrubs and saplings, pulling back bracken and birch branches to allow Toby to follow as silently as possible. Dom had to turn back every now and then anyway to quieten Toby’s laughter. It was fair to say that Dom was taking the whole thing a lot more seriously than his friend; to Dom it seemed both foolish and dangerous.

When they got very close to the top of the hill they stopped and hid under a big gorse bush. The soil was sandy here and a scraggly heath clung to the top of the hill. Dom looked out over the massed ranks of the knights – they were very well disciplined. They were mostly standing in rows, and were almost entirely silent. It was all very eerie.

‘We’ll never find Lily here’ said Dom, ‘far too many people’

‘I know’ said Toby, ‘but it was worth a look’

The flags and emblems were even more striking from up here, ringing the tents that they had brought with them.  In the middle of the circle of tents, hanging from two large poles, was their banner, fluttering defiantly above the city.

‘We should steal that!’ whispered Toby from behind.

Dom turned to stare at him unbelievingly.

‘How would we do that? For the gods’ sake’ he asked

‘I’ll think of a way’  

They lay under the bush for several minutes, watching the guards patrol the camp. There were lots of them and they seemed very eager and keen eyed.

‘You’ll have to help me’ said Toby, getting up into a crouching position, as if he was about to run.

‘Well, I would if I could,’ said Dom, smiling, ‘but there’s no way we can get past those guards…’

Toby bent round to look at him. is His

‘You can control the wind’ Toby hissed, ‘I’ve seen you practising’

Dom was shocked. How on earth did Toby know that? He’d been so careful – he’d never done any of his spells less than five miles away from the City.

Dom shook his head and waved his hands across his face. ‘No!’ he mouthed, purposely leaving it unclear whether he meant that he couldn’t do it or that he wouldn’t do it.

‘I followed you out of town on one of your walks, months ago’ Toby continued, in the quietest voice he could manage, ‘you used the wind to blow Lily’s big crow kite around. It was really impressive!’

‘Shhh!’ said Dom, shaking his head.

‘You’re imagining things,’ he said, ‘now… be quiet!’

 It was Toby’s turn to shake his head. Dom realised, with a slow sinking feeling, that his friend was about to pull rank.

‘I order you to!’ Toby hissed, ‘I’m your liege lord!’

Dom knew that he could refuse if he really wanted to, that the duty he owed to Toby was only half-truth and half-game, but he didn’t have the heart to. One day he was going to have to tell his friend the whole truth about himself and it would be good if he had some capital of willing and helpful deeds to put on the credit side of the balance.

‘Oh, alright’ he soghed, ‘be ready to run!’

Dom stood up for a split second in full view of the nearest knights.

‘aemophthoros’ he shouted, then ducked down.

A sudden gust of wind billowed in the banner and ripped it free of its moorings. It flew, almost as if by magic, through the air and landed on top of Toby.

Dom darted up, took one end of the banner and pulled it off his prince’s head.

‘Now you can run!’ Toby said, and they did, as fast as they could back down the hill, trailing the now ragged banner between them.

 

***

‘Thou art most gracious to invite me into thy mud hut’ said Gaius, very weary of his journey.

Arnon smiled slightly as he embraced the Ortian envoy. They were meeting in his study and the fire roared behind them with huge red flames. 

‘You’re very welcome’

The Praefectus pulled away and looked at the tall elf. He really did look very uncomfortable in this foreign environment.  He wondered how he might put the envoy at his ease.

‘How can I help you?’ continued Arnon.

‘I have a scrawled message of writing for thou,’ explained Gaius.

The Ortian pulled out Marthian’s letter from his coat pocket and handed it to the Praefectus.  Arnon read it carefully with a grim expression. It was clear that the proconsul had no capacity to help him or, quite probably, to defend herself.

‘You’ve been sent as envoy and scout, I see’ Arnon continued, switching to Visneorian. Whatever the relationship of the city state of Amansk to the Elven Empire these days, the Praefectus was still expected to learn the imperial language.

Gaius looked surprised but very grateful to hear his own tongue again. He nodded.

‘Yes, my lord, I was hoping to take back some intelligence of the nature and size of the barbarian army’

‘Which one?’ asked Arnon, equally amused and irritated.

Gaius looked confused for a second and then blushed.

‘I’m so sorry’ he said, hesitantly,  ‘I obviously meant the human army… I mean … the Crimson Flame army…not your noble soldiers… ‘

Arnon smiled and gestured to a seat.

‘It really is fine, Lieutenant, you’re doing famously for someone who had never spoken to a barbarian before…would you care to sit down?’

Gaius sat down very willingly. The last few days had been a trial and he felt very tired. Arnon also sat down, behind his large wooden table so that he was facing the envoy.

‘We estimate that there are about ten thousand soldiers and that that number is bound to increase,’ he said, ‘you can check with my aide, Viktor, if you need detailed information’

‘Where do they all come from?’ asked Gaius

‘They come from Formor mostly,’ explained Arnon, ‘and maybe from eastern Oket and southern Eth. But that’s just a guess – I don’t really know.  The whole thing is probably as much of a mystery to us as it is to you’

An additional layer of worry came over Gaius’s face. He fidgeted slightly in his chair and his voice became a few tones higher. 

‘Have they been sent by the Emperor?’ 

‘I have no idea, but I doubt it – they don’t act like Imperial soldiers’

Gaius allowed himself a thin smile.

‘I’m assuming that that is a bad thing, my lord’

Arnon produced a slightly wider smile. They both relaxed slightly.

‘Yes, no doubt about that, Gaius, it definitely is’

There was a knock on the door. Arnon was irritated – he’d told Viktor to make sure that no-one disturbed them.

‘Viktor’ he shouted, reverting to Ethian, ‘who is that?’

The door burst open and in came Toby. He was wrapped in the banner and looking extremely pleased with himself. He was constantly at risk of tripping over his prize, but he didn’t seem to mind.

‘Look what I’ve found, father!’

Arnon stood up and scowled.

‘How on earth did you get hold of that?’

‘Dom helped me’ said Toby, as if that were sufficient explanation.

It was only now that Toby noticed Gaius. He had the good manners to look at least a little shamefaced when he saw him. He was also very surprised to see an elf. He let the rolled up flag fall off his body and unravel on to the floor. Then he stepped forward to greet the stranger.

The Praefectus nodded for Gaius to stand up. The elf hesitated for a second and then did as he was bid. He hadn’t understood all of the conversation between father and son. 

‘This is Lieutenant Gaius, from Ortia’ explained Arnon in Visneorian. Toby’s jaw dropped. He had never met anyone from Ortia before, of course; only a very few merchants ever had.

‘And this is my son, Toby, who is a complete pain in the arse’

 

***

 

Once Gaius had left, Arnon expressed in even more surgically precise words the extent to which his son was a danger to himself and others.  Then he had asked Dom to come in.

Dom entered rather sheepishly – he knew that he shouldn’t have helped Toby and, even more worryingly, he feared that his secret might well be revealed to the Praefectus. He really didn’t want anyone else to know about his magical studies, particularly as this was just one of his secrets.

Arnon embraced him just as warmly as ever. He felt immediately relieved – it looked like Toby had taken all the blame on himself. Perhaps everything would be fine.

‘Dominic’ said Arnon, ‘this won’t take long – you won’t even have to sit down… ’

Dom looked a lot less certain. Maybe he was going to be told off after all.

‘I’m sending you back to Gorodnikov to liaise with Lord Arbutus. I want you to persuade him to send as big an army back here as he is able’

Dom was dumfounded. He gulped.

‘Why are you sending me, sir?’ he asked, ‘I can’t see why I’d do any good – I’ve only met the Gorodnikov Governor a few times and then only in passing…  although I know that he has been very kind to me’

‘You’d be surprised’ responded Arnon, dryly, ‘you can be a very persuasive young man’

There was a moment’s silence. Arnon looked very intently at Dom’s face.

‘You will go, though, won’t you?’ he asked, momentarily uncertain.

Dom looked away and then back to his lord. He had no desire at all to go back to Gorodnikov, but that really wasn’t relevant.

‘Of course, sir’ he said, ‘I will always do as you ask – I am eternally in debt to you and your families’ kindnesses’

Arnon felt a lump in his throat. Now really was not the time to get sentimental, however.

 ‘And take this fool with you’ he said, pointing at Toby ‘keep him hidden somewhere until it’s safe to come home’

Toby, who had been lounging in a comfortable chair, jumped up indignantly.

‘How on earth can I fight a war from my grandfather’s house?’ he shouted.

Arnon waited for Toby’s ire to abate slightly before answering.

‘You can’t’ he said, ‘but that won’t matter, because, for the time being, at least, no one is going to fight any war from anywhere’

‘What?’ said Toby, his anger rising again.

‘I’m letting the knights in to the city’ said Arnon, ‘I have no choice’

‘No!’ yelled Toby, his index finger pointing at Arnon, ‘how could you?’

‘It’s easy’ said Arnon, ‘because it’s my duty’

‘What about my duty?’ asked Toby, savagely, ‘do you ever think of that?’

Arnon put his head in his hands.

‘Yes – believe me, I think of it always’ he said, ‘but for now - I’m not losing both my children to these bastards.’

‘But…’ exclaimed Toby, ‘Father, please…’

Arnon grabbed Toby gently by the arm and pulled him over to where Dom was standing.

‘Take my son into exile, Master Shavosky, and keep him safe. I am relying on you’

Dom bowed low. He put a hand on Toby’s shoulder.

‘Of course, my lord’ he said softly. 

Toby, by now completely crestfallen, was aching to say more, but Dom whispered to him urgently and he kept quiet. They left the room in silence. There were many more words that would need to be said, but now was not the time.