A Crown Imperilled Read online

  Brendan put his hand on his brother’s arm. ‘I know.’ He indicated with a nod of his head that the scout was still standing nearby.

  Martin dismissed the man with thanks and ordered the gates of the city sealed. He looked towards the heart of the town and said, ‘How are the provisions?’

  ‘Enough,’ said Brendan as they started walking back to the mayor’s house, which was being used for local headquarters. ‘With most of the fighting men down south, the local farms can provide enough for a siege, as long as we keep the north gate and road clear.’ The old baron’s castle on the hill to the north-west of the city was far enough away. Martin had done little more than give it a quick inspection, but it would serve as a last resort for defence if the entire town fell to the Keshians. It was his purpose to see that didn’t happen, for even if they held the keep above the town, Kesh would have achieved their purpose: bisecting the Western Realm. If that happened, no aid could flow in either direction. Not only would this region be lost, the entire Western Realm would be left vulnerable.

  Martin glanced around as if seeking inspiration. His home of Crydee was already crawling with colonists from the far south of the Empire, the region known as the Keshian Confederacy, and they were aggressively driving out whoever occupied the farms and mills, mines and lumbering villages. Herds had been seized, as had anything else of value, and a steady stream of displaced Kingdom citizens entered Ylith on a daily basis.

  ‘You look lost in thought,’ observed Brendan.

  Martin smiled slightly at his younger brother. ‘Just trying to imagine what I’d be doing next if I were the Keshian commander in Crydee.’

  Brendan shrugged. ‘It would depend on what his orders are, right?’

  Martin nodded. ‘We’ve not seen any Keshian ships this far north. Queg must be keeping them busy to the south.’

  Brendan knew his brother meant that Queg was keeping Kesh from sailing west of their island kingdom. While no formal treaty existed between Queg and the Kingdom, they were effectively allied against Kesh’s northward expansion in the Bitter Sea. The part of the Kingdom fleet that wasn’t stationed down in Port Vykor and Krondor would be hugging the coast of the Principality, freeing Queg from the need to protect their eastern coast. ‘Even if they bottled up all of the Prince’s fleet at Krondor, some Kingdom ships had to sortie out of Port Vykor and would have been out on the water when this war started. Most likely, there’s a line of ships between Vykor and Sarth, enough to hold the Keshians in check.’

  Martin nodded. ‘Which means Kesh is not reinforcing her armies by sea.’

  ‘So, the only large force they have in the region is the one that drove us out of Crydee,’ finished Brendan.

  Martin squatted. ‘Let’s assume for the moment that whatever ships Kesh have are down south supporting the land assaults against Land’s End, Vykor and Krondor. So how does that leave us here in the north?’ He pulled out his belt knife and drew a half-circle in the earth. ‘We’re here,’ he said, sticking his blade point into the ground.’ He motioned towards what would be the west on his makeshift map. ‘If they bring those forces here, we can face them along one or two walls at most, without support and not worry about the rest of our defences.’ He motioned to the south of the harbour gate. ‘Out there is a natural choke point between the docks and gate.’ He stood up. ‘Unless they mean to swim across from the western shore then attack up the road …’ His expression changed and he motioned for Brendan to follow him as he hurried over to the steps leading up to the ramparts.

  At the top of the wall he could see the handful of men stationed along the battlement, all trying to appear keen and ready, but really just hiding their boredom. Martin knew the tedium of the watch only too well as he and his brothers had served more than their share; their father had ensured that his three sons understood every aspect of the soldier’s trade. There was an old soldier’s saying: War is protracted periods of boredom punctuated by short bursts of violence and terror; and so far, Martin had found that to be entirely true.

  Scanning the docks below the wall and the foulborough between the city walls and the docks, he said, ‘How would you attack this city?’

  Brendan moved to one of the crenels and leaned out slightly, his hands resting on the merlons to either side. He said, ‘I’d not wish to.’

  ‘I know, but if you did, how?’

  His younger brother was silent as he continued to survey the landscape beyond the wall. His attention lingered for a moment on the keep high above the city and then dropped to the road from the west, across the harbourage and then the road to the south. Finally he said, ‘I’d come at the city from the east. It’s the weakest part of the defence.’

  ‘But to do that means you’d have to get your forces across the water to the western coast of the principality. No ships, remember.’

  Brendan said, ‘The Free Cities have ships.’

  ‘But to turn south and move on Port Natal leaves your rear exposed to … well, us.

  ‘And even if you get past the Rangers sniping at you from behind every tree, win past the city defenders, and get your hands on enough ships, you’ve still got to sail back north and get past Queg’s patrols.’ He stopped, thoughtful. ‘But your instincts are right, I’m certain. We just have to figure out how they intend to do it.’

  ‘Which brings us back to a raiding fleet from the south,’ said Brendan.

  Martin shook his head. ‘Let’s leave the problem of how they do it to the Keshians. We must assume they can get to the western shore of the Bitter Sea. If I were their commander, I’d make straight for Questor’s View and come ashore on that beach to the north of the town.’

  ‘Which would put you only a day’s forced march south of that old fortification there,’ said Brendan, pointing across the water.

  ‘That would be a fine staging area. Leaving out the part about swimming across, invisible ships, or other magic as beside the point of having soldiers there, let’s assume the Keshian Commander is as intelligent as you are.’ Martin turned. ‘Sergeant Ruther!’ he shouted.

  ‘Sir!’ came the answering reply from below.

  The old sergeant might not always be in sight but he was always near at hand. Martin motioned for him to come up and despite his age the old soldier took the steps two at a time as he hurried to his young commander’s side. When he reached Martin, he said, ‘Sir?’

  ‘What can you tell us about that old fortification?

  ‘Been abandoned for nearly a hundred years, I’ve been told. Built as a buttress against some nasty raids over the mountains and down along the coast. Seems things got calmer and one of the old barons decided that paying for a second garrison wasn’t necessary.’

  ‘How long would it take to ride down and have a look around?’

  ‘An hour to get there. It’s farther away than it looks from here. That’s no hill overlooking the beach and the road bends through the woodlands. Another hour to inventory, and then an hour to return. Be back by supper, sir.’

  ‘Get to it,’ said Martin.

  As Ruther headed down the steps bellowing orders to form a detail to ride with him, a sentry at the far western corner shouted, ‘Patrol coming in!’

  Martin turned to see four riders coming in at a canter; an urgent enough pace to indicate that there was news, but not fast enough to signal immediate danger. ‘Open the gates!’ he commanded.

  Four riders entered, as grimy as their horses. The sudden early summer rains had quickly dried out and mud and dust covered both mount and horseman. The leader of the patrol, a newly promoted corporal named Jackson, dismounted and said, ‘Saw ’em, sir.’

  ‘Where?’

  ‘Their vanguard is about half a day’s ride the other side of the pass.’ The rangy, sandy-haired young man stopped and calculated. ‘Saw them at dawn yesterday, Commander, so they must be a day and a half, perhaps two days at the most, behind us.’

  ‘How many have they brought?’ asked Brendan.

  ‘The whole bunch
, sir,’ said Jackson. He thanked the guard who handed him a water skin. He took a long pull from it, then said, ‘Seems like they don’t feel the need to leave much behind. It’s as if they don’t care about any attempt to retake Crydee from the south.’

  ‘Odd,’ said Martin. ‘So what numbers do you think we’ll see, and when?’

  ‘Five hundred horses, if I judged rightly; a bunch of those desert fellows with the leopardskin trim on their helmets, maybe three hundred; and what looks like heavy cavalry: lancers with baggage wagons. And infantry. At least a thousand Dog Soldiers, and twice that number of irregulars.’

  ‘Siege engines?’ asked Brendan.

  ‘I expect they took ’em apart after we left Crydee, and will be dragging them along, sir. Didn’t stay around to see if they were in the rear with those leopard fellows getting close. A couple of them gave chase, but they didn’t last long once we turned and ran.’

  Martin studied the distant road through the gate. He had ordered entrapments and barriers erected, knowing full well they were more of nuisance to the enemy than a real deterrent. Still, anything that kept the Keshians from swarming over that hill and coming straight at the gate was to be earnestly wished for.

  His eyes returned once again to the old keep on top of the hill overlooking the road. He had conducted a quick inspection of their defences a week earlier when he had first arrived. Now he wondered if he had been overly hasty.

  ‘Find Bolton,’ Martin said softly to his brother.

  Captain Bolton appeared at a run behind Brendan less than five minutes later. He was a slender young man, the same age as Martin. He had been left in charge of the city’s defences by the Duke of Yabon, and until now, his only practical experience had been overseeing a squad of the Earl of LaMut’s personal guards, of which his uncle was commander. To the brothers’ surprise, he had turned out to be a willing worker and a quick study; his arrogant manner as defender of the city had been a mask to hide his uncertainty. But once Martin had defined his duties, Bolton had thrown himself into whatever task had been given him. Even Brendan had come to like him despite the fact they were both smitten by the mayor’s daughter, Lily.

  Martin said to him, ‘What I need to know is if there is any sort of sally port or secret exit from that keep.’

  Bolton said, ‘I don’t know, but I’ll find out.’

  Martin nodded and Bolton ran off towards the stable nearest the gate.

  Brendan smiled at his retreating back. ‘He’s still eager.’

  ‘He’s just like a lot of men,’ said Martin. ‘A total waste until you give them something meaningful to do, then you see the man’s true measure.’

  ‘What are you thinking?’ Brendan asked with a twitch of his head in the general direction of the keep.

  ‘If that Keshian commander can get control of that ridge up there,’ he pointed to the crest of the road and the clearings on either side, ‘he can erect those trebuchets and just pound this wall until it’s rubble. Then a single charge down the hill and he has this city.’

  ‘So you want to hit him in the arse?’ said Brendan, but his expression was serious.

  ‘If I can get a big enough company behind him, yes; but he’ll have pickets stationed a quarter of a mile out on either flank. If there’s a tunnel or an old escape route, or a sally port with a road downhill …’ He shrugged. ‘It’s worth a look.’

  ‘Yes it is.’

  Martin motioned for the gates to be closed and said, ‘If I was that Keshian commander, I’d be sending scouts south of the pass road to seek out game trails and old farmers wagon paths, so I can infiltrate as many men as possible south of here without being seen.’

  ‘Should we send a patrol towards Natal?’

  ‘The Free City Rangers should be able to annoy the Keshians and prevent them moving too far south, so we can guess where they’ll pop up if they do infiltrate.’

  Brendan said, ‘I’m glad it’s you having to puzzle all this out, brother. I’m a bit out of my depth.’

  ‘You’d do fine, I suspect,’ Martin said with a tired smile. Then he stared at the closed gates as if he could somehow will his sight through them, over the mountains and to the Keshian camp. ‘It’s just the waiting that tires me out.’

  ‘And a lack of sleep.’ With the evil grin of a younger brother Brendan said, ‘Besides being up all hours getting our defences in place, Bethany—’

  Before he could finish, Martin raised a single finger before his brother’s nose. ‘Don’t!’

  Stepping back, Brendan put his hands up, palms out, in a supplicating gesture. ‘I was only going to say that you spend a great deal of time talking to her after supper.’

  Martin fixed his younger brother with an expression that meant he found his brother’s claim to be dubious, but he let it go. ‘She’s a wonder,’ he said in obvious admiration. ‘She’s done amazing things with the women and children in this town: about two-thirds of the women and almost all the children are leaving tomorrow for the north, to seek shelter in Zün. The women who are staying behind will cook, wash clothing, and care for the wounded.’

  ‘They will no doubt make good account of themselves if the Keshians do get over that wall.’

  Martin nodded. ‘Kesh is never gentle with those they conquer. Rape and slavery is the best to hope for beyond a quick death.’

  Both young men had read the histories and accounts of wars in the past. No nation could claim virtue in the throes of struggle; the Kingdom had been as brutal as anyone during the conquest of their neighbours as they extended their borders in ages past, but those had been wars of expansion and those who had been conquered were now considered as citizens as much as the first raiders who left the island Kingdom of Rillanon.

  Kesh’s wars were of subjugation. Only ‘Truebloods’ were granted full citizenship. Those who served the Empire and had lived around the massive lake known the Overn Deep for generations were counted as lesser citizens, though some had risen to high office. Everyone else was regarded as a subject. Even colonists who had moved to distant lands, like the Far Coast and Natal – the ancient province of Bosania – and the Island of Queg, became lesser subjects. And as a result, Kesh’s Legionaries and Dog Soldiers had been putting down rebellions for centuries.

  The results were uniform. When Kesh conquered, she occupied: indigenous people were driven out, killed or enslaved.

  It was that knowledge that kept Martin from feeling like a total failure. He had abandoned his family’s castle, but had he remained he would be dead, or perhaps an object of ransom. There would be no truce with Kesh. Their only hope was to withstand whatever assault came this way, and hold out against the return of the Duke of Yabon’s forces. When they arrived, he would lead his men of Crydee home and drive the Keshian trespassers from every mill, farm, mine, and fishing community within the Duchy.

  Brendan saw his brother’s expression and said, ‘What?’

  Letting out a long breath, Martin said, ‘Nothing. Everything. Just a lot of thoughts.’ He glanced around as if he might find one more task that needed his attention.

  ‘Go back to the mayor’s house and get some rest. Talk with Bethany now and get some sleep later.’

  Martin let his shoulders slump as he relaxed. ‘I just—’

  ‘I know,’ said his brother putting his hand on Martin’s arm. ‘If anything needs to be done, I’ll do it.’ Then he grinned, and said, ‘Or I’ll send for you. Is that all right?’

  ‘Yes,’ said Martin. ‘I’ll never admit it to anyone else, but I couldn’t have pulled this together without your help, little brother.’

  Brendan said, ‘I would be lost without your leadership, Martin. But I would give all of my inheritance to have Hal here.’

  Martin nodded in earnest agreement. ‘I, too.’ Their brother had been groomed to rule, and was a far better leader than his two younger siblings. ‘He has a definite knack for this sort of thing.’

  ‘You’re not doing badly, honestly.’

  ‘I wo
nder what he’s up to right now?’

  ‘Probably trying to find a way to get home,’ answered Brendan. ‘Little chance there, I should think. Kesh probably has Roldem bottled up, or Roldem’s now allied with Kesh and Hal’s been arrested or is in hiding.’

  ‘You think like Father,’ said Martin. ‘I never gave a thought to what might be occurring in Roldem.’ A moment of sadness passed between them: they’d had little time to truly mourn the loss of their father.

  Finally Martin broke the mood and said, ‘Come, we have work to do.’

  ‘Raiders!’

  The warning echoed across the silent square behind the harbour gates and was repeated by every sentry along the wall. Martin was dressed and out of the door of his room in the mayor’s house before the alarm bell stopped. He was joined by Brendan as the two brothers nearly collided at the top of the stairs.

  Two young women were waiting for them as they reached the main floor of the house: Bethany, daughter of the Earl of Carse, and Lily, the mayor’s daughter. Bethany was sharing Lily’s room at the back of the house and both women were wearing heavy robes over their nightgowns.

  Before either could voice a question, Martin said, ‘Get dressed and be ready to ride north if I give the order.’ He kissed Bethany absently on the cheek and was quickly away while she stood there for a moment.

  She looked at Lily and shook her head. ‘Be ready to run? I don’t think so.’ She turned towards her host’s room and said, ‘Are you coming?’

  ‘Where?’ asked Lily. She and Bethany had taken an instant liking to one another, but Lily was often amazed at what she thought of as Bethany’s rough ways. She rode a horse like a man, wearing trousers! She was practised with weapons, and thought nothing of fine clothing, jewellery, fragrances, or cosmetics. Still, the younger girl liked Bethany a great deal and because of her rank the mayor had been reluctant to stem her more outlandish behaviour; a condition Lily exploited at every chance. Bethany’s expression was one that communicated the answer to where was obvious.