The Dark Glory War (23 page)

The urZrethi and elves usually did not get along well, but Jentellin welcomed them into the coalition primarily because they had a garrison company at Fortress Draconis. Without the urZrethi, the fortress would fall, because the urZrethi were builders and tunnelers, which suited them perfectly to fortifying the fortress and fighting against sappers from Aurolan. Faryaah-Tse would command that unit when we reached Fortress Draconis, and until then would serve as one of Lord Norrington’s advisors.

The planning of the campaign took a long time, was punctuated by various arguments, and was full of boring details through which I began to sleep. I felt the most sorry for Nay because he had very little in the way of background for understanding all the details. Leigh and I could deal with it a bit more easily, but it still numbed us. Since meetings went late, then commenced again early in the morning, most of the sleep we got was in fits and starts, which left me tired and anxious.

The end of our Moon Month also sank me in melancholy. The end of the Moon Month was supposed to be a time of celebration with family and friends. By the time I received my first adult mask, my course in life should have been plotted. I should have already had an invitation from a military unit to join it, but I didn’t. I had no doubt that being part of the Knights of the Phoenix would benefit me, but I had no idea how at that point. I’d done a lot in the first two-thirds of my Moon Month, but since then I’d done almost nothing.

I also realized I was homesick and missing my family. Just as I got my moonmask from my father, so I was supposed to get my harvestmask from him, or an older brother, or the oldest male relative available. That clearly wasn’t going to happen for me. Even more depressing was my assumption that because I was not part of a military unit, I wasn’t going to be part of the crusade against Aurolan. The only individuals being talked about for the crusade were heroes such as Lord Norrington, with Nay, Leigh, and myself going completely un-mentioned in the Councils of Kings.

The events that began the night I got my moonmask were going to end, leaving me alone to wander back to Valsina and oblivion.

Leigh had no such worries. There seemed to be no question that he would accompany his father on the expedition. More important than that was the gold ring worked with the Norrington crest that Princess Ryhope gave him to celebrate the end of his Moon Month. It had a ruby set where a heart appeared in the crest and certainly must have cost a small fortune. I’d spent two gold pieces to buy him a silver gorget, which he actually wore, but he consistently admired the ring, polishing the stone against his jerkin, then holding his hand out to look at the light glinting from it.

Nay also seemed to be carefree as our Moon Month came to an end. When he and I chatted and exchanged gifts, I got a look at things from his perspective. “Only figured to be a soldier, and that will happen. All else—Atval, Yslin—that’s a lifetime for me. If claimed by Death tomorrow, I’m further along than anyone would have ever suspected.”

Nay did like his coat, and he gave me the small boot knife he’d carried with him from Valsina. “Wanted to get one for you here, but none were good enough. Made this one myself. Not the best, but it holds an edge good and won’t fail you.”

“Thanks.” I slid it away in my right boot. “If the trip home is at all like the trip out here, it will be more than useful.”

Leigh gave the both of us thick, black blankets woven in wool from Naliserro. The Nalisk workmanship was flawless, and even looking at the blanket I felt warm. Having seen what festival merchants wanted for them when I was looking at gifts, I knew Leigh had spent more than his father had given him. I also sensed he’d actually thought a lot about his choice, not just going with the first thing he saw. I felt as if he wanted us to have the blankets to keep us warm and comfortable on our trip home, which I appreciated.

It also drove me crazy because it underlined the fact that we’d be going back to Valsina while he was traveling the world and destroying the Aurolani threat. I had wandered down into the inn’s common room and was sitting alone, sipping a bitter ale, thinking about all that when Severus’ indolent son, Desid, came downstairs and found me.

“Beg pardon, master, but His Lordship asked for you.”

I nodded, left the tankard of ale where it was, and slowly trudged up the stairs. With each step my heart sank, so that by the time I’d reached the top of the stairs, it felt as if my heart were back drowning in my ale. Despite feeling hollow inside, I straightened up and forced a smile on my face. I knocked on the door and entered when bidden.

Lord Norrington turned in his chair, setting a quill pen down on the desk beneath his right elbow. “Thank you for coming, Hawkins … Tarrant. Please, be seated.”

I sat on the foot of the bed. “You wanted to see me?”

“Yes, I did.” His voice came easy and he even sounded a bit pleased. “Today your Moon Month ends and you are to receive your harvestmask. Prince Scrainwood—at the urging of his sister, I suspect—asked if I would mind ifhe gave Bosleigh his mask. It was an honor I could not refuse, and I knew Leigh would make my life difficult if I did. He’s off at Fortress Gryps now.”

I blinked. “And you’re not there? I mean, I would have thought …”

Lord Norrington raised a hand. “Leigh knows I am proud of him, but I want him to be the center of attention. After all, if I fall in this expedition, he’ll be the Norrington who will have to fulfill the prophecy, right?”

I nodded.

“Duke Larner will be granting Naysmith his harvestmask. I gather that the bladesmith who taught Nay once forged a special sword for the Duke, hence the connection there.” He smiled and opened the central drawer in the writing desk. “I know that the senior male relative wherever you are is supposed to grant you your harvestmask. As you know, my father died when I was very young, so your father trained me and very much was as a father to me. While my uncle—the man who would become my father-in-law, as well—granted me my harvestmask, I felt your father was the one who allowed me to earn it. And you and Leigh spent so much time together I often thought of you as brothers and I … well, I hope your father will not mind my usurping his role here.“

From the drawer he drew a brown leather mask, not that much different from my moonmask, save that the brow portion had been nearly doubled in size. Above the eyeholes an inch-wide strip of gibberkin fur had been added, and two temeryx feathers, both black, dangled from either side of the mask. If I were to look at it today I would see it as very plain, but at that time it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.

I reached up and unknotted the thongs holding my moonmask on. I remembered my father admonishing me not to bare my face for anyone save family, but I could not imagine him objecting to my showing it to Lord Norrington. Leigh’s father glanced down toward the ground as I removed my mask, allowing me my modesty. I took my harvestmask from him and pressed its cool suede underside to my face. Lord Norrington moved around behind me and tied it securely.

“Now and forever,” he said, “this mask will proclaim to others who and what you are. What once hid us from our enemies now reveals us to our friends. Wear it with pride and always honor the generations who have fought and died to provide you with the mask.”

I nodded solemnly, then smiled as he returned to his desk. “Thank you, my lord.”

“It was my pleasure, Tarrant.” He smiled, then reached out and patted me on a knee. “Of course, I know the tradition of giving a gift to someone receiving his harvestmask, but I’ve had little time to consider what I should give you. If you have a suggestion, I would love to hear it.”

Hope sparked in my chest and made my heart leap. “My lord, there is nothing I would have of you, but a chance, an opportunity; for me, and … and for Nay. Please, my lord, let us see to the finish what we started a month ago. Let us go on the Okrannel expedition. We won’t be trouble, we’ll do whatever you want, whatever you need.”

Lord Norrington sat back. “I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

“But—”

He held up a hand. “Hear me out. You would let me acquit my duty to you too easily. You and Nay will be going with Leigh and me—that was decided long ago.”

“What? When? Why?”

“As I understand it, there are nuances to the elven language that are beyond my understanding. For example, the word translated as ‘washed’ in the phrase ‘washed in flame’ could also be ‘born.’ ”

“That refers to your initiation into the Knights of the Phoenix, doesn’t it?”

“Among those who know, that is what is believed, yes. In any event, part of the prophecy, when studied, is an allusion to an elven tale that involves three companions.” He shrugged his shoulders easily. “Know you this, however: I would have demanded the three of you accompany me. I can’t imagine a Norrington going off to do battle without a Hawkins at his side, and Naysmith is stalwart and sensible enough to keep you and Leigh out of trouble.”

I nodded. “And there will be trouble aplenty.” I narrowed my eyes. “Some people, like Prince Scrainwood and Prince Augustus, seem to think we’ll be finished with this fight before the first winter snows fly.”

“We can hope they are right, but I’m planning to dress warmly.” Lord Norrington inked his quill and scratched a note onto the foolscap. “However, that matters not at the moment. You have yet to tell me what I can give you.”

I shook my head as nothing I’d seen over the last weeks suggested itself to me. “I don’t know, my lord. I guess, perhaps, maybe …” I drew in a deep breath, then let it out slowly and licked my lips. “I would like your trust, my lord. I would like you to know I will never fail you or betray you. If I could have your trust, that would be everything for me.”

Lord Norrington sat stock still for a moment, then chewed on his lower lip. “Very well, you have it. I may yet decide there are things you are not to know, but that is not because I do not trust you with them, but that I wish you to have enough perspective to understand them. I will tell you nothing that will hurt you unless you need to know it.”

“Thank you, my lord.” I dropped to a knee before him, took his right hand in mine, and kissed the Norrington crest ring on his finger. “I will guard your trust as I will guard your life, unto my last breath, my last drop of blood, and my last thought.”

He stood and pulled me to my feet. “Norrington and Hawkins heading north to face Chytrine and her Aurolani hordes. If only she knew what was coming, she’d already be running, and our glorious war would be over before brave blood flows.” y joy at being included in the expedition knew no bounds, and kept me going throughout the next two weeks. A soothsayer could have come to me and predicted dire things, but I’d not have believed and wouldn’t have cared. I was to be part of a grand crusade that would rid the world forever of a scourge—a scourge that cast a vast, cold shadow over all of us. What we would do would live on forever in history.

The two weeks we had to organize the expedition were full of chaos, joys, and disappointments. It was also full of discoveries for me. First was getting to see the ships of the fleet and actually stepping onto a seagoing vessel. Jerana, Alcida, and Saporcia supplied the vast majority of the ships for the fleet, including wallowing merchant craft and long, sleek war galleys. The merchantmen relied primarily on sail to move them, though they did have a couple of long sweeps that could maneuver them in port or when totally becalmed. The merchantmen were loaded with foodstuffs, wine, grain for the horses, and two were outfitted to carry heavy cavalry units from Jerana and Alcida. Prince Augustus commanded the latter company and shipped aboard theRunning Brook, which was named after the estate that housed the Prince’s Horse Guards.

The war galleys did have a single mast and could travel well on a wind, but relied on oarsmen to propel them in combat. Three men to an oar, twenty oars to a side, the ship could cruise at five knots an hour and hit bursts of twelve knots when closing with an enemy ship. Bow and aft towers allowed the ship’s troops to shoot their crossbows down on the decks of any ships they were attacking. At the bow, an extension of the bowsprit formed a beak which, in close combat, could sheer off another galley’s oars. More important, it could crush through the wall of shields on the ship’s railing, and was wide enough to allow boarders to run across it and jump down onto the enemy deck.

Two pairs each of swivel-mounted grand crossbows were set fore and aft to shoot meter-long quarrels that could punch through shields and decking. Grapnels linked to stout line or steel chain were ready to catch hold of an enemy ship and keep it close. Two small mangonels on wheeled platforms could be moved about and used to toss canisters ofnapthalm, a pitch-like substance that burned fiercely, onto another ship, or scatter about small calthrops which would stick in the decking and tear up the feet of barefooted crewmen.

From the wharves it was difficult to gain a good perspective on the fleet, but I got a chance to ride in the basket slung beneath one of the balloons in Yslin. Our ascent was pretty easy and took me much higher than the other basket I’d ridden in. We rose swiftly, leaving me feeling as if I’d left my stomach somewhere back on the ground. Still, watching people shrink to the size of ants and watching buildings become as tiny as a child’s playhouse was incredible. It struck me that Gyrkyme had the opportunity to see the world this way all the time, and I could only hope it always remained as magical for them as it was for me.

In addition to its crew of a hundred forty men, and a marine company of thirty, each of the galleys could take with it one additional company of thirty warriors. The Bodyguard units we were using were made up of roughly two companies, so a pair of galleys would be needed to move a single unit. A single merchantman carried supplies that would provide for ten galleys, so we only needed four in our convoy, but we doubled that number since we assumed supplies would be needed by people in Okrannel, or by ourselves if we became involved in an extended campaign there. That count of eight merchantmen did not include the two stable ships.