Crusader

Chapter 21

The rest of night was subdued; conversations hashed over and over again. Partus was gagged once more and bound hand and foot, tied to a cot and put under guard. He was allowed water before he went to sleep, but only with a cessation spell over him, then he was strapped down and left quiet with two guards and Mendicant to watch over him. The goblin was ordered by Cyrus to thoroughly cover the dwarf with a fire spell should he attempt to escape, a fact which was not lost on the wide-eyed Partus.

Cyrus sat in a circle around a fire with his officers, but the conversations lost his attention after only a short while. They discussed what Partus had talked about, but it meandered in circles. Terian was silent, almost as though he were pouting or lost in his own thoughts. After their conflict, Cyrus had not bothered to approach the dark knight. Better to let him stew on it and talk with him in the morning. He’s sore that I had to remonstrate with him in a public forum. He frowned. Well, he shouldn’t have tried to kill the prisoner.

Longwell contributed little to the conversation, only reiterating that Briyce Unger had little use for cowards, so the thought of him terrified was disquieting, at least. Ryin weighed in with his own observations, after which Nyad proceeded to dissect at length (interminably, to Cyrus’s mind) every bit of what was said about the Sylorean army, Briyce Unger, and all other minutia. Shortly before midnight, Cyrus gave up and retreated to a tent that Ranson had indicated was for him.

Within, he found a wooden cot with a roll of furs to use as a mattress. Cyrus lay upon it, resting his head, hearing the sounds of the thousands of soldiers encamped around him. Though he knew the latrines were far from his tent, the smell of the battlefield was still present; the first hints of souring flesh, the real or perceived scent of blood on the air. He buried his face in the furs, sniffing at the clean, just-washed smell of them, the barest remains of soap still on them. He thought of the Baroness, of the morrow, and of how he would feel her against him again, and he slept.

The next day came similarly gloomy, and he woke to the sounds of the camp stirring. After stretching, Cyrus stepped outside the tent. Rain was in the air again, the heavy, humid feeling of a storm, ready to break. The clouds were grey and wended their way to both ends of the sky without break or interruption. Some patches were darker than others, but it was all a dark sky, and all a worrisome thing to have hanging over one’s head, ready to break loose at any moment.

After a brief conversation with Count Ranson, who urged Cyrus to begin the journey back to Vernadam, which awaited them for celebrations, Cyrus rallied the Sanctuary army. They made their way out of the camp, the column being led once more by the riders on horseback. They had left behind their own wagons at Vernadam, and so made their way onto the rough road leading into the Forest of Waigh before the morning had entirely left.

The sky remained gloomy but did not deliver on the promised rain until nearing midday, when it came in short, staccato bursts. For ten minutes the skies would pour buckets and then stop, the clouds finally breaking to reveal sunlight. A few minutes later, another cloud would cover the sun, drench the army of Sanctuary as it tried to hide under the boughs of the forest, and then be onward in the sky, letting the sun shine down again. After the fourth rainstorm, Cyrus lost count, not worrying, already soaked and near uncaring about the chill. Although he felt bad for the soldiers in the column, he knew the only thing for them was to finish the march, which would take another six hours or so before they’d reach Vernadam.

Cyrus spent his time quiet, thinking of the Baroness, of her touch. He found to his surprise that even in the short time he’d been gone, he’d missed having her travel with them, that he’d wanted to comment on something to her. Madness. That was fast. He imagined her face, her smile, and lapsed once again into thinking of the night before he’d left, and felt his own anticipation for their arrival.

The journey passed quickly, especially after the rain, and the Forest of Waigh ended when they had only three hours of marching left to their destination. From the moment they left behind the tree-covered skies, Vernadam was visible in the distance, the towering top spire sticking above all else, a faintly shadowed pillar on the horizon that grew and grew as they marched closer. Sundown cast it in a shadow against the purple sky, a black outline of the tallest castle Cyrus had ever seen.

They reached the city not long after sundown to much jubilance and celebration in the street. Women leapt from the crowds and kissed the men in the column (some to great joy, some to great dismay) and Cyrus found himself pelted with flowers and the recipient of countless offered bottles, most of which he declined.

They halted in the square to cheers and adulation. The environment around them was stunning, excitement was rampant, and Cyrus could feel himself sucked into it, a heady feeling of being a part of something grand, once-in-a-lifetime. He dodged a group of Galbadien boys who chanted his name, “CY-RUS, CY-RUS, CY-RUS,” and thought quietly that they looked to be of an age with some of the newest recruits in his army. The village was entirely turned out, and the smell of strong wine was already pervasive in the street, along with good ale and some urine as he rode past an alley or two.

He shouted to Odellan. “Keep them in line,” he said, and saw the elf nod at him. Cyrus gestured to his officers to proceed, and they did, to muted cheers and a widening chant of Cyrus’s name that seemed to grow even louder as they exited the square and the village, ringing out even as they made their way up the path to Vernadam.

“Figures,” Terian said, muttering under his breath. “We all go out and fight the battle, and he’s the one that gets the cheers.”

“I don’t remember seeing you get your brains dashed out by a hammer for this victory,” Cyrus said.

“No great loss there,” Terian replied. “You didn’t have much in the way of them to start.”

Cyrus chuckled as they made their way up the winding path. It was darker, now, and the gates to the castle were visible ahead. The switchback sent them winding around at a slow canter, and Cyrus felt the discomfort in his haunches from all the sitting over the last months. A month without riding might be nice. Well, without horseback riding, anyway …

The gate of Vernadam was impossibly large, yawning, the portcullis up and inviting them in. Cyrus imagined trying to lay siege to this castle, to deal with the meandering path, to fight against the steep sides, or attempt to put a siege engine against the curtain wall. Even the thought of bringing a battering ram heavy enough to shatter the great wooden gates was laughable. I pity whatever fool tries to take this place by force; assuming they were provisioned, it would be the effort of years. His mind drifted again to within the walls, to the Baroness, to the bed in his chambers. He was tired, again, after a long day’s ride, but not ready to sleep, not yet …

They went through the tunnel of the portcullis, into the courtyard, and Cyrus looked up to the stairs that led to the front doors. The doors were open, and a procession was making its way down, following the King. He was almost to the bottom, and in the bevy of servants and house guards was another face, a shining one, resplendent, really-Cattrine, in a green dress of the most elegant silk, waiting for him only a few steps behind the King.

Cyrus dismounted and one of the servants from the stables came and took Windrider’s reins from him. He waited until Longwell, Terian, and a few of the others joined him; Partus was paraded before them, looking murderously annoyed. Still gagged, the dwarf couldn’t say anything, but he grunted in irritation every time Terian poked him to move forward.

The courtyard was insulated from the breezes that had run so infrequently outside, and Cyrus found himself a little warmer as he took his first steps toward the King. He could see the Baroness, a glow in her eyes and on her skin, as he smiled at her and came before the King, who nodded at him.

“King Aron,” Cyrus said, “I present to you the dwarven mercenary who has caused you so many difficulties, as a sign, from us of the Sanctuary Army, that we hope your troubles with Syloreas are at an end after the battle of Harrow’s Crossing.”

The assembled servants and guards burst into spontaneous applause, encouraged by the benign smile upon the King’s face. When they had quieted, the King spoke, not taking his eyes off the dwarf. “Your gift is much appreciated, as are your efforts in these dark days, made light by your victory over our enemies. When my only son left,” he turned toward Samwen Longwell, who looked at his feet, “I feared the worst for my house, only to see the worst come after his departure. But what I thought would be our ruin became our salvation as he returned with you wonderful people of the west.”

The King raised his hands above him. “I declare the next thirty days to be a time of celebration and feasting throughout the Kingdom of Galbadien. Let all who are fit raise their cups to Cyrus Davidon, Samwen Longwell, and the heroes of Sanctuary, who have delivered us from our ancient foes! Let all who have lips to speak praise their names, and let us dedicate this time to salving their weariness, resting them from their troubles, and feasting them upon the most succulent delicacies our lands have to offer.” The King’s thin face was positively radiant. “This in the name of those who have ventured so far to offer a hand of friendship. This is your time.” He spread his arms wide, beckoning them forward to the castle. “We invite you to stay with us, and enjoy all we have to offer-in the name of our friendship.”

Thunderous applause greeted them, echoing forth in the courtyard from every servant and guard, as loud as in the open air of the square in the village below. There would be feasts, and songs, and plenty of wine, Cyrus knew, but his eyes were fixed on a point past the King, on a face still glowing, still smiling at him, and thinking of a time long past dinner and dessert, when the hours were late and the darkness was nigh …

… and he stayed awake long into the night, he and Cattrine, in each other’s arms-and even when the knock came at their door the next morning summoning them for breakfast, they were not quickly to be stirred or parted.