Pirates Of Gohar

Chapter 23

It was nightfall before Blade heard that Gribbon was dead of wounds he'd received early in the battle. Nobody seemed to be willing to take command of the rebels. So Blade simply walked around, giving orders until people started obeying them. «Easiest way of promoting myself I ever found,» he said afterward. No one cared now whether or not he was the Man from the Future. Everyone knew what he'd done in the day's fighting.

When he was satisfied that the prisoners and wounded were going to be provided for and the rest of the army would be ready to move tomorrow morning, Blade went in search of Khraishamo. He found the pirate sitting in his tent, Rhodina beside him, and Sigluf in the middle of apologizing.

«It is not good to say anything against a warrior like you,» said the Maghri chief. «It was bad that I ever did it. I will not do it again. I will make this promise before all the warriors if you ask it.»

«I won't ask it,» said Khraishamo, signaling Blade to sit down. «But Blade may ask more. He fought for me, and that gives him some right to speak.»

Blade smiled. «Sigluf, you are also a fine warrior. So I won't ask anything more from you now. I will ask something for the future, though.»

«What is that?»

«The next time you have some complicated battle plan, tell us about it. It was a good idea, pretending to retreat so that the Goharans would be drawn into a battle, then riding around to take them in the rear. It would have been even better to tell us about it first.

«If you ever do something like that again without telling us, I'll challenge you again. And then I will do my best to spatter whatever you use for brains all over the grass.»

Sigluf took the good-natured threat as Blade intended. «I see now that your people are warriors I can trust. I will not hide anything from them again. Let us drink to the many more victories we shall win side by side.»

They drank. «This is the last ale from the barrel Blade fell into this morning,» said Khraishamo. «So we know it's fit for warriors to drink.» He put an arm around Rhodina, and it was obvious to Blade that he wanted to be alone with his woman.

Blade didn't mind. It had been a long day, and he'd have to be up at dawn tomorrow if he wanted to get this army on the road by noon.

In fact, Blade didn't wake up until it was full daylight, and when he did it was the sound of the army moving out which woke him. On his first day as a Mythoran general, he found himself having to miss breakfast and ride furiously to catch up with the men he was supposed to be leading. Everyone except Blade had a good laugh over this.

The allied army marched on Mythor, the Maghri on the right and the rebels on the left. A stroke of luck solved the problem of paying the horsemen. The abandoned Goharan camp was quickly discovered, and in it a large sum in gold and silver. Apparently the Goharans had expected to be able to buy allies. Blade gave two-thirds of the gold to the Maghri, in return for a solemn promise not to loot either Goharans or Mythorans. The Maghri were delighted with the arrangement, the rebels somewhat less so, but Blade was able to persuade everyone after a good deal of argument.

In four days the army reached the sea and turned north along the coast. They spent a day gathering supplies for men and horses, then pushed north. Blade didn't have to urge anyone to hurry now. All he had to do was ride at the head of the army, as the long line of horsemen thundered north past estates, farms, fishing villages, and gaping or cheering men and women.

They met no Goharan soldiers on the road, and little resistance of any sort. The undermanned garrisons of the little coastal forts shut their gates, hurled stones and curses at rebels who rode too close to the walls, and did nothing else. A few desperate Goharan landowners tried to arm their tenants and fight, but at least half of these foolish men were cut to pieces by the weapons they'd handed out. None of the others delayed the advancing army for more than a few hours.

No one expected the allied army. The last thing most Goharans had heard was word of the advance inland. A few knew that there'd been a battle, but no one seemed to know that Gohar's best troops in Mythor were either dead or prisoners. Sigluf and Khraishamo took great pleasure in spreading the news, and in warning people that they were now at the mercy of the rebels.

«Mythor will be free,» said the pirate. «You can't change that. All you can do is get yourself killed by making a stupid fight, or live and try to make the best of it. Why be stupid?'»

This argument was particularly convincing when backed up by the sight of the long column of grim, ragged horsemen, with their dusty faces and bright weapons.

On the last day, even the horses seemed to catch the eagerness of their riders. The entire army went pounding north at a steady trot. They rode on through the night, and as the eastern sky turned gray rode up to the landward wall of Mythor.

Like Gohar, Mythor wasn't intended to stand attack by land. The nearest enemies on land were the Maghri, and they were a long way off. Before they could ever reach Mythor, the soldiers and the people inland would unite to stop them. Now the inland people were riding side by side with the Maghri against a nearly defenseless city.

A few guards tried to hold the gates. Archers picked off some of them, and climbing the walls on improvised ladders disposed of the rest. All the gates were open in half an hour, and the riders poured into the streets of Mythor, shrieking, screaming, shooting arrows at anything moving, and calling to the Mythorans to come out and meet the men who'd given them freedom.

Along with the city, the riders scooped up nearly a thousand sailors on shore leave from a fleet of Goharan galleys in the harbor. They'd reached Mythor only three days ago, and in spite of rumors of trouble the admiral let his men go ashore.

«Long trip, even if we did miss the storm,» one sailor told Blade. He didn't seem particularly worried over being captured. «Degyat's not the sort to keep men shut up just for a rumor, so-«

«Degyat's your admiral?»

«Admiral of the First Fleet, anyway. Second Fleet's coming along any day, and then you bastards aren't going to have everything-«

«Thank you. Which galley is Degyat's flagship?»

When Blade learned this, he sent out a messenger under a white flag, to ask the admiral to receive him in two hours. Then he gave a few sharp orders to the rebel army about acting like liberators, not conquerors. After that he bathed, shaved, and put on clean clothes for the first time in nearly two weeks, and had himself rowed out to Degyat's flagship.

Degyat flew his flag in one of the big two-banked galleys, anchored in the middle of the First Fleet. Blade counted thirty-two other galleys. The young admiral met him by the aftercastle, and invited him below.

When they were alone, Degyat said bluntly, «I'm not planning on holding you prisoner. But I'd like to ask you why I shouldn't?»

Blade didn't smile. «Because if I don't come back, my men will kill all your sailors we caught on shore.»

«That's what I thought. Well, I'm sure you know that you're in a strong position for now. I'm also sure you've learned that you won't be in it for long. The Second Fleet is coming south, with nearly a hundred ships under Kloret.»

«I see. Did he get word of the rebellion or-?»

Blade stopped as he saw Degyat's face harden. The man was obviously determined not to give Blade any unnecessary information. Blade didn't entirely blame him, either. Degyat might be an enemy of Kloret, but he was also a loyal servant of Gohar's Emperor, facing a leader of rebels against the Empire. They were both in a position where they could not be friends even if they weren't willing to be open enemies. Unfortunately Blade had a war to run and an army to lead. He couldn't afford to put up with even delaying tactics.

«Degyat,» he said quietly. «I can not only have your men killed. I can block the entrance to the harbor and then starve out or sink all your ships. I don't have to do this. I don't really want to do it. But I will, if you don't answer my questions. I'll have to assume the worst, and do whatever I can to protect my own men and keep Mythor free.»

A long silence. Blade realized that Degyat no longer looked like a young man. The last few months couldn't have been an easy time for him, with Thrayket's death bringing things to a boil. And then the long-feared Mythoran rebellion on top of it!

The silence went on, until Degyat broke it with a sigh and a bitter laugh. «All right, Blade. Kloret didn't expect the rebellion to come this soon, or to be this successful. He's not after you. He's coming south to meet the Bloodskins.»

«The Sarumi? Since when has Gohar needed a hundred and thirty ships against them?»

«Since Kloret decided to sail against their homeland and root them out for all time.»

So Kloret was planning on a major campaign against the Pirate Folk. If he won, the first great victory of Harkrat's reign would be his. Everyone would remember that, particularly the merchants whose ships would now be safe. Grateful merchants could give him all the money needed to buy soldiers. If Kloret succeeded in destroying the Sarumi, Harkrat would probably be his next victim.

Blade smiled grimly. «And he's been expecting to use Mythor as a base?»

«Of course.»

«Then the rebellion is going to be a nasty surprise for him.» Degyat also smiled. As loyal as he was to Harkrat, the idea of Kloret's rage at learning of such a blow appealed to him.

For a moment Blade considered the idea of negotiating with Kloret the use of Mythor as a base for his fleet, in return for his recognition of its freedom. Then he decided against it. Kloret might not be trustworthy even while the campaign against the Sarumi was underway. He certainly wouldn't be trustworthy afterward, when he was the ruler of Gohar in all but name. He would turn around and try to bring Mythor under Gohar's rule again. Blade wouldn't suffer — he'd be back in Home Dimension by then-but his friends would be in deadly danger.

Blade also remembered Fierssa and the Friends of Mythor. He wanted Kloret's blood for their deaths!

«Degyat,» said Blade. «I'm not going to ask you to betray the Emperor. Believe me or not, I still call myself Harkrat's friend, and I hope to have a chance to tell him this myself. I will ask you not to make things more difficult for Mythor. In return-«

«How?»

«Don't try to sail out of the harbor, stir up trouble in the City, or send messages to anyone outside.»

«That's all?»

«For now. In return, we'll treat the men we hold well, supply you with food and water if you need any, and care for your sick.»

«And when Kloret comes?»

«When Kloret comes, we'll accept any of your men who want to stay and join free Mythor. The rest can go where they will.»

Degyat clenched his fists and said, looking down at the table before him, «Many will stay. The men of Mythor have always been eager to serve in the fleet, and some Goharans have women here.»

«I thought so,» said Blade. «Degyat, I'll say this, whether you believe me or not. No one in Mythor wants a long war with Gohar, now that we're free. We'd rather make a treaty between equals, and share the trade of the Sea and Ocean between us.»

Degyat was silent for so long that Blade thought the meeting was over. Then the admiral said, his voice not quite steady: «What about the Sarumi?»

«What about them?»

«I might as well tell you. We captured one of their ships on the way south and persuaded the crew to talk. They are gathering all their ships and men to sail against Mythor and its coast. They think the storms have thrown everything into confusion, so they'll have easy pickings.»

«They won't,» said Blade. His decisive tone made Degyat start. «I have a suggestion. If the Sarumi fleet arrives before Kloret's, let's sail against it together.» The admiral looked at Blade as if he'd suddenly grown a second head. «I mean it. The Sarumi are the common enemy of Mythor and Gohar alike. If your ships and mine join to defeat the Sarumi, it will show them they can't gain anything from this rebellion. It will also show certain people that Mythor's rebellion is no danger to Gohar. The two cities can be friends even now.»

Degyat shook his head like a man half-stunned. «Blade, I.»

«You don't need to decide now,» Blade said, rising. «We'll gather all the Mythoran ships and fighting men we can anyway. If the Sarumi come, and you decide to sail with us, we'll return your men. We'll even send some of our archers aboard your ships.» He held out his hand and Degyat took it mechanically. «Think it over. This rebellion may not be an end, but a beginning.»

As he was rowed back to shore, Blade found himself desperately hoping Degyat would decide to join Mythor against the pirates. It would reduce the danger of a long war between the two cities, and that in turn would strike a heavy blow at Kloret. In fact, it would do more to upset the Prime Minister's plans than anything else except killing him outright.

Blade also hoped that Khraishamo could forgive him, for planning what could only end in the final defeat of the Sarumi.

During the next ten days, Blade heard nothing from Degyat and had no chance to sit down with Khraishamo and talk about the future. He was too busy keeping the peace between the two factions of the rebels, the farmers and the city merchants.

One city merchant spoke for many of his fellows when he told Blade: «We don't mind the farmers raising the rebellion when they pleased and winning the big battle. We're grateful. But we're not going to get down on our knees and kiss their asses, and they seem to want us to!»

The farmers were equally blunt in saying that the merchants had been weak, some of them perhaps even in Goharan pay. Several times this exchange of insults led to brawls, and once to a fatal stabbing.

Fortunately everyone on both sides seemed to accept Blade as a reasonably impartial mediator. Very few cared whether he was a Man from the Future, but everyone knew that he had courage and common sense. Also, the Maghri kept their promise not to loot and usually stayed outside the city.

«We do not love to live with stone all around,» said Sigluf. «We stay close to the grass if we can. It makes us stronger in a fight.»

«Also in bed?» said Blade, and Sigluf laughed. The Maghri chief was now regarded as something of a conquering hero, and had his pick of the women of Mythor. He very seldom slept alone.

Blade went on. «Will you be willing to come aboard the ships and fight the pirates if they come? Your archers will be a great help.»

Sigluf nodded. «Yes. For our friends, we come. But the Great Water must be quiet.»

Blade could see the chief's point. If the Sea was rough, the Maghri would probably be too seasick to know one end of an arrow from the other.

The biggest help in uniting the two factions of the rebels was the menace of the Sarumi. Blade had the feeling that not everyone believed the pirates were actually going to come. On the other hand, nobody was willing to risk being unprepared if they did. Many hoped to negotiate with Gohar, but no one believed it would be possible to negotiate wtih the Sarumi.

«They're right,» said Khraishamo, when he heard two merchants talking it over. «This is too good a chance for the Sarumi to miss, and it's one that won't come again.» He shrugged. «We'll just have to take them as they come.»

«They, Khraishamo?»

The pirate smiled and gripped both of Blade's hands. «Ah. You've asked yourself, 'Does Khraishamo want to fight his own people.'»

«Yes.»

«I have sailed away from the Sarumi, Blade. The winds will not blow me back there again, even if I wanted them to.

«That temper you've seen-it led me into a quarrel with certain powerful warriors. I went out with my three ships to win a victory and make myself a chief that others would support in that quarrel. Instead I lost the three ships and most of the warriors aboard them.

«So I have no home in Sarumland. Once I was not sure I wanted to seek one elsewhere. Now I have found it, among Rhodina and her people. So why shouldn't I defend my new home?»

The next night Khraishamo invited Blade to dine at his house in Mythor. Most of the rebel leaders took over the homes of Goharan officers who hadn't returned from the great battle, and Khraishamo was no exception. He'd even hired a cook and a maid.

Food was scarce in Mythor, but Khraishamo still did his best to keep up a Goharan standard of hospitality. It was a memorable meal, and Blade couldn't help noticing how relaxed and comfortable Khraishamo and Rhodina looked. They might have been happily married for years.

By the time dinner was over, it was raining heavily. Blade accepted Khraishamo's invitation to stay the night, and made his way upstairs to an attic bedroom. He'd just finished pulling off his clothes when there was a knock on the door.

«Blade? Can I come in?» It was Rhodina's voice.

«Certainly.»

Rhodina pushed the door open and came in as Blade hastily snatched up his sleeping robe and pulled it around him. Rhodina was wearing a robe too, a short one which barely came down to her knees and left shoulders and arms bare. She laughed when she saw Blade covering himself. «No, no, Blade. Less, not more.» Blade frowned. She saw the frown, caught his meaning, and nodded. «Khraishamo knows I'm here. In fact, he told me to come.»

«Told you?»

«Blade, you're not going funny in the head, are you? Khraishamo told me to come and say good-bye to you. We're going to get married.»

«Somehow I'm not surprised. I was just thinking that you two looked like an old married couple.»

«There won't be any children. I was sick two years ago, and I can't have any. But there ought to be plenty of orphans after this war's over. We can do right by them.»

She kicked the door shut, then pulled the bolt and stepped toward the bed. As she did, she unknotted the belt of her robe, then shrugged it off her shoulders. It slipped to the floor, and the moonlight played all up and down her bare body as she turned slowly in the glow from the window over the bed.

Blade found the words coming slowly as desire rose to choke him. «Rhodina, you and Khraishamo-«

Rhodina lay down on the bed beside him and put an arm around his waist. «Blade, you're about the best man I've ever met, next to Khraishamo. But you've got a trouble like all the rest. You talk too much.» Then she twined the fingers of the other hand in his hair and pulled his head down between her breasts.

Blade hadn't been planning on saying much-just that Khraishamo and Rhodina living together in Mythor might help make peace on the Sea. Everyone could see that the Sarumi weren't dangerous animals. But as Rhodina's arms went around him and her warmth and her perfume swallowed him, Blade realized that she was right.

This was no time to say anything at all.

They would have slept until noon if two urgent messages hadn't arrived for Blade.

One was from the captain of a ship just arrived in Mythor. He'd sighted a whole fleet of Bloodskin ships two days north of the city, nearly been taken, but escaped in a rain squall. He thought the Bloodskins were bound south.

The other message was from Degyat, a short letter.

Blade,

I have heard that the Pirate Folk are coming. I agree that our ships and men should fight side by side against them. I will meet you where and when you wish, to talk more of this.

Degyat,

Admiral Commanding the First Fleet