Retribution

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

The two hundred troops were outfitted and waiting in formation long before the end of the hour the general had allowed. The heavy boots he provided fit Hannah, and the pack was close to the maximum weight she wanted to carry. Four rolled blankets were tied on top, as well as a waterproof cape in preparation for the cold they’d face at higher altitudes. She knew it was a two-day hike to the old monastery, but the supplies suggested far more food than required for two days.

Brice adjusted his pack. It was the same size as hers and perhaps heavier. He also carried a bow and quiver.

Hannah said, “If Jam hasn’t gotten there first, we may catch Elenore and Jeffery unaware.”

“Or, they may be waiting with a dozen personal guards.”

“We’ll have two hundred of our own. I doubt they’ll have anywhere near that number,” Hanna said.

Brice didn’t look appeased. He took her upper arm in his hand and pulled her closer. “Remember. They’ve had six years to plan for this. They have mages and a hoard of gold to buy weapons and fighters. There’s no telling what they’ve prepared in that time, but I think they will be waiting.”

He was right. She was not going to waltz into Eagle’s Nest and surprise them while they sat sipping afternoon tea. A battle lay ahead. Hannah pulled her arm away and twisted her shoulders, feeling the comfort of the throwing knife below her neck. Her hand went to her waist and touched the hilt of that small, curved blade, then her hand slipped down to the inner side of her thigh where the thin rapier rested. Her baggy pants would allow her to reach it if needed.

“I also want a bow,” she said, thinking of the charm she carried in her backpack that made the arrows never miss. She reviewed the other charms and found nothing that would help in a battle for a monastery high in the mountains. “This old monastery they’re in, is it sitting on top of a solid rock spire, like some I’ve heard about?”

Brice said, “No, I thought of the same and asked. It’s not even walled, just a long low series of stone buildings connected to each other in a haphazard manner, all with steep roofs because of snow buildup. Over the years, they built a new annex when needed, but because of the weather, they connected the new with the old because the winter snows prevent them from going outside.”

Hannah said, “It sounds a mess.”

“Well, it wasn’t built as a fortification, or to be beautiful, but still, once inside, it’s a maze of passages and hallways. You could get lost in there and retrace your route without ever knowing. Any fighting will happen in a confined space where a bow won’t help because the ceilings are too low for arrows. Even swords will be restricted in the small spaces.”

Brice is worried. Hannah still decided to carry a bow, but she wanted a look at the buildings. Their exteriors might help with the best way to attack. Perhaps they could see smoke from chimneys that might indicate which buildings to attack—and how. Cut off the food storage and control the kitchens and the battle could be won.

Maybe they’ll fly flags to indicate the right place to attack, too. She was glad she hadn’t spoken her ideas aloud. She was a princess, not a soldier with a lifetime of experiences to draw upon. She glanced at Brice and took note of the stern set of his jaw. With luck, she would never see that expression pointed in her direction.

He said, “I think you and I should slip ahead of the army and maybe see what they have waiting for us.”

The general walked nearer. “What was that?”

Brice said, “We’re thinking of going on ahead and spying on them.”

The general rolled his eyes. Then he stalked closer so he could speak in private. “Do you believe it’s sound warfare to place your two most valuable people in the most danger? If Princess Hannah is killed, we may as well all go home and face whatever takes place because, for Peermont, the war will be over.”

Even Hannah had to admit the wisdom of his stinging words. “We just feel we have to do something.”

“Let me send two squads ahead to secure the way, and when we get within sight, you can offer suggestions—and I may listen.” The general waited until both reluctantly nodded. Then he turned his back and started issuing a flood of orders again.

Hannah took note. She’d watched him do the same a few other times. The general looked at the required end result, decided the best way to achieve it, and barked orders to accomplish each step. He never took an active part, but detailed each instruction in such a way there was no argument, and each of his men knew what was required—and expected. She could learn from him.

Thinking of his expertise, and her history, she realized a major element of her education was lacking. As a servant, while a child, she had given few, if any orders. While working as a sailor, she was a common deckhand, and again gave no orders. Living for five years in Gallium had been as a student with Maude, both for learning magic and fighting, and there had been little opportunity for leadership. She came to the realization that in her lifetime she had seldom been a leader—not in the sense the general was.

Elenore is better prepared to be Queen. The stray thought had been hidden somewhere in the dark recesses of her mind, a deep fear she didn’t wish to admit or face. However, being prepared and being a good queen were two separate issues. If Elenore had funded the revolt, the attempt to overthrow the crown, if she was willing to risk countless lives to satisfy her lust for power, and if she was willing to offer fabulous rewards for the death of a child-rival, she needed to be stopped.

There. Hannah admitted her fears and framed her future in a few words. She might not be the best trained, but she could learn. Her cousin Elenore and Lord Jeffery were in for a fight.

She told the general, “I will do more than offer suggestions. But I wish more from you, sir. I have no training to be a leader and being Queen is going to be difficult without those skills. Will you help train me?”

His expression changed, then twisted almost into a laugh that he managed to squash at the last instant. “You may not have formal training, but I’ve never seen a better natural leader. I’ll try to help, but all you need is the confidence to speak up, but when things are happening, you are the leader. Make no mistake about that.”

“Thank you. But I’m still worried. If I meet up with Princess Elenore, what do I say?” Hannah waited for his response as all traces of humor fled from him.

He cleared his throat. “Say? You might say to your Knight that you wish him to remove her head, but you don’t say anything to her.”

“I can’t do that.”

He rolled his eyes again but said nothing. A messenger appeared at his side, standing at attention ready to report the troops were ready to depart. The general turned to Hannah. “Princess, with your permission?”

“You have it.”

“There, was that so hard?” He teased. His aide rushed to their side and waited for anything the general might need. The aide was very good at his job, almost blending into the background as the column began to walk in loose formation. A sergeant called for the pace to increase, and the order was repeated as it was passed along.

Hannah watched the process. The general provided the information for the end result, the officers used their men to accomplish it, and the sergeants made it happen. She watched squads near the front spread out to either side and race ahead, while the main body of men moved in twos and threes, allowing the space to widen between them. The forest at their sides was hardwood trees, the undergrowth thick, and the path was narrow enough for three to walk beside each other in most places, but it was by no stretch of the imagination a road.

Small streams flowed across the trail, forcing them to step over them, sometimes scrambling on large rocks to keep their feet dry. The forest floor was covered in dense undergrowth, tangled vines, small bushes, and grass. Looking ahead, the trail rose with nearly every step, and within an hour it narrowed until travel was single-file. The soldiers walked in a steady, distance-eating pace they could maintain all day, and all night if required.

The weather was still warm, the sky clear, and only a few stinging insects landed on Hannah. The peaks in front of them were white. However, her mind was not on travel, but what she would find at the Eagle’s Nest and beyond. One step led to another. She ignored the rocky ground, the clouds scuttling past, the hawk that circled above, and the men marching in front and behind.

Elenore, I’m coming for you.

Hannah had already spoken to the general about another concern, and he agreed a third group of fifty would split away from the main force before they reached Eagle’s Nest and circle around it to the trail that led to Wren. Their job would be to prevent Elenore and Jeffery from escaping.

A crow as black as coal dived from the top branches of a pine and landed a few steps from Hannah. She expected to hear it speak but didn’t know the words it would say this time. She waited as the crow cocked its head and identified her.

“Hannah, they know where you are.”

The bird repeated it several times, then flew off. Brice said, “They know? How?”

“Jam would be my guess.”

“The sorceress who sent the crow must be nearby for Elenore to know that and send the bird.”

Hannah kept walking, ignoring the sinking feeling in her stomach. It also meant Elenore was near and she had plans in play. She was waiting ahead, Hannah could feel it. Elenore was waiting, probably rubbing her hands together in anticipation.

Another crow flew over, but Hannah ignored it. Instead, she continued walking up the path intent on keeping up with the others while trying to anticipate what her cousin would do. Elenore would want a confrontation and the satisfaction of seeing Hannah die. But that was secondary. The single item she required was to know Hannah was dead—and that there were witnesses. The more, the better.

The trail was too narrow to walk beside and too steep to walk too closely to those in front or behind. She concentrated on each step while her mind focused on her mission.

The words of the crow returned to her mind. What did they know where you are mean? Could it be Elenore knew she was in Peermont? Or that she was heading for Eagle’s Nest? Or something else? She wished the warning was more specific.

The terrain changed as they climbed the side of the mountains, turning into more rocky footing with pines replacing oaks. The air smelled good, if weak. It took more breaths for her lungs to gather the air to continue, and watching those men ahead told her they suffered the same difficulty.

Late in the day, a headache settled in. She became nauseous and paused to upchuck the little in her stomach, but the cramps were the worst. Her legs seized several times, and she nearly fell, but others continued marching, and so did she.

The gullies and valleys were shallow, the far sides always higher and steeper than the last. In shaded places, patches of snow covered the ground. The air bit with cold. The men struggled, their pace slowed to half of what it had been.

Near a small river, the general ordered camp for the night. It was not a clearing, but a flat area with few trees. On the far side rose a rock wall with the path winding into a narrow cleft. They couldn’t see beyond the entrance, and wouldn’t attempt to enter until the morning sun provided enough light.

However, as Hannah unrolled her bedroll, movement caught her attention. Looking up, she found men standing on the tops of the bare rock on either side, but their uniform colors assured her they were Peermont troops. The squads the general had sent ahead were clearing the way.

Brice was at her side. “A good place for a trap.”

“The general had the scouts check it out.”

“I still don’t like it. It’s too narrow.”

Hannah looked to the cleft again, a split between two huge vertical granite walls that stood a hundred feet above the trail. Each side was so steep few plants managed to grow. “Yes, a good place to set a trap if you’re Elenore, but too obvious. Her mind is more devious.”

“Tomorrow, I want you at my side. Never get more than a few steps away, and I plan to walk with my bow ready.”

“Brice, I appreciate your enthusiasm and dedication, but perhaps you’re over-reacting.”

He placed his groundsheet beside hers, then spread out all four blankets. “He said, “It’ll be below freezing tonight. The sky looks clear so no snow, but you can never tell this high up.”

“You changed the subject.”

He sat and crossed his legs. “You’ve spent five or six years getting ready for this, too. I realize that. But, we’re not playing your game, we’re playing hers. I’m not over-reacting.”

“Maybe.”

“Listen, while you lived and studied in Gallium, I sailed between there and Indore a dozen times. I lived in Indore for months and heard stories. I listened to rumors and tavern-talk. I walked the markets and heard conversations about you, Elenore, and Wren. There are things about them I know I never shared. Most are small incidents not important in themselves, but when taken together they scare me.”

“Tell me.”

“You know the worst. Elenore resents you. She planned to be the Queen of Wren since she was a little girl. Then you swept in, and now she may be nothing. Her marriage to Jeffery was contrived because he is wealthy and ambitious. They are a perfect pair.”

“I know all that,” Hannah said without sounding upset or demanding.

“What I kept hearing was how she promised the mages who helped her positions currently only held by royalty. She plans to eliminate or exile any royalty who do not assist and support her, and replace them with her mages.”

“She can do that?”

Brice said, “Those with the gold make the rules.”

“You make it sound like he has more gold than the King.”

“I think he does.”

Hannah felt her pulse quicken as her fear rose. Brice often held insights others missed. He used a little information from one place and paired it with s fact from another place—and came up with a result others never saw. He’d done it a hundred times at Maude’s, usually to defeat the girls at some game or another, but she trusted his skill and intuition.

“How can he have more than the crown?”

Brice pointed up at the mountains in front of them. “I may be wrong.”

“Go on.”

“There are rumors about the monastery. One is that no one ever stole the statues there because they are so heavy a thief cannot lift it. Not even two thieves can, let alone carry them away, at least with any speed.”

Hannah realized there was more Brice hadn’t told her. She waited for him to talk again, almost enjoying his discomfort at telling her something she might scoff at.

He said, “The rumors say the statues were not coated in gold, they were solid gold.”

“Where could monks acquire that much wealth?”

“There is a blacksmith in Indore who says his father, also a blacksmith, earned a good living selling tools he made to the Eagle’s Nest monks—tools for digging in mines.”

“You pin a lot of belief in the tales the son of a blacksmith tells.”

“Yes, but once I heard that rumor and combined it with another, and another, the picture became clearer. When young, Lord Jeffery’s father held extensive lands in Wren and paid taxes to the crown with a little left over. Near the end of his life, he built Broadmoor Castle. I haven’t been there, but they say it’s the most beautiful in Wren.”

“I’ve heard the same. But that explains nothing but that his father came into a fortune in some manner.”

“Do you know where Broadmoor Castle is located?”

“Not exactly.”

“Neither do I, but if I make a mental map of Wren and Peermont, and this mountain pass we will travel, Broadmoor Castle lies at the foot of the trail. It protects travel between the kingdoms, and also prevents anyone from traveling to Eagle’s Nest, or Peermont.”

“You make a lot of assumptions, but the pieces seem to all fall into place.”

“I’ve heard the servants in Broadmoor Castle were not to speak of gold, the monastery, or the pass to Peermont. That has been true since Jeffery’s father built the castle, and some say that any who did speak of those things disappeared in the night until nobody remembered—or spoke of them.”

“The monastery is deserted, or we believe it is. Did Jeffery’s father attack them?”

Brice shook his head. “That sort of thing couldn’t be contained. Soldiers are worse than washerwomen for spreading tales. No, there is another story that may be true. There came a time when stories of sickness in the monastery spread. People fled from the area.”

Hannah let the ideas gel in her mind. Illness could account for the monks dying, or perhaps a harsher winter than usual. Jeffery’s father somehow found out about the gold. He probably spread the stories of illness to help hide his actions in recovering the gold statues and melting them into coins. He probably also learned he controlled a secret escape route across the mountains. If the King of Wren ever came for Jeffery’s gold, he’d disappear across the Eagle’s Nest Pass—along with his gold, where he’d buy a good life in Peermont.

While Elenore held a high position in the Line of Succession, Jeffery held the gold to ensure she was crowned. The two might not even like each other, but the match was as perfect a fit as a pair of dancing shoes on a maiden. A left and a right, and neither would ever match another pair of shoes.

“That explains a lot.” She pulled all four blankets over herself while clutching a slice of dried beef to chew on under the covers. She had a lot to think about.