Enchanter (59 page)

"Pulling back to Arcen?" Belial queried.

"Undoubtedly." Axis shrugged. "We will not be able to catch them. It will take at least a day to get this army moving into the lower Ranges, and several days to get through. What remains of Burdel's force is more lightly armoured and much more mobile. He will be able to race to Arcen and slam the gates shut well before we're through the Ranges."

Arcen was Burdel's capital in Arcness. It lay some ten leagues south of the Ranges, surrounded by the grazing lands of the province.

"A siege then," Magariz remarked.

Axis sighed. "Yes, a siege." Axis had ridden through Arcen on his way north to Smyrton almost two years earlier. The city had high walls, thick battlements and a good militia.

Axis knew he had to be very, very careful with Arcen. Sieges always tended to drag out over months, and Axis could not afford to encamp himself and his army outside Arcen for the next six months. Neither could he afford to ride by and open his rear to possible attack from Burdel sometime in the future. Arcen would have to be conquered.

Azhure walked up. "Can you send the Strike Force after Burdel as he flees across the plains towards Arcen?"

Axis glanced at her. Azhure had left Caelum with Rivkah in the camp and walked only with Sicarius as company. She looked slim and fit in her grey and white uniform, the Wolven slung over her shoulder, her hair tied back into a plait rolled in the nape of her neck.

In the two weeks since Axis had visited Faraday's childhood home relations between him and Azhure had been, if not cool, then slightly businesslike. Even their lovemaking, on those few nights when there had been the time or the privacy, had lacked the usual laughter and had become intense, almost fierce.

Both felt Faraday's closing presence keenly.

"No." Axis turned back to the Ranges. "Most of the Strike Force are too tired.

They have been on the wing for close to five hours now, and I want them to remain above the passes to watch for stray remnants of Burdel's force. To send them flying after Burdel as he flees across the plains towards his home base would drive them dangerously close to exhaustion." And expose them to the watching eyes and itchy tongues of countless peasants and townsfolk, Axis thought. The last thing he wanted was to have half the population of Arcness watch as the Icarii rained death down on Burdel. It would simply confirm their worst fears about the Forbidden and the Seneschal's teachings.

"No," he repeated, contemplating the siege ahead. "Let's go. By the time we get this army on the move the Strike Force should have cleared the passes."

He forced the problem of the siege to the back of his mind and smiled at Azhure.

"Come," he took her hand, "we have a pleasant ride through the hills before us."

"You did well, FarSight," Axis said, reining Belaguez to a halt before the exhausted birdman.

Most of the Strike Force were now on the ground in the passes, although several dozen circled far overhead, keeping a watch over Burdel's retreat. It was early afternoon, and the Icarii had been flying and fighting for almost twelve hours.

FarSight looked up. His dark face was lined and there were pouches of weariness under his eyes, but the expression on
his face was one of quiet pride.

His force had done a fine job, and he knew it. That dark day in Talon Spike when Axis had painfully outlined each and every flaw within the Icarii Strike Force seemed several lifetimes ago. FarSight now headed an elite fighting force.

"BurdeFs men did not fight well, but they fought tenaciously. It took an hour longer than I had calculated to flush them out of their rocks."

Axis dismounted and sat down beside FarSight. "And those of the Strike Force who were struck by arrows?"

FarSight shook his head with relief. "Two will not fly for some time, but the other three were only slightly hurt. A week's rest and they will be fighting fit again."

"EvenSong?" Axis' sister had returned to the Strike Force for fighting duty for this attack.

"Fought well, as did SpikeFeather. I think, when the opportunity arises, I shall give him a Crest to command. He is too valuable now to waste on a Wing.

His experience with the Gryphon, and his somewhat unconventional recovery, seems to have hardened him." "Axis!"

Axis jerked his head up. It was StarDrifter, alighting on a nearby rock. His face was flushed with excitement, and his great silver and white wings fluttered behind him. He hopped down and strode over. "Axis, I know I should not be here, but I could not help myself. Do you know how close we are to Fernbrake Lake from here? Only several hours' flight, if that!" "No," Axis said. "We can't afford to have any Icarii flying about the Bracken Ranges without any protection and vulnerable to whatever stray forces Burdel or Borneheld has inthese hills."

StarDrifter's face coloured in anger and his body stiffened. "The Icarii have waited a thousand years to return to their homeland and the sacred sites lost to them, Axis," he said.

"Then another few weeks or months won't make any difference," Axis snapped. "Curse your impulsive nature, StarDrifter. It is too dangerous for you to fly off on a whim to view Fernbrake Lake. I cannot afford the Icarii to guard you.

Don't you realise how exhausted FarSight and his Strike Force are? They need days to recover, and in a few days' time we will be long gone from the Bracken Ranges. Think, Star-Drifter, damn you!"

StarDrifter star-ed at his son, then FarSight, seeing clearly how fatigued the birdman was.

"StarDrifter," Axis continued, "we head south. We will undoubtedly ride straight through the Ancient Barrows and by the Silent Woman Woods. You cannot see every sacred site you have lost in a week. You have your lifetime ahead of you to recover your heritage. Have patience. First I have to win this land for you."

StarDrifter hesitated, then nodded. "I apologise Axis, Far-Sight. I did not think. Two years ago I never thought that one day I would have the opportunity to see the lost sites of Tencendor again. Now that we are so close ..." His voice drifted away.

Axis relaxed, knowing -what StarDrifter was trying to say. StarDrifter and MorningStar, as all other Enchanters, were beginning the arduous task of recovering the lost sites of the Icarii people - the Ancient Barrows, tombs of the twenty-six Enchanter-Talons, Star Gate, buried beneath the barrows, the Silent Woman Woods, their Keep and the Cauldron Lake, Spiredore and the Island of Mist and Memory. That last Axis knew the Icarii yearned after almost as much as the Star Gate, yet it might well prove the hardest to win for them. In any case, they had some bitter fighting to conduct before the Icarii could recover it. As StarDrifter wandered off, Axis watched as the first units of his army wound their way through the passes.

Burdel succeeded in retreating to his capital, and by the time Axis and his army reached the city of Arcen, it was shuttered and bolted tightly.

Axis focused on the eagle soaring above the battlements of the city a league away. People scurried back and forth atop the walls, pointing nervously at the approaching army. Axis thought he even saw Burdel himself, a tall and spare man, almost ascetic, standing still and silent as he shaded his eyes against the sun and stared at the approaching black stain across the Plains of Arcness. Axis had taken pains to keep the Icarii well back, and most were still resting in the lower reaches of the Bracken Ranges. The main part of the Strike Force would join Axis' army later that night, when the people of Arcen would be blinded by the darkness.

Belaguez stamped impatiently and rattled the bit in his mouth. Axis smiled and patted the horse's neck, then turned and waved Belial, Magariz and Ho'Demi forward.

"Well?" he demanded as they drew their horses to either side of Belaguez.

"How would you solve this problem?"

"I have no experience in sieges," Ho'Demi said. "The closest I have come is waiting for an kebear to emerge from his snow cavern in the morning. Me? I would sit cross-legged before the gates, spear in my lap, arid simply wait for someone to come out." He waved the problem over to Magariz.

Magariz shrugged. "It is difficult, Axis. You have no siege engines and Burdel has, in all probability, planned and provisioned for a siege."

"We could sit here and simply wait them out," Belial said, then winced at the expression on Axis' face. "And wait, and wait, and wait. We could be here for years."

You do not know the extent of it, Axis thought, his eyes tracing the flight of the eagle overhead. We are now past mid-Rose-month and I have only three and a half months left to fulfil my contract to the GateKeeper. I can waste but a week or two here at the longest.

Axis was silent, his eyes focused on the tiny figure of Burdel. shall have to rely on some sweet words to open those gates, he thought. That and a litde enchantment.

Axis swung his gaze back to his three most senior commanders. "Here is what I want you to do."

By evening Axis' entire army, supply column included, had surrounded Arcen outside the striking range of arrows shot from the city's walls. The army set up camp as though it intended a long and patient wait, and Axis ordered his own command tent to be erected opposite the main gates into the city. Above the tent floated his golden standard, the blood-red sun blazing in its centre. Axis strode about in the evening light, wearing the golden tunic under the red cloak, loose and relaxed, laughing and joking with those of his commanders who talked with him, one or two of the Alaunt constantly by his side. He was unarmed.

From the walls of their city the people of Arcen watched. Axis' every movement, as that of his army, was noted and remarked upon. Most had admired Axis as BattleAxe, and many had met and liked him when he had stayed in Arcen briefly two years previously. Two or three Arcen-based traders, who had traded with Axis and his force while they were still in Sigholt, were questioned again and again about the man and his army who now besieged Arcen. Three of the men Belial had sent out from Sigholt some fifteen months previously to spread the word of the Prophecy were also in the city. For the past two months they had resided in Arcen, spending most of that time drinking quietly in the city's various inns and taverns and spreading word of the Prophecy among the townsfolk.

Axis spent a pleasant evening about camp. Azhure, Rivkah, Ho'Demi and his wife, Sa'Kuya, and Belial and Magariz joined him for dinner, the Acharite women wearing brightly coloured gowns and Azhure bouncing a laughing Caelum on her lap throughout the meal. To all intents and purposes Axis was relaxed, confident, and prepared for a longwait.

When they rose in the morning, Axis surprised Azhure by asking her to wear the long black gown she'd worn on the night of the reception in Sigholt.

"You brought it with you?" he queried, and Azhure nodded, puzzled. "Then wear it, Azhure. And leave your hair loose."

He strode out of the tent and Azhure rose, washed, and dressed as requested. She smoothed the elegant black gown over her hips and rested one hand briefly on her belly. She suspected she was pregnant again, but she had not told Axis. Azhure smiled humourlessly to herself. Undoubtedly she would find herself face to face with Faraday sooner or later, and Azhure wished desperately that she did not have to do it with her belly bulging again with Axis' child.

Faraday would find the idea of a lover hard to accept; a lover pregnant with her husband's child would be even worse.

Azhure emerged from the tent eventually, feeling slightly silly dressed in the elegant gown, and saw Rivkah standing to one side. Axis had obviously given Rivkah similar instructions, for his mother stood wearing a gown almost identical to Azhure s, looking every inch the Princess of Achar.

"Azhure," Axis' voice sounded behind her and Azhure jumped. "Your bow."

He handed her the Wolven and her quiver of arrows, and Azhure slung them over her shoulder, feeling even more ridiculous. The ring of soldiers, Achante and Ravensbund, encircling the town stood ready, their weapons hanging loose from their hands, their eyes fixed on the walls before them. Axis spoke quietly to Belial, Magariz and Ho'Demi, then motioned Rivkah and Azhure close.

"You and are going to talk to the good people of Arcen," he said. "Rivkah, I want you to address them — take your lead from what I say."

Rivkah, puzzled, nevertheless nodded in agreement.

"Azhure, notch one of those blue-fletched arrows in the Wolven and try your best to look like a fairy creature
yourself. Few within Arcen will have seen such a beautiful woman approach their gates to threaten them with bow and arrow before. Come," he waved both women to his side. "Let us go and talk to the people of Arcen. Do not fear for your safety, I can protect us from anything they might throw our way."

There was a stir on the walls as the three figures approached on foot. Here was Axis, looking like a sun god in his tunic and cloak, with him walk two black-clothed women, both handsome, both queenly. What did it mean?

Burdel stood atop the wall close to the bolted gates. He was unnerved, both by the extent of Axis' army, and by the approach of these three figures. He straightened his back, refusing to let his nervousness show. Axis' army had no siege engines and Arcen was provisioned to wait out a year-long siege, should that be necessary. Burdel was reasonably sure he was in a stronger position than Axis.

Axis halted some fifty paces from the walls, noting the eagle's position.

"Greetings, Burdel," he called cheerfully, and his enchanted voice carried magically about the entire walls and drifted down into the city itself. "It is a fine morning, and a good one to talk."

Burdel opened his mouth to call down insults but Axis continued before he had a chance to speak. "And greetings to you, Culpepper Fenwicke," he called, naming the mayor of the city. "I see you standing inside the gates and I would have words with you. Please, would you climb the walls so I can the more clearly meet your eyes?"

There was a collective gasp from the people of Arcen. How could the man see straight through iron-reinforced wood?

Culpepper Fenwicke, a stout grey-haired man of middle years, slowly climbed the ladders to the top of the walls, moving to stand next to Burdel. He had met Axis when he'd
ridden his Axe-Wielders through Arcen on his way to Gorkenfort and had formed an instant respect for the man. His respect now deepened tenfold. How could Arcen withstand a man such as this? "It is good to see you again, Axis."