Princess Rescue Inc (41 page)

“My
great grandfather,” Zara said, straightening the tapestry once more. She
pointed to a series of battle scenes woven in red and gold on the large cloth.

“Ah.
Still, the tablets look important. Part of your heritage,” Wanda said nodding.
She walked over to her electronic tablet and picked it up. “Can we see that
again?” she asked holding the tablet up to expose the camera.

Zara
nodded and pulled the tapestry back. Wanda snapped a couple of photos, and then
another of Zara. “What are you doing?” Zara asked after the last flash.

“Taking
some pictures for history. Hope the system can handle it. If it can't I'll sick
Sydney on it later.”

Zara
nodded and pulled the tapestry on the other side over to expose a second and
third tablet. “What more?” Wanda asked, about to put the tablet down.

“Yes,”
Zara nodded. Wanda took the pictures and then frowned. She ran her hands over a
chipped and faded stone.

“It's
interesting that someone used gold inlay to make the lettering pop and glitter.
It really stands out and glitters in the firelight.”

“In
truth I had never seen it that way before,” Zara said nodding. Wanda took the tapestry
from her so she could step back and admire it. Zara nodded. “I see what you
mean. They have significant importance to our people. Perhaps we should expose
them to the light of day once more.”

“What
happened here?” Wanda said, running her hand over an area that was chipped at.
Someone had cut away at the gilded lettering, removing the gold.

“It
would seem someone has been stealing the gold,” Zara said frowning darkly. She
came closer and ran her hands over it. She moved, blocking their light. She looked
around for a torch but Wanda stopped her with her hand on her arm.

“No,
a torch near these dust dry fabric things is a bad idea. Real bad.” She tapped
at her tablet and the screen lit. “Here. We'll have to wait till tomorrow to
see more.” She ran the light over the lettering.

Zara
traced a delicate finger under the lettering, mouthing the words she could
still read. Her scowl grew darker. “Much of this is as Ryans has said. He has
said things we have long forgotten. Things... I am ashamed that he had to
remind us of this. It was here under our nose the entire time. I will have a
talk with mother and father. We definitely need to expose this for our people
to see. If only to keep them from destroying their own heritage.”

Wanda
nodded. They heard a clatter of pots and turned to see a cook and an apprentice
coming in. “Well, midnight rations are served. Care for a snack milady?”

Zara
smiled and nodded, following her back to their seats. She frowned though,
looking over her shoulder to the tapestries.

<==={}------------>

Ryans
got up and stretched. He'd been up till nearly four a.m. and it was well past
dawn now. He ate a quick MRE, and grimaced. He'd need a shower in the camper
later, that was for sure.

He
left his quarters and made his way down the spiral stairs to the main floor. He
turned a corner and ran into Perry walking down the hall.

“What
the hell? Should you even be out of bed?” Ryans asked. Perry gave him a dirty
look. “What? Just asking,” he said, hands up.

“Well,
don't. Doc said I'm okay as long as I stay off my feet.” Perry croaked out. He
coughed a little.

“You
don't sound it,” Ryans said shaking his head. “Try to take it easy for a while
will you? Galloway, Paris, and Waters have you covered. And no matter how many
times I tell you, this time let’s not have a repeat. Don't take food from
strangers.”

“Now
you tell me,” Perry snorted, looking disgusted.

“Sorry,
thought you knew already.”

“Well,
I do now,” Perry coughed. “Let’s go chat. I've got to catch up on what I
missed,” he croaked out.

“I'll
talk, you listen,” Ryans replied.

Ryans
grimaced, looking out the window an hour later. It was just barely noon. “Who
the hell is that?” he asked. Perry looked then grunted.

“Someone
who's going to get their ass chewed,” He grunted as he looked. “Or not.” A fat
elderly man got off a
branack
. The man was dressed for riding, but he
had a man holding a standard. It was festooned with ribbons and pennants.

Elric
the champion came over and embraced the man. They laughed, thumping each
other's backs.

“Looks
like that general they mentioned is here,” Perry frowned. “Great, more brass.
Well, it was fun while it lasted.” He flicked a paper in disgust. “What's his
name anyway?”

“Decius
Pendragon I think,” Ryans answered, not looking up.

“You're
kidding me... okay, you’re not. What people go through to name their kids,”
Perry coughed then sighed. “Damn, hard to talk,” he choked out. He grabbed a
glass and got a drink of beer.

“Better
watch that, I think those two will be a handful.”

“True,
and I'd rather get my liquor first hand, not second,” Perry snorted. Elric was
rip roaring drunk and turning about laughing and back slapping the general. The
general seemed to be reciprocating the treatment.

“What?”

“You'll
see,” he waved. “Since they're making nice and shit, let’s go look over that
map again.”

<==={}------------>

“Castle?”
he asked eying the map. “Yeah, its' like that one Scottish castle back home.
It's weird; it's near the ocean and has a natural moat. The castle is on an
island in the middle of the bay. It has a narrow zig zag path to it that's only
usable when the tide is out. When the tide comes in, it's gone.”

“Nice.
So this is the southern castle....ah. Yes, I see. That's why he's not hooking
south. With something like that, it'd be damn near impregnable. Playing race
the clock with the tide wouldn't work.”

“Right.
So that leaves the northern villages, the hills between us and them, a couple
of small knight's keeps, one of which we went to and then these two small keeps
here and here.” He pointed.

“We
passed them on the way here in the dark. They were manned but not by many
people.” Perry said hoarsely nodding.

“So
we can't draw on their levies for reinforcements. Great,” Ryans sighed. “I take
it they're there to protect the pass?” he asked.

“Yes
and no, also to protect the surrounding villages in case of animal attack. The
villages have wooden or stone palisades, those that have access to either
material. Some even have moats. But that doesn't protect them if something big
and hungry comes over the mountains.”

“Ah,
good to know,” he nodded.

<==={}------------>

“Lieutenant
Perry, Dominus Ryans I have the honor to introduce Dominus Pendragon, Earl of
New Ulster, slayer of the hound, General of the Imperium's armies.”

“And
all around good guy,” Perry muttered as the herald withdrew. The fat man
entered. He was dressed in a modified Roman general's uniform. He had a blood
red tunic on, gold sash, leather kilt, maroon cape with silver chain, and a
Roman style helmet complete with head crest. Strapped to his hip was a gilded
short sword. His cape was weighed down. He had it wrapped around his left arm
as he entered. A herald followed him in carrying a pennant with the Imperium
crest on it. It was tall; he had to bend it to get it in the door. It had a
basilisk
skull on top of it. At no time did the man let the rich red, purple, and gold
fabric touch the flagstones.

“The
King has informed me you are to aide me in command of the army in his absence.
Most irregular,” the general said, jowls flopping in annoyance. His cheeks were
red, Ryans wasn't sure if it was anger or from drinking or the travel. He
rubbed at a stain on his blood red tunic. The golden sash had a few stains on
it as well.

Ryans
and Perry glanced at each other then shrugged. Ryans smiled. “Since we're using
our technology to outfit your army, it's only fitting.”

The
general harrumphed in irritation. “And what do you know of war?” he demanded.

Perry
looked at Ryans and chuckled. Ryans waved the man over. “Come on over and we'll
show you,” he said pulling his laptop out.

“You're
saying we didn't do it?” Art’ur demanded, staring at Uuôden. Uuôden shook his
head. Art’ur pursed his lips in thought. “None of our people are in the keep?”

“No
majesty, we have only four spies in the capital and they have elected to
continue their positions.”

“Cowards,”
the King snarled, staring off at the duchy. “Cowards and fools the lot.”

“To
be fair majesty two are women. Bar wenches,” Baron Fargut murmured. One of the
spies was a distant cousin of his. He'd paid for her to travel to the Imperium
capital and set her up as a bar wench so she could overhear talk in the bar.

“Well,
someone must have done it,” the King growled, hands shifting on his mount's
saddle horn. The
rhinotrike
snorted, eager for battle. He checked to
make sure the animal's eye blinders were firmly in place. They were. Good.
There would be no unfortunate accidents.

“How
fortuitous that we received word so quickly,” Earl Tiberius murmured. Viscount
Wedst looked at him with contempt. “Using the Imperium's mail against them.”
The earl was a good fighter, good administrator and a worthy supporter of the
King. He was fit and in his prime, itching to fight and prove himself worthy of
better titles and lands.

Art’ur
ignored the comment as unworthy. He turned, thinking. The news from the capital
had just arrived, it had been quickly sent as soon as the wench had a second
confirmation. Someone had poisoned the gaijin war leader. Unfortunately he was
expected to live. Also the assassin had died of his own poison.

“Someone
else is sowing discord with the gaijin?” the earl asked.

“Rojer
most likely.”

The
other lords looked at each other and then nodded as one. All knew of Rojer's
scheming to get to the throne. It was normal in a noble family, only Andreas's
foolish soft spot for his younger brother had so far spared his life.

Andreas's
foolishness and the Duke's possible machinations lent all sorts of interesting
possibilities to the King of Duluth. At first he'd come to force the King's
hand and get him to pay blood guild to get the Duluth to leave. Tribute to feed
his people and cement Art’ur's reign. Also an opportunity to carefully weed out
his more troublesome competition among the lower lords and lord-lings.

But
now, he sucked in a breath, careful to contain his eagerness. Now this was an
interesting possibility. If he could smash this army he could then seize the
Imperium and add it to his own lands. Apparently the possibility wasn't lost on
a few of his supporting lords.

“Any
more word on these strange weapons of the gaijin?” he asked.

“No,
my liege,” Uuôden replied. He knew the King had read the same report but wanted
reassurance that none knew more than he did. “According to the report it is a
strange form of pole arm.”

“Pole
arm. Pathetic,” the King said with a disgusted sniff.

“Apparently
the soldiers in the capital are of much the same opinion. It... From the
drawings it appears to be a combination of a club and a spear,” Fargut said,
shaking his head. “I do not see the advantages for such a thing in battle.”

“Nor
do I,” Uuôden replied. The King barely heard them, his mind was far away, and
steps ahead.

To
truly control this land though he'd have to capture a royal. Capture and break
one. Marry one of the women or marry her to a loyal supporter who would then be
his puppet. But first things first, he had to break the siege! Each day he
wasted here he burned precious time and resources! Resources the greedy Duke
Emroy was clutching and using for his blasted people! Didn't he know when he
was beaten??

“If
they are at each other’s throats then we may have the advantage. That is if we
can break this blasted siege!” the King growled, glaring at the defenders. Men
and women were on the walls, hurling rocks and flaming packets of oil down onto
his latest attempt to breach the walls. The rocks smashed through the covering
shed allowing the flaming oil to seep in to drip on the sappers below. The men
boiled out of the shed to be picked off by arrows from the defenders before
they could make it back to the lines.

“Fools,”
the King growled. The shed burst into flames when the fire caught the
unprotected underside of the shed. “I thought you said it was fire proof?” he
demanded, turning his body in the saddle to glare at Uuôden.

Uuôden
scowled at the ink black smoke and raging fire. “The top leathers were soaked
in water to protect them my liege. Once the rocks broke through the fire lit it
from underneath,” he said. He and King Richard had planned the campaign carefully.
They had intended to launch it just after the season's planting but when the
old King had died in the depths of winter his son had immediately called forth
heavy levies from all the lords of Duluth to follow him to war. The lords
thought he was brilliant yet mad to attack so early and risk the harvest on the
work of the elderly and young they had left behind. Of course they knew that
those same elderly and young would pay the price if they didn't get the job
done and there wasn't enough food to last the winter again.