The Last Quarrel (The Complete Edition) (29 page)

The harbor master gulped. “Do you perhaps need an escort to the castle?”

The streets of Lunster were even more fearful than Fallon remembered from his last trip. The sight of three strange figures sent people scurrying away, while the crowd outside the Duke’s castle was huge.

Without a horse it might have been more of a problem to get through, but Brendan simply bullied their way in. The petitioners parted before him. His usual smile was gone and his face was enough to make them scatter even before they saw the huge hammer he carried.

The guards on the gate lowered their spears nervously but then raised them when Gannon loomed up behind Brendan.

“What’s going on?” one asked.

“Take us to see Captain Hagen and the Duchess, quick as you can. There’s no time to lose,” Fallon ordered.

The two guards looked at each other and then reached back to bang on the doors. “You’d better see the Duchess first,” one said, a strange expression on his face.

Fallon was tempted to try and demand an explanation but time was wasting and daylight disappearing, so he merely walked through the open doors. The crowd behind surged forwards but Brendan swung around, the hammer held in one hand, and they stopped as if they had run into an invisible wall. He strode through and the gates swung shut again.

Fallon followed a nervous servant through the beautiful gardens as if he were in a dream. It seemed beyond strange that lives were going on as normal elsewhere, when theirs had been turned upside down. He was expecting to be taken into the manor house but instead the servant took them past it to another part of the garden, this one overlooking the bay below. Fallon absently noted that the convoy of ships was now moored inside the harbor and that several fishing boats were being pulled across between the heads to form a makeshift barricade.

Here the Duchess was enjoying something of a garden party, with table, chairs, food, drink, a handful of friends and a pair of musicians playing some strange tune with lyre and pipe, something fluttery and pretty that set Fallon’s teeth on edge. But they stopped the moment they saw the grim party arrive.

The Duchess whirled around, her face registering her shock, but she swiftly regained her composure and sprang to her feet, surprise being replaced by a gentle smile. “Fallon! Thank Aroaril you have returned! Have you any news?”

“Baltimore is sacked. While we sailed up the coast to try and trap the raiders, they doubled back and took out our whole village. Everyone,” Fallon said roughly. He did not mention Kerrin. It was not a deliberate thing, he just wanted to shock the little happy group, remind them that while they relaxed, weeping families waited outside their gates.

The Duchess’s hands flew to her mouth and she sat back down again. “I am so sorry,” she said. “I thought you meant about Captain Hagen.”

Fallon had taken a deep breath to explain what had happened but now he let it out again. “What about Hagen?” he demanded.

“He disappeared overnight. When he did not show up for duty this morning I had people go to his home. It has been emptied and he is nowhere to be found. I have had the town searched from top to bottom and he has not been seen anywhere.”

Fallon felt like he had taken a blow to the head. Hagen gone? What was he to do now? “Were there signs of a fight? Blood?” he asked.

“Nothing. It is as if he has been wiped off the face of Lunster,” she said sadly. “But please, tell me of your tragedy. How could this happen?”

“We were betrayed,” Fallon said hoarsely. “They knew where we were from. They sailed around us and hit the village from two sides, sent boats up the river to come behind so the people couldn’t get away. But they didn’t get it without a struggle. For the first time we found proof it was men doing this: saw their blood on the ground. We even found out how they are doing it.” He paused and rummaged in his belt pouch, producing the small crossbow bolt with the heavy, blunt head he had found lying under the door. “No selkie would use this. These things will knock people down: they won’t kill them. They are men and they are taking our people alive.”

The Duchess sagged in her chair a little. “This is vital information, although won at a terrible cost. But, forgive me, why do you bring this to me? I thought you would be scouring the seas to find any trace of your family? I heard the love in your voice when you told me of your wife and son. Losing them must be driving you crazy.”

Fallon looked down at the ground for a moment to get himself back under control. “Aye,” he said gruffly. “But they have been too clever for us so far. It is time to take a different approach. The one thing we made sure of with this trap was that only a handful of people knew about it. With Hagen, I was going to hunt down who the traitor was and work back from there.”

The Duchess nodded. “Clever. But I suspect we have our answer now. I thought there was something mysterious about Hagen’s disappearance. He must have been the traitor himself.”

“No!” Fallon cried instantly. “I cannot believe that.”

The Duchess shrugged lightly. “What other conclusion is there? He was perfectly placed to inform them. He knew of my husband’s plans, he organized our own defense plans and knew all of yours. If I needed a man to inform on us, I could not choose a better one. He had no family here and, sadly, he was not paid that well. My husband was ever flint-hearted with money.”

“No,” Fallon said, not believing it. “The real traitor must have disposed of him to cover his tracks.”

The Duchess smiled gently. “Fallon, I do not want to believe it either. But do you think anyone could get rid of Hagen without some sign of struggle? He has betrayed us all.”

Fallon shook his head, as much in frustration as in denial. The pieces might all fit but there was no way Hagen was the traitor. It had to be someone else. Obviously Gannon and his men could not have done it, as they had been with them for the last few days. Another guard? A clerk? One of the Duchess’s friends? It could be anyone. Worse still, what was he to do now? Without Hagen, how could he track down Bridgit and the others?

“Fallon, I know you must be hurting. But you have come at the right time for me. You must have seen what is going on in the town outside. Fear is tearing this county apart and I need a new captain of guards. You are the best man in the county to do it. I know all you must be thinking about is your missing family –”

“I can’t stay here,” Fallon interrupted. “I have to get them back. It’s my fault they were taken.”

“You are not to blame. I can understand you feeling that way but you must turn it around, instead use it to protect Lunster.”

Fallon raised his head. He was not sure of the way forwards but he knew it did not mean guarding garden parties and enforcing new taxes. “I cannot do that,” he said.

“Fallon, please listen to me,” she said firmly. “I am your friend as well as your liege lord. I am asking you now. Please don’t make me demand it of you.”

Fallon locked eyes with the Duchess and saw the steel in them, a hardness he had not noticed before. He had thought to apologize and walk away but realized there was only him and Brendan, while she had three-score guards within shouting distance. She could stop him going anywhere. His mind raced as he searched for a way out of this. What was her part in all of this?

“I am waiting for an answer. I will not wait much longer,” she said warningly.

Fallon still had not thought of a way out of this when a servant came racing through the garden, breaking the link between them.

The servant fell to his knees before the Duchess. “Your grace! Ships from the King have arrived in the harbor! We need you down there immediately! They are packed with men. Perhaps the King has sent his army to help us!”

“If that’s true then I will gladly lead your men to hunt these raiders,” Fallon said immediately, seizing his chance.

The Duchess glanced at him and Fallon felt a rush of relief when she broke eye contact and stood. “Agreed. Bring horses. There is no time to waste.”

Fallon and Brendan joined Gannon and a squad of men to ride down to the harbor, although Brendan’s horse was looking decidedly unhappy about the whole business. The Duchess was on a tall white horse, and servants rode either side of her to screen her from the people.

The crowd outside the gate scattered as they trotted down to the harbor, where the harbor master was, if possible, even more flustered than when Fallon had been threatening to rip his guts out. He began babbling as soon as he saw the Duchess arrive.

“What is going on?” she cut through his chatter instantly.

“These ships have arrived from Berry but it is all most unusual. They have no cargo and no papers and the captains have a strange –”

“Bring me the captains.”

Six merchant captains were ushered forwards, every one of them looking like a man who earned his living from the sea.

“Can one of you please explain what is going on?” the Duchess demanded.

The oldest of the six, a bald man with a crooked nose and eyes almost hidden in a mass of wrinkles, reluctantly pushed past the others and cleared his throat. “We were ordered to sail here bearing a cargo of replacement workers for you, your grace,” he said, even his voice harsh and salty.

“Replacement workers? I thought you were carrying the King’s Guards to help me protect this county from the raiders,” she said sharply.

“I was told to sail here and unload these people for you. They are to replace the ones taken,” he repeated stolidly.

Fallon spat into the sea. “And where are these people from?”

“The slums of Berry.” The captain shrugged.

“And what did the King think I would do with them? I can’t protect the people I have, let alone look after more! And what use will they be? By the time we can train them to stop the raiders, there won’t be a county left! Do they even know how to fish or farm?”

“I couldn’t say, your grace,” the captain replied steadily.

“This is unacceptable. You must turn around and sail back to Berry with these poor people. They must be terrified,” she ordered.

The captain’s eyes began appearing from behind the welter of wrinkles in his shock. “Your grace, if I bring them back, my life will be forfeit. The King does not allow his orders to be disobeyed.”

Fallon pushed past the captains and strode to the nearest ship. He jumped up to catch the rail, using it to pull himself high enough to see onto the deck. It was packed with people huddled together, looking sick, half-starved and miserable. He dropped back onto the wharf.

“If all the ships are like that one, there’re hundreds of them. It’s as if the King plans to restock Lunster, like a farmer would a farm after the culling season has passed,” Fallon said coldly.

“Your grace, can we begin unloading them? We were not able to bring much food, which proved to be lucky as few of them were good sailors. We need to get them off the ships and then try to clean up for a return trip tomorrow.”

The Duchess shook her head sadly. “Yes. One ship at a time. Send word to the churches to open their doors and see if they can find some food for these people. Tomorrow morning we will look at where we can resettle them.”

“You cannot think to send a bunch of slum-dwellers from Berry into the countryside to take over the empty farms and fishing boats?” Fallon gasped.

“Yes, I am, for I have no choice. The King has ruled and we must obey,” she said crisply. “And what is more, I shall need your help. Your men will have to help them farm and fish. We shall put most of them in Baltimore if it is empty. You can select the best of them and begin training more guards. Aroaril knows we shall need them.”

“You cannot!” Fallon cried, outraged.

“You forget yourself, Fallon. I am Duchess of Lunster and I must make the hard decisions to keep this county safe and secure. I cannot turn these poor people away. They have to live somewhere. What else do you suggest?”

“Hunt down the bastards who did this and get back the people who have been taken!” Fallon growled.

Her eyes glittered and the wharf fell silent, many of the people on board the ships peering over the rail to see what was happening.

“You face a choice, Fallon. Walk away now, return in the morning to beg my forgiveness and agree to lead the rebuilding of Lunster. Or keep arguing and I shall have you thrown into a cell and offer the choice to your other men,” she said warningly.

Fallon forced himself to calm down. He shook his head slightly, acting as if he were returning to his senses. “Of course, your grace,” he said hurriedly. “Forgive me. I have not slept for two days and I am overcome with shock and grief at losing my family.”

The Duchess gazed at him for a few moments more and he kept his face downcast, then she smiled dazzlingly at him. “I am glad to hear it. Come up to the castle at dawn tomorrow and receive your new orders. Now then, can we get these poor people off those ships and into some shelter?”

Fallon signaled to Brendan and they made their way off the wharf, as orders were shouted up and down for work to begin.

“What’s going on? I am not going to babysit a pack of townies while Nola and the kids are being carried away to Aroaril-knows-where!” Brendan rumbled.

Fallon patted him on the shoulder. “Trust me. There is a third choice,” he said, then shut up because Gannon thrust himself through the crowd to join them.

“I suppose you want your men back now that it seems Hagen was the traitor,” Fallon greeted him.

“Not quite,” Gannon said, his face unreadable. “The Duchess wants us to keep an eye on you overnight and then escort you up to the castle tomorrow.”

“Really?” Fallon asked. “You’re not going to be needed to tuck those poor townies into bed and sing them a few songs?”

“No,” Gannon said.

Fallon shrugged. “All right then. Come along,” he said casually.

“So, you are really going to go along with the Duchess’s orders, move back to your old village and help a bunch of townies take the place of your friends and family?” Gannon asked.

“Of course. What other choice is there?” Fallon said.

The stairs for the Duke’s ship were still there and he led the way back up and onto the ship. “Let the guards go – they had nothing to do with it,” he shouted.

Devlin, Murphy and a few others were standing guard over the stern cabin but now they opened the door and let the worried-looking guards out.

“Let’s get some food going and then we need to sleep,” Fallon ordered.

Men stirred slowly into action, while Gannon stopped the guards getting off the boat and instead made them line the rail, before he left them and hurried after Fallon. “Fallon! Wait!” he called.

“What is it?” He paused halfway across the deck. “I want to see my son.”

“I’m sorry about Hagen.”

“Not as sorry as I am,” Fallon replied.

Gannon walked closer. “You should break out of Lunster and go to the Crown Prince. He thought the sun shone out of your arse. He would help you,” he said softly.

“Why are you telling me this strange tale?” Fallon replied innocently.

“Because it’s what I would do, that’s why!”

“That would make me a wanted man. Disobeying an order from your lord is punishable by a night in the stocks and six moons of hard labor following. You should know that as a sergeant,” Fallon said.

“I’m not going to stop you. In fact I’m right with you.”

“That is kind of you. But how do you know where I am, before you want to be right with me?”

“Look, I don’t want any of my men hurt, that’s all. Let us know when you are going and we’ll jump over the side while we’re still in the harbor. We’ll leave our armor and weapons here, so it looks like you overpowered us, and we can easily swim to safety.”

Fallon patted him on the shoulder. “It sounds like you need to get some rest,” he said sympathetically. “You are obviously imagining things.”

He left Gannon shaking his head and hurried up to the tiller, where Gallagher was still stretched out, snoring, and Padraig was sitting with Kerrin.

“What’s happening, Dad?” Kerrin asked, rushing across to him.

“We’re getting out of here as soon as it’s dark. Now, go and bring up Devlin and Sister Rosaleen as well.”

Kerrin rushed away and Fallon down eased next to Padraig.

“I take it things did not go well with Hagen,” the old wizard said drily.

“Hagen has disappeared. The very night we were attacked. The Duchess is sure that makes him the traitor,” Fallon said, looking out at the barricade across the harbor mouth.

“Where does that leave us?” Devlin asked, as he, Brendan and Sister Rosaleen joined them.

He quickly told them what had happened with the Duchess and how they would need to sail for Berry and find the Crown Prince.

“We have proof that men are behind this. He will help us,” Fallon said.

“And if he does not?” Rosaleen asked. “The King may forbid him.”

“Then we head for Kotterman and look there,” Fallon said simply. “If they are not the raiders, then they certainly know about it.”

Fallon glared around the others and none were prepared to contradict him.

“And what about Gannon and his men? Are they coming along for the ride?” Devlin asked.

“We’ll drop them over the side as we sail out. Gannon already thinks we’re going to try something like that – he as good as invited me to do it. We’ll wait a couple of turns of the hourglass to let them settle down and give Gallagher the chance to sleep, then we move.”

“So that will make us hunted men, for we are disobeying the orders of our liege lord,” Devlin said softly.

“Would you prefer to sail back to Baltimore and help a pack of townies learn farming?” Fallon asked.

“Not at all. But you are resting everything on the prince. What if he refuses to help us? Should we not just sail for Kotterman?”

Fallon hesitated. The temptation was there to start tearing the place apart until he found some trace of Bridgit. But then Kerrin’s words about a huge ship, much bigger than theirs, came back to him. If the Kottermanis were behind this, they would be ready and waiting. And he instinctively felt that Cavan could help him.

“We try the Crown Prince first, give him the chance to stand up for us,” he said.

“We’re with you. We trust you,” Padraig said softly.

“Aye. But first we need to get out of this harbor,” Devlin said, looking over at the barricade.

“That is the least of our problems,” Fallon assured him.

Kerrin hadn’t realized how hungry he was until he smelled dinner cooking. He missed Mam terribly and every time he thought about her he had to hold back the tears. He really wanted to spend time with Dad, sit and be hugged and talk about Mam, but Dad was always busy and everyone wanted to talk to him. It was hard but he had told Kerrin to be brave and Kerrin desperately wanted to make him happy and proud, so he did his best. Dad also said some funny things and rude words that Kerrin knew Mam wouldn’t like. Thinking about what she would like made him want to cry. He wanted Mam to hold him and tell him it was all right. He would even have been happy to have Dad hug him and tell him that, but it did not happen. Luckily he had Caley to hug. Once or twice he had been unable to hold back all the tears but Caley had helped him hide them. She seemed to know what he was going through, because she was always by his side.

Even though Mam was not around, everyone was being kind to him. Especially Grandpa Padraig. He had usually tried to stay out of Grandpa’s way, because he smelled nasty and said strange things, but this time he had been quick to listen and full of jokes and little magic tricks.

Uncle Devlin gave him a wooden bowl of stew and a horn spoon. He really wanted some bacon and potatoes or at least some fresh bread with it, but he thought he should be brave for Dad. It smelled strange though and, when he took a mouthful, tasted funny.

His dad was standing by the back of the ship, pointing out at the water and talking to Brendan and Gallagher, so he wandered over and tugged at Fallon’s tunic.

“Dad, this doesn’t taste nice,” he complained, holding up the bowl of stew he had been given.

“Well, none of us is much good at cooking,” Fallon said with a shrug.

“Isn’t there anything else?”

“No,” Fallon said flatly.

Kerrin felt his face fall at Dad’s tone and he wanted to say: “But Mam would have made me something nice!” Yet he knew if he said it, he would start crying and he knew Dad did not want that.

He heard his dad sigh, then he kneeled down and put his hand on Kerrin’s shoulder. “Son, we can either spend the day cooking something nice or we can try to get your mam back. What would you rather?”

Kerrin looked down at his bowl. “I want Mam back,” he said in a whisper, fighting the tears all the time.

“Good, then eat your stew.”

With that his dad was gone, joining Devlin and Brendan, who carried the pot of stew down the deck. Except dad had picked up his crossbow. Curious now, Kerrin put his stew down and pulled Caley away before she could eat it, and wandered after them.

“Here you go, lads. Get that into you,” Devlin said as he offered the food to the guards who had come into Baltimore the day before.

The guards reached eagerly for the bowls, and Kerrin gasped as his dad, Brendan and a dozen others produced weapons, Fallon training his crossbow at Gannon.

“Nobody needs to get hurt here. Do as I say and you will be eating with your families this night,” Fallon said flatly.

Kerrin began to edge back, afraid they were going to fight, but then the big guard sergeant smiled.

“About time!” he said. “I thought you would never act. Anyway, don’t worry about us; we’ll be no trouble. Right lads, get your armor off and put your weapons in a neat pile.”

Kerrin watched, confused, as the guards unbuckled sword belts and helped each other pull off their coats of mail. What was going on? He wanted to ask his dad but he was afraid that would make him angry.

“I told you we wanted to help. I’ll tell the Duchess that you’re planning to sail for Kotterman but I think you should go to Berry first and talk to the Crown Prince,” the sergeant announced.