The Sigil Blade (12 page)

After making it to the bottom safely, Edryd walked along a footpath that traversed a narrow muddy shoreline along the face of the westernmost canyon wall. Immediately beyond a sharp corner, he noticed traces of lantern light leaking out from an encampment a little further down the path. Edging silently along the cliffside, Edryd spied the source of the light. It was coming from a lantern which cast a wavering light that revealed the shape of a landing craft, a large boat with a furled sail and three sets of retracted oars. The boat was secured in place with a length of corded hemp, tied up against a large stone which protruded above the surface of the water. One man lay sleeping on the shoreline. Another was resting inside the boat. A third sat with his back to the overhanging canyon wall, standing watch for the rest of the men. The boat could easily have carried at least ten more men, so Edryd had to assume that these three did not constitute the entire group. Others were likely in town or elsewhere in An Innis.

The lookout, whose night vision had been weakened by the light, gave no sign that he had seen anything. Edryd could not move closer without stepping into the light, but he wanted to avoid causing undue surprise or alarm anyway. It made sense to greet them from a safe reassuring distance. Edryd straightened and took a single step forward. The movement caught the eye of the man who was standing guard, and he began to lean forward in an unsuccessful effort to better see the dark figure at the edge of the lamplight.

“Krin?” the man asked nervously.

Edryd took another step forward with his hands extended out a little ways from his body.

The lookout’s eyes widened. He began kicking the man lying asleep along the shore to wake him, and began to cry out in alarm to the man in the boat. “Wake up Maldrin, someone’s here,” he shouted. Maldrin bolted upright, looking frightened and confused.

Edryd took one more step forward, placing himself well within the circle of light cast by the lantern on the boat. The man who had been sleeping on the shore slowly raised himself into a sitting position. Propped up on one arm, he looked up from where he rested, apparently angry at having been kicked awake.

Edryd studied the man, whose plain features had few distinguishing characteristics. He might have been just a little taller than Edryd was, with dark hair and brown eyes, and a thin beard spread across a narrow face. He couldn’t have appeared less concerned by Edryd’s sudden appearance, but wheels were spinning in the man’s head, calculating which moves to make and when. By outward appearances, he was altogether unimpressive, yet Edryd felt certain that he must be the leader of this group.

“Was that necessary, Bram?” the man demanded with annoyance, rubbing his shoulder where it had been kicked.

“I had to, Logaeir,” Bram explained. “It materialized right out of the mist. It must be a spirit.”

Logaeir gave Edryd a once over, and made a quick appraisal. “That’s no apparition, it’s a man,” Logaeir concluded.

“How can you tell?” Bram asked, reassured but not yet convinced.

“Look at the light from our lantern, he’s casting a shadow,” Logaeir replied.

“A draugr then,” countered the lookout.

Logaeir laughed. “You’ve never encountered one, or you wouldn’t say that,” he said.

“How am I to know?” Bram protested. There was an injured look on his face.

“You would know a draugr if you ever saw one. It wouldn’t stand at the edge of the light waiting for you to invite it into your camp either.”

“Well I can’t see so clearly. It’s all the way out there, and I don’t want it coming no closer in,” Bram replied, looking over to Maldrin, the man in the boat, for his support.

“I don’t know that it’s a draugr, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t intend us harm,” Maldrin agreed.

Logaeir let out an exasperated sigh and beckoned Edryd closer. “Tell us your name, spirit,” he invited. “Bram and Maldrin won’t relax until you do.”

Edryd wasn’t sure about the wisdom of approaching, but it was too late to turn around now, and he had questions that needed answers.  “My name is Edryd. I didn’t mean to frighten anyone,” he said as he took a few more steps toward the men.

“I told you he was just a man,” Logaeir said. “Draugar don’t speak, not in any normal kind of human speech at least.” In trying to demonstrate his superiority by criticizing the ignorance of his two companions, Logaeir sounded somehow more naive and foolish than either of them. Yet there was something behind it, as if Logaeir were trying to appear to be something less than what he was. It would be easy to underestimate him.

Maldrin did appear to relax a great deal. Bram did not. “A draugr or a spirit would make more sense traipsing around out here in the middle of the night. If he is just a man, he didn’t randomly happen upon us.”

“You don’t look like Ascomanni,” Edryd Interjected. “I assume that is who you are, even if you don’t have diseased grey skin, and I see no apparent evidence that you have any unnatural powers.”

Maldrin broke the silence caused by this accusation. “We aren’t diseased. We only smear that ashen paint on before a raid. It terrifies people like you can’t imagine.”

Bram and Logaeir stiffened slightly at Maldrin’s admission, and shot warning looks in his direction.

“Just what is your purpose for coming here?” Logaeir asked suddenly, returning his attention to Edryd and taking on a more serious tone.

“I believe I was invited,” Edryd replied. He retrieved the bronze coin from his pocket and tossed it to Logaeir.

Logaeir took a moment inspecting the coin. “It seems you were,” he said.

“You could tell me more about my purpose here than I can,” said Edryd. “A man in town slipped this coin into my pocket.”

Bram shifted his feet uncomfortably. “Is this really him?” he asked.

Maldrin, sharing Bram’s misgivings, decided to give voice to them. “How do we know Krin wasn’t caught? He should be here if everything had gone to plan. This could be one of the Ard Ri’s men.”

“No,” Logaeir insisted, “this is him, this is the Red Prince.”

Chapter 7

Logaeir

L
ogaeir, wanting a private conversation, had left Bram and Maldrin behind with the boat while he and Edryd walked a hundred feet back up the shoreline to the where the narrow path began heading back up the cliffside.

“I wanted to ask,” Logaeir started to fumble, before choosing a more direct tact. “We need your help, Aisen.”

Edryd didn’t hide his discomfort over the use of this name, and it must have read plainly on his face even in the darkness. Logaeir quickly reacted. “I can call you Edryd if you prefer, but I know who you are.”

“Setting aside whether I am who you think,” Edryd responded, “It’s my understanding that the Ascomanni have this place under siege. I don’t see what I could do for a group that is already so obviously succeeding.”

“We have been a little too successful,” Logaeir answered. When Edryd didn’t seem to comprehend, Logaeir expanded his explanation. “We have grown large, and so effective that trade in An Innis has slowed to almost nothing. It is a problem for them to be sure, but it might just be worse for us. Our men are not soldiers. Most of them are undisciplined and opportunistic, loyal only to the promise of quick wealth. Even if we capture every last bit of cargo going in or out of An Innis it isn’t nearly enough. We are beginning to see divisions among the men.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that you have run out of things to take,” Edryd remarked. It was hard for him to empathize with the troubles of men who took what they wanted by force. He wasn’t about to waste any effort trying.

“There isn’t a thing connected to An Innis that isn’t already five times removed from its proper owner,” Logaeir responded in pointed justification. “I have no cause to answer an accusation of supposed wrong for appropriating what was already stolen to begin with.”

“Perhaps not,” Edryd allowed diplomatically. “I suppose if there is no reasonable way to restore anything, you haven’t done new harm in dispossessing those who did not come by the wealth through legitimate means to begin with.”

“I’m glad you can see my side,” Logaeir agreed. “If it means anything, I would like you to understand that I do mean to restore what I can. There are things yet that are not altogether irretrievable.”

Edryd could sense that Logaeir was now talking about something less tangible than captured cargo, but given how little he knew of this man and his history, Edryd was unable to accurately interpret the meaning behind his last comment. He was about to ask Logaeir to say more, when a sudden idea, an apparently obvious solution to the problems Logaeir had described, pushed that impulse aside.

“There might not be much to target on the sea, but I was inside Kedwyn Saivelle’s warehouse. That stockpile alone would satisfy the ambitions of no small number of Ascomanni.” Edryd offered helpfully, surprised to hear this suggestion spoken in his own voice. He hadn’t intended to be getting involved so directly in the affairs of these men.

“Very true,” Logaeir replied. “And the building that you visited was only one amongst five others owned by Saivelle. The other three harbormasters control twice that number between them.” Logaeir’s response implied that he was well aware of Edryd’s movements, and knew exactly which warehouse he had been talking about.

Edryd started extrapolating figures based on what he had seen in the warehouse, multiplying that by more than a dozen. It was staggering to say the least. “You mean to raid the town,” Edryd asserted confidently, putting the pieces together.

“No,” Logaeir laughed. “While I did say we had grown too large, there are not enough of us to pull that off. We would need to take and hold at least one of the piers for a day or more to carry much away with us. Besides, my men would be running the moment Seoras showed his face. That is of course, if they don’t fall out with each other over dividing the spoils long before that.” Clearly, Logaeir had been running these scenarios through his mind for a while now.

“So you are too many to hold together unless you pull off something of scale, but still too few for a successful raid on An Innis?” Edryd summarized.

“Near to a fair assessment,” Logaeir agreed.

“I’m not sure I see a future for myself as an Ascomanni,” Edryd responded. “I don’t want to say you have done a poor job in selling the offer, but if I were to come around to the notion of mixing with criminals, I think I would pick a group with better prospects.”

“But that is where you come in to the equation,” Logaeir countered, speaking as though he were solving a complex set of predictions. “The only thing we lack is a leader with credibility, and you have a reputation that commands real fear and respect. I don’t need more men. I need better men. And I need someone who will stand up against Seoras when the time comes.”

Edryd was speechless, and completely unprepared for what Logaeir was suggesting.

“I am not planning a raid,” Logaeir continued. “I want you to plan a battle, and lead the Ascomanni in the taking of An Innis.”

Edryd’s legs felt like they might give out, and all of the blood drained from his face.

“I am not who you think I am,” Edryd finally managed in a weak but steady voice. “I cannot stand against Seoras. I believe you already know that I am running from him. Even if I were this wandering prince, I still would not be who you think I am.”

“I know exactly who you are. You are Aisen, son of the hero Aedan Elduryn, and you are a captain in the Sigil Corps, the best soldiers in the world.” Logaeir insisted.

“If you place such hopes on me, I will disappoint you,” Edryd replied sadly. “I can’t help, and I wouldn’t if I could.”

Logaeir was crestfallen. Edryd was embarrassed. He was also more than a little angry. How could someone ask so much of someone he had met just minutes ago? Too late, Edryd realized he might have irreparably destroyed any chance of using Logaeir to get off of the island. Having flatly refused to help the man, it didn’t seem like a good time to ask a favor, but he most likely would never get another chance.

“I am sorry I can’t help you in the way that you wanted,” Edryd apologized. “I hope you understand.”

“I know it was no small thing to ask,” Logaeir responded, “but I offer as much in return. After An Innis falls, my men are at your disposal. We can support you and the Sigil Corps against the King of Nar Edor in your claim to your lands. An Innis would recognize you as its ruler and it would become part of your holdings.”

“I don’t want any of that,” Edryd replied sharply, groaning inwardly in frustration. More calmly he added, “I just want to get off of An Innis and away from Aed Seoras.”

Logaeir reacted with disappointment, but a small light of hope remained in his eyes. “Spend one month training our men. If after that you still want to leave, I will take you back to Nar Edor or to any destination along the Ossian coast.”

Edryd considered the offer. He considered it carefully. He liked to think of himself as an honest man. He once had been. And though he had done nothing but lie from the moment he had arrived on An Innis, he hadn’t yet sunk to a point where he could accept the thought of joining or even helping the Ascomanni. These were men who were supporting themselves on the misery of others. They were actively attacking and murdering the people of An Innis. It didn’t matter that there were no innocent parties, and that the men of An Innis were quite possibly worse than the Ascomanni. Edryd wanted no part of either side.

“I can’t help you, Logaeir, I have no place in this.”

Logaeir looked like he was struggling against the urge to say something more, but he had shared far more than was safe already. Edryd was not sure that he was going to be allowed to walk away.

“I am sorry to hear that,” Logaeir eventually responded. “I understand your reasons, but I think in the coming days you will find your options are limited. Circumstances will force you to choose a side.”

They parted ways at the bottom of the path. Edryd made his way carefully up through the darkness. Distressingly, he found he had to stop and rest several times, his breath coming with unusual effort and his legs protesting each step. Edryd took pride in his strength and stamina so none of this seemed right. It wasn’t an easy climb, but it should not have been this difficult.

Emerging from the thick vegetation near the cliff’s edge after making his way back to the top of the trail, Edryd found a suitable perch in the form of a large smooth rock on which to take another rest. Looking back towards the town, he noticed the orange glow of a campfire that was illuminating a crude shelter dug into a low hill. The location was protected from the winds by two short irregular walls that extended from the hillside. These were constructed from moss covered stones placed together in an almost haphazard fashion that created a look that felt like a natural extensions of the terrain. Edryd had not seen this hovel on his way out, but the hill that made up the northern wall of the shelter, in combination with the two stone walls, shielded both the encampment and the small fire from being viewed from any direction but south.

Feeling cold and exhausted, Edryd shed any thoughts of caution. He never even considered the idea of skirting around the camp as he made his way back. Instead he went straight for the inviting warmth promised by the light. As he approached the makeshift shelter, he could see the figure of a man tending to the fire. As he drew near, he could see the man’s face which was illuminated by the flickering light emanating from the low flames. It was the man who had slipped him the coin. He had apparently trailed Edryd and then stayed up on the cliff to keep watch and give warning if anyone managed to follow him to the meeting.

“You would be Krin?” Edryd asked.

Krin smiled and nodded. He was no longer the drunken oaf he had pretended to be that evening in the inn. Krin invited Edryd to sit on one of the stone seats arranged near the fire. “You’ve met with Logaeir and the others,” Krin stated. “It would seem you must have turned him down.”

Edryd nodded his head in confirmation.

“I don’t blame you,” Krin sympathized. “It would have been foolish to throw in with us. Logaeir has some questionable ideas, and from what I know of his plans, they would have ended up getting you killed. They might yet end up getting me and most of the Ascomanni killed for that matter.”

“Logaeir is your leader?” Edryd asked.

“No,” Krin answered. “The Ascomanni don’t have a leader, or at least not any single leader.”

“How does that work?” Edryd wondered.

“Crews choose their own captain. The captains have an informal hierarchy, but no one can give orders to the others. If we act in concert, all of the captains have to agree.”

“But Logaeir is one of your leaders,” Edryd posited. Logaeir had on several occasions referred to the Ascomanni as ‘his’ men, and the grand plans he had outlined for Edryd suggested he was in a position to set things in motion. Clearly he had considerable authority in the group.

“No, not as a captain,” Krin answered, correcting Edryd’s assumption. “I’m a captain for whatever that is worth,” Krin continued, “but Logaeir is… Logaeir is something else altogether.”

“He doesn’t have any authority then?” Edryd protested doubtfully.

“No, none at all,” Krin declared. “He has his ideas, and there is no doubt he is very smart, but he is no leader. He would admit as much. He never stays in one place. Not long enough to gain much real trust from any single crew. You don’t rise in the ranks that way.”

“So he is no one then? Why was I meeting with him and not you?”

“He might not have any formal authority, but that is not to say he is without influence. As proof of that you need only consider that he persuaded me to come here to recruit you. In case you can’t tell, that went against my better judgment.” Krin grinned in bemused wonder as he admitted having been moved about by Logaeir like a piece on a game board. “It’s to your credit that you had the sense to reject what he was asking.”

“And what he offered. He was going to give me a place of prominence within the Ascomanni,” Edryd said. “I can’t imagine he could have been authorized to honor a promise like that.”

“No, he wouldn’t be,” agreed Krin. “For that matter, no one in the Ascomanni could make that offer.”

“He lied then?”

“No, I wouldn’t say that. You have something of a fearsome reputation, much more than you realize, I’m guessing. You have skill and experience in combat, and you have claims as the master of multiple respected houses. If you joined the Ascomanni, many would follow you. It isn’t that Logaeir was offering you leadership, rather he knows what would naturally follow the moment you were accepted among us.”

“You believe I made the right decision?” Edryd asked.

“I do,” Krin answered. “Captures are falling off too fast and we are already fraying at the edges. It is only a matter of time. Adding the Blood Prince to our ranks would delay things, but it won’t stop the inevitable disintegration. You have something to offer, but nothing to gain.”

“That is why Logaeir said he plans to take An Innis,” Edryd said.

Krin looked completely taken aback.

“You think he said too much about the plan,” Edryd said in response to Krin’s startled reaction.

“Well, yes, I suppose so, but what’s troubling me the most is that there is no ‘the plan’. Or if there is, he never bothered to include me in his deliberations. He said he is going to take An Innis? I can’t say I’m pleased, though I don’t know why I am surprised.” Krin looked frustrated, and ready to exact some sort of punishment to reign in the reckless Logaeir.