Wall of Spears (20 page)

‘I thought you were sure our sons would come rushing to rescue us?’

‘I am not a fool, Retsu. They will come for us but that is no guarantee we will escape. Are you so blind that you thought I put all my hope in that? I helped the Forlish and then stopped Asami because doing otherwise would have seen you dead and I would rather have a few days with you than the rest of my life without.’

Asami glanced over her shoulder and saw them gazing into each other’s eyes. She was troubled, and not just by the thought of the two of them giving in to their passion right here and now — the parallels between them and her own situation were too obvious to ignore.

‘Tell me what is in your heart, Retsu. If you value honour higher than me, then I shall say no more and we will begin planning to risk all on breaking out of here.’

‘No, I cannot say that,’ Retsu replied, his voice cracking a little.

They went silent and Asami risked a glance over her shoulder to see them kissing. She looked away again and walked carefully to the far end of the relatively small room. There was not even a window to look out of.

‘They are being taken south to Cridianton. Birds saw a convoy of carriages, surrounded by cavalry, riding south, fast,’ Rhiannon reported. ‘Obviously Ward distrusts his ally, Sumiko. If they had kept them on the border, then we would have had far better access to trees to move in and out with magic.’

‘It may not have been the prisoners,’ Kelyn said. ‘It is asking a great deal to bet your lives on something you don’t know for sure.’

‘The time for caution is past,’ Sendatsu said fiercely. ‘We must act now or all is lost.’

Rhiannon nodded. ‘The Forlish cavalry is racing back to meet up with the rest of the army. Sumiko might have promised them the world but Ward is too clever to trust her.’

‘But if we can get the prisoners out and back to Dokuzen, we can stop Sumiko’s plan,’ Sendatsu said.

‘We have to get the prisoners out. If the Forlish are attacked, then they are bound to kill Asami and the others,’ Gaibun said.

‘So you want to go off on another mad raid, which will probably end up with you all killed and the elves about to descend on us with fire and sword,’ Dafyd finished.

‘That’s about right,’ Huw agreed.

‘What do we do while you are all off trying to get killed?’ Kelyn asked.

‘Keep watch for the elves and keep the dragons safe. We will probably need them before this is all over,’ Huw said. ‘You and Dafyd will look after Vales while I am gone. If I die, then you need to vote in a new High Councillor.’

‘That won’t happen,’ Dafyd said stoutly.

‘One more thing — I am taking my children with us,’ Sendatsu said.

Huw stuck his finger in his ear. ‘I have said this before — I know our ears look different but surely they work the same? Did you really say you were going to take your children into Cridianton?’

‘That’s right,’ Sendatsu said. ‘I know it sounds foolish to you —’

‘Well, that’s all right then. It isn’t just me thinking that!’ Huw said.

‘This is not a time for jokes,’ Sendatsu snapped.

‘Then why are you talking about taking your children along?’

‘Because nobody suspects children. A man by himself will be watched by every guard they have. A man with two children is nothing to worry about.’

‘I thought you were an elf?’ Kelyn asked.

Sendatsu shook his head. ‘I know the truth of it. I am a man, and proud to be one. Understand this — I will get Asami out of there. I know it is risky, I know bringing my children puts their lives — all our lives — in danger. But I think they can help us all come back alive.’

‘We haven’t got time to argue about it. We have to hurry,’ Gaibun added.

Huw pushed back his chair and stood. ‘Then let us stop wasting time. I hope to see you again.’

‘How are you going to get into the castle?’ Dafyd asked.

Huw smiled. ‘We are going to use the nightsoil gate and pretend to be nightsoil carriers. That means we can all wear scarfs over our faces. It was how I used to sneak in and out of the castle when I was a performer there. Once inside, we hope to get some help from Queen Mildrith. We have sent her a message saying we shall meet her in her rooms. That way she cannot betray our plans and, if she sets a trap, we shall be able to see it.’

‘Nightsoil?’ Kelyn asked.

‘Shit,’ Dafyd said.

‘Exactly,’ Huw agreed.

‘I knew something smelt about this plan,’ Dafyd said, but nobody could smile.

Queen Mildrith signalled and the guard shut the small viewing window set in the thick wooden door. The elves had been split up into four different groups of three or four and scattered all over the castle. The castellan had wanted to put them all together in the dungeons but she had persuaded him this was safer.

‘There is strength in numbers. Split them up, threaten the others, and they will know they cannot all escape together,’ she had suggested and he had reluctantly agreed.

She sympathised with the castellan, a little. Ward was asking a great deal in wanting to prevent a group of magical elves escaping or being rescued. So much was riding on this, even the normally calm castellan was showing the strain.

But, while she could sympathise with him, she wanted to destroy his plans. Ward triumphant meant the end of her dreams of seeing her sons on the throne. Either Ward would sit there until the end of time or he would replace them all with that common fool, Edmund. She shuddered with anger at the thought. She had borne the endless humiliation of Ward’s parade of young lovers because she knew her sons would get the throne and she would get the power. To lose that now, after all she had suffered, was bitter indeed. Ward had to be stopped from achieving immortality and the elves were the key to that.

‘What shall we do, Mother?’ Uffa asked as she walked back to her own rooms.

‘First, we shall eat. You must be exhausted after your long ride south. Then we will talk of what your father and brother have been doing,’ Mildrith said loudly, raising her eyebrows at him.

‘But I thought you wanted —’

Mildrith stepped closer to her younger son and, with the ease of long practice, jabbed him in the ribs.

‘Say no more until you have eaten, I insist on it,’ she said, even louder this time, and gave him one of her special glares.

Chastened, Uffa fell silent and she swept on ahead. The castle was riddled with servants’ passageways, which allowed them to service the castle without coming into contact with important people. But you never knew who might be listening and what might get back to Ward.

Once in her rooms, she dismissed a flustered maid who was trying to clean her bedroom and sent her to get food instead.

‘How many times must I remind you about never speaking openly in the corridors? Here we can disguise our words; out there anybody might hear us.’

‘Sorry, Mother,’ Uffa mumbled.

‘Now, does your father expect you back?’

Uffa shook his head. ‘He said nothing about it. He thinks the elves will send the traitor to make a deal with us and only if that falls over will we need to fight.’

‘Good, for I will need you here. Wilfrid sent me a message with the details of what happened and I have sent another message north to the Velsh. By now they will have seen my words can be trusted and I hope they can use that to their advantage. Meanwhile, I need you to help me get the elves out of here.’

Uffa’s eyes bulged. ‘H—how can I do that?’

Mildrith sighed. ‘I had hoped you might have some idea. Are any of the men you commanded on the way down here loyal to you above your father?’

Uffa shook his head slowly.

Mildrith walked across and took his hands. ‘How many times have I told you? You must win the men over. You are their officer, they must learn to love you so they will obey you over their king.’

‘I have tried, but I don’t know how,’ Uffa protested.

She let go of his hands and turned away. With a dozen men, even half-a-dozen, she was sure she could get the elves out. But just one man who could not be trusted could condemn them all. Her mind raced but a tapping noise kept disturbing her.

‘Will you stop that?’ she asked irritably.

‘I’m not doing anything, Mother!’ Uffa protested.

She turned angrily — then caught sight of a bird at the window, tapping on the scraped horn panel that kept out the worst of the weather and most of the light. She pulled it away and the crow hopped inside, balancing easily on the thick shelf that showed the strength of the castle wall.

‘Careful, Mother — they can bite,’ Uffa warned nervously.

Mildrith held out her hand and the crow hopped onto it, offering its left leg towards her.

‘This is not a wild creature. It has been tamed somehow,’ she said, inspecting its leg. Tied there was a small scroll and she undid the knotted leash and took the scroll off.

‘That is like the pigeons Father uses.’

‘Not quite. Those can only fly home. This was able to find me somehow,’ Mildrith said, unrolling the scroll with nervous fingers. She feared it might be in some form of code but it proved to be easily read, if a little small.

‘It is from the Velsh! They have magic and plan to rescue the elves we have captive and ask for our help. They will meet us here, in my rooms, at a time of my choosing today!’

‘How is that possible?’ Uffa asked.

Mildrith laughed. ‘I have no idea! But it is all that I asked for. I am to write my answer on the back of this scroll and the bird will take it back to them. Quick, bring me ink and a quill.’

She scribbled her reply, promising that the elves were unhurt and being treated well.
Come any time. I will be here to help
, she wrote.

She re-tied the scroll to the crow’s leg and it hopped towards the window and then took off.

‘How long will they be?’

‘I would not expect them until late today. The bird will take turns of the hourglass to get back to Vales alone, then they will have to travel down here. Even using magic, I cannot see them arriving before nightfall,’ Mildrith said, then impulsively hugged her son.

‘Are you all right, Mother?’

‘Never better. I will finally be able to pay your father back for all his insults.’ She laughed. ‘He will fall and your brother shall be king of Forland, you king of our conquered countries.’

‘Yes, Mother.’

‘Here comes the bird,’ Rhiannon said.

‘That did not take long,’ Gaibun said.

‘Aye. She must have answered quickly. Perhaps she really wants to help us,’ Huw agreed.

‘Well, let’s wait and see what she says first,’ Rhiannon suggested, raising her hand and watching the crow fly straight to her. It had barely had to move its wings since dropping down from the castle to where they waited a mile outside of Cridianton. Rhiannon had brought them through an oaken gateway to this small copse, then she had sent the crow ahead. She took Mildrith’s message off the crow then allowed it to fly away again.

‘What does she say?’ Sendatsu asked.

‘“Come any time, I will be here to help,”’ Rhiannon read.

‘Sounds promising,’ Gaibun commented.

‘We can’t ask for any more. Let’s go,’ Sendatsu ordered.

While waiting for the crow’s message, Huw had slipped down to the busy road and bought a nightsoil cart, stinking but sturdy and pulled by four donkeys. The farmer had been delighted to receive about ten times its worth in gold and had rushed home eagerly. Now Mai and Cheijun were laughing as they fed the scruffy-looking donkeys tufts of grass.

Sendatsu swept them both up and put them in the back of the cart.

‘Are we sure we want to do this? It could be a trap. We could be making a terrible mistake,’ Huw said.

‘I will go first, if you wish,’ Gaibun offered.

‘No. We all go together. Huw and Rhiannon have the knowledge of Cridianton and the castle. You and I won’t be able to get in there without being noticed any other way,’ Sendatsu said.

‘They will see we look like elves, you mean,’ Gaibun said.

‘There is no such thing as elves. The sooner you accept that, the better.’

Rolling his eyes a little, Gaibun joined Sendatsu and Mai and Cheijun in the back of the cart. Thanks to the Patchamers, they were all wearing scruffy tunics and trousers, the sort worn by poor farm workers, as well as rough caps. They also had woollen scarves, which they now tied over their faces. Between those and the caps, pulled low over their eyes to hide their ears, only their hands were really showing.

‘Don’t worry about those. The hands of nightsoil diggers are usually a different colour to everyone else’s,’ Huw told them.

Like all nightsoil carts, it had high wooden sides but a low back gate that could be lifted out entirely. It meant it was hard to see what was inside, which was good when it was full of nightsoil but even better for the purpose Sendatsu had in mind. Huw, Rhiannon, Cadel and Bowen walked alongside the wagon. They had scarves as well but only Rhiannon and Huw would do the talking, as they were the only ones who could sound Forlish. Huw had not wanted to bring two of the leaders of the dragons along but they were his best swordsmen.

‘Are you sure we won’t look suspicious?’ Sendatsu asked softly.

‘Of course not. Nightsoil carts fill up in the city, collect a silver or two for taking it away and then go out to the farms and sell it to farmers for manure. Making good money is the only reason people will do it,’ Huw said confidently. ‘Getting in will not be a problem. It is getting out I am worried about.’

The donkeys pulled them along at a walking pace and Sendatsu had time to worry about Asami, about traps and about whether he should bring his children into this. Part of him was saying it was a selfish, foolish idea, yet he could not shake the feeling they would be important and might just save his life. He knew his father would never have done anything like this, which made it all the more attractive.

‘Does everything in Forrand smell like this?’ Cheijun asked.

‘This is a cart for carrying poo. That is why we rubbed lavender and mint on our scarves before we put them on,’ Sendatsu told him.

‘Who needs a cart for their poo? A giant?’ Cheijun asked and he and Mai laughed.