Winterfinding (19 page)

“I’m sick of this job.” He
muttered gazing out over the sea.

“At least, I’m alive.” He
picked up the oar but then tossed it back down.

“I’m not going back out
there. Not got the strength to portage.” He looked up.

“Must be early afternoon,
so I have maybe five or six hours before I have to make camp. But
with what?” Doubling checking his tunic and trouser pockets, he
confirmed his suspicions. A heavy sigh escaped his through his
lips.

Cochrane turned and began
pushing his way through the woods, “North it is until I find
something or someone.”

Spires Army

Vikram could feel the cold in the air. The
damp ground crunched beneath his boots as the frost and ice that
was in the grass and mud broke. This was the first morning he had
taken notice of the ice. His water bowl in his tent had a thin
layer of glass-like ice on it. When he had woke, he saw his breath
curl out of his mouth and over the lip of his blanket.

Outside his tent on his way to speak with
the Grand General, he saw men breaking the icy skin of their own
buckets and even a few chucking small frozen bricks. The autumn was
all but over, and they were entering winter.

When he reached the Grand General’s
pavilion, he was startled by Evness suddenly bursting forth. The
older man stopped in his track equally surprised to see Vikram
before him. The old general scowled, nodded at him, and then
continued away from the tent.

He watched him go, trudging like an ornery
bear. If Evness was this angry this early in the day, then it had
to be because Matis was once again being utterly unreasonable.
Vikram took a deep breath dealing with the Grand General had become
more and more difficult of late.

Throwing back the entrance flap, Vikram
entered and saw that Grand General Matis was standing over the
tactics map digging a hole with his dagger where The Cathedral was
marked. Around the table were three other advisors—Howe Bargeld, an
experienced soldier in command of siege works; Brance Surr, a
friend and head of the cavalry; and the Novosar commander, a man
named Boggs.

“
Grand General.” Vikram
said standing at attention and bowing slightly.

Matis looked up, “Vikram, how good of you to
join us.”

He hesitated, “I woke at first light, sire,
and came straight away as usual.”

Matis flicked a splinter out of the hole he
was digging, and then nonchalantly tossed the knife aside. “Yet
you’re the last to arrive.”

His tent was at the vanguard of the camp
while Matis’s pavilion was well to the rear. He was in command of
the entire infantry having to hear every morning summation reports
from twenty different corps commanders, while Matis only wanted
updates every week. Vikram clenched his jaw, “My apologies, it
won’t happen again.”

“
See that it doesn’t.”
Matis said casually as he walked around the table and flung himself
into a high-back chair. He waved his hand, “Say again,
Bargeld.”

The commander winced, looked briefly at
Vikram, and then gestured to the map before them all. “As the Grand
General has made clear for us,” Bargeld pointed at the hole Matis
had made, “The Cathedral has one particular kind of defense that
would make any maneuver on our part moot.”

“
It’s just a moat.” Boggs
grumbled.

“
It most certainly is not
just a moat.” Bargeld snapped. “The entire Cathedral, the heart of
the city of Sulecin, is hemmed by a channel two hundred feet deep
and a hundred feet wide. You don’t ford that or toss ladders across
it.” He glared at Boggs.

“
I though your siege
engines had a range over two hundred.” Matis said
dismissively.

Surr shook his head, “Range doesn’t matter.
There’s the city itself. We can’t get our siege works through those
twisting, narrow streets.”

“
Then clear a path.” Matis
said. “Level the buildings, we’ll slowly carve our way to the
channel.”

None of the commanders said anything but
exchanged glances. Bargeld spoke again, “If that were a successful
tactic, Grand General, we’d still be at a loss before the channel.
It’s a covered channel; its surface is retractable. They’d pull it
back, towards themselves leaving us to have to build a bridge which
they could easily destroy from their ivory walls.”

“
Then knock down the
walls!” Matis yelled.

“
We wouldn’t be able to
cross even if we could, sire.”

“
Stop telling me what I
can’t do!” Matis brought both his fists down onto the table. “We
are here to cut out the cancer that is growing the heart of our
sacred faith. I’ve talked with the Bandran eparchian. He assures me
he sees our move as right and proper. So much so that the
justiciars will soon be arriving to swell our ranks.”

Boggs nodded impressed but he was the only
one. Bargeld stood stunned and Surr just shook his head. Finally,
Vikram spoke.

“
I am certain that you
don’t mean to cause a schism within the faith, Grand
General.”

“
If I hear that word one
more time…” Matis clenched his fist and shook it furiously in front
of them all. Vikram couldn’t help but see his longtime friend as a
child throwing yet another tantrum. But the white-hot rage of Matis
meant the deaths of thousands. Surr leaned over to him and
whispered, “Evness said as much and was dismissed.”

Vikram nodded, “My apologies, sire, I didn’t
realize I was needless rehashing terminated debates.”

Matis relaxed somewhat, “What would you have
us do with our men, Vikram?”

“
We are set in our
course.” He said somewhat tentatively gauging the reactions of the
other advisors and Matis.

“
There is no retreat. The
Cathedral will sanction our conquest of Essia, willfully or by
force. Then we will squeeze that sad nation between the pincers of
our navy and this army.”

“
First we need that robe
to give us his blessing.” Boggs muttered.

“
The Patriarch, you mean.”
Surr growled at Boggs, who just shrugged unthreatened.

“
It’s not my faith but I
know you lot won’t move without his word. So let’s get his word.”
Matis smiled as Boggs spoke.

“
See,” Matis came around
the table with his hand out to Boggs, “here is a commander who
knows how to cut to the quick. Perhaps I should put him in charge
of your ponies and your grunts.” Matis glared at Surr and
Vikram.

“
The Grand General’s
commands will be obeyed.” Vikram said flatly.

“
Yes,” Matis came up close
to him staring at his eye-to-eye, “they will.”

“
Schism or not, if they
close themselves off, we will be at a mortal disadvantage.” Bargeld
tried to steer the conversation back to strategy.

Matis spun around, “Not if we make the first
move.”

“
We have no reason to
strike at The Cathedral. And doing so would poison the countryside
to us. The common folk would harangue us from all sides no matter
where we went. We can’t assault the faith like this.” Surr spoke
passionately but his vice wavered, it sounded like he was at the
end of his tether.

“
Buck up, Brance.” Matis
replied in a calm, fraternal manner. “I know you can do this. Stand
up for what’s right. Bring glory to our city, our nation.” Matis
slapped Surr on the back. “We are going to make the Seven Spires
the power in the world. It begins with bending The Cathedral to my
will.”

“
We’ve lost our proof
though.” Bargeld said.

“
Having or not having the
alm doesn’t matter. We know what she is. The Bandrans have made it
clear that the paladin in her company was a traitor. He’s either
taken her hostage because he realized we’d find out about him. Or,
she’s in league with him. Either way, we have the legal right
according to the eparchian to bring justice to The Cathedral if the
Patriarch will not.”

“
A campaign through the
city wouldn’t go quickly, it would take months. More than enough
time for them to fortify. We can’t strike quick enough to do what
you want.” Vikram sighed.

“
What can we do, Vikram?”
Matis bit back. “I’ll ask again, what would you have us
do?”

“
I would have us entreat
the patriarch to grant us our sanction as we know we deserve.”
Vikram spoke with an even tone. The last thing he wanted or needed
was for Matis to fly into another rage. “We have leverage; we can
threaten to reveal what we know. Faced with an army eager to strike
out and information that could sour not just the clergy but also
the laity against him, he will have to give in.”

Matis came back around to his seat. He held
out his hands and gave a wide smile, “That is very sensible.” The
rest of the advisors looked around anxiously. They were openly
hesitant and confused.

“
So you’re saying we
should go…” Surr began.

“
I am saying that we will
bring our demands to the halls of The Cathedral. And if we are
turned away, then I will raze the city. I will seat the eparchian,
and he will make sure that the faith toe the line. You, Vikram,
will go and ensure I get what I want.” Vikram again clenched his
jaw and began to grind his teeth. “You will go and take that old
man with you, Evness.” Matis sat and demanded wine from the
cupbearer. “That sour faced crone will certainly show that we mean
business.”

The four stood around the table in silence.
“Well?” Matis yelled. “Go on, do as you’re told.”

They each bowed and left. Outside the
pavilion, Bargeld shook his head vigorously and Boggs was laughing
in a rather insane manner. Each went their own way. Surr stood next
to Vikram and spoke quietly, “This is not going to end well. He’s
driving this campaign into the ground.”

“
Mind your words, Brance.”
Vikram said sounding exhausted. “He was chosen by the Kyria; he is
our leader.” Looking crestfallen, Surr nodded. “That is,” Vikram
continued, “until we hear otherwise.”

He didn’t look to see Surr’s reaction but
strode away from the pavilion to find Evness. He was going to get
this task out of the way. The sooner the better. Vikram had gotten
what he wanted, but the taste of it was sour.

Arderra

Another plate shattered against the rough
stone of the boardinghouse wall. Porcelain shards rained down on
heads of Jena and Jej’s. Jej looked up at Jena and smiled. Jena
scowled.

“
What the fuck are you
grinning at?” The two here nestled behind the bar of the main
tavern room. The Archway was closed so, fortunately, no one was
seeing Moria’s assault on her chambermaid and guest.

“
Tha was nine.”

“
So?”

“
She’d only got one
more.”

“
And then you have the
gall to come back here!” Moria screamed and another plate hit the
wall behind them. Jena caught a piece of porcelain on her cheek
below her eye.

She winced and cursed, “Light be damned.”
Jej reached out to wipe the small bead of blood away. Jena slapped
her hand down. “Stop fucking thinking we’re friends!” She
snapped.

Jena moved crouched along the back of the
bar. She heard more crashing. Moria must have found cups to launch
at them. “You keep going like this and you’ll be out of dishes
right quick.”

“
You fucking hope so, ya
damn bitch.” Moria screamed.

“
Stop egging her on.” Jej
pleaded.

“
Shut up.” Jena shot
back.

There was a lull. Jena strained to hear what
was going on and determined that Moria was looking for more
ammunition. Now was the time to move. Jena stood up and looked out
over the room. Moria was rummaging through a cabinet near the
entrance. Jena decided to move. Leaping over the bar and bolting
toward Moria, she was on her in no time.

Jej shot up from behind the bar like some
prairie gopher, “Don’t hurt her.” She cried.

“
Shaddup!” Moria screamed.
She wasn’t as fast as Jena but she was enraged and not thinking of
her well-being in the least. She scratched at Jena’s face and
lunged at her with a cutlery knife. It was a crude attack, Jena
grabbed Moria’s wrists spun her around holding her
tightly.

“
You need to calm
down.”

“
Shut up you fucking
whore.” Moria spat.

“
What’s wrong with you?
Just settle.” Jena was astounded by how furious Moria
was.

“
You come in here and tell
me my husband’s dead. That I don’t own my business. That my nephew,
the closest thing I have to a son is off with some damn thief!” She
tried to wrest free of Jena’s hold.

Jena called after Jej, “Get over here and
help me.”

“
I thought you didn’t want
me as your friend.”

“
Fuckssake, girl!” Jena
barked. “If she gets free she’ll beat us both to a pulp.” Jej
nodded. For a moment, she looked like a mouse caught in a corner.
Then she finally came around the bar to where the other women
were.

“
What do you
need…”

“
Grab those cloths and tie
them together.” Jej picked up some linen napkins from a nearby
table and did so. She held them out to Jena, who yanked Moria’s
arms back and threw her over a table. She took the napkins from Jej
and hastily bound Moria’s hands. Jena kicked out a chair and forced
Moria down into it.

“
You need to calm the fuck
down.” Jena demanded thrusting her finger in the other woman’s
face. “Either calm down or I’ll put you down until Addison
arrives.”