Chapter 7- The Cost of War

“Cousins!” Derry greeted warmly from the wall walk. “Yous just missed the Jungle Cat getting the shit slapped out of him.” Derry laughed as he shot another arrow and saw it hit a raider carrying wood. There were thousands on the beach and more on boats waiting to disembark. The landing crews were attempting to set up a defensive barricade fifty yards away from the wall. Don’t know why the stupid fucks don’t wait until night. Showing a real lack of leadership, they are. Sun will be down soon anyway. “Is that Urma Armormouse over there? DAAAAAAMMMNNN she got thick. You go ‘head girl.”

“Derry that’s are cousin.” Jodoro said after firing.

“Doesn’t mean I can’t look.” Derry said. “’sides she’s not blood related. Don’t tell me you don’t see the wagon she’s towing behind her. OOOOOWWWEEEE.” Derry felt good. He was a little down early killing a couple blokes and all but something about seeing Jodoro get slapped invigorated him. He was usually the one getting slapped around by Nan and Seta while they smiled and doted on Jodoro. It was only right for that fool to get his once and awhile. Couldn’t blame a bloke for wanting to see justice done occasionally. Urma Armourmouse, Ike Ironrat, Stella Steelrabbit reached their spot on the walls and start stringing their bows.

“These the bastards we’re shooting?” Ike asked gruffly. He was short and stocky and looked remarkably like a male version of Nan. The cousins got out of building years ago. Their company bought a mine near Hernit and now had a nice ass house, big as hell on the outskirts of the city.

“Right you are you rodent kin bastards. Fire aaaawwwaaaay.” Derry shouted.

“Is he drunk?” Stella asked Jodoro. Stella was still as rail thin as ever.

“Probably,” Jodoro grunted.

“What’s this I heard about you getting the shit slapped outta ya?” Urma said as she released an arrow.

“Misunderstanding,” Jodoro replied.

“Weren’t no misunderstanding. He almost killed this royal chick’s brother. She marched up her in a huff slapped him, slapped him again. Promised the fool she wouldn’t slap him then slapped him again.” Derry burst out. The cousins, who naturally had a good sense of humor unlike his thickheaded brother, started laughing their asses off.

“She said she was sorry.” Jodoro smiled. “And she thanked me.” The cousins of course found this even funnier. “Got a kiss out of it. I’ll take a couple of slaps for a kiss.”

“Twas only on the cheek ya fool.” Derry shot back. I don’t know what these broads see in him sometimes. He puts in no leg work. Doesn’t complement them, spin a yarn, or make them laugh. Yet they all eventually moon over him. The fool can’t leave his yurt without tripping over lovestruck bimbos. It was enough to make a man downright jealous sometimes the way they carried on always batting their eyes, sneaking glances, whispering to each other.

“Are we going to die here?” Urma asked. “There are a lot of men down there.”

Derry did not know. These were the questions Jodoro usually answered but he was busy firing away. “If we die here at least there will be cold ale in the Star Court.”

“Cold ale?” Jodoro asked. “You know what Derry Dog…That might not be so bad.”

They shot all day and were relieved at nightfall. Derry’s arms were exhausted by the time they reached their courtyard camp his draw arm had tightened up so much he could barely move it. Derry washed the sweat off his body and changed his clothes. The cousins were gathered around the fire arguing about who was the best shot. Jodoro broke out his pipes and began playing a soft melody. The song was new, and it floated gently upon the air like fall leaves swirling on a breezy day. Uncle Paul played softly on his fiddle. It only took a few moments for the other Onaki to begin playing throughout the courtyard. This was inevitable the two companies had partnered on many jobs throughout the years. There would be a lot of sex tonight. Lovebonds would be formed and undoubtedly some would leave the Copper Cauldron Company and join the Three Golden Shovels. Some would do the opposite. This was the Onaki way. Uncle John Blueheron stood behind Nan and was gently massaging her shoulders. He was the spittin image of his mother. Derry thought he had never seen the old bird smile so much and it almost made him happy for her-almost. Jodoro passed the pipes to him and he began to play his own melody. One that was a bit sadder. One that told of battle, death, a broken history of a people without a home. He blew into the pipes more. He thought of Jodoro’s beaten body and the Coldwater women. He saw his father’s cheerful face and the sad eyes of Diodora Desertdeer. He felt his face grow wet and still played. He played for them all. He played for the future. But most of all he played for his soul. For he knew that once a man killed, he would never be the same.

***

Duke Bell stood with General Ridge and Heliodor on the ramparts of the seaward wall and surveyed the beach below. Over the past two days the sea raiders had constructed a defensive wall by stacking their boats together fifty yards from the wall. The wood was charred in some places where fire arrows had landed but the raiders had unfortunately kept most of the lumber wet. Their early estimates of the enemy forces had been all wrong. There were at least 13,000 men on the beach. It was an incredible force that dwarfed all their other invasion attempts. Even with the help they expected their would-be drastic losses in Bellgaurd. It was clear now that their were Farki among their numbers. He could see them in their redsteel armor milling around near the water. As he watched he saw a group exiting a large pavilion well out of arrow range. Strong men hoisted what appeared to be a palanquin onto their shoulders and made their way toward the barricade horns blew and an enormous man in redsteel armor raised a white flag.

“Give the order to cease fire.” Duke Bell relayed to General Ridge. Ridge passed it along and soon all firing stopped. All was silent except for the tolling of a single bell. The group watched as the palanquin came to a rest just past the barricade. A dusky woman sat atop the palanquin she was dressed in layers of red silks and covered in enough gold jewelry to beggar his dukedom.

The large man with the white flag shouted to the wall. “All Hail Alis XIV General-Princess of the Farkian empire!! HAIL! HAIL! HAIL!” Farkian and sea raiders clapped their weapons on their shields. The noise was deafening. Alis XIV raised one arm and stood on her palanquin drawing immediate silence. Duke Bell had never seen the seas raiders so disciplined.

“Duke Bell lend me your ear,” Alis shouted. “By order of Sala High Empress of Farki we proclaim the dukedom of Bellgaurd the property of the Farkian Empire. Your royal family has twenty-four hours to relinquish control of Bellgaurd to me. If you comply all residents except for any Onaki will be granted full Farki citizenship rights. Any Onaki present will be given restricted occupational rights.” Alis paused and looked around and now spoke directly to the soldiers on the walls. “Anyone willing to leave may do so without harassment or harm.” She then turned to Duke Bell. “You have twenty-four hours Duke. If we do not hear your answer we will attack and overwhelm you.” With that she turned to leave.

“We cannot submit Duke Bell,” Heliodror said earnestly. “We must hold until help arrives.” Duke Bell considered his words carefully. Would help come? Even with the Flying Donkey’s and Hernit that would leave them roughly 4,000 to fight of 13,000. What would happen when they attacked the walls? How many would die? Could he put his people through this?

“What help Heliodor!” He hissed silently. “Delonica is pressed and Hernit and the Flying Donkey’s won’t be here for another week at the soonest.”

General Ridge placed a gentle hand on the Duke. “Milord we must give the people hope. I think we can hold. If the wall is not breached, we can hold.” Duke Bell looked at Ridge. Ridge and he had been friends since they were boys.

“If it is as you say then we will not submit, but we better pray to the Star Court that we can hold.” The Duke said. Heliodor nodded his approval and left to join his men in the inner bailey. “Pray to the gods we hold.”

***

They realized something was wrong when people stopped coming into the infirmary. Soon Healer Tilda began sending Christa and her friends out to help bring the injured in. The soldiers were so pressed they could not leave their positions. They pressed some of the townswomen into service and those women boldly did their part often putting themselves into dangerous positions. Alis XIV was true to her word. She attacked twenty-four hours after her proclamation. That was five days ago. Now as Christa ran through the courtyard carrying water canisters, she saw the true cost of war. Bodies lay in the inner bailey unstacked and festering in the hot sun. The bells no longer rang for the could afford to spare no one. She tossed a canister of water in the general direction of some men; soldiers would always find water. She kept moving. Kept looking for someone that was alive. She found a wounded Onaki woman she didn’t recognize and called for some help. Together he and Nova carried the woman in a gurney. As they struggled, they heard a constant rhythmic boom.

General Ridge’s voice cut through the air. “Heliodor to the gate!” Christa saw Heliodor and his men form up in front of the gate. They were not like the Bellgaurd men. They fought mainly with swords instead of spears. They overlapped their shields and readied for impact. This could be the end. She banished those thoughts and urged Nova forward.

***

Hamsa Heavyhorse died. He and Sweet Ceta were fighting a squad of redsteel warriors when he took a sword to the back while protecting her blindside. He continued fighting sending six enemies to their graves with his claymore sacrificing enough time for Rajo and Trepa to help push the enemies back over the wall. Where was the glory promised in books? Where was the Star Court and their battle blessings? The gate was being pounded by a massive ram that the enemy had constructed as the pressure of Farkian arrows turned the wall walk into a ledge of death. Sea raider corps were launching ladder attacks along the sea ward and northern walls and all the defenders could do was try and keep them from gaining a foothold. Jodoro found himself fighting on the seaward wall barbican with Sargent Horn and Ronald Olman of all people but everything including time was a blur.

Moments later he was on the northern wall where Jean DeVorn took a spear to the throat and was pushed over the wall.

Nan was next to him swinging her battle axe for moments. She cut enemies down as if she was felling saplings, the swing of her axe matching the sway of the canary silk dress she was wearing. Old Trews followed in her wake like a deadly shadow that dealt death with twin swords.

Time a nebulous wisp that Jodoro could not grasp. There could be no mourning yet. He let his hickory spear with its long blade do the work. Its was constant, it was reliable but Jodoro discovered something during those few bloody days. The shield was a weapon too and with it he pushed unbalanced raiders and Farkians over the walls. Derry was beside him mimicking his moves. A loud crack sounded, and an order was given in General Ridge’s voice. Jodoro continued each enemy perishing under his on slaughter. Derry was calling out to him but that only meant that he was alive. Jodoro pressed further along the wall. The enemy had gained a foothold and raiders were spilling onto the wall walk. He stood his ground on the narrow ledge and vowed to let no one pass him. Sweet Ceta was calling him but he paid no attention. He stood there and held until he felt strong arms grab his head from behind in a lock. This was it then. He was being dragged back and could not gain his footing. The death blow would surely come soon. Where was Derry? Where was Nan?

He managed to break the hold and turned to find Carl Ridge shouting at him. “TO THE KEEP MAN!” He fought a retreat with Carl and realized that Bellgaurd had truly been overrun. They reached the courtyard to find Heliodors soldiers and men of the Bell Battalion holding off the pressing enemy while everyone filtered into the doorway to the keep. He and Carl stumbled in and began pulling others into the building. When the last men arrived. General Ridge gave the order to bar and barricade the door. Shouts of victory range out from the courtyard for the enemy had free reign to loot the city. They were ushered into the Great hall where Jodoro saw Derry, Nan and Old Trews waiting for him. He took a flask of water from Derry and let the water replenish him. He sat against a wall and slept until he heard a sound he could not ignore.

***

Room had run out inside the infirmary and pallets were set up in the corridor outside. They had run out of bandages a long time ago and were using sheets and curtains to wrap wounds. Amethyst had stopped crying long ago. Men and boys, she had grown up with her whole life had died. Soon the faces became a blur as she moved mechanically about bandaging and stitching. The anti-septic was gone, and the cloying stench of pus and blood could not be banished. Lady Bell had just informed them that the gate had been breached and the walls overrun. This was their last stand. All the dreams and ambitions of the past seemed foolish: the time spent in the scholarium and the petty mechanizations of her and her friends seemed unimportant. Countless hour spent fantasizing about the future had all been for naught. As she carried water to the sick, she heard a sound that lifted her spirits.

***

In the Great Hall Guy Bell searched desperately for Jean. Where is he? I just saw him this morning. He saw Derry and ran up to him. “Derry have you seen Jean?”

Derry’s face glazed over. “He fell Guy. Jean fell.” Guy found a corner in the hall, sat down and cried.

***

Nan Bowerbird looked around at her son and grandchildren. Jodoro was sleeping. The black of his armor was covered in red. His hair was matted and spiked in areas. Even know he clutched his spear in his hand. Derry was sitting with a vacant stare. Her son John was tending to a minor wound while his children slept. Old Trews was consoling Harra. The sound of a bell rang high above.

***

Erda was alone in the Hightower staring at the carnage below. The enemy was crawling over the city but their numbers had been greatly diminished in the past few days. She was about to leave the tower when she caught a glimpse of movement to the North. Out along the stretch of flatlands rode a horde of calvary. She waited breathlessly as they got closer. Three flags became apparent, a winged donkey on a black field, a green anvil on a field of white and a last flag that made her heart skip a beat. Three gauntleted fists over a red and white checkered field. The second prince had come. She ran to the great bell, grabbed the massive rope and held on as she bounced up in down.

***

Duke Bell was fighting near the barricade to the castle. He and his troops had set up a wall of shields that spanned the entryway. It was wide enough for three men to fight and perhaps they could hold here for a while and make their deaths count. Perhaps with his sword he could send enough enemies to their graves to make the fall of Bellgaurd a legend. Heliodor took the place of the man beside him and killed as if he was born to it. They called him the warrior prince and he had long ago relinquished any claim to the throne dedicating himself to protecting the reign of his father and the first prince. Ridge was beside him to his right a comforting presence. He remembered the days when they were boys playing pranks on the kitchen staff.

One time he convinced Ridge to steal a blueberry pie. Ridge got caught but refused to give him up. Just as his father was about to punish Ridge he stepped in and took the beating. Later that day his father took him into his study and told him a secret. Ridge was his brother, a bastard with no claim to the dukedom. It made sense to him then for he had always seen his father take a keen interest in Ridge’s welfare. Ridge was his brother. The thoughts that happen before death. I must tell him.

“Ridge,” he called.

“Yes milord,” Ridge grunted.

“There’s something you should know,” Duke Bell shouted as he pushed an enemy back but as he was about to tell him he heard something. Could it be? “What’s that noise?” He shouted over the din.

“That would be the great bell ringing milord. Reinforcements have arrived.” Ridge said as his voice began to break.