Gods Of Blood And Fire (Book 1) (42 page)

Raygan put her hand on Ansellus’s arm and stepped forward. “I know we didn’t get off to a very good start, K’xarr, but I hope you will help us and if God sees fit to let me ever come to power in Bandara, I will reward everyone who helped me very handsomely.”

K’xarr looked at Cromwell, the big man just shrugged. “Okay, I will try to help come up with a plan, but know this: I’m not going to sacrifice my men for nothing and I don’t fight for lost causes.”

The Princess covered her mouth and seemed to shake off a chill. “I agreed to your terms, K’xarr.” Then she threw up all over the stable floor. “Oh, I am so sorry. I don’t…” Ansellus grabbed her as she fainted.

She came to just as the sun was rising over the city. She lay in a pile of hay in a horse stall, Rhys sitting beside her. “What happened?”

The healer wiped the sweat from her brow with a wet cloth. “You just fainted, Highness, you are going to be fine.”

“I’m not sick, am I?” Rhys slowly shook his head. “No, Highness, you’re with child.”

***

Delmar Hide had become commander of the city watch when King Cain took the throne. Everyone had praised him and told him how wonderful a job he would do keeping the city safe. He had proved them right, until last night. Now he waited in the throne room to face Duke Blackthorn’s wrath.

Captain Hightower was the only other person in the huge room. Delmar thought that the captain of the Royal Guard must have been summoned as well; at least he hoped that was why the captain was there.

The door slammed open from the King’s private study behind the throne. Duke Blackthorn came out with Delmar’s report in his hand. “Commander, I want to know why you didn’t bring the Princess back here after I told you where she could be found.”

Delmar’s eyes grew large, he had never seen anyone that furious before. “You were right, Your Grace, we found her at the healers, but she had help. Warriors were inside this Rhys Morgan’s home. She escaped from us, but my men are still looking. I won’t rest until she’s found. You have my word on that, Your Grace.”

“You lost twenty-three men last night and several more are still missing, how did that happen, did she have a company of Asconan Knights with her?”

“No, my lord, just a handful of fighters, but the men said one was some kind of demon.”

The duke wadded up the report and threw it at Delmar, hitting him right on the nose. “You are going to tell me that your excuse for losing the Princess is that your men were attack by a demon?”

“No, my lord, that’s just what some of the men reported.”

“Get out of my sight, Commander.” Delmar turned on his heel and left the throne room.

“Captain, how many men do you have left in the city?”

The captain thought for a moment. “Forty-two, my lord.”

“How many does the city watch number?”

“After last night, maybe one hundred and seventy, give or take.”

The duke thought for a moment. “You take command of the watch and find the Princess. Use the Royal Guard if need be, but find her.”

The captain saluted. “It will be done, my lord.” He turned and started out of the throne room.

“Oh captain,” the duke called out.

Captain Hightower turned to face Duke Blackthorn again. “Yes, Your Grace?”

“Please kill Commander Hide’s demon too, if you run across it.”

Captain Hightower grinned at the duke’s wit. “Gladly, my lord.”

K’xarr had been thinking on what Ansellus had said about taking one thing at a time. He had never led more than a five-man raiding party, but he wasn’t going to tell anyone that. This was his chance to make his mark in the world. He had thought of a scheme, though he had no idea if it would work. He decided he would keep up the front that he knew what he was doing. Motioning the old general over to him, he said, “I have a plan to take the palace but I need a few things.”

Ansellus looked surprised. “Well, everything I have thought of will get us all killed, so I am willing to listen to whatever you have come up with.”

K’xarr felt a small wave of pride. His plan would most likely see them killed as well, but he relished the fact a seasoned general was going to listen to his proposed tactics. “Here is what we will need: a few horses.”

Ansellus stroked his beard. “That should be no problem at all. I would say the ones we rode in on might still be where we left them. What else?”

“Well, a lot of luck, enough spine to even try this, and Kian. By the way, how much do the people of Bandara like their little Princess?”

“They have always loved Raygan. Why?”

K’xarr laid out his plan for the general. Ansellus just looked at the Camiran with wonder.

“You are a madman that is the most foolhardy plan I ever heard of. I unfortunately have nothing else to offer and I truly wish I did.”

“There is no time for anything else Ansellus. It won’t take the watch long to hunt us down, if we are going to do this it must be now. To have any chance we have to get behind the walls of the palace and put the Princess in power, else we will be finished in a matter of days. “It will also give you a chance to sway Blackthorn’s men to our cause. Whatever you do, keep Blackthorn’s army out of the city until we take the palace. I’m sure they will listen to their old general.”

“You might be right, but if this lunacy doesn’t work were all dead men.”

K’xarr clapped the general on the shoulder. “Aye, but a quick death is best. Right?”

Chapter 17

N
o one liked his plan or thought it would work. K’xarr didn’t care, he had bullied all of them into it anyway. When he thought something was right, there was no changing his mind. Besides he couldn’t think of anything else and he wasn’t going to tell anyone that either. He had never planned something like this. Ansellus just assumed he knew what he was doing. The old general putting his faith in him had fed his ego, but now he realized people were counting on him and it made him a little apprehensive. After all he was just a Camiran. A warrior from the Harsh Coast, what did he know about leading anything? It was too late now anyway, he was going through with it no matter what the others said.

Kian had been the only one who had not tried to change his mind. The Half Elf seemed undaunted by the others’ reservations. K’xarr felt a little guilty about Kian’s blind faith. He hadn’t told the swordsman or anyone else the extent of the half-breed’s part in the plan. If he had, no one would have agreed to it.

Rhys knew an elderly couple that had agreed to take care of Endra’s children for the day. They had also left Nick Nock behind to help watch after them. The cook had become the children unwilling keeper. The portly young man wouldn’t be any help to them today anyway.

K’xarr told Nick and the older couple someone would come back for the children by nightfall. He didn’t tell them that if this didn’t work they would have the children a lot longer than just a day.

Rhys started out that morning on the north side of town where he had practiced his medicine. The healer began gathering as many people as he could. It had went well. Rhys was very respected and most of the people he talked to owed him for helping them when someone in their family had been sick or injured. K’xarr had been right about Rhys, he was charismatic and well spoken, the people of Turill would listen to him. It also didn’t hurt most of the city was unhappy with the King’s new taxes. Within a couple of hours, a large crowd had gathered to listen to the healer.

By noon they had acquired enough horses and people to start out for the palace. Only the citizens of Turill and Kian were on foot, the rest of them were on horseback. Endra had found Kian a leather vest and a pair of riding boots from somewhere. It made him look a little less wild fully dressed. His golden eyes darted back and forth. K’xarr didn’t think he would miss any threat that might approach them.

The Princess had issues with her attire, she complained that she was not wearing the right clothing for riding and needed at least a day to prepare for the procession. Raygan told them there was no way she was going to ride through the city after spending the night in a barn. She was relentless about it. K’xarr had held his temper as long as he could. In the end he finally had told her to shut up and do as she was told. Of course, that had set her off with threats and a lecture on how to speak to royalty.

He had laughed at her fit and that had not gone over very well either. K’xarr had told her it was her and not what she was wearing that would win over the crowd. She seemed to take that as a compliment and let the matter drop.

K’xarr was glad he didn’t have to deal with the Princess every day. She was a beauty to look at, but ugly to listen to. Maybe that would change when this was over, but he had little hope of it. The warrior tried to remember she was little more than a girl, and if they were successful the weight of a Kingdom at war would descend onto her shoulders. It was just hard to have much sympathy for her when she opened her mouth.

K’xarr was also a little worried about Vandarus and Rufio being wounded, but both men swore they could handle the ride. He was proud of them both. They were men of courage and the longer he travelled with them the more he realized how much he could count on them. Trust is a rare thing among mercenaries, but Vandarus and Rufio had earned his.

Within minutes of starting out, their small group was surrounded by a cheering mob of well over a hundred people, and every street they passed added more to the Princess’s swarm of well-wishers. They chanted and yelled for their Princess. They really loved the young woman. K’xarr couldn’t figure out why but they did. Ansellus told him she was popular with the commoners but K’xarr had been unprepared for the reception the city gave her.

He had to give it to Princess Raygan. She played the part well, waving and smiling to the crowd, touching the hands of those that reached out for her. As he observed her with her people, it occurred to him that she might not be playing a part. She really seemed to care about her subjects. It surprised K’xarr because she was such a little harpy most of the time.

They had encountered a few of the city watch, yet none had offered to even approach the Princess. It was either fear of the people or of the man that walked in front of the Princess’s horse that held them back.

Kian stalked through the crowd with his sword unsheathed and held low. If he was nervous or afraid, he didn’t show it. His expression was severe. With his black hair hanging down in his eyes, he looked completely untamed.

K’xarr knew Kian was playing no part and the fear and unease that they all felt seemed to have no hold on him. He knew the Half Elf that he met in Thieves Port was gone.

No fear showed on K’xarr’s face either. It was there but he hid it well. He had a right to be a little afraid though because what his plan really hinged on was a crazy half-breed and a very young Princess, if they couldn’t pull off their parts in this little play they were all dead.

***

The two women were watching the procession make its way through Turill from the roof of a tailor’s shop. The sign on top of the building hid them from the crowd’s view. The Princess had just ridden into the Great Market. “Look at their courage, Raven, how bold they truly are.”

The woman turned to her companion. “I expected no less.”

“The barbarian woman is much more beautiful than I had heard, don’t you think?”

“You think he would have chosen an ugly woman, Shamira? Where is Scarlett? I told her to meet us here.”