A series of signal fires had been erected along the coast by order of the Duke of Crydee. Earlier fires had told the garrison that ships had been sighted along the coast, heading north from first Tulan, then Carse. Only one report from Carse had got through to the castle from Earl Robert, reporting that he and his men were attempting to repulse an onslaught of Keshian soldiers.
The report had arrived with Lord Roberts wife, Marriann, and his daughter Bethany, who was not happy to have been sent away from Carse.
Now Bethany stood on the tower at Castle Crydee and asked Martin, What will you do?
Its already done, said the Dukes middle son. Fast riders were dispatched to overtake Father. Hes half-way to Yabon by now, but if we can hold out for a week or so, he should arrive in time to relieve us.
Without a thought, she slipped her arm through his as if in need of reassurance. How many men do you have?
Father left me a hundred.
She shivered and leaned into him, as if seeking warmth, even though it was a balmy night. Is that enough?
Should be. He patted her hand where it rested on his arm. If my studies are any guide, theyll need to bring more than a thousand men to storm the castle and even then itll be touch-and-go. Weve tested the defences.
The Tsurani siege?
Yes. When Father left I made a point of studying the writings about that siege. He looked at her calmly. Did you know Prince Arutha was a year younger than I am now when he took command, after Swordmaster Fannon was wounded?
She didnt recognize the names, but she did recognize Martins determination to take charge of the situation and protect the town.
As if reading her mind, he said, Its time to bring in the town.
Turning to a point overlooking the inner courtyard, Martin saw the man he sought. Sergeant Ruther!
Looking up, the sergeant saw the Dukes son atop the tower and shouted back, Sir?
Sound the alarm, and get the townspeople up here. Have them bring all the food they can carry.
Sergeant Ruther snapped off a salute and turned to two soldiers by the gate. You heard the young lord! Get going! The sergeant was a short man with a protruding lower jaw and a mean squint, which made him the object of fear among the garrison. He also had a deep abiding affection for his men that he kept well hidden. He was near retirement age, portly with a belly hanging over his belt, but no one in the garrison doubted he was still a hard man to kill.
The soldiers exchanged glances. Yes, Sergeant! they cried in unison, then trotted out of the gate toward the town.
The townspeople had already been alerted that there might be a call to the castle, so Martin hoped theyd have prepared in some fashion for this. But he knew there would surely be some panic and that many would not have understood it was not only necessary to bring foodstuffs and clothing for their time inside the citys walls, but also to deny the invaders as much comfort as possible. Orders had gone out that any food left behind should be fouled, but he suspected people would have spent too much time trying to hide valuables the invaders would likely find anyway. Martin knew that the farmers would scatter their herds and flocks rather than put them down in the hope that after the siege some could be reclaimed. At least if the Keshians had to forage to find them, that would be a distraction, Martin thought. He felt Bethany pressing closely to him and turned.
You should go to your mother, he said softly.
Shes with your mother.
I know, but the family quarters are the safest part of the castle.
Theres no hurry, Bethany said softly, drawing still closer. How long?
From the headlands, theyll be at the mouth of the harbour in three or four hours. Then it depends on how prepared they are to come ashore and if they expect much resistance. He was silent for a moment and she studied his face.
Of the three brothers Martin had always been the most difficult to read, which was why she had always found him the most interesting. He was not the hail-fellow-well-met that his brother Hal was, nor was he like Brendan, an impish prankster. Martin was the thoughtful brother. He was often cross with her, which she found amusing, as she knew it hid his true feelings. She had decided more than a year ago how she felt about him, but decided he would get no help from her in untangling his own feelings towards her.
He sensed her studying him and turned. What?
I find it fascinating how much alike you and Brendan appear, yet in reality you are hardly alike at all.
He gave her one of his rare half-smiles. Beth, youve known us all your life, and youre only now noticing Im not like that little menace?
I just find it a bit odd, really, she said, turning her eyes back on the town below. Already the sound of alarm was being raised and shouts and cries echoed up to where they stood.
Martin gently disengaged her arm from his, his mood turning serious. You found an odd time to think about this. Come on, I have much to do and I would feel a great deal better if I knew you were safe.
As he started to turn away, she moved forward and kissed him impulsively, long and deep. He tensed for a moment, then returned the embrace. When she pulled back she could see a glistening in his eyes.
Weve let too many things go unsaid for too long, she whispered. When your father returns I want you to speak to him.
About what? Martin said, speaking softly as if he feared being overheard.
Her face clouded over and her eyes narrowed. About us, you fool!
His lips quirked. What about us?
Her eyes widened: and then she saw the smile. You right bastard! she said, then she kissed him again.
I know. Its just that
Everyone expects me to marry Hal, she interrupted. I know. But no ones asked me, and no ones asked Hal. Hes always treated me like a little sister. But you She kissed him a third time. Youve always been able to somehow get under my skin, to make me think when I didnt want to and to endure my bad behaviour, with good grace.
Letting out a long sigh, Martin said, As much as I adore you, and obviously I have done a poor job of hiding that, may I say His voice rose to a near shout, youve picked an impossible moment to profess your love! He laughed. But you never were one for choosing the proper moment, were you? He kissed her before she could answer and then added, Very well, Ill speak to Father when this is over.
He glanced down at the town as the clamour of voices and the sounds of fear and panic rose. But now I have to go calm the people whose care has been given over to me. We both have rank and privilege, so it is time we both showed we deserve them.
Gently he turned her around, and with a slight pressure on her arm indicated it was time to go down the stairs into a much darker and grimmer time than either had ever experienced.
The ships hove to at the mouth of the harbour at sundown. Martin watched as the last of the townspeople crowded into the yard below. When the last was through, he signalled for the gates to be closed. Sergeant Ruther, standing beside him with his arms crossed, said, Now we dig in. Martin glanced at him and the sergeant added, Sir.
Martin shook his head. Its all right, Sergeant. Im new to this.
Martin shook his head. Its all right, Sergeant. Im new to this.
Were all new at this, sir. My father was a baby the last time this castle was attacked.
Still, weve had our fair share of tussles.
Yes, sir, but meaning no disrespect, a bunch of bandits or a raiding party of trolls is one thing. Were about to make the acquaintance of some Keshian Dog Soldiers. Not the same thing.
Dog Soldiers? What should we expect?
Cant rightly say. Not one man in Crydee has faced them and all I know is what I was told when I was a young soldier.
Which was? asked Martin, genuinely curious.
Old Sergeant Mason, who was here when I was a recruit, he told me he spent time down in Landreth serving with a company of Borderers, under Lord Sutherlands command. It was a quick rise to glory, he said, else hed never have earned promotion. Anyway, he said that most of the time they crossed swords with rogue mercenary companies or outlaws, but there was this one time they ran afoul of a company of Keshians.
The way he told it made me think it was the toughest fight of his life, and hed seen a few. What he said was they just keep coming. They have no respect for life, not yours, not their own.
Kesh is a funny place, from what Ive been told. Trueblood women running around nearly naked and no one minds, the rest being not much better than cattle to them Truebloods. But theyre hunters, you see, and dont think much of warriors.
I dont follow, admitted Martin.
See, the thing is, you can only rise so high not being a Trueblood, and as they dont give much glory to fighting men anyway, it makes for a vicious army. They dont do it for glory, you see. Theyre called Dog Soldiers for two reasons, according to Sergeant Mason: first is theyre kept penned up like mad dogs and only unleashed on Keshs enemies. Otherwise they dont mix with other people: theyve got their own fortresses, their own families, grow their own crops and make their own weapons. Theyre loyal to their masters, like dogs. The other is that they bring dogs along on long marches so they can eat them. Though I have my doubts about that bit.
Martin said nothing, then repeated, They just keep coming.
Thats what Mason said. They wont give quarter and they dont ask for any. They just keep coming until you kill enough of them they get tired and run off. Or die to the last, I guess. He paused. Its about honour, not glory. Theyre a brotherhood, a clan, something like that, and they die for one another.
Martin felt the pit of his stomach grow cold and found his knuckles turning white as he heard the gates to the castle slam shut. He willed himself to relax, then saw something that made him smile.
Despite promising to stay with their mothers, Lady Bethany was down in the courtyard, organizing the townspeople and assigning areas of the large bailey to families, sending all livestock around to the rear of the castle.
Shes something, that one, Ruther said with a smile.
Martin returned the smile. That she is.
Well, sir, if youre not needing me there are things to do.
You are dismissed, Sergeant, said Martin.
Alone on the top of the castles outer gatehouse, looking down at organization slowly emerging from chaos, Martin took a deep breath. He reminded himself that he was a year older than Prince Arutha had been at the start of his legendary career. Then he muttered, Of course he had Swordmaster Fannon and great-grandfather with him, and my Swordmaster is in Rillanon with my brother, and my younger brother is riding with Father.
He felt terribly alone, yet despite wishing Bethany away and safe, he was thankful to his bones that she was here.
And he would do whatever was needed to keep her safe.
The night dragged on. By midnight those remaining outside the central keep huddled under makeshift shelters of wood and blankets, gathered around campfires, or under the few military tents Sergeant Ruther found abandoned in one corner of the castles armoury.
Many of the townspeople had been crowded into the keep itself: storage had been shifted around and the extra space thus made was filled to overflowing. Families with small children had been given priority and had the safest rooms deep within the keep; women with older daughters had been packed into the outer rooms and towers.
Every man capable of bearing arms between the age of fourteen and seventy, was issued a weapon. Sergeant Ruther took it upon himself, in the Swordmasters absence, to determine which detail each man was given, which was fine with Martin.
The young commander of the garrison had spent most of the night watching for signs of the Keshians coming ashore. It was now clear that they were not attempting a night landing, and would wait for dawn.
You should get some sleep. The voice was his mothers.
Martin turned and said, What about you, Mother?
She smiled. Theres still much to do. Usually we prepare food for the town only twice a year, at Banapis and Midwinter. Now we must cook what we can every day.
Well manage. Father will return soon.
Not soon enough. She sighed. What are your plans?
Simple enough. We see what they bring in the morning and then we determine the best way to hold them until Father returns with the garrison.
What about ?
What?
I Ive never been through a war.
None of us have, said Martin, patting her hand. Its going to be fine, Mother. We have provisions, and enough trained soldiers alongside the townsmen that we can repulse up to ten times the number of defenders. If they have less than two thousand soldiers and heavy siege machines, we will hold.
I just she sighed again. I just wish your Father was here, and your brothers.
As do I, said Martin, feeling the burden settle fully on his shoulders. Now, why dont you get some sleep and Ill try to do the same.
She smiled at her son, turned and started down the stairs with him behind.
If the Keshians came before dawn, someone would rouse him. He felt out on his feet and that was before even one arrow had been unleashed, or one sword drawn in anger.
Martin was awakened by a loud knock on the door. He had fallen asleep in his clothing, only removing his boots. He got up fast. What?
Sergeant Ruther said to wake you, sir, came the answer from the other side of the door.
On my way! shouted Martin, slipping into his boots.
The morning was foggy, as was typical for this time of the year. The sun hadnt yet risen from behind the distant Grey Tower Mountains to burn off the marine moisture in the air. An hour after the sun cleared the peaks behind, the town below would be in bright sunlight, but for now it was shrouded in dense mist.
Martin was no longer content to watch from his high perch over the castles main entrance, above the keeps portcullis which marked the last defence, but was now on the wall above the main gate, as close to the town as he could get.
The original keep built by the first Duke of Crydee had been a stand-alone building, without an outer wall. It had been surrounded by a moat, which was long since filled in, and the barbican with its double iron portcullis and killing ground between them had been attached to the main entrance to the keep. The out-buildings and outer wall had been added years later, the latter having no barbican, just a simple wooden gate. As stout as it was, and for all the punishment the defenders might inflict on those below, Martin knew that eventually it would fall and everyone within the bailey between the wall and keep would be in peril.