Dash and James exchanged glances. They didnt need to say anything. The message was clear. Owen Greylock and Erik von Darkmoor, and what remained of the Armies of the West, would have to retake the Principality without any outside assistance.
Owen cleared his throat. Patrick glanced at his Knight-Marshal of Krondor and said, Yes?
Is there anything else, Highness?
Patrick was silent a long moment, then said, No. To the men in the room he said, My lords and gentlemen, you are all under Marshal Greylocks command from this moment on. Treat his orders as if they are my own.
He lowered his voice. And may the gods smile on us, he said. And left.
The nobles in the room began muttering comments to one another, then Owen said, My lords!
Silence returned to the hall.
Greylock said, We move in the morning. I expect to have advanced units in Ravensburg by nightfall, and scouts to the walls of Krondor by the end of the week. He glanced from face to face, then said, You know what to do.
The men began to file out of the room, and Erik came to stand before Dash and James. Youre with me, he said, turning and walking toward a small door off to one side.
The brothers found their father waiting in the room already, and in a moment Greylock entered, closing the door behind. I just wanted to let you two know, said Owen, addressing the brothers, that youre going to be given the dirtiest, most thankless job weve got.
Dash smiled. Smashing!
Jimmy threw his brother a dark look, and said, What is it?
Jimmy, youre in charge of our special advance unit.
Special advance unit? asked Jimmy.
Arutha nodded. Him, he said, pointing to Dash.
Dash rolled his eyes heavenward but said nothing. He had long ago accustomed himself to being under his older brothers direction whenever they were working together.
Arutha said, Owen said he needed a couple of sneaky bastards to operate behind enemy lines. He smiled at his sons. I told him your parentage wasnt in doubt, but that you were sneaky enough for the job.
When do we leave? said Jimmy.
Now, said Erik. There are a pair of horses waiting for you by the postern gate, with supplies for a week.
James said, A week? That means youll want us inside of Krondor when your scouts reach the walls?
Owen nodded. Or close by. Leave those uniforms here and dress like a couple of free swords. If you get caught, tell them youre Valemen looking to enlist.
Dash grinned, but his tone was mocking. Oh, joy. Were playing at spies again.
Jimmy again looked at his brother as if he were crazy, and said, You do find the oddest things entertaining.
Arutha looked at his two sons and said, We just got confirming intelligence that Duko has come south.
Thats the stick in the anthill, isnt it? said Dash.
Arutha nodded. Indeed. If Duko gets established in Krondor before we do, he threatens Port Vykor. Cut off Vykor and we have no communications with the fleet; cut off the fleet, and we have no chance to resupply from the Sunset Islands and the Far Coast.
Owen said, It might be a feint, with Sarth being his real objective. But theres a report that a second force moves south along the road from Hawks Hallow under the command of Nordan, Fadawahs second.
Thats a lot of soldiers slogging through the ice and mud, said Jimmy.
Arutha said, Krondors harbor is useless; Fadawah knows this. We dont know if he knows of Vykors harbor down in Shandon Bay, but if he does, then this isnt a feint.
Jimmy glanced at his brother, then said to his father, So you want us to find out which?
If possible, said Arutha. If hes just trying to slow down our march, so he can reinforce Sarth, we have to know.
Dash looked around the room, then asked, Anything else?
Arutha said, Stay alive?
Jimmy smiled. We always plan on that, Father.
Arutha came and embraced his sons, Dash first, then Jimmy.
Dash said, Come on, we have some riding to do this night.
Jimmy resumed looking dubious as they left the room.
Chapter Two Wilderness
DASH SIGNALED.
Jimmy took out his sword and ducked behind the boulder. Dash left his own position on the south side of the Kings Highway and dropped into a ditch that ran parallel to the road for several hundred feet.
The brothers had been riding for two days. The thaw had begun and there was actually some warmth in the sunlight when it came out from behind the seemingly constant cloud cover. But the temperature didnt fall below freezing anymore, and the rain helped melt the snow. As Dash lay in the cold mud he wished for the ice again. The ooze slowed travel and he didnt seem able to get dry, even when staying close to a fire at night.
They had heard voices in the woods ahead a few minutes ago, had dismounted, tied their horses, and advanced on foot. As the sound of approaching feet grew louder, Dash chanced a glance over the edge of the berm, and saw a ragged band of travelers looking about in a fearful manner as they moved eastward along the Kings Highway. There was a man and woman, and children, three of them, though one Dash couldnt tell if it was a girl or boy under the heavy hood seemed almost of adult height.
Dash stood as Jimmy came from behind the boulder. The man in the van of the small party of refugees pulled a wicked-looking hand scythe from under his ragged cloak and held it in menacing fashion as the others turned as if to flee.
Hold! Jimmy shouted. Well not harm you.
The man looked dubious, the others fearful, but they halted their movement. Jimmy and Dash both put away weapons and slowly approached.
The man didnt lower his scythe. Who be you? he said, his words heavily accented.
Jimmy and Dash exchanged glances, for the man spoke with the accent of one who had come from Novindus. This man at one time had been a soldier with the invading army of the Emerald Queen.
Dash held up his hands to show he was not holding any weapon, and Jimmy stopped moving. Jimmy said, Were travelers. Who are you?
The woman ventured to step from behind the mans protection. She was gaunt and looked weak. Jimmy glanced to the others and saw that the children were equally underfed. The tallest of the three was a girl, perhaps fifteen years of age, though appearing older for the deep dark circles under her eyes. Jimmy returned his attention to the woman, who looked at him and said, We were farmers. She pointed to the east. Were trying to reach Darkmoor. We hear theres food there.
Jimmy nodded. Some. Where are you from?
Tannerus, said the woman.
Dash pointed at the man. Hes not from Tannerus.
The man nodded. He motioned at himself with his free hand and said, Markin. From City of the Serpent River. He glanced around. Long way from here.
You were a soldier of the Emerald Queen? asked Jimmy.
The man spat on the ground and it looked as if the gesture was taking most of his strength. I spit on her! He started to wobble and the woman put her arms around him.
You were a soldier of the Emerald Queen? asked Jimmy.
The man spat on the ground and it looked as if the gesture was taking most of his strength. I spit on her! He started to wobble and the woman put her arms around him.
Hes a farmer, she said. He told us his story when he came to us.
Jimmy looked at Dash, then motioned with his head back toward the horses. Dash didnt need to be told what was on his brothers mind. He turned and walked back while Jimmy said, Why dont you tell us his story.
My man went to fight for the King, said the woman. Two years ago. She glanced back at the three children and said, My girls are fit to work; Hildis almost grown. We did all right for the first year. Then the soldiers came and took the town. Our farm was far enough away we werent troubled for a while.
Dash returned leading the horses. He handed the reins to Jimmy, then went back and opened a saddlebag. He returned a moment later, unwrapping a bundle. Once opened, he revealed some heavy travel bread, thick with honey and nuts and dried fruit, and some jerked beef. Without hesitation the children passed their mother and grabbed what they could.
Dash glanced at Jimmy and nodded slightly. He gave the rest of the bundle to the man, who passed it along to the woman and said, Thank you.
How did an enemy soldier come to be guiding your family to Darkmoor? asked Dash.
The woman and man both nearly wept in gratitude as they chewed on the heavy bread. After swallowing, the woman said, When the soldiers came, we hid in the woods, and they took everything. We had only what we had carried away. Then out of spite they burned the roof off our house and broke down the door. Sticks and thatch was all it was, but it was the only home the girls had known.
She glanced about, afraid other threats might appear suddenly from the surrounding woods. Markin found us when we were trying to rebuild our house. It was never what youd call fine, but my man had spent years adding to it, making it more than just a hut. But the soldiers had burned it down and the girls and me had no tools.
I find them, said Markin. They needed help.
He came and he fought for us. Other men came, many with swords and bows, but he kept them from taking me or the girls. She glanced at him with obvious affection in her eyes. Hes my man now, and hes a fair da to the girls.
Jimmy sighed. To Dash he said, Well hear stories like this one a hundred times before were through.
Why Darkmoor? asked Jimmy.
We hear the Kings there and theres food for the asking.
Jimmy smiled. No, the Kings not there, though he was last year. But theres food for work.
I work good, said the foreign-born soldier.
Can we go? asked the woman.
Yes, said Dash, motioning for them to pass.
Markin said, You soldiers?
Jimmy grinned. Not if we can help it.
But you noble man. Markin can tell.
Dash said dryly, Ive known him all my life and can tell you hes far from noble most of the time.
The old soldier studied the two, then said, If you try to look like common men, you dont. He pointed down to Jimmys feet. Dirty, but noblemans boots.
He motioned for the woman and girls to follow him and moved carefully on, not taking his eyes off the brothers until his small band was past. Then he turned and hurried along, taking his position in the van, against any other unexpected encounters.
First time I regretted having comfortable boots, said Dash.
Jimmy looked down and said, Well, we may be muddy, but hes right. Glancing around, he added, This is a place of little food and even less comfort.
Dash remounted his horse. I suspect by the time we get to Krondor we wont look quite so prosperous.
Jimmy also mounted, and said, Maybe we should get off this highway.
Dash said, The north road? He referred to an old road his one-time employer, Rupert Avery, used regularly to move goods, avoiding the tolls charged on the Kings Highway.
Jimmy shook his head. No, thats almost as busy as this one, and those woods are going to be full of deserters and bandits.
The south?
Slower going, but there are enough trails along the lakes if we dont head too far into the southern hills.
Dash said, Since Kesh pulled south to the old border, everything from here to their nearest garrison is going to be wilderness.
Jimmy laughed. Whats the difference if we run into fifty deserters from the Emerald Queens army, or fifty bandits, or fifty Keshian mercenaries He shrugged.
Dash made a show of shivering under his heavy cloak. Lets hope whoevers down there is hugging their fires. As any sane man would do.
Dash urged his horse forward and soon the two brothers were riding south at a steady walk. Why do we do these things? he asked.
Jimmy said, Because our King commands and we obey.
Dash let out a theatrical sigh. I thought it was something like that.
Softly, Jimmy began to sing a very old song:
To Keshs heartland or Quegs harsh shore,
Our blood, our hearts, our lives and more,
For honors sake do we obey,
And go over the hills and far away
The sound of cracking ice rang through the cold morning air and both brothers pulled up just before entering a clearing. Using hand signals, Jimmy motioned for Dash to move south along the edge of the clearing while he circled north.
Dash nodded, dismounted, and tied his horse to the branch of a small birch tree. Jimmy did likewise and moved silently away.
Dash moved through the thinning trees, bordering a burned-out farm, he judged from the appearance of tree stumps nearby. The sound resolved itself into a repeated hammering at ice.
Dash saw a man in the distance.
A slender figure, he crouched over the frozen ice on a large pond, perhaps a hundred yards away from where Dash watched, hammering at the ice with a rock. Up and down the rock moved, and Dash couldnt help but be fascinated with the sight.
Dash couldnt get a good look at the man, but his clothing seemed a hodgepodge of rags and ill-matched garments. He might have worn boots, but all Dash could see was a collection of rags tied around each foot for warmth.
Dash saw movement in the woods beyond the pond and judged Jimmy was in place. He waited.
Jimmy walked slowly out of the woods and the man leaped to his feet with astonishing speed. He turned away as Jimmy shouted, Wait! I wont hurt you!
Dash slowly took out his sword as the tatters-clad man hurried toward him, trying to keep his movement from alerting the ragged man. As the man reached the first line of trees, Dash stepped out, extending his foot, and tripped him.
The man went down in a tangle of clothes and turned over, scuttling backward as he shouted, Dont kill me!
Dash moved quickly to put the point of his sword before the mans face, as Jimmy caught up, out of breath.
Dash said, Were not going to hurt you. To demonstrate his good intentions, he quickly sheathed his sword. Get up.
The man got up slowly as Jimmy leaned over, hands on knees, and said, Hes fast.