The Chronicles: Notomol Ch. 10

We marched south. Once again I had to push, to badger and to cajole people. With the river barrier behind us, they felt safe. Too safe.

- "The Izumyrians can cross at the ford. They could be right behind us." I warned.

I also had to persuade Heras Koymil and his friends to act as our rearguard, which they were reluctant to do. Just in case, I sent Paksyalta and Tugan, our best archers, to act as a second rearguard, with Berilde and Sarine to support them and act as runners in case of trouble.

Mailis and Lemek were more helpful. Both provided fighters who could ride our Hvadi ponies, so that we could put out an advance guard and flankers as well. We were in unfamiliar territory once again. I had no one with me who knew the land - and Stonje was still a long way off, according to Thuruar.

- "It's been a long time since I was there." he said. "But I seem to remember that it was five or six days from Hvad town to the Ban's steading. From here, though? I've never been out this way."

We never actually got as far as Stonje. Instead, after three long days and three nervous nights (for me, at least), we were met by Hvadi scouts. Prosquetel was already speaking to them when I got there with Giedra.

There were four of them. I was taken aback by their appearance. They were dusty and travel-stained, just as we were. But these men were lean as scarecrows. They made the rest of us look overfed.

- "Hard-looking, too." said Giedra.

Their spokesman wore his hair long, but couldn't completely hide the fact that he'd lost an ear.

- "This man is Cinna." said Prosquetel. "He and his fellows can lead us to Notomol's camp." Old Whitehair sounded very happy. I suppose he was looking forward to the possibility that he could be rid of me and my unwelcome advice.

That was a prospect I hadn't had time to really consider. I wondered what our role would be, if we joined forces with another large group of Lowlanders, who no doubt had their own captains. How would our small group of Uplanders fit in?

Cinna and his companions simply turned about and began leading the way, on foot. Prosquetel wasn't about to dismount, so I decided to approach Cinna and ask some of my own questions. Giedra, Rion and Eliv, and Liesma HorseFace joined me.

- "Well met." I said. I introduced myself and my friends.

Cinna seemed reluctant to name his men, but eventually did so.

- "Have you been with Notomol long?" I asked.

- "Since the beginning. Near enough, anyway."

- "How many fighters do you have now?"

- "You'll see."

- "How did you lose your ear?" asked Giedra, ever direct and never shy.

- "This?" said Cinna, pointing to the side of his head. "This was a gift from the Ban of Pitve."

- "What?" We'd both expected that her question would get him talking about the Izumyrians. "Why?"

- "I committed a crime." he said. "Poaching."

- "What's that?" asked Giedra. I was glad she did. I didn't know, either.

- "Hunting without permission."

And the Lowlanders say that Uplanders are savage and cruel. We are - but we don't pretend that we're not.

***

There were hundreds of them. Hundreds. I'd never seen so many people in one place before. From their reactions, neither had any of my friends, except Liesma. It looked like an enormous army, until we got closer, and could see for ourselves that many of these folk were unarmed, and not fighters at all. I saw old men, old women, and women with children.

But I saw fighters, too. Like Cinna and his companions, most of them looked like hunting dogs: shaggy, lean, and hungry. It was impossible, though, to get a good idea of their numbers.

- "More than we have." said Giedra.

- "Many more." said Liesma.

A woman and a man came out to greet us; I say a woman and a man because she led the way. The man was older, though not yet grey. He carried a massive sword strapped to his back. The woman was younger - somewhere around thirty, if I had to guess. She carried herself with dignity, even though she was as lean and ragged as the men. Behind them were two oddly dressed men who carried gusle. Guslars, then. That was reassuring.

- "You are most welcome among us." said the woman.

Her name was Nelime, and she was the daughter of a Hospodar. The big man, Orsho, was her Hand. Prosquetel introduced the Duchess and her son. That caused a bit of a sensation among the people who were watching and listening. I saw some of them slip away, no doubt to spread the news.

Prosquetel then introduced himself, Ban Lemek, and then Mailis, who was the widow of a Hospodar. He even introduced Heras Koymil, who had abandoned his rearguard duties so that he wouldn't miss this moment.

There was no mention of us. I hadn't expected any. Yet I was still mildly disappointed; Old Whitehair had reverted to form. The Uplanders were to be shunted to the side, our contributions forgotten. He was also going to persist in presenting the Duchess' bastard as her legitimate son.

Nelime introduced the guslars, Adrastas and Obran; Ban Lemek presented Thuruar. Giedra merely grunted. She was none too pleased with Thuruar of late. She'd discovered that he was writing a song about our successful attack on the Ban's steading back in Mahuc, and that he intended to call it 'The Duchess' Horse Raid'.

- "Your plan, my sword - and he goes and does that."

- "What did you say to him?"

- "What was there to say? I just kicked his acorns into his abdomen."

- "Ah." said Liesma. "That's why you two haven't been speaking."

Nelime arranged for some of her followers to show Ban Lemek and Mailis where they could set up camp, while she herself took care of the Duchess and her entourage. Again, not a word was said about us.

But then I saw three women approaching. Two of them carried bows; the third was a big woman, carrying a boar spear. She and Liesma were staring at each other. Liesma was exceptionally tall. This woman was unusually large. Not fat - just big. Had you thrown both of them into a pond, I suspect that there would have been two equally large splashes.

- "Welcome." said their leader. She was very attractive, with a full head of auburn hair. "I'm Senderra. This is Evane, and Dusca."

I introduced myself and everyone else, using only Liesma's name, without tacking on the 'HorseFace'. "We're Uplanders." I said.

- "All women? How many of you are there?"

- "Men and women. Twenty-four of us."

- "Well, let us show you a decent place to camp, close to water. We have a group of female fighters there, but there's space for you."

- "Thank you." I said. Senderra hadn't reacted at all when I'd told her that we were Uplanders. I liked her right away.

"How long have you been here?" I asked. "We thought you'd be in Stonje."

- "There's nothing to eat in Stonje." she said. "And there's plague there - although it's mostly the mercenaries who have it. That's why we moved. We've spent the last few months here, hunting and gathering food, and training new recruits. Sometimes it feels like half the population of Stonje is out here with us."

- "How many fighters do you have?" asked Giedra.

- "Almost 300." said Senderra. "But a third of those are still learning to handle their weapons."

We were still talking when I heard Heras Koymil give a great shout.

- "Dubek!"

Koymil dismounted, and went to embrace one of the ugliest men I'd ever seen. This Dubek was sunburned, scarred, and his smile - if you could call it that - was more of a leer. He had a two-handed sword on his back, and wore bits and pieces of leather and chain armour.

Koymil embraced the big fellow, who seemed to tolerate the contact, rather than return it. There was a third man close by, an archer. Koymil finally noticed him, and the two exchanged a brief handshake. The bowman wore the most tattered cloak I'd ever seen, but he was reasonably handsome, with long reddish hair.

- "Who are they?" I asked Senderra.

- "Dubek? He's one of our best fighters. The other one is my brother, Notomol."

- "That's Notomol?" said Giedra.

- "Were you expecting a seven-foot tall giant with a golden bow?"

- "No, but ..."

- "Come on. Let's get you a spot. I'll bring him over to meet you later."

Senderra was a wonderful help. She found us space to set up camp, and then provided food for us. She had an easy way about her, and seemed to be on good terms with everyone. The others listened to her as if she was a leader, but addressed her as an equal. I believe that they respected her for her skills and her character, and not only because she was Notomol's sister.

People were helpful because she asked it of them, but we all noticed a few of them looking askance at us. One woman made the sign of the evil eye in our direction.

Senderra saw it. "Mina!" she called. "What are you doing?"

- "Nothing." said Mina.

- "Then go do something. Something useful."

Senderra turned to us. "Sorry." she said.

- "We've had worse." said Giedra.

Just around dusk, a pair of archers joined Senderra's fire circle. Inita was a dark, slender woman, while Kolasovets was a short youth with big ears. They'd been hunting all day, and had brought back a pair of fat marmots for the cooking pot.

Senderra introduced them to us, and then surprised us by remembering not only my name, but Giedra's and Liesma's, plus Rion and Eliv.

- "They're Uplanders." she added.

- "Really?" said little Kolasovets. It turned out that he was Yeseriyan, and that his grandmother had known Payl personally. "She called her 'the Shining One'."

- "Guenna is Payl's great-great granddaughter." said Giedra.

Kolasovets was beyond entranced - he was positively awestruck. I found it slightly comical, but then I noticed the way the other Lowlander women around the fire were looking at him. He wasn't a little pet, or a mascot. They took the little archer seriously.

He had a hundred questions about Payl, of which I was able to answer only a few. I was saved from further interrogation when a young man trotted up to our group.

- "Captains' gathering tomorrow morning, Senderra." he said. Then he saw Kolasovets. "Captains' gathering." he repeated.

- "Understood." said Kolasovets.

- "You'll want to be there, you and Giedra." said Senderra, to me.

- "I wager Prosquetel won't bother to tell us about it." said Giedra. Nobody took her up on it.

- "Time for some stories, I think." said Senderra. "How did you end up with the Duchess? And what are you doing all the way out here?"

I let Giedra do the talking. It was interesting to hear her version of my family's history. She had the essential story correct, though she tended to exaggerate my father's deeds, and pass over my sister Yevna's contributions. Giedra also found it difficult to refrain from adding her own opinions of people, especially the Duchess, Prosquetel, and Iduallon.

Her description of the latter struck a chord with Senderra. "We have one of our own like that." she said, with a quick glance at Inita. "Eiven Cloudy-Eye. He should be called Eiven Roving-Eye."

Giedra couldn't resist giving a glowing account of her own deeds, but she did give me full credit for helping to lead the flight to Nareven, and the campaign in Mahuc. "She's a genius." said the big blonde warrior."

- "Perhaps we could hear your tale, Senderra." I suggested.

- "There's no one better to tell it than Kolasovets." she said. "He was there from the very beginning."

The little man blushed, but Inita jogged his elbow. "Go on." she said.

He spoke well. He might have been a guslar, if you ask me. I don't know if he told us the long or the short version of the story, but we heard about Notomol and Dubek as Guardsmen, along with Heras Koymil and some fellow named Motekin. He described the one-sided fight at the river, and their escape. When he told what they'd seen at Dusova, where they met Cinna and his brother, all of us Uplanders nodded our heads. It sounded very much like the burning of Asphodels and the other settlements by the lake.

As he told his tale, I noticed that Kolasovets never once mentioned himself. It was all about Notomol, or Nelime and Orsho, or Dubek and Doreg (who had been killed), and someone named Yadha Snakehand. When he spoke of Vidrik and the splitting of their band, I saw the similarities to our own position right away.

It was late when he finished his story. I hadn't been aware of the passage of time, but I chanced to look up, and saw the stars twinkling overhead.

- "We'd best get some sleep." suggested Senderra. "There'll be time for more stories. Big meeting tomorrow."

I caught Kolasovets' eye. "Thank you." I said.

***

Their term for this meeting was well chosen; it was a gathering. Every person with a following was there, along with their own entourage. Behind them were row after row of spectators, some of them fighters, but many more were non-combatants.

Notomol presided, at first. He introduced the Duchess and her baby, then Prosquetel, Iduallon and Gerimir. Ban Lemek, Mailis of Yeseriya, and Heras Koymil were all presented.

But he also called on us. "Guenna, and Giedra, who lead a score of Upland fighters."

I had no choice but to step forward - Giedra had no hesitation whatsoever. Then Notomol spoke again. "Apparently, some of our people have been less than hospitable to our Upland guests. They fight for the same cause!" Notomol had suddenly raised his voice.

"Have you forgotten that Borna the 1st would never have united Hvad, if not for the help he received from Uplanders? Have you forgotten the songs? I call on Adrastas, Obran, and Thuruar."

The three guslars came forward. It was the oldest one, Adrastas, who spoke. "Payl, the Shining One. Mutimir Longrider. Lunach Kinslayer. And many more. Their names are part of the history of Hvad. They should be remembered as heroes. Would you spit on their memory? Would you spit on their direct descendants? Guenna, daughter of Veran One-Eye, is the great-great granddaughter of Payl herself!"

It was nicely done. Giedra kept a straight face throughout, but Rion and Eliv dabbed at tears before they could spoil their face paint, and I heard Paksyalta sniffling behind me. Notomol, however, wasn't finished.

- "You know what the Izumyrians call us. Do you like being called 'Fatty'? They have no respect. They kill our guslars. They look down on you. Why would you do the same to our allies, who have shed blood fighting the very same enemies?"

He let that question hang in the air for a long time. It grew uncomfortable. Even I wished that he would get on with it.

Finally, he did. He introduced the Captains of his own band. Senderra, Kolasovets and Cinna I had met. Nelime and Orsho were important - and popular. Dubek had a tremendous physical presence. Notomol called on Yadha Snakehand, who was a strange old man. Had I run into him alone, I might have guessed that he was completely cracked. Then we were introduced to Eiven Cloudy-Eye; I saw at once why he would be very successful with the women. There were three more leaders mentioned after that, but none of them caught my attention.

- "We will have to unite, and fight as one - at least once." said Notomol. "The Duchess and her allies were pursued. There is an Izumyrian force headed our way."

- "How many?" shouted Dubek.

- "Perhaps 500."

I was surprised by the reaction. Quite a few people present seemed frightened. I heard moans and groans. But then we heard another sound. It started slowly, and grew louder. It was a growl, deep in the throat, and it was taken up by scores of warriors, until it overwhelmed all other sounds.

Giedra couldn't help herself: she joined in. So did most of our Uplanders. I have to admit it; it was stirring.

Notomol waited a long time for it to subside. Then he spoke again.

- "We can withdraw, into the hills. It will be more difficult to feed everyone. I myself would prefer to fight. I don't believe that the Izumyrians have any idea of how many fighters we have here. There is an opportunity for us. But we must decide, first, how to unite our forces, and who to entrust with the leadership. To that end, I yield my place to Adrastas."

The guslar came forward again.

- "We have experienced divided counsels before this. It was a costly experience. We need a single leader. Under normal circumstances, I would suggest that we elect one. But this would not be fair to the newcomers, as we outnumber them by a considerable margin. There is also some need for urgency: we must choose a leader at once, to give them time to prepare. The Izumyrians are coming. For that reason, I suggest that we unite our forces under Notomol - for this coming fight."

Adrastas fell silent, giving us time to consider his words. It was an obvious choice, really; the people already here were in the majority, and they trusted their man. We had no one to offer who could command their loyalty and their trust.

But Prosquetel saw an opening, and stepped into it.

- "We have an opportunity here." he said. "Duchess Temara is with us - the Duke's widow, and the mother of the heir. She would be a powerful symbol, to rally all of Hvad against the invaders. I suggest that we invest Lady Temara as our leader, with Notomol as her Captain and strategist for this battle - and for longer than that, if he is successful, and the people repose confidence in him."

Of course that idiot Iduallon had to seize on this to make one of his grand, dramatic (and meaningless) gestures. He drew his sword (this time without cutting off Gerimir's ear), and plunged it into the ground. Then he knelt at the Duchess' feet.

- "I pledge myself to you, Lady." he shouted. "I am your man, body and soul."

Of course Gerimir had to copy him, and drop to one knee. Heras Koymil was the next to kneel, followed by six or seven of his friends.

It was all pointless, really. Iduallon and Gerimir had already sworn an oath to the Duchess, and Koymil was obviously currying favour. Was this something that Prosquetel had cooked up? Or was it merely Iduallon being himself? Either way, I wondered if they truly expected more people to follow their example, but that most certainly did not happen.

Ban Lemek remained standing. So did Mailis of Yeseriya. Of course, they both knew very well that Temara's child was not the Duke's son.

Senderra stepped forward. I admired her courage, in front of this large gathering. In a way, she struck me as some kind of combination of my two sisters - though Senderra was more probably halfway between Yevna and Tanguiste.

- "I regret to say that if you appoint a leader over Notomol, then I will not fight. Nor, I think, will he."

All eyes turned to Notomol, who was standing two paces behind the guslar, Adrastas.

- "If you select another leader," he said, "then some of will have to choose whether to continue fighting ... or not."

- "Are you really so proud, Notomol, that you would refuse to serve under the Lady?" shouted Prosquetel.

Notomol took his time answering.

- "Proud?" he said. "I was there when Captain Tumay sacrificed the lives of the Guardsmen. You can ask Dubek or Kolasovets about that; they were there, too. I also met survivors of the Duke's army, after the crushing defeat in the Gut. They said that they had never had a chance."

Notomol had spoken to his people before this. He knew enough to let his words be heard, and understood. He looked about him, making eye contact with people he knew. He looked our way, but I suspect that he was connecting with his sister.

"We started our rebellion to make the Izumyrians pay for what they did at Dusova, and all over Stonje. But we agreed that we would never again follow leaders that we had not chosen ourselves.

Is that pride? So no, Sir - I will not serve the Lady, if by that you mean obey her. I am not under her. I am a free man. But I will fight her enemies, because they are also mine. I will gladly fight alongside you, because we are allies."