The Chronicles: Notomol Ch. 10

There was nothing I could have done. I knew that. But seeing how devastated Berilde was, I felt that I had failed her, somehow.

By contrast, the Izumyrians had lost 99 killed. Yes, quite a few of those were wounded men who had been 'finished off'. I couldn't find it in me to condemn anyone who did such a thing - not after witnessing the burning of Asphodels, or hearing the tales of Izumyrian atrocities against the Hvadi.

And then we had prisoners. 114 prisoners, to be exact.

The enemy had arrived at the gap with almost 500 men: a hundred cavalry, and nearly 400 infantry. Their losses amounted to more than half of the footmen. It was astounding.

Notomol sent out scouts to follow the enemy. Their morale had to have been shattered; they were in full retreat.

He called a council of captains two nights after the battle, to tell us the good news.

Of course, Prosquetel had to immediately spoil it.

- "Why are we not pursuing, then?" he demanded, in a loud voice. "If they are beaten, and running, we should be following them, to take full advantage of our victory!"

From the look on Notomol's face, I could tell that this wasn't the first time they were having this discussion. Notomol had no doubt already answered him, but Old Whitehair was trying to get the Captains to overrule Notomol - just as he'd tried to do to me.

I stood up.

- "That would be folly." I said. The Izumyrians have 100 heavy cavalry, which we cannot match. The land between here and the lake is mostly open plain, and farmland. If those heavy horses caught us in the open ..."

- "They are beaten!" insisted Prosquetel.

- "They're retreating. And there are many more Izumyrians in the town. There could be a thousand or more soldiers available to reinforce them. Meanwhile we would have to leave a sizeable force here to guard the prisoners."

- "We could take them with us. And the town will rise for the Duchess, once they learn that we are near!"

- "Yes!" shouted Iduallon. I thought that Heras Koymil might come forward as well, but I suppose he was tired of looking like an idiot.

Fortunately, the other Captains weren't so stupid. None of them wanted to face heavy cavalry on level ground. They also understood that the enemy could be reinforced long before the people of Hvad rose in significant numbers. We would have to wear the Izumyrians down quite a bit more before we ready to make any kind of advance on the town.

That in itself was another indication of the magnitude of our victory: some people actually thought that we could go over to the offensive.

Prosquetel was not pleased, but he had the sense to make a show of giving in with good grace. I hadn't endeared myself to him, but he probably couldn't dislike me much more than he already did.

Notomol took charge of the proceedings once more, and then yielded his place to Adrastas, the guslar.              The venerable old bard didn't have to shout; his voice carried clearly.

- "I do not have to tell you that many of our warriors fought bravely." he said. "Many gave their lives. There were a few, though, who distinguished themselves that day. It is our custom to recognize feats of courage and skill. I wish to do that now. Orsho - Dubek. Come forward."

Nelime's Hand and Notomol's ugly friend came to stand beside the old guslar.

"I will not insult Orsho by offering him a second name. He had one, and has chosen to leave it behind. We can only respect that choice. Nonetheless, he has added to his fame once again."

The rest of us cheered him. He acknowledged our praise with a couple of nods. It was news to me that Orsho had won a second name - and a complete surprise that he had chosen to abandon it.

"But any who saw Dubek fight that day," continued Adrastas, "were aware that they were in the presence of greatness. I myself did not see all parts of the field. But I have been told - and I believe - that no one did more than he did that day, to win the battle for us. Notomol has told me the name of the strategy he adopted: the Hammer and the Anvil. If so, my friends, then Dubek was certainly the Hammer." Adrastas turned to the man. "I give you ... Dubek the Hammer."

The Captains cheered again, even louder. All except me, because my heart was sore. It wasn't fair. I'd had no idea that the old guslar would do this. I managed to catch the eye of Thuruar Honey-Tongue, and emphatically shook my head. To make absolutely sure that he understood me, I made a short, sharp, slashing motion across my throat.

The cheering died down. Dubek raised one hand.

- "Thank you." he said. He seemed genuinely moved. "That's a ... that's a very good name. There was a time ... when I wanted nothing more. Now ... I just want to cleanse the invaders from our lands. But I appreciate the honour you do me. Sorry - I'm not much of a speaker."

- "Most hammers aren't!" shouted Yadha Snakehand.

Dubek acknowledged the sally with a wry grin. Then he put a hand on his heart and bowed. He might not have been a speaker, but Dubek did have a sense of occasion.

Adrastas had finished. Thuruar came forward to speak.

- "I can only second my worthy colleague. Dubek certainly deserves this honour. But there were others who won renown that day - this I know, because I was on that part of the field which Adrastas did not see firsthand."

Thuruar turned slowly, looking at everyone in the gathering. "I saw several fighters," he said, "who performed feats of skill and valour. One of those already has a name: Eiven Cloudy-Eye, I saw you. The line might have broken, if not for you."

We raised a cheer at that. I didn't like what I'd heard about Eiven from Senderra's friends, but there was no denying his talent as a warrior.

"And right beside him stood Aldur. I watched him fight. He did not yield an inch. It was as if the Izumyrians had run into a stone wall. I give you Aldur - the Wall."

Aldur was shocked - but he was also inordinately pleased to be recognized. A second name put him into the same class as Eiven and Dubek. He had tears in his eyes as he heard us cheering for him.

- "I am ... honoured. Beyond measure. Thank you."

Thuruar waited a moment before speaking again.

- "You've heard Adrastas name Notomol's strategy. The Hammer and the Anvil. Dubek was indeed the Hammer. But our line held fast, even when the roles were unexpectedly reversed. I have commended Eiven Cloudy-Eye and Aldur the Wall. But there was another who gave no ground, except to guard her companions. The Izumyrians came at her hardest, because they believed that a woman would give way. They were wrong! She met them all, and it was they who pulled back. I give you Liesma - the Anvil!"

My Uplanders shrieked their joy. They had come to admire Liesma since we first encountered her in Mahuc. Senderra and many of her female friends joined in, because they also liked the big woman. Liesma herself was stunned. Giedra had to push her forward.

There she stood, taller than most of the men, so plain-featured that someone had called her HorseFace. Now she was being offered another name - a name that celebrated her courage and fighting abilities. The cheering - or the shrieking, rather - went on longer for her than it had for the two men. The female fighters were sharing in the recognition she had earned.

When they finally quieted down, Liesma raised her hand.

- "Thank you." she said. "Thank you very much. But I ... I was not the Anvil alone. Giedra stood beside me, and killed more of the enemy than I did. And neither of us would have survived without Rion and Eliv, who saved us more than once."

I don't know if she intended to say anything more, because she was drowned out by a new cheer, and renewed skirling by the female fighters.

The meeting broke up shortly thereafter, and we all began to make our way back to our camp sites. It was a long, slow journey for us, because of the women who stopped us. They all wanted to congratulate her, to embrace her, or even to kiss her.

Liesma was overwhelmed. "I'm ... I'm not HorseFace anymore."

- "No you aren't." said Giedra. "You're a hero. The Anvil."

- "You should be, too. I mean ... you deserve a name more than I do."

- "I don't mind being just Giedra for a while longer. And I couldn't be happier for you."

Liesma was surrounded by admirers and well-wishers. Giedra turned to me.

"You put Thuruar up to it, didn't you?"

There was no point in denying it. "Yes."

- "And he was supposed to give me a name as well?" Giedra knew me well. I would never have honoured Liesma above her. "Let me guess: I was going to be Giedra the Hammer?"

- "I had no idea that Adrastas would do that. I'm ... I'm so sorry, Giedra."

- "Don't be, Guenna. I saw you shaking your head at Thuruar, and slashing your throat. It would have been a good name. A great name. But not after Dubek. Not 'Oh, she's also the Hammer'."

- "I'm sorry." I repeated.

- "Don't be. You did a wonderful thing for Liesma. And Aldur deserved it, too. I know what you tried to do for me. Thuruar could have saved the day, if he had quick wits or even a shred of imagination. Ah - who knows? Maybe you and I will end up as the most famous Uplanders with only one name."

***

Notomol found time to come by the next day. He had a short conversation with his sister, and another with his friend Kolasovets. But as it turned out, he had really come to see me.

- "Thank you." he said.

- "For?" I wasn't fishing for compliments; I really wasn't sure what he was referring to.

- "For everything. Your help in planning the battle. Your intervention when Prosquetel suggested that we advance."

- "He raised it with you before, didn't he? You told him no, and then he took it to the Captains, trying to kneecap you."

- "How do you know that?"

- "Because he did the same to me - more than once."

- "I still appreciate what you did. That, and giving names to Aldur and Liesma. I only have one question: why not do the same for Giedra? I'm told that she was every bit as crucial to holding the line. And aren't you friends?"

I explained to him how Adrastas had forestalled us by giving Dubek his second name.

"I'm sorry - that was my fault. I put Adrastas up to it."

- "Just as I did with Thuruar."

We both smiled.

- "She deserves a good name." he said.

- "Which I'm trying to provide. Can I tell her what you said? She'd like that."

- "If you wish."

- "And while we're at it - can I offer some advice?"

Notomol looked at me, recognizing that I was very serious.

- "I would never reject advice from you."

- "Watch your back." I said.

- "I'm sorry - I don't understand."

I told him about Prosquetel's plan to have my father murdered in Nareven.

*****