The Chronicles of Hvad Ch. 15

- "An Izumyrian merchant, when asked about the invasion, finally admitted the truth. The good burghers were shocked; apparently they had asked a dozen others before that - and every single one denied it."

"After the first, though, a second and a third confirmed that Barsam was gathering soldiers, and horses. I suggested to the town leaders that they send a merchant or two of their own to Izumyr - which they did."

"It turns out that you can't buy a horse in Northern Izumyr - the Duke has already purchased virtually every horse and every ox in the Duchy."

- "So Hvad town will join you now? And what about the remaining provinces?"

- "Pitve and Stonje are coming along. The town council, though, have only agreed to fight alongside me - which means that they'll look to their own defences, and then call on us for help when the time comes."

"But now you've given me a time frame. And they may be more ready to believe your story about the plan to sack their homes. Never mind that it's true - it must be the single thing they fear most."

"They'll come to their senses, I think."

- "Better late than never."

- "Yes."

Borna's smile slowly faded.

- "I'm sorry, Ljudevit." he said. "I have to send you back to Izumyr."

***

We talked a great deal more that night - and the next. But essentially, Borna was right: he had to send me back.

There might be something that I could learn, some vital piece of information, which I could bring back to Borna at a critical moment. Where the Izumyrians were planning to cross the river, or where they intended to strike first ... or if they intended to split their forces.

There might be an opportunity, too, for me to advise the Duke to do something which might create an advantage of some kind for us.

At that moment, I couldn't even begin to imagine what that opportunity might look like. But I would have to be there, close to Barsam, in order to seize the moment.

There were ideas growing in my mind - distant possibilities. I wrestled with some of these thoughts, even if I didn't discuss them all with Borna.

Payl didn't kick me in the ankle; a straight-armed shove, knocking me off-balance, was more her style.

- "Sorry - I was just ... daydreaming."

- "Daydreaming? More like a nightmare, with that face on you. Third time today." she said. "Here - hold your daughter." She thrust Marit into my arms.

"What are you worrying about now?"

Payl and I had settled our affairs as best we could - just as everyone else had done, or would have to do. While I was in Izumyr, Payl would be with Nanaidh and the female warriors, ready to go where Borna sent them.

I didn't even think of trying to talk her out of it. Payl was a warrior, just as much as I was. With both of us away, Kanni had generously promised to look after the twins, and keep them safe in the forest.

- "I'm sorry. I was ..."

- "There's a solution, Ljudevit. Whatever you're struggling with. It may not be simple. You may not be able to see it right now ... but you will."

She was strong, and fierce, and beautiful. My heart ached just to look at her. Between us, we'd produced these two tiny, lovable babies. And yet I couldn't share all of the thoughts that were running through my head.

We made love, and held each other close. Unfortunately, we never got a chance to go back to the pool in the woods, to wash her hair again.

***

Borna and Ahli rode back to Hravar's steading with me. Lovro, Aare, and Hravar, of course, accompanied us.

On my last night there, we drank too much, and hugged each other far too often.

The following morning, much too early, Aare and his riders escorted me back across Adarion, towards the river. I persuaded him to leave me several leagues before we reached the ferry.

That, as it turned out, was a very fortunate decision.

When I crossed the river on the ferry, there were a dozen Izumyrian soldiers waiting.

- "Where d'you think you're going, Fadi?" said one of them, a burly fellow in a leather jerkin. His tone was deliberately mocking; had he been Hvadi, I would immediately have drawn my weapons, because such an insult could only have been the prelude to a fight which would have left one of us bleeding, or dead..

I swallowed my pride, and answered mildly. "To report to the Duke. He is expecting me."

- "Suuure he is." laughed the oaf.

- "My name is Priit. If you make enquiry, you will find that I went to Hvad on the Duke's business. He is waiting for me to return."

The burly man's eyes narrowed. "You'd better be telling the truth, Fadi - or you'll be sorry for it."

Four men mounted up, to 'escort' me to the Duke's camp. They acted more like captors than escort, though. I ignored them.

Just over the first rise, I saw a work site that had not been there just a few weeks ago. There were a hundred men, at least, wielding mattocks, wedges, and saws, splitting logs and making planks.

Boats. Or barges, more likely, much bigger than the ferry I'd just come over in. They would need vessels capable of carrying all those men and horses across the Grey.

My guards made straight for the camp. They took me to rather harried-looking young officer, who snarled at them: "What now?"

- "Caught this Fadi tryin' to cross the river, Sir."

The officer glared at me, as if I was single-handedly responsible for ruining his day.

- "A spy?"

That hit a little too close to the mark; I would've been more surprised, but the sight of the soldiers at the river - and their attitude - had warned me that something was up. So this was it: they were afraid of spies.

- "I am the Duke's man." I said. "I was in Hvad at his request. If you ask Captain Ingram, he will speak for me. Or, you could go direct to Baron Voss, or Baron Kaim - they both know me well. My name is Priit."

Mentioning the Barons' names seemed to do the trick. The officer sent two of my 'guards' to find Ingram.

While we waited, I had a chance to look over the camp. There seemed to be even more men and horses than there had been before.

Eventually, Ingram returned with the guards.

- "Yes, that's Preet." he said. "He's with us."

- "Fine." said the young officer. "I'll release him to you."

- "I'm sorry, Preet." said Ingram. "New orders from the Duke. He seems to be worried that there might be spies about."

- "Really?" I had to wonder: who had put that particular bee in Barsam's bonnet? It was unlikely that he had come up with the idea himself.

Ingram took me to a very familiar spot: outside Barsam's tent. And there we engaged in a very familiar activity: waiting for the Duke. Ingram didn't dare to go inside, to tell them that I was here. He would patiently wait until someone came out.

Perhaps that was how we could defeat the Izumyrian invasion. Kill the leaders - and the soldiers would stand around forever, waiting for orders that would never come.

Finally, Baron Voss, the Duke's fussy old advisor, stepped out of the tent. Ingram stood up immediately, and pointed to me.

- "Ah." said the Baron. "You're back."

He didn't bother using my name, so I gave him a half-bow without answering. Voss looked me over carefully, as if I were a horse that he really wasn't sure about.

"I will inform the Duke that you're here." he said.

- "Thank you." I said.

Back to waiting.

Ingram didn't even try to engage me in conversation, which was quite unusual for him. He was usually quite talkative. Something was up.

It was just before sunset when Baron Voss emerged from the tent. He came directly towards us.

- "There you are. The Duke will see you tomorrow, Preet." he said.

Then he took Ingram aside, and whispered to him. Voss had his back to me, so that I couldn't catch anything he said. Finally the Baron finished, and walked off.

- "May I go now?" I asked.

- "Uh - they want you stay in the camp tonight, Preet. You're to join my lance for the night."

Ingram's lance - the four or five others he fought with, ate with, and shared a tent with. They were obviously meant to keep an eye on me. The Duke no longer trusted me - or he was being very careful.

- "Does your lance have anything to eat?" I asked.

Ingram was relieved that I wasn't upset. He grinned. "We'll take care of you." he said.

These new developments were worrisome. Where had Barsam gotten this new fear of spies? And how would that affect my relationship with him? If he no longer trusted me, he might not share any more information of value with me.

Borna wanted me to be here. But I began to fear that I might not be able to achieve much, if I didn't have access to the Duke's inner council.

I would have preferred to have a few drinks at the Marga - even a chat with old Rasiph. And of course I was curious to know how Dulo would respond to my return.

Instead I ate with Ingram's men, including his nephew Lir, who was the only one who made an effort to be pleasant.

Eventually, I lay down to sleep in their tent. But I lay awake for a long, long time.

***

- "I'm glad you're back." said Barsam.

- "Thank you, Lord."

- "You remember Baron Voss, of course. And Baron Kaim."

Kaim was the younger, bullet-headed advisor. Voss was an old fusspot, whereas Kaim struck me as much more dangerous.

He took one step towards me. "Yes." he said. "We're all glad to see you back ... Loodeveet."

It was a test. I passed easily.

All I had to do was frown, and say: "My name is Priit, Baron."

If he had caught me off guard, I might have been flustered. But the experiences of the previous day had shown me that they were obsessed with spies. To top it all off, Kaim butchered the pronunciation of my real name.

But the Baron wasn't fully convinced.

- "I would still like to ask the questions, my Lord." he said.

- "Go ahead." said Barsam. "I'm sorry, Preet - but we've received word that one of Borna's spies has been here. His name is Loodeveet."

- "Ljudevit?" I said.

- "You know that name?"

- "He was Borna's Hand."

- "Was?" said Kaim, in a manner which told me that he already knew that.

- "I don't know if they quarrelled, or what happened," I said, "but Borna's new Hand is a man named Lovro."

Barsam smiled, which suggested that I just passed another test. Kaim's expression didn't change, though.

- "I have a few questions for you, Master Preet - or whoever you are."

- "Because you think I am a spy?"

Kaim ignored me. He held up a scroll, and read from it.

"You claim to have served a Haspidar named Asrava." he said.

- "Hospodar."

- "Whatever." said Kaim. "Describe him."

- "Pardon?"

- "What did he look like?"

That was easy enough. I'd spent an entire evening watching Asrava and Gosdan getting drunk together. I described the old cutthroat in great detail.

Kaim then asked me to tell him about Asrava's family. Fortunately, I could do that, too. I described Mushtal, and Garine ... I might have choked up a little, when it came to Noyemi. I didn't forget to mention Asrava's and Mushtal's Hands, and even Lulalme, the concubine.

Barsam seemed pleased with my fluent answers; he was convinced long before Kaim had asked his last question. Kaim was the one I had to win over - or, at least, I had to allay his fears sufficiently.

- "Is that all, Baron?" said Barsam.

- "For now." grumbled Kaim.

- "All these questions are because you think I am a spy?"

Voss answered. He was a bit of a blowhard, a man who never tired of the sound of his voice. "We received word," he said, "from our agents in your country, that this Borna had sent his man to spy on us."

- "Ljudevit?"

- "Do you know the fellow?" asked the Duke.

- "I would recognize him if I saw him." I said. "But he would be a fool to come here openly - many people could identify him: me, Ban Dagnis ..."

- "Ah, yes ..."

Kaim wasn't quite finished with me.

- "Remind me once more, Preet." he said. "Why are you here? Helping us?"

- "For revenge against Borna." I answered, automatically. I sensed immediately that this wasn't quite good enough.

"And ... because I hope that ... if I can help the Duke capture Hvad town ... perhaps he would ... make me a Hospodar ..."

Barsam looked mildly surprised, as if the idea had never occurred to him before now. I could well imagine what kind of reward they had in mind for a useful traitor: a handful of coins, and a swift kick in the backside.

But I'd struck exactly the right chord with Kaim and Voss. Even though they considered me a jumped-up savage with ideas well above his station, ambition was something they understood - and shared. No doubt both men expected to be Bans in conquered Hvad. Or perhaps even Governor of all the provinces, when Barsam returned to Izumyr.

- "We can discuss your reward another time." said the Duke. "I'll speak to you tomorrow."

That was it. I was dismissed.

- "Stay in the camp, with Ingram, until you are called." said Kaim.

***

I'd known that there were Izumyrian spies in Hvad: merchants in town, sympathizers in Adarion. But I hadn't suspected that any of them would know of Borna's Hand. How did they know that Ljudevit was going to Izumyr?

And all that information about Noyemi's family ... Asrava, Mushtal and Garine had been dead for years, now. I racked my brains trying to figure out who possessed that kind of knowledge. Who was it that had tried to betray me?

Then I had to worry about Baron Kaim. I'd convinced Barsam and Voss, but Kaim was still suspicious.

Ingram and his lance seemed to know that I'd passed some kind of tests. They were reasonably good hosts from then on. They fed me, and produced several bottles of wine. They were full of questions about Hvad - the weather, the forests, the people ... understandable, of course, because they were going to be campaigning there next summer.

Killing my friends. My children.

I had a hard time imagining Ingram slaughtering children. He seemed a decent enough fellow. Lir was a relative innocent, as well.

But Hvad town would be sacked. All of Hvad would be put to the torch - unless I could find some way to turn my connection with Barsam to advantage.

All I had left to bargain with, though, was my fictitious plan to open the gates of Hvad town to the Duke's army. Once I'd told him the details, what more did he need from me? I might never get to speak to him again until the invasion was well under way.

I wouldn't be able to influence or affect anything, if I was permanently attached to Ingram's lance.

I barely slept that night. My thoughts kept running in circles: Payl, the children, Barsam, Borna.

***

The Duke didn't call for me that next day. It was just as well, I suppose. I was so exhausted that I fell asleep outside the command tent.

Perhaps that made me appear even more innocent. A spy, who can sleep so soundly, so completely oblivious to his surroundings?

I ate with Ingram and his men again. Once again, they asked for stories of Hvad. I told them a few old tales.

And once again, I lay awake, unable to sleep. An idea that had first occurred to me some time ago returned to my mind. I thought about it - and about Payl - all night.

***

The following day, Barsam kept me waiting again all morning. But in the afternoon, he sent for me.

As usual, I surrendered my weapons to the guards, and was ushered inside the command tent. It was darker than outside - it took a moment for my eyes to adjust.

- "We're ready to discuss your plan for Hvad town." said Barsam. "And we have this excellent map to use." He gestured at the table, quite proudly.

- "The merchants we sent over assure us," said Voss, "that it is quite accurate."

That was all the opening I needed. While Voss pontificated, Barsam was turned away from me, looking at his precious map. I took one quick step, and yanked the dagger from his own sheath.

I was very lucky. The weapon came out cleanly - and quickly.

The Duke sensed my movement, and felt the tugging at his belt. He was turning back towards me, opening his mouth to say "Wha -"

I stabbed upwards, plunging the dagger into his throat, just under the chin.

Barsam gurgled, and clutched at me with one hand, ineffectually. With my left hand, I seized his long hair, and pulled his head back. I twisted my right hand, grinding the dagger against his windpipe.

Hands seized me roughly, from behind, pulling me away. Kaim, I suppose, or one of the guards. Or both. I drove the knife deeper once more, and twisted it savagely before they succeeded in dragging me off the Duke. But I still had a grip on his hair, so as they pulled at me, Barsam came with us, gurgling noisily, with his head bent back. I saw a spurt of blood from his throat.

We fell to the floor in a tangle of limbs. I got one good look at my handiwork as Barsam fell atop me. His throat was gashed and torn beyond repair. There was no way they could save him now.

And as his guards pummelled me, I had one fleeting thought: would this be enough?

***

Three weeks later

Borna braced himself. He wasn't looking forward to this task, but there was no way that he could delegate it to anyone else.

- "Payl? Could I speak to you for a moment?"

The Shining One glanced at her twins, confirming that they were still asleep.

- "Go ahead." said her friend Irija. "I'm here if they wake up."

Payl stepped outside with Borna.

- "Payl - it's Ljudevit" he said. "I don't know quite how to tell you this, but -"

- "He's dead, isn't he?"

- "How ... how could you know that?"

- "Just a guess. Was he the one who killed that Duke? The Izumyrian?"

- "Yes." said Borna.

Payl nodded. "That must have been what he was wrestling with, when he was last here. Trying to make up his mind ..."

- "He may have saved us all, with that blow."

- "So I should be proud? Is that what you mean?"

- "No ... but it looks now as if there won't be an invasion at all. That was Ljudevit's doing."

- "Tell me, Borna." said Payl.. "Did you send him to do this? Was this your plan all along?"

- "No." Borna shook his head. "We had no way of knowing how much access Ljudevit could get to the Izumyrian leader. He was only meant to bring back proof that they were indeed planning an invasion. And then to gain some valuable information which could help us. That was the original intent."

- "But something changed."

- "When he came back, Ljudevit knew that proof alone was not going to be enough. He had access to Barsam's inner circle. We talked about whether he might be able to ... interfere in their plans. To do something to hinder the enemy."

- "What did he think he could do? What were you thinking?"

- "Neither of us knew." said Borna. "I asked Ljudevit to use his judgment, and simply ... do the best he could. I wasn't sure that he could get so close to the Duke."

Payl did not respond immediately. She stared at the ground for a few moments. Then she tilted her head back and looked up at the night sky.

- "Thank you for telling me." she said, finally. Then she turned and went back inside to her children. Borna never saw the drop of blood drip from Payl's hand, where she'd punctured the skin of her palm with her own sharp fingernails.

***

Two weeks later