Peter Brett - The Daylight War

‘Mistress Leesha!’ Wonda cried, vaulting down from her horse. Leesha made her feet before the girl reached her and waved her off. As she expected, the Krasian men all had spears in hand, and the bowmen looked ready to cut them down and ask questions later.

‘Put up your weapons!’ she shouted. Her voice did not have hora magic to augment it, but the ability to boom was another thing Leesha had got from her mother. All eyes turned her way. No one made a move to disarm.

‘Who are you, to order the soldiers of Count Thamos?’ one of the mounted soldiers asked. He rode a fine destrier rather than one of the sleek Angierian coursers that carried the other Wooden Soldiers, and his cloak was held in place with gold chain. There was a captain’s tuft on his helm.

‘I am Mistress Leesha Paper, Herb Gatherer of Deliverer’s Hollow,’ Leesha said, ‘and I’d appreciate being spared the trouble of sewing up wounds from overeager men with itchy bow fingers.’

‘ Cutter’s Hollow,’ the captain corrected. ‘And you’re late. Your sand Messenger arrived over a week ago, and said nothing about you bringing half the Krasian army with you.’

Kaval chuckled at that. ‘If one hundredth of the Deliverer’s army was on the road, the thunder of our footsteps alone would knock you off your horse, boy.’

The captain bared his teeth, and Leesha stormed into the road to stand between them. ‘Keep your tongue still, Drillmaster, I won’t have you shame my homecoming.’

Gared and Wonda moved to flank her, Wonda on foot, and Gared towering above the biggest mounted soldiers atop his heavy garron. The Wooden Soldiers began to whisper among themselves at the sight of him. Gared’s reputation preceded him. Another thing her mother had been right about. She wished she could get the sight of them stuck together like dogs out of her head.

‘Who in the Core are you?’ Gared demanded of the captain. The big man’s anger was palpable. ‘Don’t care to have spears pointed at me and mine on ground we bled for. You’d best lower them before they get shoved up your arse.’

The captain smiled. ‘You’re in no position to make threats, Mr Cutter. You don’t command here any more.’

‘Ay?’ Gared put his fingers to his lips and gave a shrill whistle. The Cutters standing behind the Wooden Soldiers broke ranks at the sound, flowing to either side around the count’s men. They were led by Dug and Merrem Butcher, and Leesha saw others she knew in the van. Yon Gray and his son and grandsons, all looking of an age with one another. Samm Saw, Ande Cutter, Tomm Wedge and his sons. Evin Cutter and his gigantic wolfhound.

The Cutters didn’t threaten, but they didn’t need to. The shortest of them was a head taller than any of the count’s footmen. Even the mounted men in armour looked cowed. Shadow was almost of a size with the horses, and they whinnied and pranced in fear as he passed. If the beast got any bigger, Evin would soon be riding it instead of his garron.

The Wooden Soldiers hesitated, glancing at their captain for instructions. By then it was too late and they were encircled, cutting the captain off from his men.

More Cutters appeared in the trees, and bowstrings were eased back under their glare. Dug and Merrem saluted as they came to stand next to Gared.

‘You were sayin’?’ Gared asked smugly.

The captain’s face had gone slack, but he shook his head, regaining his composure. He raised a hand and gave his men a complex series of gestures. They lowered their spears, seeming relieved, but looked ready to raise them again in an instant.

The soldier dismounted, removing his helmet and giving a curt bow to Leesha. ‘My name is Squire Gamon, captain of the count’s guard. We are here to escort you to His Highness.’

‘And you need seventy men to do that, Captain Gamon?’ Leesha asked. ‘Is the very heart of the Hollow so dangerous now?’

‘You have nothing to fear here, mistress,’ Gamon said, ‘but by order of Count Thamos, no Krasian is to enter the city bearing arms.’

‘Nie take me first,’ Kaval growled in Krasian. Leesha turned to him, raising an eyebrow.

‘Forgive me, mistress,’ the drillmaster said, ‘but my spear was a gift from the Deliverer himself, and I will not surrender it to some soft greenland chi’Sharum .’

‘You will,’ Gamon told him, ‘or we have orders to take them, no matter who stands in our way.’ He looked to Gared and Leesha. ‘You may have us outnumbered here, but the count commands a thousand Wooden Soldiers. Do you wish to spill blood over His Highness’s efforts to keep his people safe from known invaders?’

Leesha rubbed her temple. ‘If that was his goal, he has a funny way of showing it.’ She shook her head. ‘But no, we’re not.’ She turned to Kaval. ‘You will not surrender your weapons to him, Drillmaster, you will surrender them to me.’

‘I’m afraid that will not be good enough, mistress,’ Gamon said.

Leesha looked down her nose at him. ‘They’re disarmed, Captain. Don’t insist on taking the coreling by the horns.’

Gamon’s mouth opened, but no sound emerged. It was answer enough. She turned back to Kaval. ‘Collect the spears from your men, dal and kha’Sharum both, and stow them underneath my carriage. You have my word they will be returned to you when you leave the Hollow.’

Kaval hesitated, glancing over his shoulder. Leesha hissed at him. ‘Don’t look for the dama’ting ,’ she said in Krasian. ‘Ahmann gave your command to me, not her. Do as you’re told. Now.’

The drillmaster curled his lip, but he bowed and complied, taking the weapons from his men and stowing them safely out of reach. Doubtless they still had knives, and Coliv a host of other hidden weapons, but there was a limit to Krasian honour. If she or Captain Gamon tried to search them, there would be blood.

Darsy appeared out of the crowd to stand at her side. She didn’t curtsy, but gave Leesha a hug that blew the wind from her. ‘No idea how glad I am you’re back.’ Leesha returned the embrace, remembering how greatly Darsy had once resented her. The shift was not new, but it continued to surprise her.

‘Now, Captain,’ she said, ‘if you’d care to escort us to His Highness, I would very much like to speak with him.’

The soldier nodded, replacing his helm and climbing back atop his horse. The Cutters opened their ring, allowing him to rejoin his men, but kept close, giving Leesha a sense of safety and protection she had not felt in months. It was good to be home.

Darsy moved to take the reins from the Krasian driving Leesha’s carriage, and the man hopped down as she and Leesha took the bench so they could speak privately as the caravan began to move once more. Wonda kept close on her horse, while Gared led his garron so he could consult with the Cutters.

‘You get my last message?’ Darsy asked. ‘Never got a reply.’

Leesha shook her head. ‘We’ve been on the road for weeks. Must have missed the Messenger. What’s been happening? I knew Thamos would be looking to flex his muscles when we returned, but I didn’t expect an armed welcome. Have things soured?’

Darsy shook her head. ‘Truer is the count’s been good to the Hollow. Been fair to the people, and brought a steady stream of supplies from the North. His engineers have done a lot to speed along the new greatwards and put roofs over people’s heads. New Tender’s much the same. Bit stricter than Jona, but folk like him well enough. Things keep on as they’ve been, and we’ll be bigger than Angiers in a year.’

‘It’s not surprising,’ Leesha said. ‘It was bold of the duke to give him the Hollow outright, and even if he does have a thousand men, he’s still outnumbered. Best not to give us any reason to oppose him till his power’s secure. He’s going to need all the goodwill he can get when the Painted Man returns.’