Jeff Salyards - Veil of the Deserters

“As I said, they are fairly well-trained, and no fools. But fairly rigid. They will do what we’d expect Anjurians to do when ambushed by a barrage of bolts. The forest is crowded. No good for horses. So they will dismount and form up. Shield wall, most likely. And after they have withstood another volley, they will advance on you. And that is when we will attack from the rear.”

I saw some Syldoon nodding, and a couple smiling as Braylar said, “The objective is to capture Henlester. Or see him dead, if capture proves untenable. No needless risks. We are not trying to wipe this caravan out, or even drive it to flight. We capture Henlester, and then we melt into the woods. Reconvene heading to Martyr’s Fork. Do not underestimate these Anjurians. We are superior soldiers, but they outnumber us greatly even after suffering losses at the lodge, and they aren’t fools. We engage them only long enough to achieve our goal and disappear. One objective, and done.” He looked around slowly at the assembled crew, taking each in turn before asking, “Are there any questions then?”

No one replied right away, and right when I thought the captain about to send his troops off, Mulldoos said, “Alright. I got one. They got numbers, like you said. Even with a good ambush-and I’m going on record here and saying this sounds as good as they come-we still only have the one objective, like you said. But I know how you hate to leave an enemy at your back or hightail from a fight of any kind. So, I’m thinking we got a chance to wipe them out here. If the Memoridons lend a hand, that is. So that’s my question. Will the Memoridons be lending a hand?” He looked at Soffjian then.

Braylar said, “I would never presume to answer for my sweet sister, but I suspect the answer is a resounding no.”

Soffjian replied directly to Mulldoos. “As you well know, I answer to Commander Darzaak. Not my brother, and certainly not his surly and dim lieutenant. We’re here to ensure you make it back to Sunwrack safely and in a timely fashion, neither of which involves me fighting your fights for you. So let me be clear: I will not assist in actions I consider unnecessary, and frankly in violation of the spirit of the command. Which is to return promptly. So, finish playing your war games in the woods, and let’s get on with it. We have a road to ride.”

Mulldoos spat in the grass. “Figured as much. You were a man, I’d call you coward instead of just a woman who meddles where she shouldn’t and don’t help out where she should.”

Soffjian showed her teeth, though it was clearly vulpine. “And if you were any kind of man, I’d take offense.”

Mulldoos stood, laid his hand on the large pommel of his falchion. “You might be a witch, bitch. But you still bleed, don’t you?”

“With every moon. But seldom else, Syldoon. Seldom else.”

The two of them stared each other down before Hewspear cleared his throat. “Well. That answers that question pretty soundly, I’d say.”

Braylar looked around the rest of the company. “Any others then? Preferably those not destined to end in bloodshed and memorycraft among our own?” Braylar waited for only a moment, clearly not in the mood to entertain more discussion. “Very good. Hewspear, lead a handful of men across the trail. When the Brunesmen are ripe for plucking, you loose first, yes?”

Hewspear nodded and picked out some Syldoon to accompany him. They led their horses out across the path, and then disappeared into the thick woods on the other side.

I looked at Braylar. “What if the horses whinny? Won’t they give away Hewspear’s position?”

Braylar watched Soffjian and Skeelana walk off in the woods as he replied, “Hewspear has been involved in an ambush or two in his time, Arki. He will tether the horses far enough away not to alert the Brunesmen, but not so distant they can’t reach them in a hurry.”

He looked at Vendurro. “Sergeant?”

Vendurro stood at attention. “Aye, Cap?”

“When we have word that their little convoy is coming, Mulldoos and I will lead some men back to get in position to hit the wagons and get our priest. You’ll remain here, opposite Hew. Just after the lead horses pass, he’ll send the first volley. As I said, I expect them to dismount and form up. If so, wait until you have their backs to you to loose from this side. If they opt to try to ride into the woods, shoot immediately. Understood?”

“Aye, Cap. Fast or slow, pulling triggers once I get their backsides. Got it.”

Braylar twitched or smiled-it happened so quickly it was hard to be sure which or if it was a combination. “I can always count on you to parse out the essence of a thing. Take five and Arki will stay with your group.”

Vendurro moved off and picked his men, relaying the directive they had, and they began spanning their crossbows, flipping the fur-covered flaps off their quivers.

Braylar pulled the remaining Syldoon aside and made sure they were clear on their role in the engagement. And just like that, Mulldoos and I were standing a few paces apart. He wasn’t paying me much attention though as he sat on a log, checking the buckles on his splinted greaves and vambraces, sliding the falchion free of the scabbard three times, inspecting the steel edge of his shield. I had no armor, and only Lloi’s sword, and though I was tempted to slide it free from my own scabbard, I knew that would only end in mockery, so I looked up through the trees, watching as a group of perfectly aligned geese flew overhead, flashing through the spaces between the branches.

After the disappeared from view, I listened to their honking grow fainter as well, wondering if they were a good omen or bad.

When I looked back down, Mulldoos was staring at me. I forced myself not to look away, and did the only manly thing I could think of, giving the small quick nod I’d seen so many soldiers share that somehow conveyed respect and acknowledgement and absolutely nothing at all.

Mulldoos continued staring for a minute, shook his head, and returned his attention to his gear.

Vendurro made me jump as he somehow moved alongside without me hearing or noticing. “Always been curious about something, Mulldoos.”

Mulldoos didn’t look up again as he ran his fingers over the straps of his shield, feeling for something. Excessive wear? A tear? Something else. “Oh yeah? This ought to be good. What you curious about, Ven?”

“Well, when you call someone a horsecunt, are you calling them the lady bits of a whore, or a filly’s pink business? Could go either way, couldn’t it?”

Mulldoos stopped and did look up, fixing his pale eyes on the younger man. “You’re some kind of something, you are. This is what you think about right before shooting yourself some Brunesmen?”

Vendurro shrugged, the lamellar plates clacking a bit as he did. “Like to keep my mind moving. Instead of fixating on the bloodletting. Plenty of time to think about that after. Before, I like to keep it moving. So which is it?”

“I ain’t called anybody a horsecunt in, shit, not sure how long.”

“Matter of minutes, most like. So, is it a whore or a horse you’re talking about?”

“Does it plaguing matter?”

“Neither’s much of a compliment, that’s for certain. But the meaning of something always matters.”

Mulldoos looked up at the foliage, miming as if he was seriously mulling the question over. “Well then, I suppose it all depends, don’t it?”

“On?”

“On what I happened to be thinking of right before the dumb horsecunt asked me a fool question right before a battle instead of inspecting his gear like he ought to. See now, right this second, I’m wishing we had more room to maneuver. Never liked fighting in a forest, if it could be helped. So I got horse on the brain. So when I say to that dumb bastard that bothered me when I was doing what I ought to be doing, “Hey, you whopping dumb horsecunt, maybe you ought to be picking out the straightest quarrel to loose first, or making sure you ain’t busted a lace on your armor there, instead of letting your mind wander all over the world and bringing back the stupidest question you could think to utter, I suppose I’d have a horse in mind. You are the slit of a horse. Clear it up any?”