Michael Foster - She Who Has No Name

‘Welcome, Captain Orrell and Lords of the Order,’ the general said. ‘This is Captain Ravenshood and Captain Yarn,’ at which the two officers flanking him also saluted. Yarn was a tubby, red-bearded fellow with a gruff demeanour, while Ravenshood seemed much too young for his position, bearing boyish looks and appearing too lean for any kind of serious warfare. ‘Obviously, I have been expecting you. At the command of General Ruardin himself,I have been asked to grant you every resource possible and meet your every request. It is quite an unusual circumstance, I must admit, to see such champions of the Order at my door,’ and the sturdy fellow eyed each of the young magicians,as if weighing their merits. ‘I understand you have also come with mixed and unusual company.’

‘Thank you, General,’ Grand Master Tudor responded. ‘Yes, we bring a party of KoianOutlanders with us to assist with our task. They are civilians and we will try to keep them quiet and out of your way. I must assume from your lack ofreference to her, that the Empress has not been found. Where is Lord Lomar?’

Mar shifted uncomfortably. ‘Unfortunately, it seems her kidnappers have slipped through our grasp. Lomar left just days ago. He wanted to await your arrival, but it had become evident that we had either missed the Empress, or they had not come this way. He said he was going ahead to a place called Tosah, although I am not familiar with the name.’

Tudor sighed. ‘I know of it. It is far from here. How disappointing. Now, our search will be made all the more difficult. We have been long upon the road, General, but I hope we can call upon your hospitality for the night. Then, we will continueeastat first light.’ The old magician then peered out the wide-open windows towards the craggy terrain of the chasm. ‘Captain Orrell will speak with you about what things we need for our supplies, but otherwise, I hope you can lend us a pillow each and a decent mattress.’

Samuel also took the chance to peek out the window, seeing the great rift of the chasm stretching below, and the many levels of the fortress huddled along its edge with people moving about on every piece of flat rock.

‘You plan to continue east, then?’ Mar asked with concern.

‘We must, General.’

The tall Turian shook his head solemnly. ‘Then I have more unfortunate news for you. We will be withdrawing the crossing before dawn. A Paatin host approaches through the mountains. They have already taken Kalid, the nearest town across the pass, this third day past. Lomar must have made it through just in time or he would have returned by now. The path through the mountains will be slow for them but,once the Paatin army reaches here, they will have no way to reach us. However, there will also be no way for anyone here to travel to the far side.’

‘They may have thought of that, General,’ Tudor told him. ‘The Paatin have proved highly resourceful and may already have plans. I doubt they would come here depending only on their luck.’

‘Once the bridge is lowered, there is no way across for months in every direction. Ghant guards the only pass through these mountains, and they run ragged and cruel, as you can see. No army has every crossed here without our permission and none ever will. The desert-men will be forced to turn back if they want to enter Turia and they will have to round the mountains as best they can. Any other route will lead them up above the snowline and their losses would be severe. It would take them weeks to cross with that many men. No sane commander would risk it. Even so, I will not underestimate the enemy. I have also heard strange tales of their warfare and they seem wellprepared in everything they do. I am sure their spies have been through here many times and they know the lay of the land well. I believe they will come here with a plan, as you say, but we will be ready for anything they can throw against us. I am a stubborn old goat at times, but I will not underestimate my foe, whether they bear magic or not. We will give the Paatin a greeting they will not forget.’

‘It sounds like you know your job well, General. I will not interfere.’

‘Are you expecting them to bring magicians?’ Goodfellow asked, for his ears had picked up at mention of magic.

‘I hear they call their spell-casters wizards , but I have no mind for such words, except that it means that they wield magic. I would expect anything. We have not seen or heard of them using magic yet in these parts, but that may mean nothing. Magic seems to have become the bread and butter of war these days, although I still do not understand its workings. I will not leave anything to surprise. Now, I suggest you get as much rest as you can and depart early. I am sorry you had to waste your time coming this way.’

‘What do you mean, General?’ old Tudor asked with puzzlement.

‘You cannot cross the mountains. The way is blocked by a horde of desert-men. Surely, you will be turning back.’

‘That is not possible, General. We will not return without the Empress and her son. You mentioned other ways through the mountains, across the high paths?’

‘That is madness, My Lord,’ he retorted, incredulous at the notion, before recovering his sober demeanour. ‘I beg your pardon, My Lord. Please excuse my surprise. The high paths are treacherous at the best of times and,at this time of year,it is suicide to venture so high. If you took a hundred men through, perhaps five might survive.’

‘Bethatas it may, General, we are magicians and we cannot turn back. We will leave our Imperial escort behindif need beand proceed on foot,’ to which Captain Orrell nodded his agreement.

‘Is it wise to abandon our escort?’ Goodfellow asked worriedly.

‘I understand your concerns, Master Goodfellow,’ Tudor responded over his shoulder, raising a finger of calm, ‘but it would not be wise for Captain Orrell and his men to accompany us. We could not protect so many. They would only be a hindrance.’

‘It does sound ratherrisky,’ Samuel added.

‘You forget yourself, Lord Samuel,’ Tudor replied, his patience wearing thin. ‘We are not oafs fumbling around in the darkness. I am a Lion of Cintar, and you three are Magicians of the Order. We will cross the mountainstogether.’

Samuel felt Turian stubbornness affecting the Grand Master’s decision, but he could say no more.

‘Then so be it,’ General Mar agreed. ‘I can provide you with a guide who knows the mountains well. When it is time for you to leave, I will summon him.’

They were taken to small, yet comfortably furnished, rooms to retire for the evening-tiny cellssculptedinto the outer walls of the tower. As night fell, Samuel closed his tiny window tightly shut for,with the sun’s setting,the already brisk air now carried a frigid bite. Goodfellow’sbunksharedthe tiny roomwith him,leavingbarely walking space between them, andGoodfellowhad slipped out to fetch their dinner.

Samuel was just sitting on the side of his bed, scratching his chin and making some notes in his journal,when there was an insistent tapping on the door. At first,he thought it was Goodfellow returned, but the energy of the person on the other side was not his, although familiar. Samuel pulled open the door to find Lady River facing him. She brushed past him at once and swept into his room.

‘Close the door, Magician,’ she told him. ‘We must be quick.’ Samuel did as he was told, not quite sure what to expect. ‘I have much to tell you, and I am watched closely. I can tell Lady Leaf I became lost in the halls, which is not far from the truth, but I can only make excuses for so long. This may be thelastchance I have to speak with you.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘These people, my countrymen, have been sent here to achieve some secret purpose. They have sacrificed countless lives to reach your lands and will stop at nothing.’