Michael Manning - The Line of Illeniel

“Take them to the stockade,” Cyhan added, addressing our men.

Dorian tapped him on the shoulder, an embarrassed expression on his face. “Actually we never built a stockade,” he said as Cyhan turned to him. “It was the lowest thing on the priority list and we never got to it,” he added.

The older warrior shrugged, “I guess we’ll have to kill them then.” His sword appeared in his hand as if it had always been there and his matter of fact expression was chilling.

“Wait!” I shouted, striding forward. “These men have surrendered, we can’t kill them.”

Cyhan sighed, “Honor is all well and good, your excellency, ” he put special emphasis on the last part. “But this is war. We have no place to keep them out of trouble and we can’t afford to assign men to babysit them.”

“These men are no different than we are, they’ve got homes and families just as we do. I won’t take a man’s life after he’s surrendered,” I told him bluntly.

“What happened to ‘I’ll kill every soldier that steps into this valley’?” Cyhan asked.

I gritted my teeth and ignored him. “Dorian, take them to the great hall and interrogate them. If they answer your questions freely and honestly we’ll release them this evening. They can make their own choices after that.”

The reaction of the crowd was a combination of gasps, mutters, and sighs of relief. Clearly opinions were mixed about what to do with them. Some wanted them dead, but others abhorred killing helpless men as much as I did. “As you wish, my lord,” Dorian answered immediately. It was the first time I could recall him addressing me that way. I hoped it wouldn’t become a habit.

“Find out who their commander is. I also want to know as much as they can tell us about their numbers, troop composition and command structure. After that they can go. If they wish to rejoin their fellows they can die with the rest of them tomorrow.” I stared calmly at them as I said the last part.

I saw Joe among the survivors and breathed a sigh of relief. “Joe, assign twenty men with bows and swords to watch the barn. If they discover another of my circles and begin using it I want to know immediately. Kill anyone who appears in them unless I order otherwise. No hesitation, no parley.”

“Wouldn’t it be safer to destroy them now?” he asked.

“No I need them. Given their current location the only one they might find is the one I just used. Keep a close eye on it.” I took him in and made sure he knew which circle I meant.

I left them then, and headed for my rooms. Weariness had crept over me and a nap was long overdue.

The room was dark when a sound woke me from my slumber. I had only meant to take a short nap but my body had had other ideas. The lack of sunlight told me I must have slept the rest of the afternoon away. I was amazed that no one had come to wake me. A distinctive snore gave away Penny’s presence beside me. She hadn’t been there when I went to sleep, but she must have needed it as much as I did. I rose quietly so as to not disturb her.

Another rap at the door made me aware of why I had awoken. I crossed the room quickly and opened it, Dorian stood in the entrance. “They’ve reached the point where the road leads to Washbrook,” he said without preamble.

That got my attention. That meant their column would be spread out from that point to Arundel. If they moved further they would escape our trap. The assumption had been they would turn there, to attack us at Cameron Castle. I could only guess whether they had left men in Arundel but it hardly mattered. Whether they had decided to use it as a supply base or left it empty their main body was where it needed to be. “What time is it?” I asked.

“A little past eight o’clock,” he replied.

“Hmm,” I said wisely, stroking my beard.

“Aren’t you going to set things in motion?” he said anxiously.

“Not now, it’s too early, or rather late.”

“If you wait they’ll be out of position once they start moving again, Mort.” Dorian’s naturally pensive expression was out on full display.

“If we do it now they’ll be scattered in every direction. The dark will make them more disorganized. Some will run for the tree line rather than the valley, that would be worse,” I told him. “Get some sleep. We’ll start the party as soon as dawn arrives.”

“As if anyone could sleep now!” he moaned.

“You’d best try. There will be no time for it tomorrow,” I advised. “I’ll see you before dawn.”

“But Mort!” he started. I closed the door before he could finish.

“Was that Dorian?” Penny asked; her voice thick from sleeping.

I told her the news, trying to keep it less exciting than it really was. I figured she could use some sleep. I failed miserably. An hour later we were both still awake, staring up at the darkened ceiling. Eventually we gave up on sleeping and spent our time more productively; since it was obvious sleep wouldn’t come.

I woke again with a start. “What time is it?” That seemed to be my favorite question lately.

Penny was already dressed. “A bit after three in the morning,” she replied. That meant we had slightly less than three hours before dawn. I planned to act as soon as the sky was bright enough to allow men to see clearly, which would be sooner.

I rose and began dressing. “Think anyone’s cooking breakfast this early?”

She laughed, “Dorian’s had most of the household up since two. Everyone is on edge anyway. I’m sure they’re getting ready to serve now.”

We went down and ate breakfast with the others. The mood in the room was a strange contrast between sullen silence and nervous laughter as some channeled their anxiety into joke telling. I ate quickly though I had no appetite. The food sat in my stomach like a rock.

Before we left I went to our map table and took out three small sacks. Carefully I gathered up the glass stones corresponding to the areas of the road I meant to destroy. The largest sack held the stones that would detonate the bombs along the length of the road. The second held those that would destroy Arundel and the third held those that would convince the enemy to flee in the direction we had chosen. I worked mechanically, keeping my mind blank. I couldn’t afford to think about what my actions would mean.

On our way to the barn I made a side trip to my father’s now dark smithy. The only fires that had been lit there since his death had been my own, and those were few enough. Tonight it was dark and cold. I stepped through the darkened workspace without needing light. Even without my magesight I would have known my way, so familiar was that place.

I took his favorite hammer from the tool rack, a medium weight cross-pein hammer. One side was flat while the other angled in to form a line. He had preferred it for its versatility. I felt a twinge of guilt at using his tool for such a purpose, but I refused to choose another. I was sure he would have wanted to help me, even if it were for something as dark as this.

Hammer in hand we went to the barn, greeting the men who still stood guard there. “Morning gentlemen,” I said, though none of them could be said to be gentile.

“Good morning your lordship,” Sam Turner responded. He was the only man among them that I recognized. I smiled for a moment as I remembered him helping me cover myself with mud. I hardened my resolve. It was for him, his family, and others like him that I was doing this.

“Today’s the day Sam. We should be back soon, but you’ll hear the fireworks before we return. Make sure the men don’t shoot me when we reappear,” I told him solemnly.

“We’d never shoot a lady sir,” he replied.