Mickey Reichert - Flight of the Renshai

Someone pounded on the door, and a muffled voice penetrated the panel. "Khalen, are you all right?"

Treysind unhooked the door and opened it to reveal several merchants, the grocer at the front. Most were unarmed, though a few carried notched swords, cudgels, or pointed sticks. They all cast glances, wild-eyed and speechless, around the fabric shop.

"He's dead," one said hopefully, then added exuberantly. "Savage is dead."

Several whooped or cheered, but most simply stared.

The grocer stepped inside. "Thank you, Treysind." He turned toward Calistin. "Thank you, Cali-Stan."

The Renshai restored the inflection. "Ka-LEES-tin. My name is Calistin."

"Thank you, Calistin," several muttered, stepping inside. They seemed more stunned by the carnage than appreciative, but Calistin did not mind. He had done it for his own reasons, not to earn their adulation. Without looking up, without replying, he continued tending his swords.

Once again, Treysind chose to answer for him. "Ya's welcome. He's glad ta do't, he is."

The rest of the conversation flowed past Calistin, unheard, as the need to put his swords right became the sole focus of his universe. Should anyone or anything threaten, it would draw his full attention in an instant; but anything less did not deserve his notice. Treysind could and would handle it better.

Tae luxuriated in the plush chair set especially for him in Matrinka's personal quarters, Imorelda snuggled and purring in his lap. King Griff perched on a similarly comfortable seat, while Rantire, the Renshai, hovered over him. Darris stood near the window, and Matrinka sat cross-legged on her canopied bed, surrounded by sleeping cats.

Tae had known the moment his message, through Imorelda, had reached Matrinka. The guards had released him, bowing and scraping in apology for the way they had treated him. He had been allowed free access to every room of the castle, and his escort to the queen's very bedroom remained reverential and gracious.

"I think," Tae said with utmost caution, "we need to consider releasing our two prisoners."

Griff 's brow knitted. Darris' eyes closed in consideration, while Matrinka nodded broadly. She replied first. "They can tell the other pirates we're actually intelligent beings. Then they'll leave us alone. Right?" She glanced around the room, eyes shining.

Tae heaved a deep sigh. If only it were that simple. "Matrinka, deep down, I think most of them know we're human. By now, those who have directly fought us have to realize it, even if they won't admit it, even to themselves. In war, one always demonizes or belittles the enemy to ease the guilt of what otherwise feels like unmitigated murder. They're not really killing us because they think we're animals; otherwise, they'd slaughter our cats, rats, and fish with equal enthusiasm."

No one could get a question out faster than Darris. If knowledge existed, he had to possess it. "So why are they killing us, Tae? Did they tell you that?"

"They did." Tae leaned forward. "They want-I should say, they feel they need-our land."

"Land?" Griff blinked several times in succession. "How much do they need?"

Tae smiled, certain the king of Bearn was generous enough to bestow a barony on the pirates, if they only asked politely. "It's not a matter of need, Griff. They want it all."

"That's unreasonable!"

Tae would not allow himself to laugh. He loved the simple generosity of the royal Bearnides, especially Matrinka's sweet naivete. "Of course, it's unreasonable. War is always unreasonable."

Matrinka tried again. "But if they all knew they were trying to steal that land away from other humans. Wouldn't that make a difference?"

Darris patted Matrinka's arm in sympathy and also as a warning. Even the gentle king knew the answer to her question.

Tae explained anyway. He had not yet told them everything he had learned. "The pirates aren't doing this for themselves, Matrinka. They're doing it for their Kjempemagiska." He used the pirate's own word, then explained, "For their masters."

Curiosity piqued again, Darris abandoned Matrinka to shift nearer to Tae. "Their Kjempa… their masters?"

Tae knew Darris would need to get the word right, so he pronounced each syllable distinctly. "Kee-yemp-eh-ma-jee-ska. Giant beings, maybe twice the size of humans, with powerful magic. The nearest thing we have are-"

"-gods," Darris filled in, with obvious awe.

"Yes. But our gods don't normally walk among us. Or meddle daily in our affairs."

"Theirs do?" Griff asked the obvious question.

Tae tried to explain what he knew from the information the captured pirates had given him and from the mental communication that had occurred during their conversation. "From what I understand, the Kjempemagiska could easily massacre or enslave the pirates, who call themselves alsona. Which, as far as I can tell, just means 'people' or 'humans.' Instead, the Kjempemagiska live mostly in peace with the alsona. The trade-off is when the Kjempemagiska want something, such as new territory for their expanding population, the alsona do exactly as they are told or suffer torture and death of themselves and loved ones."

Tae fell silent, allowing the information to sink in all around him.

Matrinka broke the hush first, with a suggestion clearly phrased so as not to make her sound foolish. "So, if we offered our extra land to the alsona, that would open more room for the giants. And everyone would be happy." *She's so cute,* Imorelda sent.*I'd love her, if she hadn't just tricked me into doing something hateful.*

"A clever idea." Tae knew Matrinka meant well. "Unfortunately, the giants don't want a piece of our world. They want all of it. They don't wish to live without their soldiers and servants. The soldiers don't wish to leave their homes, for the most part. And, if the alsona fail, the Kjempemagiska will become our next opponents. When they don't get what they want, they've been known to rip humans in half or kill dozens with a single spell."

As Tae expected, the news did not go over well. Matrinka gasped. Darris seemed to be desperately searching for alternatives. Worried creases marred Griff 's face, and Rantire paced furiously back and forth, as if already protecting Griff from the gods themselves.

No one asked what to do next; they had no choice but to gather every ally in the known world to repel the invaders. Because everyone, from the farthest corner of the Northlands to the deepest part of the Eastlands, had a dire and personal stake in winning this war.

Griff 's soft voice punctuated the silence. "We'll need the elves, too."

Elves, immortals, the gods themselves.

Rantire made a point even Tae had not considered. "If these magical giants are anything like demons or gods, only certain weapons can harm them. And, as far as I know, our world's only bewitched items are all in the hands of Renshai."

"Renshai." Griff managed a crooked smile. He had never wanted to banish his allies, and the idea of calling them home clearly pleased him as nothing else spoken in this room had done. "Call them," he ordered. "Call everyone in every part of the world. I'm declaring this an all-out war."

Though many of the merchants of New Loven offered a comfortable bed, Calistin and Treysind spent the night in the forest. Calistin preferred the solitude and worried about growing too soft. The concern about highwaymen and Northmen kept him sharp and might give him the opportunity to hone his sword arm again.

Treysind laid out a veritable feast, complete with fresh vegetables, soft brown bread, and even a bit of butter. "I knows why ya wants us here 'stead a nice, warm beds."

Calistin walked over and crouched in front of the food. A cyclical hum of crickets hung in the night air, occasionally pierced by the whirring call of a fox. Since Calistin already knew why he had made his decision, he did not press for an answer.