Anton Anderson - The Seekers - Soul Ties

At each of the four big windows stood heavy tables. One was littered with pieces of paper, scrolls, books, and bottles of ink. That table was mostly used by Edweena, Star’s lover, who was very fond of writing poetry and plays. Iskrila never really liked acting in them, but she enjoyed watching. She loved Edweena’s talent and treasured being able to witness her constantly maturing and improving.

«You don’t sound like you’ve made progress.» Iskrila locked the door.

«We did, but neither of us like it.» Sabiri’s hooves were already clattering on the staircase.

Iskrila followed her to the second floor, which contained two separate guest rooms, then to the third and final floor. The interior here was almost the same as on the first floor but with no stove and a much larger bed.

«What do you have in mind?» Iskrila greeted Star with a fist bump.

Star gave Iskrila some space at the table. «Sit and look at the map!»

Iskrila immediately recognized Imbrergoso, the grounds around it, the road. Little black lines surrounded the walls and the woods around the village. Towards them led a few arrows with little numbers written nearby. Small rectangles were afloat in Drowners’ waters, cutting off the rest of the Lake.

With each passing moment, both realization and fear grew in Iskrila’s mind. Suddenly, a jolt of dread shook her.

«Seriously?» Iskrila exhaled, staring at Star and Sabiri. «Are you suggesting attacking them? Or is it just a blockade?»

Star sighed heavily, fidgeted in her chair, but didn’t speak. Sabiri was silently staring at the far window.

«How is it a good idea if you’re so uncomfortable with it?» Iskrila stood up and looked Sabiri in the eye. «What Drowners are doing is evil, but I don’t think I would retaliate that far!»

Sabiri met her gaze but said nothing. Her eyes kept searching for something, her crossed hands kept squeezing her arms, her facial expression kept on shifting slightly, but she couldn’t say a word.

«I don’t want any blood,» Star finally answered. «But first of all, I need to secure our future. You know we cannot just pack up and leave. A population this size needs much more food and protection that we can secure fast enough. And we cannot stay in this seclusion. Jaesa refused all the options I’ve offered lately, so all we have left is force.»

«So, is it a blockade or a siege?»

«Siege,» Sabiri answered. «Blockading them would take too much time and would be too dangerous. If too many soldiers would take part, our villages would be unprotected. And if too few soldiers were to surround Drowners, they would try to counterattack.»

Her words made sense, but Iskrila didn’t feel any better about it. In fact, she felt even worse, for her imagination started painting the most unfortunate turns of events.

«Wait,» Iskrila asked, «what «villages’?»

«All of them.» Star joined them at the window. «Vapors and Scarlets really want this to end.»

«And you think Drowners would attack such an armada?»

«I don’t care.» Sabiri shook her head. «The possibility is there, so I cannot risk it. Besides, just a few of them need to escape. With the amount of money they could’ve gathered in their raids, they could afford mercenaries. What would they attack then? Our flanks? Our homes? Why would I risk it? It’s way safer to gather as many soldiers as possible from all the villages, quickly beat Drowners into submission, then return to guard our own walls ASAP.»

Iskrila tried to remember those numbers on the map. That would be about half a thousand soldiers on the field. She knew for a fact that it would be nothing, that the attackers needed three times as many people than the defenders. But Sabiri must’ve known that as well!

«We still won’t have enough people for a siege,» Iskrila voiced her concern. «We would need at least twice as many soldiers as you’ve scribed on the map!»

«Only if we were to climb the walls.»

«But you said siege!»

«We believe it’s possible to destroy the wall. Without it, Drowners would be at a disadvantage. Hopefully, they would realize that and just surrender.»

«And how would we destroy it?»

«This is where you come in.» Sabiri smiled. «Flaming arrows are certainly beautiful during festivities, but they are also destructive.»

Iskrila’s jaw dropped when she heard that. Sabiri was joking, she thought. No, not joking, but mistaken. That would never work! The logs that built the wall were too thick to set aflame with pesky little arrows!

Star smiled too, seeing Iskrila’s confused face. «We know what you’re thinking. It could work. A hundred thousand arrows, raining at the wall constantly, should be enough to heat it up. Even if it doesn’t catch ablaze, there would still be smoke. We could manage to scare Drowners enough to evacuate, especially if enough smoke appeared.»

More and more questions popped up in Iskrila’s head, but most of them she immediately answered herself. It didn’t bring her any closure or comfort, but what other option should she offer? What was safer? What was faster? What was at least as good? A minute passed, and Iskrila still didn’t have the answer.

«It’ll take a while to get ready, and a lot of work. Drowners could see something, could hear something,» Iskrila said.

Star reassured her. «The moment Drowners learn it, we would also know. It’s not ideal, and it is hard to pull off, but it wouldn’t be the first time we fought with a quill and some ink.»

Iskrila made another heavy sigh, but she didn’t have a better plan.

«Alright,» Iskrila said. «Let’s do it.»

Ouch! Why do those stupid bushes have thorns on them? Sabiri licked a drop of blood from her finger. Paranoid, she checked once again that her horns were nicely hidden behind the bush, then carefully moved the branches just enough to see through. Today should be their last reconnaissance mission before the attack, so she’d better be careful.

«Two guards in front of the gates, four are patrolling on the wall…» Sabiri counted. «All as usual. I hardly ever see their people patrolling outside.»

Greta, Poinistan’s war mistress, pushed her aside to take a look. «Well, it’s easier for us, then! No surprises mean minimal casualties. Hopefully.»

Sabiri made another opening for herself. The distance to the village was considerable. Aside from a few bushes scattered around, there was no cover.

«I can’t hear them. So, hopefully our arrival should come unnoticed,» Sabiri said.

Shai, Imbralestan’s war mistress, sat down nearby and examined the view. «I’m a bit worried about our boats. Once they come close enough to the pier, the wall would hide them from sight. We wouldn’t see the situation there.»

Greta sighed. «Yeah, that sucks, but it should also be the easiest part of the assault.»

Shai answered something, but Sabiri wasn’t listening. A wagon appeared from the forest ahead of them. Instead of going straight, it turned on the crossroad towards Imbrergoso. Then it stopped. Did they miss their turn? Apparently so, for the wagon turned back and went around the village.

«Greta, you think that wagon aimed to reach your tribe?» Sabiri asked.

«Fucking idiots!» Greta shook her fist at the wagon. «No way they haven’t heard the news! Why did we dispatch additional warnings everywhere we could? So everyone ignored them? Look at those Drowners!»

The Drowners guarding the wall had already gathered together and were now watching the wagon slowly leaving their lands, creaking without enough oil on its axis.

Shai whispered, «It’s almost teasing them! I guess we should be glad they don’t constantly seek prey and sometimes just relax behind their walls.»