Richard Parker - Elsewhere

“See to Krys,” he said to Lonogan, his voice breaking slightly. “See to all our dead.”

Lonogan nodded and then Gwaynn shakily lifted Samantha and carried her across to Manse.

ǂ

“We were close to crushing them,” General Sanchez insisted excitedly.

“We were close to losing everything,” King Weldon snapped back glancing warily at the Speaker bubble floating in the center of the tent. “They had a Tar in our rear…and they have Travelers.”

“We had our reserves well placed,” Sanchez argued. “We should turn about and press them.”

Weldon shook his head. “They have a Tar! We need to fall back through the Aleria Pass and circle back around to the plains. Is the Gap is still open?”

“You will do no such thing,” Hothgaard’s voice boomed through the Speaker bubble. “We are preparing to attack the northern walls of Manse. You must keep the Massi army up on the Plateau and away from the area.”

“They have a Tar!” Weldon repeated once more, still shaken by the quick, decisive deaths of two of his Executioner allies.

“I do not think he was a Tar,” the Executioner Giodart said confidently from his chair on the far side of the tent.

Weldon’s head swiveled to the man from Sinis. “If not a Tar, then who? The man killed two Executioners in under a minute. They hardly challenged him.”

Giodart stared at the Palmerrio King seemingly unperturbed by the comment, but greatly concerned by the implications. “Prince Gwaynn Massi would be my guess,” Giodart replied dryly. “Do not forget that he trained on Noble and under Tar Nev.”

Weldon barely controlled a shiver at the mention of Nev’s name. “He was only on Noble for a little over a year.”

“You will continue to engage the Massi army,” Hothgaard’s disembodied voice interrupted. “Keep them out of Manse.”

“What of the Deutzani?” Weldon asked.

“We’ve no word,” answered Hothgaard. “Perhaps their Speaker has been killed or wounded, but according to Arden’s last report Lynndon was near to falling.”

“Then the Deutzani could press west toward Manse,” Weldon answered and continued to hold out hope of moving back through the Pass and around to the plains. He did not like the Plateau. He felt trapped and unable to move though the land was wide and open. What truly worried him was the possibility of the Aleria Pass being closed off, because then retreat would be impossible…if everything went bad.

“Forget the Deutzani, though if they actually break Lynndon I will order King Arden west to support you against the Massi army. In the mean time you will continue to harass them. Keep the Massi away from Manse; when we take the city their resistance should collapse.”

There was a moment of silence then the bubble unceremoniously blinked out of existence.

Weldon shot a frustrated glance at Sanchez, who was smart enough not to show his own pleasure. The General was utterly confident that on their next meeting his troops would crush the Massi army and prove his King’s doubts unfounded.

“What of the Travelers?” Weldon asked but he was addressing Tar Giodart rather than his own General. “If we face the Massi again, I want the Tars of Sinis with me.”

Sanchez frowned but before he could say anything Giodart spoke up. “No…I will stay back for protection…if the Prince of Massi comes after you again I will take him, but Tar Rhinehold and Tarina de Croix stay on the wings where they can do the most damage.”

“You think you can take Prince Gwaynn…if that’s who it was?”

Giodart shrugged, though inside he was confident he could handle even a Tar. He was nearly the oldest of the Tars of Sinis, only Tar Nacht and Lacombe had more experience. If the attacker was Prince Gwaynn, well then, so much the better…better than facing a true Tar of Noble at least. From all reports the boy was talented, but he was young and Giodart doubted any youth could hold out against him for long. But if he, in fact, had killed the two young Executioners…plus Tar Navarra, then the boy was truly deadly and should not be underestimated. Still he was young and the young were prone to overconfidence. Plus Giodart had a few subtle moves he was sure would surprise the young Prince. He would win such a contest, he was sure, after all his own skill and training had yet to fail him in combat and he had faced many formidable opponents. Just one slip by young Gwaynn and everything would end for the Massi…abruptly. Even so, when they finally met in battle Giodart decided he would end it quickly, no taunting, no playing with the Prince, there was too much at stake.

“I will handle Gwaynn Massi. You be sure to handle his army.”

ǂ

Cyn de Baard watched as the wounded were hustled into the infirmary. She was no longer staying in the hospital tent, having moved back to her old room at the lumber mill a couple of days prior. But she still visited every other day to have her shoulder dressings changed by a young girl named Merra, who seemed competent enough, but chatted ceaselessly as she worked. However, when the bridge opened and the wounded began to pour through, the young nurse was momentarily rendered speechless.

‘Small favors,’ de Baard thought to herself. Her shoulder, though still very stiff and weak, seemed to be healing nicely with no sign of infection or complications. That was good; she would need it to be completely healed before she finally moved against the bitch…then Tar Nacht. The stitches along her jaw were beginning to itch and according to Linkler would be able to come out after another week or so. Her dislocated jaw was mending as well and she was now able to eat solid food which was a true blessing.

Merra had already cleaned and rewrapped de Baard’s face, the bandage passed over the Executioner’s nose several times but her mouth and eyes were now left free, then the wrap continued under her chin and up over the top of her head before being secured in place. The bandages were now only to protect the cut from dirt and germs and were not wrapped nearly so tight now that her jaw was better. de Baard didn’t mind them however, she was even beginning to like the way she looked in the bandages…it gave her an air of mystery and still left her eyes, by far her best feature, free and unspoiled.

“My!” Merra said as the wounded were hustled in. She was clearly alarmed, though apparently she’d recovered enough from the shock to regain her verbal capacities. To her credit however, she continued to work on de Baard’s wrappings as the wounded streamed by.

de Baard restrained a smile as the wounded soldiers quickly filled up the remaining space in the tent. The battle with the Palmerrio had clearly been a major engagement, not that de Baard particularly cared, but her interest peaked when she caught sight of Gwaynn rushing in and carrying the red-headed whore in his arms. He moved past without a glance in her direction and de Baard felt a stab of jealousy along with a twin stab of hope.

‘Let it be fatal, ’ she thought… ’but even if it’s not, it’s time I finished the job.’

“All finished,” Merra said with a large smile. The girl was relentlessly happy and upbeat. “You need to come back in three days for a clean bandage. Your wounds are coming along splendidly, but if you’ll excuse me I need to go and find Doctor Linkler.”

“Sure,” de Baard said but the girl was already gone. The Executioner hardly noticed; her eyes were riveted on Gwaynn kneeling over a cot in the far corner of the tent. Linkler was with him, though the doctor only stayed a moment before moving off to check on other patients.

de Baard’s heart soared. ‘Perhaps she’s already dead!’ She thought cheerfully, but then she saw the slut’s hand move up slowly and brush aside a stray piece of hair from the Prince’s face. de Baard’s heart fell. Samantha was alive and probably not in any real danger…at least not from her injuries.