Returning to my field, I gave orders, “All armor and weapons to be polished, streamers from the lances and bows and ribbons in the manes of the horses. Let Hippo, Penth and Lys show you how for we must look especially proud for the morrow.”
“Why Captain?”
“Everyone loves a Parade and Prince Viktor, who pays our wages, wishes one. Keep the bows unstrung and the blades peace-knotted until we are well outside the walls. I want no cause for the Royal Guard to suspect us of ill will.”
***
That afternoon I inspected the chosen men, thirty in all. Then I thinned and dismissed ten for with Erik, Lys, the amazons and myself, we needed only fifteen men and the extra five would give me a comfortable margin but not so many to tax our foraging. Besides, Viktor expected me to meet a dozen bandits and even were they armed, two-to-one odds struck me as adequate. I had chosen the best horsemen and the best archers from among the company to give me an edge then leaving the corporal with orders for the next month, released them all with the words, “Rest up tonight. I want no hangovers to cause you to upchuck over the Prince. Be certain your arms and armor are bright and shiny and pretty to behold for our Prince dearly loves an attractive man and the prettiest may find extra work in the Palace.”
The men laughed at this as they were dismissed and I returned to finish some paperwork to pay for the supplies we would need for the trip. Paperwork! I had my fill of it running Innis and here was I still buried under the stuff. But Viktor believed in justifying every drachm he spent and sometimes I think I spent more silver on paper than on arrows.
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PARADE
Lys was of mixed emotions that night so I held her and did little else. She had gone on the occasional patrol but had never been in a fight at all so was scared about this mission. “My love, I am grateful that you took me on as both lover and soldier but I’m scared. I’ve never killed a man before and don’t know if I can.”
“My first time I was a teen and I wet my pants before and lost my meal afterwards. After awhile it gets easier, then harder then easier again. If you cannot, then we find something else for you to do.”
“I cannot imagine you being scared.”
”I am before every fight. I just don’t show it. Then I calm down and accept the inevitable. The secret is to decide that you are already dead and won’t make it past the day. So once I decide I am dead, I can fight and not worry.” I then held her until I fell asleep, not knowing if she did or not.
***
The next morning we arose early, ate our breakfast and with packs ready, arrived at the palace well before the appointed hour. I wanted to be certain that my men were sober and looked shiny then stationed everyone in armor and pennants and we waited. And waited. And waited until finally Prince Viktor left the palace with his son and personal guards to join us. I rode to him, bowed from the saddle and asked, “And the rest of our procession is where?”
“Father Goran and his aids are not here? That displeases me. I trust he is in good health!” He looked at me as if I were responsible.
“My Lord, I know nothing of this. I expected him to exit with you.”
“Still, you and he are known to be at odds.”
“And were I to cause him harm, I would be certain to brag about the act. But here, I am innocent.”
“Of course you are for here comes the Revered Father now,” I could tell that he was not pleased for the guest of honor must be the last to arrive that all see him, and to wait on another stole Viktor’s thunder. Good! I was seen waiting for the Boyer and the Boyer had to wait for a priest which placed me on better terms with the State.
The priest began to apologize but one look from the prince and he shut up, rushing with his retinue to his place as we rode off. I actually enjoyed that ride. Me with helmet in hand riding next to Prince Viktor who waved at the crowd. Lyssandra with helmet on her head next to the Prince Dusan, my men in two rows behind and the priest and his assistants following on foot, some still dressing.
At the gate, Viktor stood aside and waved as we rode past, saluting with our lances then we were away and I imagine there was another parade back to the palace. Once in the tree-line and hidden from the city, I called for a halt. “Ok, let us pack away this finery and get ready for the ride. We have ten days or so and I’d rather not have to wear all this armor and ribbons again until I must.”
We all dismounted, the priests caught up and began to pack their belongings in the wagons, neither they nor I making contact and Lys came to me, placed her hands around my neck and kissed me with the words, “I will never forget this wonderful gift you gave me today.”
The rest of the day she would suddenly break my reverie with, “He looks so handsome,” or “I almost forgot that he is near ten years old,” or ‘Do you think that someday when he is Prince, I can announce myself to him?” The rest of the time she just cried in happiness.
That first night, she lay in my arms in our tent and she talked forever. “I had three children. One died of plague as a baby because I could not afford medicine. One died when the Turks took Arabel. He was four and I couldn’t even mourn for him as they took me for their harem. Dusan is my only surviving child. Do you know what it is like to have your baby taken from you… I’m sorry. You had to bury your own babies in Ireland.”
“That was more than four years ago. I spent the first in Ireland hunting Brits, then the next three in Indonesia trying to forget. I never could. Even now I miss them so had to give you this. It isn’t much but it is the best I could do for you.”
“Tis enough. No other person has tried to make me happy. Jason, I’ve said this a hundred times but for you, I mean it. I love you and will forever.”
***
A couple days later she asked, “How can you stand to be with me?”
“I don’t understand?”
“I’m so much older than you. I’m thirty-five (she had earlier said thirty but women always lie about their age and weight) and worn out but you are barely twenty-five and a Noble. Surely there are younger and more beautiful women for you.” I had spent much of my pay to purchase the regenerative potions that fought to repair her body and age. They worked, but only to a fashion.
“What brought this on?”
“Men talk and I hear their words, see their looks. You can do better than me.”
“Perhaps, my dear, I am not so superficial as you would believe. And perhaps, my dear, there is more to you than you believe.” I forgot to tell her that I was far older than twenty-five.
***
Ten days across Yugoslavia and into Romania. We met three patrols and each time showed our passes and were sent on so had no trouble. We stayed in towns when we could, often renting barns and rooms in farmhouses for pennies, Once I flogged one of my men for attempted rape and as he was cut down, bleeding, I turned to my men and called out, “This is your only warning! The next time I hang the accused.” For the rest of the day I was in a bad mood, mumbling “Those farm-girls would gladly lay with them for pennies, there is no need for force!” Then I had the entire troop do shield lifts until it was too dark to see.
The next morning as I dragged my men from their beds, I saw the would-be rapist beaten half to death which cheered me a bit. His fellows seemed to have shown him that they didn’t mind his pleasure, until it affected them. The injured spent the remainder of the trip in the wagon, moaning and bleeding over his own blanket.
There were no further incidents.
***
The fog lifted at lunch time and we saw the Transylvanian Alps in the distance. “Sergeant, call the men to formation if you would.”
Then I looked them over. Twenty four men and women plus, standing aside, the priest and his monks who I managed to ignore. I allowed him to lead mass nightly for those who would attend but insisted that they meet away from the rest of us that we could rest without their cat-wailing.
“Listen up. Yonder are the mountains and to the south a series of castles built by Prince Dracula to stop the Turks. Most are destroyed but some still stand. I am told that the one a single day’s march away is the home of bandits to the number of a dozen. But we all know how those who pay our wages always seem to underestimate the numbers we face.” There was a smattering of laughter at this. “So arm up, keep your helmet straps tight and your bows, swords and lances loose and ready. From here on, we are at war! And I want none to die for stupidity or overly lax demeanor. Goran,”
“Father Goran,” he insisted.
I waved that away and continued, “Please keep yourself and your men close to the wagons. I will have four behind as a rear guard but if fighting starts, I will need all to fight and so you will be unprotected.” Then before he could complain, I went to arm myself.
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DRACULA’S CASTLE
We reached the castle in the afternoon and sent scouts ahead. They reported back an hour later “Captain, no sign of horses but lots of foot-prints entering and leaving as if they had no fear of detection. And the place stinks like a slaughter-house. We couldn’t find anyone, no guards at all. It’s too easy.”
The priest, Goran, suggested, “Doubtless they believe that all soldiers are away fighting the Turks and feel safe enough to ignore security. Had the Prince not petitioned us, they would be correct.”
“It sounds good but still, I didn’t live so long by being careless. Sergeant, five men to patrol outside on horse, five to guard the gates, the remaining inside with me. Shields and spears to the ready.”
With the Amazons and three other of my best horse riding around to warn us and with Erik and Lys and four others to watch the gate, ready to drop the grill or keep it open, we remaining ten entered with the Priests hiding in the gatehouse. A quick search of the gatehouses and wall revealed nothing. Then we entered the keep proper and searched room by room finding nothing again. The Keep was three floors and all were deserted. Curious.
“Sergeant, call the men inside, stable the horses and post a guard. Either the bandits fled or are raiding. So let’s settle in before the sun sets and tomorrow we’ll search the countryside. We still have the dungeons to search so half will go below, the remainder sits here after we sup. And keep our watch hidden but alert. I don’t want the returning bandits to catch us asleep.”
Nervous, I walked the line, examining each sentry as Lys and Erik followed, “Why so worried, Captain? The bandits are afoot and we see no evidence of hard armor. Our men are scared enough to ‘void sleep. I’ve seen bars that were less secure.”
“I don’t like it. Lys, What do you hear?” Lyssandra had no education so confused her senses easily and would refer to any psychic impression as ‘hearing’. Neither Eric nor the men liked having another witch in the company but I found her abilities valuable, especially her knowledge of healing with herbs. In a world where sword wounds were treated with boiling oil or molten lead, her making poultices of moldy bread, and knowing which mold to use, saved many a life.
“It stinks of the dead. When plague struck Arabel during the siege, I smelled the same stink. This castle makes me terrified. We should burn it to the ground and leave.”
“For once I agree,” Erik admitted. “Pity stone doesn’t burn.”
“Very well, we settle in and ready for their return. Bank the fires carefully so none can see from the outside. One-of-three on watch within. One-of-three rest here and the rest with me.” The men thought being an officer and sergeant to be exciting and fill of glamour. But frankly, neither Erik nor I had ever had a break or a day off. Once you reach a position of authority, your free time vanishes and I started early and ended late. Peasants have it easy sometimes.
It was still hours to sunset and not even bandits like to be in the woods after dark so I ensured that the watch was ready and Erik alert, then, sighing, called, “Let’s do it!” and led the way underground.
Torches made of rush and soaked in oil lit the way and we’d place one in the scones as we passed to mark our way and give more light. Then I stopped. “What?” Lys asked as the men bunched behind.
Kneeling, I showed with torchlight. “Here, the dirt and dust has been pressed aside. Here a footprint! The tracks go in and out. The bandits reside below in the dark. But I cannot tell if the exit or entry prints are the fresher. Do any hear any sound?”
Receiving the negative, I added, “Then they must still be out and we should meet no trouble.” As the stairs leveled off and a tunnel led into the mountain, doors appeared. Testing one, it seemed to be locked or rusted shut. Or perhaps the wood had swollen it tight to the frame. Regardless, I could not budge the door and stepping back, motioned. Still with three men struggling, and with spear shaft as a lever, the door would not move. “If we cannot open it, then neither can the bandits. We search on.” But every door, ten in all, was sealed to us.
At the end of the corridor was a large room where the door was forced open with a creak and groan. The wood hinges protested by gave way to reveal a storeroom filled with empty barrels and crates, many smashed against the walls.
“At least we know from where the stink comes,” I commented.
“Not so,” My Lord,” Lys replied. “This stink is different. Before it was the stink of plague or a charnel house. Now it is the stink of… a cow-field.”
Some barrels were empty, some contained the remains of their contents but none remained sealed. I approached the wreckage that lay at the base of a wall, staring at the event. It appeared as if something had flung the barrel against the wall with such force that the barrel had broken open, then fallen to the ground. Moldy.. whatever, remained on the wall then on the floor within and leaking from the barrel. Pulling my dagger, I sifted through the mess until I could identify it. “Turnips! The barrel was filled with turnips, now rotten and moldy with age.”
One of my men laughed, “I never could abide turnips myself.”
Another was sifting through more wreckage, “Leeks!” another cried, “Cabbages!” All were rotting and moldy with age.
”Any meat?” I asked. Afraid of the answer.
“None, Captain,” one called. “Mayhaps these empty barrels once contained jerked meat but long gone.”
Lys was backing to the door, her mouth covered to hold back the stink. She had never spent much time in the field where the dead lay unburied by the latrines until a lull in the fighting could bury them.
“Rats! Where are the rats?” she cried. Two of the men were nodding in agreement.
“What?” I asked.
“Have you never suffered a siege?” Lys asked.
Shaking my head, I waited. I had stood siege but never been within a encircled city or castle.
“Rats are the only thing that survive a siege. We ate them when starving. We sold rats for gold. But rats eat anything. They should have eaten this garbage. Why did they not?”
I leaned over to find a bone, long and thick, doubtless from a cow to examine the splintered remains. The bone, like all bones within the room, had been splintered and the marrow sucked from within. Not a fragment of meat or ligament or skin remained. Not a drop of dried blood. I motioned for two men to approach, “Take you this empty barrel and fling it against yonder wall as mightily as you can! A Silver Drachma each if you can splinter it against the stones.”
The two largest rushed and took the barrel, easily picking the oak from the floor, but as they cast it, it struck the floor feet from the wall. “How could someone move a catapult into this room and toss a barrel filled with vegetables against a wall with such force? And why?” Then I led them out, instructing them to seal the room again.
We near ran from that place and when again, safe in the Hall where all could breathe, I told Erik, “A long corridor with ten doors, all so strongly sealed we’d need a Ram to open them. The food chamber at the end is destroyed. All meat gone and
the bones broken but the barrels containing vegetables are smashed and left to rot. And here is the strange thing... no rats at all.”
“No rats? Even in those cells in Wurzburg where the unfortunates ate each other to survive another day of torture, there were rats.”
“I understand. I’ve eaten the maggots I pulled from my own wounds to stay alive. So here are my orders. The bandits are out there. One-of-three on guard, one-of-three rest and one-of-three asleep. And NO ONE removes armor or allows weapons to be unready! What have you done?”
Pointing outside, “I left the gate as we found it, swept the tracks and placed an amazon and another archer on each tower. I didn’t want them together fearing play over watch. I have men at the windows above to watch and men in every room around this hall awaiting a call.”
“Good work. You take the first watch, Corporal Allen the second and I the third.”
Then I settled down to sleep after checking to ensure that all were ready and awake.
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THE FIRST NIGHT
I was woken by Lys shaking me, against the rules for no one touches a Merc in the field unless they wish a dagger in the side before the sleeper is full awoken. “Wake up! Listen!”
There was a groaning in the distance. Not loud but penetrating. Looking at her in the darkness, she shrugged in the moonlight so I rose, checked my weapons and armor cinches then moved around, listening. It didn’t seem to come from without, and the gate was still open so no siege engines were being dragged to the ruins. Rather, the sound was inside, muffled as if by stone. It was almost a moan.
We looked around, the men nervous so I sent Allen to the towers and Peter above to check on the men on guard. I could see Hippo and Penth calming their horses with a few others. Horses had sensitive noses and ears and the good sense to run from danger so if they were spooked, there was probably a good reason and we’d need the horses to get away faster.