Chapter 42: Born Without A Face (Shenis)

  The winds battered against the halls of Jule's rebuilt walls. The city that had once been reduced to ruins by those bearing the mark of the Bruin showed no trace of that fateful siege. The drapery within the walls and main keep had changed, but the sting of war—the bleeding and injuries that families endured during the bloody siege—had faded through the soldiers' long efforts and Conner Bolden's continued suppression of any who refused to submit to his rule. The general and regent from Dol had restored order, yet the tide of war now turned against the color of gold.

  News of the temporary victory and the immediate collapse of the army under Varus in the Northern campaign left Conner deeply worried. His forces had dwindled compared to what he'd commanded at the start of his march. He feared that the Red Jackals of the northlands would once again clash with the Bruin—only this time, they possessed the strength to destroy his men entirely.

  In their last skirmish, the battle was a complete rout. Meagan the war queen savagely shattered the enemy lines, and though her own force took heavy losses, she proved unstoppable. Men of all talents from Conner's ranks hurled spears, flung axes, slashed with swords, and cast spells at the Titaness of combat, yet none could best her. She alone could turn any battle to her favor simply by standing on the field. Conner knew this truth well and felt all the more sobered by the news of Varus' death.

  "They will surely converge on our position, and when they do, perhaps the remnant lord of Savoy and even the weary lord Frit will join in to watch as Meagan rips my men apart. No! I must rally what I can now and make for the breach. We need to punch a hole in Savoy's lines and gain an escape route back to Dol. Perhaps we can resupply there and gather stronger allies—or rally to fight Meagan with a more powerful army, if they arrive at Dol."

  Conner thought this over carefully. He knew injured and sick men filled the city, unable to fight at the moment. Though he had no intention of abandoning them, he also knew he must find a way back to Dol. Currently, both routes that didn't require weeks of marching north were held by Savoy. He called to his retainers: Henny, Simon, and Ally.

  "We are still strong in numbers overall, but with the news from the north about Varus, I fear we cannot maintain our position without reinforcements and supplies. Our storehouses are running dry, and many of our men are weak and weary. We need to think ahead in case the Valtrex merge on our position—perhaps even that dove camped in Runsa. We should take the healthy men and see if my spear and sword can break their line, as we did when we first charged through the plains to reach this city. If we go now, perhaps this could be our opportunity."

  "Maybe Lord Conner, but these men I'm treating here in Jule cannot be moved—at least not without serious risk to their health," said Ally, who led a small band of healers and clerics. Conner had to agree. The wounded and sick numbered nearly 80 men. The four discussed a plan to move their forces and make for Runsa in the morning with all the healthy. Henny, the butcher who had played a large part in the capture and slaying of key personnel in Jule during the siege, would stay behind to watch after the sick and injured and rally them when the opportunity came to march and rejoin the main army.

  The next day, the main force marched in desperate haste toward whatever future awaited them. Simon led a small party south, hoping to outflank the Savoy forces. The war party moved with a very different energy than in any march they had made under the Bolden man before. Their steps carried a lightness but also a somber, desperate feeling. Uncertainty plagued them, and confidence had fled their stride. In the past, their steps had been long and deep with pride in the Bruin sigil and colors they bore. Now they simply wished to return to Dol—to see the stone and the buildings, the market and the nearby lake. They longed to see whatever families and wives they had left living in the splendor of their mammoth city. Yes, the city was overcrowded and smelly, rife with crime and other problems that came with cramming so many people into one space. Issues with human waste and securing fresh water for everyone plagued daily life. Yet these soldiers and men who now marched with heads low as they entered the hill fields separating Runsa from Jule—with a few small streams and rivers winding around the hills—remembered Dol as grander and more splendid than ever before. Perhaps this is how you make someone see home as truly glorious: separate them from it.

  "I just want to hold my sweetheart again." A man sings in his chest as they march, step by step with no confidence that tomorrow will come. What began as a victorious campaign—one where they faced little challenge from any enemy their army encountered—has left them a diminished and thinner rank. What was once a horde thundering across the plains remains a storm, but one of manageable power.

  …..

  "So they march?" Shenis asks as the scout Tico delivers this news about the men under Conner Bolden. The lord of Savoy now held two towns under his banner—a feat still new to him, especially since both were places far from his ancestral home of Jule. He was also a husband with a wife whose thighs he greatly admired with each passionate encounter. Caylor now held his heart in a way she hadn't when their marriage was first arranged. The feeling was mutual, as this former tall, gawky woman of the Holt clan of Imholt had blossomed in her lover's arms into a flower that drew notice when she stood among the men—like a lone tulip, elegant and evolved, beautiful in a field of broken weeds and dead grass. This was Caylor with the moon in her heart and on her skin the afterglow of the night's shine.

  "Shall we rally to meet them?" the moonshine calls out as she moves to stand beside her husband. She had been practicing archery often during their stay in Runsa. But change was soon to come upon her, as inside her body, morning sickness had taken root inside. Though for now, she remained unaware of the effect of her passionate efforts with her lover in their rooms.

  "Seems to be the best response. We don't have the men to hold the fortress, and sadly most of our skilled fighters are stationed here. If they break off and head toward the halls of your forefathers, that town will fall quickly. So we need to challenge them in the open fields before they move to attack either here or Imholt. Perhaps we can hold here, but in Imholt, we lack the manpower to stand firm. Especially since we haven't lured the House of Frit from their stronghold back into the fray. Our best bet is to meet them a day out from here in the fields. Rally the retinue to arms, Tico!"

  "Lord Savoy! Yes sir!" Tico said with pride as he exited the room where his lord's table sat in the halls of Runsa. Shenis fully intended to return rule—or at least a viceroy state of Runsa—to the House of Cavan if and when the children were ever recovered from their imprisonment in Dol. In ImHolt, Lord Savoy had convinced a local man of solid reputation with no ties to the fallen house of Holt to serve as his representative. He placed him alongside a young sibling of Caylor so that the remaining Holt family—though only children and widows—would still hold some influence. However, the locals who had been trained were nowhere near ready to defend the town or join the war party. Runsa, in the days since their arrival, had proven through continued battles to be a town of weary souls with none ready to contribute to any conflict. After four straight changes of banners, the people simply craved peace in any form. They missed their lord Ernst Cavan and his family for the calm he brought to everyone under his banner and the way he ruled even during chaos, giving every soul a chance to survive—even those who bore arms under the sigil of the blue jay.

  For this reason, Shenis also wanted to ensure that the men and women of Runsa, who had endured so much in the last year alone, would be spared another conflict within their walls.

  "I know your heart in this, my lord." Highlight, the much more seasoned knight, speaks from beneath his heavy armor—the same plate he's worn since before Shenis' first taste of conflict, since the halls of Jule. "It's going to be a tough battle." He runs his fingers through his hair, now much longer than when their travels began.

  He still harbors contempt for Lady Caylor, yet seeing how her eyes glisten when she looks at the object of his unrequited desire—and witnessing how truly Shenis adores this woman who can and will be able to bear him children—his heart has shifted. Not enough to banish envy entirely, but enough to feel grateful for Shenis' happiness.

  "Do you think you're up for this fight, Highlight?" The lord asks as he releases his wife to gather the others who would join their war party.

  "Well... Kaya hasn't allowed me to embrace sleep yet. Perhaps I should pray again and ready myself." Shenis laughs at this remark from his faithful knight.

  "Perhaps you can go make sure Dalton and Issachar are hungry for sport." Highlight smiles at this, knowing exactly where to find both men. He exits the keep, and while the three of them tasked with finding friends split up to alert the party of their next expedition and the coming battle, each seeks out different companions.

  First, Caylor heads to the outer area of the city, where smiths ply their trade through sweat and skilled hands. There she finds Dax hard at work, with Somme the archer and Misty the dancer keeping him company. Fahn and Nial, who joined them after the prior fight at Runsa, have also gathered in their cluster. "Caylor, good to see you!" Misty calls out as she spots her approaching their little group enjoying the morning sunlight in the small city.

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  "Misty, and all of you—Conner Bolden is on the move." Caylor wastes no time delivering the news she came to share.

  "Time to return home then! AY Somme?" Dax asks the archer. It had been a long time since those early days when the archer and smith first took arms together in the streets of Jule, fighting their way through the chaos to free the children and women they could guide to safety before the cruelty that would follow in the coming days. Somme was just as eager to face Conner again. He had enjoyed their time in Runsa as much as their brief stay in Imholt. His eyes were still drawn to Misty, even though she clearly favored the smith in their group. Dax returned her interest, though both remained patient and subtle in their responses to one another—unlike Caylor and Shenis, who displayed their passion openly for all to see.

  "If you guys are going, then you know I am too." Misty calls to the smith, who had begun preparing the moment Caylor let the comment slip.

  "NO! Misty, you can't!" Somme grabs her hand, pleading. She has been too polite to tell him the truth of her feelings for Dax, and Dax knew the archer's heart well enough to see his genuine feelings—so he never corrected Somme's behavior, understanding both their hearts. The smith moved to place a hand on the archer's shoulder, attempting to console him. Misty blushes and looks away but doesn't pull her hands free from the archer's concerned grip as the smith's hands reach Somme's narrow shoulders.

  "Misty wants to stay with our company and contribute to our war effort. She wants to be with us. Would you deny her that honor and privilege out of fear for her safety?"

  "She could die, Dax. We've seen what these battles can do—how they push our lives and our friends' lives to the brink of ruin." In this moment, he had forgotten that Misty had already fought at their side in a previous battle. All he could think of right now were the memories of those lost, both by his hands and at his side. Somme didn't want this slice of heavenly bliss marred by war.

  "But Somme—she could live as well." The smith slid his hands down and gently removed the archer's hands from the woman before them both.

  "I am going Somme. I know you care for me, but staying behind would be a worse fate than risking my life in battle." She pulled out the slender blade Dax had crafted for her. "Besides, I have this weapon, and I've been practicing how to use my dance training in combat." She flipped gracefully several times, her slender form and years of movement training giving her unique advantages in the art of battle. She remembered from the feast in ImHolt how cheaply life was valued, and she refused to remain a faceless figure in history's annals, forgotten to time's distant horizon.

  The conversation weighed heavily on them all, but everyone understood their roles and accepted they would join the fight—even old Nial and Fahn, who had ensured their new garments bore no resemblance to their former Bruin military uniforms. They had traded gold colors for those befitting men no longer bound to that house.

  Across the town, Tico the scout—still a young man but now a seasoned veteran in the ways of war—no longer seemed timid in his conversation or approach to people and duties. Sure, he still sang here and there, but never while out on mission. He knew exactly where to find the comrades he sought: the trio from Til—Ion, Claire, and Kyler. Most days Kyler spent time near Issachar, admiring the bear, but while they'd rested a decent amount of time within Runsa's walls, the trio had taken up residence in a house previously occupied by a small outfit of Cavan knights who no longer existed.

  The home initially held memories of the fallen scattered throughout, with mementos and small keepsakes lining the furniture—evidence that the people who no longer lived there had possessed memories and lives of their own. Ion and the others felt strange even moving these items. They wanted to let those memories linger, as if leaving the belongings untouched might magically bring the dead back from the ground to return to form. Yet during their stay, Claire—who loved Ion more dearly with each passing day—found herself wanting to make the place a true home for the two of them, with their younger brother Kyler staying alongside them. She hadn't abandoned the fighting spirit that countless skirmishes had instilled in her, but she'd discovered a new layer to herself in the simpler life of home and household.

  Tico trotted his horse to this building he normally frequented. He still found Claire captivating, and though he knew Ion held her heart close, he still enjoyed spending time with the others in their party who were near his age. This felt especially true since they'd shared their adventure together, traveling across much of the land of the Valtrex rule before finally meeting up with Shenis as they fled Riserstead.

  "Shenis has called—we're back to the battlefield. Perhaps the end of the campaign against Bolden is coming. He wants us to meet them in the fields between here and Jule, to ensure they don't break off and attack Imholt or lay siege to our position here. The people of Runsa have suffered much in these wars."

  "Then Shenis can count on our arms," Ion said, looking straight at his lover Claire. Her eyes were softer than they had been during the recent conflict, when the reality of life's fragility had taken root in her heart. Fear flickered across her face, but she still nodded in agreement—ready to answer Shenis's call. Their adopted lord, their friend, needed them.

  Kyler was outside, but when he spotted his friend Tico's horse, he rushed in and asked, "Is it time? Are we going back on the warpath?"

  Though only eleven, Kyler's age didn't reflect his experience or his fierce determination to both fight and survive. Age meant little in that room—they were all young, with Ion barely twenty and being the eldest of the group. Kyler had traveled with them throughout their entire journey, and Ion wouldn't dream of leaving his little brother behind. Ion flashed a thumbs-up and smiled at the boy, and they all shared a moment of camaraderie as they gathered their materials for war: clothing, sheaths, knives, and the like.

  Tico, always ready as a scout should be, was already prepared. He went to ready the supply cart by the stables, where he found two yoke of oxen to attach to it. Soon he'd have it loaded with food, water, whetstones, and spare weapons and armor for the party ahead.

  Highlight had the more interesting people to find, and he knew exactly where they were. Since it was morning, the two most skilled fighters in Shenis's war party would be in only one place: the tavern. He walked up to the local establishment and could smell the mead and brew before he even opened the door. Highlight laughed, already imagining what he'd find inside.

  He stepped into the tavern and spotted the largest man in the city at the long table in the middle of the room. Issachar the Naudiz white bear lay sleeping on the wooden surface, breathing deep mead and beer dreams while releasing a growling snarl in his slumber. This rhythm had defined the bear even before he'd joined their party. On nights when he wanted to shift, he'd disappear into the woods to hunt, run, and kill. But he was a bear, and along with his massive frame, crazed appetite, and ferocious strength, he had a penchant for deep sleep.

  Highlight was a strong man—one of the most skilled in Lord Shenis's service—but even he wouldn't dare wake the bear. Only Kyler and the other man he sought were brazen enough and trusted their friendship with the beast enough to try.

  Highlight scanned the room and noticed a trail of clothing leading to the loft. "That's where he'll be." He smiled as he climbed the stairs, his armor and weight making the wood creak beneath him. The trail of discarded garments grew thicker as he reached the door to a private room. He stood there and knocked a few times.

  "NOT SO LOUD!" a man's voice called from inside. Other sounds of a cooing nature drifted from the room. Highlight disregarded the comment and tapped again on the door. "I said not so loud!" The voice soon opened the door without shame before the knight. Highlight blushed as the man he sought stood before him nude and completely unashamed. The man yawned and stretched as he offered the knight a greeting. "Oh Jai, it's just you. What do you want so early?"

  Highlight peered into the room, trying to do anything but gaze over the hero of the Savoy—Dalton's scarred body bore the form of a seasoned warrior. Behind the hero, he saw at least four other women huddled in the bed under whatever furs they had for warmth beyond each other. In the corner, some random man lay on the floor, somehow looking the worst of the lot after drink had ravaged him—dried vomit caked his face, his clothing was missing, and a boot was lodged firmly in his back door. Dalton could tell where Highlight's eyes were wandering.

  "Don't worry about him. The owner of this place lets me party here like this so long as I keep Issachar in check and allow him the spoils of plate...once I'm done eating. But last night he got too greedy, so Virginia had to remind him to be patient." He gestured toward the unconscious man's rough treatment.

  "Come back to bed, Dalton," a voice called from one of the drunken women. He shrugged and obliged, yawning as he turned his backside to the knight and retired back into the woman's arms.

  "Dalton."

  "Yeah, Knight."

  "Shenis has called for us to fight the Bolden force. They're moving from Jule."

  "Well then...give me twenty minutes and I'll get Issa and myself down to the stables where I suppose the party will be leaving from." Highlight was surprised at the man's nonchalant attitude. Yet Dalton, while wild and prone to find the arms of every woman alive, was dependable. So the knight left the tavern and waited outside for a few moments.

  "Come on Issa." The shout carried from outside, followed by a thunderous growl that rattled the thatched roof. Highlight knew the bear had awakened. The two men quickly exited the building, and what had been a scene of debauchery just half an hour earlier now revealed two figures standing alert and refreshed—as if they'd never indulged in alcohol and cheap pleasures. "Ready to skin some men of Dol?" the mercenary-turned-hero asked the knight. He wore similar armor to previous ventures, though Dax had crafted him a far superior shield during their days in Runsa. Highlight marveled at how swiftly both men had transformed from dissolute to battle-ready. He shook his head, pushing the thought aside, and led them down to the stables where Tico was preparing the cart. They helped the young scout load their supplies.

  Soon the rest of the group arrived with Lord Shenis. "My friends, my people," he began. "I know I've thrown us into questionable odds and rough situations time and again, yet we always pull through. Something about us makes these things work—whether it's Kaya's favor or something deeper, I can't say. But I know we'll march across those fields, and on the other side lies my city, the city of my fathers—Jule. I want to walk my halls again, hear my voice echo in the grand hall, and share a meal with all of you at my table. You are my family, not by name but by deed." He smiled and kissed Caylor before embracing each friend as they began their march, leaving Runsa's walls behind to prepare for the carnage ahead.