Interregnum (54 page)

Kiva smiled as he watched a young girl with her arm in a sling crying with worry at this whole new world. Her father crouched and put his arms round her, a wide grin on his own face. The islanders were collectively overwhelmed, but Kiva’s attention was drawn back to the present as his own boat grounded with a crunch that jarred him. As the occupants filed out, one of them stopped to help the wobbly general over the side. With some effort he reached the gravel and leaned heavily on his companion as his legs struggled to support him.

Other boats grounded now and the crowd on the beach grew at a rate of knots. Kiva, with the aid of the helpful islander, struggled across to the rocks that stood proud of the beach and hauled himself up onto them with surprising ease. The flask of mare’s mead was diminishing rapidly, but thanks to its numbing and soothing effects he was able to ignore and overcome the pain and discomfort his wounds caused. Minister Sarios clambered up onto the rocks beside him and the two stood silently until the crowd gradually fell silent and faced them in a huge semi-circle.

“Ok everyone. Listen carefully. We’re currently trapped on this beach. Somewhere on the other side of these low hills is the entire army of Velutio marching toward Serfium. We cannot go inland, and north along the coast will take us straight to Serfium, which we must avoid at all costs. South from here will take us to the city, and I’m sure none of us want to go there. So, make the best you can of this place for now. No one goes far enough away to be out of sight. If you do that, you could find yourself in most unpleasant circumstances.”

Kiva smiled. “By this time the guards will almost certainly have escaped the kitchens on the island, but Commander Sabian assured us that it’ll be at least a week before the next ship to the island and, no matter where they check, the guards will find that we’ve scuppered every other boat on the island and brought every signal lantern with us. While it is possible they’ll find a way to draw attention to the island it will take time, particularly with Velutio and the army away campaigning, so we have some time to play with.”

The general nodded at the minister and Sarios stepped forward to speak.

“Now that we are clear of the reefs, we will rest and then move again at dusk. There are sails stowed away among the gear and we have a number of competent sailors. Once the light starts to fail, we will set off by boat once more, looking for all the world like a small group of night fishermen. It will be too dark for our numbers to be too visible and we are unlikely to attract any unwanted attention. We will sail for however long it takes, I’m afraid, so be prepared for a long journey in some discomfort. The route will take us around the island of Isera once more, this time outside the reefs, to a point south of Monte Bero and the city of Velutio. There, the general and his men will procure transport for us and we will begin the journey into the mountains to a hidden location where we will be safe from our enemies.”

He smiled as he continued. “It will be a long and difficult journey by sea and then by mountain path, but remember while your legs are cramped on board and your feet ache with walking, that every step takes you further from your enemies and that we will be safe and sound at the end of the road.”

Kiva nodded thoughtfully and announced “time to do as you please, so long as you stay within sight of this rock. I would suggest someone starts organising breakfast.”

With that, he turned to the minister and gestured to the rear of the rocky outcrop. Sarios helped the general hobble over to the other side, away from the dispersing crowd.

I know this hidden place of yours is secret, but I’m afraid you’re going to have to share it with me now. I need to know what transport we’ll need and, if you clarify where we’re headed, I might be able to make something of it in future planning.”

Sarios raised an eyebrow. “I thought you said we had enough trouble with the present and that we didn’t have the luxury of planning for a future?”

The general growled quietly. “To be quite honest, I was never entirely convinced we’d get everyone off the island. Now we’ve no choice. If we do nothing, Velutio’ll take it all and in the end he’ll come looking for us. We need to move ourselves and try to stop him from gaining any more power. Times change, now just tell me where we’re going.”

The minister leaned back against a rocky protrusion. “Hadrus, Caerdin. We’re going to Hadrus.”

Kiva frowned. “Hadrus was destroyed by an earthquake. I remember all the fuss and the refugees.”

“True… all true, but it was also rebuilt on Quintus’ orders for the imprisonment of people he didn’t want found. Funny, really, isn’t it?” We’ve escaped from a prison made from the Emperor’s refuge and we’re seeking refuge at the Emperor’s secret prison!”

Sarios laughed and the general couldn’t help but smile at the irony.

“Ok, minister. Tend to your people and get them organised. I’m going to speak to Ashar… and Darius, of course.”

Sarios smiled again, knowingly. “Of course…”

As the minister wandered over toward the chefs who were unloading a case of foodstuff from one of the boats, Kiva scanned the beach and spotted the Pelasian Prince in conversation with his doctor. Hobbling slowly along the rock and climbing down the lowest part with the aid of a helpful islander, he tottered unsteadily across the uneven surface of the beach until he reached the two swarthy black-clad men.

“Ashar, I need to speak to you. Alone” he added, glancing at the doctor. The man nodded and walked away across the beach, leaving his master alone with the general.

“Kiva? You’re walking better all the time. I wish I could say it was my doctor’s doing, but I know you better than that. What can I do for you?”

“You tried to convince me not long ago to go to war against Velutio. Quintillian’s gone, but you said it didn’t matter. I’d be your banner.”

Ashar nodded seriously.

“Well,” the general continued, “I’m still not Emperor material and never will be, but we all know someone who could be. Will you add your banner to the cause for a different Emperor?”

Ashar smiled; slowly at first, but then breaking into a broad grin.

“You know you’ll have to create some spurious link to the Imperial line for him if you want people to follow him?”

Kiva nodded. “It’s been done before on many occasions. I’m sure Sarios can find some convincing evidence.”

“Very well,” the Prince nodded. “You put him on the pedestal and I’ll help you carry it. I need to find the rest of my men then.”

“Hadrus,” whispered the general. “That’s where we’ll be.”

Ashar laughed. “The Emperor’s prison? That’s priceless.”

“Some day you’ll have to tell me how you find out about things like that. But, yes. We’ll be at Hadrus. I’ll start pulling everything together, but I’m afraid I need another favour from you.”

The Prince raised an eyebrow and the general patted him on the shoulder. “I need you and your Pelasians to track down a number of people and send them to me.”

Ashar nodded. “Other captains, I presume? The ones you were sending for before the disaster at Serfium?”

“Yes. Filus and Sithis should both come without question if you can find them. They should both be somewhere south east of Burdium.” The general pulled a scrap of paper from his tunic and thrust it into Ashar’s hand. “This is a list of other captains that should be open to persuasion and a few Lords who’ll likely want to help. It’s not much, but it’s a start. We need to pull a few units together before we can start building any kind of army.”

The Prince nodded. “I’ll see what I can do. I’ll be at Hadrus inside a month. Stay safe until then and try not to end up in Velutio’s hands again.”

Kiva smiled. “I take it you’ll be ok heading inland from here. You can get around without drawing attention, I know.”

Ashar grinned and scanned the beach. “I’ll take my men, but you take my doctor. You’ve over a hundred people here and you may need a lot of medical attention by the time you get to Hadrus. Go safe my friend and stay lucky.”

Kiva clasped hands for a moment with the Prince, wincing briefly at the pressure it put on his damaged wrist and then watched as the lithe, black figure jogged along the shore to the small knot of Pelasians and started to make preparations.

The general sighed for a moment as a nagging worry caught him. The last time they made this sort of plan it had cost them Quintillian and almost been the end of the Wolves. Was it tempting fate for a cursed man to try a second time? He scanned the beach for Darius and spotted the young man collecting stones from the ground and hurling them out into the sea, trying to hit a small outcrop that jutted amidst foam from the water.

Slowly, the general picked his way down to where the lad stood, far enough away from the crowd to allow a little privacy. Most of the islanders were concerned with unpacking goods and arranging food, and paid little attention to the two figures further along the beach.

“Darius.”

The general reached out and plucked a stone from the young man’s armful and, taking aim, hurled it towards the rock. It fell woefully short and slightly off target. Darius laughed.

“I think it’s going to be a while yet before you’ve the strength for that, general.”

“Shows how much you know,” replied the older man. “Even at my best I’d be lucky just to hit the water. That’s why I favour swords, not bows.”

The young man smiled, took one last throw, and then dropped the rest of his collection back to the ground. “What’s on your mind, sir?”

Kiva swallowed. This was difficult ground. How to say what he needed to say without warning the lad off.

“Let’s see just how clever you are, Darius. Tell me why you and Quintillian were taught the things you were on the island when all the other youngsters have been taught trades.”

Darius shrugged. “They had something else in mind for the two of us. Perhaps they were trying to make us useful enough that Velutio wouldn’t kill us.”

Kiva frowned. Not a bad angle, and one he hadn’t considered, but still not the right one.

“You were both being groomed for the throne. Quintillian and you both. You may think that Sarios is a kind man, but he’s not. Don’t argue” he added forcefully as anger rose in Darius’ face. “The minister is a politician and nothing he does is without purpose. Sarios would use either of you to rebuild what was lost at whatever cost. He uses me and the Pelasian Prince and any others he needs the same way.”

A frown crossed the young man’s face. “And yet you go along with it because you agree with his goal? His aspirations? I can see that, yes. But Quintillian had a claim to the throne; the best claim you could have. I’m not even remotely connected… and I’m not a politician. I think you’re wrong. I think Quintillian was being groomed for the throne, but I was being trained to be what you were for his uncle.”

Again the insight the young man displayed made Kiva blink. Another thing he’d never considered, and a observation that was very persuasive. For a moment he found himself wondering whether Darius was right and the minister had been dissembling again. He shook his head; either way it made no difference now.

“That’s a possibility I suppose, but it makes no difference. You have the brain, the charisma, the learning and the guts to lead a nation. What do
you
think?”

Darius stood for a long moment with his chin resting in his hand. “I realise that you want me to leap up with glee and say that I’m the man for the job, but it’s not that simple. I need to think about this.”

Kiva laughed. “And I said you were clever! If you were the sort to leap at the chance, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation. I don’t expect you to want to do it, or even to agree with it. I want you to think long and hard about it and come grudgingly to the same conclusion as we have: that you are the only person who
can
do it.”

Darius’ frown deepened. “I have no claim.”

“Claims can be manufactured; just watch how fast Sarios finds a link.”

“Yes, I’d bet he can at that.”