Lorik The Defender (The Lorik Trilogy) (15 page)

By evening the castle was secure. The escape tunnel had been searched and checked again for traps, but there were none. Lorik had sent their horses to the small farm at the end of the tunnel. He only hoped it was far enough away from the city that it wouldn’t be noticed. There were lookouts on each of the tall watchtowers, but so far no sign of the enemy army had been spotted.

Vanz and Vera searched the city, finding animals that had broken free of their cages and pens roaming the empty buildings. He and Vera had stockpiled food, ale, wine, water, and anything that could be used for medical supplies. The volunteers were assigned to different parts of the castle walls. The city was too large to defend, and in truth the castle was too, but it could be managed, at least for a short time. And time was their greatest asset. Lorik knew that he needed to buy as much time for the mobilization of King Ricard’s army. He guessed that Queen Issalyn was in the Baskla royal palace by now. He couldn’t understand why he felt so uneasy about her, she was much safer in Forxam than anywhere in Ortis. Still, whenever she crossed his mind he felt a deep, instinctive need to race north and protect her.

He told himself that he was doing the best thing for her by slowing the enemy army, but that felt hollow somehow. He guessed that the witch’s army could go around Ort City, but the main road ran north from Yorick Shire straight into Ort City. It was true that most of the citizens had abandoned their capital and were camped far to the north, but the witch’s army couldn’t possibly know that. They would have no choice but to come to Ort City and make sure the kingdom’s capital was secure.

They ate well that night, choosing to forego the massive feasting hall and eating instead in the servant’s quarters near the kitchen. None of the volunteers who had marched south with Lorik had been to court, they were farmers and apprentices, so they felt more at ease in the small, nondescript servants area.

There was a fireplace at one end of the room, which was about the size of an inn’s common room. Lamps stood on sconces along each wall, and tall candelabra's held bee’s wax tapers that burned brightly on the long, wooden table that took up the center of the room.

The volunteers had to take turns coming in to eat. Food was taken out to the men watching over the horses and up to the men on guard in the watchtowers. Lorik sat near the fire, enjoying its warmth as he nursed a cup of wine.

“You look as sour as green crab apples,” Vera said, sliding onto the same bench that Lorik rested on. “What has you so discouraged?”

“Yes, what is there to be so gloomy about?” Stone said, settling on Lorik’s other side.

Everyone had eaten and most of them were talking loudly, sharing stories and laughing heartily. Stone and Vera had spent most of the evening huddled together. Lorik had given them space, knowing they had a lot to talk about.

“I’m just anxious, that’s all,” Lorik said.

“Anxious for what?” Vera asked.

“For what I know is coming. I can feel it the way Chancy could feel a storm coming in his arthritic knees.”

“You’re anxious for a witch’s army to arrive and besiege the city?” Vera asked again.

“No,” Lorik said.

“You’re anxious for battle,” Stone said, slapping him heartily on the back.

“Is he drunk?” Lorik asked Vera.

“Maybe just a little,” Stone said.

“Maybe more than a little,” Vera said.

“Damn it, I need you sober and alert.”

“He’s entitled to indulge a little. He told me you know our news.”

“I do,” Lorik said, feeling guilty that he hadn’t mentioned it to her before. “I’m sorry, you’re right of course. Congratulations. I should have said something earlier, I’ve just been distracted. Forgive me.”

“There’s nothing to forgive,” Vera said, placing a hand on Lorik’s shoulder. “It was a surprise, but a pleasant one.”

“You’ll be a wonderful mother,” Lorik said.

“I doubt that,” Vera replied. “I’d be surprised if we live long enough to be parents.”

“Don’t talk like that,” Lorik said. “I tried to get him to take you north when I heard.”

“We won’t leave you; it’s not even a possibility, so just forget it. But you don’t have to hope the enemy gets here any sooner than they will. Our mission is to slow them down, remember?”

“I’m just anxious to know what we’re up against, that’s all. I hate not knowing.”

“Whatever they are, we’ll stop them,” Stone said, his words slurring together as he leaned on Lorik’s massive shoulder. “You should know that by now.”

“I know that you need to go sleep it off. You’re setting a bad example for the others.”

“Nonsense,” he said loudly. Then he turned to the long table and raised his glass of ale. “Here’s to the future. Vera and I are having a baby and I’ll be damned if any witch’s army is going to stop us.”

The volunteers cheered and laughed. Lorik couldn’t help but smile at his friend’s excitement.

“Well,” he said to Vera. “There’s no guessing at how he feels, is there?”

“No,” Vera said. “He’s more excited than I thought. I should have told him sooner and I would have if I’d known how he would react. We haven’t ever even talked about starting a family. I never considered it a possibility, really.”

“It is surprising news,” Lorik said. “Has something changed? I mean physically, are you doing something different?”

“Do you mean am I trying to get pregnant?” she asked. “No, I just assumed after years in Hassell Point earning my living the way I did, that having a baby was impossible.”

“Did the wizard do something to you? He healed Stone’s leg.”

“Perhaps he did something to Liam,” Vera said. “Something more than healing his leg, I don’t know. He did nothing to me. Not that I’m aware of.”

“Strange,” Lorik said. “But good. In fact, it’s great. I’m so happy for you.”

“It makes me miss my parents,” she said, her voice low. “And yours. They would have been so happy.”

“Yes, they would have loved the baby so much,” Lorik agreed.

They sat staring at the fire for a few moments, Stone swaying on the bench as if they were on a ship in rough seas.

“I guess I better get him upstairs while he can still walk,” Vera said.

“I am happy for you,” Lorik said. “You’ll never know how much.”

“I know you are,” Vera said, smiling at him. “I’m happy too, just a little scared to let it show.”

Lorik watched as she escorted the shuffling Stone out of the dining room and off to bed. Lorik didn’t envy his friend’s condition come morning, but Stone was tough. He might be hung over in the morning, but Lorik doubted the younger man would let it show.

The night wore on. Most of the volunteers were responsible enough not to get too far into their cups. Lorik began to feel the need for sleep. He went up to the second floor and began searching for an empty room. He found one and stretched out on the wide, goose down mattress. It felt odd to sleep on such a soft bed, after months of sleeping on the ground. The castle was quiet and Lorik lay thinking about the enemy army he could feel approaching. Finally he made up his mind and decided that he needed to see what they were up against. He would leave in the morning, leaving Stone and Vera in charge of overseeing the castle defenses. He could travel faster on foot and alone. He would scout the enemy and then return, hopefully with a plan on how to slow the witch’s horde. Maybe if he was lucky, he would find a way to defeat them entirely. He fell asleep hopeful for the first time in weeks.

It was cold the next morning; the ground was white with frost and even inside the castle, frost made intricate patterns along some of the stone walls. Lorik rose early, needing only a few hours of sleep to feel completely refreshed. He had thought that he would be the first person awake, but Vanz was already up. The older cook was not the kind to shirk his duties. When Lorik came down to the kitchens in search of rations for his scouting mission, he found the older man hard at work.

Lorik filled his sack with bread and cheese. There was no meat, dried, salted, or even fresh, so Lorik had to settle for some overripe vegetables.

“These carrots will last, lord,” Vanz said.

Lorik had informed the man that he wasn’t a lord, but Vanz insisted on using the title anyway. He brought out a bunch of carrots and stuffed them into Lorik’s pack.

“Had I known, I could have prepared something suitable,” the cook said.

“There’s no need,” Lorik said. “Don’t trouble yourself on my account. I can find food along the way if I’m gone that long.”

“Are you sure going alone is a good idea? Give us an hour and we’ll be ready to ride out with you.”

“Ride out where?” Vera asked, sweeping into the castle’s kitchens as if she were the king’s own steward.

“I’m going to scout the enemy,” Lorik said. “And no one is going with me. I can travel faster by myself.”

“You can die faster by yourself too,” Vera said sternly. “At least take Liam with you.”

“No,” Lorik said. “He can’t keep up. Especially not this morning, I’d wager.”

“He’ll be fine. You don’t need to be in such a hurry.”

Vanz went back to his work, stirring the large pots of simmering porridge. Vera marched up to Lorik and put her finger on his chest.

“You’re no good to us if you’re dead,” she said firmly.

“I’m not going to engage the enemy, just find out what we’re up against. Then I’m coming right back here. I’ve made up my mind, there’s no sense arguing about it now.”

“You said you wouldn’t do this again,” Vera said. “You know what happened the last time we split up.”

“Yes, I know,” Lorik said, remembering that it was his plan that led to Vera getting captured by the Norsik and Stone getting injured. “This is different. I want you and Stone to remain here, together, and wait for me. I have to know what we’re dealing with. We’re in a good position, but we need a plan, a strategy for engaging the enemy.”

“Fine,” Vera said, her voice cutting like a knife in the quiet kitchen. “Go if you must. I’ll never understand the male need to search out danger.”

“Thank you for your blessing,” Lorik teased.

Vera leaned close. “Don’t think for one second that I don’t know what you’re doing. You think you can take on the world since you’ve changed. And perhaps you can, but you still need us. Don’t forget that. And we need you, Lorik.”

“I’ll never forget it,” he said solemnly. “I cherish it.”

“Good, be safe,” she said.

“I will, I promise. Now, you and Stone are in charge. Do whatever you can to make sure this castle is as fortified as it can be. And keep sentries on the watchtowers.”

Vera nodded then rose up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. Lorik looked at his friend for a long moment. There was color on her cheeks and her eyes were bright. He’d always heard that pregnant women had a glow about them, and he decided it must be true.

Then he left. He had the Swords of Acromin strapped to his back and the pack of rations over one shoulder. He jogged out of the city, using the small doorway they had discovered near the northern gate. Then he ran, going around the city and finally moving south along the wide road. He could run just short of an all-out sprint for hours. The exercise felt good; he could feel the muscles in his legs churning as he ran. The cold air was harsh in his lungs, but he soon got used to the sensation. The sun was high, but it gave no warmth. The countryside seemed bare, deserted. Nothing moved, not even wild animals or birds. Lorik’s head swung from side to side as he ran, scanning the horizon for any sign of the enemy.

Three hours into his run, he saw something moving in the distance. At first he thought it was his eyes playing tricks on him, but after a few more minutes, he was certain that something was moving toward him. What made it so hard to believe was the sheer size of the mass of creatures. He couldn’t make out what they were exactly, but there appeared to be tens of thousands of them.

At first Lorik couldn’t believe what he was seeing. The rolling hills of Ortis were like an ocean of grass. Lorik lay down on the top of a little rise and waited for the enemy to come into view. Soon he could hear the horrible buzzing of Leffer wings. He looked and saw the horrific monsters at the front of the army. His heart sank, but it wasn’t because of the Leffers, who were spread out like skirmishers at the front of the witch’s army. He could see between the flying horse creatures, and what he saw filled him with dread. The witch’s army was indeed made up of mutated people. Lorik could see their grotesquely twisted features. There were thousands of them walking or shuffling along. They were taller than a normal person, Lorik could tell that even at a distance by comparing them to the Leffers on the front lines. They had massive muscles bulging in strange ways. They were deformed and unnatural looking. They moved slowly and without any sort of natural curiosity about the land around them.

Lorik watched them for nearly an hour, until the massive horde was less than a thousand yards away. When he could feel the ground trembling from their heavy feet as they plodded constantly forward, Lorik knew he needed to fall back. It was impossible to hide from the terrible army; they stretched from horizon to horizon. Lorik knew that their plan to make a stand in the King’s Castle at Ort City was doomed. The city might offer them protection for a while, but the vast numbers coming against them would make fleeing impossible.

Lorik rose to his feet with a heavy heart. He knew deep down inside him that even the combined forces of Ortis and Baskla wouldn’t be enough to stop such a massive enemy. They would sweep across the land like locusts. Even if Lorik managed to survive the coming battle, Ortis and the other Five Kingdoms would never be the same.

He started walking back toward the castle. Ort City was miles away, and Lorik knew he needed to get there as soon as possible. They would need to abandon the castle and come up with a new plan to slow down their enemy. He wracked his brain as he walked and almost didn’t notice the sound of the buzzing Leffer wings as the horrid, flying creatures closed in on him.