Reborn: War's Nightmare (6 page)

“A few wounds but nothing serious. Mia took an arrow to the leg, but it was a clean through and through. I think that is the worst of it,” Celina said as she started to look at Ash’s wound. Pulling out a slim dagger, she gave a pained look. “This is going to hurt.”

Ash bit down on the hilt of his sword and nodded his head. Celina slid the dagger down the shaft of the bolt to his bone then jerked on the arrow, pulling it free in one movement. As soon as the arrow was out, Li stated casting healing magic, sealing the wound. Ash only let out one grunt when the dagger slipped in before he passed out due to the pain.

12-9

Ash’s nearly jumped to his feet as his eyes fluttered open. Looking around at the fatigued faces of his wives, he felt slightly bad about passing out, but didn’t have the time to give it much thought.

“How long have I been out?” Ash asked quickly looking around.

“Less than half an hour,” Seia answered him with a concerned voice.

“How is the battle going?”

“We don’t know my lord,” Tolarea replied. “There are no windows on the first floor and it was too risky given your condition to try to explore much. The sounds of battle died out about five minutes ago, but I don’t know if that is good news or bad.”

Ash nodded his head and then pulled a small ring that Fay had given him from his inventory. “This is the Maoh. Report,” Ash said in a commanding tone as he held the ring so tight that his finders turned white.

“Ash, is that you?” Ash heard Fay’s voice burst in the air.

“Yes, what is happening?” Ash quickly asked.

“We have currently been forced to retreat. The way they used the illusions were too advanced and completely unexpected. Where are you?”

“I am currently still within the city hiding in a house,” Ash replied.

A stream of curses came from the other side of the ring. After a few moments Fay calmed down and started speaking clearly. “I guess it is better than being captured. We took a fair amount of damage in the last attack and it will take some time before we can mount the second. Do you think you can gather some information about the current movements of the enemy without giving away your position?”

“I might be able to,” Ash said in a noncommittal way. “We haven’t had much chance to check out the current situation.”

“Ok, do what you can but don’t put yourself in danger,” Fay said in a motherly tone. “If you get captured, this whole thing is going to turn in a crap fest.”

“Understood,” Ash said. “I will contact you after the sun has set with news one way or another.”

Putting away the communication ring, Ash looked around at the expecting faces of his wives. “It looks like things didn’t go very well,” Ash said trying to force out a smile. “Anyone have any ideas?”

“None of us are skilled in infiltration my lord,” Seia said with a deep frown. They began to discuss what might work, but nothing that they came up with seemed like a workable solution. As they were talking a sound came from the front of the house as Ash heard the distinct sound of a door opening. Signaling everyone to be quiet, Ash put his ear to the door that separated the kitchen that they were hiding in to the main section of the house.

“Finally done cleaning up,” a man said in a tired voice. “Those soldiers are really abusing us.”

“Watch what you say,” A young woman’s voice rang out harshly. “Would you rather be put on the wall?”

“God’s forbid,” the man’s voice said in a hint of fear. “Honey, why don’t you fix something to eat?”

“What do you want me to fix?” the woman asked in an annoyed voice. “We barely have any food left.”

“I am sure that you can come up with something…Your cooking is like magic. Part of the reason I married you,” the man replied laughing.

“Magic my ass,” the woman grumbled. “One of these days I am going to make you cook for a month.”

“If you do that dear, we will either starve or die of food poisoning.”

“Bah,” the woman said, her voice just on the other side of the door.

Without any choice as soon as the door opened, Ash put his sword to the woman’s throat. Her eyes went wide in fear and a strong smell spread through the air as the sound of water hitting the floor seemed to echo in the empty silence.

“Who are you?” the man asked seeing Ash’s face over his wife’s shoulder.

“I will explain that to you just as soon as you lay yourself on the ground,” Ash said in the most menacing tone he could muster.

Ash could tell that the man wanted to say something but he quickly thought better as he laid down on the ground his eyes locked onto the sword that was pointed at his wife’s throat. “Seia, find something to bind their feet so they can’t run.”

Seia looked through the house coming back with long strips of cloth and tied the legs of the husband and wife couple. They held a fearful look in their eyes when they watched Seia slither near them, but they held back their words. Once the two were settled, Ash pulled out food for everyone including his two captives. As he ate, Ash couldn’t help but look over at the married couple. The face of the young child who had died at his hand earlier that day flashed through his mind as pain pulsed through his chest. Seeing Ash looking toward them the woman who was in her mid-thirties gathered up her courage and spoke. “What do you want?”

“Nothing really,” Ash replied. “We just need a place to lay low for a few days.”

“As if I would believe you,” the woman said with a grunt. “You’re just a demon.”

“Anabel no,” the man said his voice filled with fear.

Ash didn’t know why, but the situation in front of him seemed like a joke. A harsh laugh seemed to erupt from his mouth unbidden as a few tears slipped from his eyes. “My lord?” Li asked placing her soft hand on Ash’s arm.

“I’m fine,” Ash said trying to calm himself down. Once he had himself under control, Ash turned back to the woman who was watching him with an equal mixture of fear and indignation.

“I can promise you that if I was given a choice, no one would have to die,” Ash said honestly. “But sometimes things are not as clear cut.”

“Tell that to the families of the bodies that we spent all day piling up in the center of town to burn,” the woman said becoming bolder by the second. “You demons will not win. The gods will not allow your evil.”

“Evil…Gods!” Eun who seemed to have enough of the woman’s words erupted. To Ash Eun had always been a silent woman who rarely spoke. She was like a cool beauty with her long blue hair and silver eyes. “If you want to talk of evil then why don’t you turn your words toward your own kind? Who else but humans enslave others and force them to work for them. As for gods, do you think you are the only one that the gods love? Humph, we have our own god that cares for us.”

“Who would care about your evil gods?” the woman said, her face turning slightly red.

Eun jumped to her feet her hand wrapped tightly around the shaft of her spear. Before things could take a turn for the worse, Ash grabbed Eun’s arm. “Calm down. We gain nothing from arguing.”

“My lord, she dared to blaspheme against the holy Altina,” Eun said her eyes still quivering with anger.

“I am sure that the goddess would not overly mind,” Ash said trying to ease the tension with a smile. “She seems to be one that cherishes life, even among those who do not worship her.”

“I will look around.” Eun gave another fierce look at the woman before leaving the room.

Ash heaved a sigh of relief as he leaned back against the stone wall. “I thought that was going to go bad quickly,” Ash mumbled to himself.

“Please forgive her my lord,” Li said with large pleading eyes. “Eun is a fervent priestess of Altina so she can get a bit…Worked up when the goddess is brought up.”

“I didn’t know she was a priestess,” Ash said slightly stunned. “Can priestess’ even get married?”

“Huh?” Li said with a confused look in her eyes. “Altina loves the birth of new life so why would she ban her followers from adding to that life?”

“I must apologize for my wife. She can be hot-headed sometimes,” the man said breaking tension that was still buzzing in the air.

“Henry,” the woman said angrily.

“Enough Anabel,” the man said a bit harshly making the woman flinch. “Sorry, it has been a rough weak and seeing all those bodies today…” The man said his voice starting to drift off.

“I can understand,” Ash said, his face turning slightly white. “I couldn’t believe that such small children were in the midst of battle.”

“Fear will make even children do amazing things,” the man said with a wry smile. Ever since they began camping in town, the soldiers began telling horror stories of what would happen should the demon army take over the city.” At the man’s words, a long period of silence spread throughout the room. Just as Ash was about to speak, the man asked a question. “What will really happen if the demons win?” Ash could hear the fear hiding within his words, but he thought no less of the man for it.

“From the demon side, nothing would have happened,” Ash replied honestly to the question. “Demons enjoy fighting and battle, but they find it disdainful to push around those of common stature. At least that is what I have seen during my stay with them.”

“You seem to be highly valued,” the man said in a puzzled tone. “The ladies keep calling you their Lord…It is hard to believe that you have not been among them for years.”

Ash couldn’t help but laugh at the man’s statement. “Does it seem that way?” Ash asked feeling some of the built up stress from the current situation dissipating. “Believe it or not I thought the demons were one of the minor races until not long ago.”

“Are you not a demon?”

“Yes, but not a full demon. I have much more human blood than demon running through my veins.”

“Then why are you helping those evil…” Anabel asked vehemently before she was cut off when her husband covered her mouth.

“Sorry, she can be a handful but I do love her,” the man said in an apologetic tone. “Wives can be both the brightest light in your life and the biggest pain in the ass at the same time,” the man said in a more lighthearted tone.

“At least you only have one,” Ash said in a joking tone as he looked at the large gathering of women surrounding him.

“Are you saying that you are not happy with us?” Tina asked with a pouty look that didn’t seem to fit her dark skin and small eyes.

“N-no not at all,” Ash quickly replied as he felt a cold chill run down his back.

After Ash spoke, Li moved slightly scrunching so close to Ash that he could smell the faint smell of lilac from her hair. After Li made her move, Celina and Tolarea advanced. Before he knew it, Ash was completely surrounded so closely that Ash found it hard to move.

“A part of me feels slightly jealous of you while the rest feels pity for you boy,” the man said laughing. “It is hard enough dealing with one wife, I think I would have died by now if I had any more.”

Shortly after, the man and Ash easily started talking and while Anabel would butt in with harsh words from time to time. With each passing word, the anger and conviction in her words started to dwindle. After a little over an hour, Eun returned with news.

“My lord, the window on the second floor overlooks a large side road,” She reported happily.

“Ah you’re talking about Winrey Street,” the man said. “It runs from the east gate, winding through the large storage buildings before moving toward the market district. It is mainly used by the merchant caravans.”

“Why are you telling him that?” Anabel asked.

“Honey have you looked over the walls in the past few days?” Henry asked his wife. “There is little to no chance that the army that is stationed here will be able to hold off the enemy.”

“So you are just going to roll over for the demons?” the woman asked her eyes shaking in anger.

“Yes,” the man said without a moment’s hesitation. “Dear, I have merchant contracts with most the kingdom and even places outside of it. You might not want to believe it, but I have told you time and time again that the king is a fool. All he has thought about is expanding.”

“And what is wrong with that?” the woman shot back.

“Nothing, so long as he doesn’t overstretch the resources of the kingdom, but that is what he has been doing. For the past three years he has raised taxes and imposed tariffs so high that almost all imports have been stopped. Add in the large levy of food and troops that have drained the labor force and food reserves, it was only a matter of time before the kingdom fell into ruin even without a war. We would all be better off if the war ends with the king’s head on a pike in as short as time as possible. I just hope whoever is in charge next isn’t as much of a fool.”

“If it makes you feel better, if we win, this land will belong to my wife,” Ash said in a light tone hoping to kill some of the tension that had built up in the air.

“See, if the kingdom loses then we will be ruled by demons,” the woman said her words laced with venom.

“No, not demons but the previous duchess Emelia Hawkwing who broke away from the kingdom,” Ash explained.

“That wouldn’t be so bad,” the man said after pondering a bit. “She has done well so far.” The man stopped his words and looked at Ash for a long time before a crafty smile spread across his face. “Sir, do you think we could make a deal?”

“I don’t know. What do you have in mind?” Ash responded slightly taken aback by the man’s quick change in attitude.

“Judging from how the women talk to you and the fact that you are also the husband of the young queen to be, I am guessing that you hold some small sway within both the Hawkwing lands and within the demon kingdom.”

“I would have to agree…Why?”

“As I said earlier, I am a merchant…Or well more to the truth I am what they call a contract merchant. I make deals with different territories or groups for the rights to trade in mostly rare items. I then lease those rights to different groups. The Hawkwing lands have always been open for trading and none of their products are really rare but the same cannot be said of the demon lands. I was hoping that I might have a chance to set up some contacts once this little…skirmish is over. In return I have some information about your enemy that might be of use.”