Rexpennae
Chapter 13
The dust settled as rain began to fall. Krethos clambered up onto the pile of stone that had, until just then, been the formidable walls of El Intrivo. He stood blinking as the water rolled down his face, looking across the courtyard.
There was no one to be seen in the wasted yard, a fact that troubled him as the rest of his men and the Princess' came to his side. Slowly several men made their way down the rubble, and as they met no resistance several more followed, unto their ruin. For as men poured into the courtyard there came a sudden shout, and many areas on the ground burst upward. Up from the trenches came the main force of El Intrivo, and they clashed with the disordered Northerners, Citizens, and the Princess' guard.
Krethos watched from the pinnacle of his mound, his unease only grew, however, seeing the trap laid so early, what other devilry was in store as they moved farther in, he asked himself. He surveyed the area for a moment before joining in to the fight, quickly turning in his favor.
Swords clove flesh and bone, doing simply their duties. The hands that wielded them were skillful, and slowly the defenders fell before the onslaught.
The courtyard was cleared, the bodies were sorted by side and piled for burial, but there was the castle to deal with. The castle stood on a plain near the river Salas, and had been, prior to that morning, encircled by a high and strong wall. The castle itself was square and rose three stories in the main building, in the center another story rose up, and a tower keep 3 more stories.
The Princess came forward and stood in the stone ring, shielded from the aerial attacks that still came from the ramparts high above by broad shields born by strong men.
"We made short work of the out walls, did we not, Krethos." She said.
"That we did, but the main toil is yet to begin, have the Northerners lay their ram to the gates."
"They already have started." She replied.
Krethos held his shield high and made his way to the fore gate. The Northerners had brought in their iron capped battering ram, and with every stroke they made the gates buckled more. They had set a pavilion over themselves to deflect the arrows, and they were glad of it, for it was upon them that greatest part of the defense was brought down.
It was not only the incessant hail of black fletched shafts, but great pots of boiling water, stones, and whatever else could be found to cast. Krethos watched from afar as the gates buckled and splintered in. And all at once the doors were shivered, and the ram cast down. Swords were drawn and men poured into the main castle, where the fighting would be close, and more deadly than before.
Krethos nodded to the Princess as he slowly strode forward into the castle. The dank halls were near lightless and it took a moment before Krethos could see his way forward.
His men had moved further into the building, and the front passages were cleared. Krethos trod down the way to his left alone, all the way passing by dead bodies and blood stained walls. He mounted a curving stairway to the second floor, and found himself in the fray once more. In the narrow halls his sword would be more a hindrance to him, so he set it in its sheath and drew out a knife, long and shard, it would keep its edge well through the use ahead.
Stabbing and slicing he made his way through the skirmish, and set about his remaining enemies from their rear. Before long he stood facing his men alone, and set off once more. He was unsure of his way, only that he should make it to the open air of the top level. And so he did, finding again two more stairways he mounted to the open air. He found a garden, by the labor of may slaves soil enough was brought to the top, and a lush garden encompassed the entirety of the top of the castle.
Silently stealing aside he slew an archer and used the bow to strike down the other archers on the ramparts, one by one. Krethos went to the edge of the wall and looked out, he could see the princess below, and her guard accepting a rider. He watched as the rider spoke to the Princess, and she stormed into the building, not fully understanding what he had seen, Krethos turned around to descend and talk to the Princess.
Jack Von Bondahar filled Krethos' vision.
"Well done, boy." Von Bondahar said, as he took Krethos by the arm and flung him away from the parapet.
"You, are the Assassin?" Krethos asked as he rose to his feet.
"Astute observation, I must say."
"I will have the keys from you."
"Hasty, you are much too hasty for your own good."
"You should be quick, there are hundreds coming up from below."
"I would not worry about your friends, they are occupied below, and cannot reach us here, I have sealed off the few entrances to the garden here."
Krethos moved his hand to his sword, "I will have the keys." He said steadily, his eyes burning with anger. Anger gathered along the way, at his own incompetence, and his failures, bottled and held.
Von Bondahar drew his own sword from his fine belt, "If you will not hear me out, then so be it, your blood is upon your own head."
Despite this last warning Krethos struck out at the assassin, his blade was met halfway, and he was thrown back.
"Did the captain teach you nothing?" Von Bondahar said, "Vengeance doesn't suit you, anger blinds you, clear your mind if do not wish your life to end in a moment."
Krethos stood up tall, and let go his anger, he was not to be guided by it any longer. He swung hard at the assassin's neck, caught off guard the assassin had only time to duck, but it was sufficient, as he stabbed out at Krethos' chest. Krethos moved back, only just in in time to save himself, and he brought another hard strike down, and Von Bondahar matched it, and they pushed against each other. Von Bondahar smiled, and with a flick of his wrist sent Krethos' sword flying across the garden, where it was driven deep into the ground.
Krethos kicked Von Bondahar's wrist, and caused his opponent to drop his sword. While the assassin stooped to pick it up Krethos ran around the one story projection from the garden.
He clambered up onto a narrow ledge, just large enough to hold him out of sight, but if he moved but a little it would cast stones upon the head of anyone below. Von Bondahar rounded the corner to find nothing but Krethos' sword in the ground. He walked around to below where Krethos was hiding and kneeled, observing something in the grass.
He stood again and walked around the other side of the projection. Krethos sighed in relief, and was moving to come back down, when Von Bondahar appeared along side the ledge, a bow drawn overly taught. He released the shaft, as Krethos leapt from the ledge.
The arrow passed by Krethos' head, and sliced his ear. Krethos fell to the ground, and the air was pulled from his lungs. He stood, struggling to refill his deflated lungs, bent over, looking at the assassin.
Krethos pulled his sword out of the ground beside him and, still gasping for air, made a series of well placed and calculated blows. Von Bondahar was taken aback, and soon he in turn fled, but not far. He came to the exposed stair of the tower keep, and leapt up onto it.
Krethos followed, and defended himself well as Von Bondahar retreated up the stair, until they came at last to the ruined throne room. The walls of the circular chamber had been cast down, but the floor remained, and here Von Bondahar determined to make his final stand.
Krethos entered the room and blocked expertly the onslaught of the assassin, until his opportunity arose, and he cast Von Bondahar's sword from the tower, much as Von Bondahar had done earlier.
Krethos stood over his opponent, and held his sword to the defeated assassin's neck, "Surrender the keys." He commanded.
To which Von Bondahar answered with a cackle, "I don't have them."
"What do you mean!"
"I had them once, and then they were taken from me, hidden."
Krethos stepped back, he had labored so long to hear this?
"Where are they?" He asked.
"Hidden, deep in the Razon mountains." The assassin cackled, "and there you must go to get what you seek, and you must go on alone, with no more help from me."
And with that he cast himself from the tower, by some feat of skill or magic he landed safe in the garden and cast himself from there. Krethos watched as his long target ran into the distance, and only watched.
No longer would he hunt, now he would race. Von Bondahar, was alive, but he had a head start, and it was clear he wanted the keys.
A new mission lay ahead, and time grew thin, Krethos sheathed his sword, and started down the curving stair.
There was no one to be seen in the wasted yard, a fact that troubled him as the rest of his men and the Princess' came to his side. Slowly several men made their way down the rubble, and as they met no resistance several more followed, unto their ruin. For as men poured into the courtyard there came a sudden shout, and many areas on the ground burst upward. Up from the trenches came the main force of El Intrivo, and they clashed with the disordered Northerners, Citizens, and the Princess' guard.
Krethos watched from the pinnacle of his mound, his unease only grew, however, seeing the trap laid so early, what other devilry was in store as they moved farther in, he asked himself. He surveyed the area for a moment before joining in to the fight, quickly turning in his favor.
Swords clove flesh and bone, doing simply their duties. The hands that wielded them were skillful, and slowly the defenders fell before the onslaught.
The courtyard was cleared, the bodies were sorted by side and piled for burial, but there was the castle to deal with. The castle stood on a plain near the river Salas, and had been, prior to that morning, encircled by a high and strong wall. The castle itself was square and rose three stories in the main building, in the center another story rose up, and a tower keep 3 more stories.
The Princess came forward and stood in the stone ring, shielded from the aerial attacks that still came from the ramparts high above by broad shields born by strong men.
"We made short work of the out walls, did we not, Krethos." She said.
"That we did, but the main toil is yet to begin, have the Northerners lay their ram to the gates."
"They already have started." She replied.
Krethos held his shield high and made his way to the fore gate. The Northerners had brought in their iron capped battering ram, and with every stroke they made the gates buckled more. They had set a pavilion over themselves to deflect the arrows, and they were glad of it, for it was upon them that greatest part of the defense was brought down.
It was not only the incessant hail of black fletched shafts, but great pots of boiling water, stones, and whatever else could be found to cast. Krethos watched from afar as the gates buckled and splintered in. And all at once the doors were shivered, and the ram cast down. Swords were drawn and men poured into the main castle, where the fighting would be close, and more deadly than before.
Krethos nodded to the Princess as he slowly strode forward into the castle. The dank halls were near lightless and it took a moment before Krethos could see his way forward.
His men had moved further into the building, and the front passages were cleared. Krethos trod down the way to his left alone, all the way passing by dead bodies and blood stained walls. He mounted a curving stairway to the second floor, and found himself in the fray once more. In the narrow halls his sword would be more a hindrance to him, so he set it in its sheath and drew out a knife, long and shard, it would keep its edge well through the use ahead.
Stabbing and slicing he made his way through the skirmish, and set about his remaining enemies from their rear. Before long he stood facing his men alone, and set off once more. He was unsure of his way, only that he should make it to the open air of the top level. And so he did, finding again two more stairways he mounted to the open air. He found a garden, by the labor of may slaves soil enough was brought to the top, and a lush garden encompassed the entirety of the top of the castle.
Silently stealing aside he slew an archer and used the bow to strike down the other archers on the ramparts, one by one. Krethos went to the edge of the wall and looked out, he could see the princess below, and her guard accepting a rider. He watched as the rider spoke to the Princess, and she stormed into the building, not fully understanding what he had seen, Krethos turned around to descend and talk to the Princess.
Jack Von Bondahar filled Krethos' vision.
"Well done, boy." Von Bondahar said, as he took Krethos by the arm and flung him away from the parapet.
"You, are the Assassin?" Krethos asked as he rose to his feet.
"Astute observation, I must say."
"I will have the keys from you."
"Hasty, you are much too hasty for your own good."
"You should be quick, there are hundreds coming up from below."
"I would not worry about your friends, they are occupied below, and cannot reach us here, I have sealed off the few entrances to the garden here."
Krethos moved his hand to his sword, "I will have the keys." He said steadily, his eyes burning with anger. Anger gathered along the way, at his own incompetence, and his failures, bottled and held.
Von Bondahar drew his own sword from his fine belt, "If you will not hear me out, then so be it, your blood is upon your own head."
Despite this last warning Krethos struck out at the assassin, his blade was met halfway, and he was thrown back.
"Did the captain teach you nothing?" Von Bondahar said, "Vengeance doesn't suit you, anger blinds you, clear your mind if do not wish your life to end in a moment."
Krethos stood up tall, and let go his anger, he was not to be guided by it any longer. He swung hard at the assassin's neck, caught off guard the assassin had only time to duck, but it was sufficient, as he stabbed out at Krethos' chest. Krethos moved back, only just in in time to save himself, and he brought another hard strike down, and Von Bondahar matched it, and they pushed against each other. Von Bondahar smiled, and with a flick of his wrist sent Krethos' sword flying across the garden, where it was driven deep into the ground.
Krethos kicked Von Bondahar's wrist, and caused his opponent to drop his sword. While the assassin stooped to pick it up Krethos ran around the one story projection from the garden.
He clambered up onto a narrow ledge, just large enough to hold him out of sight, but if he moved but a little it would cast stones upon the head of anyone below. Von Bondahar rounded the corner to find nothing but Krethos' sword in the ground. He walked around to below where Krethos was hiding and kneeled, observing something in the grass.
He stood again and walked around the other side of the projection. Krethos sighed in relief, and was moving to come back down, when Von Bondahar appeared along side the ledge, a bow drawn overly taught. He released the shaft, as Krethos leapt from the ledge.
The arrow passed by Krethos' head, and sliced his ear. Krethos fell to the ground, and the air was pulled from his lungs. He stood, struggling to refill his deflated lungs, bent over, looking at the assassin.
Krethos pulled his sword out of the ground beside him and, still gasping for air, made a series of well placed and calculated blows. Von Bondahar was taken aback, and soon he in turn fled, but not far. He came to the exposed stair of the tower keep, and leapt up onto it.
Krethos followed, and defended himself well as Von Bondahar retreated up the stair, until they came at last to the ruined throne room. The walls of the circular chamber had been cast down, but the floor remained, and here Von Bondahar determined to make his final stand.
Krethos entered the room and blocked expertly the onslaught of the assassin, until his opportunity arose, and he cast Von Bondahar's sword from the tower, much as Von Bondahar had done earlier.
Krethos stood over his opponent, and held his sword to the defeated assassin's neck, "Surrender the keys." He commanded.
To which Von Bondahar answered with a cackle, "I don't have them."
"What do you mean!"
"I had them once, and then they were taken from me, hidden."
Krethos stepped back, he had labored so long to hear this?
"Where are they?" He asked.
"Hidden, deep in the Razon mountains." The assassin cackled, "and there you must go to get what you seek, and you must go on alone, with no more help from me."
And with that he cast himself from the tower, by some feat of skill or magic he landed safe in the garden and cast himself from there. Krethos watched as his long target ran into the distance, and only watched.
No longer would he hunt, now he would race. Von Bondahar, was alive, but he had a head start, and it was clear he wanted the keys.
A new mission lay ahead, and time grew thin, Krethos sheathed his sword, and started down the curving stair.
Copyright © 2008-2009 Robert W. A. Nance
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