Read Online Rise and Fall by Joshua P. Simon - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Joshua P. Simon
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return home doesn’t bother you?”
Jonrell opened his mouth, but a shout from behind cut him off. “Commander!”
He stood up, seeing the young man running toward him. The youth was tall and lean with blond hair and blue eyes, face without even a day’s worth of growth. The boy looked more like some dashing knight or fabled prince than a scout for a group of mercenaries. Still, Rygar’s skills as a scout exceeded anything Jonrell had seen in years.
“Three hundred and twenty horses are camped just a couple leagues away. Melchizan is leading them.”
“The fool survived?”
“Yes, sir. He’s looking pretty beat up, right arm in a sling, but it’s him alright.”
“What about the rest? What shape are they in?”
“They’ve been pushed hard. Most of their horses are ready to drop and some of the soldiers aren’t far behind. Still, they’re well armed and from the looks of it pretty determined.”
“Looking to take their failings out on us it would seem,” said Jonrell.
“Well, we did skip out on them,” said Krytien.
“Take half a dozen men. Find a place we can make our stand.” Jonrell jerked his head back to his left. “Those hills we spotted earlier could be a likely spot. Start there and be quick about it.” Then he turned to Krytien. “Pass the word to break camp. We leave in half an hour. No exceptions. You and Yanasi have rear guard. Tell Cassus to arm as many of those slaves as he can. Melchizan has more than four times our number so we’ll need all the help we can get come tomorrow.” The men nodded and set off to their tasks, Rygar sprinting with all the vigor of youth and Krytien plodding along as fast as his frame would allow.
* * *
Jonrell overlooked a deep valley as the first light crept in from the eastern sky. The floor of the valley descended in a gradual slope, covered in rocks. From his vantage point, he could see the rocks rested in a dry riverbed, likely to flood again with the next hard rain. Other hills overlooked similar views but no other valley was quite so deep or filled with such hazardous terrain. From the floor, the landscape did not seem as treacherous with small outcroppings of vegetation covering holes and rocks half-hidden beneath the plant life. Such terrain would twist a leg at best, cripple or kill at worst.
Last night men, women, and children alike worked in the dusky gloom, first traversing the harsh valley, pushing and prodding animals and wagons. All got by with only minor injuries. The focus then turned to preparing for Melchizan. Jonrell assumed his former employer had no clue how close his outfit camped to them. If he had, last night would have been the time for an attack while we were scrambling around in the dark, hindered by the Byzernians. But Jonrell knew he could rely on Melchizan’s lack of experience.
Sunlight crawled across the hilly land and spread into the valley just as the last of Jonrell’s men moved into position. The sound of soft footsteps approached from behind, but Jonrell kept his gaze set on the western entrance to the basin. If all went well, Melchizan’s outfit would enter there, riding into the sunlight. “Are we ready?” he asked.
“Yep,” said Cassus.
Jonrell turned to face his friend. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”
“I thought it best to bring you the news.”
Jonrell grunted as he caught friend’s meaning. “They haven’t changed their minds then?”
“No. Wiqua said that his people will not fight. They can help in other ways but it is against their beliefs to physically harm another.”
“And they wonder why they were slaves,” Jonrell muttered under his breath.
“I’m just the messenger. You do have to admire their resolve though.”
“The One Above can have their resolve. I’d rather have fighters. Will their men still participate as decoys at least?”
“Yes.”
Jonrell shook his head. “Hypocrites. I ought to leave them here for Melchizan. That would buy us enough time to
Jonrell opened his mouth, but a shout from behind cut him off. “Commander!”
He stood up, seeing the young man running toward him. The youth was tall and lean with blond hair and blue eyes, face without even a day’s worth of growth. The boy looked more like some dashing knight or fabled prince than a scout for a group of mercenaries. Still, Rygar’s skills as a scout exceeded anything Jonrell had seen in years.
“Three hundred and twenty horses are camped just a couple leagues away. Melchizan is leading them.”
“The fool survived?”
“Yes, sir. He’s looking pretty beat up, right arm in a sling, but it’s him alright.”
“What about the rest? What shape are they in?”
“They’ve been pushed hard. Most of their horses are ready to drop and some of the soldiers aren’t far behind. Still, they’re well armed and from the looks of it pretty determined.”
“Looking to take their failings out on us it would seem,” said Jonrell.
“Well, we did skip out on them,” said Krytien.
“Take half a dozen men. Find a place we can make our stand.” Jonrell jerked his head back to his left. “Those hills we spotted earlier could be a likely spot. Start there and be quick about it.” Then he turned to Krytien. “Pass the word to break camp. We leave in half an hour. No exceptions. You and Yanasi have rear guard. Tell Cassus to arm as many of those slaves as he can. Melchizan has more than four times our number so we’ll need all the help we can get come tomorrow.” The men nodded and set off to their tasks, Rygar sprinting with all the vigor of youth and Krytien plodding along as fast as his frame would allow.
* * *
Jonrell overlooked a deep valley as the first light crept in from the eastern sky. The floor of the valley descended in a gradual slope, covered in rocks. From his vantage point, he could see the rocks rested in a dry riverbed, likely to flood again with the next hard rain. Other hills overlooked similar views but no other valley was quite so deep or filled with such hazardous terrain. From the floor, the landscape did not seem as treacherous with small outcroppings of vegetation covering holes and rocks half-hidden beneath the plant life. Such terrain would twist a leg at best, cripple or kill at worst.
Last night men, women, and children alike worked in the dusky gloom, first traversing the harsh valley, pushing and prodding animals and wagons. All got by with only minor injuries. The focus then turned to preparing for Melchizan. Jonrell assumed his former employer had no clue how close his outfit camped to them. If he had, last night would have been the time for an attack while we were scrambling around in the dark, hindered by the Byzernians. But Jonrell knew he could rely on Melchizan’s lack of experience.
Sunlight crawled across the hilly land and spread into the valley just as the last of Jonrell’s men moved into position. The sound of soft footsteps approached from behind, but Jonrell kept his gaze set on the western entrance to the basin. If all went well, Melchizan’s outfit would enter there, riding into the sunlight. “Are we ready?” he asked.
“Yep,” said Cassus.
Jonrell turned to face his friend. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”
“I thought it best to bring you the news.”
Jonrell grunted as he caught friend’s meaning. “They haven’t changed their minds then?”
“No. Wiqua said that his people will not fight. They can help in other ways but it is against their beliefs to physically harm another.”
“And they wonder why they were slaves,” Jonrell muttered under his breath.
“I’m just the messenger. You do have to admire their resolve though.”
“The One Above can have their resolve. I’d rather have fighters. Will their men still participate as decoys at least?”
“Yes.”
Jonrell shook his head. “Hypocrites. I ought to leave them here for Melchizan. That would buy us enough time to
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