Someone Will Come

By midday, nobody had come. That was irritating, but it wasn't yet alarming. Harrowford had only been ours for a few hours. Ceara's people could be watching from the hills. I figured even resistance armies had to travel between places.

I explained all of that to Waki. She listened from the priest's chair with her pipe between her lips. “You don’t believe it,” I said.

“I believe some.”

“Which part?”

“That nobody has come.”

Her faith remained inspiring. Outside, the townspeople watched us from doorways and windows. Most had stayed inside after the fighting ended. Those who came out wanted water, missing relatives or reassurance that the elves hadn't decided everything in Harrowford now belonged to them.

Keme answered that question before I could. Two southern warriors came out of a house carrying several loaves of bread. The woman who lived there followed behind them, saying something neither understood. Keme watched for a moment and hit one of the warriors. The bread returned to the house.

The woman disappeared inside and returned with a small wrapped bundle. She offered it to the other warrior. Keme hit him too.

I watched it with mild amusement. “Diplomacy is progressing.”

Nimiwa watched beside me. “Ke says no take. Humans may give.”

The woman was trying to press the bundle into Keme's hands now. She probably thought bribery worked with all races. Keme looked deeply conflicted by the entire situation, having just reprimanded his men.

“Apparently she wants to,” I said.

Nimiwa watched the struggle. “Keme does not.”

The woman's husband eventually appeared and pulled her back inside. No houses had been looted. No civilians had been killed. The Church stores were another matter. Waki made sure those became ours the moment the last soldier surrendered. We found grain, salted meat, oil, tools, and enough white cloth to make even Waki look like she could be saved.

The priest's office was filled with documents. Waki sat next to me while I went through them. She had taken the trade records. I had taken anything with a Church seal. Most of the salvation appeared to concern collecting taxes.

Some of it was useful. Harrowford had been supplying wagons moving between the southern forest and Dozorhold. Barley went north. Ore came south. Tools, horses, medicine and weapons passed through in both directions. Otto probably picked up the tools he traded to us on one of these convoys.

I found nothing about a Red Mage, a general, Ceara or why we were still waiting. I spread the map across the desk. The northern road ran from Dozorhold, passed over the river and met Harrowford. Smaller tracks split from it toward farming villages, the forest and the mountains where the resistance had been hiding.

I tapped the map. “If the Church loses this town, Dozorhold has to react.”

Waki leaned over the map. “You think Ceara expected them to come south.”

“I think Harrowford wasn't the part she cared about keeping,” I said. “Getting to Dozorhold from here is easy. They can send wagons north frequently.”

Her eyes narrowed. “They needed a diversion to give them a break from fighting.”

“Probably. And we wanted the Church away from your forest. We may have been using each other for the same thing.”

I expected something angrier. Instead she put the pipe back into her mouth. “I will talk to Keme.” She left the office.

We sent two scouts toward the mountain camp. Another went back to the settlement with news that Harrowford had fallen. Near evening, the scouts watching the north returned. Keme brought them into the church. Aponi came with him. Several northern elders followed, along with Waki. Nimiwa sat beside me on the edge of the priest's desk.

The first had followed soldiers who escaped Harrowford. They met an Imperial patrol. The second had gone farther. Waki's face showed great concern before she translated.

“How many?” I asked.

“More than two hundred. Maybe three hundred. Some on horseback. Wagons behind.”

“From Dozorhold?”

She nodded.

I looked out the window. The red cloth we had raised over Harrowford still waved. “Any signs of the resistance?”

The scout shook his head. One of the northern elders spoke and Waki translated. “He asks when Ceara comes.”

“I don't know.”

Everyone in the room did not like that answer. “He says you told us she would.”

Keme spoke next and Nimiwa translated this time. “Ke says took town because Uri say help protect forest.” Keme continued. “He ask where help is.”

When I hesitated to answer, the northern elder slapped the table. Several others spoke over him. Waki let them argue for a moment, then translated enough.

“They say you brought us here for another army's battle.”

“They are probably right.”

I put both hands on the table. “I was wrong. I assumed Ceara needed Harrowford after we took it. I think she needed Dozorhold to react.”

A horn sounded from the wall and the argument was temporarily ended as we all rushed outside. The scouts had not exaggerated. Mounted soldiers were visible along the road. Not the main force yet. A dozen riders spread across the fields, staying well beyond bow range.

Behind them, farther north, white banners moved between the trees. Someone had come. Just not anyone we wanted.

By nightfall, the Church force had stopped outside Harrowford. Fires appeared across the fields, then more beyond them. They were not trying to hide.

Warriors stood along the ramparts with bows ready. Nimiwa sat beside me on the church steps with dinner untouched. “Ceara comes?”

“She said someone would.”

She looked at the white fires outside town. “You think she does not come?”

“I think she may be somewhere much farther north congratulating herself.”

“Uri angry?”

“I haven't decided yet.”

She started eating. After several bites, she pushed my bowl toward me.

“Then eat before decide.”

I looked at her. “That sounded almost wise.”

“That was insult?”

“Possibly.”

She pushed the bowl harder so I ate.

Before midnight, we heard hooves approach the wall. One rider approached the gate carrying a white cloth. Keme took me onto the wall. He grabbed the back of my pants and lifted until I was leaning over the rampart. The rider stopped far enough away that shooting him would have required someone more talented than me.

“The Order offers mercy!” he called. “Those compelled to take arms against the Holy Protectors may surrender. Human citizens will be spared. The human accomplice is to be delivered alive. The instigators will be judged separately.”

Waki translated next to us and Keme spat over the wall.

“A very tempting offer,” I said. “We will need some time to consider it.”

“Until sunrise.” With that, the rider turned his horse and I watched him disappear toward the campfires.

Keme pulled me back onto the wall. “He says no,” Waki translated.

“I gathered that. They judge with blades anyway.”

We went back to the church. Keme immediately started moving markers across the map. I stood at the edge and watched everyone plan how to survive my mistake. That lasted until Waki looked over. “You have nothing to say?”

I sighed. “We have to retreat.”

One of the scouts said something. Waki translated. “Riders are watching the gates.”

“Watching isn't blocking,” I said

“By sunrise it will be.”

“Then people leave before sunrise. The warriors we don't need go first, along with the wounded.”

Nimiwa immediately shook her head. “Some cannot move.”

Aponi asked her something. Nimiwa answered in Elvish. Much longer this time. When she finished, the room had become quiet. “There are eleven,” she said. “Cannot climb. Cannot walk far. Some may die if moved.”

The northern elder spoke again. This time Waki hesitated. “He says leave them.”

Nimiwa's staff struck the floor. The argument became Elvish very quickly. Keme joined. Aponi joined. Then Waki. I waited until everyone had finished expressing several centuries of cultural diplomacy.

“We aren't leaving them.”

The northern elder looked at me. “He says then everyone may die.”

“He is correct. I didn't say we'll stay.”

Waki folded her arms. “Then what?”

I looked at the oil lamps inside the church. “How many lamps do we have?”

Waki looked at me as though I had changed languages. “Enough?”

“Light more. The Church cannot count people through stone.” I moved several markers from the map and spread them along the wall. “We leave fires burning at every watch position. Put cloaks on spears. Helmets if we have them. Move torches between positions. Every few minutes someone walks a different section of wall.”

Waki stared at me. “A false garrison?”

“An exaggerated one.”

I pointed to the western edge. “The cliff is still the hardest side to see from the fields. Use the ropes to lower people in small groups.”

Waki's eyes stayed on me. “And when the Church attacks?”

“We make enough noise to convince them we're still here and hope they take the cautious approach.”

“With how many?”

“Not many.”

Keme immediately objected. I didn't need the translation.

“I don't need fifty men dying to prove the town was occupied.”

Keme jabbed one finger against my chest. Waki translated. “He says you asked warriors to take Harrowford. He says now you ask them to run.”

His hand closed around the front of my shirt. I looked down at it.

“Ke.” Nimiwa touched his arm. He released me.

“I was wrong,” I said. “Ceara is not here. Three hundred soldiers are. We know those things now.”

Waki tapped the map. “And who stays?”

“I do.”

Waki almost laughed.

“They specifically said they want me alive. That makes setting fire to the town slightly less convenient.”

Keme pointed at himself. “You're staying too?” He nodded.

His expression made it clear my opinion was not part of the decision. Several southern warriors struck their fists against their chests. Then several northern ones. Twelve decided to stay as well.

Nimiwa planted her staff. “I stay.”

“Nimi, there are wounded. They need someone who can look after them.”

“Apo goes.” Aponi nodded.

“You're Hanwi's oracle.”

Nimiwa stared at me. “You want Nimi go?”

“I need someone to get the wounded down that cliff without killing them.”

Her eyes shifted toward the map. Then toward the church hall where the worst wounded had been placed.

“I take those who can move.”

“Thank you.”

“Then come back.”

“Nimi.”

Her ears lowered. “Waki ask who stay. Nimi choose.”

“Fine.” She looked pleased for exactly one second.

“You choose badly.”

“That was insult.”

The evacuation began as quickly as possible. Every fire in Harrowford seemed to multiply. We lit braziers along the ramparts. Cooking fires burned in courtyards that nobody used. Several townspeople agreed to keep lamps moving behind upper windows after I explained that the alternative involved three hundred Church soldiers and bad manners.

One old man asked if he was going to be paid. I gave him one of the Church’s silver cups. His loyalty became immediate.

Keme had warriors build figures along the wall. From the fields they looked vaguely human. Or elven. Most likely badly dressed scarecrows. At night the distinction mattered less.

Groups began leaving over the western cliff. The plan progressed as smoothly as a shoddy retreat could.

As promised, the first attack came after sunrise. The Imperial Order was cautious which meant the fake army had worked. Zealots advanced first beneath Aegis Shields. White bolts arced over the wall. Most struck stone but one hit a cloak hanging from a spear and set our finest soldier on fire.

Keme had twelve warriors spread across three sections of wall. They moved after every volley. Two northern archers fired from one tower, then ran across the rampart while southern warriors took their place.

From outside, it might have looked like reinforcements rotating. From inside, it looked like exhausted elves sprinting.

The Paladins advanced, covering soldiers carrying ladders. Keme shoved the first back from the wall. Saren and two northern warriors dealt with the second. The third never reached us. Hanwi's blessing punched through one side and took two rungs with it.

The Crusaders came next. Four stopped beyond the gate. One raised his weapon. The blade cut the air and split the gate around an iron band. Another took his place and struck lower.

I rushed to the gate and called on Kumakun’s blessing. It let me lift a nearby wagon and a warrior beside me helped shove it behind the gate.

Another impact struck the gate, then a shout came from the wall. The Crusaders were retreating. Saren had moved along a roof and managed to put an arrow into one man's calf.

The Paladins turned their shields. Keme immediately moved three archers to the opposite side and arrows struck the ladder teams.

The entire advance stopped and the Church pulled back. The Clerics met them halfway and white light surrounded the injured Crusader as he stood again.

By noon, all the roads out had been sealed. The warriors and wounded we had evacuated during the night were safely inside the forest. That news reached us through one scout who had circled back along the cliff.

There were still a few wounded remaining who could not move, and two freshly wounded from the first assault. Nimiwa had returned to retrieve them. When I entered the church, a human boy sat beside her with a burn covering most of one arm. Nimiwa had closed the worst of the wound, but red skin remained beneath a clean wrap.

“More?” he asked, pointing at her staff.

Nimiwa shook her head. “Enough magic. Body must do rest.”

His mother looked uncertain. Nimiwa showed her the bowl of clean water and then the bandage. “Clean. Change when dirty. Not tight here.” The woman nodded.

The scouts sent toward Ceara returned shortly after. Both were exhausted. The first scout spoke. Waki translated. “They reached mountain camp. Empty.”

I looked at her. “Empty how?”

The scout answered. “No bodies. No fire. Supplies removed.”

Waki clenched her fists. “She knew. She expected Dozorhold to react.”

Nimiwa looked at the ground. “Ceara used us.”

A horn sounded from the wall as the second attack began. This time they stopped pretending it was a test. Ladders approached from each accessible wall. Riders moved near the gates. Zealots filled the air with white fire. The remaining fake soldiers died heroically.

Keme screamed an order and the real warriors moved. A ladder hooked over the rampart next to Saren. He drove a spear through the climbing man's hands causing him to fall. A Cleric below raised his mace and the injured man caught the ladder again. Blood still poured between his fingers but he climbed.

Saren hit him a second time, knocking him away from the wall. That was more effective.

One Sun Brave took a bolt and fell backward from the rampart with white fire still burning inside his shoulder. A warrior held him while I summoned the flamberge. I pressed it against the wound. The white flame extinguished but his screaming continued.

Nimiwa motioned for us to bring him into the church. I released the flamberge and carried him. My hand wouldn't stop shaking. Nimiwa took it. “Uri.”

“I'm fine.”

“That is bad lie.” She held my hand until the trembling slowed.

“Nimi. Use the western route and take the patients.” Another impact hit the gate. “We may not get another chance.”

She nodded. “Then I come back.”

The gate shook again. Keme shouted and I went back to the rampart. There were seven warriors left who could still fight properly.

Above us, the red cloth snapped in the wind. A corner had torn loose. There was still a chance someone might see it, I told myself.

Timber finally cracked. Another blow split the gate around the lower hinge. The doors buckled inward and shoved the wagon sideways. Soldiers began forcing themselves through the opening. Keme called the remaining warriors down from the wall. We fell back toward the church, giving up one street at a time.

Waki went to the corner and came back. “Paladin. Soldiers. A Templar behind.”

The Paladin came around the corner with his Aegis raised. Soldiers followed, spreading as much as possible. Behind them, the Templar's hammer began to shine.

I summoned the flamberge.

Someone was supposed to come.

I had run out of time to believe it.