Parno's Peril Read online

  “A few leaks sprung and one window pane cracked, alas,” Milton sighed. “It will be difficult to replace with the war on, but on the whole the damage could have been much worse.”

  “What about our horses and carriage?” Edema turned to Captain Winters, who had agreed to join them for breakfast.

  “Milton has a large barn that we rolled the carriage into, my lady,” Winters reported. “And while there wasn't room enough in the barn for so many horses, there is a covered hay barn which is empty this time of year so we made a rope corral inside it to keep the horses under as much cover as possible. It required a guard watch to stand during the night, but none of our horses were injured and your carriage is in fine shape this morning.”

  “Wonderful,” Edema beamed at them. “I am grateful to you Captain for seeing after my own things as well as your horses. And to you, Milton, for allowing us the use of your stables.”

  “It was my pleasure, of course, my lady,” Milton bowed deeply. “Now I must return to work but should you require anything at all, just call out.” He made his way toward the kitchen, humming lightly.

  “We will rest here for the day, then,” Edema told Captain Winters. Even though Winters was in fact the commander of Stephanie's escort, Winters recognized the authoritative tone when he heard it. “It was wise of you to suggest it, and no doubt your men can use the rest after last night. We will resume our travels tomorrow if that meets with your approval.”

  “That should be fine, my lady,” Winters nodded.

  “Good. Then I think I will take my own advice and rest for today.”

  Stephanie hid a sigh as she decided that she had little choice but to try and do the same. She obviously wasn't going anywhere today.

  -

  “You called for me, sir?” General Gerald Allen reported to Parno's tent within the hour.

  “Yes, General. Take a look at this,” he handed over a rapidly printed copy of Dagger Earl's report. Allen read the few words and moved to the wall map to trace the movement of the reported division.

  “There's nothing there,” he said finally, following the projected path of the Imperial column. “It's not bad country, especially for farming, but... it's empty, milord. There's nothing there of any military import. What are they after?”

  “That's what I want you to find out,” Parno replied. “I suspect this is one of two things, General. The first is that it's a simple exercise and they feel secure enough to send out an infantry group without even the most basic of screens. The second is that they're planning to establish a new camp somewhere to the west. Normally that wouldn't concern me, but we recently had a report of Imperial cavalry leaving the army across the river and heading north,” he traced the route those horsemen had taken.

  “We lost sight of them here and didn't regain it. As a result, I have all but decided that the whole thing was a feint and that the men we were following, once the road took them out of sight, simply returned to their camp, leaving us chasing ghosts. With this new development, I have to wonder if I was wrong about that.”

  “Why would that many cavalry need an infantry unit?” Allen asked.

  “This infantry unit has an unusually large wagon train, apparently,” Parno pointed out. “It's possible that they are going to establish a camp somewhere along here for those cavalry men. It's also possible that they're just following an exercise and this has nothing to do with that cavalry at all. Whichever it is, I want you to find out. Find them and keep them under observation.”

  “For how long?” Allen asked.

  “Determine what they are doing and try to figure how long they intend to do it,” Parno ordered. “See if they are joined by anyone else. If they decide to return after a few days, catch them on the road and ambush them. Kill them all.”

  “Yes sir,” Allen stiffened and snapped off a salute.

  “Good luck, General.”

  -

  “Make sure those bows are covered well,” Winnie ordered as the wagons for her upcoming expedition were packed. “I don't want them damaged or getting wet if we see another rain like this on the trail.”

  “Yes ma'am,” the man sketched a salute as he worked to make sure his load was secure.

  There were twelve wagons bearing supplies and equipment, including one blacksmith's wagon and one Royal Engineer wagon with equipment. There was an ambulance with a medical crew, including a physician, three nurses and four orderlies. There was a wagon bearing as many bows and ready-made arrows as could be gathered in the time allowed considering there was a war on.

  “We've loaded supplies for an extended trip so we shouldn't be a burden on any town we visit,” Senior Captain Andrew Case, her escort commander, informed her. “And we've managed to acquire a good supply of arrows as well. Plus, I scrounged through local armories and found a few dozen swords. They're not the best made weapons or they'd not have been where they were, but they will be a start on arming and training those who want to learn.”

  “Thank you, Captain,” Winnie smiled. “I appreciate it. Do we have sufficient instructors lined up for that?”

  “Enough to get them started, anyway,” Case assured her. “But as to splitting our group off... the way it's planned now is unacceptable, ma'am.”

  “In what way?” she demanded.

  “You're spreading my command too thin,” he told her bluntly. “We can protect you and this train, barely, with the manpower we have available. But dividing the train means dividing the escort, and that is something I'm not prepared to do. It will leave us weak and vulnerable to attack by bandits, or Tribals, which is even worse. We've already had one major raid into our territory as you know. There's nothing to say we won't see another. We will have to keep the train together and cover the ground you want to cover more slowly.”

  His unit was designed to provide security for one very important woman. With three companies totaling three hundred men, his force was, on paper, a short battalion with his rank set as Senior Captain. Captain Able Conway was Case's second in command, a good and experienced command officer, but the three companies under his command were actually commanded by senior Lieutenants rather than Captains. Lieutenant Andrew Fain commanded First Company, Lieutenant Gerry Rucker Second Company and Lieutenant Joseph Garrett Third Company.

  Those Lieutenants would do fine at their assigned roles of protecting their primary, but they were not experienced enough to lead independent commands in the open field escorting wagons in areas where enemy patrols might be encountered, another reason Case had refused to split the escort. And three hundred men were more than enough to protect one woman, but barely enough to protect a wagon train as valuable as the one they had along with that one very important woman.

  “I don't want to do that,” Winnie shook her head. “It will take too long to get done.”

  “It won't get done at all if we're dead, ma'am,” Case held his ground. “This is the way it has to be.”

  “I want it done my way,” Winnie insisted.

  “That isn't going to happen, ma'am,” Case replied simply. “It's dangerous. Too much so. I realize you have a lot on your agenda, but we can't risk separating like this in the face of possible enemy opposition. My men are not expendable, and I doubt His Majesty will view you that way either.”

  Winnie was caught by surprise as Case played the very trump card she had intended to play; Memmnon. She knew that as soon as Case mentioned the added danger to her, that would be the end of it. Memmnon would side with Case and that would be that. Finally, she nodded, reluctant though it was.

  “Very well then,” she told him. “We’ll need to adjust our travel plans accordingly. We'll visit Jason first, then Dyerville, and then-”

  “Not Dyerville,” Case was shaking his head again. “It's too close to the line and there have been reports of large groups of Imperial cavalry working just over the Great River from there, not to mention that it's only a few dozen miles from the main encampment of the Imperial Army. We aren't going to risk that
, my lady. Jason is risk enough, but still far enough south of the lines and with our own army between us and the enemy. I would suggest a compromise where we send runners to the smaller towns further north informing them what you have planned and to meet us in Shelby or in Jason. Once there, we can establish a camp and teach them everything you want them to know while the representatives from the Royal Engineers can educate them on preparing their town defenses. Doing it this way will also make up for the extra time we incur by keeping the train together.”

  It was a skillful compromise as well as an olive branch and Winnie recognized it as such. She pretended to consider it for a few moments before nodding her head.

  “I like it,” she admitted to him. “Very well. I will leave it to you to send the runners ahead. Emphasize that this could mean the difference between life or death in the event of a raid. I want to be sure that everyone who wants to be part of this can attend, even if we need to provide wagons for them to ride in.”

  “I'll see what can be done on that front,” Case promised. “If you will pardon me, I'll see to the runners.”

  Winnie ran over her mission once more in her head, recalculating things to include these new changes. In some ways this would actually improve her position and make it easier to train and equip as many as possible. The down side would be that it would be impossible to see to the defensive structure of each town on an individual level, but... anything would be an improvement.

  It would have to be enough because it was all there was.

  “We leave tomorrow, assuming there are no further issues,” she told the civilian leader of the wagon train. “If there are any problems refer them to Captain Case. Anything he can't see to he will bring to me. Please see to it that we are properly provisioned all around since we don't want anything we need to be a burden on the towns we visit.”

  “We've made sure, ma'am,” he promised. “Even got a smith along for repairs. If anything, we may can help those we come across, at least so long as our supplies last.”

  “Good. Thank you. I have duties to attend to so I will leave this to your capable hands,” she smiled.

  “We'll take care of it, ma'am,” he promised.

  -

  “Timing is everything in this mission, do you understand?”

  “Yes sir,” his listeners replied in unison.

  “If you succeed, then make your escape by any means available to you and report back. If you fail, don't bother. I have no use for failures. Clear?”

  “Clear, sir.”

  “You have three days.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  -

  The man known as the Tinker sat on a stool at the bar of the Hogshead tavern and watched a certain employee of his go about her duties. Jaelle had worn a smile all morning long and had even been heard humming softly as she carried out her chores. Tinker had fought to keep a smile from his face at how happy she looked.

  He had been more than a touch concerned when Jaelle had taken the Prince to her bed that first night. While he trusted the girl without question, the Prince had been at least slightly inebriated and Jaelle was not a working girl, as such women were often called for some reason lost to time. It had become apparent last evening that the Prince was unaware of that. His shock at finding Jaelle hard at work in the tavern serving tables could have never been feigned, and at any rate the Prince wasn't one to put on an act. He had been genuinely surprised.

  And he had been just as embarrassed as he was surprised, Tinker remembered. Parno had clearly not minded sharing the bed of a woman who made her living providing comfort to men but had balked at the idea that he had treated a woman who did not make such a living as if she did. There was embarrassment and no small amount of shame on the young Prince's face as he had spoken first to Tinker and then to Jaelle herself.

  Tinker had no idea what had passed between them last evening... well, all right, he had some idea of at least part of what had passed between them, but whatever else had transpired had left Jaelle in a an even better than normal mood today. She was rarely in anything but a good mood to be sure, but today was even brighter than normal. And the only think Tinker could think of that would be responsible for that was a certain Prince.

  But what had he told her? Or not told her? Or insinuated perhaps. Tinker was firmly convinced that Parno McLeod could be trusted, but he wouldn't be the first man to lie to a beautiful woman. Finally, Tinker could stand it no longer and called Jaelle to him.

  “Yes, Tinker?” she asked.

  “How much do you lack being finished?” he asked.

  “Not long. Perhaps an hour or a bit more. Is there something else you need me to do?” she asked. Always willing to help.

  “No. Allow Mercina to finish your work with the laundry and walk with me,” he ordered, standing. “I wish to speak with you in private.”

  “Very well,” a suddenly subdued Jaelle nodded.

  “Relax,” he told her. “It's not like that. I merely want to talk to you away from prying ears.”

  A relieved Jaelle followed him outside and the two walked a short way up the road, avoiding the mud by using the rocky way.

  “Jaelle, your business is your own, as is your free time,” Tinker said. “That being said, I consider it one of my responsibilities to watch after all of you. I trust Parno McLeod and I believe in him… believe him to a be a good man… but... men are fallible, and that is especially true where beautiful women are concerned.” He paused for a moment, looking for the proper words.

  “He has promised me nothing, Tinker, if that is what you are asking,” Jaelle volunteered. “He spoke of something similar last night, but I hushed him. I am not interested. He wanted to insure I have a good life, but I already have one that I like, and told him so. I have people who are family to me and all my needs are met. He is a good man and I think... I think for a few moments he entertained an idea that there could be more between us. You and I know the reality of that, however. There can be no more between the Prince and I than what we have already shared. He cannot do it.”

  Tinker was surprised by the admission. Both by the Prince thinking along those lines and by Jaelle's refusal. But there was something that must be said.

  “Jaelle, do not compare him to others,” Tinker warned. “If Prince Parno decided he wanted you by his side, do not think for a moment that any sort of propriety would stop him. He cares nothing for those things. Nor does he draw his power from them. They mean nothing to him whatsoever.”

  “I do not understand,” her face was puzzled.

  “Parno McLeod is the Crown Prince, that is true, but he has ascended to those heights from far beneath them and until recently was little better thought of by the Royal Family than we would have been. And, he does not care. He didn't then and he doesn't now. His power does not come from his standing within the Royal Family, but from his standing within the Army. Whereas his brother Therron ruled the Army and dominated it, Parno leads the Army. And always lurking behind him are the Black Sheep. They are few in number, but they are strong. They are utterly merciless and they answer only to him.”

  “So, if he offered you something, don't think it was an offer idly made. He not only meant it, he can and will do it.”

  “I... see,” Jaelle didn't seem to know how to respond to that.

  “I am not saying he has offered you anything, or that he will,” Tinker added. “That is between you and he. If he does not, then it may be that he seeks to spare you the eternal enmity that seems to surround him. It is not his fault, but it is his to bear for what reasons God Himself only seems to know. It is difficult to see one so young burdened with so much.”

  “But regardless, I merely wanted to ensure your wellbeing,” he promised with a kindly pat to her shoulder.

  “Thank you, Tinker,” she smiled brightly at him. “As I told the Prince, you treat us well and watch over us. For that we are all in your debt.”

  “Ridiculous,” Tinker scoffed in jest. “What man would not want to surr
ound himself with beautiful women?”

  Her laughter peeled across the distance as they returned to the inn.

  -

  “All right,” General Allen said as his fellow Generals, Thaddeus Coe and Wilton Vaughan gathered around him along with their brigade commanders.

  “We're going to spread out a bit, but carefully,” he told them. “Each brigade will select scouts to screen our movements, but most importantly to find this column of infantry. We have to swing wide around them or risk them hearing us, so that's what we’ll do. We’ll approach with only a few men and recon until we locate them. After that we’ll stay with them observe for a while and see what happens.”

  “If they camp for a bit and head back, then we’ll destroy them,” he added with a near growl. “If we play it right, we can hit them far enough from their own lines that they just disappear.”

  “That would be a good trick,” Coe chuckled “Their high command would bust one for sure looking for an entire division that went AWOL.”

  “We have to find them first, and then see what they're doing. Be cautious and don't be seen. Get that order out to selected scouts and let’s get moving. I'd ideally like to catch up with them by lunch tomorrow at the latest.”

  -

  “I th... think I'm getting better at th... this,” Buford Beaumont gasped slightly as he fought to catch his breath.

  “I'm pretty sure you are,” Horace Whipple wasn't even winded. Damn him.

  “Our men are doing well,” Whipple continued. “My archers have improved more than I had thought possible to be honest. Their aim while moving has improved by some forty percent.”

  “Lancers are doing better too,” Beaumont agreed. “I admit I thought this was a waste of time, but I don't think that anymore.”

  “Don't forget our main reason for being here,” Whipple reminded him. “This retraining is fine and all, but our primary role here is to prevent Therron from bringing any help from the Coastal Provinces into Soulan. Secondary to that is to be a backstop to Pierce in the central highlands. We should make sure our regimental commanders keep that in mind as well.”