WeatherMaker Hearts Desire Prologue
Chapter 38: Swift Decisions

They embraced one another, each holding the other so tight as if afraid to let go, as if letting go would lose the other again.

‘Oh god’ Tala sobbed, burying her face in his clothing. ‘I prayed every day and every night for you to be returned to me.’ She lifted her head up to his, tears streaming down her cheeks. ‘I was told you were dead…’ she said to him, ‘but I didn’t believe it.’

‘Tala…’

‘I tried to replace you’ she said her voice shaking. ‘The king tried to silence me, tried to arrest me….but things happened…’

‘We were taken away to a camp’ Cam told her. ‘Flynn and I both.’

‘Flynn?’ she glanced behind Cam, spotting Flute Stick, who gave her a nod and a wave. ‘You’re alive too?’

‘Adam’ Tristan took a step towards him. ‘We cannot linger. My father’s men will be here very soon to attack us. We have to leave immediately.’

‘Why haven’t you already left?’

‘We stayed to wait for you’ Tristan explained. ‘Shawn and Annabel were most insistent, but now we have to leave.’

The foreign prisoners were shepherded across the harbour, watched as usual by the bored looking sailors and fishermen.

‘What’s going on?’ one prisoner asked. ‘Where are you taking us?’

‘Hush’ Tristan snapped at him. ‘Be quiet and you will replace out.’

‘I hope you’re all up for some travelling’ Adam hollered to them.

‘Travelling?’ one man echoed, a head, one of many, bobbing about behind them. ‘What is this? A circus?’

‘They lack discipline’ Shawn noted.

‘As to be expected’ Tristan replied. ‘Disobedient…disloyal…dishonest…it’s all I ever expected of prisoners.’

‘Do you think they will fight for us?’ Annabel worried.

‘They’ve come this far’ Tristan said glancing back at her as they strode towards the camp, ‘only because this unknown future we offer them is better than the certain death they faced in their homeland.’

‘You think we will fail.’

Tristan slowed to a stop at Annabel’s words, the gruff men surrounding them walked onwards.

‘I cannot deny’ he said, ‘that the further down this path we go, the further I think we will fall. These men…’ he lifted his head. ‘They are no match for my father’s soldiers, who are everything a soldier should be.’

‘Then why have we come this far if you think we will fail?’ Shawn spoke.

‘Because I have to try’ Tristan answered back. ‘For Amaia….it doesn’t matter how many of these men are lost…if there is a chance of reaching her, then I would take it.’

‘Are you really her father?’ Shawn asked flatly.

‘Yes.’

‘Not Farrell?’

‘No.’

‘I think you’re lying’ Annabel said.

‘I don’t care what you think’ Tristan shot a glare at her. ‘I know the truth.’

The group entered the camp, joining those already stationed there. The men were told of their orders and that it was time to leave. They began to bustle around in a disorganised manner, rolling up the tents and gathering their meagre possessions.

‘Cam’ Tala spoke firmly striding behind him. ‘I want to talk to you.’

‘About what?’ he asked pausing.

‘I don’t want to do this.’

‘Do what?’

‘I cannot fight.’

‘Then why did you come?’

‘I did not think that I would ever see you again’ she said. ‘I thought things would be different.’

‘But you answered the call of war.’

‘Cam’ she said taking his face in her hands. ‘We have to leave this place together….while we still can….while we still have each other.’

‘What?’

‘I gave up hope on you Cam’ she said, biting her lips to stop them quivering. ‘I searched and searched for you….for so long….I gave up hope….I thought you dead.’ As she spoke, tears spilled down her cheeks. ‘I spent my days fighting…like in the old days…it was all I had….all that kept me going.’

Cam placed his hand upon hers, holding it tight as she spoke.

‘I didn’t know you’d be here’ she said in a whisper. ‘Let’s just leave…let’s go home.’

Cam stared back at her.

Then they both heard a call from one of the men nearby, a call that ran over the camp and sent everyone into confusion and panic.

‘Soldiers!’ came the cry. ‘Soldiers!’

Tristan lifted his head, his breath catching in his throat.

His heart stopped in his chest.

‘We’ve stayed too long’ he whispered.

All around them faces turned towards the hill, where there stood a line of men on horseback, their armour shining in the sunlight.

Panic ensued. The men in the camp scattered, trying to replace their weapons. Tristan remained where he was unmoved, staring at his father’s soldiers upon the hill.

The soldiers rode them down, tearing through the camp, killing all in their path. The men on foot fought back as best they could, caught by surprise and unorganised, they stood little chance.

Tristan stood still where he was, standing tall and unflinching before the charging soldiers. None attacked him.

Tristan caught the eye of one of the men who rode towards him. The man turned in the saddle as he passed by, brow furrowed in confusion at the sight of Tristan.

Seconds later a horn sounded, blown by one of the men on horseback.

The cavalry began to retreat. They rode back towards the lip of hill, led by one figure that rode before the rest. Tristan watched as the men disappeared back over the hill. The camp around them fell into a hustle of shouts and sounds of the dying.

Tristan simply walked away.

The aftermath of the attack was that of confusion as men wandered about trying to replace one another, and replaceing those that were dead.

‘Cam!’ a voice called above their heads. ‘Cam!’

‘I’m here’ he broke through the crowd, replaceing Tala again. ‘I’m safe.’

She embraced him, crying into his shoulder.

‘Oh thank god’ she breathed.

‘What was that all about?’ Woodworm demanded as he strode through the wreckage of their camp. ‘What just happened?’

‘I don’t know’ Adam replied. ‘They retreated so suddenly.’

‘We have to get out of here’ Flynn said stepping forward. ‘They’re sure to return soon.’

‘Where is Tristan?’ Woodworm called. ‘Where is he?’

A short time later, and they still remained at the camp.

‘Do you realise that this is near impossible for us to succeed’ Arlen spoke across the table in a raised voice. He and several others had gathered together to talk. Tristan still could not be found, and he was not amongst the dead. He had simply vanished, and there was no clear leader without him. ‘We were doomed from the start’ Arlen went on. ‘There is no way for us to get enough men without the king noticing. And even if we did, we don’t stand a chance against his army with this rabble of prisoners and veterans. Most are too old or too young…..we will all surely die.’

‘I thought you better than this’ Farrell shot back. He had been found amongst the injured, and bore several new wounds now to go alongside his old ones. ‘I thought you believed we had a chance.’

‘Now I see clearer.’

‘You’re not giving up’ Farrell told him.

‘I didn’t say I was’ Arlen shouted back, fingernails digging into the table before him as he spoke.

‘We can’t stay here’ Adam spoke over the two before things could escalate. ‘We have to leave as soon as possible.’

‘They would catch us’ Arlen mumbled to himself, running his fingers through his hair.

Woodworm and Barrel and Flynn watched them argue silently as they stood around the table. Shawn and Annabel were there also. Cam was not, he was elsewhere.

‘We may not have to leave on foot’ Shawn spoke up. ‘There are still ships waiting at the harbour. That could be our means of escape. If we leave on foot….’ He shrugged. ‘Arlen is right. We have only very few horses; they would catch and kill us all for sure….even a child could follow the footsteps of so many men, and Annabel….’ They glanced at each other. ‘She is not safe here’ Shawn finished.

‘We leave by sea then?’ Adam spoke up. ‘But even with the men we’ve lost, we could not transport them all away. There are not enough ships and not enough money.’

‘We’ve not enough money?’ Shawn repeated.

‘Tristan’s coin is swiftly running out’ Adam explained. ‘He is only the thirteenth son after all.’

‘Then what do we do?’ Flynn spoke up. ‘We cannot leave and we cannot stay.’

‘And we don’t have much time to discuss this either’ Shawn added. ‘They may return any minute now. We have to reach a decision.’

‘I could hold them off’ Annabel spoke up. ‘If I use my magic. I could give these men an opportunity to escape. By sea or on foot.’

‘But the king would know of your existence’ Shawn replied immediately. ‘We cannot risk it.’

‘I am not the frail girl I used to be’ Annabel snapped at him angrily. ‘I can fight and I can kill. And when I have to I will.’

‘Once he knows about you’ Shawn went on, ‘they will hunt you down.’

‘I’m not afraid.’

‘Well you should be.’

‘We don’t have a leader without Tristan’ Adam interrupted. ‘We have to reach a decision we all….or at least mostly agree on.’

‘And be swift about it’ Woodworm added coolly glancing towards the hill. ‘Look’ he said, indicating the line of mounted soldiers that stood facing them on the lip of the hill. ‘They’re waiting to attack us again.’

The other straightened, all suddenly tense with fear.

‘What are they waiting for?’ Shawn asked nervously.

No one answered. All of them stared up in silence at the line of soldiers before them.

Over the lip of the hill just on the other side and out of sight, two men spoke.

‘Tristan’ the leading man said striding towards him. ‘What are you doing here?’

‘I was tracking a party of men here’ Tristan replied without missing a beat. ‘They intend to attack our father.’

‘Why?’

‘They don’t agree with his kidnapping of the Weather Makers.’

‘Why?’

‘I believe one of their daughters was taken.’

‘And they want to raise an army to replace her?’ the man strode past. ‘My dear brother.’ He turned back to him. ‘Where have you been all this time?’

‘I told you already’ Tristan answered. ‘I was tracking them.’

‘For many months.’

‘Corvan’ Tristan sighed.

‘Don’t bother trying to feed me any excuses or half-truths or pure lies. It’s not my business what you do. I only fight to serve our father.’ Corvan paused. He smiled then, the edges of his lips tweaking. ‘It is good to see you again.’

‘Is it?’

‘I….was beginning to worry.’

‘Were you?’

‘Why do you sound so surprised?’ Corvan asked.

Tristan turned away.

’I even went to visit your wife. Even she didn’t know where you were…I thought….for a moment…’

‘That I had died?’

Corvan tilted his head at Tristan, speaking to his back. ‘None of our brothers have heard from you in ages.’

‘I’ve been busy.’

Corvan sighed. You should return to father’ he suggested changing the subject. ‘He is worried about you I am sure.’

‘No’ Tristan shook his head. ’He only worries about her.’

‘In any case, you should return, he’s been getting suspicious. Its time you put his mind at ease.’

‘What will you do?’ Tristan asked him, finally facing him again.

‘I will stay here’ Corvan replied, ‘and finish off this lot, before they cause any trouble.’

Tristan bit his tongue, moving away before his brother could see the worry and uncertainty within him. He took a spare horse offered to him by one of the soldiers, a brown mare, and rode away from the scene, heading the long distance back to the palace alone, his father’s home. All the while, thinking of those he was leaving behind, and wondering if any of them would make it.

But his father……he was not entirely sure what would happen when he met him. In the pit of his stomach, Tristan felt a flicker of worry as he feared for his life, once he placed himself before the king.

‘We’ll see’ Tristan said to himself. ‘We will see…’

‘We’ll split’ Adam said at last to the others, leaning forwards on the table. ‘Some of us go by ship across the sea. The rest of us go by land. We’ll meet later in the mountains where the rest of our men wait.’

‘Sounds good enough’ Farrell said quickly. ‘Now we have to move as soon as possible.’

The group of those surviving were split roughly in half, with one group heading towards the ships, the other remaining on land.

‘We have to go back to our own land’ Tala urged, speaking to Cam. ‘I don’t want to lose you again…not now I’ve just found you.’

‘I will come’ Cam nodded. ‘Of course I will.’

‘I won’t’ Flynn spoke up.

‘What?’ Cam glanced around in shock. ‘But…we’ve always stuck together.’

‘I’m sorry’ Flynn uttered stepping back. ‘I cannot return to that place….after what they did to us….how we suffered…’

‘Flynn…’ Cam moved towards him, letting go of Tala.

‘No’ Flynn replied beginning to shake. ‘I cannot….I cannot…too much…’

‘Flynn’ Cam said going to him, grasping his arm firmly. ‘We are like brothers.’

‘I cannot return’ Flynn said again. ‘I am afraid.’

‘Then this is where we part’ Cam said. ‘Goodbye Flynn’ he said embracing him. ‘Maybe we will see one another again someday.’

‘I hope so’ Flynn breathed, holding him tightly back. ‘I really hope so.’

Behind them Tala drew a sharp intake of breath.

The soldiers who had waited on the hill were charging again, the thunder of hooves from the beasts was growing louder as they advanced.

Adam called for the men to rally, but disorganised and poorly trained, this prisoners misfit of thieves and rapists and heathens were a poor match for the kings trained soldiers. They would be lucky to survive a second charge, and it was unlikely their attackers would retreat again.

‘Annabel you have to help us’ Adam screamed, rounding on her. ‘They’ll kill us all!’

‘No!’ Shawn ordered charging forwards. ‘You’ll be put in danger!’

Annabel tensed, watching the charging wall of mounted soldiers draw ever closer by the second; listening to Shawn and Adam who stood either side of her.

‘You’ve done it before’ Adam shouted. ‘You can do it again!’

Annabel saw the horses were nearly upon them, their riders a terrifying sight. Faces of men who were ready to kill. Faces of men who were not afraid to be killed.

Annabel took a slow and steady breath, raising her arms out high. In her heart she felt there was little choice. Last time she had hidden, now she was ready to fight out in the open.

‘Ana no!’ Shawn cried.

But it was too late. Annabel had summoned her magic. A great wall of roots shot up from the ground before them, creating a wall between them and the charging soldiers.

The horses screamed in terror, rearing up and bolting away, the soldiers caught by surprise fell back, some toppled from their horses, they began swarming around behind the wall of roots in confusion. And then the calls began as the roots above them grew into trees and sprouted bright green leaves and flowers.

‘Weather Maker!’ came the voices that circled around the men around the camp. ‘There’s a Weather Maker here!’

Roots shot out towards their enemy, killing soldier and horses alike, ripping them limb from limb.

Shawn stepped back as a horse’s head was thrown to his feet.

He lifted his eyes slowly back towards the massacre. Some of the men tried to fight, some retreated.

Shawn spotted amongst the riders, a soldier wearing fine armour bearing the crest of a wolf running up a mountainside. He watched as the prince wheeled his horse around and rode, back up the hill and away. Only a handful of the attacking men survived.

When it was all over, Annabel let out a deep breath, looking over what she had done, looking over the mangled mass of torn bodies around them, and their own men that remained; now cowering in fear.

When it was all over, Shawn strode up to her, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her.

‘What have you done!?’ he shouted at her. ‘What have you done!?’

‘Shawn…’ Annabel stammered. ‘I couldn’t…..I had to protect us…’

‘The king will know…he will know about you….’ his nails dug into her shoulder painfully as he began to tremble, fingers turning white, ‘…he will hunt you down…’

‘Shawn…’ she whimpered. ‘I’m sorry…’

He embraced her then, forcefully so, glaring at the scene behind her.

‘It’s ok’ he whispered. ‘I will protect you if anything happens…I promise…’

Annabel held him back, her relief turning to sorrow. She began to cry into his shoulder.

‘It’s ok’ Woodworm said calmly as he wandered through the aftermath, surveying the carnage that surrounded them. ‘We have more men hidden elsewhere, under Tristan’s control. They will be kept safe until we need them.’

He stepped over the twisted and gnarled roots of a fallen tree, the earth around him torn up. His foot lowered into a shallow puddle of blood as he walked onwards, following Adam who moved slowly. The bodies were all around them.

‘This is where we split then’ Adam said, wiping blood from his eyes. He raised his head, speaking loudly to all so that he may be heard. ‘They are sure to return with more men, but at least we have more time now. So’ he called coming to a stop. ‘Who goes where?’