Rebma or Bust

The personal diary of Darig, son of Lorraine, part 21

The battle over we form up the army to return to camp. There are severely wounded but so few that we can evacuate them by Trump, a dozen or so necrotising snake-bites, including a couple of field amputations, only two with the javelin wounds, that poison accounted for most of the fatalities.

The Vanguard are, in this case, the last to leave the field and become the rear guard with no one behind us apart from a screen of Aridzona light cavalry. It is dark by the time we return to camp, first order is to get everyone fed and rested. Benedict has gone to talk to William whose friend Delambre is severely injured. I take the role of getting the troops settled, setting the night watch and advising those lucky men who get to go out scouting before dawn breaks.

Rhodri takes a turn as watch commander, with an experienced officer to advise him, it is a quiet night but he reportedly did well with those minor incidents that always occur. Benedict and the other senior officers are now asleep so I deal with the command duties. By breakfast, which doubles as a staff meeting, the scouts are back and I am able to report that the lizards seem to be broken and in full retreat, or rather scattered in rout.

The next plan is that a small group will travel by mirror to Rebma whilst the main body of the army marches. We reckon that, in a straight march, it will take about a month, which would stretch rations to the limit so we may need to take a little longer to pass through some shadows that will resupply us. A small base is to be established here, though there is not much wood Elektra and Rhodri can shape stone and the engineers can built an earthwork.

Among the Orders who came from Chaos there are two of House Petrus, I hear them arguing, Cynaetha (with the Lugubrious Vendetta) is saying that the house is down two, Vrachos (Deniable Moth) thinks it should be down three, to which she replies it is a matter of honour. When they realise I have heard them Vrachos is a little apologetic but Cynaetha just glares.

When I see the kids I warn them. With the engineers, they are working on the construction of a small fort of melded stone which will hold those wounded or unfit to be moved, some medics to tend them and a small garrison. We have built it by the spring and due to the wonders of stone melding the water rises up into a cistern, from where it can be directed at need, Elektra has also built a long and low horse trough outside the walls.

I have a quick rest whilst I can; after I awake I report to Benedict. Since William is going with the party to Rebma, Ben will be reliant on me as, liaising with Julian's scouts, the Vanguard will be vital as we pass through new shadows that may not be quite what we expect.

We bury the dead, blessedly few, but mostly marines and rangers, valuable troops at any time.

Another night, not my watch and I sleep well.

The main event of the next day is the announcement that Corillaine's troops will be leaving to head straight home. This will leave the Vanguard with only half its central infantry unit, I hope I can replace them, Topaz pike would be my first choice, I ask Benedict, who will think about it. The troops left to garrison the fort will be one company of Amber Guard, and some volunteers, including about half a troop of mixed cavalry.

The Corillaine troops and the Janissaries are having a large party, they have fought side by side for the whole campaign and likely will not meet again. They have earned this so, apart from making it clear that they are on duty tomorrow and no sympathy will be given to hangovers, we let them get on with it.

Leaving this party I return to my tent, Cynaetha arrives just after me, she throws down a gauntlet to challenge Elektra to a duel, Vrachos is her second and Elektra will also need to choose a second.

Something of this sort was inevitable and Cynaetha has the seniority in her house here. I find Elektra, she is keen to fight and sure she can win, I will be her second, so meet with Vrachos to discuss terms. It seems that Cynaetha has no Barrimen form so the choice of forms is set, and Cynaetha's favoured weapon is spear, but the choice is Elektra's. The fight will be to first wound (first blood? First chip?).

If Cyneatha wins, Elektra must return to Petrus and face her punishment. This does not delight me, but it is better than 'to the death'. Cynaetha is an experienced warrior from a martial house, Elektra is young and untried but does have the training I have given. I would not like to see Elektra confined to stone for all she has done but neither would I bring more grief to House Petrus. If Elektra wins then she can be open about her presence here, she better had, she will not return willingly.

The Duel will be on the fourth day after the battle. I report to Benedict and Bleys what is happening.

Day three after the battle. After the dawn watch I go for breakfast, it is still early but Llewella is there, I discover she is actually on her way to bed having finished the re-enchantment of the mirror at Yanyoga. All the others of my generation are going to be in the party for Rebma except for Dirk. Actually there is also Merlin but I barely know him and have not seen him much around the camp, certainly not where there is work to be done. Delambre is not going so will report to me until William returns. We will still have Alitta and Surpanakha as the air patrol.

There are 130 volunteers, including some walking wounded, to join the Ygg Garrison plus the Guards. Those who know these things reckon we should be able to relieve them within two months, so we tell them three.

I spend some time drilling Elektra in the skills she is most likely to need, she is good but overconfident, even after I sweep her feet from under her. Vrachos comes to agree final terms. Elektra has chosen sword and shield. Bragi, a seasoned observer of war and a neutral in this, will be the adjudicator, he will decide by points based on the skill of the attacks.

We parade to see the Corillaine troops march out and cheer them to the echo.

Just after this I walk into the command tent: Benedict, William, Margrath, Constance, and Corwin are there and all have Trumps out, they are combining their strength to contact Gerard as Constance thinks she has heard something on his Trump. Rather to my surprise it works, they apparently find him in a tavern, not so surprising but he comes through weathered and worn.

After a huge meal that is brought to him he tells of the earthquake in Amber and his account of long wanderings trying to get back there. Amber cannot be reached directly. I return to my duties, we have an army to get on the move. When I return to the tent Caine has contacted Gerard from Yanyoga to say the party travelling to Rebma have now left. I report to Benedict that all remaining units are ready to march.

Day four after the battle and the duel: there is a flat and sanded area just outside the earthwork, a large circle has been drawn on it. And many have come to watch. Elektra is in her Petrus form and her stone armour, now at least she seems apprehensive – good, she must not be too confident but she clearly is not overwhelmed, which would be just as bad.

As seconds we make the challenges. Vrachos makes it clear the challenge will be withdrawn if she will but return to Chaos with them; since that is not something she will do willingly the duel goes ahead.

Cynaetha is no mean opponent but too rigid in her method. Elektra, with my training, has a wider choice of tactics and is physically more flexible, she scores a hit with a leap that is not like anything that would be expected of a Petrus, but her opponent has great skill with the shield and Elektra is hit on the arm for over-reaching herself – just a fraction but it is careless,

Finally Elektra abandons her shield to inflict a massive blow shat seems to leave a crack on Cynaetha; Bragi awards her the victory. She salutes her opponent in the proper dignified way but slightly spoils the effect by leaving the circle almost skipping and going 'I knew I could, I knew I could.' Rhodri hugs her, lifting her clean off the ground and the engineers crowd around her and carry her shoulder high.

As they celebrate I cannot help but wonder, that blow would have felled an ox. Petrus are tough, how on earth did Kalavryta die?