Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The yellow and scarlet glow lit up like a magic lantern, instantly and silently. In seconds the glow spread to a quarter of the horizon, illuminated the clouds below, and faded just as quickly. At the tent one of the sentries groaned. Another called excitedly:

- Donna Vittoria! Milady!

The Necromancer immediately appeared on the threshold. She froze, holding the entrance canopy with one hand and looking south. The distant flames were not completely gone; now they stretched in a purple, flickering streak against the night sky. It seemed like a huge bonfire smouldering beyond the horizon. Vittoria clenched and unclenched her fists. She said dryly to the sentry:

- The prisoner no longer needs a cage. I'll send her clothes. When she is dressed, escort her to my tent in the camp. - She looked up to find Rosa emerging from the bushes. Jeanne still had her arm round the girl's waist. - You both come with me.

In the Loyalist camp the horns were blowing - the sentries had raised the alarm. Soldiers rushed from their tents, snatching spears from their racks, tightening belts and fastening buttons as they ran. The women walked past a group of gunners blowing on the fuses of their arquebuses, past a stableman hastily leading three horses, past an army magician handing out amulets to the field healers. They met Marshal de Cotoci outside his tent. The commander stood surrounded by his aides-de-camp and listened glumly to the report of the guard officer. As soon as he saw Donna Vittoria, he turned to her at once:

- I knew there was no need to send for you, master. It's not magic, is it? I've already asked a couple of mages, and they didn't feel anything.

- No, milord, this is not magic. - The Necromancer stopped, putting her hands behind her back.

- There in the south... is that where Velonda is, milord? - Jeanne asked sullenly. She held Rosa's elbow the whole way, as if she were a child and might get lost in the dark. - The capital of the duchy?

- As well as the Duke himself, his family, and his loyal dragon knights. - The Marshal pressed his lips together. - Yes. It's burning where the city should be. Trust an old soldier who knows how to relate maps to the terrain.

- This is it, isn't it? - Rosa dared to ask at last. The answer seemed obvious, but she needed to hear it from someone else's lips. - An atomic bomb? They... Auguste had blown up the city with an alien bomb?

- But how could it have got to Velonda? - Jeanne let go of the girl's elbow, clenching the hilt of her sword instead. - It's kind of a big thing, you can't get it past ground and air patrols that easily.

- Domestic transport... - the red-haired donna muttered, wrapping her slender fingers around her chin. - Remember? The elves couldn't track all the bombs' movements inside the kingdom. I thought the conspirators were just hiding them better, but it turns out.....

- The bomb was brought to Velonda before the war, before the rebellion, - Rosa blurted out. - In peacetime, with the queen still alive!

- How many more cities could be mined? - The marshal asked in a grey voice.

- Hardly much, - the necromancer replied calmly. Surprisingly enough, Rosa was pretty sure that calm wasn't a contrivance. - That shouldn't concern us right now. What have you done, Marshal?

- Our allies have sent mounted scouts towards the city. - De Cotoci twisted the tip of his moustache. His gaze became distracted. - I have decided to do the same. Now I'm thinking of going to their headquarters. The duke's son may now be the new head of the duchy. And we need to agree on how to proceed in case the capital falls.

- That's unnecessary, - Vittoria threw in briefly, cocking her chin.

- What? - the marshal stared at her.

- Finding out what happened to Velonda is a good idea, - the necromancer explained. - But there's no need to go to the Separatist camp now. Take care of our troops. Keep the soldiers on alert. Position several companies of infantry at the edge of the camp. Tell soldiers to load the wagons with supplies and tents and ammunition.

- Are we leaving?

- Not yet, milord. But you don't think Auguste will be idle at a time like this, do you? Hurry, and I must make some preparations. - Turning on her heels, the red-haired donna retired to her tent. She did not call Rosa with her.

In the camp of the Black Guards there was growing that perfectly organised turmoil which is possible only among military men. Rosa and Jeanne slipped quietly back to their quarters to keep out of the way of the soldiers, and began to pack their belongings. Their belongings were already mostly in the travelling trunks.

- This is the last chance, mistress, - Jeanne said suddenly, pulling the tent flap closed behind her.

- To what? - The girl didn't understand.

- Get out of this story. - The black-haired warrior took her by the shoulders and turned her around to face her somewhat roughly. - Some of Auguste's soldiers have seen you, but you're unlikely to see them again. If you wish, we can leave the camp right now. I'll get you to Daert in one piece. I'll take you further if I have to, even to Iolia. You have relatives there, don't you?

- Oh... - The young sorceress lowered her gaze, making no attempt to free herself. - It's all right, Jeanne. I don't want to run away.

- Then tell me why.

- Because… - Rosa found the strength to raise her head, to meet the guardswoman's gaze. - Because I'm needed here. Yes, at first I was just interested in watching. I stayed here out of curiosity. That's all. But now... You see what's happening, don't you? War is a terrible thing. But this is much worse. What's happening now will affect the whole world. A town burned down. The whole thing, maybe. In seconds. How many times can it happen again? What else have the portals brought us? Donna Vittoria may be the only person trying to stop... what's happening to the world. I want to help her.

- It was confused and rambling. - The warrior unclenched her fingers, letting go of the girl. - But sincere. So we play the game to the end?

- To the end, - Rosa nodded to her, smiling weakly.

- Your father and mother are overseas, as I recall. What about the family business? - Jeanne asked as they began to remove the laundry from the beds. - The Granchi trading house?

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- I had almost nothing to do with it, - Rosa shrugged. - I've had magic since I was about eight. My mum and dad decided right away that they would let me study for my own pleasure. If I became a great scholar or an archmage at court, it would be a great benefit to the family. And they're planning to make another heir. They promised to return from their voyage with a brother for me. I don't go near the books for a snake's spit. But I can ask for as much money as I want, my parents believe in my discretion.

- Good. One less problem, - the bodyguard constitutionalised, tamping the rolled blankets into the trunk with her knee. - Lots of money and little responsibility. Why not get into adventures, yes.

Rosa didn't answer, her cheeks flushed for some reason. She mumbled something unintelligible under her breath and concentrated on her belongings. Half an hour later their tent was almost empty, the women sitting on the locked chests, pushing them closer to the exit. Rosa buckled her amulet belt and potion flasks on her chest, Jeanne put on her armour. They waited in tense silence until they heard the trumpets singing again. First in the distance, in the separatist camp, and then nearby.

- Well, at least they didn’t make us stay awake until dawn, and thank you for that, - Jeanne muttered as she stood up. Outside, they saw the marshal hurrying to the command post, surrounded by his retinue. The streets of the camp were lit by torches and flaming braziers, columns of soldiers marching somewhere, magic lanterns swaying on tall poles above them. The tents around the commander's tent were being hastily dismantled.

- What's going on, milord? - Rosa asked as she caught up with the commander. She saw Donna Vittoria beside him, carrying a stack of papers under her arm.

- From the signals, it looks like a surprise attack, - De Cotoci replied, not looking back at the girl. - But it's not the posts by the river that are making noise, but the sentries to the east.

They reached the stakes at the same time as Don Marius. The young knight jumped to the ground and bowed quickly. The young knight jumped down and bowed quickly:

- Milord.

- Have you had a look round from above? - Without wasting time on greetings, de Cotoci asked.

- No, just flew over here.

- Then assess the situation and report back.

- Will do, milord.

- I'm coming with you! - Rosa rushed to Toad. - Jeanne, wait here!

Don Marius did not object - he gave the girl his hand and sat her in the saddle behind him. After checking that she was well strapped in, he lifted the dragoness into the sky. She didn't spiral up, but flew straight east.

- Minerva is coming round! - said the knight, shouting into the wind. - You have done well, signora!

- Not so much... - the young sorceress wrinkled her nose, remembering the sharp fangs in the girl's mouth. - It could have been better. But there was no one to practice on....

They were prevented from continuing their conversation by an explosion rumbling to their right.

- Demons! - growled the young man, throwing Toad onto the wing. A couple more bursts blazed where the dragoness had just been.

- What's that?!

- They're coming from the ground! Our own artillery.

A quick shadow flashed among the stars, followed by another. Rose pointed her finger at them:

- Look!

- Auguste's dragons, - Marius gritted his teeth and forced the winged pet to move in jerky, constantly changing course. The bombs were now exploding above the rebel camp, and the silhouettes of the royal dragons were flitting between the powder clouds. Before the girl's eyes, three of them dived down through the thick barrage of buckshot. They landed somewhere in the centre of the separatist camp. A few more dropped over the eastern edge of the camp. Something unimaginable was going on there - tents were ablaze, torches and lamps were flickering. Something exploded on one of the cannon batteries with a rumbling sound, scattering burning fragments in every direction. Magic shields, lightning and jets of flame flashed. And across the fords of Shaanta, columns of troops were moving in dark masses, without lights. Three or four cannon fired indiscriminately at them from the forward fortifications.

- Let's go back, - the knight decided. The Toad made a semicircle and ran back. As soon as it touched the ground, Don Marius slid down and sprinted for the command post. Rosa joined him half a minute later. The panting young man was already reporting to the marshal:

- ...somehow brought in troops from the east and hit De Velonda's mercenaries. Total rout, saw no sign of resistance. A few dragons have broken through to the Separatist defence. Auguste's main force moved across the river, meeting no resistance. Our position will be reached in three quarters of an hour or less.

- If we move to the river now, we can stop Auguste on the bank, - de Cotoci said thoughtfully, tweaking his mustache. - Send a few companies to join de Velonda's main force to restore order and turn them east and north. Then, perhaps...

- Perhaps we will be defeated not in an hour, but after dawn, - Donna Vittoria finished in his place. - Our cooperation with the Separatists is at an end, milord. They have done as much good as they could. We will have to act alone from now on.

- Abandon our allies? - The warlord's cheeks set in jaundice.

- Oh, leave it, - the necromancer curled her lips slightly. - The De Velondas have never been allies to us. Temporary partners. If Auguste had recognised the duchy's independence, they would have given him our skulls the same day. But their soldiers... yes, soldiers shouldn't die so foolishly.

The red-haired donna held out her papers to the commander:

- Send messengers to de Velonda's main camp. On behalf of General Monvant, tell the officers in companies and battalions not yet engaged to abandon everything and withdraw westwards with the Black Guard. Doubters will be shown these orders.

- They're fake, aren't they? - The marshal frowned, shuffling the sheets like cards. As far as Rosa could tell, the text was the same on all of them.

- Of course, - Vittoria nodded with a grin. - I've had the general's seal and armorial paper for a long time, and it's not that hard to forge handwriting and signatures if you've worked in the royal court for years. You get the hang of it. Besides, hardly anyone would look closely, given the circumstances.

- Good, and where are we retreating to? - De Cotoci handed the papers to one of the adjutants.

- Towards the mountains to the west. - The red-haired donna waved her hand spectacularly. The lenses of her glasses glinted red, reflecting the light of the fires. - There we can fortify ourselves, there we will have the support of... real allies. My plan is in motion, milord. It will take time to rekindle the flames.

- The demons would eat you up with your plans, milady. - The marshal seemed about to spit under his feet. But he restrained himself and began to give orders to his aides. Vittoria approached Rosa.

- Are we really going to leave them? - The girl asked, looking into her mentor's eyes.

- Do you feel sorry for General Monvant, the Heir de Velonda, and other people you don't know? - The necromancer raised her eyebrows. - They are victims of their own ambitions. And I've just taken care of the common soldiers. We'll take as many with us as we can. We need the soldiers, we don't need their commanders. It's time to get serious, my dear. The preparations are complete. Do you need a horse, or will you ride Toad?

- On the Toad, - replied the girl without hesitation.

- Good. - The necromancer adjusted her glasses. - Stay close to our hospital. Let people see you around the wounded more often. They'll be in the centre of the convoy, with the refugees.

She left without adding anything else. The young sorceress looked back at Jeanne. Warrior shrugged her shoulders:

- Isn't that what you expected from the donna? Think of a better way to get the chests on the dragon.

Toad, with three riders on her back, did not immediately take her place in the ranks - she passed company after company until the rearguard appeared. From her saddle Rosa saw a wave of riders in cuirasses roll out of the gloom and rush into the empty camp, crushing the tents that had been left behind and toppling the braziers. The rear guard turned in a line, pointing their lances, and the cuirassiers swept through the bivouac, crashing into a dense forest of steel tips. The horse neighing mingled with the crack of breaking spades and the cries of the wounded. Having lost a dozen men, the cavalrymen sprinted back, melted back into the darkness. A minute passed, another, but there was no renewed attack. Perhaps Auguste's cavalrymen had found easier prey or were looting. The rearguard infantrymen were on a par with the dragoness, and only then did Toad move forward, trying not to overtake them.

The Black Guard left without the roar of trumpets and the thunder of drums, folding their banners, extinguishing their lights and hiding their magic lamps. Behind them, the Separatist camp blazed. The southern horizon continued to smoulder. King Auguste the Strong was celebrating victory this night, but the civil war in Daert was just beginning....

"When a person you look up to commits a questionable act in front of you, the biggest mistake is to make excuses for it. It is much more sensible to accept it as it is and realise that you will never be a copy of someone else".

The Witch-Queen, "Memories," Volume Two.