OUTLANDER
Chapter30
Fall of the Tyrant
The entire column of troops had crossed the Arna River as the first rays of light broke over the eastern horizon. It took until the sun was almost at its zenith before the last wagon was ferried across the river. Then the different groups of men continued to take their assigned places along a protracted formation. In the center of the front line was Hamid al Bien with Khaled al Gimal behind him. To the left was Dax on his black stallion with Darma standing at his left side; the next nine men standing to his left were the remaining members of the Wolf Pack. To Hamid’s right was Benjin al Desender to his right were his men strung out for a quarter of a league, many with long teeth standing at their sides; and behind them were the rest of the Dry Sea’s contingent some on horses, some with the huge monitor lizards and for several ranks, men on foot carrying an array of weapons. Behind Hamid and Dax’s men were a multitude of Sand Walkers on horses in the first ranks and then men on humpbacks behind them. To the rear of those were Sand Walkers on foot carrying scimitars or long lances adorned with bright banners fluttering in the slight breeze.
Across the Arna stood the original contingent of Sand Walkers who had already been at the Arna. Their job was now still the same, let no Pelian soldiers cross the river. As this multi force began pushing west and passed beyond their positions they would double up on the northern bank until it was time for them to fall in the rear of the main contingent. They had all been informed that men from the Lagdian Army would be doing the same from the banks of the Prah river once the first units of Magdar’s Army, already this far east in the fertile triangle, was encountered. They would have many tuskers with them as well. The plan was to harass them and encounter the Pelians into a retreat to the west using a hand grip formation that could not be breached for a retreat to the east. Several scouts were riding a short distance ahead for advance warning when patrols or forces of the Pelian Army were found.
It was shortly before dusk when the first group of Pelians were encountered. At first, they thought to fight back, but went into a rout fleeing westward after a brief but deadly battle ensued with much of their number left dead or dying on the battlefield. Some yelling retreat as they saw the long teeth and wolves attacking at the side’s men on horses, archers loosing a rain of well-aimed arrows too thick to avoid. By the beginning of dark settling over earth, those who had died were trampled into the ground where they fell. No attempt was made to avoid them, no succor was given to this enemy and none had tried to surrender so far, they just fled in fear for their lives.
As darkness fell this Army settled in for the evening. Scouts roamed the nearby area in shifts so no retaliation attack could be successful. Perimeter guards were posted and stood their posts vigilant in two hour shifts so no man lost much of his needed rest before the morning. Men sat around campfires eating their meals, cleaning, and re-honing blades for the next battle, some even sang dirges to create fear in the hearts of any listening Pelians.
A main war council met at one fire discussing this day’s advance. Knowing that today had been the only day that surprise was in their favor. Tomorrow might not go so easily. Only a few of their number had suffered serious wounds and none had died. Unfortunately, that would not last for long. They were gratified that not one man among their troops had faltered or shown any cowardice during the battle, this did bode well for coming battles. They also talked about the surety that some of those who fled would be looking for and warning their other units to the west. Now they would meet an army forewarned and planning for attacks. They would be possibly entrenched, gathered into larger contingents, and attempt surprise attacks of their own or even try guerilla warfare tactics from within tree lines or while sheltered inside buildings. From here on scouts would play an even larger role in their advance, the intelligence they would provide would be utterly necessary to win the war.
At dawn, the next morning the army was moving forward again and this time some of the Sand Walkers on horses a few ranks back were beating on double drums tied across their saddles. It was an ominous sound that amplified an almost thunderous sound. Like a horde even larger was rolling across the vast green land. There were skirmishes during the mid-morning with a somewhat larger number of Pelians than the day before. Their front had shot several volleys of arrows as they approached contact, then as the two forces came close, two small calvary units plunged into the field from trees on both sides. Only to be met halfway by some of Benjin’s men with long teeth on the right and Dax’s men with wolves on the left.
The carnage was horrendous to both units of the Pelian calvary; not only were they fighting men on horses skilled with swords, but they were also being leapt upon by the large savage animals with vise- like jaws full of razor-sharp teeth. Horses and men fell like wheat to the scythe during harvest time. The air itself was raining in blood and gore. To the front ranks the large contingent of men on horseback overpowered the attacking Pelian force; scimitars, swords and arrows cleaving a wide path through their ranks. Men with monitor lizards now in the fray, trampling what they did not kill outright. This time officers were seen fleeing on horseback in a frenzied rout. In the end twenty-three Pelian soldiers threw down their weapons and yelled for mercy waving their empty arms in the air over their heads. The Sand Walkers close by told them to sit on the ground quickly and stay silent. As they did men dismounted and tied the surrendering men’s hands behind their backs.
Scouts harassed the fleeing officers until they were well out of sight. When the reports were tallied a short while later five men of the army had been killed in the main attack, one of Benjin’s men had sustained serious injury fighting the one cavalry unit and eleven other men had also been wounded seriously. The Pelians though had lost over a hundred men and several horses, besides the twenty-three who surrender there were eighteen more wounded and left behind. Some of Benjin’s men and a few Sand Walkers took all of these in tow, roped man to man and left them with the caravan of wagons at the rear.
After a short rest to eat some jerked meat, flat bread and drink a ration of ale or wine, the army rose and continued its march westward. The scouts had seen another small force a short distance in front of the advance but more to the left this time. Dax and the entire Wolf Pack rode off in that direction with a group of Sand Walker archers. Once they topped a small rise and had the Pelian Patrol in sight Cran, Dien and Bern joined the other archers in decimating their number while they rode across a small clearing. Dax and the others rode in just as the arrows had done their work and finished off those that remained alive. The horses that had survived were taken by their reins and brought back to the army and turned over to the caravan. The dead were left as they had fallen, carrion could take care of the bodies in good time.
A short while after the sun had started its descent past mid-way to dusk two of the scouts rode back to the front rank where Hamid, Dax and Benjin rode side by side. They said they had seen another large force of Pelians making ready for a battle some leagues forward. This time they were constructing earthworks and sharpened pike emplacements to fight from and what looked like liquid being poured into a small trench a short distance in front of the pikes, they said there could be more, but that much was certain. Dax placed his hand up and called for a halt. The scouts went back to keep watching and two patrols were sent out to do roving patrols a half league in front of where the halt was called. The patrols were being led by Cran and Wefir from Benjin’s men.
Then after a discussion between Dax, Hamid and Benjin, a large number of men were put to the task of building several catapults and hwachas under the guidance of Ruthor, Ofid and Dax. Other men were working on accumulating a good quantity of sizable stones while others were making scores of arrows the size for using in the hwachas. Men on the caravan were shifting around stores to make room for these new ammunitions. Others were detailed to keep close watch on the prisoners and wounded. The work went on far after dark settled in.
Later in the evening plans were formulated for this next battle. There would be little sleep this night, horses’ hooves would be wrapped, axles of wagons and siege equipment would be greased. Weapons would be kept in sheaths or wrapped, and the march would be slow and as silent as possible. They would move under the stealth of darkness. They were lucky it was a full moon and no torches would be used. Men would walk in front of and beside all wagons and equipment. Scouts would be tripled and in close advance of the army. It would take them the rest of the night to get within siege equipment range of the Pelian encampment.
As soon as all was ready, they started their night long march. Several times a wagon or siege weapon had to be coaxed over an obstacle, and there was constant moving of rocks or deadfall in front of wheels. No one rode their horses, instead they were led close at hand by their reins. No one spoke, horses and humpbacks were caressed and whispered to as calming influences. Finally, already tired from the night of constant vigilance for every possible noise and muscle tensing coaxing of wheels to be kept as silent as possible, they arrived within siege weapon range of the crude fortified Pelian encampment. Luckily, the advance scouts who had been on watch all night, reported that the enemy had not been roused to awake.
Catapults and hwachas were maneuvered into position. Rocks and arrows were loaded for the first firings and the additional ones staged at the weapons for faster refiring at the encampment. Archers took up their positions for more accurate fire upon Pelian soldiers as they were surprised into action from their sleep. The first arrows to be loosed were those by the archers to kill the men on watch so they could not sound an early alarm. Men began to unwrap their horse hooves and mounted up weapons ready for battle. Then just as the first Pelian cooks started to stir in the camp, stoking up fires for the cooking of a morning meal and just as the first few barely grey streaks could be made out thinly along the eastern horizon the quite was broken.
A rain of arrows swooshed across the dark grey sky many finding their marks in the necks, back and chests of men on watch and cooks tending the first morning fires. As these first Pelians were falling to the dirt, some screaming in the pain of being pierced by arrows, a thunder of boulders was pelting the tents of sleeping soldiers, horses in crude corrals, stacks and stands of weapons stored for later use. With the din of instant clamor that resulted within the camp not only did another round of granitic propellants strike the camp but now it was accompanied by scores of arrows aimed directly at the tents where men were sleeping. Now bursting from their tents in dazed disarray men scrambled for the weapons left at the embankment in preparation to surprise the expected enemy advance. They were met by the more skilled volley after volley of more accurately aimed arrows from the archers lying in wait in the trees beyond their encampment. Then when the Pelians were in full run for their positions to meet this surprise sprung on them, men from the flanks of their encampment burst from the tree lines there, on horseback, many with long teeth or dire wolves running at their sides. This new revelation only increased the volume of noise, now mixed with yells, howls and lion roars. Amid the crushing of tent poles and canvas draped material falling in on itself, men screaming in pain and others yelling commands to soldiers to kill the attackers was the shaking of the very earth from the continuing pounding of boulders being propelled at the encampment.
Amid all this now there were foot soldiers attacking the front of the encampment, without the full complement of Pelians to defend the earthworks the soldiers could avoid the sharpened pikes more easily and even when a couples of fire arrows were successful in hitting the trench before the pikes and setting the liquid there ablaze. It had less impact as had been its intent. Now foot soldiers could skirt the trench and breach the embankment with some success. Hand to hand combat ensued with greater numbers of attackers getting over the earthworks unscathed.
Men were slashing swords on swords, dismembering arms, hands or decapitating their foe, or merely thrusting at mid-sections with accuracy on both sides of the battle. The onslaught of man versus man, man versus rider, man versus long tooth or dire wolf went on for what seemed like half the day. In reality the fighting slowed to only a few still slashing or stabbing within less than half that time. This is sometimes the reality of a battle; it feels to combatants like a lifetime until it is over.
When the killing stopped and the catapults and hwachas stopped firing, more than two-thirds of the Pelians were dead or dying from fatal wounds. Only a handful escaped and there were almost a hundred prisoners, many of them wounded. All were incorporated into the already existing number from the previous battle. The encampment was burned to the ground, the surviving horses were added to the horses trailing with the wagons for remounts when needed.
The army made camp for the night when the battle was over and the prisoners were under guard, some getting what treatment as could be tended to. This night the mood among the men was more of recuperation that jubilant, the rest alone was what was more needed.
The news of the last battle must have been carried by those who finally fled, far ahead of the Army’s advance the next morning; scouts only found footprints in the dirt and the farther the scouts rode ahead the more frantic and shallower they appeared. Swords, spears, and bows were found tossed aside and left behind. It seemed that they had not even stopped for the night; fear can do that; it can heighten one’s nervous system until you finally drop with pure exhaustion. By the time dusk was settling over the earth, the Army was setting up camp for the night without any sight of the enemy. This concerned Dax enough that he posted additional guards and roving patrols for the night. He was not going to be caught unaware during the night. By mid-day of the following day the scouts had found one man who had collapsed from exhaustion. They had brought him back to the column and Khaled with Wefir had questioned him harshly before he passed out again. All they learned was that he had been left behind to die or be captured.
By late that afternoon the first of King Magdar’s forces had joined the southern flank of the procession west and some of the Sand Walkers from the northside of the Arna had joined the northern flank on this side of the Arna. Now the Army’s ranks stretched from the Arna to the Prah with little room for even a single man on horseback or afoot to escape eastward. The camp that night had fires burning in the dark for more than two leagues between the two rivers and the swell of the Army’s ranks was awesome to behold.
During the next quarter moon, the march continued painstakingly slow toward the west. There were a few small skirmishes, but nothing of any real significance. The march without a large battle was actually refreshing to the Army’s troops. The slow methodical procession did not take the same toll as a large battle could. Men were healing from wounds well and few were considered not capable of a sustained fight. At one-point Ruthor made a humorous comment to Ofid concerning one instance during the battle at the earthwork’s encampment several days before. During that fight Ofid had been wounded by one of the Pelians which enraged the rather large Wolf Pack lieutenant. He picked up the man over his own head and back slammed the man down, breaking the man’s back on a nearby boulder. Ruthor had been close when it happened. As they rode along this day he looked over to his friend and kidded him.
“Ofid, my friend, I hope I never give you a cut on your side like that man did at the earthworks. I had never seen a man lifted so high and slammed down with such force.”
“I apologized to you for that. I said I was sorry for you to see me get so angry over so small a scratch. Why bring it up again now, Ruthor.”
“Because my dear friend, I enjoy the look you get when I bring it up. I only say it in jest, my giant of a friend. When we are not in situations like that, you are the gentlest man I know, but woe be to anyone who makes the mistake of getting into hand-to-hand combat with you or hurting someone you care about.”
“Yes, I know, but did you hear the sound his bones made when he hit that boulder? I didn’t know your body could make that sound?”
“Well, it can only make it once.”
Both men laughed heartily after Ofid reminded them about the sound they had heard above the din of battle that day. Dax riding next to Ruthor had heard their banter and joined them in the laugh.
Many others had been wounded as well. Cran had sustained a slash to his left forearm, Dax had been cut by a sword across his shoulder and Whisper had been cut on his left front leg, all of them were now healing well like so many others. No man of the Army who died had been left without honor. After every skirmish or battle those who died were honored as closely as they could in their traditional ways. Including one long tooth that had been killed during the battle at the earthwork’s encampment. The men of the Dry Sea had honored that lion as if he were one of the men.
Dax knew the closer they came toward the west, there would finally be at least one more major battle for sure with the Pelian Army. They were being pushed into an untenable position between this army and King Magdar’s main force near the last crossing across the Arna before the Windless seashore. Damna the Great’s threat to his army would make them attempt at least one all-in last stand before they went down in defeat. That day drew closer with every day they advanced west.
On the night before the half moon that day came, the scouts came riding back to the center part of the marching Army where Dax, Hamid and Benjin rode side-by-side. They reported to seeing a huge Pelian Army encamped on a long series of knolls overlooking a broad valley. They were holding the only upper ground for leagues around. They also said it looked they had spent time reinforcing earthworks, an at least triple series of sharpened pike emplacements and had what appeared to be catapults and hwachas behind the earthworks. The three leaders thanked the scouts for such a detailed report and called a halt to the march and for a sustainable camp to be set up where they were, beyond the sight of the Pelian Army. Dax had the Lagdian Commander send a message to the commander of the main Lagdian Army wherever they were encamped and ask that he join them here for a war council. The Lagdian Commander agreed and sent three of his scouts to deliver that message.
On the second morning later General Hersal rode into the encampment with two of his top commanders.
“It has been far too long since I saw you last, Commander Dax. I hear you have given this renegade Pelian Army fits every step of your way here.”
“We have tried, General, to get all of their eggs in one basket.”
“You have succeeded in that. Now how do we break them. I do not think I know these fine men standing beside you?’
“Allow me to introduce the high holy man of the Sand Walker people, Hamid al Bien to my right and the leader of the people of the Dry Sea Benjin al Desender.”
Both men bowed at the introduction, as did General Hersal before he spoke again. “Gads Bones, I would not have guessed there were so many Sand Walkers in the entire world, your eminence. And I am afraid I had no idea that there were men who called the Dry Sea home.”
Benjin spoke first. “Were it not for the King of Wolves, no one would know it now, General. We have kept ourselves unknown for many generations. But we join this fight to be rid of that Tyrant who sits on the Purple Throne for good.”
“Do I see long teeth among your men, Benjin, and are those the fabled giant thunder lizards I see grazing in the distance. I say this is a day of wonders upon wonders.”
“Both are true General, I think when added to your tuskers and Commander Dax’s Dire Wolves, we make an Army the world has never seen before. What fool would stand against us.”
“None if they have any sense about them. My king will be sorry that he missed seeing this in person.”
All four men laughed and were joined in the laughter by many who could hear the conversation.
The four leaders sat down around the campfire and discussed plans for the coming battle until the dusk was turned to night and evening meal had been served to them all. Many of the combined army sat and listened to the planning. At its end, the decision was made to besiege the Pelian Encampment at first, cutting off all possible supply lines; and a sustained barrage from catapults with not only boulders, but with fire balls as well. Add to that harassing flights of hundreds of arrows from the hwachas over a length of several days and the Pelians would weaken substantially, possibly even surrender without a major assault or hand to hand battle. But they would have to be sure that not one rider could escape and go for reinforcements or supplies.
General Hersal spent the night with Dax and the others but sent his two aides to spread the word among his commanders and troops. The siege would start in earnest in two days’ time.
The siege lasted for the next quarter moon. By then most of the sharpened spikes had burned from the fire balls and only a few remnants of them could be seen, nor could any structure be seen above the earthworks. The fire of catapults from the Pelian encampment had slowed too almost nonexistent. The few forays they mounted down into the valley had left only mutilated corpses of men and horses lying about the valley, drawing vultures and other carrion to the feast of rotting flesh and bone.
Eventually the Pelian commander had a flag of truce flown above his earthworks. Dax made him wait two more days before he sent a messenger close enough to be heard inside their encampment. The terms were stark and unnegotiable. Every man inside the encampment had to walk out of it with hands held over their heads, no weapons could they bring with them, they had to muster in the center of the valley and sit down in plain sight. Once that was done Dax would send men to surround them, and men to search the encampment. Once he was sure they had complied, then and only then would he accept their surrender and discuss what was to happen next. Then the rider simply turned on his horse and rode back to where the army watched.
Large bonfires were started in the valley all around the encampment that afternoon and tended all night. Shortly after dawn, a little over five hundred men, without weapons, walked down from the hill; hands over their heads, and finally sat down in the middle of the valley. Over a thousand Sand Walkers, men of the Dry Sea and Lagdian soldiers surrounded the now sitting Pelians. Then a large number of men rode up the hill and searched the encampment. Before they rode down the hill, they set everything in it a blaze and let it burn to the ground. The fires burned all afternoon and into the late hours of the evening. The bonfires around the sitting Pelians were lit and maintained again that night as the combined army stood watch, ate, and sang long dirges. The entire army had now moved into the valley around the perimeter of its captives.
The following morning the leaders of the Pelians were brought to where Dax, Bien, Hamid and General Hersal were seated. They were told that they and their men would be fed after the meeting in the place they were sitting. Then they would be marched back to Pelia under the guard of the entire Sand Walker and Dry Sea army with the men of the Wolf Pack.
It was decided that it would not be good for General Hersal and his men to accompany the army into Pelian borders. The other realms might take opposition to the army of Lagdian participating in the overthrow of a sitting realm ruler, no matter how much he is disliked. The few men of the Wolf Pack could be disclaimed by Thane Eric as not following his orders officially. Hersal said he and his men would accompany them as far as the bridge over the Arna. This he could say was to be sure that the surviving members of Damna’s army were well treated up to that point. In truth, he wanted to see them gone from the fertile triangle.
By mid-day the entire force had broken camp and were starting the march to the most western bridge across the Arna. The Sand Walker-Dry Sea Army led the march that far with the prisoners behind, who were so far followed by the Lagdian Army. Dax, Hamid and Benjin led the forward army. Not one Pelian made any attempt to break free and flee the march; they had all had all they ever wanted to see of this bloody triangle, as they now called it. At dusk they set up a camp for the evening, with the Pelians in the center, surrounded on all sides by their captors.
It was late afternoon the next day when the last of the Sand Walkers crossed the Arna bridge into Pelian territory. General Hersal was on his horse on the Lagdian side of the bridge as the last man walked off the bridge and onto the Waste Road on that side. As he did there was a tremendous uproar of victorious shouting from Hersal’s troops. It would be another day before this army reached Pelia itself., and word would travel faster than the army would march.
Dax, Hamid and Benjin decided to halt the march and form a perimeter around the Pelian captives. It was just long enough before dusk to set up the camp and have perimeter guards stationed with watches set before the dusk became dark. A series of outer patrols were established on two hour watches as well, that way no man would be overly tired when they broke camp in the morning. Cooks prepared hearty meals and everyone including the captives went to sleep without hunger. They would break camp and march to Pelia itself before the dawn broke into full sun. Hamid and Dax were sure that they could make the city gates by the time the sun reached its zenith. That is, if there were no delays in any of Damna’s remaining guard trying to spring a surprise attack before they got there.
The next day they were within sight of the southern gate while the sun still had some time climbing to its highest point. Here the army broke into four, close to equal ranks. There were four gates into Pelia, each group would enter the city as close to the same time as possible. Just as the sun was at the point of descending to its eventual western setting, the four groups of the army entered each of Pelia’s four gates. Men on horses and camels to the front, men on foot following behind. There were members of the Wolf Pack and Dry Sea men with long teeth in the front of each group, just behind the last of mounted men were Dry Sea men leading the huge lizards. It took the army about an hour to reach the center of the city where the palace was situated. Dax, Hamid, Benjin and Ruthor rode to positions side by side with their army filling every space in the streets surrounding the palace, then they had the prisoners moved to a sitting position directly in front of them.
By the time the prisoners were all seated, Damna the Great emerged from the palace and out onto the wide landing in front of the high entry doors. He was attended by the full complement of his personal guard in full combat uniforms and weapons. Pollocan and Jamin Jaise came out and stood at his sides.
“I had heard there was a herd of cowardly Sand Walkers making a nuisance of themselves wandering in from the sands they hide in, as if their meager lot could strike even a blink of my eye. I had not heard that they had the remnants of my most cowardly army as chattel paraded before them. Nor did I know that the traitor Dax was with them as well. So, what is it you think you will gain here today, before I have the lot of you slaughtered by my personal guard?” Damna’s tone was impudent even when confronted by such an overpowering force.
It was Dax who spoke first. “We are here to end your despicable reign of terror and bondage, you purple fool.”
“You, I will have saved to the last so I can savor your fright at seeing all of these others with you, die in the most horrible of ways. Then I will have the skin peeled from your bones slowly, one piece at a time. You will beg me for death, long before I allow it.”
Dax stepped down from his black stallion and took one step forward. As he did the captain of Damna’s Guard stepped forward so that he was just askance between Dax and his ruler, but still atop the long set of steps leading up to the high palace landing.
“Do not take another step Dax, I will kill you before you can get halfway to my ruler.” The man’s tone was not as much threatening, as a statement of cold hard truth.
“Bashir, I am glad to see you have elevated yourself since my departure. Once we called each other brother. I was a better fighter then and I am a better one now. Do not expend your life so cheaply in pursuing this.”
“Yes, we were once brothers in arms, I was your second until you fled a traitor to our lord. I led the men who chased you, until you disappeared into the Dry Sea. We waited for a quarter moon for you to come out again. You did not, so we left knowing you were as dead as all others who have ever entered there. We will see who is best now if you take one more step forward.”
Damna intervened. “I knew you lied when you said he was dead, and when you told me later that he could not have survived when he came back here because of that fool Fargyn. I should have you killed then, kill him now or I still will. There are others who dream of having your position.”
Bashir turned from looking at Dax and looked directly at his Ruler. “Do not mistake my loyalty as fear, highness. The guard follows me in all things, not you.”
Damna turned to his right and yelled at the first guardsman he saw. “Kill this fool now and you will have his position.”
The man turned to look at Bashir and then to others of the guards ranks, then turned back to face Bashir. “What are your orders, my captain?”
“Stand back, none can harm the royal family.” Then Bashir turned back to face Damna the Great. “As I said my Lord, I took an oath and I will protect the royal family, the Guard are not personal assassins.”
Dax spoke next and he saw Damna’s features turning the purple of his throne. “Even your guard can see the futility of taking the orders of a tyrant at his dethroning.”
Then before any could react Jamin Jaise took a step closer to her son, she had been standing to his left and a pace behind him. As she neared him, she leaned forward, as she had done innumerable times before. She whispered into his ear. “I am sorry, my son.” Then with the dirk she had clasped in her right hand, she drove the blade into his back burying it to the hilt.
Damna had a look of astonishment as his eyes closed and his knees buckled under him. Pollocan startled, jumped forward to grab her and was not only too late, but took a Symitar’s slice across the back of his neck, severing his head from his shoulders. Both falling intermixed with the body of the ruler he had obeyed for many seasons.
“The old fool must not have heard me, when I said we would defend the royal family.”
A loud hush gasped from the assembled throng, amassed in front of the palace, but no one moved forward. Then Dax walked slowly up the steps and spoke to Jamin Jaise. “I am sorry it had to be you to do this deed. No one here will harm you. The wrongs of this realm were never of your doing.”
“No, but I am the only one with the right to do what needed to be done. He was my son, but something in him was never like his father. May I leave and retire to my apartments?”
“Of course.” Dax told her and then looked at Bashir. “Would some of your men accompany the Queen to her chambers? She might need the comfort of some of the harem around her at this moment.”
“It will be so.” Bashir turned to his men and gave the order. Then he turned back to Dax. “What happens next, Commander of men with wolves?”
“That will be up to the people, my old friend. Will you serve them as well as you have this Tyrant?”
“I think they would be better served with those of their own. They would never accept that we of the guard only did as our oaths bade us do.”
“You could be right. Then I make you an offer, when my men and I leave you may join us, when we return to our home.”
“And you could trust us?”
“Yes, I know for sure of your loyalty and belief in an oath you take. Give me your oath and loyalty for you and your men and I will make the arrangements for you to join us where we now live.”
“I will talk to my men, but I can tell you now that we will.”
“Good, then let us all attend to the business at hand. You see to the old queen, hareem and your men. I will rejoin the Sand Walkers and help them how I can in forming the new government of Pelia and the Waste.” Dax grasped the hand of Bashir and then turned to walk back down the steps to where the leaders of this army now waited.
That night Hamid and the other leaders of the Sand Walkers met in the council chamber with Benjin and his two subordinate leaders from the Dry Sea of Lost Souls. They asked Dax and his men to join them; Dax had agreed, but said he thought they should ask at least a couple of people who had lived in Pelia as well, and two men were asked to join them, as well as Jamin Jaise. Now they had all met for a couple of hours and it had been decided that Hamid al Bien would be the ruling member of a high council. Bien al Desender and Jamin Jaise would be the other two on the high council. Others were selected for positions reporting to the high council from those that were at the meeting. Eventually is was mentioned that all other realms had a Mage to assist in some issues of every realm, with Pollocan now dead, there was no mage in Pelia.
Dax mentioned the name of Neven Salas living in Jav but was unsure if he would want to come out of his retirement to accept such a position. Hamid asked Dax if he and Khaled al Gimal would ask him when they returned to Jav and they agreed. It was also decided that Jamin would continue to live in her apartments here in the palace for her lifetime and that the hareem would be under her care.
Men from both the Sand Walkers and the Dry Sea would make up the new standing army of the realm. Soon they would send men to make the announcements to all the other realms and start the process of alliances and trade agreements. There would be no king or actual ruler, Dax let them know that was how the people of Neder governed their territory. The council decided that they would formally recognize Neder as a realm. Dax thought this was an excellent idea, it might even help other realms to do the same. People from Pelia and the cooks of the army had brought a feast to the council so they could continue their work, the Pelians were showing their gratitude for ending the reign of Damna the Great.
After the meeting adjourned as the moon reached its highest in the night sky, the members of the Wolf Pack started meeting the former palace guards who would be accompanying them home. Many of these men had wives and families and they would also be making the voyage to Borland, although they had not been told yet exactly where home was. Dax, Ruthor, Ofid and Cran had talked separately about making them into another unit of the Wolf Pack, if they agreed to take the training all new members took once they were back in Borland. Dax liked the idea and said he was sure they would.
Dax and his men bade everyone goodbye after a quarter of a moon had passed. Most of the population of Pelia turned out as the Wolf Pack and the former palace guardsmen made their way out of the city and headed north toward Jav. The Wolf Pack had never been given such a joyful send off, knowing they would always be welcome to come back.
Bashir joined Dax and Ruthor at the head of the procession. During the next several days of the journey north, Ruthor became quite friendly with Dax’s one time second. He found the man quite an agreeable contemporary and was glad he had agreed to join them.
Once in Jav it did not take too much coaching to get Neven Salas to agree to go to Pelia as the new Mage, at least for a while. It was when Dens agreed to go with him that he finally accepted. He said he would send a messenger bird to Ceric and inform him of the defeat of Damna’s Army and to be prepared to hear from the new government in due time. He decided not to tell his old friend about becoming the realm Mage until he moved to Pelia. He also agreed to get a message to the triad in Eigle with a more private message about Dax and Ruthor’s families, since both their wives had ties to the Eigle.
Three days later the Wolf Pack and former Pelia Guard boarded the Phoenix and the ship left port for its three-moon voyage to Borland. Bashir and his men were amazed when they found out where their destination was. All of them relished the idea of being somewhere that their past service to Damna the Great would not matter.
During the voyage, these men became well known to one another. Bashir and his men even asked to start training while they were on the voyage, Dax agreed saying it made perfect sense, the voyage would go quicker and by the time they made port in Sovladen they could join in the duties of the Wolf Pack as full new members with Bashir as their Lieutenant.
