already know not to take arms against him. He will not slaughter them. But he cannot take Brighthelm with such ease. If it falls, let it fall with honour, nobly fighting. I shall go and meet with him — if he is to be found outside the city stronghold — but rather than making offers let us listen first to his demand.’
Brennus looked pained. ‘We already know what he wants, man! We can give it to him immediately and avert any further bloodshed.’
‘Your highness, humour me in this last request. Let me look our attacker in the eye. Let me fully understand what motivates him before I make any offer. If we are to die, let’s do so in the full knowledge of his reasoning.’
Brennus hesitated. He knew that De Vis’s plan was flawed, for it would only prolong the agony of what they faced. It was the vision of Iselda clutching the baby daughter that prompted him to agree. Surrendering slightly later rather than now would give him a few more days with the woman he loved, a few more days to ease his deeply troubled soul … a few more days to make his peace with Lo.
‘As you wish,’ he said, sighing softly.
De Vis kissed his king’s ring. ‘Thank you, your majesty.’
Del Faren was in love. The object of this love was the daughter of the sculptor Sesaro, who had been commissioned no fewer than three times to produce a likeness in polished stone of King Brennus. Not even into his sixth decade and young for someone already of his stature, Sesaro’s soaring career as one of the realm’s most popular artisans had already been cut short by fear of war. He had been working on a new fountain, a vast piece that was to grace one of the new squares that the crown had commissioned be built. The city had sprawled way beyond its original boundaries and the central marketplace no longer offered ease of access for people. King Brennus, who prided himself on design, had made a bold decision to re-model the city. He had drawn up his ideas and a city architect had been appointed to oversee the grand project that would yield three main squares. The current central square would function solely as a meeting place for Penravians, while one of the new squares would become the political area of the city, where the realm’s dignatories, councillors, and lords would meet for discussion and where formal ceremonies would take place on behalf of the crown. The other new square would be purpose-built for the new covered marketplace. Brennus’s recent extended voyage and stay at the city of Percheron — as a guest of Zar Azal — had opened his eyes to the beauty of a bazaar. Although Penraven’s market would hardly be filled with the aroma of Percheron’s mysterious spices, Brennus wanted to borrow the concept that people could do their marketing under cover and that permanent shops could be set up for the wealthier merchants. He was intrigued by the cunning use of wind-driven wooden sails in the Percherese bazaar, which brought fresh air through the covered alleyways and drove the stale air back outside. The coolness of its marble impressed him and more than anything his breath had been taken away by the souk’s sheer beauty, and the idea that something so functional could still be a piece of art. He wanted to leave a similar legacy to what Azal’s great-grandfather, Joreb, had begun, in ensuring that Percheron would be a place of singular beauty for its people as much as the visitor. Brennus hoped that Penraven and its capital of Brighthelm would be talked about as a city of bold beauty and although his city would not sparkle pale and pastel as Percheron did, he had hopes that it would be nonetheless dazzling in its use of the local multi-coloured stone.
But all of these plans, including Sesaro’s beloved fountain featuring the famous serpent of Valisar, had now been suddenly made irrelevant by the arrival of war. The threat had not arrested the soldier Faren’s love for Tashi, however, and he still planned to ask for her hand in marriage, despite her protestations.
‘Del, you are very sweet and very handsome but my father will want to give my hand to someone who can afford me the type of life that he wishes for his only daughter,’ she had explained gently, once again, only the previous evening. ‘And now with war all but upon us …’
‘Don’t speak of that, my love,’ Faren had beseeched. ‘Let us only focus on how much we love each other.’
‘I cannot deny that I have had feelings for you but we must be sensible. You are a foot soldier.’
‘An aspiring archer,’ he corrected.
She had nodded her acknowledgment as she continued. ‘Nevertheless, if I am to marry a military man my father would agree to nothing less than commander. I hear the legate needs a new wife,’ she had admitted, laughing coquettishly.
He had known in his heart that Sesaro would not be impressed by a mere archer, but he had remained undaunted, determined that he would win her, come what may. He had grabbed her around the waist and kissed her neck as she had tried to squirm away from his touch. ‘Bah, surely your father would want you to marry someone who is nineteen, not thirty years older? I will give you strong sons who will continue your father’s art and my military career, and daughters as beautiful as their mother to take care of their grandfather in his dotage.’
She had smiled at this. He had continued. ‘I have prospects, Tashi. I can be a major in a few years. Just watch me rise through the ranks with my courage and cunning.’ He had arched an eyebrow on the last word, laced his voice with a conspiratorial tone to amuse her, and pressed on. ‘We can have our own farm. I will ensure I’m based here in Brighthelm, we can —’
‘Del, you are dreaming. The barbarian is on our doorstep. This is no time to talk of marriage or children, farms or futures. We have to worry about surviving tomorrow. I beg you, stop this.’
‘I shall speak to your father.’
‘No!’
‘Why?’
‘I have told you why. Now, please, you must leave. I have errands to run and you surely have somewhere to be, knowing what our realm faces.’ And she had pulled herself from his grip, clearly growing tired of the ardent kisses he had been peppering on her sweet-smelling neck.
‘Tashi, I love you!’ he had called to her retreating back.
And she had turned. ‘I know, but it’s hopeless. You’re a boy. My father wants me to marry a man. I cannot see you again.’
What Tashi hadn’t explained to her besotted young lover was that Sesaro had already promised her to another, and it was only by chance that Faren discovered the truth later in the day. His commander had taken him off his usual duties to help another unit that was working on the battlements. ‘Your archery skills are put to far better use up on top, Faren,’ the commander had said. ‘Tell Commander Jobe that I have sent you. We need keen eyes and steady hands up there.’
Faren had leapt at the chance. If he acquitted himself well he could leapfrog perhaps even to captain, and that alone would prove to Tashi’s family that he was worth taking note of. Arriving at the battlements, he had presented himself to Jobe, who had nodded his happiness to have another talented archer at his disposal. He had been told to meet the others and to choose a weapon that suited his preferred weight and bow tension.
Faren had been in the process of doing this when he overheard several of the men joking together.
‘… she’s a beauty, ripe and ready,’ one of the men had said.
Another gave a low whistle. ‘She makes me feel weak whenever I glimpse her running through the market on her errands. The old man’s already given his permission, even provided the ring. It was her mother’s apparently so the lucky arse doesn’t even have to buy that and let’s face it he can afford anything he likes with who his friend is.’
The first nodded. ‘I’d give my left nut for a night with her.’
This had made the four men laugh and prompted a rush of lewd comments.
‘Ssh, here comes the captain.’
Faren had noticed a tall man walk up. ‘And what are you lot up to?’
‘Just checking the