“Move!” she heard a voice she vaguely recognized as Van’s. The young Deutzani’s features swam before her for a moment. If the pain hadn’t been completely overwhelming she might have laughed at the horrified expression which appeared on his face. He glanced up quickly into her eyes and she saw only fear, but then without hesitation he pulled a long knife from his belt and cut away the dangling section of her arm. The pain she felt was already overpowering her senses and she did not feel anything more as he cut her lower arm away. Her eyes remained glued to her severed limb as he quickly laid it aside. Samantha stared at the fingers of her missing hand with sick fascination, and then suddenly leaned over and threw up her breakfast. While she wretched over and over, Van steadily tightened a tourniquet around her upper arm. He twisted a stick wrapped in a kerchief so tightly that she thought he was trying to pinch off the rest of her limb. She was dizzy when she finally gained control of her stomach and was able to sit up once more. Her arm was still lying there before her, white and still. She stared at it a moment.
“Away!” She suddenly shrieked at the top of her lungs, causing Van to jump and flinch away from her.
“Take it away!” she yelled again, more of a wail than a command but Van nodded to one of the men standing over him and he bent down and picked up her arm. He held it gingerly, far out away from his body, as if it were a snake that might strike at any moment. Samantha continued to stare at the limb until finally he carried it out of sight and part of her was gone forever.
Samantha’s eyes were watering ceaselessly now and her arm was beginning to throb.
“Let’s do it now,” Van said and then he reached for something out of sight. Samantha was surprised to see that it was a brightly burning torch.
“Hold her!” She heard Van say but his voice seemed to be coming from underwater.
“You gonna hurt her?” Samantha heard Cobb ask.
“Cobb hold her,” Van repeated strongly.
“You’re gonna hurt her,” Cobb insisted.
“Yes Cobb! I’m going to hurt her. If I don’t she’s going to die,” Van was all but yelling though Samantha barely heard him and did not feel Cobb’s strong hands grab on to her. But when Van pulled the stump of her left arm away from her body and over the flames of the torch she let out a long, piercing scream. Instinctively she fought against the hurt, but found she could not pull away from the massive strength of the simple man who held her.
‘I’m burning….he’s burning me!’ She thought crazily and then began to shriek even louder. She screamed and screamed and fought desperately to pull her wounded arm away from the flames, but then the shock and pain drove her into unconsciousness.
VIII
Gwaynn stepped through the bridge with a heavy heart, and for a moment was completely oblivious to the chaos all around him, and then he spotted Lonogan Bock striding toward him.
“You have him?” Bock asked, catching sight of the limp body being pulled through the bridge. Bock frowned when Gwaynn shook his head negatively and then looked closer at the body his King was placing gently in the grass. The General’s eyes went wide as he recognized Krys
“Should we pursue?” Bock asked, pulling his eyes from the young, peaceful face of the former Weapons Master of Massi. Gwaynn ignored the question for a moment still concentrating on Krys. Lonogan waited with a feeling of dread, hoping this new loss would not unhinge his young King. The Palmerrio had broken their lines on both the left and the right, only the Toranado center held and if the enemy had not inexplicably abandoned their attack, he honestly believed the battle might have turned into an utter disaster. His army was mere moments from complete collapse.
Gwaynn shook his head once more and finally from his lack of reaction Bock realized that everything had gone horribly wrong.
“How did it happen?” Lonogan asked and suddenly he had a great urge to be away from this place.
“Arrow shot,” Gwaynn finally answered. He lifted his head slowly and gazed up at his General. “Do we have word on the Palmerrio cavalry?”
“No,” Bock answered still staring down at Krys. The young man was so skilled with his weapons and so full of life that Lonogan was having a hard time believing he was dead, even while looking at his corpse.
“Send out scouts to search for the enemy cavalry and Kommidi. We need our Captain and his horses back if we are to shadow the main Palmerrio army,” Gwaynn suddenly said coming alive. He realized now was not the time for grief. If he succumbed to his hurt he might put everything in jeopardy and Krys would not have wanted that.
“What happened?” Bock asked, watching as all around them the army began to assemble for retreat.
“They had reserves waiting…archers and cavalry…plus Executioners,” Gwaynn explained. “There were two…I moved on them expecting Krys to corral the King…” his explanation suddenly stopped. “The battle?”
Lonogan shook his head. “Our lines collapsed on the right and left…if not for the Toranado,” he explained, shaking his head sadly. “There were Executioners in the main body of the Palmerrio army as well. I counted at least three in the center; if there were more it might explain why our lines collapsed so quickly.”
Prince Phillip walked up, accompanied by Tabernas.
“We should move to the north toward Colchester…get some distance between the two armies,” Phillip said gazing down at the dead body of the young Weapons Master. Gwaynn only nodded. Phillip finally grimaced then he and his own Weapons Master moved off to see the job done.
Automatically Gwaynn started after them but stopped once more as David Hahn rode swiftly up on horseback, his face ashen.
“The Palmerrio?” Gwaynn asked instinctively, but Hahn shook his head.
“It’s…it’s Samantha,” he said and explained her injury, but Gwaynn heard nothing after her name. His ears roared and his legs went weak and shaky. He wavered slightly and was suddenly frantic to see her.
“Where?” he croaked as Hahn extended a hand to pull Gwaynn up behind him onto the horse. Gwaynn stumbled again; suddenly very weak, but then Lonogan stepped forward to help.
“Hang on,” Hahn said once Gwaynn was up and then he spurred his mount toward the rear of the lines.
They reached the wounded quickly but to Gwaynn it seemed to take a lifetime. He spotted Cobb gently holding Samantha and was suddenly revitalized. He jumped from the horse while it was still moving very swiftly. He hit the ground on a run and was by her side in seconds. Cobb gave way to his King without complaint and stood muttering. “Strong girl…she’s a strong, tough girl,” over and over again.
Van was kneeling over Samantha, but as Gwaynn approached he also stood and moved a short distance away. Samantha was very, very pale and for a brief, agonizing moment Gwaynn believed she was dead, but as he fell to the ground and pulled her into his arms he felt her warmth and pliability. She groaned and tears sprang into his eyes and he cried for the first time since promising himself that he never would again. But he did not notice his tears as he kissed her all over her face and neck; he kissed her lips, her hair, her cheeks and eyes. He kissed her until she drifted back toward consciousness.
She opened her eyes, but he was busy at her neck.
“Gwaynn,” she croaked and he pulled his head up, his heart soaring. “I’m sorry…I’m so sorry,” she whispered and began to cry softly.
“Don’t cry,” he answered, smoothing her hair gently.
“The Executioner…” she tried to explain and hatred like nothing Gwaynn had ever felt flamed in his breast. It engulfed him to such a degree that he was unable to speak and could barely breathe.