“Contact!” He yelled and suddenly the entire ship was humming with anticipation.
“Merchants?” Armitage yelled up to the sharp eyed sailor.
Raskin looked down at the senior officers and smiled. “Not unless they’re moving in force…I count over a dozen of the bastard ships.”
“Heading?” Wicks asked her heart thumping strongly in her chest. ‘This is it,’ she thought but had little idea what caused such an powerful inclination.
“What heading are they on?” Armitage bellowed as the young sailor failed to answer.
“Due east, moving quickly…half oars at least,” Raskin finally answered.
Wicks glanced at Armitage and nodded. “Signal the fleet. Half oars; set a course to intercept.”
“Aye Sir,” Armitage said with a grin and the Toranado fleet turned to the east to begin the chase.
All through the late morning the ships on the horizon grew steadily closer and steadily more numerous, so that by mid afternoon there were now over seventy ships visible. Of these, however, only about two dozen triremes and thirty galleys were spotted in and amongst the lumbering troop carriers. Wick’s inner voice had paid off again, for the approaching fleet was clearly an invasion force.
“We should engage the outer ships within an hour…perhaps a bit longer,” Armitage said as he watched the oarsman shift once again to give rest for those who had pulled oars the last shift.
“Within an hour I’d say,” Wicks replied, the troops ships were riding low and slow over the sea and as they advanced closer to the Massi shore the swells would slow them even more.
A half an hour later Captain Wicks could clearly see the panic her ships were causing the crews of the fleeing vessels. A half dozen heavy triremes and another eight galleys had broken off from the fleet and were now moving directly into the path of the Toranado, hoping no doubt to slow down the advancing ships so that the troopships could make it to shore.
“Any sign of the Cassinni?” Wicks shouted up to Raskin.
“Oh yes…they’re beginning to converge in the distance, heading directly toward the main body of the enemy,” he yelled down from the rigging. He smiled and did a simple jig while holding tightly to the ropes.
“Good,” Wicks said softly. ‘We can concentrate on the warships for now.’ She checked the wind which was northwesterly.
“Armitage, signal the fleet, move us to the north,” she commanded suddenly calm.
‘Yes, this was it!’
ǂ
The sky clouded up in the early afternoon but as yet there was no rain, nor did the front look overly threatening. The temperature, however, began to drop significantly reminding everyone that winter was not far off.
“I think na Gall and Lonogan are involved,” Gwaynn said coming out of the bailey, but before Samantha could answer a soldier shouted a warning from the top wall of the fortress.
They both glanced up and then out over the Plateau in the direction the guard was pointing. In the distance they could see a growing cloud of dust, but even before Gwaynn could issue an order a group of horsemen galloped past him on their way to investigate.
“Of course they’re involved,” Samantha said. “They been together since they returned from Cassinni.”
“They’re flying Massi banners!” The guard yelled from above, clearly relieved. Gwaynn shook his head, anxious to see Gaston again, the young Captain was turning into a remarkably able commander, top notch, just as Tanner predicted.
“Since Cassinni?” Gwaynn asked and Samantha shook her head, amazed at the obtuseness of men. But she didn’t chastise her lover; instead she slipped her handless arm through the crook of his and leaned her head against his shoulder.
“Yes…since Cassinni. They must have had some trip,” she said as they watched the mass of horseman in the distance approach. “Does it bother you?”
Gwaynn remained thoughtful for a moment. “I don’t want my General distracted,” he finally answered, “but I suppose I can’t begrudge him a woman,” he added and looked down at Samantha with a smile.
“I’m just a distraction am I?” Samantha teased and bumped him with her hip. Gwaynn just laughed.
They remained silent for a moment as the cavalry arrived. The majority of the horseman rode off south of the baileys toward the large holding yards that were set up for the horses. Samantha watched the men and horses thunder pass, awed by the sight of such power.
“We’re going to win aren’t we?” She asked as a smaller group of riders broke off from the main group and headed directly toward Gwaynn.
“Yes, we will win,” Gwaynn answered almost glumly, but before Samantha could say anything there was another shout.
“Gaston!” Bock said from behind. Gwaynn and Samantha turned to see Lonogan and na Gall approaching, not far behind came Prince Phillip with his mother Ramona and Tabernas…Laynee was running ahead of the trailing group and Gwaynn noticed for the first time that she was losing a bit of her adolescent awkwardness and in fact was growing quite pretty.
Captain Gaston and David Hahn rode up to their King, both smiling proudly. Gaston leaped from his horse and then bowed low to Gwaynn while Hahn, with his bad foot, took a bit more time to dismount and present himself.
“Gaston!” Bock repeated loudly and moved forward to embrace the young man. The Captain had been under his direct tutelage for more than a dozen years now, since he was just a lad of thirteen. “Tanner would be proud.”
“He would,” Hahn agreed and clapped Gaston on the back and then the Captain of the Massi archers bowed his head low to Gwaynn and greeted Samantha with special reverence. “M’lady,” he said and couldn’t quite stop himself from looking to her injured arm, but Samantha found she did not mind.
“I’ve an idea for the pike I’d like to run by you,” Hahn said addressing Samantha and she was immediately intrigued.
“I’d like that,” she answered but fell quite as Bock asked Gaston about his many exploits. The General had spent precious little time with his cavalry commander after the battle, and then Traveled directly to Manse to help shore up the defenses of the city, but he wanted desperately to catch up. Gaston’s timing of late was becoming something of legend. Under his command the cavalry seemed to be everywhere, aggressively moving and attacking exactly when and where it was needed. The young Captain’s instincts for battle were impressive and when Bock asked Gaston to reveal his secret he just smiled.
“I try to fight like Gwaynn fights…always aggressive. Hit hard and fast, it’s what Tanner would do,” the young man explained sheepishly, clearly uncomfortable with the awe and respect that was being sent his direction. But though he was uncomfortable, he found he enjoyed the praise almost as much as he enjoyed catching his enemy by surprise.
“The Knights?” He asked, feeling the need to face the ultimate cavalry force one more time.
“Quiet,” Gwaynn said with a knowing smile, realizing the reason for the question immediately. “You’ll get your chance, but it may be a few days. I need the army to arrive in Manse before I set you free.”
“Good,” said Gaston. “Marcum is moving quickly. He should be here late tomorrow or early the next morning.”
Bock frowned. “So quickly?”
Gaston nodded. “He’s leaving a contingent of troops behind to escort the wounded otherwise the bulk of the army is marching double time. The troops don’t seem to mind even though they’re racing to face the Temple Knights…I think they smell victory.”
“Then let’s hope they have a good sense of smell,” Bock quipped with a wry smile, but truthfully he’d be relieved to have an extra fifteen thousand men to guard the walls of Manse, just in case the Knights had ideas other than defeat.