The Bloodsword

By Alan Bruce

He was stationed off to the side of the altar of the King Ruedell's pet sorcerer. Roq shifted weight to his other foot and spat again. Roq hated sorcerers. All they ever did was make life miserable. He mumbled under his breath, "Get on with it ya old windbag. I need a full belly and a sharp sword." Several nearby swordsmen chuckled at his comment, but they quickly became poker faced when King Ruedell glanced in their direction.

The ceremony ended just before sunrise. Roq stamped off towards his camp to grab a quick meal, a bottle full of water, and to quickly wipe the dampness from his weapons. The King's Chief of Staff caught up with him, "Hey, Roq, as a King's Own Guard you need to learn to keep your mouth shut. King Ruedell is depending on the sorcerers to end the battle quickly."

"Fuck the sorcerers. Those bastards burn infantry for fun and they pull the ground out from under battles of horsemen just for the hell of it. I'd just as soon slit their throats."

"I didn't hear that, Roq. Neither of us want you given up to a necromancer."

"Piss off, Krill. I'm pulling out after this battle, so you won't need to worry much longer."

"Hell, I'll worry once you're gone. With you here I know the banner will keep flying. Can't I convince you to stay on?"

"No. After this battle I'm headin' home to see the folks, and I want to add some polish to my brother's skills. He's as clumsy as a horseman."

Krill rode away laughing, "Always the diplomat. Good luck today, Roq."

Roq stared at the retreating horseman but he didn't reply. He turned and stared across the valley where a huge bonfire was starting to die down. The enemy sorcerer was a necromancer. He foretold the fates and gained his power through human torture and sacrifice. It was said that he could pull the guts out of a man, yet keep him alive for hours. Roq hated necromancers more than he hated sorcerers. His main reason for staying in Ruedell's army was this opportunity to rid the earth of a necromancer.

When Roq took his station with the King's Guards the skirmishers had already advanced far beyond the front line. Roq had an excellent view as King Ruedell had chosen a small hillock from which to oversee the battle. The line was a standard deployment of shields, pikes, and longbowmen with apprentice sorcerers protecting the flanks. The light cavalry and the heavy cavalry were sited back from the main line. Their own units of shield bearers and pikes protected them.

Roq watched the deployment of the enemy with professional interest. There was something strange about their deployment. There was too much activity at the back and there were too few shield bearers. A series of glowing balls of fire answered Roq's questions. The enemy had managed to conceal several siege ballistae and they were firing over the heads of King Ruedell's army. The dry fall grasses instantly ignited forcing Ruedell's army to charge, or perish in the grass fires. Roq tightened his grip on his sword as he watched the army rush forward. King Ruedell had to hope that the sheer numbers of his troops would overwhelm the enemy line. Half way to their goal a wall of arrows met them. King Wyrr had traded the defensive power of shields for three additional troops of longbowmen. King Ruedell's army crumpled. When the inevitable rout occurred, King Wyrr's cavalry turned the plains into a killing ground.

Roq turned towards the king. "Your Highness, the battle is lost. You must withdraw; else the Queen will be a widow this day." King Ruedell glared at Roq for a moment before signalling for the withdrawal. His only hope was that enough of the army would be left to form the core of a new army. This campaign had come to a sudden, inglorious end.

Roq did not join the withdrawal. His duty to King Ruedell ended with the battle. Roq withdrew into the brush. He stayed concealed until King Wyrr's army had finished looting and had withdrawn. Roq emerged from concealment once the battlefield was given over to the ravens, the back stabbing camp followers, and the sun blackened dead. He halted every once in a while to pick up a trinket that had been missed by the looters. As he made his way to the enemy camp he picked up a discarded longbow and a quiver full of arrows. He wandered about until he came to the location where King Wyrr's necromancer had performed his ritualistic atrocities. This site was the same as the many others that he had seen, and each time he felt ill when he came across the sacrifice victim. This time was no different.

The sacrifice had been a young man. This one was lying face down in the mud and could still be called a boy. Roq couldn't walk away. He knew he should leave, but for some reason he remained. He glanced around, nervously. Everything was as it should be. Roq's uneasiness grew as he moved closer to the corpse. He used his foot to turn the corpse over, but he kicked harder than necessary causing the nearly decapitated head to fall off and land to one the side of the corpse. The corpse was horribly mutilated; worse than most sacrifices he had seen. His eyes focused on the head. The face staring back at him was that of his younger brother.

Roq dropped his possessions and fell to his knees. Tears left streaks on his dirt covered face. Roq screamed at the heavens, "Wyrr, you bastard. You and your pet necromancer will pay for this." Roq drew out his knife and drew it across his palm. He let the blood from his wounded palm land on the body at his feet. "Here me, all ye damned. I swear blood oath against King Wyrr and the bastard necromancer known as Yxr. Blood for blood. They sacrificed my brother now their lives are forfeit." Roq wrapped a scrap piece of linen around his hand. He spent the remainder of the afternoon digging a grave for his brother and fashioning a crude cross. When he was finished he turned and walked eastward. He never looked back. His duty to the clay was finished. His oath remained.

He spent the night several leagues from the battlefield. His meal consisted of goods missed by the looters; bread and sausage washed down with cheap field issue wine. He did not light a fire. After his meal he moved camp several hundred yards and bedded down for the night. He was up with the dawn and on the move. By noon he was skirting a mid-sized town. Roq did not stop because he was still too close to the battleground to feel safe. That night his campsite was set back from a small stream. He ate the remainder of his food and drank his fill of water. The following night Roq's meal was late season berries and water. He was up before the dawn and on his way. He arrived at the town of Joshur by dusk. In just over three days Roq had travelled sixty leagues, few of them by road. He was hungry and in a foul mood.

Roq glanced through the unglazed windows of the inn. The inn was full of soldiers; a detachment of Wyrr's elite guard. Roq moved away from the inn and concealed himself in the shadows along the roadway. His mood became uglier with each passing minute. He was about to cross the road and take his chances when a sliver of moonlight broke through the clouds. Roq froze in place. The faint moonlight revealed a small building that he hadn't seen in the darkness. He cursed himself for his foolishness. He had been about to tackle an inn full of soldiers instead of helping himself to the meat, milk, and cheese that was bound to be stored in the icehouse.

The moon slid back behind the clouds. Roq crossed the road and crouched against the side of the icehouse. He turned the corner towards the door. A guard. Roq's hand shot out and caught the guard full in the throat. The guard collapsed without a sound. Roq unlatched the door and slipped into the icehouse. His second step landed on something soft and yielding. He fell flat out into the sawdust and slammed his head against the remaining stacked blocks of ice.

A deep female voice broke through the haze of pain in Roq's head. "Stay away from me."

Roq replied in a hoarse whisper, "Who the fuck are you?"

"Who're you to ask? You're not a guard. I bet you're nothing more than a common thief."

Roq stood. The pain in his head was almost unbearable. The moonlight that came in through the slightlydoorway was painful to his eyes. He stood still for several moments fighting the pain. When the worst of the nausea passed he was able to pick out a darker object propped against the wall. He walked over to the figure and, without warning, knocked the woman over with a swift movement from his foot. "You're a prisoner yourself, or maybe you're a loud mouthed prostitute being taught a lesson."

"You fool! I'm being taken to the necromancer, Yxr."

Roq forgot his pain at the mention of Yxr's name. "You're being taken to be his private pin cushion?"

"No! He has little use for women these days. It's unlikely that I'll survive the welcome."

"What's your name?"

"Alina."

"I think you'd be better off with me than with Wyrr's toy soldiers."

"Try anything and I'll rip off your precious jewels. I'm not an easy fuck. The guards found that out."

"Maybe they were more desperate than I am."

"You arrogant bastard."

"Would you rather stay here?""

"No."

"I'll cut your bonds. Then we'll gather up a haunch of meat and some cheese."

"What about the guard outside the door?"

"He's dead. We'll pull him inside as we leave. If we're lucky he won't be missed until morning and by then we should be half a dozen leagues from here." They circled around the town and rejoined the main road half a league from the village. The night was quiet except for the occasional curse from Alina. She had walked the full day and she had been badly beaten. Roq ignored her curses and pushed onwards. He had his own problems to deal with. He was dizzy and he was drenched in sweat. Roq turned off the main road and followed a woodsman's path through the forest just as false dawn brightened the eastern sky. The path ended at a small creek. Roq didn't hesitate. He waded through the waist deep water until he came upon a gravel bed. Alina's lips were blue and her teeth chattered uncontrollably. Roq had to pull her from the water. He forced her to walk along the bank of the creek for another few minutes until he found an overhang that would offer some concealment. He gathered several armfuls of wood and started a small fire. He meant to sit back from the fire and prepare a meal. Instead he fell to the ground, unconscious.

When Roq regained consciousness he was propped up against the back of the overhang and Alina was talking to him. "Here, drink this broth. Slowly, you're going to be a queasy for a while."

He sipped slowly until he started to become nauseous. He pushed the mug away. "What happened? Did you put some kind of spell on me?"

Alina smiled. "No. You're still suffering from the whack you took to the head when you fell in the icehouse. It happens sometimes."

"I've taken some hard hits to the head with a training sword. I don't remember this ever happening."

"You weren't wearing a helmet last night."

Roq was reluctant to agree. "That's possible. I'll admit that I was a bit dizzy when I first stood up." Roq turned pale. He turned aside and retched uncontrollably until his stomach was empty. Alina threw loam over top of the mess. She handed Roq a mug full of a flowery smelling brew. He asked, "What's this?"

"It will settle your stomach and help you to get some rest." Roq hesitantly took a small sip. It tasted surprisingly good and it settled his queasy stomach. He drained the contents. Then he rested his head against the clay embankment.

Alina settled her back against the tree. Some time in the early afternoon she fell asleep. Roq was relaxed but he remained awake and alert. Late in the day he heard the distinctive clink of steel against rock. He moved to Alina's side and clamped his hand down over her mouth. She awoke with a start and tried to bite. Roq whispered, "Shh, it's me. There's at least three soldiers approaching. I was afraid you might give us away. Move back under the overhang and stay still." Alina nodded in understanding and moved back.

Roq quickly strung his bow. He removed half a dozen arrows from the quiver and moved forward until he had a clear field of fire. His position was in deep shadow. He waited until the soldiers were within fifty yards. Roq selected an arrow and drew back the bow aiming at the farthest soldier. The arrow took the soldier in the throat. He dropped without making a sound. Roq selected a second arrow and aimed at another soldier. This time he aimed for the soldier's mailed chest. The arrow, from the longbow, parted the soldier's cheap mail and pierced his heart. The guard died with a grunt. A bout of nausea hit Roq. He helplessly watched the third soldier lift his crossbow and aim right at him. A fireball burst against the soldier leaving nothing but a small stretch of blackened clay. Roq crawled out of his concealment and over to the two dead soldiers. They both carried crossbows which Roq considered too heavy and impractical. He retrieved his arrows from the bodies before pulling the corpses into the brush. When he returned to the campsite he was pale, angry, and drenched in sweat. "Why the fuck didn't you tell me you were a sorceress?"

Alina's eyes flashed with anger, "I just saved your life."

"I risked my ass to save you. You could have escaped whenever you wanted."

"You're an ignorant savage. You don't know anything about the world or the powers. You weren't even smart enough to recognise that a knot of binding confined me. I could no more escape than a rat from a well."

"There's no reason for them to hunt me down like a wounded stag. They are looking for you."

Alina's anger had subsided. It was impossible for her to remain angry with Roq when he was so obviously ill. "No, they are looking for you. You are destined to battle Yxr. Yxr has been afraid of this conflict for the past five centuries. He has been looking to kill you since a scrivening revealed your birth."

"I'm destined to slaughter Yxr because he killed my brother."

"What sign of the zodiac were you born under?"

"The Archer."

"Do you remember anything about the tarot reading they did at your birth?"

"I remember something about my path mingling with death. There was also something about the warrior being on top of a sorcerer. It's all nonsense my mam made up."

"No, the reading is true. The death of your brother is another step towards the fulfilling of the prophecy."

Roq sank back against the embankment. He spoke awkwardly, unsure of himself. "Listen, I was a bit keyed up, and you did save my life. I'm sorry. I wasn't raised to speak to a lady that way. How is it that you know so much about my prophecy?"

"My very being is tied to this prophecy. No more talking. You need rest." Before he could ask any more questions Alina passed her hand in front of his face and Roq drifted off into a healing sleep. Alina kept Roq under the influence of the healing sleep for three days. She spent the time searching the area for herbs and roots. On the second day she found what she wanted. She spent the rest of that day and most of the third day working with the items she had gathered. She produced a power with a greenish tinge and one small white pill. Only then did she start a stew brewing and allow Roq to awaken. He awoke well-rested, fit, and ravenously hunger.

"Mmm, that smells good. What is it?"

"Water rat. Care for some?" Alina noticed his hesitation. "You have been asleep for three days. You need to eat."

"All right. I've eaten worse food."

As Alina dished out the stew she asked, "Do you mind if I ask you a few more questions?"

"Go ahead."

"How do you intend to get close to Yxr? Also, how do you intend to kill him?"

"I plan on entering his keep and running my sword through him."

"You don't have a plan at all. If you knew more about Yxr you wouldn't be so keen on entering his keep. I have a plan. Will you trust me?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Roq you have many choices. You can fulfil your destiny and live, you can fulfil your destiny and die in the process, or you can fail to fulfil your destiny. Most of your choices will lead to your death."

"I've seen Death so many times that he no longer scares me. I don't mind dying as long as I can take that bastard, Yxr, with me. What's your plan?"

"Wyrr will push into Ruedell's territory before winter sets in. We'll go to the battlefield and allow you to be captured by Wyrr's scouts. Wyrr is sure to demand that Yxr use you as the pre-battle sacrifice."

Roq grabbed her hair and held a blade to her throat. A trickle of blood worked its way down her neck where the point broke through the skin. "You double crossing bitch! Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you now?"

"You'd die without ever fulfilling your oath." As she spoke Roq felt his blade grow warm in his hand. In an instant it was too hot to hold, and he let it fall to the ground. The tang gave off the strong odour of scorched leather. "Now, do you want to hear my plan, or should I kill you, myself?"

"Do as you will. Things are not as straightforward as you wish me to believe, otherwise, you would have left me days ago. I think you need me just like you've proven that I need you. Tell me what you have at stake. Otherwise, I'm walking out of camp and you can kill me if that's your wish."

"Damn you, Roq. I'll tell you what's at stake for me. I'm a bastard. My mother was fifteen when Yxr raped her. When he discovered that she was with child he had her confined until I was born. Once I was weaned he used her as one of his sacrifices." Alina glared at Roq.

Roq ignored her anger. "Your plan gets me close to Yxr, but how am I supposed to kill him?"

"Let's just say that you'll be spitting in his face."

"Tell me--"

"No. We'll leave that until the time is right. Where is the best location for Wyrr to meet Ruedell in battle?"

"The Plains of Valour. It is two days march south of Ruedell's capital. We are eight days march from the plains. If you allow Wyrr two weeks to rest and gather new supplies then that places his army at the Plains of Valour nine days from today."

Roq and Alina set out at dusk. Each night they pushed on until the dawn. Their meals were sparse and sometimes consisted of berries, at other times they stole eggs, chickens, or vegetables from isolated farmsteads. On the dawn of the eighth day they were camped in the hills that defined the south-west border of the Plains of Valour.

"Roq, please gather wood for a fire. We'll need enough wood to cook the hen you caught this morning."

"Wyrr's scouts might be able to pick up the scent of our fire and the scent of the roasting hen."

"We have several hours before they are close enough for that.... After our meal I'll prepare you for your meeting with Yxr. Then I'll slip off into the woods and conceal myself until the battle. You need to attract the attention of Wyrr's scouts. The more attention you draw to yourself, and the angrier you make Wyrr, or his Chief of Staff, the better your chance of being turned over to Yxr as the morning sacrifice."

Roq quietly listened to Alina map out her plan. It was so incredibly simple and daring that Roq accepted the details without question. He swallowed the herbs that Alina prepared for him and he accepted the mint wrapped pill that was crucial to the success of the plan. Alina slipped away as soon as possible leaving Roq with the remainder of the day to prepare some unpleasant surprises for Wyrr's scouts.

As dusk fell he concealed the pill under his tongue. Then he threw a mass of branches onto his fire. The first three scouts, attracted by the fire, tripped ambushes and died filling the night with their screams. The fourth scout was silhouetted by moonlight. He died when an arrow shattered his nose and penetrated his skull. When none of the scouts returned a full score of skirmishers was sent. Three died, but the remainder overpowered Roq. Roq was battered, but alive. He was taken before Wyrr's Chief of Staff. "Who is this brave fool?"

One of the skirmishers spoke out, "He won't say, sir, but I recognise him. His name is Roq."

The Chief of Staff inspected Roq more closely. "I've heard of him. A prodigious fighter, and one of the heroes of Ruedell's army. Yxr will be pleased to read the portents from the entrails of such a warrior. Send him to Yxr."

A guard detail stepped forward and took Roq from the skirmishers. They stripped him of his clothes and placed him in a specially built cage. There were other similar cages near by but only one other cage was occupied. There were guards stationed around both occupied cages. They were there to ensure that no one in the camp came to the aide of the prisoners and cheat Yxr of a sacrifice.

As the false dawn lit the horizon Roq was lead from his cage and fastened to the sacrificial altar; a huge elevated slab of blackwood weighing at least a ton. Wyrr and his honour guard took up station around the altar. The sacrificial torches were lit and Yxr stepped out into the torchlight. He was dressed in black garments that seemed to absorb the light. Only his face and hands were visible and they were the colour of a drained corpse. Yxr raised his arms and chanted heavenward. As he chanted he moved slowly towards Roq.

Yxr completed his chant. His chin dropped upon his chest and his arms fell to his sides. He swayed as if he were exhausted. For the time span of sixty heartbeats nothing happened. When the measured time had passed, Yxr approached Roq. For an instant a demoniac smile of triumph distorted his features. Yxr placed his left hand upon Roq's belly. With his right hand he reached under his robes for his silver sacrificial knife. His face was turned towards Roq and less than two sword lengths distant. Roq moved the pill from under his tongue and chewed it into a gritty wet mass. He spat directly into the eyes of Yxr. The effect was instantaneous. Yxr screamed once and fell to the ground. In less than a minute he was dead.

Alina appeared before Wyrr, or his honour guard could react. She lobbed a fireball into their midst. Wyrr and his honour guard were instantly consumed. With no one to lead them, Wyrr's army scattered leaving Alina, and Roq in sole possession of Wyrr's camp.

King Ruedell rode into Wyrr's camp as soon after sunrise once scouts determined that Wyrr's army actually abandoned the field. Ruedell honoured Roq and Alina by dismounting and approaching the pair on foot. "Ah, sorceress, Alina that explains things. And Roq. It seems that between you, you left my army little to do." Roq made as if to speak, but Ruedell held up his hand for silence. "No, this is not the place to tell of your adventures and deeds." He turned towards Alina, "Mistress, would you and your newly betrothed join us as guests of honour at tonight's victory feast?"

Alina spoke before Roq could interrupt. "This was also as an outcome of the prophecy. The tarot reader was unskilled. The image was of a warrior on top of a sorceress. We battled side by side. Our spirits, our dreams, and our souls have intermingled. This is the only time that the chosen are allowed to marry."

Roq looked from one to the other, and then at Krill who was standing at a slight distance from King Ruedell. Krill nodded his agreement. "Fucking sorceress," Roq said, "can't even be trusted to get a wedding right." He smiled and pulled Alina to him, "I hope she kisses better than she plans a wedding. I almost died before the ceremony ended."

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