Chapter 55: Before the Storm (1/2)

Viv emerged from the edge of the woods and crashed on the ground, rolling on the green grass.

“Urggg.”

“You will have recovered in half a day,” Irao informed her with a calm voice.

That man was definitely not great at comforting. Viv finished all the water in her canteen but it did not help.

“Alright, we got to move.”

Irao had disappeared.

“Well thanks anyway. Alright, Viv, on your feet.”

The witch courageously went home and picked up Marruk and Arthur, then headed to Varska’s tower. On the path, she did her best to ignore clumps of citizens discussing in low voices while children ran and cried. Ten minutes later, they were standing before all the Kazar head honchos, including the banker. It was at that moment that something that Viv never expected happened.

The mayor lost it.

Viv watched awkwardly as Corel accompanied the aging leader to her bedroom. They waited a few minutes in silence for him to come back.

“We made an announcement yesterday. I just… we did not think that the Enorians would act so quickly.”

“I’m a bit surprised that you would believe me on the spot. I expected you to be more suspicious,” Viv remarked, but Corel dismissed her question with a wave.

“I had the scouts follow that bastard envoy and they said that he didn’t have enough luggage to cross the forest, so he was part of a larger group. You only confirmed what we already believed. Have you noticed any flags?”

“There was a white and blue flag with, hmm, wings on the background and something else too.”

“A gryphon. The emblem of the second prince. What about the military unit?”

Viv closed her eyes and focused. The image of the camp appeared before her in all its ominous glory.

“A sort of shovel between two arrows on a grey background.”

“That would be the Bridgers, the Enorian siege specialists. One of the companies, in any case. They will have hybrid path earth movers, but more importantly snipers. Bowmen whose only goal is to pick off priority targets such as, well, you,” he said, mentioning the two women.

Silence descended upon the room as everyone digested this piece of information. Viv felt like she could summarize their situation in one rude word.

“We can’t hold them, and if we stay here, they will take everything,” Corel said.

“Would they just really push everyone out into the wilds?” Viv asked, “would the church not condemn that?”

Corel stared as if she had grown an extra head.

“They will not just leave the people outside. They will use the excuse of unpaid debt to capture them, and then sell them east as indentured servants. The population of Kazar could fetch prices in the thousands of gold talents, even if only half of us survive the trip. We have to evacuate, go into the mountains. Hope that they don’t follow. If I were them, I would.”

“Then we have no choice,” Farren said, “some of us need to stay behind as rear guards to force them to waste time. If they are forced to deploy their forces, it will take days for them to reorganize, even if we only offer a token resistance.”

“So you will join the defense?” Viv asked Farren.

“Those who come are not nobles fighting for power, it’s a royal-blooded asshole destroying an entire city. The Temple Guards will fight.”

“Even then, we need to split our forces,” Corel continued, “we will skirt the deadlands and that much vitality will attract attention. I will need all the guards to form a cordon. The scouts and hunters will stay on the wall since they’re the only people well-trained with the ranged weapons we have.”

“Ok,” Viv said, “then when do we start?”

Varska stood up.

“Now. We will ring the alarm. We… we need to tell them.”

The group left, expressions grave. All of Kazar’s public servants had assembled in a small cluster by the door. They were terrified.

“So… they are coming?” a plump girl with ink-stained fingers asked.

“Yes,” Viv said.

The girl started to cry, soon comforted by the others. Varska led the group to the tree. She moved her hand and a bell rang from her tower. People started to move in a few minutes later until the entire square was packed with people. Viv had not seen such collective despair since she had left Afghanistan.

It was Farren who talked first. He whispered a quick prayer and a golden light shimmered around him. When he spoke, his voice was not loud, and yet even those at the other side could hear him with perfect clarity.

“The Enorians will be here in three days.”

Shocked cries. Tears.

“There will be hundreds of men. They will come to steal everything, including you, your children and your family, but we won’t let them.”

Viv watched as the crowd clinged to the glimmer of hope the branch leader offered them, how their eager faces drank in his words.

“We will leave. You will take your children and your food. You will take your cornadons and latch them to your carts, your carriages and your sleds. You will help your neighbours and your friends. You will gather on the communal field with only the essentials and we, the armed forces of Kazar, will lead you to safety. We cannot stop the army from taking this city, but we can stop them from taking its dearest treasure, you. Go now, and do as I say. Remember, only pack up the essentials. The convoy will leave in a day. Now go. Go!”

One by one, then by larger groups, the majority of the crowd dispersed to pack up. They were traumatized but determined, Viv thought. Only a few people stayed to ask questions, some of them struck with disbelief. Eventually, Farren gathered all the incredulous.

“Listen, the Enorian Second Prince is coming in person and he has brought around six hundred civilians with him. There is not enough room in the fertile strip for six hundred folks unless you remove others first. Take it as you will, but I know what I think. I think that Prince Lancer sold your lands and means to make some extra cash by having you work on his fields, or those belonging to Baran. You can stay and try your luck if you think you have a chance, nobody will force you to come, but I personally would not count on any sort of mercy.”

Viv did not stay, she went back to gather her stuff and then moved her meagre possessions to the sled, which Marruk decided to carry to the meeting point herself. Solfis went on the sled and Arthur accompanied the witch as she went to the tower. Varska was in the greenhouse as she came in. Contrary to usual, she was not moving.

Viv stopped when she realized what it meant.

“You… cannot take them with you?”

“No. We have no room, and they would die anyway. Most would not survive in this climate.”

Varska sighed heavily. Viv did not know what to do until she turned to the side and saw one of the largest specimens. It had a large center and yellow and red petals that shone in the morning’s light. White, ethereal motes sometimes danced around it.

“Your suncult marea, the one you had since you were a kid. We can take it. There is enough room in the sled.”