Prologue:
Well I'm sure you're near,
And I can almost smell you,
But the winds are up at the walls again...
******
The heat was oppressive. The sun beat down on the arid plain with enough force that it could almost be heard. Nothing moved here, nothing lived here among the dust and cracked earth. The sky stretched as far as the eye could see; a brilliant blue dome over the desert. A single figure made its way across the ground, one shuffling step at the time. The wind swept across the man, flinging his tattered cloak around like a toy and playfully flicking his long blonde hair. The sound of creaking leather armour accompanied the man’s movements coupled with the rasping gasp of breath. Glinting on his breast is a badge dulled by the sun, a ‘II ’ of the Second. Do you know what it’s like to walk for a year without stopping? This man does. Trailing a furrow in the ground behind him is a sword, gripped loosely in one hand. The blade is dulled by grime and dust yet it is obvious that it is a piece of fine forging, tempered in roaring flames. If only people could be tempered in heat the same way…
Step…
tttttttStep…
ttttttttttttttStep…
tttttttttttttttttttttPause…
Step…
tttttttStep…
ttttttttttttttStep…
tttttttttttttttttttttPause…
Perhaps some men can? He has seen much, he has seen men and indeed whole cities fall to their knees. But not him, he can’t afford the luxury of surrender. This man has been walking for a year and will walk for another one if that is what needed to find his way back, to find his way home, to prove that he is still alive. After all he’d made a promise.
******
‘Storm...’, the word that no sailor wants to utter. The first mate, Glenn, gazed across the sea to the horizon where dark clouds were gathering. ‘This won’t be pleasant, but the storms around the island are not as bad as they used to be.’ He turned to the group of travelers standing around him. He felt slightly sorry for them, if they were traveling on one of the two supply ships rather than the transport it meant that they were either extremely tight fisted or had very little coin. An odd bunch, he thought. There were several military men, you could tell by the way they stood and the way they never switched off, Dierna the thick set gruff soldier, the woodsman Dayne and Hargrave, a master at arms, or at least Glenn guessed from the number of weapons the man had. Then there was an intellectual called Wilhelm who had sly edge to him and also a Forester priest calling himself Eckhard, some sort of brain addled devout of a Northern Realm. Then finally there was Tapper, the tall, hollow looking man with a thousand yard stare. His short hair and pointed goatee was a light brown and pinned to his chest was a badge of the Second army Sappers. Desertion was punished by death Glenn knew, so the open display of the man’s origins seemed odd, however the Captain had said that Tapper was special. ‘Important’ he’s said. It made Glenn uncomfortable knowing that half of the crew on the ship came aboard with Tapper, and although the captain trusted him it didn’t stop the hair on the back of his neck from standing on end when he looked into the deserter’s eyes.
‘I’m sure the crew will have the storm well in hand,’ Tapper said, ‘besides, it’s not like none of us have ever been wet’. The sapper opened his mouth to continue talking when a cry came from one of the crew. ‘Captain! There’s a ship behind us, it’s moving fast’. The captain pulled his eyeglass free, ‘What colours is it flying?’ he asked as he walked over to the rail. Putting the glass to his eye he stares for a good few seconds.
‘Rek’s grace…’ The captain murmured, ‘First mate! Full sails, Now!’ he called. Glenn strode over and looked through the glass himself, ‘but it’s Imperial colours,’ Glenn said puzzled. ‘Aye, but it’s the Emperor’s Dog’s banner as well’ came the sharp reply from the Captain. Glen furrowed his brows confused, ‘Captain I still don’t-‘
‘Get it moving now or I’ll put you over the side myself for mutiny Glenn, now is not the time.’ The captain snapped, and then Glenn heard it, the slight edge of fear in the captains voice.
‘What should I signal to the other two ships sir? We might lose them if they don’t match our pace.’ The captain shook his head and replied, ‘Signal nothing.’ He then turned back to the rail and began a hushed conversation with Tapper as Glenn started shouting out orders to the crew. Full sails straight into a storm. Running from an Imperial ship. This makes me uneasy, very uneasy. As if to signal it’s agreement the distant rumble of thunder from the storm accompanied his thoughts. Glenn turned to the group of travelers as the wind began to pick up, ‘This might get a bit wild….’