Chapter 6
Crossroads
The large glass window on the second floor creaked as Jan heaved it open. “Remember to climb down the bricks. It’s too high to jump,” the young servant whispered, opening the window to its fullest extent.
Lansius’ heart raced. Earlier, Jan had convinced him this was the only way out without being seen by the guards. The municipal office was built like a castle and had just one exit.
“Can’t Wade smuggle me out or something?”
“He can hardly even get out himself. Together with you, it’s just not possible,” Jan argued.
Lansius knew that was true. Vince had once bribed a guard for a favor, but it led to a lengthy extortion. Slowly, he approached the window and was surprised by his disheveled appearance in the incomplete reflection on the glass, but the chilly evening air rushed inside and demanded his priority.
“Which part of the garden is beneath us?” he asked, knowing the soft ground was his only safety net.
“The one at the far end, near the old tree.”
Lansius hesitated. The chilling wind brought a sense of reality to his face, while the darkness challenged him to jump.
“Master, please be quick, or someone will find out,” Jan urged, as they were on the same floor as the staff’s dormitory.
“Are you sure you don’t want to leave with me?” Lansius asked.
“Who would feed me if I go? I’m a servant. I was here when the city was taken. They did little harm to me,” Jan whispered.
Taking a deep breath, Lansius flexed his hands to test his grip and began to climb. He placed his hands on the stone window frame and pulled his body up so his legs could find footing. The night sky came into view, showcasing both beauty and terror. Fear would surely paralyze him if he could measure the height.
“Turn around,” Jan urged him.
“I know. Just give me a moment.” Lansius turned to face the wall and climbed down. The earthy scent of moss warned him that the stone surface might be slippery, but he quickly found suitable spots for his hands and feet, securing solid footing.
This isn’t too hard.
The municipal building was nearly ancient, having faced partial destruction and rebuilding several times throughout the centuries. Each time, only its entrance and courtyard received proper repairs, while the other sides remained rough and ill-finished.
“Good luck, Master Lansius.”
Lansius looked up, but the creaking from the window signaled that Jan had already left. With no way back, he took a deep breath and continued his descent. Just two steps down, he encountered a snag. Unlike his first attempt, he couldn’t find secure footing. Some stone bricks jutted out, but they were too slippery for his feet.
Growing frustrated after a series of failed attempts, his hands grew sweaty and raw. He paused on the last good footing to catch his breath. At one point, he glanced down and saw the silhouette of a tree.
This is only the second floor, right?
An idea came to him. He carefully dropped his bag down, but the leather bag didn’t make enough noise to reveal the height. Now, out of options and with hands throbbing from strain, he felt more inclined to jump.
First, he knelt, gripping the last jutting stone brick, and planned to lower his body down. However, he couldn’t hold his weight and quickly lost his grip.
Gasp... Ouch!
The fall was swift; he landed feet first and fell sideways. Despite the sharp pain in his ankle and back, adrenaline kept the pain at bay. In the darkness, he could see the silhouettes of trees and a line of bushes. He forced himself to run for cover, crouching behind the nearest bushes, and waited.
The building remained silent. No noise or lights were disturbed. Lansius felt relieved and sneaked to find his bag. It took several tries, as only faint starlight illuminated the area.
Once he retrieved it, he quickly left through the narrow path between two buildings. He made several turns and suddenly emerged onto the main street. He looked around to get his bearings.
“Master,” someone called to him from the shadows.
“Wade?” Lansius whispered, and the man urgently motioned for Lansius to come closer.
As Lansius approached, Wade pulled back his hood and placed a small purse in Lansius’ hand. “I gave the guard a hard bargain, only a copper to let me out.”
“Keep the rest, Wade. You’ve earned it,” Lansius said, proud of his men.
Wade grinned. “I knew you’d say that,” he said, pocketing the bribe money Lansius had sent through Jan. “Are you hurt?”
“Nothing’s broken,” Lansius assured.
Wade nodded. “So, where do we go next?”
“Stefi. We need to get her.
“Where does the Squire live?”
Lansius racked his memory before recalling the location, “The old cobbler’s alley.”
“I know the way. Stay close.” Wade looked around and lead the way. Not wanting to attract attention, they walked close to the buildings.
The main street was deserted at this hour, and both sides were empty. As his adrenaline subsided, Lansius felt aches in his palms, left ankle, and back.
Riverstead was almost pitch-black, save for a few establishments like the tavern that maintained lit lanterns in their front yards. As they walked, they came across a glowing orb that illuminated a large area.
The source of the orb was a giant glass lantern, adorned with a statue of a grotesque, giant lizard, marking an intersection.
Wade approached the low-hanging lantern and opened its small metallic window. The city had placed it there for wayfarers to light their lanterns if they went out.
Wade pulled a candle from his lantern and lit it. Then the two of them ventured into a dark, winding alleyway.
The area was notoriously challenging to navigate, even at noon. Wade had to stop and study the building signs to make sure he wasn’t lost.
“This is it, the old cobbler’s alley,” Wade remarked.
Lansius took the lantern from Wade. As they walked further down, he noticed a row of similarly sized buildings and quickened his pace. With Wade following, they arrived at one of the houses, and Lansius began knocking on the door.
“Stefi! Stephania!” he called repeatedly while continuing to knock.
After a while, Wade stopped him and tried to push the door several times.
“Master, it’s locked but not barred,” Wade said.
“She isn’t inside?” Lansius was horrified and surveyed the area. He was confident that this was the house.
Meanwhile, Wade examined the ground with his lantern and discovered footprints. “She’s not here. Someone must’ve called her.”
Lansius inspected the footprints in the muddy ground, kneeling to get a better look. There were indeed footprints, but he couldn’t tell if they were fresh.
“We have to go,” Wade urged. “She’s most likely called to arms.”
Lansius hesitated, but Wade pulled on his arm. As if pursued by ghosts, Wade led Lansius through the dark maze until they finally returned to the junction.
The grotesque lizard guarding the giant orb lantern greeted them again. Only then did they notice the roads growing livelier, with carriages now appearing.
As they neared the south gate, they encountered taller-than-man torches and lanterns, illuminating the numerous horse-drawn carriages and carts. Most were armed, with some even accompanied by cavalrymen.
A palpable sense of fear and anxiety permeated the atmosphere.
***
No one would take a clerk and his assistant seriously, but Lansius had no option. As they passed various carts and carriages, those inside eyed them nervously, their panic evident in the haphazard loading of their carriages.
It was unprecedented for a city to face another siege in such a short time. Everyone here had likely received a tip and was attempting to flee the impending siege. As Lansius drew closer, he overheard a heated exchange between the crowd and the guards.
“No men of arms are to leave the city,” a man hoarsely argued with the crowd.
“I assure you, these are only my master’s private household guards,” someone in the crowd responded.
“We know you let a dozen carriages leave just moments ago,” another accused, and the bickering persisted.
Judging by their fancy coats and garments, the crowd obviously hailed from wealthy backgrounds.
“Even they can’t get through,” Wade observed.
“Hey,” a voice called from the direction of a cart they had just passed.
They turned to see who it was.
“It’s you, Lansius!” The coachman removed his hood to reveal his bearded face.
“Thomas!” Lansius couldn’t believe his eyes and jogged to Thomas’s side.
“Why are you here?” Thomas inquired, noticing Lansius’s gambeson. “So, you’ve heard?”
“I... heard some bad news, but I’m not sure if it’s true.”
“Tch- it probably is...” Thomas grunted. “Well, do you have a pass to get out?”
Lansius shook his head.
Suddenly, they heard a commotion at the gate. The massive silhouette of the city gates began to move, and people hurriedly readied themselves to leave.
“Jump aboard, I could use more help,” urged Thomas.
Lansius hesitated. “I still need to find Stefi.”
“The Squire?” Thomas questioned before standing up to assess the situation. “We have to go. Chances are this is the last time they’ll open the gates.”
At the gate, three horsemen rode forth with brass lanterns that illuminated only the path ahead.
Noticing Lansius’s indecision, Thomas added, “Your friend must be in one of the carriages.”
As the drawbridge in front of the gate lowered, revealing the road outside, Lansius struggled to make up his mind.
“Tch,” Thomas noticed and grabbed Lansius by the collar of his gambeson.
“What are you doing?” Lansius protested, but Wade pushed him up from behind.
“I’m saving your arse,” Thomas replied as he called out to Theo, “Help us.”
The three hoisted Lansius into the back of the cart, where he fell between wooden crates. Wincing from the fall, he was greeted by friendly faces. “I’m Theo, and this big fellow here is Max,” the youth introduced themselves.
“Thomas!” Lansius complained, but the carriages started to move, and Thomas ignored him. Only then did Lansius realize Wade wasn’t there. “Wade,” he shouted when he saw him on the roadside.
“Take care, Master Lans,” Wade waved.
Lansius was aghast. “Jump in!”
“I can’t. My family and friends are here,” Wade said while walking alongside. “Riverstead is home. No matter who the Lord is, they’re going to need a warehouse worker like me.”
Despite acting brave, Wade’s face was bitter. He had just survived two sieges, and there was no guarantee he would survive another. But he knew next to nothing about the world outside Riverstead.
Before Lansius could react, a second figure, a woman beside Thomas hidden in a traveling cloak, shouted at them. “Theo, Max, don’t let your new friend do anything funny.”
“Sorry, maester,” Theo apologized, while the big-bodied Max groaned, wiped his blurry sleepy eyes, and kept them fixed on Lansius.
The noise and chaos from dozens of carriages, horses, and guards were deafening. Soon, the wide arches of the city gate passed above their heads, and only the clear night sky remained.
Lansius stared at the other carriages. “You lied to me, didn’t you?” he asked Thomas once the cart had crossed the stone bridge and the noise subsided.
“Blame me if you want, but there’s nothing for you in Riverstead,” Thomas replied.
“What will happen to the city?”
“Another siege,” the female figure next to Thomas replied in a somber tone.
“Can we win it?” Lansius asked.
“Nobody knows, but Riverstead has never held against a siege,” Thomas’ words made Lansius feel dejected. “Try to make peace with it. I need you to stay alert.”
“Are we not safe here?” Lansius questioned.
“Sieges are always bad, whether you’re inside or outside,” Thomas scoffed.
“The horsemen may chase us for supplies and hostages,” Theo added.
The cart became bumpier as the horses picked up speed. Riding in the dark, even with lanterns and torches, was dangerous, but everyone risked it rather than getting captured.
The sound of cracking whips filled the air as the coachmen fought their horses’ instinct not to run in the dark.
Lansius kept his eyes fixed on Riverstead.
Stefi, Jan, Wade, please stay safe...
As the convoy continued to move forward, the glimmering lights north of the city grew numerous and more defined. At first, they thought it was an eerie reflection of the night sky, but then they realized that those weren’t stars.
Those were hundreds of fireplaces in the newly erected enemy encampment. The size of the encampment was staggering, large enough to be seen from afar, indicating that they were housing a massive army, possibly in the thousands.
The fact that a defeated army, supposedly on its last breath, appeared more numerous than ever, was perplexing to everyone in the convoy. Fear and hopelessness weighed heavily on them as they left Riverstead to its fate.
Chapter 6
Crossroads
The large glass window on the second floor creaked as Jan heaved it open. “Remember to climb down the bricks. It’s too high to jump,” the young servant whispered, opening the window to its fullest extent.
Lansius’ heart raced. Earlier, Jan had convinced him this was the only way out without being seen by the guards. The municipal office was built like a castle and had just one exit.
“Can’t Wade smuggle me out or something?”
“He can hardly even get out himself. Together with you, it’s just not possible,” Jan argued.
Lansius knew that was true. Vince had once bribed a guard for a favor, but it led to a lengthy extortion. Slowly, he approached the window and was surprised by his disheveled appearance in the incomplete reflection on the glass, but the chilly evening air rushed inside and demanded his priority.
“Which part of the garden is beneath us?” he asked, knowing the soft ground was his only safety net.
“The one at the far end, near the old tree.”
Lansius hesitated. The chilling wind brought a sense of reality to his face, while the darkness challenged him to jump.
“Master, please be quick, or someone will find out,” Jan urged, as they were on the same floor as the staff’s dormitory.
“Are you sure you don’t want to leave with me?” Lansius asked.
“Who would feed me if I go? I’m a servant. I was here when the city was taken. They did little harm to me,” Jan whispered.
Taking a deep breath, Lansius flexed his hands to test his grip and began to climb. He placed his hands on the stone window frame and pulled his body up so his legs could find footing. The night sky came into view, showcasing both beauty and terror. Fear would surely paralyze him if he could measure the height.
“Turn around,” Jan urged him.
“I know. Just give me a moment.” Lansius turned to face the wall and climbed down. The earthy scent of moss warned him that the stone surface might be slippery, but he quickly found suitable spots for his hands and feet, securing solid footing.
This isn’t too hard.
The municipal building was nearly ancient, having faced partial destruction and rebuilding several times throughout the centuries. Each time, only its entrance and courtyard received proper repairs, while the other sides remained rough and ill-finished.
“Good luck, Master Lansius.”
Lansius looked up, but the creaking from the window signaled that Jan had already left. With no way back, he took a deep breath and continued his descent. Just two steps down, he encountered a snag. Unlike his first attempt, he couldn’t find secure footing. Some stone bricks jutted out, but they were too slippery for his feet.
Growing frustrated after a series of failed attempts, his hands grew sweaty and raw. He paused on the last good footing to catch his breath. At one point, he glanced down and saw the silhouette of a tree.
This is only the second floor, right?
An idea came to him. He carefully dropped his bag down, but the leather bag didn’t make enough noise to reveal the height. Now, out of options and with hands throbbing from strain, he felt more inclined to jump.
First, he knelt, gripping the last jutting stone brick, and planned to lower his body down. However, he couldn’t hold his weight and quickly lost his grip.
Gasp... Ouch!
The fall was swift; he landed feet first and fell sideways. Despite the sharp pain in his ankle and back, adrenaline kept the pain at bay. In the darkness, he could see the silhouettes of trees and a line of bushes. He forced himself to run for cover, crouching behind the nearest bushes, and waited.
The building remained silent. No noise or lights were disturbed. Lansius felt relieved and sneaked to find his bag. It took several tries, as only faint starlight illuminated the area.
Once he retrieved it, he quickly left through the narrow path between two buildings. He made several turns and suddenly emerged onto the main street. He looked around to get his bearings.
“Master,” someone called to him from the shadows.
“Wade?” Lansius whispered, and the man urgently motioned for Lansius to come closer.
As Lansius approached, Wade pulled back his hood and placed a small purse in Lansius’ hand. “I gave the guard a hard bargain, only a copper to let me out.”
“Keep the rest, Wade. You’ve earned it,” Lansius said, proud of his men.
Wade grinned. “I knew you’d say that,” he said, pocketing the bribe money Lansius had sent through Jan. “Are you hurt?”
“Nothing’s broken,” Lansius assured.
Wade nodded. “So, where do we go next?”
“Stefi. We need to get her.
“Where does the Squire live?”
Lansius racked his memory before recalling the location, “The old cobbler’s alley.”
“I know the way. Stay close.” Wade looked around and lead the way. Not wanting to attract attention, they walked close to the buildings.
The main street was deserted at this hour, and both sides were empty. As his adrenaline subsided, Lansius felt aches in his palms, left ankle, and back.
Riverstead was almost pitch-black, save for a few establishments like the tavern that maintained lit lanterns in their front yards. As they walked, they came across a glowing orb that illuminated a large area.
The source of the orb was a giant glass lantern, adorned with a statue of a grotesque, giant lizard, marking an intersection.
Wade approached the low-hanging lantern and opened its small metallic window. The city had placed it there for wayfarers to light their lanterns if they went out.
Wade pulled a candle from his lantern and lit it. Then the two of them ventured into a dark, winding alleyway.
The area was notoriously challenging to navigate, even at noon. Wade had to stop and study the building signs to make sure he wasn’t lost.
“This is it, the old cobbler’s alley,” Wade remarked.
Lansius took the lantern from Wade. As they walked further down, he noticed a row of similarly sized buildings and quickened his pace. With Wade following, they arrived at one of the houses, and Lansius began knocking on the door.
“Stefi! Stephania!” he called repeatedly while continuing to knock.
After a while, Wade stopped him and tried to push the door several times.
“Master, it’s locked but not barred,” Wade said.
“She isn’t inside?” Lansius was horrified and surveyed the area. He was confident that this was the house.
Meanwhile, Wade examined the ground with his lantern and discovered footprints. “She’s not here. Someone must’ve called her.”
Lansius inspected the footprints in the muddy ground, kneeling to get a better look. There were indeed footprints, but he couldn’t tell if they were fresh.
“We have to go,” Wade urged. “She’s most likely called to arms.”
Lansius hesitated, but Wade pulled on his arm. As if pursued by ghosts, Wade led Lansius through the dark maze until they finally returned to the junction.
The grotesque lizard guarding the giant orb lantern greeted them again. Only then did they notice the roads growing livelier, with carriages now appearing.
As they neared the south gate, they encountered taller-than-man torches and lanterns, illuminating the numerous horse-drawn carriages and carts. Most were armed, with some even accompanied by cavalrymen.
A palpable sense of fear and anxiety permeated the atmosphere.
***
No one would take a clerk and his assistant seriously, but Lansius had no option. As they passed various carts and carriages, those inside eyed them nervously, their panic evident in the haphazard loading of their carriages.
It was unprecedented for a city to face another siege in such a short time. Everyone here had likely received a tip and was attempting to flee the impending siege. As Lansius drew closer, he overheard a heated exchange between the crowd and the guards.
“No men of arms are to leave the city,” a man hoarsely argued with the crowd.
“I assure you, these are only my master’s private household guards,” someone in the crowd responded.
“We know you let a dozen carriages leave just moments ago,” another accused, and the bickering persisted.
Judging by their fancy coats and garments, the crowd obviously hailed from wealthy backgrounds.
“Even they can’t get through,” Wade observed.
“Hey,” a voice called from the direction of a cart they had just passed.
They turned to see who it was.
“It’s you, Lansius!” The coachman removed his hood to reveal his bearded face.
“Thomas!” Lansius couldn’t believe his eyes and jogged to Thomas’s side.
“Why are you here?” Thomas inquired, noticing Lansius’s gambeson. “So, you’ve heard?”
“I... heard some bad news, but I’m not sure if it’s true.”
“Tch- it probably is...” Thomas grunted. “Well, do you have a pass to get out?”
Lansius shook his head.
Suddenly, they heard a commotion at the gate. The massive silhouette of the city gates began to move, and people hurriedly readied themselves to leave.
“Jump aboard, I could use more help,” urged Thomas.
Lansius hesitated. “I still need to find Stefi.”
“The Squire?” Thomas questioned before standing up to assess the situation. “We have to go. Chances are this is the last time they’ll open the gates.”
At the gate, three horsemen rode forth with brass lanterns that illuminated only the path ahead.
Noticing Lansius’s indecision, Thomas added, “Your friend must be in one of the carriages.”
As the drawbridge in front of the gate lowered, revealing the road outside, Lansius struggled to make up his mind.
“Tch,” Thomas noticed and grabbed Lansius by the collar of his gambeson.
“What are you doing?” Lansius protested, but Wade pushed him up from behind.
“I’m saving your arse,” Thomas replied as he called out to Theo, “Help us.”
The three hoisted Lansius into the back of the cart, where he fell between wooden crates. Wincing from the fall, he was greeted by friendly faces. “I’m Theo, and this big fellow here is Max,” the youth introduced themselves.
“Thomas!” Lansius complained, but the carriages started to move, and Thomas ignored him. Only then did Lansius realize Wade wasn’t there. “Wade,” he shouted when he saw him on the roadside.
“Take care, Master Lans,” Wade waved.
Lansius was aghast. “Jump in!”
“I can’t. My family and friends are here,” Wade said while walking alongside. “Riverstead is home. No matter who the Lord is, they’re going to need a warehouse worker like me.”
Despite acting brave, Wade’s face was bitter. He had just survived two sieges, and there was no guarantee he would survive another. But he knew next to nothing about the world outside Riverstead.
Before Lansius could react, a second figure, a woman beside Thomas hidden in a traveling cloak, shouted at them. “Theo, Max, don’t let your new friend do anything funny.”
“Sorry, maester,” Theo apologized, while the big-bodied Max groaned, wiped his blurry sleepy eyes, and kept them fixed on Lansius.
The noise and chaos from dozens of carriages, horses, and guards were deafening. Soon, the wide arches of the city gate passed above their heads, and only the clear night sky remained.
Lansius stared at the other carriages. “You lied to me, didn’t you?” he asked Thomas once the cart had crossed the stone bridge and the noise subsided.
“Blame me if you want, but there’s nothing for you in Riverstead,” Thomas replied.
“What will happen to the city?”
“Another siege,” the female figure next to Thomas replied in a somber tone.
“Can we win it?” Lansius asked.
“Nobody knows, but Riverstead has never held against a siege,” Thomas’ words made Lansius feel dejected. “Try to make peace with it. I need you to stay alert.”
“Are we not safe here?” Lansius questioned.
“Sieges are always bad, whether you’re inside or outside,” Thomas scoffed.
“The horsemen may chase us for supplies and hostages,” Theo added.
The cart became bumpier as the horses picked up speed. Riding in the dark, even with lanterns and torches, was dangerous, but everyone risked it rather than getting captured.
The sound of cracking whips filled the air as the coachmen fought their horses’ instinct not to run in the dark.
Lansius kept his eyes fixed on Riverstead.
Stefi, Jan, Wade, please stay safe...
As the convoy continued to move forward, the glimmering lights north of the city grew numerous and more defined. At first, they thought it was an eerie reflection of the night sky, but then they realized that those weren’t stars.
Those were hundreds of fireplaces in the newly erected enemy encampment. The size of the encampment was staggering, large enough to be seen from afar, indicating that they were housing a massive army, possibly in the thousands.
The fact that a defeated army, supposedly on its last breath, appeared more numerous than ever, was perplexing to everyone in the convoy. Fear and hopelessness weighed heavily on them as they left Riverstead to its fate.
