A Traitor in the Midst

Impossible, Balian thought as he read over the note for the third time, memorizing its contents as he always did. 

A traitor? 

His mind flashed to the image of the man in the cell. The one he'd accidentally set free. Could it be him?

"Because I want to test the will of my future leader. You see, as soon as I leave this cell, I'm joining your army," Caelus had said.

He had spoken many lies to Balian, but also many truths. Which one had that been?

He's here, Balian thought. I can feel it.

He glanced around, quickly looking over everyone's faces. None of them seemed familiar. Would he even know Caelus's face if he saw him again?

Garlin whickered quietly, snapping Balian out of his thoughts. "What is it, girl?"

His horse said nothing, as always. 

Balian crumpled the letter in his hand, stuffing it into a pocket on his saddle. He wouldn't worry about it now. There was no point. 

What could Caelus do, anyway?

This army was headed into battle. There wasn't much he could sabotage at this point. 

The only thing I can do is move forward.

Garlin snorted as they began up a hill.

Balian heard a sudden commotion near the front of the pack. Something was up ahead.

Whistling, he pulled on Garlin's reins, urging her to move faster. They crested the top of the hill, and Balian saw what was making the soldiers so uneasy.

In the distance, maybe ten furlongs away, marched a pack of soldiers.

"Men, form up behind me!" Balian roared. Were they enemies? They were about to find out.

Garlin galloped down the hill with great speed, and Balian reached the group of soldiers in less than a minute. His twenty thousand soldiers swarmed the small group, forming a complete circle around them. There would be no escape.

"Who are you?" Balian asked in a demanding tone.

One of the soldiers raised his hands in surrender. "Sellswords."

"Who paid you?"

"King Styte."

"How much?"

"Five gold coins each."

Five gold coins? Balian wouldn't pay the best sellsword in the world five gold coins. That was enough for a year's worth of food. How could Styte afford such a payment?

Balian sighed before responding. At least they were honest. He wouldn't slaughter these men for their allegiance to money. 

Vylend, the treasurer, would be furious. 

"We'll pay you double that right now," Balian said, nodding to one of the men next to him. The man brought out a bag and tossed it into the middle of the circle.

One of the sellswords picked up the bag and opened it, examining its contents. He glanced at his companions, giving them a slight nod. 

"We accept."

But the easiest swayed are those whose only allegiance is only to that which is artificial, Balian thought, a quote from a philosophy book written by the scholars in the Capitol. 

"Good. We're moving in defense to Kaladia. I'm sure you're aware that Styte is about to attack?"

"Yes, we know," another sellsword responded. 

Balian nodded. "Follow our lead. If this results in our victory, each of you will be repaid with knighthood."

The circle disbanded and Balian began to set the pace. While he and Garlin could move much faster, many soldiers were on foot. This was as quick as they could go.

Balian prayed to the Six that they could reach Kaladia by the next morning, though if they faced any more distractions that would be unlikely.

Please hold out, Sir Hawke, Balian thought for the hundredth time. We'll be there soon.

*******

Valia followed behind General Hawke as they slowly made their way through the woods. The sound of fighting was drawing closer, and the density of trees and foliage was beginning to thin. 

"I hear voices," Guron said quietly. "Just up ahead."

"This is it," General Hawke said with a whisper. He crouched behind a tree, peeking around it. "You're right. Looks like we have some company."

Valia followed his gaze. Sure enough, there was a group of soldiers gathered around a tree, who's base had been hollowed out. Just inside was a hatch that she assumed led to the tunnel General Hawke spoke of. 

"Friend or foe?"

General Hawke sighed. "Sadly…foe. How they found out about this place is beyond me."

"Do you think one of the men talked?" Elond asked. "That means we have a traitor."

"It's likely. They had to get the location from somewhere. One doesn't simply stumble upon it." General Hawke was quiet for a moment. "We have to kill them."

Valia counted eight soldiers. 

"But we're outnumbered," Guron said. "I don't even think I can take one of them on."

General Hawke shrugged. "If you can't fight, you die. I'm willing to fight."

Valia watched as the General stepped out from behind the tree and moved toward the soldiers.

I could join them. House Styte. That was the original plan. 

But there was no telling how they would react to that.

At that moment, Valia also realized that she couldn't betray General Hawke or Elond. Neither of them seemed like bad people, even if they did serve House Leandis.

Valia glanced at her companions as she drew her sword. "Let's get this over with." 

Together, they stepped out from their hiding spots, closing in on the soldiers.

"I'm afraid you're blocking our exit," General Hawke said, brandishing his sword. "Leave."

One of the soldiers, a burly man with a beard that hung to his chest, began to laugh. "I don't think so. Actually, our king gave us orders to kill any fuckers from House Leandis that try to exit or enter this hatch."

"Orders," General Hawke said. "An easy thing to follow when you have an advantage. Where did you learn of this hatch?"

The soldier shrugged, stepping forward. "None of my business where my king gets his information." He looked at Valia and the others and unsheathed his sword. 

"Kill them."

Valia watched as the man charged at General Hawke, raising his sword. Hawke brought up his sword and parried easily. 

For an old man, he sure is fast. 

A moment later, the other seven soldiers were on top of them. One swung at Valia, but came up short when an arrow sank into his left eye socket. 

Alon, Valia knew.

But just as one fell, another soldier took his place, swinging at her. She brought up her sword to block, cringing at the shrieks of steel against steel. 

Guron and Elond were next to her, also blocking an attack. 

That left three other soldiers who began circling around them.

Valia couldn't defend against two soldiers at once.

A decapitated head rolled next to her feet. Valia watched as General Hawke kicked the burly man's corpse to the ground.

"How I love beheading," he said with a laugh.

General Hawke moved in a flash, cutting off Valia's attacker's arms with two quick slashes.

As he moved on to fight the others, Valia knelt over the man and slashed his throat open with her sword. 

She looked up. The remaining five men converged on General Hawke, swiping and stabbing at him.

In a blinding fury, the old man blocked each of the attacks. 

Another arrow sank into one of the soldier's throats, and he fell to the ground. 

That created an opening. 

General Hawke disarmed one of the soldiers, sending their sword flying into the air. He reached up and caught it with his other hand. 

Spinning in a circle, he decapitated two more of the soldiers.

Only two were left.

Valia ran forward, leaving her sword behind. 

The soldier's backs were to her now. An attack they couldn't see coming would be the most effective.

She was completely silent as she approached one of them. The soldier didn't notice her until it was too late.

Valia jumped on his back, wrapping one arm around his throat. Using her other hand, she drew out her dagger and stabbed it down into his throat. 

The man sank to the ground, blood gurgling in his throat. 

When she stood, Valia found that the only remaining soldier was dead, General Hawke standing over him. 

"You're…you're strong," she said, dumbfounded. Why was he scared of me, when I said I wanted revenge? He could've killed me, Alon, and Guron with ease at any moment. 

General Hawke looked pleased. "I suppose. Elond, are you hurt?"

"No, General," Elond said, looking pale. "I…I just wasn't able to…to do anything."

Valia watched as he stepped over to his son. 

"You did perfectly fine, Elond. You're alive, yes?"

Elond nodded.

"That's all I ask of you. There is no need to impress me. I only want you to survive."

Valia moved to the tree, where she found the hatch. She peered in but saw nothing but darkness. "This is our way back into the city?"

General Hawke nodded. "That's right. It's not a far jump down. If my old knees can do it, you'll be perfectly fine."

Valia still wasn't sure if she trusted him. She now knew what he was capable of. It was no wonder her plan to steal the king's riches had been foiled. Because of men like him and Sir Lucan, who together had massacred all of her friends.

She looked down into the dark hole. This was the only path forward. Without another thought, she descended into the tunnel.