Chapter 4: Altered Directions

It was just past midday when Genrico slipped into Joseph’s camp. He had not seen his friend in almost six months and he greeted the king with an embrace. Lord Burbridge and Jonathan stood in the tent with Joseph.

“I received new orders this morning and I wanted to confirm they came from you,” Genrico said, offering a sideways glance at the two other men.

“They know of the change,” Joseph told him.

“So you want me to move to a new position?” Genrico asked. “Are you certain it isn’t an ambush?”

“No,” Joseph admitted.

“May I inquire as to how you came to this decision?” Genrico wondered. It wasn’t like Joseph to make late changes to a plan unless they were necessary.

He was shocked when Joseph chuckled.

“I have come into some information as I tracked a scout,” he said. “Our new locations will permit closer contact between our armies. I believe it will let us shuffle reinforcements as needed.”

“That would be good,” Genrico said.

Joseph pondered his answer.

“I do not suggest we do this blindly,” he confessed. “You will be in a position to survey the situation from varying angles by using scouts. We will be fairly exposed as we travel through the valley but that is unavoidable. We are just as exposed here.”

“Did you know there is a sizable force camped on the other side of that forest?” Genrico asked, gesturing toward the west.

“I didn’t know it until very recently,” Joseph admitted. “Genrico, I am under-equipped with scouts. It was an oversight that I won’t repeat. I planned to survey the route myself before I permit the army to detour.”

“Your Highness!” Lord Burbridge began to protest.

“We’ve been through this, I know,” Joseph said wearily. “These men, they follow me blindly. I will not put them in potential harm without cause. The only way I will know for certain what we face is to face it myself first. I have been content to be the coddled king for the majority of this trip. I am a warrior, Lord Burbridge. I am a fighter. This is where I excel.”

“You’re a leader,” Genrico corrected gently. He knew the other men would never say anything. But Genrico had been second in command for too long to permit this to pass without comment. “These men follow you blindly, yes. I concur with that statement. They follow you blindly for the same reason the rest of us have. We believe in you. We trust you. Your statement is a prime reason why we love you, King Joseph. You will not permit your men to face a test you do not face yourself. That time will come soon enough. You do not need to face every challenge alone. I can dispatch four men to scout your way if you will delay long enough for me to return to my camp. They will be here by sundown tomorrow and you can undertake your movements under cover of darkness. Will you consider this?”

Joseph looked hard at Genrico for a long moment before he nodded.

“That seems like a compromise I can live with,” he declared. Jonathan and his father let out long breaths. They had seen the hard stare and they worried that the two men might come to blows. Both knew that Genrico could kill them almost instantly but they would intervene before the king came to harm.

“Your Highness, there is something I need to discuss with you privately,” Genrico said, again glancing at the Burbridge men. Joseph frowned but nodded.

“If you will excuse us, gentlemen,” he said, gesturing to the tent flap with his head.

“Actually, they can stay,” Genrico told him. “I would prefer we take a walk.”

Genrico wouldn’t risk the information he had to impart being overhead by anyone, and a tent was not the most secure of meeting places.

Joseph nodded and followed his oldest friend out of the tent. Genrico led him away from the camp and into the woods.

“You have a spy in your camp,” Genrico told him in a low voice.

Joseph stopped and stared at him.

“How would you know something like that?” he asked.

“I ran across a messenger on my way over,” Genrico explained. “He was making enough noise to attract my attention from the moment I entered the forest. I tracked him until I was certain where he was going. He was almost to the other side of the forest when I killed him.”

“You killed him?” Joseph asked, frowning again. “Was that necessary?”

“He was only a few trees from finding the other army,” Genrico told him. “I spotted their fires on my way down the mountain. I thought it was you until I got a view of them. The messenger was headed toward them – and toward the manor. I couldn’t risk raising the alarm.”

“Understood,” Joseph told him. Genrico reached into his tunic and retrieved a slip of parchment. Genrico spoke Az almost flawlessly but he couldn’t read it very well. He extended his hand for Joseph.

“‘We are camped half a day’s walk from your manor,’” the note read. “‘We are past the hills just short of Compass Woods. I count 298 men in camp. I will send more when I hear of further plans.’”

“Damnation,” Joseph hissed. Genrico ran the words through his head.

“It is someone familiar with the area,” he said. “He identifies the woods by name and knows how far we are from the manor. It is someone who has been here before. Do you have any recent additions to the ranks?”

Joseph shook his head.

“The farms for the past few days have been vacant,” he said. “I’m sure you found the same thing.”

“We did,” Genrico admitted with a frown. “That means it is someone relatively close to you. Be on your guard!”

“I am always on my guard,” Joseph said with a small, feral smile. “It seems our friend doesn’t know of your army. That is good. It excludes those I am closest to.”

“I don’t trust them,” Genrico said of the Burbridge family – for at least the hundredth time –. “The man’s bride is serving as steward. If he were to slip a dagger between your ribs he would have a viable claim to the kingship.”

“Until you arrived and relieved him of his head,” Joseph pointed out – again for the hundredth time. “I do not worry about Jonathan Burbridge or his father. They have had ample opportunity to try to do away with me. If nothing else, they understand all too well the penalty for the attempt. No, this is not from them. The handwriting is ... feminine. You have seen my scrawl and I know your writing is no better. Neither Jonathan nor his father is ever going to be a scribe either. We have about 50 females in the camp. I will question them.”

Genrico rolled his eyes.

“And when do you plan to do that?” he asked. “Between scouting the terrain, meeting with the scouts you’ve provided for us, identifying the enemy strengths and Creation knows whatever else you have planned for yourself. Joseph, delegate this. Let Burbridge and his son earn their keep. They can handle it and I would wager they might be able to do it in a – let’s call it tactful way.”

“Agreed,” Joseph said. He smiled suddenly. “This might be the first time that I fully realize how nice it has been to have you by my side for the last few years. You handled details like this and allowed me to focus on other things. I trust Lord Burbridge and Jonathan but neither of them has been in a campaign before. They are willing to do these things but they don’t know to do them without having me point them out. By that time, it is just as simple to do it myself.”

Genrico put a companionably hand on his friend’s shoulder.

“I can say the same,” he admitted. “I have had to assume your role with my branch of the army. I have had to see to things like forage and rest halts for the men. I suppose I finally appreciate all the decisions you’ve always made for our welfare. I am a bit worried that I won’t measure up when it comes time to make a tactical decision.”

Joseph shook his head.

“I have been preparing you to lead an army for the past two years,” he said. “When we raided Deseret, it was your plan. You have done a fine job commanding the troops and you’ll be fine when the fight comes. The change in plan is because of the scout I found. You will follow her sister. I hope they are true. I would greatly prefer to have you on the flank. She told me that we will be facing quite a few soldiers from Creight. The Caliph has designs upon her and her sister for his harem, if she is to be believed.”

“She seems very insightful for a farm girl,” Genrico remarked with a frown.

“Uh, that’s the thing,” Joseph admitted. “She is Lord Wellington’s daughter.”

Genrico tilted his head back and groaned.

“Do you think it wise to place your faith in these women?” he asked.

“She obviously didn’t deceive us about the lord’s troops,” Joseph pointed out. “If you can spare a scout or two, I’d like for you to take a closer look at the manor. Julia – that’s her name – Julia tells me that what is through this forest is the entirety of the lord’s forces – about 50 professionals from Creight and about 200 conscripted forces from the lordship. If she is honest, the valley will lead us around these men and into their rear without them noticing. With us behind them and you on the flank, it will be a slaughter.”

“Then we can march unmolested to the manor,” Genrico added. “Yes, I would prefer it that way.”

He leveled his gaze at the king.

“If you haven’t been taken in by a pretty face,” he concluded.

Julia Wellington sat across from his sister in the manor’s drawing room.

“You were late returning this morning,” Victoria said.

“I was captured,” Julia admitted. Her sister let out a gasp. Her only knowledge of warfare came stories from the Caliph of Creight’s battles. A captured female would beg for death for days before it was granted.

“Are you well?” Victoria asked, sliding close to her sister and putting her arm around Julia.

“I am fine,” Julia answered. The smile caught her sister off guard.

“I cannot believe you were caught,” Victoria said. “I was within an arrow shot of them for an entire day and no one saw me.”

“One of the soldiers went to relieve himself and saw me when I scrambled away,” Julia admitted.

“And he tracked you?” Victoria asked, thinking it impossible. Victoria was an able huntress but Julia was like a ghost in the forests that surrounded the manor.

“I fled while they searched,” Julia explained. “I made it to the meadow just south of Compass Woods. I knew they would see me if I tried to cross it but I had boxed myself in. If I went north I would run into Father’s troops. I couldn’t double back because the soldiers were pursuing me through the woods. I managed to lead them away from Father’s troops but I had to hide. I climbed to the top of a tree and waited. It felt like half the night had passed before I decided I could make my way down. I went slowly, making certain to use the wind to mask my movements. I had made it to the bottom branch when he walked right beneath me.”

“You didn’t hear him?” Victoria wondered. Julia shook her head.

“He was just ... there,” she said. “He walked right beneath me. I have no idea how he tracked me but I know he did. He was following the slight trail I left – and I was being careful.”

“But he didn’t see you,” Victoria said, letting out her breath.

“He smelled me,” Julia told her, shaking her head. “He stopped just past the tree and stood. Then he walked back to the tree and asked me calmly as you please if I would come down or if he needed to smoke me out.”

“Heavens!” Victoria sputtered. “So you came down?”

“He had been carrying his sword the whole time,” Julia continued. “He tracked me through the woods with his sword out and I didn’t hear him. I thought I’d surprise him and maybe have the chance to run. I flipped over the branch and dropped down. I believed he would be startled or at least give me space. Instead he just stood there with his sword pointed at me. You wouldn’t believe it. He just looked at me and told me it was an impressive feat. He didn’t appear impressed, I can tell you that. That sword point never left my throat. If I had done anything but stand, he would have killed me.”

“Did he...” Victoria asked, leaving the last part unspoken.

Julia shook her head and her sister’s eyes widened. The buckskin the twins wore made it clear to everyone that they were females. A captured female spy was almost always defiled, at least according to the stories she’d overhead.

“He questioned me about what I was doing and why I was doing it,” Julia continued. “He was ... very thorough.”

“I don’t understand,” Victoria admitted.

“He knew I wasn’t from the farms or a common soldier,” Julia told her sister. “He smelled my perfume and knew it was not something a commoner would have. I admitted who I was and what I was doing – what we were doing. I had no doubt he would kill me if I lied to him. He is a very imposing figure.”

“A soldier?” Victoria scoffed. She had seen soldiers by the hundreds pass around the manor in the past decade. They were smelly and uncouth.

“It was King Joseph,” Julia said in a low whisper.

“It was not!” Victoria replied much louder.

“All we have heard of him is true,” Julia said. “He is a very commanding man. I was frightened and it takes something to give me a fright. That’s why I told him everything I knew. I told him about father’s forces in the next clearing. I told him about spying on his second army. I told him about you.”

“And he let you go?” Victoria inquired dubiously. She knew her sister sometimes engaged in a very active fantasy life.

“I told him everything!” Julia insisted. “I told him about father’s plans for us with the Caliph of Creight.”

Victoria flushed red.

“I made him a deal for our safety,” Julia continued. “I told him that we would lead his armies to more advantageous positions in exchange for our safety.”

“Our safety,” Victoria remarked with disgust. “Do you think he is any different from the Caliph? Do you think he is any different than our father? He will use us until we no longer serve a purpose and then he will dispose of us. If you think differently then you are a fool.”

“He released me,” Julia pointed out. “I had already told him of where his armies should be. He is just as capable as I am of leading them. You said yourself that the other army is competent in tracking and scouting. He didn’t need us. He could have killed me. He could have taken me hostage. Instead he let me return here. He has no proof that I was telling the truth. For all he knew for certain, I could have spun him a tale. He could have tortured me. He could have raped me. Instead he turned me loose knowing full well that I could very well return here and tell Father of his location. I could have returned here and never reappeared. Yes, I think he is different. I think he is honorable.”

Victoria shook her head.

“He is a king and kings take what they want,” she declared. “Come. I’m sure Father will be quite interested in what we have to tell him about our activities last night.”

The sight of armed men parading captives through the streets of Tyrell was too much for the citizens to ignore. The captives had barely taken a dozen stumbling steps before the first person recognized them.

A woman saw Bishop Drell. Rather than protest the holy man’s rough treatment she strode forward and threw a rock at him. That set the tone for the remained of the trek. The prisoners were pelted with rotten fruit and vegetables. One woman poured a slop jar over the priest’s head and was greeted with wild laughter and cheers from the hoard of people who had fallen in line behind the soldiers.

Elena stood at the gates of the capital – with her ever-present guards nearby. The crowd broke into applause when they saw her. She blushed prettily before holding up her hand. Silence came almost immediately.

“I know you want to see executions today,” she said in a loud voice that carried over the protests of the bound men. “I am sorry to disappoint you. I believe that King Joseph deserves the pleasure of deciding the fate of these men. If you think for a moment, I believe you will agree with me. I know these men have caused much harm to the country. I know they sent your husbands and sons off to their deaths. I know they have attacked your daughters and wives most despicably. I am certain when the king returns, he will listen to your appeals for justice. He will give you the justice you crave. I am positive of that. I ask for your patience. The soldiers will not protect these hateful animals if you choose to take the law into your own hands.