Chapter Nine

The next days were busy. Major Dryden was again lost in the busy work of an officer without a war to fight. They had an enemy, to be sure, and they knew something of them now, but the generals had made no decisions on what to do. They had the reports from the 13th about Zundak and the location of the enemy army. They also had the “offer” given by the emissary, “generously” giving them a week to leave Vurun. There was also the matter of the undead rising in certain quarters of Vurun itself, but that had burned slowly in the background. Sepoys had been sent to guard cemeteries, crypts, and old burial grounds. By night those soldiers were busy with the work of killing the undead that rose. It was handled, for now. The matter was practically forgotten by command. Dryden couldn’t get it out of his head. He’d seen it first-hand. There was a curse on the city, placed upon it by their enemy. How a man could do that Dryden did not know, but this Kurush, or one of his followers must have been a powerful necromancer. The one thing that had gone their way was that Quartermaster Upton had come through and secured the supplies the regiment required for its horses. How he had done it Dryden was loathe to ask.

That was where the good ended. Rumours swirled around the city about the enemy army approaching, the dead walking, and of the dead Shah. Half the city was furious. They seemed to think it had been Vastrum that had killed him, even though that made no sense at all. The colonizers had needed him. The other half of the city was simply afraid. Since the Shah’s death though, the city had been in quiet mourning. Dryden was just beginning to think that perhaps things would settle and they could focus on preparing for their enemy’s attack. It was then that the city chose to erupt.

It was afternoon when a frantic messenger arrived at the gate on a white Andoverian, a small but quick breed of horse. Dryden was standing near the stables which were next to the main gate of the fort, speaking with Lieutenant Brine about the wisdom of halving the troopers' arrack rations, when the messenger ran up to him and saluted. Dryden recognized him. He was a young man, perhaps only nineteen years old, a good lad, with deeply tanned skin and black hair. He could not for the life of him remember the boy’s name, though.

“Major Dryden, Sir, I need the ranking officer on duty.”

“Today that would be Lieutenant-Colonel Havor.” He saluted back, then gestured to the Colonel’s office up the stairs by the stables. “I’ll come with you.”

He led the boy up the stairs to the office and they went inside without knocking. Havor and Mar were sitting across the desk from one another sharing a drink. Mar was chuckling at something and Havor was grinning at him. They stopped when the pair entered. The messenger snapped to attention and saluted, “Important message, sir!” He said crisply.

“Well?” Havor asked, annoyed at having been interrupted.

Dryden frowned, they should not have been drinking at this hour. Certainly, Havor should not have been. He was in command here. Both generals were attending other business of some sort. Blackwater was at the palace. Belfair was somewhere. Who knew where? That left Havor in command. He needed to be sober.

“Riots in the bazaar. Hundreds of people. They’re burning stalls, looting, and beating people they accuse of working with us.”

Havor thought for a moment, “Dryden, you take care of it. Take Pugh and his squadron. Do whatever it takes. Quell the riot. If the sight of the 13th doesn’t send the fuzzies running, show them what for.” He might have sent the infantry or sepoys, but he didn’t trust their competence or their nerve for hard jobs.

Stolen story; please report.

“You want me to use deadly force, sir?”

“Do whatever it takes. Belfair made it clear to me yesterday that the peace must be kept. I think he expected this. You know how the Brigadier is. He wants it handled, he does not care how, as long as it is effective.”

“Yes, sir.” Dryden replied, then turned to the messenger, “Find Captain Pugh. I want his squadron ready, at the double.” The messenger went running off to obey.

The squadron was mounted and ready faster than he expected but slower than he had hoped. In theory, the squadron was 150 mounted cavalry. On paper, each squadron was made of two companies of 75 men. Again, this was in theory. In reality, each company was a few men down due to illness and injury. Men also died even in peace times. It was hard to replace a good cavalry soldier out here in the colonies. The real strength of the 3rd squadron was more like 120 men, including officers. In addition to Captain Pugh, there were also lieutenants Wolcott and Brine who each led a company, as well as Palfrey a junior lieutenant, and several sergeants. The squadron rode quickly out of the fort and down the road through the cantonment and then out into the city, with Pugh in the lead. The weather was more than fair, it was one of the few days in Vurun that was neither too hot nor cold. The air was crisp and the sky blue. Little was visible of the indigo haze or brown dust that often filled the air.

Dryden rode a few horses behind the lead with Chatham the translator and Sergeant-Major Flint. It did not take them long to arrive at the bazaar, which was less than a mile from the cantonments. They saw the smoke and heard the rioting well before they arrived. Hundreds of locals were milling about and chanting angrily. Some carried torches or pitchforks, and a few held proper spears or muskets. Dryden let Pugh lead and he arranged the men in a mounted semi-circle around the open area that served as the open-air marketplace. Most of the tents were burned out. Nobody was selling anything today, not anymore.

The crowd of people took note of the appearance of the cavalrymen and many turned to face the soldiers, chanting, though they kept their distance for now. They began to chant something towards the soldiers, seemingly in unison. There appeared to be a small group leading the chanting.

Dryden leaned over to Chatham, “What are they saying?”

“Go home, devils. Death to the oppressors.” He responded grimly.

Dryden urged his mount forward slightly. His favourite horse Rosie was in the stable resting a lame hoof, today he was mounted on a big black mare that he had named Elizabeth after his grandmother. He could tell she was agitated by the shouting, but she was trained well and held her nerve. He shouted in a booming voice, “Disperse peacefully now, or we will be forced to use violence!”

Chatham rode up behind him, his horse whinnying and trying to stay back, and he translated, though his voice was not as loud as Dryden’s.

The chanting continued unabated. He tried again, but again there was no change in the crowd. He moved back to the line of his own men and went up to Pugh. “You think those men are agitators?” He asked pointing to a small group of men in the center that seemed to be directing the chanting.

“I’d agree with that. Cut off the head of the snake, perhaps the rest will stop and go home?” Pugh replied.

“Worth a try,” Dryden responded.

Before they could act, a rock flew in and struck a trooper in the head. It drew blood.

“That man there!” Sergeant Flint shouted and then moved his horse forward to try to apprehend the rock thrower.

Someone fired a gun from the crowd. It was an old musket and the lead ball flew high, hitting a stone building that bordered the bazaar.

“Bloody hell.” Pugh cursed.

“Damn the bastards. Clear them from the square.” Dryden ordered, “Give them a taste of a good cavalry charge, if you please, Pugh.”

Captain Pugh looked at Dryden as if he were crazy to order the charge against civilians.

“That’s an order,” Dryden said firmly.

“Sir…” Pugh began to protest.

“Do your duty,” Dryden said, his chin held high, jaw clenched. The words of Havor had come to his lips unbidden. They were words that the soldiers of Vastrum lived by. The words of his father and his grandfather and all the soldiers before them. They were like a slap in the face to Pugh.

Pugh raised his sword and shouted the order to charge. The bugle sounded. Many in the crowd yelled as they realized what was coming. Panic broke out, people began to run. All was silenced by the thundering of hooves.