CHAPTER THIRTY THREE

Reaching the top of the hill Jane paused beside Trinket.

The first thing Jane saw was the monolithic White mountain: a single volcanic funnel streaked with deep fissures and white lines of snow. The mountain was so singular and large it could be a god, out there leaning against the horizon.

Closer, beneath the hill and spanning for miles toward the base of White mountain were fields of corn. These were the fields of the Middle River landholdings of Gibor. The corn was in season, and the fields were green with stipples of yellow. The fields were bent before the wind that came hard from the south. Men with scythes and buckets were pouring from the fields, along with brutally loaded carts dragged by donkeys. They were hurrying to shelter before the storm hit.

A road as wide as a horse cart came from the north through the fields of corn. It passed beneath Jane and Trinket and travelled up an incline before crossing a moat with a drawbridge, where it stopped at the gates of a castle. The castle gates stood open to allow the workers and the donkeys and the carts filled with corn to enter quickly. The castle walls rose tall and dark. On the castle turrets Jane could see through arrow slits the dark helmets of men-at-arms.

Flying from the tallest turrets were two flags.

Trinket gestured toward the flags.

One of the flags was blue and yellow, embroidered with the head of a dog wearing a crown. The flag fluttered manically in the wind. The other flag was red, with a black insignia, and a square, rotating pattern in the centre. Jane recognised the symbol as that of the Empire.

‘The Empire flag is flying,’ said Trinket.

‘What does that mean?’

‘It means that the Emperor has taken control of the Middle River castle.’

‘What does it mean … for us?’

‘I don't know.’

’Bother.’

They set off down the hill following a single-file animal trail, through whiskery heads on long grass. The wind blew cold from the south. Trinket’s hair lifted into a green funnel

The animal path joined the roadway, and the two females were able to walk much faster. Jane felt fearless and oiled with the yellow syrup driving through her muscles. The thrip coat was being buffeted in the wind.

The road ran a line between the flat field of corn to the left, and the rock strewn hill to the right. The castle grew larger. The sky behind the castle had turned deep black.

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Trinket spoke sideways, her voice thin in the wind.

‘There are soldiers at the castle gate.’

‘I can see.’

‘Let me do the talking.’

They walked up to a drawbridge that crossed a narrow moat surrounding the castle. On the other side were two men-at-arms wearing chain mail and leather vests and iron caps that wrapped leaves of iron across their cheeks and down their foreheads. They held battle axes across their shoulders. Beside these men at arms were two soldiers dressed in the uniform of the Empire .

As Trinket approached, the first of the two guards took a step forward, obviously recognising Trinket. Trinket shook her head with a small, almost imperceptible shiver that told the guard to pretend that she was a stranger.

The Empire soldiers were standing back from the guards, in the deep shadows of the wall. One of the soldiers stepped toward Trinket. He put a hand in the air and said, ‘Are you a vassal of the Middle River Landholding?’

‘No’

‘What is your business with the house of Gibor?’

‘My companion and I seek shelter from the storm.’

There was silence for a moment while the soldier stared at her.

‘Are either you or your companion carrying arms?’

Trinket put her arms out, and palms forward. ‘Search me.’

‘I can see that you are not carrying iron. Your clothes are flat. Turn slowly.’

Trinket stepped around and the soldier studied the shape of her clothing.

Now you,’ he said to Jane.

Jane turned slowly while the soldier inspected her.

The soldier spoke to Trinket

‘Follow me.’

Jane and Trinket followed five paces behind the Empire soldier. They went thirty feet beneath the castle walls where they came to a courtyard paved with moss coated flagstones. In the centre of the courtyard was a garden with carpeted lawn and plum trees and a fountain with a marble carving of a naked female thrip pouring water from an urn into a round pond.

They walked across the courtyard, skirting the garden area and the plum trees and the fountain, coming to the main castle that stood a hundred feet high, made of black stone.

A gust of wind came over the castle walls and swept across the courtyard and slammed into Jane, pushing her skirt and coat hard in against the shape of her body.

A great front door led into a great room, dominated by a shaggy bear's head mounted on a backing of marble. Along a wall was a tapestry depicting a man on a horse, the man as round and large as a bear with a huge head and the most savage chiselled cheeks. He held a spear to ward off a lion that was crouched before him, belly low to the ground, back legs bunched and ready to spring.

Across the great room was a long hallway with shields spaced along the wall, each shield showing a different coat of arms. Halfway along the hallway was an alcove, and in the alcove was a pile of weapons: swords, lances, spears, axes, crossbows, longbows, shortbows, daggers.

The soldier kept marching past the alcove filled with weapons, but a few paces behind, Trinket grabbed Jane’s arm and pulled her in close. Jane could smell the spicy aroma of Trinket’s body. Trinket must have some new plan, and whatever that plan turned out to be, Jane sensed there would be danger.

Trinket whispered, ‘Run past the soldier and distract him.’