On the Black Wind to Baldairn Motte

Part 31.

Basilides returned to their camp some hours later with the men he'd rescued and the seven surviving members of the cavalry and their mounts. Of the original seventeen who had set out from Black Zefferus at the mouth of Gildan's Sprite, only seven were still alive, and Palomo and Kipp, the only two surviving men of Terryll's crew, had only survived their grave wounds thanks to Basilides' care. Gone were Lord Klaye, Everild, Vinton from Terryll's crew, and all of the Earl's men-at-arms but two.

The Earl had meant to rush back to Ryndor's keep, knowing his cavalry was on the way, but he'd been overcome by a coughing fit that caused him to pass out. Terryll tried splashing water on his face, but that did nothing to revive him, and even after the Earl woke on his own, he could hardly stand, let alone walk. Basilides tended to him and by nightfall he was able to speak without coughing and had Lyrie tell him all she knew of Lord Klaye and Sturm Galkmeer's treachery.

In the morning, Terryll told the Earl he would be taking her back downstream with his two men; it was not a request, but rather a statement. The Earl granted him that without protest.

"I owe my life to you, Captain Payce. Go with my blessing and may the Passions watch over you both."

"You still mean to head east?" Terryll asked him.

"I haven't a choice. Galkmeer has my army with him, the traitorous bastard, and he no doubt has something in store to get Bennson out of the way and commandeer my army. We have mounts now, so we'll follow Gildan's Sprite and try to reach them at Baldairn Motte. If not there, I will meet up with them at Hairng. That boy will learn his lesson soon enough."

"I don't doubt it, my lord," Terryll agreed.

So the Earl left to the east with his troops and Basilides at his side. Terryll and Lyrie followed Gildan's Sprite west with Kipp and Palomo. They found Black Zefferus where they had left her tied up in the mouth of Gildan's Sprite, and after some effort to get her off the rocks, they were back in the River Ordan, drifting downstream for North Port to pick up the crew they'd left behind.

"Where will you take me?" Lyrie asked Terryll, as they climbed the stern castle to man the rudder. "I'm not going back to the Minx's Den. Mistress Nedra won't want me back. Not now that my face isn't pretty."

Terryll looked into her blue and green eyes. "You'll always be pretty, Lyrie. I'll take you wherever you want. I promised the men a trip to the South Islands, but after that..."

Lyrie nodded. "The South Islands for now, then. I've heard you speak of them enough times. It's about time to see them myself."

Terryll smiled for her and yelled down at Kipp and Palomo to raise the sails. The lateen rigging boomed, as it caught thesoutherly breeze. With the wind and current in their favor, Black Zefferus raced downriver, awayfrom Ryndor's keep, away from Gildan's Sprite, away from all the fighting. Foreveryone else, though, this was just the beginning. As much as Terryll tried toenvision the sun drenched beaches of the South Islands, all he could thinkabout was the poor fools—northerners and southerners alike—who were rushing to theirdeaths at Baldairn Motte.

Here ends ON THE BLACK WINDS TO BALDAIRN MOTTE. To read more stories from the world of Baldairn Motte, please check out the full book: http://amzn.to/2lcIhZr