shouldn't have to face this terror.
He stared into his wife's eyes. Kari was imploring him to do something. Stacked all around him were the trappings of his business. Amphorae, pots, plates, vases, goblets, artworks. All designed, fired and hand-painted on the premises. To abandon it was the ruin of a life's work. To stay was to risk being burned alive.
There was more noise out in the street. He could hear the sound of approaching horses. People were running blindly away towards the south. How could this be? They were over three days from the border with Tsard. He assumed that was where the raiders were coming from. He rubbed his fingers in his eyes and pressed himself against the cracked open shutter to get a view of the end of the street. He'd waited too long. It was too late to run now.
'We'll be all right here,' he said. 'We'll be fine. Just stay back there and keep your heads down.'
'Han, what is happening?' Kari's voice was pleading.
'The militia can't stop them. People are running. We'll be safe here, I promise.'
His words sounded hollow in his head. He felt a dry, bitter feeling in the pit of his stomach and his eyes kept on misting over with tears.
The raiders attacked the fragile line of pikes. He saw them wheel broadside on. There had to be over fifty of them. Arrows thudded into the defending line. Men fell. Some writhed and screamed. A few arrows answered. Maybe two horsemen were hit on the move. The enemy horse archers turned again and fired another volley. This time, the pike line broke at its left-hand edge. Other riders drove into the fracture, swords carving downwards. Blood misted into the air. The defending archers turned and ran.
The sound of hoofs on the cobbles rang out loud against the buildings either side of the street. Jesson ducked away as the first of the riders clattered past. Right in front of his house, a man he knew was cut down, body thudding into the wall. Blood sprayed onto the cobbles and sightless eyes bored into his.
He staggered back, a hand across his mouth. Nausea swept through him. He gagged, breathing in huge gasps.
'Oh dear God the Omniscient, preserve us your servants,' he muttered. 'We throw ourselves on your mercy.'
'He has turned away from us,' hissed Kari. 'Don't waste your time talking to God. Bend your mind to saving your family.'
Jesson felt the shame cascade through him. He moved towards them, mind starting to clear. Outside, the sound of horses was diminished for the moment though he could still hear running feet, shouts of fear and alarm and the shattering of thin timber further up the street to the north.
'We're in the right place,' he said, crouching in front of them and stroking his son's hair. 'If they pass by, we are safe from prying eyes. If they set a fire, we can escape back or front from here, out through the stock room and studio if we have to. We have our valuables with us. God will watch over us.' This last said staring into Kari's eyes, needing her to believe him.
'So all we can do is wait, is that it?'
'I am no fighter,' said Han. 'This is where we belong.'
There was a heavy thud from the adjoining shop. Through the wall, they could hear foreign voices and a dragging as of wood on stone. And unmistakeably, there was the crackle of flame.
'We will burn in here,' said Kari, desperate. 'Why didn't we run when the first attack came?'
He couldn't face her gaze. He straightened and backed away. 'We have to defend what is ours.'
'What with? You didn't take us out because you were too scared to move. And now we are trapped. Will your God save us from flame and blade?'
The shutters burst inwards, showering wood into the shop. The face of a raider was framed in the light, ringed by smoke and flame from across the street. He nodded in satisfaction, called behind him and hauled himself up and through the opening. Another two raiders beat down the wide front doors. Kari screamed and hugged Hanson to her. Han stepped in front of her. It was all he had
He stared into his wife's eyes. Kari was imploring him to do something. Stacked all around him were the trappings of his business. Amphorae, pots, plates, vases, goblets, artworks. All designed, fired and hand-painted on the premises. To abandon it was the ruin of a life's work. To stay was to risk being burned alive.
There was more noise out in the street. He could hear the sound of approaching horses. People were running blindly away towards the south. How could this be? They were over three days from the border with Tsard. He assumed that was where the raiders were coming from. He rubbed his fingers in his eyes and pressed himself against the cracked open shutter to get a view of the end of the street. He'd waited too long. It was too late to run now.
'We'll be all right here,' he said. 'We'll be fine. Just stay back there and keep your heads down.'
'Han, what is happening?' Kari's voice was pleading.
'The militia can't stop them. People are running. We'll be safe here, I promise.'
His words sounded hollow in his head. He felt a dry, bitter feeling in the pit of his stomach and his eyes kept on misting over with tears.
The raiders attacked the fragile line of pikes. He saw them wheel broadside on. There had to be over fifty of them. Arrows thudded into the defending line. Men fell. Some writhed and screamed. A few arrows answered. Maybe two horsemen were hit on the move. The enemy horse archers turned again and fired another volley. This time, the pike line broke at its left-hand edge. Other riders drove into the fracture, swords carving downwards. Blood misted into the air. The defending archers turned and ran.
The sound of hoofs on the cobbles rang out loud against the buildings either side of the street. Jesson ducked away as the first of the riders clattered past. Right in front of his house, a man he knew was cut down, body thudding into the wall. Blood sprayed onto the cobbles and sightless eyes bored into his.
He staggered back, a hand across his mouth. Nausea swept through him. He gagged, breathing in huge gasps.
'Oh dear God the Omniscient, preserve us your servants,' he muttered. 'We throw ourselves on your mercy.'
'He has turned away from us,' hissed Kari. 'Don't waste your time talking to God. Bend your mind to saving your family.'
Jesson felt the shame cascade through him. He moved towards them, mind starting to clear. Outside, the sound of horses was diminished for the moment though he could still hear running feet, shouts of fear and alarm and the shattering of thin timber further up the street to the north.
'We're in the right place,' he said, crouching in front of them and stroking his son's hair. 'If they pass by, we are safe from prying eyes. If they set a fire, we can escape back or front from here, out through the stock room and studio if we have to. We have our valuables with us. God will watch over us.' This last said staring into Kari's eyes, needing her to believe him.
'So all we can do is wait, is that it?'
'I am no fighter,' said Han. 'This is where we belong.'
There was a heavy thud from the adjoining shop. Through the wall, they could hear foreign voices and a dragging as of wood on stone. And unmistakeably, there was the crackle of flame.
'We will burn in here,' said Kari, desperate. 'Why didn't we run when the first attack came?'
He couldn't face her gaze. He straightened and backed away. 'We have to defend what is ours.'
'What with? You didn't take us out because you were too scared to move. And now we are trapped. Will your God save us from flame and blade?'
The shutters burst inwards, showering wood into the shop. The face of a raider was framed in the light, ringed by smoke and flame from across the street. He nodded in satisfaction, called behind him and hauled himself up and through the opening. Another two raiders beat down the wide front doors. Kari screamed and hugged Hanson to her. Han stepped in front of her. It was all he had
Similar Books
