The King's Bastard - By Rowena Cory Daniells Page 0,185
kitchen and down a long hall where the able-bodied townspeople huddled. They touched Byren as he passed and whispered a welcome to Orrade and Garzik. Byren's bloodied honour guard impressed them.
Orrade led Byren into the cold-cellar. Great blocks of ice lined the walls to preserve food all year round. Amidst the frozen meat and stores, about two dozen men and half as many women waited, their breath steaming. Byren surveyed them by the light of the single lamp. He recognised stable lads, household servants and gardeners; most of the males were under sixteen or over sixty. At ten, Rifkin was the youngest.
Orrade gestured. 'This is all that remains of Dovecote's defenders.'
'Captain Blackwing?' Byren asked.
'Amongst the first to fall.'
'I'm sorry -'
'What should we do first, Byren?' Garzik asked. The boys of thirteen and fourteen had gravitated to him, eager to follow his lead.
Byren's heart sank. They were all going to die. He glanced to the old gaffer who used to look after the chickens. From his expression, it was clear he knew it too but he still clutched the garden scythe in his gnarled hands and waited for orders.
'Byren?' Orrade prodded.
'Right,' Byren muttered. 'We need to light the warning beacon. Is it prepared?'
'The Old Dove always keeps it ready,' the chicken keeper said.
'But the tower was the first place the Merofynians took over,' a stable lad piped up. 'It's full of them!'
'They're nearly all drunk,' the serving maid announced, eyes sparkling.
'We've been keeping them well supplied,' the cook explained. 'They think they're safe because no one knows the Merofynians are here except for Rejulas and his men.'
'Good.' With everyone watching him, Byren felt the weight of their expectation.
'We need to get Elina away from Palatyne,' Orrade said. 'He's taken the Royal Chamber.'
'I'll go save her,' Garzik offered, 'then kill Palatyne!'
'Let me go,' Winterfall offered.
Orrade caught Byren's eye. Garzik wouldn't stand a chance against a warrior of Palatyne's experience and Winterfall was not much better.
'No, I need you two to lead the youths. Dress as servants and sneak up to the top of the warning tower to light the beacon,' Byren told him. 'But don't do it until you get my signal. Once the beacon is alight the Merofynians will know we've risen.' He caught the cook's eye. 'I want to get the household servants and townspeople out into the forest and hidden before then.' He was thinking aloud. Seeing the fate of Lord Dovecote and his birds had convinced Byren that Palatyne would not hesitate to take his anger out on the servants, women and children alike. 'I want everyone hidden before we light that beacon. Just as well the tower guards are drunk.' He smiled at the cook and she blushed as if she was fifteen, not fifty. 'This will make it easier for Garzik and my honour guard to get past them to the top of the tower.'
But how would they get down again? And what about Rejulas's men in the town?
'Set fire to the town. It's wooden, it'll go up like tinder,' Orrade suggested, following the same train of thought. A dismayed mutter arose from the townspeople.
'While the town burns Rejulas's warriors will be too busy escaping with their lives to hunt down the townspeople,' Byren assured them.
Orrade nodded. 'I'll send some men into Doveton to prepare the fires. They can light them the moment the beacon is lit.'
'I'll go,' the chicken keeper offered. 'Take the stable boys with me.'
'What of Lence Kingsheir?' Rifkin piped up. 'He's being kept in the blue chamber.'
Byren felt his first surge of hope. Everyone looked to him. Did they suspect that his twin was a traitor? Why should they?
'I'll deal with Lence,' Byren muttered. If it came to the worst and Lence had betrayed them, he was anxious to save his family shame.
'We can deal with the Merofynian servants,' the cook volunteered. Half a dozen serving girls nodded eagerly. 'Not a warrior amongst them!'
'Goddess forbid!' the cook cried, echoed by others.
Byren smiled. 'Mistress cook, you organise the household staff. Deal with the Merofynian servants then as soon as Palatyne and his lordlings fall asleep, grab food and blankets and lead the townspeople out. Hide in the forest tonight and tomorrow...' Where would they go? '...head into the Divide. That goes for all of you. Don't waste your lives trying to fight the Merofynians. Hide until it is safe to come down.'
They all nodded.
'What of Rejulas?' Garzik asked, rubbing his arms to