Fragile Empire Read online

  Logie was leading them across the hillside, and he turned his head to look at the squad.

  ‘What a day to be alive,’ he called out to them.

  ‘It’s just a pity we’re lugging all this kit around with us,’ said Cain.

  ‘Keeps you fit, blondie,’ Logie laughed.

  ‘I’m sweating like an Old Free on a stake,’ Darine said, marching next to Lennox, ‘but this is far better than being stuck in the caverns. Words cannot express how fucking happy I am to be out of there.’

  ‘Six thirds in Boxer City,’ Lennox said. ‘Half a year of our lives in that shithole.’

  ‘It’s over now, though,’ Logie said. ‘We’ve served our time. We’re off to our next posting, wherever in Pyre’s name that is.’

  ‘The officers still not letting on?’ Darine said.

  ‘Me and the other squad leaders are being told nothing,’ Logie said, ‘except that the entire company is to keep marching north.’

  ‘Calcite City, then?’ Lennox said.

  ‘Maybe,’ Logie said, ‘but I think they’d just tell us if it was. I mean, why would it be worth keeping that a secret?’

  ‘Never thought of that.’

  Logie winked at him. ‘And that’s why I’m the fucking squad leader. But you’re doing well as my seconds, the both of you. Just watch me, and listen to what I say, and you’ll be alright. I haven’t got this far without knowing a thing or two.’

  He turned back to face the front. Darine rolled her eyes at him, mouthing the word ‘prick’.

  She glanced at Lennox. ‘You know what else is around here, don’t you?’

  ‘I never trained in these mountains,’ he said. ‘I’m not sure where we are, exactly.’

  ‘Well,’ she said, pointing off to her left, ‘over there is Liberton.’

  Logie stopped in his tracks ahead of them.

  ‘What?’ he said, turning. ‘Is that true? How would you know that?’

  ‘I’ve been there.’

  ‘The fuck you have,’ cried Logie.

  ‘I didn’t know that,’ said Lennox.

  Darine shrugged. ‘It never came up in conversation. It was back before I joined Fifth. I was with my old squad at the time.’

  Logie snorted, turned, and continued to march. ‘What a load of crap.’

  Darine glanced at Lennox. ‘I’ll tell you about it later,’ she whispered.

  Lennox gazed at her for a moment, caught in her glance, then looked away, his heart beating hard. An urge to kiss her swept over him, and he tried to think of something else – washing laundry, scrubbing armour, anything.

  ‘What’s up with you?’ she said.

  He shook his head, not trusting himself to speak, and they marched along in silence for a while under the afternoon sun. The path led them down the side of the hill to where a narrow river flowed. It was seasonal, and would dry up in summer, but was full and rushing with the last of the snow melt. There were still a few tiny white patches on the upper summits of the mountains, but the land below was verdant with spring.

  ‘Fourth squad ahead,’ Logie called out.

  Lennox looked over to where he was pointing. To their left was a large grove of wild olive trees, and soldiers were relaxing in its shade. As the Fifth approached, one of the resting soldiers emerged from the trees, raising his arm.

  ‘What’s going on?’ Logie cried.

  He beckoned them, and the Fifth left the track, and scrambled down the rocks to the grove.

  ‘Been told to wait here,’ the soldier said. ‘Us, you lot, and the Sixth. Are they behind you?’

  ‘Should be,’ said Logie. ‘They’re slow bastards, but they’ll get here eventually.’

  ‘Alright. An officer will be coming soon to give us our orders.’

  The soldier turned, and went back into the grove.

  ‘Come on,’ Logie called out to the squad. ‘Get some rest.’

  The Fifth pulled off their packs, and staggered from the release of weight. They rubbed each other’s backs and shoulders and stretched. Logie walked up and down, inspecting them.

  ‘I want every man here shaved by the morning. We’re not bearded savages. Libby, your hair’s too long again. If you don’t keep it cut, I’ll fucking take the scissors to your red locks myself. Understand?’

  ‘Aye, boss.’

  ‘Loryn,’ Logie went on. ‘Pass out the water.’

  The youngest of the squad went to her own pack and extracted two metal canisters. She opened them, and passed them on.

  ‘Thanks,’ said Lennox, taking a long swig. The water was lukewarm, but still tasted delicious. He passed it to Libby.

  She looked around to make sure Logie wasn’t close enough to hear, then leaned in close to Lennox.

  ‘Did I hear Darine say that we’re on the way to Liberton?’ she said.

  He nodded.

  ‘Do you think we’ll get to see it?’

  ‘I doubt it,’ he said. ‘I thought we were only allowed to go there once we’ve served our time in the Army of Pyre.’

  ‘That’s what they told us,’ she said. ‘Maybe something’s changed.’

  The squad moved their gear into the grove and sat in the shadows of the branches, keeping as far away from Fourth squad as was possible. Logie let them eat some of their evening rations to pass the time as they waited. The sun was beginning to lower in the western sky when another group of soldiers was spotted coming along the path.

  ‘There’s the Sixth at last,’ laughed Kallek. ‘Lazy bastards.’

  Logie smirked at him. ‘Is that you volunteering to go up there and tell them to come down?’

  Kallek swore under his breath and got to his feet.

  ‘Make sure you run,’ sniggered his twin, Carrie. ‘Shift that fat arse of yours.’

  He shot his sister a look, then jogged out of the grove towards the approaching soldiers.

  ‘And there’s the officer,’ said Darine, nodding in the opposite direction.

  Lennox glanced over. Down by the river a tight body of soldiers were marching up towards them. A figure near the front had a tall plume extending above her helmet.

  ‘At last,’ said Cain. ‘Hopefully we’ll find out what the fuck we’re going to be doing.’

  Logie stood, shielding his eyes as he peered down the slope.

  ‘Looks like a major,’ he said. ‘We are honoured indeed.’

  The Sixth arrived by the side of the grove.

  ‘That’s them told,’ Kallek said.

  ‘Just in time,’ Logie said. ‘Right, squad, on your feet.’

  Lennox stood and they formed a line. Even without their packs, the armour, mail and leathers still weighed them down.

  ‘Helmets,’ Logie yelled. ‘Come on. Now.’

  The squad strapped them on.

  ‘Why is it so fucking hot?’ gasped Cain.

  Logie stormed over to him. ‘Shut up, you useless shitstain. Not another word. You’ll not shame me in front of the major, got it?’

  ‘Aye, boss.’

  ‘Good. And that goes for all of you.’

  The squad stood at attention as the small party climbed the slope towards them. The Fourth and Sixth had got themselves into lines alongside the Fifth, and the soldiers’ steel breastplates shone in the sunlight. Lennox watched as the major got closer. She was flanked by her personal guard, comprised of veterans in their twenties. Each one looked like they had already been through several wars. The major was even older, and seemed as grizzled as the drunkard they had spoken to on the roof of the barracks back in Boxer City.

  The soldiers saluted as the major halted in front of them. She looked them up and down.

  ‘Men and women of the Army of Pyre,’ she said. ‘Five full companies have been ordered to muster in this vicinity. Half of the regiment.’ She began to pace back and forth, pitching her voice to the soldiers in all three squads. ‘As you may know, the Liberton haven is close by. In recent thirds, the safety and security of the Kellach Brigdomin enclave has come under
threat from a small but desperate band of brigands. These rebels have taken to raiding the farms and villages of Liberton, robbing and injuring the civilians who live there.’ She stared at the soldiers. ‘Our civilians. Our people. One day, when you have served out your term in the Army of Pyre, you will have the privilege of retiring to the peaceful and prosperous valley of Liberton, and it is only at the express command of the Lord Protector himself that we are permitted to enter the enclave, with the sole purpose of protecting its inhabitants, and destroying the bandits that are plaguing them. Each squad from each company has been assigned a portion of the frontier of Liberton, to guard it.’ She gestured to one of her retinue. ‘This man here will guide you to your positions. The Lord Protector expects you all to do your duty. Good day.’

  The major swivelled on her feet, and strode back down the hillside, the escort following her, except for the man she had picked out.

  He frowned at them. ‘You’ve got two minutes.’

  The soldiers dispersed, each running to their piles of equipment and packs. Lennox pulled his over his shoulders, grunting under the weight.

  ‘Come on, come on!’ Logie yelled at them as they got ready.

  Their guide spat on the dusty ground and set off, and the three squads formed up and followed him. They crossed the bottom of the valley, and took a high mountain path that curved its way up the rocky slopes. The air grew colder as they reached the top of the pass, the wind cutting through their clothes. In the west, the sun was close to the horizon, and the light was dimming. The guide halted at the narrowest part of the pass, where a gorge ran between two cliff-faces, and the squads gathered before him.

  ‘There are seven official ways into Liberton,’ he said. ‘This is one of them. On the other side of this pass lies the enclave, and before we enter, there are some rules you need to hear. First, and most obvious, there is to be no harassing the inhabitants. The civilians here are not your usual peasant Rahain fodder, they’re fucking Kellach Brigdomin, our flesh and blood. They don’t see many soldiers from the Army of Pyre, so get ready for some funny looks. Ignore them. You’re here to do one thing: your job, nothing else.’

  He stared at the soldiers. ‘Not many on active service will ever see Liberton; you lot are privileged. Anyone who breaks the rules, and injures, robs, or otherwise abuses the locals will be severely punished. The road we’re taking skirts to the south of the main town, and carries on to the mountains on the western edge of the enclave. You are not to enter the town under any circumstances whatsoever. Once you have been assigned your posts, then that is where you’ll be staying. Again, break this rule, and you will be punished.’

  Without a further word, he turned and began walking through the gorge. The soldiers glanced at each other, and followed him. It was growing dark as they started the descent on the other side of the pass. To the north, they could see the faint lights of the town of Liberton, where thirty thousand of their kinsfolk lived. In the other directions were more isolated dots of light from scattered farms and villages, and beyond them were the black shadows of the mountains that shielded the enclave.

  ‘I wish we were marching in daylight,’ Cain said.

  ‘We’ll see it the morning,’ Lennox said.

  ‘Depends where we’re posted.’

  ‘It doesn’t matter,’ Lennox replied. ‘You heard what he told us, we won’t be going into town.’

  ‘Why not? I’d love to see it.’

  Logie turned his head. ‘Quit the chattering. Shut your mouths and watch where you’re putting your feet.’

  Lennox frowned at Cain, and they walked on in silence.

  They followed the guide for several hours, down the hillside, and along a succession of cartwheel-rutted farm tracks. The seven stars rose in the east, and the soldiers’ eyes adjusted to the near total darkness. They passed a dozen or so homesteads, where light blazed out between window slats, then their path began to rise again. The guide halted when they reached a junction. Next to where the track divided sat a low stone building, its windows dark.

  ‘Fourth squad,’ he said. ‘This is your stop. Set up in the old croft here. There must be two on duty at all times, watching where the paths meet. The rebels have been known to raid this far into the enclave.’ He pointed to a pair of high haystacks. ‘Light a beacon if rebels are seen; both if contact is made. Hold them here if you can.’

  The soldiers of the Fourth pulled off the track, and their squad leader began issuing orders.

  ‘Fifth and Sixth,’ the guide said. ‘With me.’

  They set off again, taking the right-hand path and leaving the Fourth behind. The track grew steeper, twisting by the bottom of a tall cliff. After a further hour, they approached a small cluster of lights as the path levelled off. Lennox stared ahead at the village. There were maybe a dozen small cottages, spread out and mixed in with farm buildings.

  ‘Fifth squad,’ the guide said. ‘This is Cedarwoods, home to thirty-one civilians. The villagers have set aside the threshing house for your use. Same rules apply here – two always on duty, watching the road. Send a runner down to Fourth if any rebels are spotted.’

  He paused as an older woman emerged from the gloom. She had long red hair, tied in a braid down her back, and was dressed in warm robes. She looked at them with no emotion in her eyes.

  ‘Ma’am,’ he nodded to her, then turned to face the soldiers again. ‘This is the head of the village. You will respect her wishes. Right. Sixth, this way.’

  Lennox watched as the guide and the final squad marched off into the darkness.

  ‘I’m guessing yer all hungry,’ the woman said. ‘Come with me.’

  They followed her into the village, the track illuminated by the lights seeping from the edges of windows and doors. A few faces peered at them from behind shutters as they walked past. They stopped at a tall, stone and timber building. Its front doors were lying open, and lamplight from within was spilling outside. The soldiers slung their equipment from their backs.

  ‘Who is the squad leader?’ the woman asked.

  ‘That’ll be me,’ Logie said, stepping forward. ‘I’m in charge of these layabouts. Name’s Logie.’

  She nodded at him. ‘Food, drink and bedding are all inside. There’s a toilet ditch directly behind the threshing house, please make sure your squad use it, and nowhere else.’ She glanced at the soldiers, a slight frown on the edge of her lips. ‘Good night.’

  She walked away into the darkness, leaving the squad standing in silence.

  ‘Is that it?’ muttered Darine. ‘Some welcome.’

  ‘Stop complaining for fucksake,’ Logie said. ‘It’s late at night. Everyone’s probably in their beds. Come on, let’s eat.’ He smiled. ‘Except you, Darine, you can have the first guard shift for your lip.’

  Darine frowned. ‘Who with?’

  ‘You can pick,’ Logie said, walking into the threshing house.

  The rest of the squad glanced at Darine. She pointed at Lennox.

  He groaned as if annoyed, trying to hide his joy at the prospect of spending hours alone with her.

  ‘Sorry,’ she said, as the others picked up their packs and entered the building. ‘You’re the other second, it would have looked bad if I’d chosen someone else.’

  He shrugged, and hauled his pack to the side of the building. ‘Where are we supposed to watch, exactly?’

  ‘Pyre knows,’ she said. ‘Our orders were about as useful as they usually fucking are. The road, I suppose.’

  They pulled warm cloaks from their packs and walked to the side of the road, fifty yards from the threshing house. The air was still and cold, and felt fresher than any cavern.

  ‘This is alright,’ he said. ‘At least we’re outside.’

  ‘That’s also why I picked you,’ she said. ‘I knew you wouldn’t moan.’

  ‘You said you’d been here before. How come you were allowed in?’

  ‘If I tell you,’ she said, ‘you’ll keep it to yourself, aye? I mean it.’


  ‘Sure, but it didn’t seem like a secret before. I mean you told Logie about it.’

  She stared at the sky for a few moments. ‘There’s what I tell folk, and then there’s the real reason. If Logie had asked, I would have told him it was to visit a dying relative. I’ve seen that happen. Sometimes soldiers are sent to Liberton if their folks are at death’s door.’

  ‘I’ve never heard of that,’ he said. ‘I didn’t think anyone knew who their folks were.’

  ‘Not all squads are like ours,’ she said. ‘Some recruits were taken when they were older, and remember their ma or da. Not that they’re allowed to see them, well, except when they’re dying.’

  Lennox frowned. He had no memory of any relatives. The squad was his family.

  ‘So what was the real reason?’ he said.

  ‘Can you not guess?’ she said. ‘Why do female soldiers go to Liberton?’

  His mouth fell open. ‘You had bairns?’

  She nodded. ‘Pregnant at sixteen. Thought it would be a good way to get out of the army for a while. And it was. I enjoyed most of it, and got plenty of help with everything. They really look after you. I was living with these other pregnant girls in this big, fancy house, with doctors and everything. Lots of food, but they wouldn’t let us drink any alcohol, not until after the birth anyway. After that we could get drunk if we wanted, there was always someone around to look after the bairns.’

  ‘Twins?’

  ‘Aye. Boys. After my two years were up I had to leave them behind and go back to the army. That was when I was assigned to the Fifth.’

  ‘Do you miss them?’

  ‘I try not to think about it. But aye, of course I miss them. The pain I went through to see them born, and the nine thirds of carrying them about before that. I got to see their first year and a half, nearly. Leaving them was harder than any fucking fighting I’ve done. Harder than any training. It’s not much, but at least I know they’re being looked after. The Rahain want us to breed, to make more soldiers for the army.’

  ‘Can I ask you something?’ he said.

  ‘Aye.’

  Lennox’s stomach churned, but he kept going.