invasion and love

[steuben]

that day he arrived in a cloud of dust
that evening he pierced my soul
that night we danced, death among death
that morning he left, my heart in his hand

[steuben]

invasion and love
an element of steuben the solider


yeana sits on the top rail of the fence. she bangs her heels against the bottom rail, enjoying a brief break the warmth of the afternoon. the sun is warm and the breeze is enough to keep the heat from being oppressive. a pair of hands reaches up behind her. they grab her pigtails and give them a sharp tug. she shrieks and leaps from the fence, twisting in the air to land in the road facing her attacker. crisse, a couple of years younger then her thirteen, stands behind the fence giggling.

"crisse! of all the--" she shouts at him.

crisse turns and runs off laughing. she gives chase, leaping the fence into the field beyond. crisse runs through the field dodging the herded cattle. she follows him, passing close to the cattle closing the distance between them. she gets within a few meters of him. she leaps tackling him. they roll a few times. she ends up on top pinning him to the ground.

"how many times do i have to tell you not to do that," she says between breaths.

"but you're so funny..." he trails off as the sound reaches them.

it is a regular thumping, felt through the ground rather than heard. but there is a crashing sound in time to it as well. a cloud of dust rolls above the ridge at the one end of the field. they both rush to the fence, around the curve of the road comes a column of soldiers. they march four abreast down the road. having made the turn, the breeze blows the dust across the road, rather then down the column.

the column halts outside town. the two half empty carts creak to a halt at the end of the column. the captain and the two lieutenants continue into town. the reeve alerted by the sound of their arrival meets them part way. yeana focuses on the captain as she runs past the chattering soldiers. he is unremarkable aside from the odd design of the armour that he and the other soldiers are wearing. he is not much taller then the reeve, but heavier built and bulked out by the armour. she works he way through the gathering crowd to the front.

"you can camp in at goslo's field," the reeve says. "it's just a bit north of town. i'll have nickus show you the way."

the captain nods. nickus steps forward from the gathering crowd. the captain looks towards nickus.

"nickus?" he says. "could you show my lieutenants to the field?"

nickus nods. the captain turns to his lieutenants. "just a simple camp. we're only here for the night."

"yes sir," the pair says together.

"i'll be up shortly." the captain gestures towards the reeve. "we have to work out the last few details."

nickus and the lieutenants walk back to the column.

"excellent, captain viscosa," the reeve says. "let's head to my office. there we can sit down and pull everything together."

viscosa nods and heads off with the reeve. the crowd begins to break up. the sound of the soldiers moving out was an under current to the chatter of the crowd.

"hey crisse. hey yeana." a youth in the crowd shouts.

"hiya gare," crisse responds with a wave.

"what's happening?" yeana says as she and crisse walk over to gare.

"some mercenary captain looking for a place to camp for the night," gare says. "he was polite and all... but with people like he's got, he was just doing it on a whim. he could have camped anywhere and we couldn't do a thing about it."

yeana looks over at captain viscosa as he enters the town offices. he pauses at the doorway as if noticing the attention. he looks back out of the corner of his eye. he looks forward and continues though the doorway. he ducks slightly to clear the hilt of his sword slung high over his shoulder.

"no," yeana says. "if he had been told no, he would have continued on. he's polite because he wants to."

"how you figure?" gare says. "they’re just a group of dressed up thugs. we’d be better off if we didn’t have them around."

"no," yeana says. "he’s different. i don’t know how, but he is."

"whatever," gare shrugs. "i’ve got to get back to my chores."

"yeah, i should get started on the afternoon chores."

"see ya." gare runs off.

yeana turns to crisse. "see you later, and stop pulling my hair." she too heads off leaving crisse behind.

[steuben]

yeana sweeps off the front stoop of her family's house, her last chore of the day. the bell in the town hall begins to ring. it isn't a regular ringing; it is a frantic peel of alarm. yeana and her parents run to the town hall. it is a squat building, built before the walls of the town, as a place of refuge. in recent years it had become a centre of celebration. at the last festival there was some debate as to who would come in second to yeana in the dance trials. running up the street from the direction of their camp is captain viscosa and one of his lieutenants. they enter the hall and stand at the back as the doors are closed.

at the front of the hall is the reeve, a couple of the town elders, and an injured stranger. some of the stranger's clothes have been cut away. bandages cover most of what is not covered by his blood stained clothes. the paleness of his face gives lie to the fact that he is standing steadily. the reeve bangs his gavel for quiet. the sound barely carries over the murmur of the townspeople.

"i have just received grave news," the reeve says once the sound had dropped to a manageable level. "a large horde of grendols is headed towards us. they will be here by early morning."

murmurs of "the walls weren't built against grendols", "what'll we do?" and similar concerns rose. the reeve again banged his gavel for silence.

"there isn't time to get a message to the nearest garrison, and have forces here in time to help. we'll need to have every able-bodied male here an hour before dark. bring what armor and weapons you have. we'll kit out the rest from the armory. everybody else will barricade themselves here in the hall."

there is a murmur from the front of the crowd.

"well, if you have a better plan best voice it now. otherwise, keep still." the reeve shouts back. his facade cracks to reveal the panic and fear beneath it.

"your honor, if i may." captain viscosa's voice carries through the crowd without him raising it. everybody turned to looks at him. he stands upright from where he was leaning against the wall.

"me and my men are in much the same predicament. the horde will doubtless overrun my camp as well. while we could defend ourselves it would injure my men far more then i would like, especially since there is an alternative. we could join forces and work together. while the risk is still there, together we stand a better chance of seeing this time tomorrow."

"and what this cost us, mercenary?" a voice called out.

"aside from it being cheaper than fighting alone?" captain viscosa's look pierces the speaker. he looks down and steps back into the crowd. captain viscosa looks back up to the reeve. "that will be a matter between me and the reeve, if he chooses to enter negotiations."

"yes, captain viscosa. i believe we shall be able to come to an agreement." the suggestion and the outburst have given the reeve time to regain his composure. "though given the circumstances it would be a good idea if you brought your men into town to start preparations."

"yes, i agree." the captain leans over and whispers to his lieutenant. the lieutenant dashes out of the hall. the captain makes his way through the crowd. the crowd breaks up as he moves through it. yeana watches as he moves through the crowd. he moves with the power of his size, but with the grace of a dancer. she runs through the crowd.

"crisse," she says when she finds him. "if anybody asks i'm running around helping you with whatever you're doing. alright?"

"but, why?" crisse says, coming close to being overwhelmed by events.

"just do it. alright?"

"yeana, why? what are you going to do?"

she turns and looks up at the stage. captain viscosa turns and looks out over the leaving crowd. he moves with the reeve into one corner. she turns back to crisse.

"i'm going with him, just for tonight. after everybody is in here you can tell, if you want."

"okay. but... yeana be careful."

"i will."

she turns and runs out of the hall. she turns in the direction of home. along the way she stops in at a store. the storekeeper is off helping with the preparations. she takes a shirt and a pair of pants. before dashing out, she writes a note for the storekeeper. she runs the rest of the way home. home, she runs to her room. she changes out of her dress and blouse. she lays her clothes on her bed. she puts on the shirt and pants. she heads out to the kitchen; she takes a knife and cuts her pony tails off. before they have a chance to unravel, she binds the free ends. she places one on her dress. clutching the second one, she dashes out of the house.

she runs down the street to the hall. part way there she collides with two soldiers coming round a corner. she bounces off one then the other. the lock of hair flies from her hand. she falls seated to the ground.

"careful lad," one of the soldiers says. "the grendols aren't here yet, and like as not there'll be lots for everyone. no need to rush."

the other solider picks up the lock of hair. he hands it back to yeana as she gets up.

"thanks," she says.

"ho!" says the soldier handing her the hair. "too fresh faced to shave, and voice ain't cracked besides. but you got this off of her. yer doin' well kid. best hurry along; the others'll probably be needin' ya."

yeana starts to run on.

"hey lad," the first solider calls out. "what's yer name?"

she stops and turns back. "yean," she says.

"don't worry yean. we'll tell yer girl you were brave."

the two soldiers continue one their way. yeana turns and continues to the town hall. the two continue their conversation, fading as she continues.

"all thirty, no way," the one solider says.

"by the huntress i swear it," the other says

"now, i'm good for three..."

[steuben]

she runs the rest of the way through town to where people are working to prepare the barricade.

"crisse," she says when she sees him. "take this."

she hands him the second of her braids.

"yeana," he says, "your hair?" he looks at the lock of hair and then at her head. "you cut off your hair?"

"had to. you think they’d let a girl fight with them?" she sees the doubt in his face. "just hold on to it for now. if you want you can give it back tomorrow."

"okay. but you will take it back?"

"yep." she looks over at the town hall. "looks like everybody’s gathering. i’ll see you later." she runs off to the crowd standing in front of the hall.

"i hope so," he says as she leaves. he puts the lock of hair in his pocket.

"-- explain the plan," she hears the reeve say as she runs up to the back of the crowd. she makes her way to front of the crowd, to keep her view from being blocked.

"you are the back up. if a grendol gets past my lines, you take it down. if my men fall back, you fall back with them." the captain looks over the crowd. "basically my men will be doing the fighting. you are to make sure that they don’t get behind us."

yeana gets to front of the crowd. captain viscosa is standing on the steps of the hall wearing a sleeveless shirt and pants. sweat glistens on his soot darkened arms in the torch light.

"some of you are better equipped the others. come over to the smithy we’ll see what we can do. we’ll meet at the gates in three hours. get what rest you can. you’ll need it."

the crowd breaks up. over half the crowd follows him to the smithy. the sound of hammering and grinding pickup again, as the meeting breaks up. the captain walks to the back where a second forge has been setup. he picks up some tools and a sword and begins to work. the men line up in front of the forge. they are handed weapons and armor as they need it. some of it is still warm from it work. after getting the equipment they head off to the gates.

two soldiers walk out of the forge, "-- is alright. but i can’t say i like their kit maintenance." yeana hears once they are close enough to be head over the sounds of the forge. "hey lad!" one of the soldiers says, one of the two that she had run into earlier. "head on," he says to the other. "i’ll catch up."

"don’t take too long. the l.t.’ll be grousing if you’re late."

"let’im grouse. besides the real party is later tonight." he grins. "and i ain’t going to be late for that."

he crouches down to yeana as the other solider continues on. he looks her in the eyes. "lad, your balls are as big as theirs in my book." he gestures to the still moving line. "you sure you want to go through with this? i’ll back you up with your girl if you want."

she shakes her head. "i’m sure." before she realized what she was saying, she continues. "besides, who will back you up with your girl?" a smile is on her lips.

he blinks, and then breaks out laughing. "yep, you got a pair of ’em." he says standing up. "hey, skuzzy," he shouts back into the forge.

"what?" someone shout out of the forge.

"save some of the good stuff for yean. a lad with a pair like his will make use of it."

"heh, if i get any i will," skuzzy shouts back.

he looks back down at yeana. "see ya tonight." he trots off after his fellow solider. yeana walks to the end of the line.

when she arrives at the entrance, skuzzy looks at her. pink scar tissue shows through the stubble on his dwarven face.

"well, too lean to be a dwarf and too short be anything else." he frowns. "kid, i’ll tell ya. the good stuff is anything that isn’t rusted out or rotted through. but, we’ll work with what we’ve got."

he places a leather helmet on the table. she picks it up and looks at it doubtfully.

"this will protect me from a grendol?"

an armourer looks over from the main forge where he is working on a piece of armor. "there’s nothing that you could carry that’ll protect you from a grendol. that’ll just keep you brains in if somebody gets too close with a sword." he looks her up and down. "what’ya think, pull in some dwarf leather and not worry about the rest?"

skuzzy nods. "yeah, it’d be simple. anything heavier and he wouldn’t be able to move."

he pulls a leather shirt off the pile. he quickly cuts the shirt to size and rivets it together. he places it on the table. "now for the weapon..."

the captain looks up from the smaller forge that he is working at. the red light of the coals reflects off his eyes. the sweat from the heat and the work has curled and spiked his hair. he quenches the sword that he was working on. the steam curls up and turning lurid in the light of the forge. he places the sword down. he walks over to a sword and sheathe placed off to one side. he picks it up and walks to the front. he places it on the table. skuzzy looks up. "you sure, sir? i was thinking of a spear."

he simply nods and heads back to the forge. yeana watches him as he goes. she sees his sword leaning against the wall. it seems to have the air of a hunting cat curled up in wait.

"well hurry up." skuzzy says to yeana, "get into that shirt, so you can get to the others. you may think there’s lots of time. it’s better to find out now that something’s going to break, then to find out when the other guy is swinging his blade at your neck."

she shrugs into the shirt. skuzzy looks her up and down. "hmm, looks like it fits." he picks up the sword and tosses it to her. "now swing this about a bit. in the sheath." she swings the sword a few times. "good, it doesn’t look like it is binding anywhere. how does it move?"

"feels alright."

"good. it’ll last you the night then. now get moving."

as she runs to the gate, she hears, "you sure about the sword. i would have figured him for a spear."

she gets to the gate the rest of the townsfolk are standing around, waiting. the soldiers are finishing up their work. she wanders over to the works that were being finished.

"just like the demon," she hears. "work us hard just so we can stand around and do squat."

"hurmph," is the response from one of the other soldiers working. "you can face down a grendol with a shovel in your hand. me, i’d rather have a good sword." he looks up. "hey kid, watchya doin’ here?"

yeana looks at the simple earthworks. "these’ll stop a grendol?"

"huh? no, just slow ’em down, and funnel them a bit." he chuckles. "makes it a bit easier to kill ’em, if they’re all in one spot, and movin’ slow to boot. and, i ain’t going to argue against a bit of easy work."

"oh..." she says.

"not like the demon ever had an easy fight. one of these days he’ll get into his last one, and be carried out." the other solider says.

"yeah, and you’ll be marching along behind him," the first says. he turns to yeana, "don’t worry kid. we do our job right, and come morning you’ll go back to tilling the soil."

"the demon?" yeana says.

"huh? captain steuben viscosa, the demon. you’ll see later tonight why he’s called that."

[steuben]

yeana walks back to where the other villagers were standing. some had gathered some wood and built a fire. she sits down and waits. as the night descends the rest of the villagers sit down as well. the soldiers gather around their own little fires. the soldiers' fires are quickly tended till they are simply glowing coals, rather than open flame. she waits with the sword across her knees. the other men begin talking amongst themselves. their fear is evident. they wonder about running off, hiding until morning. they talk about who will take care of their family if they get killed. as the night wears on they grow silent. she wraps her arms around her knees and tries to keep from shivering too much in the cooling air.

captain viscosa shouts, "the beat of blood." the soldiers respond, "the note of steel." yeana snaps awake. she stands up and looks around. a thought from her sleep about the words slips from her mind. she watches as the soldiers disperse to their stations. they begin to build up their fires into bright flames.

captain viscosa walks over. the townsmen stand up. some try to massage blood back into legs that had fallen asleep during the wait. he looks them over, his face neutral. "the grendols will soon be here, in about an hour. my scouts have reported the number as nearly twice the initial reports. but, it doesn't change too much."

"just how much we have to work," yeana whispers.

captain viscosa looks at her. he looks back to the assembly and continues. "remember, my men will do most of the fighting. your job is to get any that slip though. nothing fancy. just take'em down as quick as you can, however you can. whatever you see my men do, don't go one on one with them." he looks them over. "you'll get your bag limit tonight, and your choice besides. now get into position." he smiles. "tonight will be something to tell your grandchildren about."

the townsmen begin to move. yeana follows half in thought. "beat of blood. note of steel," runs through her mind. "there must be more," she says walking past captain viscosa.

"more?" he says.

she looks up, startled out of her thoughts. "what comes after 'beat of blood. note of steel?'"

"what make you think something comes after?"

"something always comes after a pair of lines like that."

"hmm. yes. pass me your sword."

yeana takes the sword out of its sheath. she hands it over hilt first. he lifts it out of her hands. he sights down it. he swings it in a few tight arcs. he then swings it in a series of broad ones.

"yes. i thought such when i reforged it." he hands the sword back to her.

"it’s an old sword. it has seen action before. you may do well to listen to what it whispers."

"it's magic?" she says putting the sword back in the sheath.

he shakes his head. "you can't magic iron, and a good magic sword isn't worth the steel it's made from." he looks at his preparing soldiers. "the lines come out of an old poem. the next line is 'dance of death.'"

she looks at her sword in its sheath. "beat of blood. note of steel. dance of death."

he nods. "it is a reminder to soldiers and warriors. you listen to both passion and thought. you must balance their advice. do that and you will fight well." he smiles grimly. "but, who is to say that anything that has tasted blood," he nods towards the sword, "doesn't take a bit of that life."

she looks down at the sword in concern.

he laughs. "don't worry about that old wives' tale." a note of command appears in his voice. "now hurry on to the rest of them."

she jogs after them. she forms up next to the other men. they are standing there for a few minutes when the crash sound of trees falling over reaches them. captain viscosa moves to the front of his men.

"sir, that was not an hour." one of the soldiers shouts. "you might want to discuss timing with them next time."

"oh quit your belly achin'. just means we get to go to sleep earlier," another responds.

the crashing gets closer. a vibration carries through the ground. a tree disappears, falling into the shadows of its kin.

"well lads. this is what you left your mamas for," another solider calls out.

"i've seen your mama," someone else responds. "it wouldn't have taken this much for me to leave."

the grendols break through the tree line in a crash of shredded brush and broken trees. the soldiers wait. the grendols walk forward. they move around the barricades. some become entangled on the defenses. archers quickly strike them down. the first of the grendols reaches the front of the soldiers. captain viscosa steps forward to the advancing horde. he swings his sword through the nearest grendol. it folds up and collapses. on the back swing he takes off the leg of another. the soldiers begin their attack.

despite the soldiers efforts the grendols begin to slip through. the townsmen attack and take them down as well. yeana works among them striking what blows she can. gradually they are pushed back. captain viscosa is moving among the grendols. each move brings down a grendol. slowly he is pushed back as well. as they retreat yeana finds herself fighting among the soldiers. occasionally, she catches sight of captain viscosa trough the chaos. he is fighting four grendols at once. he moves with impossible fluidity. the grendols miss him repeatedly. sometimes the miss is by the thickness of a hair. he bends and twists in ways that the body shouldn't be able to.

a solider blocks her sight of him. he has blocked an attack by a grendol. "take him," he shouts violence in his voice. yeana drives the sword through and across the grendol's belly. "don't watch the demon," he shouts turning to fight another grendol. she steps to the right to avoid an attack of another grendol. she hears the beating of her blood in her ears. the sword swings through the leg of another grendol. it rings as it smashes through a bone. yes, it does sound like that. the rich thick coppery smell of blood fills her nose. she takes a half step to the side dodging the grendol as it stumbled forward.

yes, i see now. she brings the sword down on the grendol's spine as it falls. she swings the sword smoothly in another arc. it cuts across the arm of another grendol nearly severing it. the spray of hot blood splashes across her face.

so simple. she steps again, wiping her eyes clear with her free hand. she drives the sword through the groin of a second grendol. she swings it through the back of a third grendol. it cuts through where the kidneys would be if it was human.

it is like beautiful music. the first grendol swings at her. she ducks under it. she rises back up slicing the grendol from stomach to half way up its sternum. she spins to the left and strikes at a forth grendol.

it is wonderful, so easy to dance to. a serene smile forms on her face. she continues her attacks. she moves among the soldiers and grendols entranced. she dodges them fluidity. sometimes the grendols miss by less then the thickness of a hair. she strikes with precision and necessity. the warmth of the blood and the beating of her heart cocoon her. only the ring of steel of on bone penetrates it.

she becomes separated from the soldiers. the grendols swarm around her. she continues attacking. she dances among them. the sword is her baton. the blood trails from her sword like a ribbon. if the flow fails, before she can strike again, she dips it into one of the corpses around her. she weaves among the moving, a dancing death among the grendols.

she stops when her sword strikes something with a discordant crash. it jolts her back to reality. she has lost her helmet. the cold of the early morning shocks her. her sword has hit another one. she follows it up and to the face of captain viscosa.

"hear the tune. dance the dance. hold yourself firm." he says.

yeana looks around. her eyes go wide in horror. the pale light of early morning reveals what she has done. the fires cast moving shadows over the bodies, adding a false life to them. the bodies. the pieces of bodies. all of it seemed so effortless. she looks down at the sword. a drop of blood falls off the end. she drops the sword and backs away. she looks down at her hands. they are covered in blood. she looks up at captain viscosa. fear and questioning fill her eyes and face, begging for the denial.

"yes, you did." his voice coloured by regret and sadness.

the soldiers and townsmen are cheering. they congratulate each other as they walk back to town.

"how much do you remember?" he says.

she looks at her hands. she looks around. she looks at the down at the sword. "i remember..." she looks back up to captain viscosa. tears streak the blood on her face. "i remember everything."

"i'm sorry," with the same regret and sadness.

he picks up the sword and holds it out to her.

"now come," he says. "your parents will be worried."

yeana takes it back.

they walk back into town. someone hands her and captain viscosa each a bucket of water when they get to the gate. she tries to wash her hands in the water. it merely tints the water. splashes water on her face. some of the blood is rinsed off, but much remains. the water dripping down washes streaks in her armour. she gives up and pours the bucket over her head. she shudders as the cool water runs down her back inside the armour. it pools red around her feet in the waxing light of the sun.

the doors of the town hall open. captain viscosa walks towards his officers. the townspeople come walking out. crisse dashes out the doors, the lock of hair clenched in his hand. close behind him are yeana's parents. crisse sees yeana and runs over. the soldiers she ran into earlier are leaning against a wall. they see crisse run over to yeana. one nudges the other and says something to him. they both break out laughing. crisse hugs yeana. the thinned blood smears across his clothes and face. her parents run up. her mother, crying, leads. her father limps after her; his face is a mix of anger, relief, and concern. the two soldiers straighten up and walk over to their companions. they pass close to yeana.

"you've drawn dakkru's eye to you," yeana's mother says, as the two soldiers pass.

the solders pause. "lady," one of them says. "those that have fought with the demon are avoided by dakkru." he looks at yeana. "lad, you did good out there." he smiles. "you've got my back anytime." they continue on. "six. i'm telling you."

"six?" says the other one. "me i'm good for two. and that's up front. after that if i'm one on one i'm doing well."

"six, by the huntress i swear it. just as..." their voices are lost in the general noise of relief and celebration.

[Mathy Stockington]

Steuben I have enjoyed your story. I must say your writing makes me feel part of it. That is the sign of a great writer. Well done.

[steuben]

later that day the soldiers stand formed out outside of town. yeana stands watching them, the sword slung over her shoulder. captain viscosa is taking to the reeve. they shake hands firmly. the reeve heads back into town and captain viscosa walks over to his men. yeana runs up to him.

"take me with you," she blurts.

he looks to the nearest lieutenant. "march them out. i’ll catch up shortly."

"yes, sir." the lieutenant looks at yeana appraisingly. he turns to the soldiers. "al’ight! fore-hward march!"

the soldiers march out. several of them nod at yeana as they march by. after the sound of the footsteps and loose armor has faded, captain viscosa gets down on one knee.

"i can’t do that," he says.

"why not?" she replies. "i can fight. you’ve seen that. anything else you can teach me. i want –"

he cuts her off with a raised hand. "that’s the blood. what does the steel say?"

yeana looks around. "stay. help my family. help defend the town if needed."

he nods. "which is right?"

"i don’t know. does it matter?"

"yes, it does. it matters because it is a choice between life and death."

"what do you mean?"

"here, you have a life, a future. with me it is merely time spent waiting for death. the best choice is always life."

she sags a little. "i should stay."

"you learned something terrible last night. i let that burden be placed on you before your time. if it was even yours to bear." his voice tinged with regret. "if i could lift it i would." he looks briefly over her shoulder. he stands up. "but, you have friends here who are willing to help. if you are willing to let them."

she nods.

"remember what you have learned." he turns to head after his soldiers. "and apply it well."

he jogs off. his pace would rapidly return him to his column. crisse walks up behind yeana. he hugs her tightly. they stand there as yeana watches captain viscosa disappear down the road. crisse holds the lock of hair tightly in his hand.

[steuben]

and a quick little extra after the credits have rolled by...

beat of blood.
note of steel.
dance of death.

hear the tune.
dance the dance.
hold yourself firm.

[steuben]

bumpage for mild editage...