Chapter 9
Xaviel and Feraug dragged the unconscious squirrels to their camp. Sam and Elmtail were muttering in there sleep, feeling the earth from below them as they scrapped the dirt, fallen leaves, and twigs. Xaviel and Feraug finally made it back. The sable Captain ordered a few of his goons to bind the paws of Sam, Elmtail, and Harlan, and to tie them together, so it was hard to escape. The hordebeasts saluted with their pikes, spears, and staves. They grabbed the strongest ropes and began binding the poor wretches. When they finally came to, the three squirrels jerked and tugged at their bindings. Xaviel smiled at them, he casually waltzed to his prizes.
"Won't do you much good to squirm and struggle. The knots will only get tighter."
He said as he perched himself on a large rock. Sam's face scrunched into a look of despite and vengeance.
"I promise, once I am free of you, you will regret crossing paths with me."
He said with clenched teeth. Xaviel laughed and patted Sam's head.
"Hahahaha, you? No, you and your colleagues are bound South. I tell my messanger rat where you beasts are, Nikos will find you, and take you Southbound."
"South, to Malkariss?"
"Malkariss?"
Xaviel asked the young squirrel. Sam repeated the dreaded name.
"Malkariss, an underground kingdom once ruled by a tyrannical vermin with a god complex?"
Sam asked his captors. Xaviel scoffed and answered his captive's question.
"Heh, Malkariss and his army of Blackrobes were weak, we are not. After Nikos found out Malkariss was destroyed and his older brother slain by the Redwallers. He vowed revenge upon those responsible for snuffing his brother's life out. That is why over the span of 7 Seasons, he has built up an army to go and take Redwall by force, and kill anybeast who stands in his way."
Sam was wondering about a few things: was Nikos the younger brother of one of the Slavers? Maybe he was a relative of Nadaz and the Blackrobes? Maybe he was Slagar's brother? So many questions flooded the young rip's mind, but before he could ask Xaviel who was related to Nikos, a soggy piece of grey cloth was tied around the muzzle of the squirrels. A fat weasel clad in a jerkin and leather boots laughed at his captives.
"Hurr hurr hurr! 'Ow's dat taste, eh? Pretty good, eh?"
He taunted. Sam wanted to spit the taste of old water, sand and mud from his mouth and wash it away with fresh water or superb strawberry fizz.
Lieutenant Harlee was geared up and ready for action. He fastened a long rope around his waist and hoisted himself from his window's bunker and slid down the rope. His footpaws eventually touched ground and he untied the knot around his torso. So that nobeast, friend or foe, would see the rope, he had an arrow shaft tied to the bottom. Harlee drew his bow and nocked the shaft on to it. He gave it a firm tug before sending the missile back up to his quarters.
"Alright, time for these blighters to meet their makers."
Harlee stated in a cold whisper as he descended the rocky dwellings of the base of Salamandastron. Harlee walked lightly across the earthy floor and swiftly dodging anybeast he came across, friend or foebeast. The young Lieutenant eventually made it to Sibo's beached ship. He spotted Sibo and his lackeys around a campfire toasting and eating fish, and seabirds. He counted the beasts including Sibo, there were a total of 15 Corsairs. A skeleton crew, Harlee scoffed to himself, "this should be a walk in the park," he thought to himself. However, Sibo Silverclaw's first mate, Tavadar was nowhere to be seen. All of a sudden the hairs on Harlee's body began to rise, he quickly reached for his sword but was interrupted by Tavadar. The searat wrapped the chain from his weapon around the hare's lanky neck.
"Move a muscle, and your a dead beast."
Tavadar whispered. Harlee felt the heathen's hot breath on his nape. Tavadar used the mace and chain as a makeshift bind to tie the hare up. He then presented his latest capture to Sibo. Sibo was eating a roasted fish impaled on a spit. After earing his meal he threw the spit into the fire, it crackled and burned away, turning into embers. The Corsair weasel walked up to Harlee and dusted his paws off.
"So, it seems to me that we've got ourselves an assassin? You should know, nobeast sneaks up on me, nobeast does."
Sibo said as he delivered a nasty punch to the hare's lower belly. Harlee gasped and spat out, Tavadar brought the Lieutenant back up. This caused an even deeper seated hatred for any vermin that got in Harlee's way.
"What have you done with Glennie and his chum?!"
Harlee said in a demanding tone. Sibo simply scoffed and smiled at his adversary. He didn't say a word, he just simply pointed up. Harlee looked up to where Sibo pointed and his eyes widened with horror. He saw Glennie and his comrade hanging from the bowsprit, their body's lifeless and purple. A single tear fell from Harlee's left eye and fell onto the sand.
"I will make you suffer for this, weasel. Mark.. my.. words."
"Make me suffer will you? That's rich!"
Sibo mocked as he tweaked the hare's nose. Sibo then ordered his henchbeasts to take their latest victim to the ship. He was escorted and thrown into the prison area of the ship. Harlee sat in the dank and musty jail cell, pondering his escape.
Tavadar was then ordered to go back to Salamandastron, to parlay with Sibo.
"Tell them, if they want to see their young hare again, they'll meet me on my terms."
"Aye, aye, Captain."
Tavadar the searat said, saluting with his weapon. He then vanished into the night. Sibo sat back down and grabbed another roasted fish.
Inside the mountain, a young private names Huckler Brightsworth, ran into the throne room of Orlando. The hare had a bit of a stammer.
"C-c-c-come, quick, m'lord! L-l-l-lieutenant Harlee is g-g-g-gone!"
Orlando and Huckler raced through the hallways and to Harlee's sleeping quarters. The door was bolted from the other side. Huckler tried busting down the door, but no avail. Orlando gave it a go, and the wooden door ripped like parchment paper, the only thing thst was left was the rope Harlee climbed down from.