51
It was as if the night, in an attempt to mock the previous day, became especially calm and peaceful after all the blood that had been spilled into the beaches.
Salamandastron stood tall, unconquered still despite anything that had commenced over the last few days. The guards continued to patrol and look out to the vermin camp, unsure of what to make of this stubborn army.
Thornback, his leg bandaged, limped along down one of the corridors overlooking the vermin camp in the distance. He grumbled to himself when pain shot up his body from the wound he'd gained, using his spear as a walking staff.
"Can't sleep?"
Thornback turned around to peer at the shadows behind him, which were at their darkest where the passage began to curve, "Aye. The wound was keeping me awake, so I decided to patrol."
Prince Diomede caught up with the badger, keeping pace with him as they continued their patrol, "I couldn't sleep either. So I took the place of one of the guards tonight."
Thornback nodded, "I don't think many will sleep soundly tonight."
Diomede shuddered, "I didn't think I was going to survive that battle."
"You were lucky. But you also fought well. Your brother would be proud of you."
"Priam's opinion of someone has never changed with a judgment on fighting abilities. I thought that's why he made the better king?"
"Partly, yes, but you're helping me lead the Highlanders against a dangerous threat. Nobody asked you to help, you volunteered to do some good. Such an action is worthy of respect as far as I'm concerned."
Diomede nodded, "I'd have imagined that Maon or Earnan would have gone with you." Since Priam had taken his throne in the Highlands, Maon and his cousin Earnan had taken high office in the new administration, not as much for their connections to the king but for their proven abilities as warriors and, in Maon's case, leading others with honesty and integrity.
Thornback smiled at the thought of his dear friend back in the Highlands, "Maon would be happy if he never fights again, especially now that he has Harmonia and the children to keep him busy." By the last count, Maon and Harmonia had a dozen leverets to feed by this point, and all of them were growing fast.
Diomede suddenly glanced out the window, "Take a look at this, I think I see something."
Thornback limped over to look where Diomede was pointing. Peering into the darkness, he thought he saw movement.
"How many?" Thornback whispered.
"I think I only saw one," Diomede whispered back, "otherwise why haven't the other guards noticed anything?"
The badger surveyed the slope of the mountain. Since they were on the first floor above the ground level, it was only a short climb.
"Prepare to climb down. I'll throw down a torch, and on that signal, if it's just one, you can sound the alarm and get him by surprise."
Diomede nodded, and hurried to pick up the nearest torch hanging on the wall. Taking it from the hare, Thornback prepared to throw it as Diomede got into position.
After a moment, Thornback threw the torch downwards where he had seen the movement. As the torch illuminated the ground where it had fallen, the badger saw the silhouette of a creature bolt away into the darkness.
"ALARM!" Thornback and Diomede yelled, the latter leaping down with a drawn sword.
At once, other guards came running with arrows already on their bowstrings, "What is it?"
"A spy!" Thornback hissed, still looking for Diomede or the intruder. The lone light of the torch had left them unaware of where either creatures were.
Suddenly Diomede called out, "Thornback!"
"What is it?" The badger called out.
"Open the gate."
Thornback paused, "What's wrong?"
"Open the gate and come down here, please!" The badger noted that there was an edge of panic in the hare's voice.
"He's been captured!" The badger cursed to the guards. Standing up, the badger responded, "How do I know that you're not being held hostage, and when I open the gates, we'll be under attack?"
There was a pause, and from out of the dark, Diomede spoke again, "It's just one of them. He says that he's not come for a fight, and that he's holding me so that you don't kill him on sight."
Thornback frowned, "Why should we trust one who sneaks in the night like a common thief?"
Another voice suddenly called out again, "Thornback, I mean no harm to any in this mountain. I've come here because I do not believe in my allies' cause anymore."
Thornback growled to himself. A vermin who wanted to be on the winning side, "I don't care for your doubt or your betrayal, vermin!"
"I'm not one of them. I'm an otter."
Thornback paused in surprise, "Judos?"
There was a pause, and then the voice replied, "How do you know my name?"
"There are folk here who have been expecting you," Thornback replied.
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Judos was taken inside, watched carefully by the grim-faced hares that had cause to call him an enemy. Thornback and Diomede (who was bitter over Judos having been able to hold him hostage) led him into the great hall of Salamandastron, where the Badger Lords sat in reverence.
Korari, also bandaged from the previous fight, was dressed humbly, having no such vanity as his brother had had. Clad only in a brown tunic and a sable-coloured belt, the badger looked at Judos with curiosity rather than malice. Standing amongst these creatures, Judos felt fearful not just at the thought of coming here amongst his former enemies, but also that they knew something important that he did not know.
"So, Judos," Korari began in a solemn voice, "Why did you come to us after all this time with the enemy?"
Judos paused, looking around at the few creatures still awake at this hour, watching him with neutral, even hostile faces. Slowly, he turned back to look at Korari.
"I have escaped my illusions of Calador and its leader. I'm here to redeem myself." The otter, weaponless and alone, stood as still as he could, worried that some in this hall needed any excuse to kill him.
"How would you redeem yourself for serving our enemies and slaying our comrades?" Korari asked, and even without anger or hostility, the question seemed to send shivers down Judos' back.
"I will fight for you, I will meet Ætharr in battle," Judos said, louder with confidence he did not feel, "and I will kill him."
Diomede and Thornback exchanged looks of surprise. Korari leaned back in his chair, his eyes never leaving the otter's.
"Judos!"
Judos turned at the sudden yell, paling beneath his fur as he recognized a voice he had not heard in so long.
Skipper rushed forward, silver-furred and slower in his advanced age, but still as hearty as ever. He was followed by small group of other creatures, one of which being the Log a Log of the Guosim. Skipper stared at Judos with shock, but without any malice, "You made it!"
Judos stared at Skipper, now able to look him in the eye since he'd last seen him, "You say that as if I was expected..."
"That's a long story, but that can wait!" Skipper said, clapping Judos on the shoulder, "Look at ye. You grew up tall and strong."
Judos nodded, and was about to reply, when he noticed a strange creature not far behind Skipper, staring at him with horror and loathing.
Skipper followed his gaze, and his face grew less mirthful. He indicated the creature, "This is Adisa, a civet. 'E came to Redwall some time ago and now lives there."
Judos bowed his head respectfully, and with seemingly great reluctance, the civet returned the gesture.
"Forgive me," Adisa suddenly said in a foreign accent, "You remind me very much of someone who I have hated for a long time. I did not expect that."
Judos was more confused than ever. He looked from Skipper to Adisa to Thornback, to the hares, to Korari, unsure of what to do or say.
"Skipper," Korari intervened, "You must understand that we have questions we'd like answered from this otter before anything else occurs."
Skipper nodded slowly, "Aye. Very well." He went and took a seat.
"Judos, you speak of wishing to end this war for us, as compensation for your fighting with the enemy," Korari stated, "But why do you come now?"
Judos sighed, "Because when I had nothing, and was sentenced to die in a prison camp, Ætharr saved my life and offered me a home and a place to live. Because I considered Ætharr a friend, even when we marched here and began fighting. Because I saw vermin murder Ætharr's son, vermin that Roaveen had helped, and I convinced myself that Ætharr had been justified in coming here for revenge."
He took a breath and spoke again, "But now I see that Ætharr is no longer the creature of honour and sense as he once was. He has allowed his cruelty to control his decisions, and he will not stop until one side of this conflict lies in utter destruction."
"Who is this vermin that you have been with him for so long?" Thornback asked.
Judos looked up at the badger, allowing just a hint of defiance in his voice, "He was an honourable leader and someone who was capable of good despite anything said about vermin."
Skipper sighed, "He's led to the deaths of thousands on both sides, Judos."
"I know," Judos remarked, "And it has been weighing on me ever since we first marched out from Calador."
Korari spoke again, "So what has changed about Ætharr that no longer made him honourable or good?"
"He has always loved war, even when he doesn't admit it," Judos replied after a moment, "And he has never been able to let go of grievances or injuries. He fought a war for several seasons to avenge his father's death and reclaim his rightful place as Ealdor. He forged an alliance of tribes because it would ensure that Calador would never lose control or power ever again. When his eldest son was murdered, he spent weeks preparing this invasion, biding his time. He has lost many friends and soldiers in this campaign, and it is crippling him with guilt. But he will not stop. He will not stop until he is killed. For if he is victorious, it will not give him the solace he seeks."
The allied leaders looked at each other, and gathered together to begin whispering amongst one another. Judos looked around at the details of the massive hall carved out of the mountain, and he noticed that several others had come to listen in on what was being said.
Korari addressed Judos again, "Did he trust you?"
Judos looked back at the badger, "As a brother."
"So he must have told you what he plans to do next," Korari concluded, "Does he plan any new attack?"
Judos nodded, "He will maintain the siege, and call for reinforcements to join him from Calador and the other tribes. He had left many professional soldiers to guard his homeland, and there is also the fyrd."
"Fyrd?" Skipper asked.
"Conscription," Judos replied, "Calador has always been a nation prepared for war, and most of the adults in Calador are able to fight with some sort of weapon."
"But the majority of those reinforcements won't be proper soldiers like we've been fighting, then," Log a Log remarked.
Judos nodded in agreement, but then offered a reminder, "You must also remember that the others will summon the remainder of their forces too. This war of attrition will continue for weeks if it is allowed to continue. I have another solution."
The leaders were giving Judos their full attention, as was every other creature in the hall.
"What is this solution?" Korari asked.
Judos paused, as if gathering up his courage, and continued, "I will offer to fight Ætharr in personal combat. I have fought alongside him for a long time, and I know his strategies better than anyone now living. I will have him and the others swear to leave these shores if I win."
"And if you lose?" Thornback asked.
Judos shrugged, "Then you resume your defences and continue the struggle. I won't make you gamble on me if I can help it."
Korari shook his head, "He won't accept that."
"Yes he will," Judos countered quickly, "I have betrayed him in such a way that very few have ever done, and he has put a blade to hundreds of children's throats to inflict his revenge. When he came to Salamandastron he offered Roaveen the chance to fight him in single combat if his hares vowed to yield Salamandastron in peace when Roaveen died."
Korari looked to two of his officers, a young adult and two very old and highly decorated veterans. All three nodded to confirm Judos' story.
Thornback gave Judos a level look, "Alright, Judos. We'll send a message to the vermin camp tomorrow. And I hope that some power sees your good intentions and gives you victory."
Judos nodded, "Thank you."
Skipper stood up, "You'll need a weapon, Judos. And it's been foreseen which sword you'll wield against Ætharr."
He suddenly took a bundle from the table and unwrapped it. Judos' eyes widened as the sword of Martin the Warrior was revealed to him.
Skipper offered Judos the sword, hilt-first, "Martin the Warrior saw that you'd come back, and he gave us a prophecy to help us prepare."
Judos was bewildered, "What was this prophecy?"
Skipper repeated the words that he had said only the evening before,
"One day, as the red sun begins to set,
And armies stand beneath the lonely peak,
The conqueror, his taste for war to whet,
Shall his impossible ambition seek,
Long he has fought, and many he has slain,
But the mighty axe shall break against rock
Much blood will flow, and into the sands drain,
Against any chance to cease, he will baulk
But one shall emerge, some say from the dead
A conqueror's friend, keeper of his soul
Former thief alone can slay the great dread
And with mine own sword, he shall be made whole
So go to the west shore, and aid thy friends
May a worthy warrior stand before the end!"
Judos felt the power of those words move through him. Martin the Warrior's words truly felt prophetic when he thought of how things had unfolded. It made him suddenly feel like a pawn in a great game, only now realizing what he had been meant to do.
Skipper was puzzled when Judos did not take up the sword, and noticed the otter's change of mood, "What's wrong?"
Judos looked Skipper in the eye, "I feel like my choice has been robbed from me."
Skipper shook his head, "You didn't know about this prophecy before! You made your choice to do what you saw was the right thing!"
Judos nodded slowly as he thought about it, "Yes. Yes I did." Slowly, he picked up the sword from Skipper's arms, "I will use this sword in my fight against Ætharr, and I will fulfill what I've promised to do."
Thumping of weapons and clapping of paws sounded at Judos' declaration.
Suddenly, he looked at Skipper, even as the adulation continued, "Skipper, I have been away from Redwall for a long time. How is Abbot Varrus?"
Skipper paused, his face draining of any emotion except misery. Before Judos could say anything again, he replied, "Varrus passed away some time ago."
Judos sighed and nodded, surprising even himself when tears pricked at his eyes. The old abbot had always been kind to him, even when he had earned punishment after punishment through his own defiance.
The otter took a moment to compose himself before asking another question, "Who is Abbott now?"
"Conrad," Skipper answered.
Judos nodded absentmindedly, not remembering enough about Conrad to have anything to say.
"Are ye alright, Judos?" Skipper asked tentatively. Judos could see that the old otter was concerned for Judos' well-being. He nodded, "I'll be alright. I hadn't really thought much of anyone at Redwall for quite some time, that's all."
Skipper patted him on the shoulder sympathetically, "Get some rest. Focus on defeating Ætharr and stopping any more deaths than there have already been."
Judos nodded and was escorted to a room where he could stay.
Adisa approached Skipper when Judos had left the hall, "You did not say anything about what we found out."
Skipper suddenly gave the civet an angry look, "Judos doesn't need to know tonight!"
"But he must know sooner rather than later," Adisa persisted, "If what you say is true, then he will return to Redwall after all this is over. What will happen when he comes back and has no idea of what took place?"
Skipper sighed, "There will be time to tell 'im about Varrus and everything else after we end this conflict. Judos 'as enough to worry about right now."
Adisa grudgingly nodded, "Very well." The two of them stood where they were, even as others went back to bed, leaving the hall. Adisa looked up at Skipper again, "Do you believe he can defeat the warlord?"
Skipper nodded, eyes shining, "I've known Judos since he was a young pup. I 'elped raise him, look after 'im, and I watched him grow up. When he ran away, I searched for him for a long time, because I knew something terrible would happen to 'im. It broke my heart when I thought he was dead, for I had always seen that he could have been something glorious once he'd overcome 'is anger and resentment." The old otter looked back to where Judos had disappeared, "I saw that tonight when he took up the sword of Redwall's defender. He is Martin the Warrior's successor, chosen to protect us from threats he has come to understand so well. He'll prove it tomorrow when he slays Ætharr."
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Vermin hurriedly emerged from their tents the next morning, called up by a loud alarm from the guards.
A delegation walked across the sands of the beach, with their army slowly emerging from the mountain and taking space out on the mountainsides.
The delegation flew a flag of truce, and was comprised of Thornback, Seahawk, Jackers, Korari, Skipper, Log a Log, Adisa, and Judos.
The otter felt shivers of fear as he looked at his former comrades. All who saw him, particularly the Caladors, raised up a call of anguish and rage. Accusations flew at Judos, but because the delegation had come in peace, none challenged the otter directly. The otter noticed Ben amongst the vermin, a
The leaders of the tribes emerged, recoiling with horror at the sight of Judos amongst their foes.
"You traitor!" Gyras roared, shaking his fist and cursing Judos with venomous spirit. Ptolemy simply stared at his former friend and bowed his head, as if heartbroken by what he saw. This somehow stung Judos more than any anger that came from the vermin around him.
Finally, Ætharr emerged from the tents and collected soldiers. He stared at Judos with a look that seemed blank and devoid of emotion.
All of a sudden he turned to his outraged followers and gave a great bellow of rage, "Silence! Silence, all of you!"
The vermin quieted down, looking in surprise at their leader, who continued speaking angrily to them while turning to look back at Judos, "If anyone here has the right to feel angry, it is me. But you all see what has happened here, so I shall let your eyes speak for me this time." Judos matched Ætharr's glare with a cold look of his own, for anything else would have broken him at this point.
Korari suddenly spoke, "Ætharr, we have a proposition for you."
The Ealdor glanced at the Badger Lord with utter disdain, "What do you want?"
Ignoring the contempt in Ætharr's voice, Korari spoke again, "We shall send a champion against you in honest, single combat. No tricks, only the honour of a trial by combat."
Ætharr continued to look at the creatures before him, saying nothing for a moment. As he paused, all went silent to hear what he would say. Judos could feel that he was the focus of not just the vermin, but Skipper and Thornback as well as they were curious to see how he was taking this.
Finally, the Ealdor spoke, "What are your terms?"
Korari began to reply, "If you lose..."
"I wasn't talking to you, badger," Ætharr interrupted with a snarl, pointedly looking at Judos, "You clearly have your champion here. If he is truly your champion, then let him face me and deliver the terms of our fight."
Judos stepped forward, rising to the challenge, "This fight has gone on for too long, Ætharr. So I want oaths from you and the rest of the chiefs and their officers, upon their entrance to the Great Warriors' Hall, that they will lead their armies back home and no longer trouble these shores."
Ætharr slowly nodded, noting that Judos had referenced an oath that would be, amongst these warriors, unthinkable to break. For to enter the Great Hall after death was the highest honour for a true warrior.
He cocked his head to one side, "And if I kill you?"
Judos paused, but then spoke again, "Then you shall have avenged a terrible betrayal."
Ætharr leered at the others, "You don't promise me the mountain's surrender? You don't trust him to win?"
Judos spoke again, "You didn't let me finish, Ætharr. They will also leave the mountain to you if I lose, so long as you promise to spare them and allow them safe passage away from these lands."
Ætharr nodded, and looked at his allies, "I will agree to this. Any objections to taking those oaths?"
The rest of them shook their heads. Blackaxe spoke for them, "We shall swear the oaths too."
The Ealdor turned back to the delegation, "Swear by all you hold dear that if I die, all those who followed me here may return safely to their homes."
Korari nodded, "We will swear these oaths too."
Ætharr looked at the mass of vermin gathered near, "Somebody who can write, come here and record the terms."
Thus a scribe was brought out to prepare two different sets of parchment, each one detailing the same words that both sides agreed too. Oaths were made before the witnesses, and also written down. One by one, each of the chiefs and officers on both sides put their signatures down on each sheet of parchment. Judos and Ætharr were the last ones to sign their names.
By the time all was settled, the noon sun had begun to move across the sky from its highest point. Ætharr handed the delegation their copy, and entrusted the other copy to Ptolemy, "We shall fight in one hour, if there are no objections."
Judos answered before anyone else could say anything, "Done. One hour it is."
Ætharr nodded and turned to leave. Judos watched him go back to his tent, preparing for this fight to the death. Judos felt fear grip his insides as he thought of what was going to happen this day.
The delegation turned back and went to the mountain, where their army was seeking shade from the sun or having a quick meal.
Korari spoke to them all, "It's been decided. In an hour, the fate of this war will be decided."
