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Chapter 11: Lo, the Tragic Sight!
Darkblood still followed.
He was back home now. It felt like a different planet, the kind one of the Southswarden scholars was always prattling about. There was the quaint forest Drudly had played in as a child. There was the wheat field where all the rats had farmed, where Drudly had been put to blissful, simple work day after day. And there was the shore, where Vafir Silvertung had first sailed in with a band of twoscore followers and ended those days, and Drudly became Darkblood. There was the shore, where Darkblood led an attack on his home just three days ago.
Lo, the tragic sight! Dead hares littered the ground. How Drudly had seen the Long Patrol as legendary heroes, Darkblood could never understand. There were the bodies of rats amongst them. Creatures he had known. Old Meymar Radham! He had always sworn he would never die, he spent his life working with herbs and medications and finding the "Great Secret". Probably cut down while trying to be a healer. He had always swore he would go down in history. Well, he was down. They all were. Lo, Darkblood could hardly bring himself to care. He stabbed his sword down into a hare who looked like he might be faking.
Zaev was giving a rousing speech to the other vermin, congratulating them on their victory. Heroism this, and heroism that. It sure was brilliant how Crabtooth got lucky and managed to launch a cannonball that destroyed the hares' counteroffensive, and it sure was inspiring how Bloodtoe got lucky and managed to be the only survivor of the first rowboat that reached the shore, and a cannonball to Darkblood's head sure would be a welcome feeling.
But Darkblood had his orders, and he still followed. Vafir seemed to trust him. Seemed to be the only one who trusted him, anymore. The only option left for Darkblood. Follow.
Silvertung had told Darkblood to meet him at the pond near the ruins of Marlfox Castle. And so Darkblood trudged off in that direction, through the forest that seemed so small now.
A few rats lay dead in the forest. They tried to hold their ground after the hares were defeated. Darkblood stepped over them. One rat, who Darkblood vaguely remembered as the Recorder, had hung herself from a tree along with what looked like her husband. Darkblood stepped under them, and onto the castle.
There was no sign of Vafir, though he said he'd be at the small pond just outside the castle. An old toad had lived there when Drudly was young, but since he passed away it had been as unused as the rest of the castle. Now, though, it seemed Vafir had found a use for it. It was filled with a strange, golden liquid.
Frowning, Darkblood stepped up to it, and put a paw in it. A bit thicker than water, but Darkblood figured he didn't care. He would follow–
Something pushed him from the back.
Oh, it was hilarious! Vafir could hardly contain his laughter. In fact, he didn't contain it.
Darkblood pulled himself out of the golden dye, sputtering. The hulking rat fit the role of being on all fours well, Vafir figured. Hopefully it would stay that way. "Darkblood! I have orders."
Darkblood looked up. Maybe he should be called Goldblood now. "I live to follow."
"You will take the bulk of the army, some seven-hundred beasts. However much you feel like. You will lead them west, to the area of Salamandastron, where you will meet with Tharius and bring down the mountain."
"I will…" The rat blinked. "What? You want me leading? To…"
"Salamandastron. I've decided you're worthy enough for the position of Lord Marshal. Get ready to march."
"How… is this a good idea? Me… leading? I mean, we'll have to march all the way to Salamandastron. With a lot of soldiers. They won't all be too happy about that. We just won here, and…"
Vafir smiled down at Darkblood. "Will you be leading? Or will you be following my orders? To lead. Besides, your journey west should attract some… wanted attention."
Darkblood pushed himself up. "And this… what is this? Golden dye? Will I just… look golden now?"
Vafir laughed. "Consider it your mark of rank. A gift from me to you, which might come in handy later."
"Huh. Why not Zaev?"
"Zaev? Oh, he might be good enough, but he's about as loyal as a searat you asked to watch your cup of wine. I trust Tharius and Kamataya little enough as it is. I don't trust him like I trust you." Vafir reached up to pat Darkblood's shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll send him with you." To keep an eye on you. And for you to keep an eye on him. "Disloyal he might be, he's good enough with supporting morale and handling logistics."
"And what about you?"
Vafir grimaced down at his paw, which had gotten gold dye on it. "I'll have my own plans. I'll head north with two hundred or so beasts to take down Redwall alongside our 'ally' of the east, Griv Beastcrusher. I'd say I only need fifty or so, but… you know how it is. Don't trust Griv as much as I do you."
"Huh. Is that all?"
"It is."
"Alright then." And he walked off towards the camps they had set up.
Vafir smiled and sauntered in the direction of the shore where they had first landed, wondering if Darkblood would be visited by the dreams.
Zaev tossed the medal over Crabtooth's neck and shoved the cup of grog into the grinning searat's paw. "Consider yourself a hero, matey! They'll be writing songs for you, soon enough. Now celebrate!"
Crabtooth belted a warcry and leaped into the crowd, who caught him, and started tossing him into the air. It wasn't long before another searat stole the cup of grog.
Zaev chuckled and jumped off the makeshift platform, offering personal congratulations to beasts he didn't recognize, and passing more liquor around. And calling for a toast to Emperor Silvertung. This was the best time for an army, the time to capitalise on good morale and turn it into loyalty.
Vafir had said to meet him in the forest, so that's where Zaev went next. Hopefully the emperor would finally be recognising the pine marten's loyalty and courage. Zaev was one of the few surviving members of Vafir's original band, but the emperor still just didn't seem to trust him like he did the rest. Was it because Zaev was a pine marten? Or because of that one incident in Loamhedge Zaev botched that resulted in a hundred dead vermin? That was about a dozen seasons ago! But… it was still Zaev's fault.
Well, he would just prove himself. The emperor would recognise him. Eventually.
Vafir was waiting by a tree with one of his hulking bodyguards, Razmiksu, standing next to him. Razmiksu was one of the originals, but it's not like he ever did anything special. Yet Vafir trusted him.
"Captain Zaev Quicktooth," said the fox.
Zaev kneeled in front of the emperor. "Your Majesty Silvertung. I live to serve."
"And you shall do best to remember that, lest you lose your reason to live."
"Of course, your majesty." Zaev would prove himself.
"I'm sending you away, Zaev."
Interesting. A show of trust? "Of course, your majesty."
"I'm promoting you. To general."
Could it be so? Zaev stood up and saluted. "I will do as you command! I–"
"Kneel in the presence of your lord!"
Zaev dropped to his stomach. "Of course, your majesty."
"You will be following orders of Lord Marshal Darkblood. You will go west with him, supporting the Lord Marshal in running the army as you combat with Salamandastron. Your loyalty will never falter."
Darkblood was Lord Marshal now. It's not like he ever did anything of note other than kill a few beasts and threaten a few more. "Of course, your majesty."
Vafir leaned down to Zaev's level, whispering in his ear. "Your loyalty to me will never falter. The Lord Marshal may be unreliable. I doubt it so, but… the time may come where you have an opportunity to prove yourself. I do not expect you to disappoint."
Zaev's eyes widened. A chance to prove himself. And take down Darkblood. "Of course, your majesty."
"Good. You may rise."
Zaev pushed himself up. As he walked away, Vafir called his name again.
"General Zaev! Who would you say showed the most personal heroism in the battle of the shore?"
"Well I—" Vafir gave him a pointed glare. "A searat, Crabtooth, showed expert handling of the cannons and obliterated the hares' counteroffensive. He's very popular, especially among the other corsairs."
"One of the Green Islanders. Tell him he will be made King of the Big Island."
"I… it will be done, your majesty. If I may…"
"Yes?"
"Crabtooth's former captain, Bloodpatch, is now a captain in the horde, and is still Crabtooth's superior. If you were to advance Crabtooth so quickly, it could cause problems."
"See to it that Bloodpatch is disposed of."
A random rat, now given more power than Zaev could dream. "Of course, your majesty."
Zaev went to congratulate Crabtooth, and then to give orders to the assassin Lukawayo, and then to collaborate with Darkblood. This was how he would prove himself. As he left, he looked back, and Emperor Silvertung was smiling.
