Heir of Iron

Chapter 24: Mandhi

(The image above is originally from http://www.davidzimmerman.com/gallery.php?g=india&i=6).

The hills of Virnas appeared as a sliver of gray rock on the lip of the greening fields of rice. The walls themselves could not yet be discerned from the stones that bore them up, but the sight of the stony shoulders put relief in Mandhi's chest. The sun glimmered on the crowns of the hills in the east. Behind Mandhi and Navran the trail of fleeing Uluriya stretched like a dog's tail, caked with dust and drooping into the earth at the end of the day of heat and hard travel.

Paidacha looked at Navran and asked in a tone of weary hopefulness, "Will we wait here?"

"Yes," Mandhi answered. A half day's march remained before they would reach the gates of the city, and it would be closed by that time. Navran flinched a little that she had presumed to answer for him, but he nodded. With a sigh of relief Paidacha shouted to Tashya and the rest of their band to stop and prepare a camp beside the road. Ten yards behind them, the next group in the chain saw their gesture and began to do likewise, and the halt rippled back through the line of refugees.

Mandhi muttered under her breath. Another night sleeping on a cotton blanket on the ground. She'd had enough of that when they were fleeing with Gocam, and she'd hoped to spend some time in guest houses now. And guest houses there were, plenty of them between Jaitha and Virnas. But none that could accommodate a flood of Uluriya two thousand strong, in a line that stretched to the northern horizon and beyond. She actually didn't know how far back their followers reached, because at some point they began to bleed into the general exodus from Jaitha. The rumors from the city propagated up the line, and when they reached Mandhi and Navran they confirmed Navran's fear.

Ruyam lived. He and the Red Men had crossed the Amsadhu in boats, had crushed the remnants of the King's militia, and followed them to Virnas.

They made a hurried camp, making a small fire of dung in the middle of their circle. Paidacha passed out roti and dried figs. Mandhi crouched next to the fire and ate in silence, while Paidacha and Tashya chatted quietly in grim tones. Navran took his food and went off alone, staring to the north with an expression that suggested an inner torment. The evening sank into gloom.

Voices sounded along the road, coming from the north. A wail of dismay carried through the night from the next group behind them. Navran started down the road to meet two gray figures hurrying along the clay path. Mandhi got up and followed.

"We bring news for the Heir!" one of the men shouted.

"That's me," Navran said, stepping into the path in front of them. The men were taken aback for a moment, but they bowed to Navran and kissed his hand, which he endured with a stiff expression. He glanced back to see Mandhi following him.

"I am Kurgitu your servant," the first man said. "And this is my brother Daushana. We have dire news. The Red Men have been spotted on the road behind us."

"What?" Mandhi said. "How far back?"

The man glanced from Navran to Mandhi in confusion, but Navran raised his hand and said, "She's my sister."

Not your sister, Mandhi thought, but she couldn't correct him now.

"A few miles behind the last of us. The word was passed up from behind us. They saw the Red Men on the road, marching quickly and overtaking many that they saw behind us. And they said"---Kurgitu looked around with a suspicious glance and made the sign of the pentacle on himself---"they said that Ruyam had been transformed into a demon."

"What?" Mandhi said.

Navran sighed. "I heard the rumor a few days ago," he said quietly. "A spirit of fire and smoke."