Triss: A Novel of Redwall Page 6

  Shogg shifted position to stop his limbs stiffening. “Stone me, I wish that ’ogmaid would make up ’er mind. That’s the sixth time she’s said that in the last hour!”

  Gritting her teeth as she attacked the solid iron with the file, Triss murmured down to Shogg, “Poor Welfo, she’s terrified we’ll be caught. It doesn’t take much to set her nerves on edge, she’s just plain scared.”

  The otter took hold of the bars to steady himself. “Huh, I don’t know why she’s afeared. They can’t kill us twice. How’s it goin’ up there, matey?”

  Triss clamped her jaws resolutely, ignoring the skrike and screech of metal against metal. “Slowly, that’s how ’tis going. Once I got a decent bite on this iron, the file keeps sticking. Cutting the top of the bar’ll take the best part of the night. Owch! I’ve gone and filed my paw. Stop disturbing me, Shogg, it’s hard enough trying to work in this darkness.”

  Slightly less than two hours before dawn, Triss managed to file through the bar. “Ahah! Good news, mates, I’ve done it! My paws are in a terrible mess, though, but I’m so cold I can’t feel them.”

  Welfo helped her down, jabbering agitatedly. “The guards’ll see it, I know they will. You can see the iron shining silver where you’ve been filing, it sticks out like a cherry on a cake. We’ll all be caught, I’m certain of it!”

  Brushing iron filings from between his ears, Shogg took hold of Welfo and pressed her face to the bars in lookout position. “Give yore gob a rest, missy, an’ keep yore eyes peeled. Leave the bar to us. A bit o’ riverbed mud plastered on the shiny bits’ll disguise ’em, trust me.”

  He was right. Once the cut bar was smeared with mud it looked quite normal and unbroken. Shogg leaned all his strength against the bar, trying to bend it outward. He pushed until his eyes bulged. “Phaw! It ain’t budgin’ at all, Triss. Right, I’ll ’ave to start on the bottom. Gimme that there file!”

  The otter could hold his breath for an incredible amount of time. Triss was of little use in such circumstances, so she joined Welfo on lookout. Totally submerged, Shogg filed away underwater in complete silence. It was very heavy going.

  Dawn rose mistily. The fjord looked as if it had pale smoke floating upon it. Ratguards herded the main body of slaves out for the final few hours they would need to complete the walkway. The day for the launch ceremony of Agarnu’s ship had finally arrived. Lieutenant Flith peered suspiciously at Triss and Welfo, gesturing with his spear.

  “Hoi there, you two, where’s yer mate, the otter?”

  Triss kicked Welfo’s footpaw underwater to keep her silent, taking it on herself to answer the lieutenant. “Shogg’s not feeling too good, sir. He’s sleeping underwater. Comes up whenever he needs air.”

  At that moment, the otter broke the surface smoothly. He gave Triss a swift wink before facing up to Flith. “Down there’s the only place I can get a bit o’ peace’n’quiet. That’s unless ye’d like to smuggle me in a big ole feather bed.”

  Flith sneered at the captive’s cheeky remark. “You’ll get all the peace’n’quiet yer need at noon, riverdog. I ’eard Princess Kurda sharpenin’er best sabre, just to lull ye t’sleep with it. Ain’t that nice of ’er, eh?”

  Shogg liked baiting Flith. He winked insolently at the rat.

  “Don’t go sittin’ on yore spear, vermin, or you’ll damage yore brains. Haharrharr!”

  Flith had no ready answer. He turned away, his face livid.

  Shogg whispered to his companions. “Noon, eh? I’ll just ’ave to try an’ break through before then!” He vanished beneath the water noiselessly.

  Triss murmured to Welfo, “One good thing, mate, the noise of the bar and the file can’t be heard underwater. It deadens the sound.”

  As Drufo laid logs with the slaves, he muttered instructions to them under his breath. “If we’re still ’ere when they breaks outta that cage, we’ve got to ’elp ’em, see. Create a diversion, get in the way o’ the guards, shout, yell, make it look like we’re tryin’ to escape.”

  The message was passed on from one to another. Hope for the condemned prisoners was widespread. Though they themselves had no chance of escaping, the prospect of three slaves not only avoiding death, but getting clean away from Riftgard, had fired the imagination of all the slaves.

  Captain Riftun came out of the fortress to watch the completion of the path to the jetty. He stood beside Lieutenant Flith, bringing him up to date on what was to happen.

  Flith listened intently to his captain. “King Agarnu ain’t goin’ anywhere on that new ship, not ’im; ’e’s scared witless o’ the sea. It’ll be Princess Kurda an’ that oaf Prince Bladd who’ll be sailin’. I’ll be goin’, too.”

  This news surprised Flith. “Yore goin’ with ’em, Cap’n? ’Ow long’ll ye be gone?”

  Riftun was not one to give away valuable information. “For as long as it takes. That’s all you need t’know. Now lissen, you’ll be in charge ’ere while I’m gone, so I want to find things in good order on my return. Got that?”

  Flith saluted. “Aye, Cap’n, ye can rely on me. But there ain’t no reason fer you to go off sailin’, none I can see.”

  Riftun leaned closer, dropping his voice so the slaves could not eavesdrop on what he was about to say. “I’m goin’ to let ye in on a liddle secret, Flith, so keep it to yerself. Agarnu is only King by blood. ’E’s a Pure Ferret, but the law of Riftgard sez that a proper king must not only be of the blood, but that ’e must possess an’ wear the crown an’ pawring which is the symbol of ’is office.”

  Flith raised his eyebrows. “I never knew that! So wot yer sayin’ is, since he’s got no crown an’ pawring, Agarnu ain’t a real king, just a sort o’ deputy?”

  Riftun leaned on his spear and nodded. “Right! I served under Sarengo, the old king. Now ’e was a proper ruler. But then ’e went off on that voyage with Agarnu. Hah, I recall well the day Sarengo told Agarnu ’e was takin’im along. The fat useless fool wept like a baby. But Sarengo wanted to toughen Agarnu up, said ’e’d either come back ’ere as a king or not at all. They was off to plunder some place called Redwall—it’s supposed t’be full o’ treasure—but they never found it. Agarnu was the only one to make it back to Riftgard alive. Nobeast knows, except Agarnu ’imself, wot ’appened beyond the seas in that other land called Mossflower. An’ he ain’t never said a word of wot went wrong, or ’ow ’e lost a leg. Think of it, a king, his crown an’ pawring, fifty good Ratguards an’ a great ship, all lost. Agarnu was close to death’s door when ’e crawled ashore off an ’alf-wrecked ship’s longboat.”

  Flith nodded. “I recall that. I was only a young Ratguard meself at the time. Ye can’t blame Agarnu fer not wantin’ t’go back t’sea.”

  Riftun sniggered humourlessly. “No, that’s why ’e’s sendin’ Kurda an’ Bladd. They’ve got to find out if King Sarengo’s still alive. If it turns out Sarengo’s dead, they’ve got to bring back ’is crown an’ pawring. Then Agarnu’ll be a real king, an’ so will whichever of ’is two brats follows in succession.”

  Flith thought about this, then scratched his tail. “But why d’you ’ave t’go, Cap’n?”

  Riftun puffed out his narrow chest importantly. “ ’Cos I’m the ’ighest-rankin’ rat in Riftgard. I’ve got t’see that the Prince an’ Princess don’t try to murder one another. Kurda’s got nothin’ but hatred for Bladd, an’ young Bladd ain’t as stupid as ’e looks. I bet ’e’d put a knife twixt ’is sister’s ribs as soon as look at ’er. So I’m bein’ sent along with a squad o’ Ratguards, in command of everythin’. At noon Agarnu’ll come down t’the new ship with Kurda and Bladd, to formally give the vessel to them. Aye, an’ Kurda’s goin’ to be allowed to execute those three prisoners in the punishment cage, just t’keep the other slaves from gettin’ fancy ideas. Then they’re all goin’ back t’the fortress for a farewell feast. While that’s goin’ on, the ship’ll be provisioned, ready to sail at eventide. So I’m warnin’ ye, Flith, keep things runnin’ smooth while I’m awa
y, or you’ll be the one in the punishment cage when I get back. Is that clear, Lieutenant?”

  Flith kept his eyes on the ground. “Aye, Cap’n, crystal clear!”

  Riftun stalked off, back to the fortress. Flith watched him go, then turned his attention to the Ratguards who were overseeing the path construction.

  Flith tried out his new authority. “Youse lot, call yerself Ratguards! I’d ’ave had this job finished three days back if ’twas left t’me. Get those slaves movin’, I want to ’ear yer whips crackin’ louder. You lot are in for it if this path doesn’t reach the jetty in two hours. Wot d’ye expect, the King an’is family t’get muddy paws? The Prince an’ Princess ’avin’ t’walk over slushy ground? I’ll see this path finished if I ’ave to use the carcasses of both guards an’ slaves fer the royal party t’walk over. Get movin’!”

  Shogg came up for air. “Nearly through now, though I’d take me oath these bars are thicker at the bottom than at the top!”

  Triss cast a sympathetic glance at her friend. “Do you want to take a rest and let me have a go at it?”

  The otter shook his head, chuckling. “No, no, matey, you couldn’t ’old yore breath long enough underwater. There’s only me who can do this. You keep watch.”

  Taking a deep breath, he submerged himself once more.

  Princess Kurda put the final touches to her blade on an oiled stone and tested it on her paw. “Yarr, der heavy sabre be best for der choppink!” Swishing and slashing at imaginary victims, she prowled into the throne room.

  Agarnu eyed the sabre distastefully. “Stop wavin’ dat t’ing about. You like Sarengo wit mace’n’chain!”

  Prince Bladd positioned himself behind Captain Riftun. “I not goin’ on dat boat if she be takin’ swords vit her!”

  Agarnu banged his false leg on the floor decisively. “I say you go, den you go! Riftun be dere to proteck you, take some swords you’self if you vant, yarr.”

  Bladd tried to tough it out in front of his sister. “Yarr, I take mace’n’chain, like dey say mine granpa had!”

  Kurda could not resist baiting him. “Mace und chain, yarr, you could not even lift von, fool!”

  Bladd stuck out his tongue and made a rude noise. “Den I tell Riftun to stick his big spear in you!”

  Kurda’s pink eyes shone wickedly. “Nobeast’s spear stop dis sword. Spears, tchah!”

  Agarnu roared at them both, “Stop der fightink, you two!”

  However, Kurda was bound to have the last word. “You watch der vay I deal wid dose slaves, den you try an’ sleep tonight!”

  The last logs had been laid, completing the walkway to the new ship at the jetty’s end. Flith made his guards herd the slaves to one side.

  Shogg popped his head up, dismayed. “The file’s snapped, just when I was nearly through!”

  Welfo sobbed nervously. “I can hear the gates being unlocked. They’re coming! Can’t we do something?”

  The otter set his jaw grimly. “I’ll try bashin’ the bar with a rock!”

  Diving beneath the surface, he located a hefty boulder, which they had previously been using to try to bend the bars. All caution was thrown aside now. The noise of Shogg’s efforts could be heard clearly, echoing round the fjord banks: Thook! Drrongg! Thook! Brrungg!

  Lieutenant Flith ran toward the quivering cage. “Wot in the name o’ fangs is goin’ on there?”

  Drufo pushed a Ratguard in the back, sending him sprawling as he yelled to the other slaves, “Now, mates, now!”

  They broke loose, hustling and jostling the guards. Flith was knocked flying into the water. Slaves were roaring and yelling as they grabbed whips from their surprised captors. The bar broke under the pounding from Shogg’s rock. He grabbed it to use as a weapon, wading out of the cage into the fjord, calling to his two friends:

  “Move yoreselves, mates, this is the only chance we’ll get!”

  Agarnu and his party froze as they emerged from the fortress. Riftun grabbed one of the twelve honour guards accompanying them. “Quick, run an’ get the other guards, bring the archers! The prisoners have broke out o’ the cage!”

  Triss had a tight hold on Welfo’s paw as she raced along behind Shogg. They splashed through the shallows, avoiding being caught in the melee on the walkway.

  Drufo was waving Flith’s spear, cheering them on from the midst of the chaos. “Freedom, Triss! You an’ yore pals, go for freedom!”

  A Ratguard who was close to the ship came running at the three with his whip raised. Shogg struck him down with the cage bar, while Triss and Welfo loosed the mooring ropes from their bollards and climbed aboard.

  Shogg followed them and tossed the bar aside. “Get the oars, shove ’er out, the tide’s beginnin’ to turn!”

  Kurda led the reinforcement guards. Charging into the massed slaves, she hacked left and right with her heavy sabre. The slaves wilted under the menace of shafts upon drawn bows and long pikes being thrust at them.

  Drufo still had Flith’s spear. He stood at the jetty end, anxiously glancing from the slow-moving ship to the oncoming guards.

  Triss yelled hoarsely at her father’s old companion-in-arms. “Drufo! Sling that spear away, swim for the ship! Come on, we’ll pull you aboard! Throw the spear away!”

  The old squirrel stood firm, watching Kurda coming toward him. He called back over his shoulder to the young squirrelmaid.

  “Get away from ’ere, Trissy. Get away! I ain’t goin’ nowhere! This is as good a day to die as any. Remember me, remember yore father. You’ll be back to free the slaves one day, I know ye will. Now go, don’t waste the chance we gave ye!”

  Drufo had time for no more words. Kurda was upon him. Chopping the spearhaft in half with a few vicious strokes, she ran Drufo through with her sabre.

  Triss saw it all. It was burned into her memory like a red-hot iron. Shogg shoved her roughly.

  “You ’eard ’im, Triss, use that oar! I’ll loose the sail. Move yoreself quicker, or we’ll all die ’ere. You, too, Welfo!”

  Kurda waded into the fjord until it was above her waist. Then she was forced to duck as Bladd shouted at the archers, “Shoot dem vit arrows, cut dem down! Fire!”

  A hail of barbed shafts thudded into the vessel’s stern, some of them falling short into the water, narrowly missing Kurda.

  The Princess dashed from the water, quivering with rage, her silken robes sopping wet. “Fools! Idiots! I could haff gotten aboard der ship!”

  As she pointed back at the vessel with her sabre, a healthy breeze caught the single purple sail, billowing it out and sending the ship smoothly seaward down the fjord. Riftun seized the shamefaced Flith and rapped out orders.

  “They ain’t made it t’the sea yet. Git yore archers an’ spear throwers on the mountainside, chase alongside ’em. Pour in arrers an’ spears, rocks, anythin’, but stop those slaves makin’ it out to sea. Get goin’, ye useless slob!”

  Triss wiped blood from an arrow graze on her cheek as she watched the Ratguards mount the rocky slopes in pursuit. It was still quite a way to open water. “Looks like they’re coming after us, Shogg. Best steer her over to the far shore or they’ll pick us off easily.”

  The otter adjusted the tiller, judging the fjord cannily. “Can’t take ’er too close, t’other bankside is very rocky. Keep those oars pullin’, luck’s on our side so far. I ’ope the tide’s not run out altogether, otherwise we’ll get stuck on sandbars at the estuary mouth.”

  The Ratguards were shooting arrows now. Their range was too far for spears, so the spearbeasts used their slings to hurl stones. Triss and Welfo could see the missiles coming, so it was not hard to row and avoid arrows or stones. Welfo felt a new confidence flooding through her, and the hogmaid winked at Triss. “We’ll make it, she’s got the wind behind her pretty good now. Not far to go and head for the open sea—Unff!”

  Welfo had been looking up at the sail as she spoke, when a big solid pebble from a Ratguard’s sling struck her hard on the side of the head. She co
llapsed unconscious to the deck.

  Shogg was at her side immediately. “Stow yore oar, Triss, tend to our mate. She ain’t bad ’urt. I got to look after the tiller an’ not let the bow drift too far over.”

  Flith stumbled and staggered over sharp rocks and snagging shrubs, exhorting the guards. “Pour it into ’em, we’ve taken care o’ the ’edgepig. You front lot, get ahead o’ me, down to the estuary! The river mouth narrows there. That’ll be our best chance. We might even get ’em stuck on a sandbank if the tide’s run out enough!”

  Shogg raised himself from the tiller, staring anxiously ahead. “Triss, get Welfo down to the cabin out o’ the way. Tide’s still ebbin’ up yonder, I don’t like it. Got to take ’er out into midstream now, so keep yore ’ead down, matey!”

  Flith’s advance guard had reached the high peak at the inlet when he joined them. The ship swung out into midstream, heading for the gap. The searat sniggered joyfully. “I kin see the bottom from ’ere, ’tis runnin’ shallow. Ha-hah! Look, the ship’s draggin’, she’s runnin’er bow onto a sandbar. Now let em ’ave it! I want those other two lookin’ like pincushions! Fill ’em full of arrers!

  “Split inter two groups, you lot. Stay up ’ere, keep firin’ arrers. The rest, foller me an’ bring yore spears. We’ll wade out an’ rip ’em t’ribbons! It ain’t deep there, we’ll do it easy!”

  The vessel ground to a shuddering halt. Shogg yelled down the cabin hatch, “Up ’ere, Triss, quick, she’s run aground!”

  The squirrelmaid came bounding up on deck. “What do we do?”

  Her otter friend outlined his desperate plan. “Leave two lines runnin’ over the stern so we can get back aboard. Me ’n’ you’s got to lever ’er off this bank with the oars. Come on, we ain’t got much time. Flith’s comin’ down after us!”

  Shogg vaulted over the stern with two oars, while Triss hung out the two lines, then joined him. They dug the oars into the sandy bottom under the stern and placed the oarpoles over their shoulders.