Taybard and his friends had been earning coppers in the market, fetching and carrying for the shoppers, when news came in of the assassination attempt on the Moidart. All business had stopped momentarily as people paused to discuss the dreadful incident. Most of the residents of Old Hills were Varlish, and many could remember the last clan uprising fourteen years before. Those had been bloody times, days of rape, pillage and murder, ending only when the beetlebacks had crushed the last of the Rigante. An attack upon the Moidart might be the herald of a new uprising.
Kaelin Ring had come walking along Market Lane, a canvas bag hanging from his shoulder. He had not seen Taybard and his friends. Nor did he seem to notice the gathering crowd. It looked, to Taybard, as if Ring felt the worries of the townsfolk were somehow beneath him.
Kammel Bard, one of Taybard’s companions, an overweight redheaded youth, saw him staring at Ring. ‘He can’t be bothered with the likes of us, Tay,’ he said.
‘He will today,’ snapped Taybard. He ran across the lane, catching up to Kaelin Ring just as he reached the gates of the school. ‘Heard the news, Ring?’ shouted Taybard. The black-haired youth stopped and turned.
‘I’ve heard. What do you want, Jaekel?’
‘Stinking clansmen attacked our Moidart.’
Ring said nothing, and swung away to continue his walk. ‘Don’t you turn your back on me, you bastard!’ shouted Taybard, rushing forward. Ring side-stepped as Taybard grabbed at him. Taybard felt himself falling, and landed hard upon the cobbles, bruising his knees. Kammel Bard and Luss Campion came running over. ‘He’s attacked Tay!’ shouted Kammel.
Taybard pushed himself to his feet. The crowd moved out, forming a half circle around the two young men. Kaelin Ring still had his canvas bag upon his shoulder. Taybard advanced more warily. At least a head taller than his quarry, and twenty pounds heavier, he was known for his street-fighting skills. His heart pounded and a savage exultation filled him. He would make Ring beg for mercy. Taybard darted forward. Ring ducked, moved to his left, and hooked his foot over Taybard’s instep. Taybard stumbled and fell once more. A sharp stone slashed his leggings and cut a shallow wound into his leg. Taybard cried out, more in anger than in pain. He looked up. Kaelin Ring was still holding to his bag. Twice now Taybard had hit the ground. He scrambled to his feet, aware of laughter in the crowd. It stung him worse than a whiplash. He advanced on his opponent. The black-haired clansman laid his sack upon the floor. Taybard moved in and let fly with a straight left. Ring swayed aside from it and delivered a right uppercut to Taybard’s belly. Air whooshed from his lungs and he sagged forward – into a powerful head butt that smashed his nose. Taybard fell back, blood streaming. Fat Kammel ran at Ring and grabbed him. Ring slammed an elbow into Kammel’s face. As he did so Luss Campion ran in and thundered a punch to Ring’s cheek. The skin split and blood sprayed out. Kaelin Ring lashed out with his foot, kicking Luss Campion’s feet from under him, then he hit Kammel twice more with his elbow. Kammel let go and threw a clumsy punch. Ring blocked it and hit the fat youth in the jaw with a straight left, followed by a right cross. Luss Campion had regained his feet and ran in behind Ring, grabbing him in a bear hug and pinning his arms. The clansman leaned forward, then threw his head back. His skull struck Campion full in the face.
Taybard watched Luss fall back. Blind rage – and pain from his-own smashed nose – overcame his reason and he drew a small knife from a sheath at his belt. Kammel had grabbed Ring again, and. Luss ran in hurling blow after blow at the clansman. Taybard-moved in, ready to grab Ring’s hair, pull back his head and rip open his throat.
Just as he reached the struggling trio a shadow moved across him. He glanced to his left. A golden horse surged forward, its shoulder slamming into Taybard, knocking him once more to the cobbles. Two officers of the Watch, one of them the famed Sergeant Bindoe, moved through the crowd and pinned the arms of Kaelin Ring. Luss Campion smashed two blows to the clansman’s fac while he was being held. The officers holding him did nothing prevent the attack.