Sara Douglass – The Axis Trilogy 2 – Enchanter

Axis hastily averted both his eye and his thoughts. Rivkah could choose as she wished. Why should a dalliance with Magariz bother him?

Belaguez had almost reached the front ranks now, and Axis saw Azhure. She sat Venator slightly to one side of Magariz, as beautiful in her weapons and mail as she was naked in his blankets. Yet over the past five or six weeks the most Axis had seen of Azhure’s body had been her naked, scarred back. Ever since Axis had awoken calling Faraday’s name Azhure had grown ever more distant and silent with him. She still lay by his side at night, but remained stiff and unyielding.

Axis burned for her, more than he could have ever imagined burning for any woman. She occupied his thoughts almost constantly, and the deepening distance between them was slowly driving him mad. No woman he had wanted before had denied him like this. To have her breathing softly by his side night after night, completely untouchable, drove him to distraction.

As Axis passed Azhure turned her head slightly, refusing to look him in the eye.

Axis’ mouth thinned and he reined Belaguez to a halt some four or five paces beyond his commanders. He forced Azhure from his mind and lifted his eyes.

Borneheld sat at the head of his army five hundred paces away as it lay huddled about Bedwyr Fort and the sharp elbow of the Nordra where it turned south towards its mouth into the Sea of Tyrre.

Today Axis would give Borneheld his last chance to back down, to agree to join Axis in fighting against Gorgrael. Of course, Axis sincerely hoped that Borneheld would elect to fight him instead, for Borneheld still had to die, and Axis preferred it to be as a result of battle rather than cold-blooded murder. Yet…yet… Borneheld could not die here on the field. If Faraday wasn’t present then the GateKeeper’s contract could not be fulfilled.

“Come,” he said to Belial and Magariz, and spurred Belaguez forward. Behind them rode Arne, carrying the golden standard, the wind whipping and crackling the material so that the blazing sun actually seemed to spit and hiss like an angry fire.

None of the men were armed, and all were unhelmeted.

As Axis and the three who accompanied him rode across the open field between the two armies, a small group of horsemen broke away from Borneheld’s army and rode to meet them.

As the two small groups of horsemen approached each other Rivkah kicked her horse forward and joined Azhure. Their eyes were glued to Axis’ retreating form.

“Have you told him yet?” she asked.

Azhure shook her head. “He does not need to know, Rivkah. He has too much to worry him at the moment for me to add to his concerns.”

“He has every right to know, Azhure. How can you deny him this knowledge?”

Azhure turned to Rivkah, angry now. “I understand your concern, Rivkah, but this a problem for myself and Axis. After the battle for Tencendor has been won, then I will tell him.”

Rivkah shook her head, her face lined with worry. What was Axis planning to do about Azhure and Faraday? He was as touchy on the subject as Azhure was about her pregnancy.

Slowly the two groups of horsemen converged. It is Gun-dealga Ford all over again, thought Belial as he reined his horse back to a trot, except the purpose of this meeting is to declare the truce null and void – and to make sure everyone understands this fight will be to the death. Finally Axis and Borneheld’s bitter feud would reach its bloody conclusion.

Axis and Borneheld halted some seven or eight paces apart and stared into each other’s eyes. Axis’ blood-red cloak flapped about his golden tunic, Borneheld wore a regal golden circlet above his gleaming bronzed WarLord’s armour. What would this world have been like, Belial wondered suddenly, if only one and not the other had been born? Both were largely what they were because of the rivalry between them. Would Borneheld have been so hostile to the Forbidden if Axis had not led them? So full of doubts if he did not have the golden rivalry of his brother to overshadow him? Would Axis have been so willing to subject Achar to civil war if Borneheld had not been King? So desperate to reach Faraday if she had not been Borneheld’s wife?

“Well, brother,” Axis said, “it seems the time for treaties and truces has well and truly died.”

“Have you made your peace with your dark and malevolent gods, Axis?” Borneheld sneered. “Shortly you will meet with them face to face.”

Axis forced a smile to his face, and watched as Borneheld’s own face darkened in anger. “Brother, I have asked to meet you this one last time to offer to you again the chance to fight under my command so that we may both repel the invader.”

“You are the invader, Axis,” Borneheld sputtered angrily. “And / am here to repel you.”

“Then it is war, brother? You would prefer that I now move to complete your humiliation?” Axis broadened his smile. “Borneheld, surely you realise that I now control more of Achar than you do?”

“I see the standards of the traitors Ysgryff and Greville flying in the ranks behind you, Axis. What did you offer them to make them renege on their duty to their King and to their god?” Borneheld snarled.

Each new example of traitorous activity drove Borneheld close to despair, and none so much as Ysgryff and Greville’s defection. Why was Artor betraying him like this? Artor? Artor? Do you still listen, Artor? Are you still there?

Over the past weeks Borneheld’s nightmares had got so bad that he hardly dared lay his head down at night. The evil-eyed black-haired witch, a-waiting at her counting table, appeared night after night, beckoning to him with her long white fingers.

Sometimes she held out a begemmed chalice, brimming with water.

During the day Jayme, as his advisers, bolstered Borneheld’s conviction and his belief in himself, but Borneheld wondered if their consciences troubled them late into the night too. And well might they desperately try to bolster my courage and belief, Borneheld thought cynically, because I am all that now stands between them and disaster. My army is the only thing that stands between Axis and the Tower of the Seneschal. Even Jayme has laid aside his ill-temper in the face of Axis’ army.

“Ysgryff and Greville came willingly to my cause,” Axis said, noting the dark shadows under Borneheld’s grey eyes. “As did all my army. Every one at my back loves me, Borneheld, and loves my cause. Can you say the same? / do not have to hire men to fight for me.”

Borneheld relaxed on his horse. At least this Axis did not know. “I have concluded an alliance with the Corolean Emperor, Axis. Hourly there arrive ships from Coroleas bringing me reinforcements. If you think to attack me, Axis, then delay not. Each day, each hour you wait, adds to my strength.”

The only indication of Axis’ surprise was a slight tightening of his hands about Belaguez’s reins. An alliance with Coroleas? Axis had long feared this. The Corolean Empire had massive resources in both gold and manpower -if Axis did not defeat Borneheld quickly and decisively, then he could be bogged down in southern Achar in a disastrous war of attrition for months to come. Not only was there the GateKeeper’s contract to fulfil, but Axis also worried deeply about Gorgrael and his continuing development of the Skraelings. Every day Axis wasted in southern Achar brought the likelihood of disaster in the north closer. Axis glanced behind Borneheld. Jorge and Gautier had accompanied him to meet with Axis – but if Jorge and Gautier were in Carlon, who was left to effectively command the defences at Jervois Landing?

And what had Borneheld offered the Emperor for a military alliance?

Borneheld could read the query on Axis’ face as soon as it crossed his mind.

“Nor, brother. I offered him Nor.”

“Well, I hope the Emperor does not lust too badly for Nor. He shall not have it.” Axis’ smile had gone completely now.

“I doubt we have much else to say to each other, Axis,” Borneheld said, and wheeled his horse away.

“Wait!” Axis’ voice was sharp. “There is someone waiting behind who wants to speak with you.”

Borneheld pulled his horse up and turned as a lone figure spurred its horse forward from the front ranks of Axis’ army.

“Someone you have wanted to meet for a very long time,” Axis added.

A silver-haired woman drew close, slowing her horse. She was very handsome, fine-boned. Borneheld’s frown deepened.

“Rivkah,” Axis said, smiling at her, and Borneheld literally lurched in his saddle with shock. “Our mother wants to speak with you, Borneheld. She wants to see you once more before you die.”