137 Death of the peonie

 Zŭmò almost ran the final steps. 

Peonie Manor came into view.... but it wasn't as he expected. There were no people tending the gardens, no overpowering smells of flower petals being brewed into perfume, no laughter, no children. Nothing, just a void which echoed the sounds of time past. 

He looked around, his mind racing, 'My wife! My children! Mother', then he called out, "Mai Mai! Mai Mai, where are you? Mother?"

He sank to the ground, his heart breaking. Tears of rage and sadness stung in his eyes and fell onto the ground as he screamed with rage, loss, anger, disbelief, pain, yes, pain, a pain in the heart he thought, would rip him in half.

"Search the place! Anyone alive, bring them to me immediately!"

"Sir." Instantly, the men separated and combed the grounds, the house, the fields around. They managed to find one old lady hidden in a woodshed. She was scared and tried hard to squirm her way out of their grasp.

"I've got nothing!" she said, "you've taken it all and what you haven't taken you've trashed. The only thing left is me, so kill me, I've got nothing to live for, go on, kill me!" Her voice got stronger and louder as she spoke, an air of defiance which had probably kept her alive until now. 

"I'm sorry, Madam, but our superior has said to bring you to the house. Please."

She eyed him with suspicion but struggled less. He half pulled, half lifted her to Captain Zŭmò. When she saw him, she almost collapsed. "Zŭmò, my boy, you've come back."

At that she fell to the floor and clutching her chest, sank into a comatose state. 

"Quickly, take her inside , see if there is anywhere she can be rested."

The men looked at Zŭmò inquiringly. "She's the old house-keeper. She was responsible for raising me and my brother. I loved her like a mother. I'm glad she is alive but.." His voice trailed off as he thought of his wife and children and his birth mother.

"I've found some fresh water," one of the Swords said, "its a bit cold bit it may help the old lady?" He offered it to Captain Zŭmò who nodded, and taking the old lady in his embrace, offered the water to her lips.

She took a sip, "Thank you Zŭmò," lifting her hand, she stroked his face, "I can hardly believe you are here. Am I dreaming? Am I already dead? Have you come to take me to the afterlife?"

"No, Ma, its real. I'm really here."

 

 The young soldier moved further into the swamp. The rain beat down mercilessly and the ground was becoming boggier as they took each step. The three crouched down and pulled out their bog shoes; wide boat shaped pieces of wood which they had carved out to fit their feet. 

Each boat was held in place with leather straps which crossed over the toe and then around the ankle, giving the feet the ability to move within the boat. They were very stable and once mastered, the wearer could easily run across the wettest of grounds and not sink.

"Do you think we will find any tonight?" one of the three looked hopefully ahead.

"If we don't find any I suspect we'll hear them move soon enough." 

A quiet giggle was shared between them; when ghosts and spirits raise their heads, men run for cover. 

There were many superstitions about these marshes; of maliceous ghosts, blood sucking spirits and most frightening of all, the spirit of the water, the lady who summons all to her bed where she devours them. They knew all the stories, they had been raised on them. They knew the characters, they know their attrubutes. They also had their favourites and love to play them at various festivals during the year, but now they got to play them for real. Their excitement was palpable. 

"The sun is starting to set, so we have time for a quick bite and then we'll set ourselves up for the play tonight. I'm the snake-beast, who are you?" It was kids playing make-believe and they were excited.

"I'm a maliceous ghost."

"I like to be a water snake slithering through the water."

"Okay but remember the leeches."

"Exactly, I collect them and then throw them at people. I have a good aim."

"So if we find anyone ,  you're throwing leeches?"

"Yep."

"Madness, but alright, if that's what you want to do?"

"Well, they don't usually like them attached do they and try to run from themselves."

"True, there's always an outside chance they'll fall in."

"Couldn't happen to nicer people!" 

"Now you're being flippant!"

"Shh, or they'll hear us!"

"Who will? Oh. Oh, yes, they will."

"Have you lost the plot or something?"

"Better that than being serious all the time."

"Shut up the pair of you! Eat! We frighten afterwards, go it!"

"Sir." 

 

 Border Town was only a matter of an hour away. Hao called them to a stop.

"We rest here. Take out your dry rations, no fires. Our next task is to establish a base, so I want three groups to comb the area and find a suitable set of buildings, preferably farm ones, which are uninhabited and can be utilised." They nodded and three men selected a few soldiers each. They ate quickly, then left with their instructions.

"Sir, what will be our objective?"

"I want to clear the pathway leading to Border Town and at the same time, move into the town itself. That will be down to the Blades as they are best suited to that form of combat. Those from the Archers?" A small body of men looked up from their food, " I will ask you to set up points along the road which are easy to defend but easy to fire from. I will ask a few Swords to accompany you. They ask the questions, you decide upon the best methods to turn confrontation into eradication."

They nodded and began talking among themselves, finalising plans, setting up groupings, preparing to move out once they had a base established.

One group returned. "There's a disused farm just up from here. It has outbuildings and a base house. It clearly abandoned as half the roof is missing from the house and the outbuildings are in serious need of repair.

Another group returned, breathless. "Vermin approximately fifty metres away. Six of them and they're walking this towards us."

"Engage with the order to eradicate."

"Sir."

The three who had just returned went back out again. Three of the Arrows went to follow them.

"Retrieve all arrows as a matter of course."

"Sir." They nodded and left. 

Hao sat with his back to a tree and removed his prayer beads. She had given them to him. They were beads made from seed cases of water plants. In his head, he heard her voice, "Take each bead and roll it between your fingers. Let the water do its work, lifting you back into the centre of the race. Only when we sit there can we work to our best, can we fight from our instincts, can we move with the speed and grace of the water as it takes out its opposition. Lie in the rapids and allow it to take you through. I am there, I am there."

He began to relax and feeling her close to him, he opened his eyes and prepared to take up the mantle once more.

'I feel you, I hear you, I am one with you. Whether you live or die, you are always with me. I am the out breath, you are the in. For as long as I breathe we are together in this world. When I stop, we move together in the perminant turning of the seasons.' 

For the first time in his life he realised where her power lay.

The men returned. "Vermin eradicated and bodies buried, Sir."

"Time to move out. Lead the way, there's a farm house waiting for our occupancy. 

 

We had moved everyone to Fishmouth. Xin and Bǎo were still to join us. The women began organising themselves and the men worked with them creating a safer place to be. The shrubbery round the town was cleared  and a series of trip wires linked to tinkling metal strips were positioned along the outskirts of the buildings they were using.

Second Master had made these and every soldier carried a bundle of them so as to be able sleep and have an early warning system should someone approach. These had been collected and used on-mass.

I watched from the sidelines. I wasn't needed, so withdrew into the surrounding area to explore and orientate. I wanted to learn how to recognise sinking mud from muddy ground, I wanted to work out where the paths ran, I wanted to find out what plants grew around here we could use as a food source until we were established. I had no idea how long the women would be here and they needed to move around. Better to explore now whilst its quiet. And why was it named Fish mouth?

I walked toward the path which was supposed to lead to the next hamlet. It was only a single track. One would have to travel on foot with goods on your back. At most it could accomodate a donkey as long as you rode it, but it became clear this path hadn't been in use for a very long time. The reeds and marram grasses had sprung up almost covering the path completely. 

My sixth sense twitched and stopping where I was, I watched a poisonous water snake slithering in my direction. Emptying my mind I stood stock still, observing its progress.

It was large, so fully mature. The bite would be devistating. It came toward me, its tongue flicking, scenting the air. I gave it no indication of emotional energy, I gave it no threat. It slithered around my foot and carried on its lazy movement through the grasses. I heard a plop as something entered the water. No, this was not the direction to go, so chances are, if people had been living here recently, they would have used the water rather than land. It made me wonder whether the land route was hazardous for other reasons. Thinking of the waterway along the banks here, its a tough ask for any oarsman to steer a boat. I had trouble swimming through with the amount of weed growth and the repeated changes in water depth. Thinking back to the buildings, it was clear they had been out of use for a considerable time. These women were probably safe from human attack, but open to Nature, and the varous natural hazards such as these snakes, insect attack and the like.

I retraced my steps and moving through the centre of Fishmouth scanned the buildings before I headed north. It wasn't long before I reached the waters edge. It was then, I realised why this was given that name.

 

"Sir," an out of breath aide came up to Second Master, and offered a missive. "Sir, this has just been delivered. The scout said it is urgent. He was insistant we emphasise the urgency." With that, he withdrew a few paces and walked along behind the Commander.

 It was from Hàorán. "Do not, repeat, do not proceed across the toll bridge. Deviate your route. Follow the river toward the split before Shuān Hé. There is a disused crossing. Little rain at the moment so river is quiet and low. Vehicles can ford there. Fierce fighting just across toll. More troops needed. Blades and Arrows. Whole area a fish bowl. Equates to perfect trap. H"

"Call the Chief of Staff for Blades and Arrows. I need to see them immediately. Tell them its urgent."

The aide nodded and scurried off to pass on the message. 

It was then he noticed the first signs of trouble as two Hammers grabbed a line of prisoners and pulled them out.

'I do not need this', Second Master growled to himself, his fists clenching. Stalking over to the line of miserable wretches he noted three of the line cowering, already kneeling on the floor. He cut these three loose of the other five.

"Stand these three to one-sided," he barked, "and you!" he was shouting by now. The rage decended like red mist. The whip was out before anyone realised and the loud crack, which echoed around the train, brought everyone to a stop.

"What have you to grumble about? Ay? You have a bed. You have food. All you have to do is walk and we don't expect you to walk far each day either! Don't you want to get back to your families? Don't you want to get this all over and done with and wrap your arms around your wives and children? Well, do you?"

He paced around the shortened group of five. It was clear from their faces they recognised someone they shouldn't have crossed, but it was too late, and it was clear, there was absolutely no mercy in this man. The whip came up and lashed out before they realised it was coming. The sting was so intense, three buckled to the floor pulling the other two with them. Then the beating began. The whip flailed out, cutting deep into their flesh. From the angle of their fall,  a couple were flailed across their faces as well as their backs. Two received full attacks on their chests and abdomens. As they fought the flailing of the whip, they fought the pulling of the jute around their necks. The other men blanched at the ferocity. Some of the Twin Hammer flinched at the remeberance of their whippings. He spared no-one. Discipline was absoute under this man, and the all knew arguing with him was futile. 

The prisoners began to realise why the Twin Hammers had been so ruthless in their attacks. No-one in their army was as terrifying as this man and none held the level of respect and authority this Commander was given by his men.

Another of the Hammers stepped up, and holding Second Master's arm, gave him the look to stop. He complied and nodded at his fellow Hammer, as he stepped back. It was only then he saw just how ferocious he had been.

"Take them to the physician's wagon. Do not untie them."

Two of the Hammers took hold of the front and rear man, hauling them to their feet, part dragging part marching them to the back of the convoy.

"I hope the rest of you understand the consequences of descent?" Second Master looked around the prisoners, "I am not a gentle man. I demand obedience. If I fail to get it, I will beat you until I get it. I hope that is understood."

He folded the whip and shook the excess blood of its length. "I hate shedding blood, but when its necessary, I am not frightened to spill a great deal." There was a degree of calmness returning to his voice, but the icy tone was heard by all. 

"Gentlemen. Move out."

Turning to the two Chiefs of Staff, he proceeded to give out orders of troop deployment. He had already sent his aide, with the missive to the Second in Command for the Hammers, who was busy re-routing their progress and navigation along the narrowing causeways between the river on their left and the farming terraces to their right.