"Chapter 1: A Cold Beginning" by Ian Plumb

Chapter 1: A Cold Beginning

Simon opened the door to the top floor of the squat marine tower. Shielding his eyes from dawn's early light, head still ringing from the prolonged ritual, he took Heather's hand and strode cautiously out onto the parapet. A marine saluted. Simon smiled at the soldier's misplaced belief in his authority. "Give them what they expect, Simon, and their belief will hold.", he thought to himself as he nodded in the soldier's direction. Still holding Heather's hand they walked across to the wall together.

Simon peered over the edge looking down into the gloom of the tower's shadow. A smile crossed his lips that swiftly hardened into a predatory gaze. Perfect in every detail. Simon had noted well the way the northern chains curved with the flow of the river. The turbulence where the water passed over and through the chain. The colour of the chain and the way it strained under the water's constant pull. The southern chains mimicked the northern but not exactly. The southern chains had to interact with the shadows from the towers and banks of the river, had to take into account more taint in the water from the city. Simon cast his eye along the length of the chains and to the towers themselves. Every detail was as expected. And that is the key to any illusion. Macon's defenders will be heartened knowing that their back is protected. And our enemies? Their hearts will know fear as they see Macon's chains and know that their worst expectations have been met.

What though had led Macon inexorably towards this fateful day...?

Early Winter 1417, on the road from Roche-Grande to Macon.

Rana trudged beside her horse, her great cloak clasped around her body. The blizzard whipped around her and she could taste the taint of magic on the wind. Wrenching the cloth from her face she pulled on her horses reins, guiding him to the side of the road. As her men filed past she cried out, "Keep moving! Keep moving! To stop is to die!"

The wagons laden with gold coin -- enough to keep the government of Cartélan solvent for a year or more -- passed by at walking pace, the great oxen seemingly immune to both the weather and the weight of the wagons. Their pace dictated the troop's pace. Their value dictated that they not be left behind -- and not be used to transport men on the edge of exhaustion.

Cabral brought up the rear. Rana, having counted the men, shouted in his ear, "Do any follow?!" Cabral simply shook his head wearily. Rana looked back into the teeth of the blizzard. Half. Half the North Gate Guard had been consumed by this accursed storm. Yet they were still, as best she could guess, only half way to Macon.

By day's end they had found a copse of trees in which to shelter. The great fir trees were covered in snow, weighing down the branches. The bottom branches touched the ground such was the weight of snow. This created a space around the trunk that was both free of snow and sheltered from the wind. Exhausted, the troop thankfully huddled together around the trees, their blankets providing a warmth that felt like it had been absent for weeks rather than days.

For two days they sheltered there in relative safety. The blizzard ended as suddenly as it had started. With so many of the animals and men perishing much of their supplies had fallen by the wayside with those responsible for their safe-keeping. Rana and Cabral moved amongst the men, exhorting them to make one final push for Macon.

Three days out from Macon they were met by those Guardsmen left behind to man the North Gate. A joyous reunion it was too. They brought both supplies and fresh horses, and the troopers began to believe that they would indeed survive the journey.

On arrival in Macon they were greeted by the Mayor and Chancellor. A troop of Royal Gendarmes escorted them to the Banque du Cartélan. Their mission complete there was much to discuss -- but that would wait for another day.

Note: For explanations regarding the world in which this story is set, it's peoples and language please take a look at The Encyclopaedia of Everything located in my library.