Lords Of Freedom 2 - Chapter 13
Introduction
Lords of Freedom is an exciting trilogy that includes adventure, realistic action, surprising insights, and a touch of romance. (Movie rights open)
The serialization of Lords of Freedom book one is complete, with all 33 chapters published in the Gene Van Shaar Substack. Here is the link to all the chapters: Lords 1
The serialization of Lords of Freedom 2 (book 2 of the trilogy) is in progress. Lords of Freedom 2 includes many intriguing parallels with Joan of Arc, George Washington, Francis Marion (The Swamp Fox), Henry Knox, and the American Revolutionary War. Chapters of book 2 are being published weekly. Please follow and subscribe on X or Substack.
Lords Of Freedom 2 - Chapter 13 - New Mission and Weapons
Hon swam with smooth, strong strokes alongside Xan through the calm water of the lake. Each morning. they took a swim to loosen their muscles from the night’s sleep and prepare for the day ahead with vigor. When he stopped swimming to tread water, she did the same and they shared an affectionate kiss—another tradition they’d adopted.
It was wonderful to be back in the Heart of Freedom and their canyon home. Fredrik had kept the place in good order, and his cooking had been sorely missed, rivaled only by the traitor Barak’s meal the night they rescued Jayn. Sleeping in their plush bed, nestled in soft, clean sheets. was a luxury after camping and sailing the past while.
Solomon had visited several times, talking to them over meals or strolling through the garden and surrounding area, sharing counsel and wisdom. Sheba was pleased when Sonya, the smaller tiger, arrived in the canyon, and the two roamed and hunted happily together…when they weren’t tussling or napping.
As usual, Xan and Hon backstroked toward the shore, enjoying the sunrise as they went. On shore, Xan draped one of the large towels they’d brought across Hon’s shoulders before drying himself off. Then, hand in hand, they headed up the pathway and through the garden toward the house.
“I wonder where Sheba and Sonya are,” Hon remarked.
The cats had accompanied them down to the lake, as they always did, but today, the beach area was deserted.
“Maybe they took a jaunt into the hills,” Xan guessed.
As they crossed the patio, both froze in stride when a voice said, “Hello you two; how was your swim?”
“Solomon,” Xan said with a smile, stepping over to greet his mentor.
“Our swim was like any other—fabulous,” Hon said with a wink.
Solomon, seated in one of the chairs, nodded. “Sonya and Sheba are en route to the arena. I sent them on ahead when I arrived, during your swim.
“Your next mission is nigh at hand. I’m to escort you both to the arena as well, for a briefing from Thoth and Maat. Jartan and Sekhmet will be there as well, and brunch will be served afterward. Then, you’ll engage in some hands-on training with Jartan and Sekhmet for the remainder of the day.
“Fredrik brought appropriate clothes for you and laid them out in the pool area, in the interest of time. Once you’re dressed, we’ll head out.”
Both nodded, and Xan said, “Care to give us a little hint about the mission?”
“Weapons like none you’ve ever seen will be involved, and you’ll be helping a most intriguing man in his fight for liberty.”
When they both opened their mouths to ask more, Solomon held up a hand. “You know questions like that draw cryptic answers from me, Xan. Get dressed and we’ll be on our way; clarification awaits at the arena.”
Chuckling, they entered the house and headed for the stairs that led to the lower level of the house. Fredrik was in the great room, seated on one of the couches, reading. On the wall above were the two snake skins Xan had cured and mounted.
The three exchanged cursory greetings, and Fredrik wished them luck with a rather smug smile. This only enhanced their curiosity, and they began tossing guesses back and forth as to what the new weapons might be, what their mission would entail, and what made the leader they’d help with so special.
The great room had two facing walls of glass in golden panes as well as electric lights. Through one window, the lake could be seen; through the other, the canyon was visible. It was an airy, open area laid in green tile with gold accents and several couches. Hon had her hair braided and left it to air dry. She’d want it tied back in any case, once the hands-on training commenced.
Xan escorted them back upstairs, and as they passed through the kitchen, Fredrik promised a tasty baked fish dinner when they returned. They rejoined Solomon on the patio and headed through the garden, back toward the lake.
There, they boarded the skiff and set sail, able to see the arena banners waving in the breeze on the far shore. It took twenty minutes to traverse the lake, and as they docked, a roar sounded. Sheba stood waiting on shore, tail lashing with anticipation.
“You know more than we do at this point,” Xan remarked, scratching the big cat’s ears.
Hon slipped her hand into his. “We’d better get up to speed then.”
Solomon led the way to the arena, where they found a banquet table set up near the stands. Thoth, King of Knowledge, Measurement, Balance, and Justice, along with Maat, Queen of Truth, Harmony, Morality, and Justice, were seated on a dais with Jartan and Sekhmet in chairs at the table. Sonya lay regally at Sekhmet’s feet, but she rose and padded over to greet the newcomers, touching noses briefly with Sheba.
Once they were settled in, Thoth stood. “Your mission is to aid a man known as Marius Knox in his quest for liberty. You will be traveling into a more advanced civilization, but many things will seem familiar.
“Knox leads several colonies of settlers in an isolated, though bounteous, land. The king from their homeland has begun exercising unrighteous dominion from across the sea, forcing his laws upon them and exacting crippling taxes.
“As is usually the case, many of the settlers stand loyal to the king. They gripe and complain about the taxes, of course, but continue to pay them. Knox and about two-thirds of the settlers are poised to rebel, make their land a country unto itself, independent of their homeland and king.”
Thoth nodded to Solomon and took his seat next to Maat.
Solomon strode to the head of the table. “In the place you’re headed, they employ black powder weapons, which are far superior to knives, spears, and swords. The black powder is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and saltpeter that ignites and burns very quickly. The fiery combustion created by pulling the weapon’s trigger forces lead balls out of what is known as the barrel fast enough to cause great damage, if not death. Much distance is covered in seconds with these weapons, eliminating the need to engage the enemy close up.”
Sekhmet, Queen of Fire, War, Healing, and Protection, stood, as did the tiger Sonya. Sekhmet was tall and athletically built, clad in armor for the coming training exercises. Her long, sun-bleached hair was plaited back from her face like Hon’s, and her wrists were adorned with silver bands.
There was a waiting cart against the wall of the stands, and Sekhmet wheeled it the length of the table with Sonya padding alongside her. When they reached Solomon, Sekhmet nodded, and Sonya sank to her haunches.
Solomon, assisted by Sekhmet, proceeded to demonstrate how sparks from flint and steel in a flash pan ignited the powder, resulting in combustion that propelled the lead balls out of the weapon’s barrel at great speed.
“Balls, or bullets, as they’re more commonly known, shot from smooth barrels are unstable and inaccurate,” Solomon explained. “Barrels with twisting grooves stabilize the bullets through rotation. Rotating bullets result in straight and accurate flight paths, making it possible to hit targets hundreds of paces away.”
“These black powder weapons are truly amazing, as you’ll see. They change the battlefield considerably. Can you surmise how, Xan?”
"Since these black powder weapons—guns—are capable of killing from afar, those using them will possess a distinct advantage over those using swords, spears, or any other close-up weapon. Arrows are comparable, but bullets have greater range and power."
“You are correct.”
“Therefore, we’ll need new tactics and strategy," Hon added.
Solomon motioned to Jartan, who stood from his chair and moved to the head of the table to stand next to Sekhmet. He was a large, muscular man with short dark hair and a square face, radiating strength and confidence—Master of Weapons & Tactics. He wore an unusual belt, complete with a compartment at his right hip with a handle of some kind extending from it.
“This is what is known as a pistol,” he said, taking hold of the handle and drawing the gun. Hon and Xan leaned forward curiously, noting the careful way Jartan handled the weapon. He explained that it was unloaded and then gave a brief demonstration of how to safely hold it and load the bullets.
“This holster I’m wearing must look to you like an unusual belt. It is actually a safe and effective way to carry this sort of gun. There are also muskets and rifles you’ll learn to use, but they have much longer barrels which increase their accuracy, but require a different method of transport.”
Moving back to the table, he encouraged Xan and Hon to handle the weapon and become familiar with it. That done, he had them load the bullets, reminding them to keep their fingers away from the trigger as they weren’t yet ready to fire the gun.
Once satisfied, Jartan replaced the pistol in its holster and looked to Thoth and Maat. “Should we have brunch now? Xan and Hon may have a few more questions; then we can proceed with the rest of the day’s training.”
Both nodded, and Maat clapped her hands, the sound magically amplified. On her cue, servants streamed in with pitchers of juice and an array of steaming dishes along with plates, glasses, and silverware. Thoth, Maat, Solomon, and Sekhmet took seats at the table, and the meal commenced.
As they ate, Hon and Xan asked many questions; half had to do with the black powder weapons, and the other related to Marius Knox, his people, and the tyrannical king.
Once they had finished the meal, Thoth and Maat departed for the Hall of Truth. The others, including Sheba and Sonya, strode onto the arena field. There, they saw numerous stations with various black powder weapons: muskets, rifles, and pistols. As well, there were stands erected on the field at various points.
One of the servants brought out a cart full of worn tin glasses and pitchers. Hon and Xan looked questioningly at Solomon, wondering what kitchenware had to do with their training.
“Go ahead, you two—show them,” Solomon said, motioning to Jartan and Sekhmet.
Jartan motioned to the servant, who ran a pitcher out to one of the stands. Once he was in the clear, Jartan drew the loaded pistol, took aim, and fired. A boom sounded, and the pitcher bucked into the air, now bearing a rather large hole in its center.
Xan and Hon both startled and covered their ears, gaping with amazement.
Sekhmet motioned to the servant next, and he ran another pitcher to one of the other stands, this one much further away. When the servant returned to the cart, she raised a rifle to her shoulder, sighting down the target. Again, there was a loud boom, and the second pitcher met a similar fate.
“This is astounding,” Xan exclaimed. “I’d like to take a shot, if I might.”
“The noise alone is terrifying,” Hon added. “I as well would like to try.”
For the rest of the afternoon, they reviewed gun safety and practiced, noting that hitting their target was not as easy as Jartan and Sekhmet had made it appear. They’d been practicing for some time though, as had Solomon, who was the best marksman of all.
“Tomorrow we will go into strategy and tactics,” Solomon told them as they left the arena. “Take the skiff back home and rest up.”
“A soak in the downstairs hot and cold pool will be just the thing,” Hon said, arching her shoulders and rotating her neck.
“Indeed it will,” Xan agreed. “Not to mention the baked fish dinner Fredrik will have waiting.”
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