Colors of Chaos

LXXXVIII

CERRYL SAT ON the hard bench beside Anya, across the rough-cut trestle table from Jeslek and Fydel. A light rain fell outside the small house, and occasional gusts of damp and cool morning air filtered through the open door.

The High Wizard was half-turned on the other bench, his eyes fixed on Fydel. “There are only two roads from Axalt into Spidlar. The northern road goes to Kleth and the southern one to Elparta. They both split from the one leading out of this pigsty. The fork is about ten kays to the west of where we are now. There’s a town there, if you can term it such.”

The dark-bearded Fydel nodded.

“You and Cerryl will hold that town while Anya and I will lead the advance on Elparta, once the first levies arrive.”

“Why don’t we just take the northern route and be done with it?” asked Fydel.

“Because the northern road is even worse than this track, and because we’ll need the river to move the levies down to Kleth and Spidlaria,” Anya answered for Jeslek.

Cerryl wanted to hold his breath, so strong was the odor of trilia and sandalwood despite the breeze from the open door.

“Which levies? Aren’t the Certans coming through what’s left of Axalt? Can’t they hold the town? That’s what levies are best at, anyway.” Fydel shrugged.

“Rystryr’s levies are coming through Axalt, but we don’t want that Black arms commander coming out of the north and hitting them before they even get to the river.”

“Honored High Wizard…” Fydel paused, then added, “I fail to understand. If we took the northern route-”

“Then this Black would hold Elparta,” interrupted Jeslek, “and he would control the river and be able to attack either our forces or the Gallosian levies. As I have told you, Fydel, he is an excellent field commander.”

Anya smiled her blindingly false smile. “We also wouldn’t have any Gallosian levies because they wouldn’t march downriver into Spidlar. We wouldn’t be there to lead them, and the agreement for levies requires the White Lancers to provide horse support. Or do you propose that we abandon half the ground armsmen that we have already called in?”

“As for the Certan levies, you and Cerryl have to provide the escort and horse support, and that means you will be quartered at the town at the road fork, whatever its name might be.” Jeslek raised his snow-white eyebrows. “As Anya has pointed out, we also have to have a way for the Gallosian levies to enter Spidlar, and that has to be by the river or the river roads. That means we have to reach the river, and that’s where Elparta is.”

“So we do the dirty work-”

Jeslek’s eyes flashed.

“Whatever you wish, High Wizard,” Fydel said quickly.

“I am High Wizard, Fydel, and it would behoove you to recall that.” Jeslek’s voice moderated. “Have you a better way of ensuring that all the levies are joined?” After a moment of silence, Jeslek nodded, almost to himself. “I thought not. Now…we are to expect the first Certan levies in an eight-day. Until they arrive, Anya and I will advance as far as we can without engaging any large Spidlarian forces. You will scree the north road and run patrols to ensure that we are not flanked…”

Cerryl continued to listen, still wondering precisely why Jeslek had insisted on Cerryl’s own presence. The breeze died, and, again, he found himself overwhelmed with the scents of sandalwood and trilia.