The Fireseed Wars

III

"Hestophes, I must first apologize for not seeing you again after the victory celebration," Kalvan said, "but I've been bound up in working out a safe exit from Ulthor. I take it you bring good news beyond your success at Librox Ford?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, we brought back two thousand Styphoni prisoners, many of them Ktemnoi mercenaries. All are willing to join the Royal Army, after their current contracts expire, except for a score of holdouts. Those we will cut loose and send back to their Styphoni friends-if they survive a thousand marches back to Hos-Harphax across burned villages and stripped fields."

"Excellent news, although I'm not sure how we're going to feed all the new soldiers."

"If we have to, Sire, we'll take it from the Grand Host's supply trains."

Kalvan laughed. "Easier said than done, but a good answer. How many casualties did we take at Librox Ford?"

"Eighty dead and about two hundred wounded, but most will recover. Under a hundred killed. We left over three thousand dead Styphoni at the Ford; we cut the throats of all the wounded."

Two years ago Hestophes would have been appalled by the wanton murder of wounded soldiers, Kalvan observed. Now he accepted it as routine; it was truly a war to the death. Since the Siege of Tarr-Hostigos, there was no longer room for gallantry or courtesy or kindness. Like all religious wars, the war against Styphon's House was down to kill-or be killed.

"We also did as Your Majesty ordered: stripped and burned all the fields of corn and barley, razed the villages and towns and brought the survivors to Ulthor Port. The Grand Host will have to eat toasted stubble and starving rats for dinner. Nor will they find any forage since we burned the fields and meadows. Emptied the forests of game. The whole of northern Hostigos and southern Nyklos are a wasteland."

"I know. We saw the smoke from your passage even from here." A part of Kalvan felt sickened by their purposeful destruction, but the other part felt relieved. The Grand Host would have slim pickings when they followed the Nyklos Trail, and would find another surprise when they reached Ulthor Port.

"Were they fooled by our Agrysi?"

"I believe so, Your Majesty. Duke Mnestros added a convincing touch, as did his allies. Now the Host will have to look northeast as well as west for their enemies."

"You have done well, Hestophes. Now, what can I do for you?"

"Give me more Styphoni to kill!"

"That I will do, my friend, all in due time. Now, have some of Ermut's Best. I have something I want you to do for me."

"Of course, Your Majesty. What is it?" Hestophes asked.

"I will soon be leaving Ulthor Port by ship with about a third of the Army; the rest will be going with Queen Rylla and Our subjects into the Trygath. I want you and the Army of Observation to be the vanguard for Queen Rylla's Army of the Trygath. It is up to you to protect your Great Queen and Our people."

"Of course, Your Majesty. I will be honored."

"Good." Kalvan felt touched by his sincerity. He was fortunate to have subordinates, like Hestophes and Phrames, whom he could rely on one hundred percent. "Here's our plan: the Army of the Trygath is going to march through Vesthar and Cyros and graze those Rathoni Princedoms down to the bare ground, like a herd of starving sheep. We don't want to leave anything behind for the Styphoni-no food, no wells, no fodder. We'll drive the local farmers and townspeople that we oust from their homes ahead of us, so they'll flood Rathon City and sap their supplies."

Hestophes nodded. "That should shake their resolve and leave that traitor Nestros quaking in his boots!"

"If I know Rylla, Nestros will not live long enough to betray anyone again. However, once the Army reaches the Princedoms of Vysta and Rathon, I want you to bypass the villages and towns-leave their people alone, as well. Keep living off the land, but use as much as you can from our own stores. We are coming as liberators, to save them from their False King and Styphon's House's puppet masters, not as conquerors."

"That might work. Even if it doesn't, it will sow confusion and dissension. 'Divide and conquer,' as you like to say, Your Majesty."

"Exactly. Besides, We have plans for Rathon City."

"By Dralm, those stout walls will stop the Styphoni in their tracks! Won't they stop our Army as well?"

Kalvan felt like a proud schoolmaster, one whose favorite pupil had not only mastered a difficult lesson, but learned to read between the lines as well. "Our plan is to bypass the City entirely and inflict as little damage as possible upon the Princedom of Rathon. We will provide weapons and support for those who opposed King Nestros. But we'll leave it for the Styphoni to storm Rathon City."

"That's a good plan, Your Majesty. With the fields of Rathon stripped bare and their own pantries empty, the Grand Host will have to bring in huge wagon trains of victuals to invest the City. If they leave it behind, we can cut their supply lines and attack them from the rear. But what if there is no Rathoni uprising, or it fails and does not supplant Great King Nestros?"

Kalvan nodded thoughtfully. "We know from recent reports that his subjects are growing restive under his rule. Nestros has taxed them heavily to build five Great Temples within Rathon to glorify Styphon-part of his price for being granted recognition by Hos-Ktemnos. Nor are his people happy with the arrogance and demands from Styphons highpriests. With our encouragement and without direct support from Styphon's House, it's quite possible that the Rathoni people will rise up in rebellion and remove Nestros from his Throne."

"It's a good plan, Sire, but often plans do not work as we would wish," Hestophes observed. "In that case, we will be leaving behind us both an enemy and an ally of Styphon's House."

Kalvan sighed. "True. However, we do not have the time to besiege Rathon City. We will have to take that chance. The plan is to drive the war home to the Styphoni for a change. If the uprising fails or doesn't materialize, it will be up to you and the Army of Observation to slow down the Styphoni advance.

"Meanwhile, I'll be taking Thagnor so that we will have a place to winter this year. Otherwise, we will be at the mercy of the Gods."

Hestophes scowled.

Kalvan could almost read his thoughts: he knew there was little mercy to be found in the Zarthani Pantheon of Gods. Only Allfather Dralm and Yirtta Allmother, cared about their children, but the Allfather and the Allmother were far away in his Sky-Palace watching his people in the Six Kingdoms. This new land knew its own gods and they were a vengeful lot.

"Hestophes, I also want you to keep an eye on the Great Queen. Nothing obvious; she will upbraid me if she notices. Still, I do not want anything bad to happen to her."

When Hestophes nodded, Kalvan believed from the look in his eye that he truly understood. I wonder if he's met someone? Rylla will know, I'll have to ask her.

Hestophes' next words answered that question.

"Your Majesty, now it is my turn to ask a boon. One of the captains of Queen Rylla's Pioneers has done the Army of Observation a great service and I would like to have her company added to the Army."

"What's this Captain's name?" Kalvan asked, knowing full well if he didn't find out he'd get the third degree from Rylla later on.

"Her name is Captain Lysia. Her company was in command of the wagon you suggested we use as bait for the ambush, which worked as planned-maybe better, Praise Galzar!"

Praise Galzar, indeed, thought Kalvan. Three thousand dead Styphoni and another two thousand prisoners would be hard to improve upon.

"I will bring your request to the Queen. I foresee no problems with your

boon."

Hestophes all but bowed. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"I take it you want to put this Captain under your protection."

Hestophes laughed uproariously. When his fit was finished, he said, "I could no more protect Lysia than you can protect your Great Queen! But I can try."