The Fireseed Wars

FORTY

But, Your Majesty, how could you refuse these poor wretches sanctuary behind our walls?" Prince Phrames pleaded. "You must know how badly this will end for most of them."

Queen Rylla fought the tears that welled up in her eyes. Of course she knew what would happen; most of the refugees would die of starvation, murder, or rape from soldiers and bandits. Or from others who had lost their way in the madness that often came after a city was sacked, families were killed and other horrors witnessed. Once, before becoming a mother, she would have brushed Phrames' fears away and not thought of them again. Now she knew a mother's torments and only fear for her own people and family had allowed her to turn the Nythrosi and Baltori peoples away.

"I will say prayers for them to Yirtta Allmother and Allfather Dralm that they may guide and protect them."

"But we can't?"

"No, Phrames. We have over half a million of our own subjects to house and feed inside these walls already. Already the Grefftscharr Navy is blockading our port and word has come that Theovacar's Army will arrive in a few days. Soon the Grand Host of Styphon will be planted before our walls. Other than those farms inside the outer walls, there has been no spring planting; thus, there will be only a small harvest. We have grain and fish coming from as far away as Glarth Town, bought at much expense in gold. Praise be to Allfather Dralm that most of it has arrived before the Grand Host.

"If we don't find provisions, our own subjects will starve. Adding another hundred thousand mouths to feed would be complete folly, and playing into the hands of our diabolical enemies. Remember, these poor people are not running from us, but to us. It is Styphon's House who has destroyed their homes and villages."

"What would Kalvan do?"

Rylla felt her blood start to boil and a pounding in her ears. She forced herself to rein in her temper. "That's not a fair question, Phrames. It is this mercy of my husband's that King Lysandros is counting on to weaken our City. Before the disastrous Battle of Ardros and our own Trail of Blood from Hostigos, Kalvan would have welcomed these refugees into our City with open arms. Now, I'm not so sure. The Great King has had to harden his own heart or face our annihilation at the hands of Styphon's fiends."

Phrames shook his head. "I'll never believe that. Maybe turning away those people was the necessary thing to do, but it was wrong in the eyes of the gods."

"When the gods put loaves of bread and potatoes on our tables, we will be more merciful and thereby look good in the eyes of the True Gods. Until then we must do as we see fit for our subjects. Now, let us speak of more urgent matters. How far away is King Theovacar's Army?"

"Two days at most, Your Majesty."

"So it appears they will strike at the same time as the Grand Host. Are we prepared?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, in all ways that we can be. The walls are strong enough to hold back ten times their number and we have our own surprises for the Styphoni devils."