“Any luck?” asked Tedi.
“None,” sighed the governor. “General Barbone did not even glance in my direction. I fear that I will not get a chance to talk to him before the attack.”
“How far is it to the next valley?” asked Natia.
“A few minutes hard ride,” answered the governor. “Why do you ask?”
“I think we can draw enough attention to ensure that General Barbone notices you,” answered Natia.
“What are you planning?” Tedi asked, suspicion heavy in his voice.
“Nothing devious,” answered the gypsy princess. “I think our unicorns would catch the attention of the Federation column. If we merely flew overhead and landed in the next valley, General Barbone would be sure to notice.”
“That just might work,” brightened the governor. “It will take the Federation column about half an hour to cover the distance, but I can be in place much quicker. Give me time to get situated and then fly over the Spinoan general. Land near me so that he cannot possibly miss seeing me.”
“I am going with you,” Tedi asserted as he stared at his wife.
“Afraid that I might run off with a Zaran officer?” quipped Natia.
“Afraid that you might poison the entire column,” laughed Tedi. The gypsy prince grew serious and continued, “You might attract more attention than you want, Natia. My staff can even the odds a great deal if we find some overanxious Zarans coming towards us.”
“I have always enjoyed your company,” smiled Natia. “We will travel together.”
General Mobami laughed at the light-hearted banter and rode away. Tedi and Natia leisurely checked their weapons and then mounted their unicorns. At first they flew north, opposite the flow of the Federation column, and out of sight of the Zarans. When they felt enough time had passed, they rose higher in the sky and banked to the east. When they saw the Federation column marching along the Coastal Highway, they banked again and headed south directly over the column. Shouts rang out among the soldiers below, and the commotion rippled forward through the column. Soon soldiers ahead of the unicorns were turning around to gape at the flying creatures.
Natia had anticipated the Zarans shooting arrows up at the unicorns, and she had chosen an altitude that she thought was safe, but she need not have bothered. None of the Federation soldiers even strung their bows. They merely stared up in wonder and pointed.
“There is General Barbone,” Tedi commented.
“I see him,” replied Natia. “Let’s slow down so he sees us bank into the valley.”
Far below, General Barbone gazed up at the unicorns. He remembered seeing similar creatures the night that the black-cloaks died, and a shiver raced up his spine. He watched anxiously as the creatures flew overhead and then banked into the next valley. When he reached the valley, he gazed towards the west and saw the unicorns on the ground. He also saw the now familiar Governor of Sordoa. The bald-headed Sordoan sat on his horse staring at the column, just as he had earlier in the day. The invitation to talk was obvious, but the presence of the riders on the unicorns concerned the general. He moved out of the column and sat staring at the three figures at the far end of the valley. Before he could make up his mind about chancing a meeting with the governor, Colonel Pineta appeared at his side.
“What do you make of that?” asked the colonel.
“The bald one is General Mobami,” answered General Barbone. “I believe he wishes to talk, but I do not know the other two.”
“He is showing no flag of truce,” remarked the colonel. “Besides, why would he want to talk to just you? Shouldn’t he be talking to General Omirro?”
“He has already spoken to General Omirro,” replied General Barbone. “Omirro threatened him while under a flag of truce.”
After a moment of silence, the colonel said, “If you are thinking of going over there to talk to the governor, I will be going with you. I do not trust the Sordoans to treat you fairly.”
The colonel’s offer tipped the general’s decision towards the meeting. He nodded in acceptance of the colonel’s offer and started riding towards the western end of the valley. The colonel rode by his side. The two Zarans halted before the three Alceans, but said nothing in greeting.
“You asked for proof, General Barbone,” opened General Mobami as he untied a sack from his saddle and tossed it on the ground before the general’s horse. “I said that I would deliver it.”
Colonel Pineta looked at his general questioningly, and Barbone nodded towards the sack. The colonel dismounted and walked to the sack. He opened it and gasped.
“What is it?” General Barbone asked impatiently.
The colonel pulled out the head of General Ritka and held it up for General Barbone to see. The general merely nodded and looked up at Governor Mobami.
“What about Gattas and Montero?” asked General Barbone.
Governor Mobami untied two more sacks and tossed them towards the colonel. The colonel opened each in turn and held up the heads of the deceased generals. General Barbone sighed and nodded.
“You have proved the worth of your words,” he stated, “but that doesn’t change anything. General Omirro is the leader of Team Caldar. You must make your demands to him.”
“And I shall,” replied Governor Mobami, “but Omirro has a hard head. It will take more than the proof of my words to sway him. It will take a great deal of bloodshed as well. I am trying to save the lives of your men, Barbone. I wish you had as much concern for them as I do.”
“Do not lecture me on my responsibilities, Governor,” retorted the general. “I still do not believe that you would treat my men as well as you say. In fact, I see your ploy for what it is. You wish to split Team Caldar in two to make it easier to fight against. I will not betray my country to make it easy for you.”
“Ertak is hardly your country,” interjected Tedi. “And if you meant the Federation when you spoke, that is hardly your country, either. Spino is treated as a lesser member of the Federation. Even Queen Samir understands that.”
“What could you possibly know about Queen Samir and how she feels about anything?” snarled General Barbone. “Do not play childish games with me.”
“Actually,” smiled Tedi, “I have spent time in Queen Samir’s sitting room with Natia. We sold her that huge diamond that she enjoys showing off.”
“Plus the DeCardia figurines,” grinned Natia. “Don’t forget them.”
General Barbone frowned as he looked from Natia to Tedi and back to Natia again. “Just who are you people?”
“I am Tedi and this is Natia,” answered Tedi. “We are Knights of Alcea, but we are known as merchants in Zara.”
“Knights of Alcea?” echoed the colonel.
“The Knights of Alcea speak for King Arik,” explained Governor Mobami. “They are authorized to act in his behalf.”
General Barbone raised an eyebrow. He had indeed heard about the queen’s large diamond, and he knew people who had purchased DeCardia figurines from the queen, but he could not imagine that the two people before him had actually been to Valdo.
“Describe the palace to me,” demanded the Spinoan general.
The question had been directed at Tedi, but Natia answered. She not only described the palace and the queen’s sitting room, but she also described the inside of the elven reeducation center. General Barbone shook his head in amazement.
“So you two are the spies who learned all the Federation secrets?” asked General Barbone.
“No,” answered Tedi. “Grand General Kyrga kept even Queen Samir in the dark regarding the invasion. We were part of the rebels who destroyed your fleet, freed the elves, and destroyed the shipyards in Giza.”
“We know more about the Federation plans than any Spinoan,” added Natia. “That is why we are trying to get you to surrender. Demonic forces are controlling Emperor Jaar. Those forces seek to create a million tears by sending the Federation armies to Alcea. Those tears are needed to restore Alutar, the Great Demon. It hardly matters to the demons who wins this war. What matters is that the death tally be great. That is why King Arik has demanded that we try to get all of the teams to surrender if possible. He not only wants to spare the Alceans from bloody deaths, but the Zarans as well.”