“Can you Travel?” Gwaynn asked, choosing to ignore the prospect of becoming High King.
The Solitary nodded. “As can you,” she answered. “Your speed and control were simply amazing,” she added. “You are everything Tar Nev claimed, but I was still…”
Suddenly both she and Gwaynn sensed a presence in the room but it was several seconds before a small shimmering appeared and a moment later a light and silvery mist drifted softly about in the middle of the room.
“Tarina re N’dori,” a soft voice said through the haze.
“I’m here,” N’dori answered using her ability to stabilize the connection.
“Tarina, have you made contact with Gwaynn?” The voice asked and Gwaynn recognized it as na Gall’s.
N’dori smiled. “I’m with him now.”
“My King,” the voice of Lonogan Bock said, clear and powerful now that the Speaker Bridge was fully formed. “I’ve sent Gaston and the cavalry ahead, but they will not arrive in Manse until early tomorrow.”
Gwaynn nodded, happy with the decision, though his General could not see the gesture.
“And the army?’ Gwaynn asked.
“Three days, maybe four,” Bock answered to Gwaynn’s surprise.
“Why so long?”
“We’ve just under a thousand prisoners,” explained Bock, “including King Weldon Palmerrio.”
“Do the Palmerrio soldiers pose a threat to the army?”
“No…they’re demoralized and many are wounded,” Bock answered with pride. “The victory was near total, thanks to Captain Gaston.”
“Then let the Palmerrio soldiers go,” Gwaynn answered immediately and N’dori raised her eyebrows. There was a discernable pause from the Speaker Bridge.
“Release them?” Bock asked, his voice betraying his confusion, if anything he expected Gwaynn to order their executions, something Bock did not relish.
“Yes, order them back through the Aleria Pass,” Gwaynn explained. “If they fail to comply execute their King.”
Samantha gasped and there was another pause from the Bridge. N’dori just chuckled softly.
“Prince Phillip may not like the strategy,” Bock replied and Gwaynn could hear the smile in his voice.
“Of course to continue to guarantee the safety of their King, the Palmerrio will have to vacate the Toranado Capital and homeland,” Gwaynn stated.
“Very well,” Bock said.
“Traveler na Gall,” Gwaynn continued. “How many troops could you and Zarina Monde move to Manse within the hour?”
Again there was a pause. “With proper preparation…several hundred…perhaps as many as a thousand if they’re quick.”
“See to it. General, give control of the army to Captain Brandt and move to Manse with the others…I will meet you there later today.”
“M’lord…Brandt is dead,” Bock answered, “killed by an Executioner.”
Now it was Gwaynn’s turn to pause. “Did he ever know about Cyndar?”
“No,” Bock replied.
“Just as well,” Samantha breathed softly.
“I’m sorry for the loss,” Gwaynn added. “He was a mighty fighter, a mighty friend. Any other prospects? We’re getting low on Captains again.”
“Marcum is here,” Bock replied. “He rode in with Gaston. I’ll give him control of the army…he’s a foot soldier at heart in any case.”
“Lynndon?” Gwaynn asked suddenly concerned.
“Sergeant Birdsong is more than capable according to Captain Marcum,” Bock answered. “And you know Marcum; he doesn’t throw praise around lightly.”
“Very well contact Captain Birdsong and let him know of his promotion,” Gwaynn replied finally satisfied. “See you this afternoon.”
ǂ
“We should land midway up the finger in two days,” High King Mastoc said once the bubble was solid, “but it will take another four days to move down to your position. Proceed at your own discretion.”
“And what of King Weldon?” Captain Hothgaard inquired. “Have you made contact with him since he engaged the Massi army?”
“There’s been no contact,” the High King’s voice came back. “But that is irrelevant to what we are planning.”
‘Irrelevant,’ Hothgaard thought bitterly to himself. ‘Irrelevant, despite the fact that the Massi Prince seems to destroy armies at will...and he has a force of cavalry nearly equal to the Temple Knights. Irrelevant! The High King has lost his mind!’
“I have over ten thousand Rhondono troops now under my command,” the High King said with confidence. “We’ll join forces and smash the Massi once and for all.”
“As you say, M’lord,” Hothgaard answered…deciding then and there to delay any further attempts to take Manse. He would wait until the High King and the Rhondono arrived. As far as he was concerned his main objective now was to keep the Knights strong and intact.
“I’ll be there in four days…five at the most,” Mastoc stated as if his very presence ensured victory.
“We’ll be waiting,” Hothgaard answered and meant it.
ǂ
Gwaynn stood on the battlements of Manse, which were still undergoing repairs from the initial attack from the Knights, and gazed out at his enemy with Samantha, Bock, na Gall and the Tarina Grace at his side. In fact the entire main wall of defense was now littered with many of the deadliest fighters in the land. Prince Phillip and his Weapons Master Tabernas were down a few paces with the Traveler Monde, Tar Kostek and the Solitary N’dori, while farther still Tar Endid stood with a group of students including Vio. Gwaynn was happy and relieved that Vio made it through her first battle unscathed, and in the other direction stood the Tars Myson and Halstad.
‘If only the Knights would attack now,’ Gwaynn thought.
“And they’ve made no move to renew their attack?” Bock asked. Tarina Grace shook her head negatively.
“Perhaps they believe the Palmerrio will soon be victorious on the Plateau and another attempt to take the city would be unnecessary,” na Gall interjected.
Gwaynn frowned. ‘There were Speakers among the Palmerrio; they’d found two among the dead and it stood to reason that the Knights would have Speakers as well…they could be waiting for word, or…’
“We need to get men to the Gap,” he said aloud though mostly to himself.
“The Gap?” Bock and na Gall asked in unison and then glanced lovingly at one another. No one noticed their shared moment but Samantha and she smiled inwardly, wondering if she and Gwaynn were so transparent when they first became lovers.
“To keep the Knights from escaping and to keep anyone from coming to their aid,” Gwaynn answered. “They’re waiting for someone.”