He noted, as about half his command began to slip away, that the man had a most persuasive argument. Suddenly what appeared to be all the survivors of the Harphaxi army of pursuit were streaming out of the woods in complete disarray.
Tythos didn't wait to see who or what was chasing them, but re-sheathed his sword, turned his horse and spurred him into a gallop. Any man of the "reserve" too stupid to follow his example deserved to be speared by one of the traitorous Agrysi lancers!
THREE
As Grand Master Soton and his guard rode over the Darro Creek.by way of the Priest's Crossing, he wondered why Great King Lysandros had requested another meeting so soon at the palace. Taking possession of Prince Ptosphes' former summer palace had meant taking it away from Roxthar who had been using it as the staging ground for the Investigation of Heretics. While this had made Lysandros friends from the many who had reason to see the Holy Butcher embarrassed, it had also bought the Archpriest's enmity. Fortunately for Lysandros he was only one of an army of people Roxthar had reason to despise and, for now, the Great King was out of the Investigation's reach. Not even Roxthar would dare thwart the will of the entire Inner Circle.
Since Roxthar had sequestered the palace before the siege of Tarr-Hostigos, it was still unscathed from both fire and looting. The golden eagle that reared above the large fountain might be pocked with bullet holes but it was still intact. A score of Lysandros' bodyguard in full red and yellow livery, silvered armor and halberds attested to his efforts to keep it that way. The Royal Bank of Hostigos across the square had not fared so well; the top two stories were gone and building appeared to have suffered serious fire damage, almost as if one of Kalvan's shells had detonated inside.
Soton wondered if rumors were true that Lysandros planned to rename the conquered princedom of Hostigos in his own name. It wouldn't be the first time in Five Kingdom's history that a Great King had dubbed an unruly princedom after himself-Syriphlon and Argros came quickly to mind-and usually he would have counseled against it. However, in this case there weren't enough conquered subjects left to fill the town square and no Hostigi subjects left to antagonize with such kingly arrogance.
Lysandros, before leaving Harphax City, had named the Hostigi traitor, Baron Sthentros, Prince of the newly reconquered Hostigos. This move indicated that either Lysandros didn't have any other retainers he trusted with the new princedom-there were a lot of empty princely crowns upon the conquest of Hos-Hostigos-or that he was so smitten with Sthentros' daughter that his wits were addled by love. The latter Soton had a hard time believing; he doubted Lysandros had loved anyone other than himself since he was weaned from his wet-nurse's teat.
Lysandros' Chancellor was waiting at the door and quickly escorted him, less his own guard, to the Great King's private audience chamber. Lysandros quickly rose from his chair to embrace him, which took Soton by surprise. The two of them had never been close and he wondered if this was an attempt by Lysandros to place a wedge between himself and Grand Captain-General Phidestros. Is Lysandros worried that Phidestros might attempt a palace coup? Right now he has the political capital to do it.
After Lysandros' embrace, the Chancellor provided him a chair and he sat down. The moment everyone had left, the Great King sighed. "I'm surrounded by lackeys and lickspittles. I need to talk with someone I can trust."
Soton almost reeled back in his chair. If the Great King considers me his closest advisor, then he truly has no friends. It wasn't that he didn't like the ambitious king; he just had no feelings at all for him-the same way he felt about Archpriest Anaxthenes. He didn't trust either one; both men had ice water in their veins and an ambition that knew no bounds. Both men were also known to poison anyone who got in their way-Lysandros was a regicide for Styphon's sake, having poisoned his brother King Kaiphranos.
"I'm flattered that you view me with such trust, Your Majesty," was the most honest phrase that came to mind.
"We are both warriors in the service of Styphon," Lysandros said, with almost enough conviction that he almost believed him, but not quite.
"Is it a problem of a spiritual nature that troubles you? If it is, I'm probably not the right person to help you."
"No. My problems are of this world. I just received a dispatch informing me that that barrel of pork who calls himself Great King Demistophon has invaded my kingdom!"
That was the first Soton had heard word of problems along the Hos-Harphax/Hos-Agrys border. But he wasn't surprised, as the two kingdoms had been feuding for centuries over ownership of Thaphigos, a border princedom between the two realms. It had recently changed ruling families at the expense of the Agrysi faction. As shortsighted as the porcine beasts he resembled, it wasn't out of character for Demistophon to take advantage of Lysandros' absence and launch an attack.
"A large number of Agrysi troops, disguised as freebooters, have crossed over the border into Thaphigos and are now ravaging the countryside. There are not enough troops at Tarr-Harphax to protect the City, much less stop this Agrysi aggression. Are any of Styphon's Own Guard in a position to support my claimant?"
Soton shook his head. There might be two or three temple bands between Agrys City and Harphax City, but they were garrison troops and their job was to protect Styphon's Temples, not pull a roast out of the fire for shortsighted allies.
"Grand Master, I do not want to be forced to remove the Harphaxi Army out of the false kingdom of Hos-Hostigos, as long as the Usurper and Traitor Kalvan is still alive. However, I do not see that I have a choice, unless I dispatch Captain-General Phidestros back to Thaphigos to take care of the problem."
The dissolution of the Grand Host, after the conquest of Hostigos, had been Soton's biggest worry; if he didn't act decisively, it would soon become fact. Already, the Sacred Squares were claiming victory and Prince Anaxon-temporary High Marshal, since all the other Ktemnoi commanders of higher rank were dead or wounded-had already expressed a desire to return to Hos-Ktemnos. If either the Harphaxi contingent or the Ktemnoi forces left the Grand Host, it would become the Hollow Host and might even inspire a Hostigi counterattack.
"The Host must remain intact until the Usurper is killed; otherwise, this great victory of ours will be squandered. Already, several mercenary units have deserted. But none since Marshal Albides put Styphon's Own Guard to watch the major roads out of Hostigos."
Lysandros nodded in agreement.
Soton continued, "If it were possible, with your reputation as a great military leader, I would make you Grand Captain-General of the Grand Host and dispatch Captain-General Phidestros back to Thaphigos to end this insurrection." It took all Soton had to keep from retching. With all this diplomacy, he was beginning to sound like Archpriest Anaxthenes with his interminable machinations.
"Then what can I do?" Lysandros asked. "Duke Kaphros, who is reigning in my absence in Harphax City, is a good administrator but he is no military man. All my best captains are in Hostigos where they are needed. Duke Aesthes, who is in nominal command of my militia, is not fit to ride a horse these days… Not that I would allow him." He barked a harsh laugh. "The incompetent fool has already lost one Harphaxi Army fighting Kalvan; only an idiot-like my dear departed brother-would give him a second opportunity."
Soton had to stifle a laugh. Truer words were never spoken. "Maybe it is time for Your Majesty to return to Hos-Harphax and deal with the Thaphigos incident in person."
Lysandros rose up out of his chair. "I cannot leave the Host. If I return to Harphax, my soldiers will learn that I am under the Ban of Galzar-what kind of army will I lead then? My princely levy will desert and return to their farms. My Royal Lancers may remain if I promise them enough gold upon the conclusion of the Thaphigos campaign, but my Royal Pistoleers are more faithful to the Wargod and his priests. They will leak away like water through an old barn roof. I will not be able to hire any free companies, even if there are any mercenaries left in the Kingdom not under some princely banner. What would you have me do?"