Tortha added, "They will be able to draw some supplies from Tarr-Ceros, but the great Zarthani Knights' fortress is primarily set-up for defense. The only waterway connecting the Lydistros River with the Saltless Seas is near Thagnor territory, therefore most of their supplies will have to go overland, expensive in both mules and time. So, both you and Styphon's House are without allies in the Middle Kingdoms, although they have more gold with which to purchase them."
"That is true; however, this advantage is negated by the Temple's bad faith dealings with all of the Middle Kingdoms for the past three centuries. Their allies will be both more expensive and less enthusiastic than those in the Great Kingdoms where Styphon's advantage is almost insurmountable." Kalvan's smile had turned to a glower. "Which we have learned to our dismay."
"Your Majesty, would you like me to join you at this meeting with Ambassador Dykar? I do not know him personally, but I am familiar with Nythros City and have a few acquaintances there."
"Of course, your counsel will be most welcome. And Tortha, you can help me with any language problems as I'm still not fluent with the Urgothi tongue."
"I will do my best, Your Majesty."
NINE
Captain Lysia, I would like your permission to see you again," Hestophes said, trying to rein in his nervousness. He thought she liked him, more than just as her rescuer at the ford; unfortunately, they hadn't been able to spend very much time together on the trail back to Ulthor Port. After they'd reached the city, it had taken him days to locate her detachment. Fortunately, King Kalvan had recalled the Army of Observation; their work was done. Later today he had an audience with the Great King, who wanted to discuss the perplexing lack of movement by the Grand Host and how they could take advantage of it.
From now on, Hestophes wanted to spend every moment, when not with the army, in Lysia's presence. Her image consumed his mind. It would be too much to ask the gods that she felt likewise.
"Of course, Hestophes. You don't have to call me Captain when we're off duty."
"Lysia, I just don't want you to think that I'm taking advantage of my rank-"
She laughed, like a bubbling brook. "You're not that kind of person, I do know that much. You're a good man, one who disobeyed his own orders to save my life. But, I know you well enough to know that you'd never take liberties. And I know a lot about men. When the Harphaxi soldiers attacked our farm-"
"Please! I don't want you to suffer any more pain. You don't need to tell me anything."
"I must, so that you know all about me. We've talked for two candles about our youth, but while this saddens me, it is part of who and what I am now."
"There are no parts of you I do not admire."
Lysia blushed and glanced down at the floor. "I must say this, Hestophes. It's hard for me to remember these things. What's happening between us is all too soon and too confusing. I never thought I could have feelings for a man after what happened. It was awful!"
"Please!"
"I must, if we're to be together, Hestophes! You need to know my dishonor. Then we will see how you truly feel. During the first invasion of Sashta, a squad of Harphaxi soldiers broke down our door and shot my father right in the throat-" She stopped with tears streaming down her face.
Hestophes had to resist the urge to wrap her into his arms; this was not the time.
She gathered her composure and continued, "My brother Tylon took one of my father's pistols to shoot one soldier; he shot him good. Right in the mouth! The others didn't give him time to reload. They used their swords to hack my brother to pieces-" She paused, sobbing for a few moments. "I don't remember much after that, except their rough hands on my arms, ripping my dress."
She began to shake. "I'm soiled; I'm a throwaway."
"By Dralm, you're nothing of the kind! You lived to fight those bastards again, that's all that counts. This is a war to the death."
Lysia dried her tears. "I should have gone to work at a brothel, but I wanted to hurt someone, THEM! When I heard that the Great Queen was looking for women who wanted revenge, wanted to hurt the enemy, wanted to kill the enemy-I signed the muster rolls for Queen Rylla's Pioneers."
"None of it matters to me, Lysia. I admire you for who you are now, not what you've done or survived. I've seen and done terrible things myself."
"Let us make a vow, then."
"Yes," he said.
"Never to talk again of the past. From now on, it is as if we are born anew."
"Darling, I give you my oath."
"Fine, Hestophes. It is done. We will meet again at the Ram's Head Inn tomorrow after drills."
II
Anaxthenes, resplendent in his new scarlet robe of Primacy, sat back on his divan and enjoyed the opulence of former Styphon's Voice Sesklos' apartments at the top of the Great Temple of Balph. I must have been a fool, he thought, not to have wanted this all along!
He had always enjoyed working behind the scenes, pulling Sesklos' strings like a master puppeteer, but this was so much better. Anaxthenes, Styphon's Own Voice, sounded good even to his mind's ear. Now, for the first time, he could deal with crises and problems head-on, not from behind curtains or closed doors. And his first crisis-Holy Investigator Roxthar in full boil, fulminating and screeching-waited outside his door.
The Council of Electors had been dismissed less than half a candle ago; the Council which had elected him Styphon's Voice, over Roxthar and Dracar's protests, thirty votes to six. Roxthar had sat stunned, as if hit with an axe. Archpriest Dracar, whose dreams of Election had come to naught, had slunk from the room like the toothy little rodent he truly was, deep inside his yellow robe.
Anaxthenes' ears still rang with the congratulations of his fellow Archpriests of the Inner Circle. Even Soton had given him a bear hug. For the first time since Roxthar's arrival three days before, the pall that hung over Balph with the Investigator's appearance had lifted.
Just in case the Investigator's anger turned ugly, he had his special deputy, Yagos, hidden behind the drapes with a dart-blower, some sort of tube that spat poison darts. His deputy had bartered the device from a former Mexicotal slave, who had been rescued when one of the Styphon's House war galleys had boarded a Mexicotal slave ship and captured the flesh-eaters. A coffle of these unusual Ruthani slaves had been brought to Balph as curiosities and sold in the slave market. One of his house agents had bid on the lot, thinking they would add a sense of mystery to Anaxthenes' new mansion.
He would have used one of Thessamona's poisons but she'd left for the countryside to tend to her sister's latest birthing. It was best that she had vacated Balph at this particular time; she had no official standing but would have nagged him to attend the ceremonies involved in his elevation. It would have been difficult to refuse her without causing resentments and Thessamona was a dangerous woman to rile.
Yagos had taken a liking to one of the small brown-skinned Ruthani and through signs had learned about the dart-blowers and their special poison-curare. Yagos had brought this to his attention and it had been one of those darts that had finally ended Sesklos' interminable life. Now, Yagos was hiding with instructions to send a dart into Roxthar should the Investigator act upon his temper. He only hoped that it would be that easy to remove the Investigator. Yagos had firm instructions not to act until Roxthar had left marks upon his person so that no one could say that he'd murdered the Investigator; thus sparing him the wrath of Styphon's Own Guard.