What Pyrust found most agreeable was the way others reacted. The core of his cadre were all xidantzu — independent, strong, and talented individuals. Despite that, they were clearly ready to die for him. Even the boy with the withered arm looked as if prepared to cut Pyrust down at the flick of Soshir’s finger.
Pyrust had come south to the Plains of Tsengui with most of the troops he’d brought into Nalenyr. He’d deployed on the plains with two armies of his best-trained Desei troops in the center. An equivalent force made up of Naleni troops occupied the left flank. Count Linel Vroan took up the right flank with an army of troops drawn from Nalenyr’s rebellious western provinces. The Prince held two armies of Desei militia in reserve, ready to reinforce as needed.
As the Prince stood with Soshir and Vroan on a hill in twilight, the xidantzu ’s displeasure with the arrangement became evident.
“What is it you disapprove of, Master Soshir?”
“The position won’t hold.”
Linel Vroan, tall and arrogant, snorted with disgust. “The Plains of Tsengui have seen many battles. The Prince has stationed our troops upslope of the stream running through the center. We’ve dammed it at the eastern edge to flood the lands near the escarpment. This doubly wards our flank. It also allows us to concentrate our troops here, astride the road, to block the passage.”
Soshir looked up at the Prince. “Your placement of troops is flawless. Turning the battlefield’s edge into a marsh is likewise good. Were you fighting a conventional force, they would think twice before engaging you. The kwajiin will not. They will break through your lines.”
Disgust filled Vroan’s words. “Do not think our men cowards simply because your troops broke and lost Tsatol Deraelkun.”
Soshir slowly turned his attention on the Naleni lord. “You assume many things, my lord. You are a fool. You believe Tsatol Deraelkun was unassailable. For it to be lost, therefore, betokens a failure of the troops defending it.”
Vroan’s eyes narrowed. “You deny this is what happened? You had defeated a force twice the size of that which broke the fortress. How else does one interpret what happened?”
Pyrust raised his half hand. “I believe, Count Vroan, Master Soshir wishes us to consider the possibility that the enemy we face was able to accomplish with an army and a half that which had never been accomplished before. These are some remarkable circumstances, after all.”
Vroan laughed. “Yes, war-moles and giant, stone-throwing apes. Nightmare creatures to explain away cowardice.”
Soshir pointed off to the right flank. “If that is what you believe, Count Vroan, then you should move your troops. It’s the Virine forces that retreated from Tsatol Deraelkun which hold your flank.”
“I don’t need them.” Vroan spat. “Let them go north with Count Derael and the Virine princeling. They can all cower in Moriande.”
Where you would no doubt be happy, Count Vroan, had you supplanted Prince Cyron. Pyrust extended his hand. “Please, my lord, calm yourself. I believe, Master Soshir, you can understand Vroan’s discomfort. We were hoping to invest our forces in Tsatol Deraelkun to stop the invasion. Instead, when we met your scouts, we stopped here and made the best of our situation. Historically this has been a good position.”
“I do not argue that point, Highness. It is just that, historically, no one has ever faced a force like this.” Soshir shook his head. “You should pull the main bulk of troops back to Moriande.”
“And surrender half the nation?” Vroan threw his arms wide. “We cannot concede that much territory to them.”
Soshir ignored his protest. “You will force them to lay siege to the city and stretch their supply lines. You can keep forces in the field to attack their supplies. Laying siege to a city like Moriande will require an incredible force, and even if they field it, they have to feed it. You can bleed them. You can raid into Erumvirine. You can force them to focus elsewhere. Nelesquin will tire of his war when things slow down.”
Pyrust frowned. “You truly believe Prince Nelesquin- the Prince Nelesquin-has returned from the grave to lead this force of kwajiin?”
“I have seen him with my own eyes. I’ve spoken with him. Yes, Count Vroan, you can mock me if you wish. I shall not challenge you since this force needs your troops. But I pray Grija does not take you, because I shall demand an accounting of your affronts later.”
Vroan sneered. “Your flesh will be more easily pinked than your vanity.”
“No, that is where you confuse my motivations with your own, my lord.” Soshir gestured off to the south. “I don’t care what your opinion of me or my troops is. We’ve shed enough blood; for good or ill, your opinion is of no consequence. What makes me angry is the appalling stupidity that locks you into believing you know your enemy, your battlefield, and history well enough to decide this is the place where you will be the victor.
“You say battles on these plains have brought victories to Naleni forces, but you do not ask yourself who actually fought here. A hundred and twenty years go, I was here and fought to defend Nalenyr. Before the Cataclysm, I was here again and so was Nelesquin. We fought together here and won a great victory. I know this ground better than you, and so does he. Just as he shaped a plan to take Tsatol Deraelkun, so he has a plan for defeating an army here.”
Pyrust stroked his half hand over his chin. “What do you think it is?”
“I would be lying if I told you I knew. Come.” Soshir turned and entered the tent that served as Pyrust’s command center. He crossed to the table, where a map of Nalenyr had been laid out. He tapped a finger against their current position.
“He knows there will be a force waiting for him here. It makes sense. So, he sends a force in that will engage your troops. He can take his time coming up through the mountains because your supply lines are stretched as thin as his.”
Soshir pointed to the mountains on either side of the pass through which the Imperial Road ran. “There are other passes through the mountains. They’re small and scattered. Normally getting troops through them is ill-advised because linking back up to a larger force is difficult. Nelesquin, however, has flying creatures that can carry several men. He can use them to coordinate troop movements.”
Pyrust nodded. “You’re saying he could infiltrate units all along the border? Do you think he would use them to disrupt our supply lines?”
“I don’t know. I thought his loathing for tunnels would preclude anything like his giant moles. But perhaps he’s learned.”
“Perhaps he’s not Nelesquin.”
Soshir’s head snapped around. “If that is true, Count Vroan, we have an even bigger problem. You see, if it is Nelesquin, then we know he’s trying to consolidate the Empire. If it isn’t-if it is just someone pretending to be him, who has somehow garnered the power to create the kwajiin — then we have no clue as to his motivation. As nearly as we can tell, his troops slaughtered everything in the eastern half of Erumvirine. He has a foothold there. Could be he has colonized it and that’s where he gets new troops.”
Pyrust shook his head. “It would take fifteen years at least to raise a new crop of warriors. Twenty would be better.”
“I hope you’re right, but the fact is that we’ve no idea how many troops he’s fielded. His vhangxi are animals, but they’ve torn apart troops the equal of any we have in the field. The kwajiin are as fierce fighters as I have ever seen.” Soshir glanced at Vroan. “And you’d best not make any comments about my experience. I am jaecaiserr, and kwajiin swords have cut me more than once.”
Vroan chewed his lower lip and said nothing.
Pyrust traced a finger over the map. “If he did slip troops through the mountains, he could use them to harass our lines. Were I he, I might push a larger force through and go raiding through the western Naleni marches, into Ixun.”