On top of that, he had other clerks going out to see if bribes were still being paid. Those who pointed out corrupt officials were given rewards and the officials were fined. Cyron functioned under no illusions that his system would eliminate corruption-he just wanted to make it less profitable.
It was too early to determine if his efforts would pay off. Senior ministers complained as if they were feeling pinched. Most feared substantial punishments if past corruption was revealed. While reports of the same had come in, Cyron did not act on them. He didn’t promise that he would not act on them, however; he would wield that club when necessary.
And it would be. The only minister unsullied by corruption was Pelut Vniel. Rumors abounded, of course. The assassination attempt that had cost Cyron half his arm must have been sanctioned by Vniel. Count Nerot Scior had been identified as the man behind the plot, and there seemed little doubt that the assassin’s wage had come from his purse. The man had fled Moriande for the westron counties, but he never would have dared try to usurp the Dragon Throne if some sort of accommodation with the Grand Minister had not been reached.
So far, Cyron’s only effort against Vniel had been his general assault on the bureaucracy. Fractures were already beginning to appear as the ministers, one by one, began to cooperate with Cyron. Copies of all missives flowed to Vniel’s office, but unofficial transcriptions of consultations did not. Cyron assumed that simple knowledge of these consultations would annoy Vniel. With any luck, Vniel’s quest for knowledge would distract him and keep him from causing trouble.
A runner bowed before the Prince. “Highness, the Empress suggested that within the hour she would be prepared to hear your report on preparations for attack.”
“Tell her I shall be with her shortly.” The Prince nodded to the man, then glanced at the shaft of sunlight pouring through the doorway overlooking his animal sanctuary. It fell on the backs of two clerks who both set their brushes down simultaneously. The man handed a sheaf of pages to the woman, who gathered them into a folio. She stood and presented them to Cyron.
“The latest reports, Highness, including lists of materiel on its way south and the readiness of the troops gathering here at Moriande.”
He did not take the folio from her. “You will come with me, Minister Tamirsai. You will hold the papers so I may consult them.”
“As you wish, Highness.” The woman smiled. It was, of course, a great honor to be presented to the Empress. Cyron regularly rewarded clerks for good work by having them take papers to the Empress. Tamirsai worked diligently and was well deserving of the reward.
Tamirsai had also received training from the Lady of Jet and Jade, though none of her fellow clerks were aware of this. She acted as the Empress’ eyes and ears-one of many such agents in a cadre about which Cyron knew very little-and probably less than he thought he did. While the information she bore would be of great value to the Empress, awareness of any subterfuges among Cyron’s staff would be more so.
“Very well, let us proceed.” Cyron waited for her to pass in front of him. “We shall return as quickly as possible, doubtless with new orders. I shall need the figures for stored grain and a survey of wells by the time I get back. Do your work well, and you, too, shall soon know the Empress’ favor.”
Chapter Nineteen
34th day, Month of the Hawk, Year of the Rat
Last Year of Imperial Prince Cyron’s Court
163rd Year of the Komyr Dynasty
737th Year since the Cataclysm
Plains of Tsengui, Nalenyr
We took heart in the way the skies opened up and rain poured. Water flowed into the battlefield, expanding the swamps. The clouds came in, dark and ominous, hiding the Virine mountains. They also kept Nelesquin’s fliers close to the ground. Prince Pyrust ordered a watch kept and, save for grazing runs the hellbats made over the swamps, or the occasional arrow launched from on wing, they did nothing.
The marsh’s expansion caused us to shift our battle formation. Count Vroan took the opportunity to initiate a realignment of our positions. One of the Desei militias shifted to the left flank to cover the swamp. The Desei Hawks came next, occupying the center, but the Naleni troops moved to the right. Vroan’s westrons still held the right flank, but our lines had shifted from an east-west axis to a northeast-southwest position. This actually put Vroan’s troops closest to the enemy, but he still had the stream to guard his flank.
Vroan demanded, and Pyrust agreed, to pull my half army of xidantzu and Virine troops back into a reserve position. Faulting his logic was difficult. The new positions had Naleni troops supporting each other on the right, and Desei troops supporting each other on the left. Where Naleni and Desei mixed in the center, Pyrust would be able to command directly. The regiments within the armies had been staggered so Naleni and Desei troops overlapped in the center.
Nelesquin’s troops had come up in good order and arrayed themselves in a tighter formation than ours. We had forty-four thousand troops on our side-seven of those in reserve. The kwajiin numbered roughly half that. They brought with them a number of the monsters we’d seen at Tsatol Deraelkun. Their appearance shocked our troops, but the way their feet sank into the mud heartened us. While the hammer-headed apes-Dunos decided they should be called xonarchii, meaning “stick brains”-might be able to hurl stones into our lines, their missiles would likely get stuck instead of bouncing on through formations.
On the eve of battle, Prince Pyrust invited me to his tent. We stood beneath an awning. Rain pattered heavily against the canvas and dripped through a couple of seams. Neither of us wore armor, but we did bear our swords. I took it as a sign of respect that he allowed me to retain mine.
Pyrust studied the enemy lines. “They have no cavalry.”
“In the mud they will not be terribly effective.”
“That’s why I’ll keep mine out of the mud.”
I nodded. “Good idea. Nelesquin cut his teeth fighting against bandits and pirates. He never developed a feel for the use of cavalry. When I was learning cavalry tactics, he was devoting himself to magic.”
“But wouldn’t his commander see the value in cavalry?” Pyrust pointed to a large pavilion across the battlefield from us. “I am assuming he’s not there, your Nelesquin. He doesn’t fight under the tiger-tail banner.”
“No.” I shrugged. “I imagine he’s returned to Kelewan. He’s already divined the battle’s outcome with his Viruk scrying stones.”
The Prince arched an eyebrow. “Does he believe such oracles?”
“It was an affectation he picked up later in life. He used to say the stones never led him astray, but the Turasynd invasion did not turn out well for him.”
“Let us hope they fail him again here.” Pyrust’s chin came up. “Have you seen his general fight?”
“No. The battle at Tsatol Deraelkun revealed little about how he will fight here.”
“But you are still of the opinion we should pull back, disperse, and bleed them?”
“Yes.” I narrowed my eyes. “Is that why you agreed with Vroan’s suggestion that my troops get pulled back into our reserve? Do you think I would pull my troops out too soon?”
“If I thought that, I’d have sent you to Moriande days ago.” Pyrust clasped his hands behind his back. “I am confident we will fight as best we are able, but that does not guarantee victory. I do not know how this general will conduct this battle. While you and your people have provided me with some insight, it doesn’t mean we might not lose.”