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Book III: Caralla's War

Fortune to see the foe first

News

Much is lost by the late sleeper
Wealth is won by the swift.

A servant in the royal livery.

"His Majesty bids Her Majesty, the Lady Commander, to Council."

Anne carefully lifted the squirming bundle from her lap, kissed it, handed it to Elen.

"Be good."

She stood up, went to the door, through it. Leonora, behind her, turned.

"You too."

The door closed. Elaina got up from the floor, went over to Elen, started making faces at the baby.

In the council room, Anne took her seat beside her husband, Leonora at the far end of the long table next to Egil. Of twelve provincial lords, four were present themselves, four more in the person of officer or heir. Stephen spoke.

"Your Majesty. Brand being occupied about urgent affairs, I speak for his province as well as mine."

Anne glanced sidelong at James, doing his best to look as if he believed in the urgent affairs; under the table her hand found his. Her father was speaking.

"My brother has been ill all winter. His son is east with the Maril, learning his trade. I speak for fen and vale."

The other lords remained silent; finally the King spoke.

"Gentles, I called Council to profit by the presence of so many guests. My best news you all know. I have a daughter, my lady wife is well."

Estfen looked as if he would say something, didn't.

"Our borders are quiet. Word from the Empire has His Majesty ailing, the succession in doubt, the princes gathering supporters, shifting troops—Second Prince to the western province, where he's governor. Trouble there should be peace here. Yet . . ." He turned to Stephen.

"You all know the ford where the North Road crosses Borderflood. They are building something on their side. Men, wagons, timber. Not a large army, but more troops than common. Perhaps a fort."

The King looked around the room. It was Egil who spoke.

"So far as the Empire, our word the same as yours. Maybe they fear you will attack them?"

The King looked startled.

"A fort commanding the ford would make it harder for us to take advantage of civil war their side of the border." It was Estfen who spoke, Stephen who responded.

"A month before Harald can bring his host over the Northgate. So they build now."

"If they expect a civil war, wouldn't they have more urgent things to do—each side gathering forces?" That was the Queen. For a moment nobody responded. Finally the Lady Commander spoke.

"I distrust all accounts of Imperial politics. Believe the old man's failing when we have word of his funeral—from at least three witnesses. But it's early in the year for an invasion. Soldiers need to eat. Horses too. Bad time of the year to ford Borderflood."

The Council fell silent. When it became clear that nobody had more to add, talk turned to other subjects.

Anne leaned over, whispered to the King:

"I think our daughter has more need of me than our lords."

She went out. A few minutes later, the door opened again.

"Mother. Rider from Caralla, urgent."

Leonora glanced at the King; he nodded.

"Bring her in."

Splashed with mud, swaying with weariness, leaning on Elaina's arm. The Lady looked across the room at Leonora.

"Caralla. A bridge. Building."

"The Lady Caralla sends word that the Empire is bridging the Borderflood where the North Road crosses it?"

She nodded. Leonora spoke to her daughter.

"You were right to bring this to Council. Take care of her, get her to bed. You and Kara ready to ride in the morning." She turned back to the King.

"We have our answer."

Stephen was the first to break the silence.

"I ride in the morning too. Can you send a courier to Brand with messages?"

The King nodded, thought a moment.

"Brand and Stephen, with what help the Lady Commander can provide, can observe the enemy, perhaps harass the crossing. But if they come in force we will need more."

"Our host, the royal forces, half the provinces—that's as much as we can feed this early in the year." That was Leonora. "Messengers out tomorrow morning. By my counsel, the kingdom host to assemble on the plain west of here, near the North road. Garrisons to your northern keeps. Our host to North Province, with levies of North and River."

The King looked soberly around the room.

"I have seen few battles, ordered none. The Lady Commander has been at the business thirty years and more. Saving your counsel, I am minded to take hers."

There was a long silence. The King spoke again.

"Then be it so. Birds to the far south and east, riders elsewhere. Have you other counsel to give us before you ride North, Lady?"

Leonora looked at him, thought a moment, spoke.

"By your leave I stay here, ride with your host when it assembles. I know what the next weeks will be and my bones are too old for it. Caralla will command in the North."

Egil stood up.

"By Your Majesty's leave?"

"Of course; you must be elsewhere?"

"In Eston."

Egil went out. The King looked curious, said nothing; Leonora took pity on him.

"There are always a few cats staying the winter. Eston taverns are open late."

James thought a moment.

"Speaking of cats, should we send a bird to Harald with the news? The pass is closed, but still . . .  This may mean they are moving against him as well."

"Yes."

Four days later Stephen reached his hold, spent a busy day, then headed north and east. Caralla, accompanied by most of her octave, her sister and Kara, met his party on the road half a day south of the river. Stephen's men pitched a tent, posted sentries, the Ladies a wider ring of scouts. Inside the tent, Stephen and Caralla.

"You know that Mother has given the field command to me?"

"Nothing's forever. I ache after a day's riding; 'Nora's ten years older. Maybe more. Besides, King means well, took lessons from the best—but a few weeks doesn't make a general. I'll be happier knowing she's there."

"Brand will follow you; it's us."

Stephen nodded.

"What do you have?"

"Two hundred and fifty odd—four tataves. Mother sent word out, should be close to a thousand in a week. The rest longer. You?"

"My levy is six hundred, Brand's five. But I have to get my people safe into the hills before the Imperials show up and start killing them. Hard to do if the able-bodied men are all off fighting."

"If you have most of them, how long will it take?"

"Clear the path I think they take south. Get folk farther out up to the hills with enough food to keep them alive. Help garrison Markholt, Grayholt, get them set to stand siege . . . I can do most of it in a week, but more time would help. Started already."

"You think they'll siege the holds?"

"Siege or storm. Don't you?"

She nodded.

"Early spring, food's a problem for everyone. Worse problem for them—they have to get it south to the army, keep getting it. Can't leave garrisons sitting on their supply lines."

She thought for a minute.

"We have a day, maybe more, before they cross; been doing our best to slow the bridge. The legions are camped half a day's march north of the river, hoping we won't see them. Send me a hundred heavies, more when you can. I think I can buy you a week, with luck two."

A mile north, Elaina watched Kara emerge from the tangle of brush and small trees that marked a creek bed. Closer, what she was holding was a rabbit.

"I still don't understand how you do that."

"Why I didn't take you yesterday."

"That wasn't rabbits."

"You hunt rabbits, don't catch them. Imperials, they catch you. Like you better in one piece. I caught it, you skin it."

She retrieved the cloak from her tethered horse, wrapped herself up in it, went to sleep.

 

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