Devan Chronicles Series: Books 1-3 (135 page)

What else could it be?

Why had he done such a monstrous thing? He must know she could not let this stand. Japura had been stable within her current borders for thousands of years, ever since the installation of Armina as the first Matriarch. Why now, what reason could there be? She just didn’t know.

Vexin had hit Japura where it hurt, and she had to respond—
had to!
For years, raiding and counter-raiding had been the norm, but this atrocity had changed that forever. It was unbelievable. Why did he do it… why? Sixty thousand dead—it meant the end of Tanjung, or the end of Japura. This war wouldn’t stop until one or the other was destroyed. The victor would own it all, but she couldn’t see gains in this. All she saw was the ruin and devastation that would result from Vexin’s action.

She stared into the distance at nothing. For years to come, her people would look back upon her reign and cry tears of woe, and there was nothing she could do to avert it. Sixty thousand dead… and how many more to follow them to the grave before it was done?

Wanikiya came in then and quickly set about examining a protesting Jarek. His colour was much improved, but Talitha noticed him surreptitiously massaging his left arm.

Wanikiya pounced instantly. “Hah! I knew it, but no, you had to pretend. Fool man!”

Jarek spluttered. “How dare you! Have you no respect for my position?”

Wanikiya laughed as she rummaged in her basket. “What position is that, deary? I’ve tried them all at one time or another!”

“I meant my position as chamberlain!”

“Oh that, no,” she said absently.

“No?” Jarek said puzzled.

“What use is a chamberlain to me? You’re just someone who needs my help… and a man of course.”

Jarek’s brows shot up at the casual addendum. Ranen smirked, but Talitha was thinking of snowy roads and travel times, supplies and cavalry. How many could she call on and how long to get them into the vicinity of Talayan? Were Talayan’s walls still standing, and could they be used as a secure camp? Tanjung had mages and she did not, would it be better to disperse her forces or concentrate them in the ruins? Dispersal leapt to mind as the obvious choice, but she immediately distrusted that. Any force had to be large enough to overwhelm the Tanjuners before their mages could do too much damage to her forces.

“Here we are deary, now put that under your tongue, and don’t swallow it.”

“Mmmph!” Jarek said as Wanikiya stuffed a wad of something rather nasty looking in his mouth. “—hy ot ollow it?”

“Because I said so! Humph, men never do anything without an argument.”

“—astes isgusting!”

“Best medicine always does deary.”

“We must call the princes and domain lords to immediate council,” Talitha said over Wanikiya’s scolding.

Ranen nodded. “The news is days old. Who knows how far Vexin has moved since Talayan? A hundred thousand men the report said. Where did he get so many?”

“Nowhere,” she said with certainty. “He would have to unite all his lords behind him to raise so many. I don’t believe he could have done that in secret. My guess is the new army at Tanjung Karang isn’t there any longer.”

“Eight thousand against Talayan? Surely they needed more than that.”

“They had more. You heard the report, Ranen. The slaves were helping. How many would you say were in Talayan?”

He paled. “At least as many as there are citizens.”

“You’re wrong there. There must be three times as many slaves as there are citizens. The slaves have always outnumbered every class except the commons. I don’t know how many Talayan had.”

Ranen nodded.

Commoners couldn’t afford slaves, but the princes, domain lords, and the wealthy could afford many. There were hundreds in the palace alone. Talitha had no idea how many resided in Pura and her other cities. Every Japuran knew his place from birth to death including those born to slavery, but Talayan was on the border. Why buy expensive slaves from Orrisa or another city when they had plenty for free right nearby? Many slaves had been captured on border raids over the years, and it made sense to keep most of them in the city. Borderers were neither fully Tanjuner nor Japuran but a mixture of the two. They were consequently a hardy folk, but unlike pure Japuran slaves, they were wilful. She had no doubt the slaves had butchered their masters with glee.

“We have this winter to prepare and that’s all,” she continued. “I don’t believe Vexin will continue his campaign through the winter snows. Supplies will be low. So many horses and men will need a lot of food. We have to be ready to meet and destroy that army in the spring.”

“If we strip Orrisa we could match him immediately,” Ranen offered.

She had already considered that. It was a terrible risk, but it might surprise Vexin… unless he was counting on her doing it. What she needed was more than one force—two armies for Vexin’s War Leader to worry about. Let the Tanjuners worry over one force while she sacked Vexin’s cities and lay waste to his empire with the other.

“I will think more on that, but I’m reluctant to strip Orrisa’s protection, especially considering what happened to Talayan.”

“Perhaps a compromise?”

“Go on.”

“We could inform Strike Leader Wakiza of the situation and have him ready to move out the instant the roads clear, but in the meantime have the princes and domain lords raise their forces. When Wakiza moves, you can replace Orrisa’s defence with men from the lords, while using the princes as a second army.”

This was a demonstration of how right they were for each other. Ranen had read her mind. “That’s
exactly
what we will do,” she said and turned her attention to Jarek. “How are you feeling now, father of my heart?”

Ranen breathed a shocked oath that made Talitha smile. The Matriarch calling a commoner father! What would everyone say? They would say whatever she told them to say, she thought a little grumpily. She was the Matriarch and therefore perfect. She could not be in error and could not be called to task for anything she did.

“I eel underful. I on’t eed edicine!” Jarek spat out the wad of nasty looking medicine. It was made of various evil looking leaves and mould. Talitha felt queasy just looking at the vile stuff.

“Perhaps I should meet your assistant after all,” Talitha said. “Not that you’re not capable!” she hastened to add.

Jarek was sad at the need, but pleased his Matriarch had finally seen sense. “I’ll bring him along next time, but I feel fine now. I can certainly continue my work; I don’t want to miss anything.”

“This isn’t fun Jarek!” she scolded. “People died by the thousands just a few tendays ago.”

“I know, but I meant I don’t want to miss what you’re going to do to Vexin.”

“I’m going to remove that man from this life and his festering cesspit of an empire from the world once and for all,” she said coldly.

“Good,” Jarek said, and Ranen nodded.

Good?

No, it wasn’t good, but it had to be done. For Japura, for Talayan, but especially for sixty thousand dead citizens.

* * *

6 ~ Dissension

Navarien was concerned; more than concerned if the truth were known. Demophon was about to use the mirror to contact Lord Mortain—may he live forever. What if Mortain was angry with him for the loss of so many of his men? If that was the case, then his days as commanding officer of the Fifth were over, and nothing he could do or say would change it. True, the Protectorate was a long way to the southwest, but now that Demophon was here the Legion was no longer out of contact with it. He could be replaced in an instant now. All Mortain had to do was say four little words: General, you are relieved.

Navarien stood before the mirror hanging on the wall, and watched while Demophon did whatever sorcerers did to bring images of far off places to its surface. The mirror brightened and Mortain appeared. Navarien braced to attention and saluted hand to heart.

“Demophon…” Mortain said silkily.

The sorcerer paled at the malice they heard in that single word.

“I wondered if you would have the stones to contact me after the latest fiasco perpetrated by you and your brothers.”

“I’m sorry, Lord,” Demophon said meekly. “We were intercepted by a hundred shamen and an entire clan of warriors. They took Julia from me, but she might yet die of Tancred poisoning. I ensured her thorough addiction.”

Navarien wanted to spit. No one deserved death by Tancred poisoning; the pain was extreme. A sword was much cleaner. He didn’t like learning that Julia was now among the clans. That snippet could prove dire indeed. If she didn’t die, she could prove to be a major impediment to next year’s campaign.

“…fought to the last man and—” Demophon was saying, well babbling might be a better description.

“Silence!” Mortain ordered. “Your lies do not interest me. Only results interest me. Ascol has been executed for regicide, and six of our brothers died at the hands of amateurs—two against six! You were not attacked by a full clan, nor even a half. You were attacked by a small raiding band and a few shamen!”

Demophon was stricken dumb with fear.

Navarien took a deep breath. “My lord, if I might have a moment of your time?”

Mortain nodded. “I am very pleased with you, General, very pleased indeed. Your stone throwing contraption was amazingly effective, and the towers worked very well. Well done.”

“I thank you my lord, but I could never have won through without good officers and men. The Fifth has the best.”

“I agree, but don’t tell General Menelaus I said that.”

He laughed as was expected of him. Menelaus was General of First Legion. “I’ll be sure not to gloat too much, my lord. The reason I wished to speak with you, Sir, is that I need a clarification of my orders.”

“A clarification?” Mortain frowned. He glanced at Demophon and his features lightened. “Ah I see! A
clarification
. Well, that’s easy enough. Your orders are to hold Calvados, build a fort, and await reinforcement to continue the pacification of the clans in the spring. Is all clear now?”

“That much is clear, my lord, but could you clarify one thing further?”

“Go on,” Mortain said with a small smile.

“Demophon is of the opinion that he should lead the Fifth on a new mission of some kind.”

“What mission?”

“I do not have that information, my lord.”

Mortain turned his attention to Demophon. “Well?”

Demophon glared hard at Navarien promising retribution for this humiliation. “As the only sorcerer here, it seemed reasonable I should be lead mage. As such, I wanted to give orders that would see next year’s campaign completed the quicker.”

“That sounds reasonable so far. What did you have in mind?”

Navarien clenched a fist. This was turning bad. If Mortain gave permission to proceed, he might find himself under Demophon’s orders after all.

“The Fifth is in dire straights I’m afraid, only one battalion is mounted out of a possible three that are battle ready. It seemed to me a sensible idea to redress the situation by procuring mounts from the natives. The local tribes are small and shouldn’t present the general with any difficulty.”

“Hmmm, he has a point, General. It’s the first thing you need to do next spring in any case. Any reason not to start early?”

“Two, my lord. I have barely enough men to hold Calvados. If I were to lose another battalion on this raid, I can foresee a time when I will not be able to hold the city. Secondly, there is the matter of the fort. Construction is behind schedule due to my lack of men. That will only become worse if I lead a battalion on this raid.”

“What do you say to that, Demophon?”

“Navarien is the best general, and the Fifth is the best legion we have. I have every confidence in him and his men. I believe there will be no difficulty, but I will understand if you’re unwilling to risk it, my lord.”

Navarien groaned silently.

Mortain’s eyes glittered as Demophon’s words went home. “Wotan will be lead mage, General. When he arrives, he will assume the traditional duties of his position. Until then, Demophon will give you all assistance, but you are not to take his orders. You will plan and execute these raids to supply your men with mounts, but under no circumstances are you to lose Calvados. If that means curtailing the raiding early, so be it.”

Navarien saluted.

Mortain looked at Demophon and smiled an evil smile. “I’ll be watching you…
very carefully
. You will assist the general in the furtherance of his mission and not hinder him in any way. Fail me again, and I will see you dead,
ten times over!
” he roared and his image faded until the mirror was simply a mirror again.

Days later, Navarien was cursing the day he ever met Demophon. If it wasn’t for him, he wouldn’t be freezing and fuming in the middle of the plains in winter, when anyone with sense was snuggled down inside where it was warm. He stalked away shaking his head. The clansmen were unbelievably stubborn. Demophon was sitting astride his horse smirking as usual, but he couldn’t blame the man for that this time.

They had ridden out of Calvados with Corbin’s battalion hoping to buy the horses he needed with gold looted from the city, but he had met nothing but hostility. That wasn’t surprising. The clans were always hostile to outclanners, but he had hoped they might see sense. They hadn’t. At least the tribes hadn’t offered violence—not yet.

“How many times are you going to allow these people to humiliate the Legion?” Demophon said with a pleasant smile.

Navarien wished he could wipe it off for him. Corbin’s men rumbled agreement with the sorcerer, and that made him angrier still. The sorcerer had healed the injured as promised, and by doing so had earned their friendship. The way things were going, the men would start taking Demophon’s orders instead of his!

“Lord Mortain, may he live forever, ordered you to begin raiding not trading. He said it very clearly. I’m sure it was raiding,” Demophon said over chuckles and laughter from the men.

“Silence in the ranks!” Captain Corbin snarled angrily. “Sorry Sir,” he said to Navarien’s scowl.