The Storm's Own Son (Book 3) (11 page)

She looked up at him and ran her fingers through his black hair. He'd had it cut for the first time in a long while, and while it tousled at the top and at his forehead, it was military trim around the back and sides. He had a thought that she missed the old unkempt strands.

"Talaos," she said wistfully, "the light never leaves your eyes now, the darkness is never gone from the storm of power around you, and I think I understand you less…"

He held her close.

She went on, sadness creeping into her voice, "Although I knew from the beginning it wasn't true, I've enjoyed my fantasy that you would linger here in Avrosa, with me…"

Talaos replied reflectively, "I'll be going to war, but I'm not leaving Avrosa forever. Nor am I going endlessly far away."

"But you're still going to war, and an unknown fate," she replied.

"Yes."

"My heart is with you, wherever you go."

"But your soul is here, in Avrosa," he smiled.

"Yes, here in these stones of my birth. And I have this sense that events are moving on, and moving us apart. Still, come what may," she said, sadly, "I do love you."

"I love you," he replied.

She wrapped her nude body around him, and nestled her head against his chest.

After a while, she seemed to cheer a bit, and mentioned, "Did you know some say Avrosa is the oldest city in Hunyos?"

"Yes. As Carai is in the Republic. The weight of ages is here, and the strength."

She smiled at that. He kissed her, and wondered what was to come.

~

He sat on his chair of office in the council chamber. His swords rested across his lap, and his eyes shone. As his old armor and gear were damaged beyond reasonable repair in the battle, he now wore a simple military tunic in the dark gray of Avrosa. Around him stood the Madmen and the mace bearers. Soldiers and civilians crowded the room. Much had been discussed, and much more would be.

With the end of the standoff and the enemy blockade, ships from northern Hunyos had finally reached Avrosa. There'd been a squadron of five allied warships, a large and heavily guarded supply convoy, and a lone, fast ship bearing dispatches and news.

Whether by swift-riding messengers, or some means of the Prophet, news of the battle had already reached the north. There was turmoil in several cities, on both sides, as factions with varying views of the war, of the mass defections and of the Prophet, struggled in council chambers and on the streets.

There was also news from further afield. Rumors of intervention by the Republic had subsided, but had been replaced by worries about what was happening up in Dirion.  There'd been long-simmering unrest among the old ruling people, the old stock, and a great many of them had turned to the faith of the Prophet. That much, Talaos had already heard. Other news he had not.

The Plainsman kings had been fighting among themselves until very recently.  In a matter of months, many of them were killed or subjugated under the rule of a king from the east named Khurvrik. This king had publicly declared his faith in the Living Prophet, and drawn many followers from the old stock of Dirion in the remnants of their cities. Rumors were that Khurvrik was soon to declare himself Great King of the Plainsmen, a great king such as they had not had in forty years. Talaos had kept in mind his vision of great armies massing in the north. On the other hand, there was no news from the Eastlands.

His allies had a unique chance, now, to consolidate power before the other alliance could recover. The true enemy, the Prophet, would not be idle after the loss of his Hand and so many followers.

Talaos now awaited a new report on the administration of oaths from General Megaras. Strange as the intense loyalty of the Avrosans seemed to him, it made them very good choices as emissaries among the enemy prisoners. The lean, solemn general stood before him in his gray uniform. He saluted, bowed, and spoke at length.

"Storm Lord, we have completed our work with the prisoners, and I have great things to report. By your deeds, your might, by the respect accorded the commanders who changed sides to join you, and by your act of kindness in healing their many wounded, the enemy came over to us in great numbers. Sixteen thousand, one hundred and fifty two men gave oath to fight the Prophet, while eight hundred and sixty one would not.

"Seventy-eight were not in condition to answer, and are at the House of Healing. Two hundred and thirteen, mostly men who'd been caught unwillingly rather than properly surrendered, declared for the Prophet and were executed. Fifteen managed to seize arms, attacked our emissaries, and died fighting."

More than sixteen thousand had made the oath.

That was far, far better than he'd hoped. It meant he would march with at least thirty-five thousand. If efforts to recruit mercenaries, hillmen, and to better organize the Avrosan militia went well, it might be as many as thirty-seven or thirty-eight.

Talaos knew they would now need to begin work on their plans for the organization of new units and chains of command. With an army assembled from such a wild variety of sources, they dared not leave things to chance.

He could also tell that something else was in the works among the Avrosans. Megaras cast a look at Akaros, and the latter at Tribune Nerio. Talaos surveyed them and arched an eyebrow. Akaros rose and bowed. Talaos motioned for him to step forward.

"Storm Lord," said the elder Patrician. "Your tremendous courage is well known to all, as is the amount of harm you are exposed to in battle. We, the people of Avrosa, fear for your safety, and wish that you might have defenses capable of withstanding such things as you so often face."

Talaos smiled and replied, "It is true I go through armor quickly."

"Well… yes." replied Akaros. "And your life's blood. Storm Lord, men have just today completed the task you assigned, to search and catalog the contents of the old tower. They discovered a hidden chamber annexed to the lowest level, and there found a number of things thought lost. One of them is very significant. I… May I tell an old tale of Avrosa?"

Talaos nodded.

Akaros began, "Four centuries ago, Avrosa was mightier among the city states than it is today. The very height of our power was under the leadership of Dictator Adrastos. He overcame a coalition of many cities against us, and laid tribute to nearly half of Hunyos.

"One of those cities was Imperi. In those days, they too were more powerful, with much wealth and knowledge left from the time of the old Empire. The war with them was particularly brutal. When Imperi at last submitted, they sent Adrastos a gift as token of surrender.

"That gift was a set of finely crafted armor, bearing the clouds and thunderbolts of Avrosa.  An ambassador from Imperi donned the armor before Adrastos, his generals, and the Council of Avrosa. Then he called upon men to strike him with swords and spears.

"Even after many attacks, he and the armor were both unharmed. For that armor was enchanted, and the enchanting of it had cost the magus Kaunos, a patriot of Imperi, the greater part of his power. The ambassador presented the armor to Adrastos, and he accepted it.

"A short time later, Adrastos decided to don and test the armor himself. He was a great warrior and a man of gifts. He put on the armor to spar with his officers and champions, even as a great crowd, the ambassador among them, watched. While he used a blunted blade, he let his opponents use sharp ones, to see what the armor could do.

"Being skilled, Adrastos fought for a long while, knocking opponents from the ring with none coming close to striking him. At last, one did, with but the lightest of taps to the shoulder. Without a word, Adrastos fell dead. His heart was stopped by a bolt of lightning within the armor.

"Then the ambassador laughed and boasted that he himself had a gift. He was immune to lightning. He said he was proud to die for his city, and indeed was slain by our people on the spot.

“We went to war once more with Imperi and plundered it so thoroughly that it never recovered its primacy in Hunyos. However, without Adrastos, our army was set upon and defeated on the way home, and the ancient things we had taken were scattered among many cities, or lost. The armor, however, was locked away and, as it turns out, its location forgotten."

The room went very quiet.

"Storm Lord," finished Akaros, "we would like to offer you this armor."

A great many complex and uncomfortable expressions spread among the assembled crowd. Talaos raised his hand for calm, and replied, "You offer me armor that, while nearly invulnerable, was specifically made to kill its wearer as part of an assassination plan?"

"Yes, Storm Lord. We wouldn't offer it at all," replied Akaros, "except that you yourself have gifts of lightning."

He smiled in reply, "As you have guessed, I am immune to it. Will this armor fit me?"

"We believe that it will. Adrastos was a tall man, like you."

"You have chosen well," replied Talaos. "Thank you, I will accept it."

Akaros bowed and gestured to Nerio. Talaos nodded, and the tribune sped off.

Talaos and his officers then discussed plans for their command structure, now that they knew how many men they'd have and from where. Some time passed, and Nerio returned with a pair of soldiers and a magnificent set of armor.

It was a muscled steel cuirass with heavy shoulder pieces, steel pteruges hanging from a wide belt of engraved plates, greaves, thigh armor, vambraces, and a high-crested helm with cheek guards. All the steel was black, with bright, raised silver designs of wreaths, clouds and thunderbolts. Intricate silver geometric work ran along the rims.

Talaos looked at the pieces. As he did so, the Avrosans watched him with what he thought could be best described as soaring confidence in his invincibility. That confidence was clearly not shared by all the officers in the room, and suspicious, fearful looks passed around.

"Gentlemen," said Talaos, "if the Avrosans wanted to assassinate me, they could have found a more subtle means. I trust them, and so should you."

With that, Talaos stood and put on the cuirass, the piece with the trick of lightning. He thought of tapping his own chest with his sword, but then wondered if it might not properly trigger the magic. He turned to the man he could best count on to recklessly take the next step.

"Kyrax," he said, "hit me in the chest with your sword."

The discontent among the officers grew visibly more apparent. Some rose to their feet.

Kyrax muttered, but stepped over and gave Talaos a forceful crack with his blade.

Talaos felt nothing, and the armor wasn't so much as scratched.

He smiled and sat back upon his chair of office, eyes still radiant with lightning. "Thank you, I will wear it proudly," he said to Akaros and the other Avrosans. Turning to his commanders, he continued, "Now, gentlemen, it is time to consider the tasks before us."

All in the room quieted, and waited on his word.

“Assembled in this hall are warriors from all across Hunyos, who served in both armies and fought on both sides at the battle of Avrosa. The greater part of both armies now stand together, ready to face our true enemy, but the time is short. Many cities and towns are in the hands of traitors, or deceived by them, and they will raise new armies. Even now, a king openly sworn in service to the Prophet rises to power on the plains. On the throne of the fallen, I had a vision of fleets gathering in the Eastlands, and if true, they could have no purpose but war.

“Hunyos divided will surely fall, and then this land will find itself under a boot to make old Dirion’s seem gentle. Unless we act, the pyres will spread in Hunyos, burning its sons and daughters alive to feed the Prophet’s power. Unless we act swiftly, the enemy will come for us as we fight among ourselves. Unless we act decisively, traitors among us will aid the enemy when he comes.

“Commanders, all of you have sworn oaths to fight the Prophet. I trust each of you to do so, come what may, but I see only one path to victory in that fight. Regardless of prior alliance, the leaders of each city, town, and hill clan must now choose where they stand. We must free Hunyos from those who choose the Prophet. We must sweep Hunyos from south to north, now, while they are still in disarray.

“If any of you reject this plan, and wish instead to fight the Prophet in your own way, you are free to leave.”

Talaos surveyed the room. His words had but clearly and directly stated things they had all discussed. Even so, now would be the test.

All of them remained in their places, alert, quiet, and at the ready.

He regarded them with pride and gratitude as he continued. “Even in the greatest haste, combining our forces into one effective army, and organizing for the march north will take time. While we do so, we must ensure trouble doesn’t arrive from our flank. That means that Ipesca and the hinterland of Avrosa must be secured. Warlord Kurvan, are your troops ready?”

The latter replied simply, “Aye. We leave before dawn.”

Talaos gave him a solemn nod of thanks, and then addressed the others, “As for the rest of us, we have much to do. We begin now.”

~

Talaos considered many things as he climbed the old tower. He passed the levels where he now had his Wolves billeted, the level third from the top where the Madmen were now based, and then the second from the top where he'd set up an office and a bed. He spent little time there, as he no longer slept at all. Still, this tower, more than anywhere else in Avrosa, now felt like home.