Cyador’s Heirs

XLVI

Just before eighth glass on eightday morning, Altyrn and Lerial rein up outside a single-level octagonal building of rough black stone, set in the middle of an octagonal green situated in the center of a paved square. The roof is a low dome of smooth slate, suggesting to Lerial that some form of chaos or order mastery was used to create it. That the elders of Verdheln are meeting with them on the end-day morning also suggests either that they believe the reason for which they have requested the Lancers is pressing … or that they do not wish the Lancers to be long in Verdell-if not both.

This time Yulyn dismounts and leads the way into the High Council building.

Once inside, Lerial is surprised, because the front half of the building is simply open, with a raised dais against the wall that divides the building. Two doors at floor level flank the ends of the dais.

Yulyn heads for the door on the right side, then glances back and says, “The small meeting room is here.” The wayguide opens the door, then stops and announces, “I have brought the majer and the heir.”

“Have them enter.”

Of the four elders, two are men, two women. One man is clearly older, with silver and white hair, while the other is a redhead. The older woman has iron-gray hair, and the younger, most likely close to the age of Lerial’s mother, is a brunette. Lerial immediately senses that all four elders could be of the Magi’i, were they of Cigoerne, although none of them strike him as exceptionally powerful. Yet … there is an almost hidden darkness. The four are seated around a circular table, at which there are two vacant chairs, side by side.

“Please take a seat,” suggests the oldest elder.

Lerial lets the majer choose the seat on the left, closest to the young male elder. The elder closest to him is the younger woman. She smiles warmly, if briefly, at Lerial.

When Lerial and Altyrn are seated, the silver-haired elder also smiles, almost apologetically, before speaking. “I am Donnael.” He nods to the gray-haired elder. “Ruethana … and Klerryt and Essiana.” After a moment, he continues, “You have traveled through some of the Verd for the past two days. You have also been here before, some years back, have you not, Majer?”

“I have.”

“Do you have questions as to why we have reached out to Duke Kiedron?”

“In a way,” replies Altyrn. “I assume you reached out to him because there was no one else to whom you could turn. That raises the question as to why that might be.”

“Had we reached out to Duke Khesyn, would he have been receptive?”

“He might have been receptive, but he would not have offered much beyond words, not when Verdheln lies between three other duchies. Duke Atroyan would seem likely to have been more receptive.”

“He might well have been. So receptive that everything of value would have been tariffed and all our ways trampled beneath the rush of Afritan traders and armsmen.”

“Yet you sought our aid…” Altyrn’s words are level, neither asking nor concluding.

“We have made clear to Duke Casseon that we wish to retain our own ways, and that we have only requested assistance from Cigoerne in training our own people to defend those ways. We have also made that clear to Duke Atroyan.”

The majer lets the silence draw out before he says, “You must realize the risk you take.”

“If we do nothing, we lose because Casseon will destroy our ways. If we ask aid of Atroyan we lose as surely as if Casseon’s armsmen insist on imposing his ways. What other course would you have us take?”

“You have few choices. How do you know that Duke Kiedron will not require something of you?”

“We do not, but he has not forced great changes upon those in his lands. Nor has he turned women into chattels.”

Those words surprise Lerial. While the composition of the councils indicates women have a greater voice in Verdheln than in the rest of Hamor, he had not considered that the people of the Verd would court destruction to avoid letting their women lose their position … and that the men would fight what well might be a long and losing battle to retain that custom.

“It is more than a custom,” says Ruethana, looking at Lerial after either reading his face or sensing his feelings. “It is what we are. You will also be training archers. Most are women. They are all good with bows. They do not know fighting.”

Lerial can sense slight surprise from the majer, but not shock.

“You expect us to turn your people into Lancers in a matter of eightdays?” asks Altyrn.

“In the past,” replies Donnael, “Duke Casseon has not brought large forces north before the end of spring planting.”

“Then why do you think he will attack this year?”

“Because he will,” declares Klerryt.

“We did not worry much when the traders told us of a fort being built in Dhesoryt,” adds Ruethana, “until the fort was built. It was finished last summer, and many of the people were driven off their lands and sold at the slave market in Nubyat.

“Now we hear that there are plans for another fort. It will be in Yakaat. There have also been Meroweyan scouts. Some did not return to Dhesoryt, but those that did likely discovered we have built a place to train our Lancers, as you will see. Some may also discover that we have been acquiring horses for them for well over a year.”

That suggests they decided to prepare to fight some time ago, reflects Lerial.

“I have no doubt of that,” replies Altyrn.

“Where is Dhesoryt?” asks Lerial. “And Yakaat?”

“Yakaat is but thirty kays south of Escadya. Dhesoryt is some fifteen kays southwest of Yakaat.”

“Escadya-that’s the southernmost large town in Verdheln, isn’t it?” asks Altyrn, most likely for Lerial’s benefit.

Donnael nods.

“And is that where you want us to begin training your Lancers? The ones you realized you could not train yourself?”

Ruethana frowns. “You assume too much.”

“Do I, Elder Ruethana?” asks the majer. “You have no one among your people who knows how to counter the Meroweyans. They are to the south. Where else would we train them? What weapons can you supply?”

“Very few, besides arrows for bows,” admits Donnael. “We only have those for which we can trade, and neither the traders of Afrit nor those of Heldya will supply fighting blades. Nor can those of Cigoerne, because your father the Duke”-he looks to Lerial-“purchases any forged or shipped there. What else can we do?”

“You could forge your own,” suggests Altyrn.

This time it is Essiana who shakes her head. “We would have to rip open the earth to mine coal or cut great swathes from the Verd to cut trees to make charcoal … In doing so, we would destroy all that we hold precious and dear.”

“More to the point,” adds Ruethana, “we have not the time or the ability to do so.”

“Also to the point,” adds Donnael, “is that it is to your advantage to help us. If Duke Casseon brings his armsmen and forts close to your borders, you will be pressed on all sides and without any help. Duke Atroyan already regrets the bargain his sire made with Duke Kiedron.”

Lerial does not correct the elder, although it was his grandmere the Empress who made the bargain.

“You do have a point,” says Altyrn mildly, “but that is why we are here, and why we did indeed bring blades. We will need supplies to reach Escadya … and your petition mentioned some shared tariffs to be sent to Duke Kiedron.”

“The golds will be dispatched tomorrow. We would request four of your Lancers to accompany our couriers.”

“We can do that…”

From there the discussion continues into the particulars of logistics and travel to Escadya, and Altyrn’s polite but rather direct cautions about the immediate effectiveness of training.

“I think you will find that those we have selected for you to train have great ability,” counters Klerryt. “They also know that failure will destroy the Verd.”

“That can only help,” admits Altyrn.

Lerial can sense that the majer has other concerns, which he is not about to voice, and that the elders know that as well, and will not press him to reveal them. He can also sense the regret and sadness in Essiana, and he wonders, It is almost that she feels they have already lost.

A good glass later, Altyrn and Lerial leave the council building, although Donnael draws Altyrn aside for a moment before they depart.

Lerial does not hear what transpires between the two, but the conversation is brief, consisting of only a few short sentences by each man.

Once they’re mounted and riding back to the hostel behind Yulyn, Lerial looks to Altyrn. “Might I ask what Elder Donnael wanted to convey?”

“That he was most impressed by the fact that you were here, as only one of two heirs to the Duchy … and that we are free to stay another day here.” Altyrn clears his throat. “Even though we won’t be allowing the men to leave the hostel area, we do need a day of rest for them and the horses.” He slows his mount slightly, letting the distance widen between them and the wayguide. “What are your thoughts about what Duke Casseon is doing?”

“Casseon is doing more than merely strengthening his defenses on his northern border,” replies Lerial.

“Why? And why now?” asks the majer. “We pose little immediate threat, and the people of the Verd certainly do not. They don’t wish to leave the forest. They never have.”

Lerial shrugs. He has no idea.

“The only thing I can see is that Casseon wants to take over Verdheln soon, and the only reason he could have for that is that he believes that, between them, Khesyn and Atroyan will either destroy Cigoerne or weaken us so much that Atroyan will be able to take over Verdheln.”

“But…” Lerial stops.

“But what?”

“If Atroyan wasn’t strong enough to take over before now…”

“How could he do it now? Especially with the armsmen he’s moved near Penecca?” Altyrn offers a sardonic smile. “There’s only one way.”

If all three of them are acting together. “But if they’re acting together…?”

“Why don’t they all just attack Cigoerne at once? Because they don’t trust each other in the slightest. Our Lancers are strong enough to cripple any one army any of them could mass. What would happen if, say, Khesyn sends a message to your father telling him that Atroyan will attack through Penecca on the first day of spring, then promises to Atroyan to cross the Swarth and attack Cigoerne from the south, while not doing so and sending golds to your father as proof of his goodwill in promising not to attack Cigoerne?”

Lerial understands immediately. “Each of them fears that the other will do something like that … but if they adopt a strategy of nibbling at our borders on all sides, no one of them is greatly exposed.”

“If any one of them is fortunate … and exposes a weakness first, then that Duke reaps great rewards.”

“Cigoerne is not that wealthy,” protests Lerial.

“Not in golds, but the lands and the crops they produce are, and any of them would like to have them. Also, Cigoerne would offer either Casseon or Khesyn a strong point in dealing with Afrit, and it would strengthen Atroyan greatly if he comes to possess it.”

“And the only thing we can do is hold them off?”

“Hold them off and become stronger. If we can help the Verdyn repulse Casseon, then the golds of the forest people and the Lancers that they can provide will make us almost as strong as Afrit. It may be that Khesyn has seen that and suggested to Duke Casseon that his only chance to keep Cigoerne from becoming stronger is to conquer the Verd before Verdheln allies itself with Cigoerne.”

Lerial shakes his head. “But the threat of such an attack is what prompted the elders to contact Father.”

“I doubt that Khesyn thinks Casseon will be successful, but if the attacks weaken us…”

That, Lerial also understands-and the fact that, small as all the attacks and raids are, his father is fighting for Cigoerne’s survival. Again.