Rex Regis

33

Mardi morning began far too early for Quaeryt, even though he’d gotten Khaern’s orders from Bhayar late on Lundi afternoon. After that, he and Vaelora had briefed Bhayar on where they stood on all the matters they had been handling, including the business of the Anomen D’Variana, which Bhayar dismissed with a laugh. Then Quaeryt had written out the order of riding and departure directions for each company and put each with maps in a folder, one for first company and one for Calkoran. Finally, he and Vaelora discussed possible ministry problems and what options she might have for dealing with each, should they arise.

A little before sixth glass on Mardi, after checking on the gelding and strapping his kit bag behind the saddle, Quaeryt met with Khaern at the headquarters holding, handing him the document that held his orders. “Please read this right now.”

The red-and-gray-haired subcommander frowned momentarily as he took the single sheet, then said, “Yes, sir.”

Quaeryt watched as Khaern’s eyes widened, but said nothing until Khaern looked up from the orders. “Do you understand that order?”

“Yes, sir. It says that I am to support Lord Bhayar, and to accept and undertake orders only from you or him, or in the absence or unavailability of either of you, of the Minister of Administration and Supply for Bovaria.”

“Do you have any questions?”

“Aren’t you the Minister of Administration, sir?”

“I am, but so is Lady Vaelora.”

“Begging your pardon, sir, but this order suggests Lord Bhayar doesn’t trust the marshal.”

“That’s not quite true. I don’t fully trust the marshal, and if you recall what happened on the advance up the Aluse last year, I have a few reasons to be wary of his decisions.”

“Yes, sir. So do all of us who were in Southern Army.”

“I requested the orders you hold so that you can refuse any order from Marshal Deucalon. Obviously, you should use that ability with discretion, and if you don’t have to use it, it’s probably for the best. But you have it, in order to use your own discretion in protecting the Chateau Regis, Lord Bhayar, and Lady Vaelora-or the two imagers who will be remaining to work on the Collegium buildings on Imagisle.”

“Yes, sir.” Khaern looked at the order sheet again.

“I hope it doesn’t come to that, but I trust your judgment.”

“I’ll do my best to keep that trust, sir.” Khaern paused. “If Marshal Deucalon or one of his officers asks where you’ve gone, what should I say?”

“Tell him that I took first company out to investigate some problems Lord Bhayar had with High Holders and that you know I headed east of Variana to begin with. That is true. If he presses you, tell him that you would feel uncomfortable saying more, since you report to me, and I report to Lord Bhayar, and that saying more would be contrary to the chain of command.”

“That might reveal where you’re headed, sir.”

“It might, but I’d rather you didn’t lie outright.” And if it does, that’s another indication that Deucalon’s involved with Myskyl. Quaeryt paused. “It might be helpful if you dispatched two companies for maneuvers heading west fairly early this morning.”

“Yes, sir.” Khaern grinned. “You wouldn’t be minding if we took a supply wagon, just to give the men some practice?”

“I think that would be an excellent idea. You’re to join Zhelan and Calkoran while I give them their riding orders.”

In moments, all three of Quaeryt’s senior officers were in his study.

“Are there any problems?” asked Quaeryt.

“No, sir,” replied Zhelan. “First company is ready to mount up.”

“We are as well,” added Calkoran.

“Here are the maps, and directions.” Quaeryt handled Zhelan the folder he and the major would be using and then the other to Calkoran. He waited while the two looked over the materials, then went on. “Subcommander Calkoran, in leaving Variana, you’re to take the south road from the Chateau Regis to the Sud Bridge, cross the River Aluse there, then ride to the Sudroad and turn north. In the middle of Variana, it turns into the Nordroad, and it eventually becomes the river road to Rivages. First company will take the north road over the Nord Bridge and past Nordroad all the way out to Saenhelyn before turning north. We’ll join up just south of Talyon. That’s the first true town north of Variana. It’s about fifteen milles. Whoever reaches Talyon first waits. Is that clear?”

“Yes, sir.”

“There’s one other matter. You’re to stop any dispatch riders, seize their dispatches, and detain them, by force if necessary. That also includes any rider who might be a courier for someone else as well.”

Zhelan frowned. “Sir?”

Calkoran only nodded, sadly and knowingly.

“There’s something wrong happening with Submarshal Myskyl’s forces. There have been no dispatches back to Variana in more than two months, and we don’t want to alert anyone who may be intercepting dispatches. We also don’t want dispatches to anyone else heading north.”

“You do not wish to let the submarshal know we are coming, either,” said Calkoran.

“No, I don’t. I’d like to be able to scout around, if we can, without his knowing we’re near. Then again, that may not be possible because he may have scouts in many areas around Rivages, but if no dispatches reach whoever is at the root of the problem, they’ll have less time to prepare to deal with us.” Quaeryt turned to Khaern. “Any other diversions you can arrange here would be useful. I leave the details to you.”

“Yes, sir. We can do that.”

Quaeryt turned his eyes on Calkoran. “Any questions?”

“No, sir.”

“Then have your men mount up. You’ll leave first. We’ll follow.”

“Yes, sir.”

Calkoran and Khaern hurried off.

Zhelan looked at Quaeryt. “Begging your pardon, sir, but how are we going to take on six regiments?”

“We can’t, and we aren’t. Lord Bhayar needs every regiment he has. We have to find a way to get to the bottom of this without losing those regiments.” One way or another, and only the Nameless knows how we can manage it. Quaeryt almost smiled at the thought of his calling on an unnamed deity whose existence he wasn’t even sure of.

“That’s…” Zhelan shook his head as if unable to even come up with an appropriate assessment of the situation.

“Yes, it is.” Quaeryt offered a smile. “We might as well get moving.” He gestured to the study door.

Two quints later, first company was riding south toward the north road under a hazy sky. Quaeryt hadn’t seen any sign of any senior officers watching, and he hoped that the fact that one company or another had been riding out every day would have numbed any observer to anything particularly special, although the fact that each company had a supply wagon was different. He also worried about rain later in the day, because there was a hint of dark clouds to the southeast, and he’d learned that the heaviest rains always blew into Variana from that direction.

Early as it was, by the time first company reached the Nord Bridge, they were slowed by wagons on the road and bridge, and even more so on the narrower avenue east of the River Aluse. A good glass passed before Quaeryt, flanked by Zhelan, with Khalis, Lhandor, and Elsior riding directly behind them, reached Saenhelyn Road and turned north on the dusty track that would eventually rejoin the river road to Rivages.

“Do you think this will do any good, sir?” asked Zhelan.

“Given how far and how long we have to ride, it can’t hurt. And if the Bovarians are involved, it’s definitely a good idea.”

“Yes, sir.”

From Zhelan’s tone, Quaeryt could tell that the major had strong doubts that the Bovarians were in the slightest involved.

“And,” Quaeryt added loudly, so that the imagers could hear, “we can do some roadwork along the way so that travel and dispatch riders will have an easier time of it in the future. That way, we won’t have to wonder if bad roads slowed dispatches.”

Clearly understanding what Quaeryt was doing, Zhelan grinned and replied loudly, “Yes, sir.”

“We might even build a few good bridges along the way.”

“Maybe they could build some really big bridges and causeways and pave a good portion of the river road all the way to Rivages.”

“That might be a good idea,” replied Quaeryt, grinning back at the major.