Scion of Cyador

CI

Lorn leans forward in his study chair, ignoring the warm afternoon breeze of full summer that scarcely cools Mirror Lancer Court at all. He forces himself to read slowly over the summary and conclusion page of his draft plan for dealing with the Jeranyi-the paragraphs that matter the most, in a way, since he doubts anyone but the Majer-Commander will ever see more than the summaries. Perhaps even Rynst will not read more than the summary.

As he has drafted the plan, Lorn has included everything he can think of, from the costs of carrying blades from Hamor-figures Eileyt and Ryalth had helped him calculate-to distances between the planned stops of a campaign to take Jera, and even the supplies necessary in the event that the Mirror Lancers were not to raid the storehouses of the Jeranyi.

He forces his eyes back to the lines that feel so tired, because they are the result of far too many drafts, and far too many revisions.

…Cliffs form most of the coastline from Biehl to a point roughly one hundred kays west of Rulyarth. Jera is the only port with practical access to the lands of Jerans. Control of the port, therefore, controls the majority of trade…The Jeranyi do not have supplies of iron or metal-working skills. That is true especially for finely-wrought metals and weapons. If Cyador holds Jera, then Cyador can limit the easy flow of blades to the Jeranyi…

Any campaign to take the port of Jera can be accomplished with tenscore lancers, although a larger force would limit any uncertainty….

…The geography of Jera is such that a fortified wall can be placed on the highlands west of the port to limit access and to control the trade along the River Jeryna…With the growing possibility of the lack of chaos-powered tools in the future, such a fortification should be started immediately after the port is taken.

The harbor waters are shallow. Deeper draft vessels must be moored at the end of long piers necessary to reach deeper water. To build piers closer to the port’s seawall will require extensive dredging. In either case, once the port is taken by land, it would be difficult, if not impossible, for any enemy to land armsmen or lancers by ship inside the fortifications….

This plan may well have defects, and is not without its costs. It will not eliminate all future losses by the Mirror Lancers to Jeranyi and Cerlynyi barbarians in the Grass Hills. Any other plan is highly unlikely to prove either effective or workable, as detailed above.

Lorn takes a deep breath. The last sentence is the dangerous one, because it is impossible to prove another plan will not work without implementing it-and failing.

Finally, he stands and carries the plan out to Fayrken for the senior squad leader to copy before Lorn takes it upstairs to Tygyl for delivery to the Majer-Commander.

“Ser?” inquires the squad leader as Lorn approaches his table.

Lorn hands the report to Fayrken. “This is the report that the Majer-Commander requested. I need just one copy.”

Fayrken takes the sheets, and studies them. “Lot of writing here, ser. Late tomorrow, I’d say.”

“When you can.” Lorn smiles faintly.

“Be starting it now, ser. With the firewagons running less often, I’d guess, Commander Hrenk is still in Fyrad.”

“Thank you.”

“Yes, ser.” Fayrken nods.

After Lorn walks back into his study, closing the door behind him, he looks down at the polished surface of the desk, then out through the open window at the clouds to the north that promise a late-afternoon thundershower. He has already spent almost half a season in Cyad, going to meetings, taking notes, and writing reports, and he feels as though he has accomplished almost nothing, except learning how-in his sparring with Tyrsal-to handle a sabre in either hand without using his eyes at all.

The best thing about his assignment in Cyad is that he and Ryalth have had much more time together, and that he has had a chance to get to know his son. Yet that happiness is tinged with the certainty that times are changing in Cyador-emphasized by the fact that he is being followed by more than one magus in more than one chaos-glass-and that such change is likely to become more and more swift as the seasons pass.

The chaos-tower in yet another fireship has failed. There is no word on the appointment of a new Hand of the Emperor. The number and frequency of firewagons traveling the Great Eastern and Great North Highways has been reduced twice. The number of recharges for firelances has been reduced to an average of one per season per lancer, and the cupritors are beginning to fashion cupridium lances destined for not just District Guards, but for the Mirror Lancers as well, though none have said such openly.

In the shipyards at Fyrad, the keels have been laid on two new warships-sailing warships. And although Lorn has the plans for better vessels, he dares not bring them forth, not when every gold spent by the lancers is grudged by the merchanters and questioned by the Magi’i, and not when the basis of such plans comes from hidden Magi’i sources.