The Fireseed Wars

IV

"What can we do to stop the Usurper Kalvan?" Duke Osthwuld asked. The sound of gunfire echoed through the palace walls. He peered out a narrow window and saw several companies of Hostigi soldiers taking command of the streets; one company had several small artillery pieces drawn by horses they were moving into position.

He jumped back when a shot went thwaack just short of the window slit!

"What was that?" Osthwuld asked.

"Must be from one of Kalvan's firesticks the Hostigi call a rifle," said Captain-General Errock. "I've read reports on them; they're supposed to have three to four times the range and accuracy of a musket."

"Why aren't your men stopping them?"

Captain-General Errock shook his head, then held out his hands as if beseeching the gods. "Even if I stripped Vart-Thagnor of the Prince's Housecarls, I would have less than fifteen hundred soldiers to face Kalvan's host. The rest are stationed at the city walls and are probably prisoners now. From the reports coming in, the Hostigi have thousands of soldiers coming from the west, the north-everywhere, it seems. Now the Hostigi soldiers are inside Old Town and banging at the palace doors!"

"I know our Army is badly outnumbered," Osthwuld said, "but we have a far superior Navy. Why have they allowed Kalvan's soldiers to land? They have to be coming from somewhere!"

"From what I could see from the top of the keep, our Navy was completely surprised by the Hostigi attack. Many of the sailors were on shore leave and most of the ships were at anchor or tied to the docks. The patrol ships were outgunned by the Hostigi, who made quick work of them. I know their Navy is small, but they had many small boats that were hoisted over the sides of the larger ships. They were mounted with small cannons! I've never seen their like before. They swarmed all over our patrol ships, distracting them with their gunfire, while the larger ships shot them to pieces.

"The engagement was over before most of our ships could find enough crew to pull up anchor. We must have lost six ships in the first quarter-candle of fighting. The Hostigi are now swarming over the rest of our ships; it's a complete disaster!

"As for their army, they must have landed downstream. By some trick, they avoided detection."

"Varrack will have our heads for this debacle!" Osthwuld cried.

"It's not our fault, Duke. We had no reason to suspect a Hostigi attack was imminent, or even possible! For all we knew, Kalvan's men were still in the Great Kingdoms. The last report I received said his army was headed for Rathon City. As ordered, most of our forces were set to defend against a Greffan adventure."

"Don't expect our Prince to swallow that excuse; he will blame us for his negligence and lack of foresight. Regardless, we must attempt to repulse the Hostigi invaders."

"How, Your Grace?" Captain-General Errock asked. "Just give me orders and I will follow them."

Osthwuld threw up his hands in despair. "My mind is blank! May the gods smite Varrack for leaving me undermanned and without allies!"

"The gods will do as they always do when it comes to man's affairs: nothing. Meanwhile, we are losing our overlord's princedom. Our choices are few: either we surrender the castle and the city, or we defend this vart-for a few candles."

"Is that all we can do, Captain-General?"

"The other alternative is to flee with as much of the treasury as we can carry and those of our retainers that we trust. And hope that Kalvan's patrols don't pick us up and hang us for looters, or common thieves."

Duke Osthwuld shook his head. "I'm too old to start over again, and having been Varrack's liegeman will not serve me well with any other ruler. I was born here and could not survive exile. As a mercenary, you will have no difficulty finding work."

Errock smiled. "I suspect there will be a lot of work for men-of-arms for as long as Kalvan tarries in these parts. However, this Great King with his new martial tactics and strategies intrigues me; I could learn a lot from such a general. Let us surrender the castle to Kalvan and ask for terms. I suspect they will be generous. I've heard good things about this Great King from my brother, who met with his henchman, Trader Verkan, in Greffa City. If we arrange this properly, we may emerge from this affair with clean blades."

"Do you believe there will be a position for me?" the Duke asked.

Errock shrugged his shoulders. "For one of Prince Varrack's top advisers you have acquitted yourself well. You have not mistreated Varrack's subjects, which I understand counts mightily with Great King Kalvan. You know the Princedom and the City. The Great King is no fool; he knows that he needs local support-and not just from the tradesmen and peasants. You could aid him greatly in gaining such support. I think you could do well for yourself and your House."