Spellsong - Darksong Rising Part 48

"At times, my lady, our choices are few," Liende reminded Anna gently.

"I know." Lord, do you know.

The two stood silently for a moment. Lejun and Rickel silently replaced Blaz and Fielmir. Then Himar and Hanfor approached from the south side of the camp.Once the two officers had joined Anna and Liende, the four entered the tent.

With only one stool, Anna remained standing and gestured to Himar. "Why don't you tell Hanfor what we've found out?"

Himar nodded almost stiffly to the arms commander. "Ser...Rabyn has consolidated his forces, except for those around Westfort. We think the lancers there are all from Neserea. There are twentyscore or so at Westfort. The young Prophet holds the hills on both sides of the main road fifteen deks to the west. The south road to Fussen is five deks to our west.

"We took that road. Following young Falar, no doubt," replied Hanfor with a laugh. "Our scouts saw no Mansuurans and no Nesereans. For weeks their scouts have followed us." A second laugh followed. "We have tried to make sure they saw us." His face sobered. "Lord Ustal did not attempt to join forces with us or leave his hold. The Mansuurans left him alone."

"I wonder why," mused the sorceress. "They left lancers at Westfort."

"Those were the Prophet's Guard. You may recall that you did use spells on some Nesereans."

"You think that all the armsmen at Westfort...?

"The spell was to fear and respect you, not all Defalkans," Hanfor said.

And it was Darksong, though you didn't know it at the time. "The good news is that we have to deal with twentyscore fewer. The bad news is that we still have to deal with close to a hundred and fifty-score lancers, and another hundredscore in other armsmen."

The other three nodded soberly, and Anna realized that the good news/bad news humor didn't cross cultural boundaries, not so far as Liedwahr anyway. "You did not travel with many lancers, lady," Hanfor ventured.

"We did not have that many to bring." Anna's mouth quirked. "A lot's happened since you left Falcor."

"I presume that all went well in Ebra, else you would not be here."

"That went fairly well..." Anna went on to describe the ride to Ebra, the battle against Bertmynn, the terms with Hadrenn, and then the return, with all the a.s.sociated problems and disasters. "Oh.. . and I did repair the ford at Sorprat.

But... you already know that."

"It is sad, but to do what you have done and to have lost less than tenscore lancers... most rulers would be hailed as workers of miracles." Hanfor fingered his beard. "Still, we must defeat this Rabyn quickly. We have heard the mighty drums. How will he use them in battle?"

"He's waiting for us to come to him," Anna explained. "He's set them up just below the hilltops, in a way that the hard face of the cliff will amplify the sound..." At the blank expressions surrounding her, she paused. "Hard and smooth surfaces reflect sound better-like an echo in a large building. Rabyn has used his sorcery to smooth the cliff face, and the drums are set up below them. That will strengthen the sound and send it against anyone approaching his camp from the east. There's a marsh or a swamp to the south, and with the hills set the way they are, the road is the only way to get there, with lancers and horses, anyway." She shrugged. "If we wait, or try to wait him out, then every lord in Defalk will be at each other's throat, or mine, and everything will fall apart."

Or is that what you want to think? Would waiting really hurt that much? Or do you just want to deal with Rabyn quickly?"Must you attack him so?" asked Hanfor.

Liende and Himar exchanged glances. Himar raised his bushy eyebrows. Neither spoke.

"We can't circle around and attack from behind. The way that he's sliced up the hills won't let us. If we try to reach them from behind, we can't get down. If there's any wind, then the players' instruments and my voice will get blown away." Anna paused. "What would you suggest?"

"Can you play in the darkness, chief player?" asked Hanfor.

"Yes, if need be," Liende replied cautiously.

"Lancers and armsmen only need protect you and the players, Lady Anna. What if you wrought your sorcery well before dawn?"

"I could do that." Except you're still not a morning person.

"Can you afford to allow the young Prophet to use his Darksong sorcery?"

"No." Once again, it's not wise to be honorable or chivalrous or whatever.

Hanfor bowed his head, but did not speak.

"Ah..." intruded Rickel from the door opening of the tent. "I would not trouble you. Lady Anna, but Lord Nelmor is approaching."

"Let me think for a bit after this." Anna slipped from the small pavilion tent and walked forward to wait for Nelmor as he rode alone toward the Regent. The three that had been in the tent, stepped out, following Anna.

The tail and rangy Nelmor was a towering figure in the saddle, especially in a saddle set upon a raider mount even taller at the shoulder than Anna's Farinelli.

Nelmor dismounted and bowed, not too deeply, but more than perfunctorily. His eyes fixed on Anna. "If I might have a word with you, Lady Anna, on a more personal matter, before we talk of the invaders."

Anna feared she understood. "Of course." She gestured toward her tent, then added to Hanfor and the others. "If you would excuse us for a bit?" She felt like she were an usher, moving people around. Then, that was something Jecks had handled in the field, and he was in Falcor, keeping another mess from occurring, and Kinor was keeping Jimbob and Falar occupied. You hope. She was hoping all too much these days.

Fielmir stepped up and took the reins of the raider beast, and Nelmor followed Anna.

Inside the grimy silk tent, she turned, waiting for Nelmor to speak "I received your scroll about my sister." Nelmor stopped.

"I'm sorry," Anna said softly. "I know you were close, although you did not speak of it."

"I do not fault you, but I am angry. Most angry. How did this occur?"Anna looked straight into the cold eyes of the tall blond lord. "It occurred because a young man in Pamr decided to use Dark-song to bend the will of the men of Pamr to his uses. He did not wish to he ruled by any lord, but he especially objected to the rule of a lady."

"Did you know this?"

"I suspected it, but when I came to Pamr, the chandler fled. I warned your sister, and I warned her captain. They thought that I was too alarmed"

Nelmor snorted. "Regent... when you speak... when you warn, best all listen.

That even I have learned." His eyes chilled and refixed on Anna. "You said that you had destroyed all the rebels. Might I inquire as to how?"

"I used sorcery. I had all of them flogged to death with fire whips from the sky." Anna kept her voice cold as Nelmor's eyes.

"All of them?"

"Every last man and boy in Pamr who followed the chandler. I also burned the chandlery to the ground. Then I used sorcery to restore the holding-except for the furnis.h.i.+ngs. That would require Darksong."

"Some have called you soft upon the peasants or the trades-folk. That I have never seen." Nelmor shook his head. "Last summer, Lord Birfels sent me a scroll warning that you were fair, but that you were vindictively just. He was most emphatic. I have begun to see why." The tall lord paused. "I cannot fault your actions. I had thought it would be so, but...I had to know." A grim smile followed. "I have no objections to Herene holding Pamr, nor to Ytrude warding Sargol's offspring." The smile softened. "Nor to my son's affection for the lady Lysara. He says that she bore a blade in her own defense. Be that so?"

"She used a blade for herself and to protect Lord Hryding's heir, Secca. Secca's just ten." Anna added, "So did Ytrude. Both Lysara and Ytrude did well. Ytrude was slightly wounded, and refused to admit it. She just got a light slash on the arm, hut it didn't stop her. She's fine now."

"You are changing Defalk, lady." Nelmor laughed softly. humorously, before again looking directly at Anna. "Tiersen worries about his love. Has he cause?"

"He has cause. I have done what I could. I think she will recover."

"And her strength after?"

Anna knew where Nelmor was headed, hut her voice was level. "If she recovers, she'll be as healthy as Tiersen. He guarded her room until my guards could relieve him." Anna smiled. 'They would make a good match."

"With your blessing and that of Lord Birfels-and my son's devotion-have I much choice?" Nelmor's smile was ironic.

Anna returned the expression. "Probably not, hut I doubt that either he or you could do better."

Nelmor laughed, but the laugh faded quickly. "You know I have chased and hara.s.sed the Nesereans?"

"I do."

"We have slain perhaps twoscore. I would do more, but I dared not hazard my men too greatly""I understand," Anna said. "Dubaria doesn't have the riches of Synfal or Lerona." She offered a smile. "It has more courage than either."

Nelmor flushed. "Now that you are here, I offer my forces to your service."

"I accept them gratefully. We will try to defeat Rabyn with as few injuries as possible, and as soon as practical." With effectiveness and no honor...even if you haven't quite worked out the spell you need. "I was meeting with Arms Commander Hanfor and my chief player on that when you arrived."

Nelmor offered a smile, if a wintry one. "You knew of my concerns."

"I know you and your sister were close. I'm sorry."

"In these times... well.... one hopes, but hopes are not always answered."

Nehnor inclined his head. "I will settle my men."

"Then perhaps we can talk." Anna said.

"I am at your command, lady. At your pleasure."

"Thank you." Anna forced a smile. "I need to find Hanfor and my chief player."

Nelmor bowed a last time before leaving.

Anna did not have to look far. Even as she stepped out of the tent, Hanfor, Himar, and Liende stepped from under the nearest tree and began to walk toward her. From a spot midway between where the players continued to practice and the tree watched Kinor, Falar, and Jimbob. Anna noted their presence, but did not look in their direction.

Once the de facto council had regrouped in the tent, Anna once again addressed Hanfor. "When would you attack Rabyn?"

"Tomorrow at dawn would be best, save we have too many arms leaders who have but arrived."

"The morning after?" questioned Liende.

"If the sorceress feels she will be ready." Hanfor looked toward Anna. "Regent Anna?"

"I guess I'd better be ready." Tomorrow will be another long day.

84.

Anna sat on the stool in her tent and dipped the quill into the inkstand on the too-small camp table. Despite the coolness of the morning, a droplet of perspiration fell onto her brown drafting paper, leaving an irregular circle and blurring the first two letters of the word "turn" into a black blot. She looked at the words on the paper once more.

Turn to fire, turn to flame all Nesereans who revere Rabyn's name, turn to ashes, turn to dust, all those in blue...

Now... how was she going to end that spell? She put the quill in its holder and concentrated. After a time, she picked it up and wrote.turn to ashes, turn to dust, those in blue Defalk can't trust...

She winced as she reread the words. Besides the poor language, she didn't like the idea of a spell where a country was the one "trusting." You have a very long morning ahead of you. Even after she got the words of the spell completed, she'd have to use the lutar to check to see if the words and the note values matched.

Sometimes, the sung words didn't work out the way she thought they would.

A dark slash went through the last line, and Anna set the quill down once more, trying to think of another way to word what she needed.

"Lord Nelmor to see you, Lady Anna," Kinor announced. The young man seemed to be taking over as a sort of chamberlain in the field, for which Anna was grateful.

Anna rose from the paper-strewn table and stepped to the front of the small tent, gesturing toward the tall blond lord. "Please come in." She remained standing, since the only places to sit were on her cot and the stool.

Nelmor bent to enter, then straightened, his head almost touching the silk roof paneL He glanced around the spare tent. "You travel light, Regent, especially for a woman."

Anna forced herself to smile. "Everything I don't bring allows more supplies or faster travel."

"Arms Commander Himar said that you would have to tell me how long before we might see battle," Nelmor ventured.

"The Nesereans have dug in on the hills. Did Hanfor tell you that?"

"He did."

Anna gestured toward the papers stacked not quite haphazardly across the camp table. "I've been working on the necessary spells. Once they're done, we'll attack. Rabyn's not about to move."

"The Prophet has far greater numbers of lancers."

"That's true," Anna admitted.

"Also... if your spells defeat the Liedfuhr's lancers as well as the Prophet's, will the Liedfubr's honor not require him to attack Defalk?"

Anna smiled wryly. Nelmor had figured out quickly enough another part of her dilemma. If she were going to destroy the Nesereans, and if her spells worked, she'd also need something to stop the Mansuurans-and a fallback spell for them if her ways of halting them without killing them failed. "That could be a problem. I'm working on that, also. It seems like everything I try to do to make Defalk secure upsets someone."

"A weak neighbor invites conquest. A strong one creates fear. Rulers who see a weak neighbor becoming strong will try to stop that."

"I'm already being criticized by many of the Thirty-three for spending too much time and too many golds on foreign adventures."

"All northern lords, no doubt. They have not watched two armies from the west pour through the Mittfels." Nelmor snorted. "They have not seen the Evult destroy all the lords of Ebra and then start to do the same in Defalk.""Lord Ehara also sent lancers into the south, and then refused to admit he had,"

Anna added.

"Much good it did him." Nelmor's laugh was mirthless. Anna let the silence draw out, then asked, "Would you consider accepting the t.i.tle and duties of the Lord of the Western Marches?" She smiled. "And the one-third reduction in liedgeld that accompanies it?"

"The Lord of Westfort and Denguic has traditionally been the Lord of the Western Marches." Nelmor's tone was cautious.