Kalvan watched as Queen Rylla's Own Bodyguard trailed after the towering Sastragathi warchief, Vanar Halgoth. The Queen's Beefeaters were tall for Zarthani, all over a lance-which was about six foot, two inches, as far as Kalvan would venture guessing without a yardstick. Rylla had her recruiters scouring Hos-Hostigos for the tallest and broadest men they could find for the Queen's Bodyguard. They reminded Kalvan of Fredrick the First's, or was it the Second's, Potsdam Guard; now that three years had passed since he'd been snatched from otherwhen, he was beginning to forget such small details. He suspected that in another decade, nothing would remain of his former life as a soldier and policeman except a few dreamlike remembrances.
The Sastragathi berserker, in his Viking-style horned helmet, stood half a head taller than any of Rylla's Beefeaters except for Captain Xykos. Halgoth approached the throne and bowed, a major concession from any freeman Sastragathi, which Kalvan recognized immediately. "Please, do not bow on Our behalf, Warchief Halgoth. We are pleased to recognize you as a friend."
Kalvan stood up and offered his hand, which quickly disappeared inside a hand the size of a baseball mitt.
Halgoth smiled, showing a mouthful of teeth, in surprisingly good shape for a man in his late forties here-and-now. "Once again, Your Majesty honors me."
Kalvan smiled, appreciating Halgoth's directness and straight shooting; he was sure Halgoth could be a wonderful friend, or a terrible enemy.
"Your Majesty, I have words from my king, Var-Wannax Ranjar Sargos." Halgoth reached into his cloak to draw out a folded packet.
"High King," Kalvan translated 'Var-Wannax' from the Urgothi/ Zarthani bastardized tongue that was spoken in the Sastragath. He'd picked up quite a few Urgothi words in his all night drinking bouts with Sargos, Halgoth and Great King Nestros.
Halgoth grinned. "My king is as much a Wannax as Nestros and can field more warriors."
Kalvan nodded, thinking to himself, and a much better companion and strategist, too! "Come with me to my private audience chamber where I can read my friend Wannax Sargos' letter." The two of them left the chamber, in a wake of shocked silence from the assembled court. Kalvan was pleased; it would give the court something to think about other than the strained relations between their king and queen.
Once the two of them were comfortably seated in front of a roaring fire, Kalvan offered the Urgothi giant his tobacco pouch.
Halgoth pulled out a pipe with a bowl twice the size of Kalvan's and filled it to the top. He paused to smell the leaf. "Hmmm. This is good tobacco."
Kalvan motioned to his body servant, Cleon, who had unobtrusively followed them into the audience chamber. "Cleon, please bring us a cask of Ermut's Best."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
While they waited for their drinks, they both smoked as Halgoth shared amusing anecdotes about their journey from the Sastragath into Hos-Hostigos. After Cleon had returned and drinks had been served, Halgoth passed Kalvan King Sargos' letter.
The parchment was inscribed with Zarthani runes and Kalvan suspected some scribe had improved upon Sargos' choice of phrasing, since it was both wordier and more polite than any words he remembered coming out of the blunt-spoken Warlord's mouth.
To Great King Kalvan of Hos-Hostigos,
our Good Friend and Ally from across the Pyromannes:
We hope this letter finds you in both good health and spirits. As my clansman and confidant, Vanar Halgoth, has no doubt already told you, I have agreed to become Var-Wannax of both the Upper and Lower Sastragath. It is my hope to permanently unite both provinces under my rule and leadership. Since our last meeting, I have pondered over your words and have taken actions based on many of them.
You have convinced me that for the outer provinces to survive the Fireseed Wars, we will have to become both united and familiar with the modern warfare as practiced in the Northern Kingdoms. The fireseed artificers and gunsmiths that you promised have arrived and have been greeted as befits their Great King's friendship and trust. We will guard them well.
Kalvan didn't doubt that for a moment; it was the other stuff, the advice he had given to Sargos in their madcap all-night drinking bouts that worried him.
I have taken heed of your words and greatly enlarged the Clan by granting membership to all Urgothi widows, clanless men and orphans. As you have done with your own mercenary troops in Hos-Hostigos and swelled the ranks of your own Royal Army, so the Tymannes have prospered-even far beyond my wildest imaginings. The Clan now numbers over eighty times a thousand clansmen and three times as many women and children.
Kalvan whistled to himself. If Sargos was not exaggerating, and swelling the truth was not among his faults, the Wannax could field an army better than twice the size of Kalvan's own Royal Army, with his Princes' and liege lords' troops thrown in for good measure!
While taking your advice about taking only fellow Urgothi warriors and womenfolk into the Clan, I did decide to include any and all children left fatherless and homeless by the War of Three Kings. As a result, we now have many thousands of Ruthani children of all ages who I am finding difficult to place among the tribes and women of our Clan.
Kalvan didn't doubt that for a moment. The Urgothi-descendents of the second wave of Indo-European migrations into the North American hemisphere-were lifelong enemies of the Ruthani from the Sea of Grass, and only the threat posed by the Knights had united these great enemies into a temporary alliance.
So, my great friend, we are asking for your aid in solving our problem. It would bring an end to our temporary alliance with the Ruthani were we not to take care of these orphaned children. Yet they go unwanted-especially the elder children. Thus, I ask for a great boon from my friend, Great King Kalvan. I would like to send the children to Hos-Hostigos where they can learn from your people and yourself the new ways that we need to learn if we are to survive the upheavals that the Fireseed Wars have presented us and our world. I am hoping that you will teach these children much of your ways so that they may someday bring your people's wisdom and teaching back to the Sastragath.
Please inform my good friend and councilor of your decision, and listen to his own offer, which may in time prove of great worth.
Your humble servant,
Ranjar Sargos
Warlord and Var-Wannax of the Tymannes and both Upper and Lower Sastragath
For a few moments, Kalvan wasn't sure if he was being presented with a huge problem or a wonderful gift; a little bit of both, he finally decided. First, refusing this 'offer' would both cost him Sargos' friendship and a major ally, with an army larger than both the hosts of Styphon and Hos-Hostigos-something he was not about to do! He was certain, just from knowing the man, that this 'solution' to his clan recruitment had cost Sargos a lot of face; he was not a man to ask a boon lightly, nor forget one given either.
Sadly, the Ruthani-the descendents of the Great Plains Indians- would be no more welcome in Hos-Hostigos than they were in the Sastragath. However, Kalvan's power base was far more secure than Sargos' rule of the Sastragath, and Kalvan had the power to make his will be done. Still, he could not order the rank and file Hostigi to 'adopt' foundlings from the Sea of Grass, any more than Sargos could order his clansmen to do the same. Maybe he could set up some kind of orphanage for them. Unfortunately, the Royal Foundling home in Hostigos Town was already filled to bursting with the orphans from last year's war.
He would have to come up with some kind of plan before the children arrived or there would be big problems. He was sure it was only Sargos' kindness that had kept the Ruthani children alive this long.
Kalvan didn't realize how long he'd been contemplating this problem until he drew on his pipe and realized it was dead. He looked up at Vanar Halgoth. "I apologize, but there is much to ponder in this letter."
Halgoth nodded. "The Wannax is sorely vexed about what to do with the Grasseater cubs. If he treats them less than honorably, our alliance with High Chief Ulldar will go to Wind." The Warchief paused as though reluctant to part with a great secret. "Sargos has a soft heart and would like to see the cubs safely out of the Sastragath where memories are long and vengeance is nursed along with mother's milk."
Kalvan nodded. "I fear they will find no great welcome from my people either. After several years of war, Hostigos has more than its share of widows and orphans. Yet, I have great respect for my friend Ranjar Sargos."
Halgoth nodded as though this were only right. "He has repeated your words to me many times, King Kalvan. And, truth, in over forty winters I have never seen him so enamored of another man's words."
Kalvan had to repress a shudder. Which of my midnight drunken monologues will come back to haunt me next?
"It was your tales of how you had increased the Royal army by making your free companions into Hostigi citizens that gave him the idea to adopt the tribeless men, women and children into the Clan. Now-" Halgoth paused to open his arms in a huge circle. "-the Tymannes number more than all the other Urgothi clans in the Upper and Lower Sastragath. Truth be told, many warriors have left their true clans to join the Tymannes to partake of our good medicine and war glory.
"Wannax Sargos is much beholden to you, Your Majesty, for the success of this plan. In fact, he was loathe to lay this new burden at your feet and, had there been any other solution, he would not have done so."
Kalvan took a deep drink of Ermut's Best. "High King Sargos is a friend and ally; I am pleased that I have aided him in his plans to establish his suzerainty over the Sastragath. I will take these Ruthani children and make them wards of the Royal Throne-"
"Your Majesty! Sargos will be most pleased and thankful."
"Tell him I will do it for our friendship and for the children. I will do my best to train them in our ways in all things."
Halgoth turned slightly red and looked embarrassed, an emotion Kalvan was sure that crossed Halgoth's countenance no more than once every few decades!
"Sargos would not tell this to his scribe, but he would also like to send with the Ruthani some of our own cubs so that they too will learn the ways of Great King Kalvan and Hostigos."
Kalvan slapped the end table next to his chair. "It is done." Sargos might not realize it, but he was putting the next generation of what would become the Sastragathi officer corps right into Kalvan's hands.
"Thank you, King Kalvan, you have lifted a great burden from my head. It is rare that I ask any man for a boon, much less ask one for another."
"I understand, Halgoth. You are a loyal friend and Sargos is lucky to have you guarding his back."
Halgoth nodded, as though that were his due. "Now that my work is done, I have a request of my own."
"Yes?" Kalvan asked guardedly. What favor might this great warrior ask next?
"When we met at the Spirit Grove and you saved my life, I became in your debt and it is time to settle the account."
Kalvan nodded solemnly.
"I understand that Hostigos is in a great war with the Black Knights and the dung-digging priests of Styphon?"
"This is true."
"Then you are in need of many warriors?"
"This is also true."
Halgoth squirmed in his seat, looking strangely boyish for a man with sun-darkened skin and weathered wrinkles. "I would like to offer my services and those of the Raven Guard to act as your bodyguard."
Kalvan thought quickly. Halgoth was a man of great honor and pride. He was also Sargos' closest confidant and friend. To deny his request would not only dishonor Halgoth, but Sargos as well. Such an insult might well carry a blood price-or vergelt as the Urgothi called it. Kalvan couldn't imagine how he might use such an honor guard of unrepentant Vikings- but the Varangian Guard certainly did well for their Byzantine masters. Nor would it be a bad thing to have such formidable and loyal men as his personal guard. And, who knew how much evil would arise if he refused Vanar Halgoth's request.
"It is done!"
A smile broke out on Halgoth's face like the sun rising over a bank of purple clouds. "You have my oath of fealty." He lifted his golden goblet. "A toast to Great King Kalvan and to the Raven Guard."
Kalvan clinked goblets with the massive Urgothi. Another friend, he thought, I can use all the friends I can get. "Vanar, as your first duty, I want you to return to the Sastragath and bring the Ruthani children back to Hostigos."
"It will be done. I must return anyway to gather the Raven Guard. Not all will be old comrades, since there are many new tribesmen in the Clan, but all will be proven warriors and loyal paladins. I will put them all under an oath-bond to fight to guard Your Majesty's life with their own. You will not regret this day, my King!"
Kalvan wasn't sure of that, but he knew better than to share his doubts with his new captain. He was going to have to put a truss on both his drinking hand and his mouth before he brought himself any more such good fortune!