Captain-General Phidestros watched as the two Knights, in blackened armor and white capes with Styphon's black sun-wheel emblazoned on the back, brought Grand Master Soton's chair in and then waited at attention while the Grand Master strutted in and took his seat. Phidestros was surprised to note how much Soton had aged; there were sharp lines around his eyes and mouth, and his beard had turned mostly gray. He wondered what had caused him the most pain, losing thousands of his beloved Knights or having to explain to the Inner Circle of Styphon's House his 'retreat' from Kalvan's army. Neither could have been easy, but knowing Soton as he did, he suspected the former.
"Grand Master Soton, can I offer you some winter wine?"
Soton excused one of his Knights, but the Sergeant stayed. "Yes, I could use a drink. I have spent far too many hours talking to nobles with more iron between their ears than in their spines." He sounded weary and a little hoarse.
"We could always meet tomorrow, Grand Master."
"No, I can only stay for a moon-quarter more, and then I have to return to Balph before the first big storms. We have much to discuss if the invasion of Hos-Hostigos is to be successful."
"Agreed. Mynoss, will you serve us some wine." After his servant had brought them all, including Sergeant Sarmoth, goblets of red winter wine, Phidestros made a toast. "To Styphon and the fall of the false Kingdom of Hos-Hostigos."
After a long swallow, Soton offered up another toast. "And to Great King Lysandros!"
"To Great King Lysandros."
"Unfortunately, that is about the only good news to come from the Sastragathi debacle."
"That is hardly true, Grand Master. You drove the barbarians into the Trygath, threatening western Hostigos, which prevented Kalvan from invading Hos-Harphax, something he could have done with ease this spring. Instead he spent the campaign season chasing you."
"I am glad to see you believe our sacrifice was not in vain."
"I don't just believe it. I know it, Grand Master. If you had not diverted Kalvan's attention to the west, Hos-Harphax would be no more-and Harphax a princedom of Hos-Hostigos! If you still believe, as you did last year, that Hos-Harphax is the anchor of the Five Kingdoms, then your sacrifice was well made."
"I hope you are right," said Soton. "The entire campaign was a nightmare I'd just as soon forget…"
"We have made great progress here."
"Tell me about it."
"By Styphon's Grace and much of his gold, I have completely rebuilt the Army of Hos-Harphax; it now musters over eighteen thousand men: two thousand Royal Pistoleers, eight hundred of the King's Royal Lancers, four thousand Royal Foot Guard and four thousand Mobile Dragoons- mounted infantry much like Kalvan's Mobile Force, made up of the best of the City Militia-and a dozen mercenary regiments. I've recently hired another six thousand mercenaries, four thousand foot and two thousand horse; all have agreed to join the Royal Army-for a price. I've formed two mobile batteries of four six-pounders and six four-pounders each and one Royal Rifle Company with seventy-six riflemen.
"Excellent!-Captain-General. You have been busy. But how well trained are these troops?"
"Every third man in each company is a veteran, and we've been drilling them six days a moon-quarter since spring. They're not seasoned yet, but they are in good spirits. I'm paying them twice the usual salary and year round-"
"So that was how you convinced the mercenaries to join the Royal Army." Soton nodded thoughtfully. "Year round! I can hear Archpriest Dryton, the Temple's Treasurer, screaming all the way from Balph."
"No you won't. I'm not paying them all in gold. Half their salary is paid in iron coin, redeemable in gold only when Kalvan's army has been defeated."
"Brilliant." Soton shook his head as he took out a burl pipe with silver inlay. "By what spell do you convince soldiers to accept iron in place of gold?"
"All soldiers are gamblers and see nothing ahead but the piles of gold they will win when the Army of Hostigos has been vanquished. It has also given them a great incentive to work on their drills. Besides, many of the local merchants, ladies of the evening and wagerers accept the iron coins at a discount."
"If that is true, truly you have brought about Styphon's Own Miracle! Styphon be praised! If the local slatterns and sharpers are willing to take these iron rakmars in trade, then even the scum must believe that we will prevail. I wish the Archpriests of the Inner Circle shared their faith."
"They will, Grand Master. They will. The City Militia is now more than ten thousand strong, and are better armed and better drilled than in living memory. Every moon I have a thousand of them brought to Tarr-Anibra where they are drilled from first light to dark. They do much better away from Tarr-Harphax and the City walls. They will not run as they did at Chothros Heights."
"You have made great progress in the past year-even more than I expected. Yet, this shortage of mercenaries may yet prove our undoing. I had hoped you would have twelve to fifteen thousand Free Companions by this time, but far too many have died in this Ormaz-spawned war against the Usurper-or worse, have taken his colors. Archpriest Anax-thenes put before me an idea that may help solve our problem. Let me present it to you."
Soton explained how Styphon's House had merchants and agents who traveled as distantly as the far-off West Coast settlements of the Ros-Zarthani. One of these agents had been authorized by the Inner Circle to hire an entire army of Ros-Zarthani. Word had recently arrived in Balph that they were almost across the Sea of Grass.
"This is interesting news," Phidestros said, his face trying to hide his disappointment. He needed these western barbarians like he needed another regiment of royal lancers. "How do we know they will not break the first time Kalvan's guns fire?"
Soton shrugged. "They may be sounder troops than you suspect. The agent has informed Archpriest Anaxthenes that the Ros-Zarthani know neither kingdoms nor princedoms as we do. Each city acts as its own kingdom-yes, a chaotic system of rule that leads to much fighting. A highpriest was sent to 'hire' an army from one of the larger cities to aid in our war against the Usurper Kalvan. The army will march from their home, across the Sea of Grass and through Grefftscharr."
"You mean some highpriest, who doesn't know a rake from a ramrod, has hired an unknown army and believes it will pass unmolested through the Sea of Grass? The Grefftscharrers will pulverize it as grindstone mills wheat. Why not bypass Greffa all together, by taking the-"
"Fighting the Greffa Army will be their test, as I understand it. They have never faced fireseed, and it is well that they do so before they meet the Royal Army of Hos-Hostigos in the field. It will take Styphon's Own Miracle for them to arrive as an intact unit. Yet, this Highpriest Prysos believes that these Ros-Zarthani can more than hold their own against the nomads and Grefftscharrers. At least he has convinced Archpriest Anaxthenes that this is so."
"Anaxthenes may know all there is to be known about running temple services and pulling Sesklos' strings, but he knows nothing of war."
"Don't underestimate Archpriest Anaxthenes. Any Archpriest who has survived for twenty winters in the Inner Circle has more understanding of command than you might think. There is even talk that he will become the next Voice of Styphon."
Suddenly all is clear, Phidestros thought. Lysandros might believe the gathering host was his army, but Styphon's House had a different opinion. "Since the Temple pays, we cannot lose. What weapons do they use?"
"They still fight in full armor and on destriers, much as our ancestors did and your Royal Lancers do now."
"Oh no, more iron hats! Kalvan's artillery will harvest them before they have time to set their lances."
"Not all of them. Many use bows or carry heavy throwing darts."
Phidestros shook his head. "Darts and bows! They will probably run when the first shot is fired."
"If half of what this Prysos claims is true, they may surprise both you, me and-most importantly, Kalvan. At worst, they will serve as a screen for our own troops."
"For how long has Styphon's House purchased these soldiers?"
"Styphon's House has paid their city well; they will fight until they are dead or their contract runs out next spring. Scoff if you must, but answer me this: where else do you intend to find more mercenaries to fight under our banners?"
Phidestros shook his head. "There are no more mercenaries to be bought in the Five Kingdoms, not for gold or glory. No, bring these iron hats, and we will find some use for them-if they ever arrive! If nothing else, they will give Kalvan's guns targets while my men do more serious work."