Rylla watched lovingly as Kalvan pored over his maps in the sputtering lamplight while she scrambled turkey eggs for their breakfast omelet. They were billeted in a small manor house outside Ardros Field, a large horse ranch, whose titled owner had fled upon learning of the Styphoni invasion. It was such an ordinary domestic setting that for a few moments Rylla was able to imagine they had nothing more pressing to worry about than the best time to plant their vegetable garden.
She had missed last night's grand strategy meeting since she'd been in Hostigos Town visiting her father and Harmakros for the past quarter-moon. Her party had left Hostigos Town two days ago and she had arrived at Ardros field in mid-morning to find her husband fast asleep.
Rylla was making a determined effort to be quiet; Kalvan, Prince Phrames, General Hestophes and the newly arrived Duke Mnestros had been celebrating far into the night the arrival of three thousand League of Dralm 'advisors' the day before. Since the Covenant of Hos-Agrys, passed by the Council of Dralm, forbade the League's Princes to give any direct material support to Hos-Hostigos, Mnestros and some other Hostigi sympathizers had put together their own army to aid in the war against Styphon's House. From Agrys City there wasn't a Dralm-damn thing Xentos could do about it either.
Phrames, Hestophes, Mnestros and Kalvan had spent most of the evening studying maps and discussing battle plans, as well as drinking the best part of a cask of Ermut's Best. Kalvan, still nursing a hangover, was making a valiant attempt to show only his best humor. Despite the revels of the evening, she was determined to find out what they'd accomplished before every general and busybody in the army wanted their piece of the Great King's time.
With more than twice as many men as the Army of Hos-Hostigos, the Grand Host had been able to put the Hostigos Army into a wearing retreat. Their greater numbers were forcing Kalvan into a position where he would have to make a stand here in Sashta or fight in Hostigos itself. Already the roads were lined with throngs of refugees and it was growing increasingly difficult to feed them and the huge army, even with all the depots that Phrames and Hestophes had put in place last year throughout Sashta and Beshta. Praise Dralm for last season's bumper harvest!
When Rylla had finished cooking her turkey egg, cheese and onion omelet, she added some cornbread to the plate and brought it over to the table.
"Thank you, darling," Kalvan said, pushing aside his maps to make room for his breakfast. "I've gone over these maps until my eyes ache and I still can't see a better place to make a stand than right here. You know the creek that runs down the hill?"
"Yes, it allows our army a good supply of fresh water."
"True, but more than that we're going to use it against the Grand Host?"
"How, my love?"
"See this hillside." Kalvan stopped talking, to snatch a parchment of Ardros Field drawn by his own hand out of the pile of maps, and pointed to the hill. "We're going to build a dam right there. I hiked up there yesterday with Hestophes and he agrees there's a perfect spot for a small lake. If I know Hestophes, he's already got a team of engineers working on the dam."
"How will that stop the Grand Host?"
"The Johnstown Flood, that's how." He pointed at the map again. "When the Styphoni left wing approaches this point, we'll blow the dam and the resulting flood will completely disorganize the Styphoni left wing."
"I like that! Then Hestophes' right wing can smash the survivors like we did at Phyrax."
Kalvan nodded. "This depression won't hold enough water to wash the entire Grand Host away, but it should scatter and soak most of the left wing. Then it'll be up to Hestophes to pull them down from the trees and wring their necks!"
"That will be something to watch. But, my husband, you're not eating!"
Up close Rylla could see bruise-like bags under Kalvan's eyes that hadn't been there two moon quarters ago. Her heart went out to this man, only a few years ago a stranger to this land, who had almost single-handedly saved her homeland and made her his wife-the happiest times of her life.
Kalvan put the Ardros Field map away and attacked his plate.
The next few days, Rylla thought, would determine not only the course of her future, but its duration as well.
"You are right to stop the Grand Host now. Look what the Styphoni dogs have done in Beshta and Sashta-trampled fields and burned farmhouses; looted towns and torched villages and driven off or killed most of our subjects. We can't let them destroy Hostigos, too."
"They've done everything but poison the wells and salt the fields," Kalvan said. "That's probably next, if I know Roxthar. We have to stop them here."
A knock at the door interrupted Rylla before she could respond.
"Let me answer the door, Kalvan. You finish your first meal. It may be the only one you take out of the saddle today."
Aspasthar, Kalvan's page, was at the door. He was smiling for the first time Rylla could remember since Harmakros' amputation. He looked older, too. She was learning war did that to people, especially children.
"Some good news, at last, Your Majesties!"
"What?" Kalvan asked. "Has Roxthar's horse thrown him and broken his head on a rock?"
"Not near that good, Your Majesty. But good, nonetheless. One of General Klestreus' intelligencers has just reported that the entire Army of Hos-Bletha had to retire from the Grand Host because of a revolt in Bletha City."
"Skranga's work, Dralm be praised!" Kalvan shouted. "I told you that old horse-thief knew what he was doing, Rylla."
She rolled her eyes. They'd had their first argument since the Phaxos incident when Kalvan had let Skranga and several hundred valuable troopers leave on his crazy mission. She had thought then, and still did, that it had been hatched more to save Skranga's bacon than cause any inconvenience to the Styphoni. That it had worked probably had surprised Skranga as much as herself.
"You were right, dear. I'm still amazed that Skranga didn't run off to the nearest tavern and spend every gold piece you gave him on drink and worse."
"Skranga may be as crooked as the Nyklos Trail, but he does have loyalty and keeps his word. If he keeps this up, I'll make him Prince of Arklos after I hang King Lysandros from the battlements of Tarr-Harphax."
"If his work in Beshta makes that day one hour closer, I myself will weave the gown for Skranga's coronation!"
Kalvan laughed. "Atta girl. Now, Aspasthar, go get Captain-General Hestophes, Prince Phrames, General Alkides, and the rest of the general staff."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Before you leave, any word on General Verkan and the Mounted Rifles?"
"Not yet. At last report, the Mounted Rifles were holding off a large body of Harphaxi cavalry waiting for reinforcements. Enemy casualties were heavy."
"That sounds like one of Verkan's dispatches. I'm sure there was a lot of blood spilled. Have any of the other units reported in?"
Aspasthar looked crestfallen. "Not yet, Your Majesty. The courier who brought this had to fight his way to our lines. I'll be back as soon as there's any news. These dispatches are over a day old."
Kalvan shook his head and gave a guarded look to Rylla.
"Thanks, Aspasthar. How is your father?"
He brightened up. "I just received a letter this morning from his scribe. He's feeling much better and wishes he were back in the saddle."
Rylla noticed her husband kept his thoughts to himself; she herself doubted that Harmakros would sit in a saddle this season or next. The infection that had set in after the amputation had been bad-serious enough it would have killed a lesser man. His stump was still as sensitive as a baby's rump. Harmakros was one of Hostigos' best generals and Kalvan needed his expertise and command skills now. They missed him a lot.
"Now get my generals."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
After his young page scampered off, Kalvan filled his pipe with fresh tobacco and turned to Rylla. "I'm worried about Verkan. I don't like that his dispatcher had to fight his way out of Styphoni lines to reach our forces."
"I agree. I will say a prayer to Allfather Dralm for his success."
Kalvan nodded. She knew he only gave "lip service," as he called it, to the True Gods, but in all other ways was a good husband. Until he found his faith she would continue to pray to Dralm, Galzar and Yirtta for the both of them.
"Before they get here, let me run over my plans with my favorite general."
"Flattery will get you everything."
"I know, my love. I'm going to command the center, with half the Royal Army and the Princely army of Sashta-where I can keep an eye on it."
Rylla nodded. "I don't trust Balthames' nephew anymore than I trust my cousin Sthentros."
"Have you located him or his wife?" Kalvan asked.
Rylla shook her head in the negative. "We did question his friend Baron Euklestes; he knew nothing except that Sthentros and Lavena disappeared almost a moon ago."
Kalvan gave her one of those questioning looks she so hated. At times, it was almost as if he were a stranger, judging her. "No, I didn't torture him- well, not very much."
He cleared his throat. "I'm sure Euklestes knew nothing of importance, or you would have wrung it out of him."
She shrugged her shoulders. "The Baron still has his life." More than the dog deserved, she thought. Euklestes knew his old friend was up to something untoward but kept his worries to himself. This made him a traitor too, in her eyes.
"It's not unexpected after General Klestreus' report on the Hyllos semaphore station. It's not like Sthentros to go off on his own, without a lot of boasting to his cronies and vying for their attention. We should have kept better track of that traitorous dog."
"You don't think he's with the Styphoni?" Rylla asked.
"Of course, how else would he get his reward for suborning the semaphore station. I should never have put so many locals into the stations."
"You were trying to keep the veterans close to their families, my husband. Most of our Hostigi soldiers would die for the crown. How could you have known that Sthentros had his own traitor's nest in Hyllos? For a moon half all we got were false messages from the Beshtan border."
"If I ever see that traitor, I'll geld him first, then I'll-"
"How do you think I feel? I've known Cousin Sthentros all my life! I never liked him, but he was of my Mother's blood…"
"I know. Don't take it too hard. I'll have to tell you about the Borgias sometime-maybe not."
"It doesn't help that your best spy master is off fighting in Hos-Bletha, either."
Kalvan nodded. "I never thought I'd say it, but I miss that old turkey-thief Skranga."
"Still," added Rylla through clenched teeth, "Dralm help Sthentros, if I ever get my hands on that spineless pigeon-brained cousin of mine…"
Kalvan cleared his throat. "Anyway, as I was saying. I'm going to keep Duke Euriptos and the Army of Sashta right under my nose; that way, if he tries to bug out I can turn my Tymannian Guard on him."
Rylla laughed. "He turned beet red when you told him that! I've heard turkeys that gobbled less than Euriptos. After what happened to his Uncle Balthames, he's frightened to death by the tame Sastragathi of yours, Vanar Halgoth!"
"Which only goes to show Euriptos has more brains than either of his uncles! But getting back to business, I'm also going to add the Army of Nyklos, the Army of Ulthor, and all twelve thousand mercenary horse and foot."
"Is it best to put all our softest eggs in one basket, my husband?"
"Yes, if you've got half the Royal Army to prop them up with. I don't want anyone else to have to wonder if Duke Euriptos will change sides and join the enemy at the last minute like his Uncle Balthar did at the Battle of Tenabra, or loot our baggage. With some thirty-five thousand troops, the center will be the anvil for Hestophes and Phrames to hammer the Grand Host."
"What about me?"
"I haven't forgotten you, dearest. You'll be in command of the rearguard. I want you where you can do the most good."
Yes, and you'd whisk me right off the battlefield, my dear husband, if you thought you could get away with it! It was hard not to love a man who had your best interest at heart, even if his opinion of that 'best interest' disagreed dramatically from your own. This time, however, she was going to bite her tongue and let Kalvan have his way without a quarrel. From the looks of things, he was going to need every bit of strength he had for the Styphoni Grand Host.
"If that is where you want me, that's where I'll be."
Kalvan looked so flustered at her acquiescence she went over and nuzzled his beard. How sickening, she thought to herself. I wasn't like this before the baby was born.
"I'll give you all five thousand men of the Mobile Force and the Hostigos cavalry."
She was sure he added the last to show her how pleased he was. The Princely Army of Hostigos had taken a bad beating during the past few years and it was nice to see that Kalvan recognized their sacrifice. "What about the Mounted Rifles and the Hostigi Carbineers?"
Kalvan said, "I'm going to use the Mounted Rifles to stiffen the center. That'll leave you with the Carbineers."
Rylla nodded. That was fair.
"Prince Phrames will command the left wing. I'm going to give him the remaining six regiments of Royal Foot, including the Hostigos Rifles. Plus four regiments of Royal Horse, his own Army of Beshta, the Ulthori infantry, and three thousand heavy horse. That will give Phrames almost twenty thousand men, two-thirds of them good infantry, except for the Ulthori foot who are fighting mostly with crossbows and spears."
Kalvan paused to eat some more of his breakfast, giving Rylla a chance to comment.
"What about the Hostigi foot? Phrames could use them to stiffen his Ulthori levy."
"Good thinking. Done. That will leave four regiments of Royal Horse for Hestophes on the rightward. I'll also give him the Princely armies of Nostor, Kyblos, and Sask. Sarrask's Army of Sask is now the largest and best trained army we have, other than the Royal Army itself."
"I agree. But do you think we should use Sarrask as a sub-commander under Hestophes."
"You're right, it might ruffle his feathers. Sarrask works so well with you, I'll let him and his army join you in the rearguard and post Phrames the Army of Nyklos."
Rylla made a face. "Sarrask is going to be 'ticked off,' as you put it! He wasn't very happy when you left him to go fight Soton in the Trygath."
"Actually, as hard as this is to say, Sarrask's the only Prince other than Phrames or your father whom I'd trust at my back."
"Then you tell him that. The only thing Sarrask likes better than fighting is flattery, especially when it's true and it comes from you."
"Good idea, I will. Besides, everyone will get their fill of fighting in this battle, I promise."
"What about the Ulthori cavalry?"
"I'll give those iron-hats to Hestophes. Maybe he can come up with something to keep them busy. They're not as elegant as the old Harphaxi Royal Lancers, but they'll fight until they drop or die. I have a feeling that is the way this battle is going to go."
"That will make Sarrask a happy man!"
"What will make me happy?" Sarrask asked, as he barged into the room. He looked hungrily at Kalvan's half-finished plate of eggs and cornbread.
Rylla went over to the hearth and built a plate for Sarrask.
His eyes lit up when she handed him his plate, along with one of the forks her husband had introduced. It was hard to believe now, but a few years ago that fork, along with any other weapons she could lay her hands on, would have been sticking out of Sarrask's throat had they met like this.
"Thank you, Rylla!"
"Kalvan was just saying there would be lots of fighting in the battle and certainly enough to make you happy."
Sarrask nodded his head in between bites; he was eating noisily, with both hands and knife, the fork fallen forgotten to the baked tile floor.
"Swearing fealty to Kalvan was the smartest decision I ever made. There hasn't been a year since I swore my oath without one, two or three great battles!"
There was shouting outside the farmhouse. Plates dropped from both Kalvan and Sarrask's laps and in their place were pistols. Rylla was holding the frying pan with one hand like a shield and a knife in the other.
Moments later Aspasthar came running into the farmhouse, followed by General Hestophes and Chancellor Chartiphon, who looked stricken.
"What is it?" Rylla demanded.
Chartiphon moved the boy aside and began to speak. "Curse and blast them! The Styphoni out-maneuvered us."
"What do you mean? Are they here now?" Kalvan demanded.
"Not that bad," put in Hestophes. "They must have expected a flank attack and laid a trap for us. The Mounted Rifles are no more!"
Kalvan growled out loud.
Rylla cried out, "Oh no! Colonel Verkan-is he all right?" How could she ever face Dalla again if anything happened to Verkan?
Chartiphon came over and took her into his arms. She tried to push away, but they encircled here like two steel bars. "Quiet, kitten. We don't know what happened to Colonel Verkan. Only a few stragglers have returned to camp." He paused to wipe off her tears with a cloth from his jerkin.
Hestophes continued, "According to Sergeant Ryff, Verkan made a valiant last stand against an army ten times the size of his detachment. The last he saw of Verkan was when a Harphaxi trooper shot him in the chest. The Styphoni overran his position and he never saw the Colonel again. Ryff himself is badly injured; he took a bullet in the thigh and a sword took off one hand."
"How many Riflemen returned?"
"Less than fifty and maybe twice that number of dragoons. They say the rest of the survivors, many of them wounded, will return to camp before nightfall."
"Send outriders to help the wounded and those without mounts."
"What about the rifles?"
At first she thought Kalvan might berate her, but he looked as interested in the answer as she felt.
Hestophes hung his head, shaking it from side to side. "Half the riflemen who returned came back with rifles with fouled locks or bent barrels. They say many of them surrendered; those who didn't were slaughtered- the Styphoni rode them into the ground. Even worse, Ryff reports there was a troop of Royal Harphaxi troopers who had their own rifles!"
Kalvan shook his head like a dog throwing off water from its fur. "What's done is done. I'm surprised we haven't had to face rifles before now. Chartiphon, and you too Hestophes, gather the other generals. We need to meet for a Council of War!"
They couldn't get out of the room fast enough. Sarrask walked over to Kalvan and threw his arm over his shoulders. "Verkan was a good friend, Your Majesty. I've always been jealous of your friendship. But I liked him-even admired him. I know that a warrior with his prowess dispatched many Styphoni to Regwarn-which is as it should be. He died as a great captain. Now, let us make a mountain of Harphaxi corpses to do his bidding in Galzar's Great Hall!"
Rylla smiled at Sarrask, thanking him with her eyes. "Yes, my husband, let us kill many Styphoni and dedicate their funeral pyre to Verkan and all the other Hostigi dead!" And to my friend, Dalla, who will mourn her man as I would.