by Kal Spriggs
"The longest journeys are often best started with time to spare," Said the old woman who headed the other big group. "And who is to say the value of a meeting before it is settled?"
"Lady Miel," Lord Erich said. "She's a witch... and she's rumored to be one of the surviving nobility of Tair, possibly related to their last Duke."
A witch, Siara thought, interesting.
Siara had learned what she could about both leaders, but that was rather little in the time she'd had. She knew more about Lord Einian than Lady Miel, mostly because neither she nor her husband had expected Lady Miel to come to any meetings. The lands that she and her allies occupied were far to the south, and Siara felt more than a little surprise that the old woman had made such a long trek through the depths of winter. It was the kind of journey that might have put her in her grave.
Especially since she would have almost certainly had to travel through Noric occupied lands, as well as those of her rivals, Siara thought.
Other than what that said about her, Siara didn't really know much more than that she sought to unify the people of Taral. Presumably under her own leadership, though Siara had to wonder at that goal given the woman's advanced age.
Einian she knew more about, though not much. His lands lay along the border of Boir and Taral, which was why they had seen less general destruction she would guess. He had often made alliances with Boir... though from what Lady Diana had passed along, several of his alliances had been with Lord Admiral Hennings in his position as the Earl of Trelhaven.
Since the most likely routes for Lord Admiral Hennings' invasion force had gone either through or near his lands, it made him at least somewhat suspect in collusion.
Lord Einian also had a reputation for ruthlessness. From what she could tell, most of the complains went back to his father's death at the hands of a band of Noric raiders, who had somehow slipped past numerous patrols… patrols commanded by Einian.
Siara didn't necessarily think that made Einian the enemy of Boir... it just made him opportunistic and dangerous. She knew her husband had a much less pragmatic opinion about the man, but he hadn't grown up in the north, where all alliances were about temporary advantages.
In her opinion, Einian could be properly cultivated into a buffer, given some resources and power in return. Lady Miel's alliance lay too far to the south and east for it to be the ally that the Grand Duchy of Boir needed to its south.
It was the bushy-bearded Einian who spoke first. "Your Grace," the Count of Panagor said, "I bring greetings. News of your defeat of the Noric army only a few weeks ago has already spread through my lands. My allies and I were impressed."
"What he means by that," Lady Miel said, "is that he and his allies were surprised and shocked, since they watched that same army march through their lands from the safety of their walls."
Siara's eyebrows went up at the old woman's words... and even more so at how Lord Einian didn't deny it. Instead, the big warrior simply glared at her. Siara moved her estimation of the witch upwards.
"I too, bring greetings," Lady Miel said. "Greetings from myself and the alliance of clans that I speak for, who are glad to hear that one of the old line has taken power in the Grand Duchy." Siara saw Christoffer shift uncomfortably at her words, a sure sign that the reference to his ancestry bothered him.
"What she means is that she thinks she'll win you over with promises of better days backed by little substance and superstition," Lord Einian growled.
Siara had been under the impression that this would be an introduction of the various clans and alliances, but it looked like things were shaping up to be much more interesting than that. She could see the less powerful groups shrink back from what looked to be only the beginning of the verbal sparring.
Lady Miel didn't bother to look over at the big warrior, "Superstition is a word often used by those who don't understand complexities."
Lord Einian opened his mouth to argue, but before he could speak, Christoffer interrupted, "Perhaps we should take a recess to allow tempers to cool. I'll meet with each set of representatives in private."
Lord Einian gave a grudging nod, clearly unhappy to give up the last word in the public forum. Lady Miel, though, wore a small, satisfied smile. Clearly, this was just what she had hoped for.
***
Grand Duke Christoffer Tarken
"... as you can see, your Grace," Lord Einian said with a broad smile, "I think an alliance between us would be of great benefit to us both."
"I see," Christoffer said with a glance at Siara. She sat quietly, hands folded and an attentive expression on her face. He knew her well enough to know she had her own opinons, but he didn't know how those opinions might have changed.
Christoffer sat back as he considered the Count of Panagor's offer. At face value, it presented an excellent deal, with a transfer or weapons and equipment to the Taral nobleman's alliance in return for him increasing his patrols, essentially purchasing a secure shared border. Not a trivial thing, especially when the highlanders of Taral often raided livestock across the border in addition to raids of the Norics.
Yet Lady Miel's information that Lord Einian had allowed Lord Admiral Hennings' army to march through his lands unopposed sat poorly with Christoffer. He could understand the man and his allies allowing Hennings' men and mercenaries through... but what about the Norics? Not only had they marched through unopposed, in early winter, but they had done so with few precautions. Lord Einian had not attacked his ancestral enemies and, even worse, the nobleman had apparently put effort into preventing his people from doing so.
And that bothered Christoffer quite a bit.
"Well," Christoffer said, "I will need some time to consider things. I trust you and your people will stay some days, at least, before you head back to Panagor?"
Lord Einian's smile congealed a bit, "Yes. Indeed, we had planned to stay and make preparations for our alliance." He stroked his big, red beard. "I understand that you may need some time to organize things, but I hope you don't delay in making a decision. I'll need time to organize my warriors, to recruit more soldiers for patrols. If you delay a decision, I may not be able to guarantee as much as I would like."
The threat was clear in his voice. The Count of Panagor could secure the border, but he could also leave it open. Christoffer gave him a polite smile, "Well, I will certainly consider that as I make my final decision."
He rose while the Taral nobleman made his way out. As Gervais shut the door behind their guest, Christoffer gave his senior armsman a raised eyebrow, "What do you think, Gervais?"
"Me, your Grace?" His armsman asked. "I'm not sure I can add much of value to the discussion."
Despite his statement, Christoffer had come to value Gervais Wachter's judgement of character. "Tell me," Christoffer said, "would you take someone like Lord Einian as one of my armsmen?"
Gervais scowled, "I wouldn't have him armed in your presence, Your Grace."
"That," Christoffer replied, "is what I thought." Gervais had as much as said that he wouldn't trust his back to the man... which was what they would be doing if Christoffer trusted Lord Einian to screen their border.
The Count of Panagor would remain a staunch ally... right up until it suited him more to betray them. With his earlier relationship with the Earl of Trelhaven, that made him a long-term threat. The only question now became whether it would be less costly to give him something in the short term or to immediately beef up their defenses along the border.
"Please tell them to send up Lady Miel," Christoffer said as he walked back to his desk. He looked at Siara, who gave him a slight smile. "I know that smile," Christoffer sighed as he took his seat again, "You think I'm being too sentimental."
She gave a slight shrug, "I find it endearing. Sentiment is a luxury that my people cannot afford."
His face hardened as he thought about what that had meant for her. Had he not loved her as much as he did, he might have found it easy to hate her people for what the
y had done to her.
A knock at the door signaled the arrival of their next guest.
Christoffer rose as Gervias opened the door and ushered in Lady Miel. The old noblewoman came forward, leaning heavily on her staff. "May I once again extend my pleasure to meet you... both of you." She nodded at Siara and Christoffer in turn."
"The pleasure is mine," Christoffer and he found that he truly meant it. Lord Einian had come across as arrogant and abrasive. He had laid out his terms for an "alliance" in terms that came across more as demands.
Lady Miel had a charm about her, one that he couldn't quite put his finger upon. Given her reputation as a witch, it should have put him on edge... yet even with his hand on the hilt of the Ducal Blade of Boir, he felt no alarms. Since the blade had alerted him to danger before, he felt willing to trust the impression.
"So," Christoffer asked as they both took seats, "What brings you here, Lady Miel?"
She cackled, "You mean what sends an old woman across more than a thousand miles of snowy winter hills and valleys?" She shook her head, "I needed to take your measure." She made no use of honorifics, which he could see made Gervais uncomfortable. She smirked, "And tweaking Einian's nose in public is always worthwhile, of course."
Despite himself, Christoffer chuckled a bit in reply. "Well, now that you've taken my measure, what other plans do you have?"
"For one thing," Lady Miel said as she pulled a scroll out of her robes, "I thought I might pass this along. It's a list of men and women who sought sanctuary with some of my allies in the south... near Freeport. I understand they were aided by a Knight of the Order of King Gordon as well as some of the Order's most recent recruits. Their names are included."
Christoffer took the parchment and unrolled it. His eyes widened as he began to recognize names. "These..." He shook his head, "Many of these people were listed as hostages, held by Lord Admiral Hennings at Freeport. You say a Knight of the Order helped them?"
"Yes," Lady Miel said. "Dame Athena, I believe. She's also taken on a squire, Alfanz Wachter."
"Squire?" Gervais asked in a choked voice. "My brother is a Squire of the Order? How? He was a midshipman in the Navy!"
For his armsman and for his friend, Elias, Christoffer felt gratitude to hear that Alfanz had survived. For that matter, he hoped to be present when Gervais told his father. The former commander of the Ubelfurst had clearly worried deeply about his older son. And he isn't the only one with family in danger, Christoffer thought with another look at the parchment. While the hundred or so names would bring some relief to some families, it would do little for the families of the thousands of officers and enlisted Marines and Navy personnel of the Southern Fleet. Nor, he thought sadly, does it address all too many citizens of Freeport, merchant crews, or other people whose fates remain unknown.
"I don't have all the details," Lady Miel said. "Perenar is where they are located. Dame Athena had contacts there with some of my allies, so she brought the people she had rescued there for the winter."
Christoffer rifled through the maps on his desk until Siara helpfully pulled out the correct one. He laid it out on the desk and then shook his head. Palinth lay far to the south, very close to Freeport, where the traitorous Lord Admiral Hennings had his base of operations. The only overland route lay across more than a thousand miles of rough terrain, much of it controlled by the Kras-Nar-Thak tribe of Norics. "There's no way to get them overland any time soon," Christoffer said shaking his head. "Are they secure for the winter?"
"Mostly," Lady Miel said. "Tor, the leader of Perenar, has had a hostile relationship with Boir. At one time the town was an outpost of your nation, controlled by the governor of Freeport. They aren't particularly friendly to your people... but they hate Lord Admiral Hennings enough that they've given them shelter."
Christoffer winced as he finally recognized the name. At one point, under Grand Duke Becket, Freeport had become something of a dumping ground for well-connected but incompetent officers and noblemen. On several occasions, there had been attempts to seize parts of Taral, to include Palinth, as "temporary measures" and all of those attempts had ended badly... Freeport itself being the exception.
Granted, he admitted, Freeport was never a proper part of the Duchy of Taral, it was an independent trade village. Grand Duke Andros had seized the town in an effort to remove it as a safe haven for pirates operating in the Ryft Basin.
"It would be almost impossible to move them north," Christoffer said. Most of the listed names were children of nobility or wealthy trade houses. Without a sizable escort, they would not survive the march even in the spring. They could send them to the west, to Marovingia, or east through the Ryftguard to Masov, yet Perenar's position still meant two hundred miles of rough, hostile country to the trade road.
"I'm not in a position to provide much support, I'm afraid," Lady Miel said. "I'm told that the town will hold out against Hennings, but you probably have more resources to help them than I do."
If only that were true, he thought. Lord Admiral Hennings had the resources of the entire Southern Fleet. Combined with the losses suffered by the Northern Fleet and the siege of Boirton by the Semat Armen, the Grand Duchy of Boir would be hard pressed to put forces in place to help. For one thing, Lord Admiral Hennings had stationed a picket at the Ryft to guard the main sea passage south, so even if he'd had the forces to attack, they would face an opposed passage, where they would be forced to sail in a line, through enemy caster fire.
"Is there nothing we can offer to get you to send aid?" Siara asked.
Lady Miel gave her a shrewd look, "I could make some kind of bargain, but I spoke truly. I don't have enough resources in the region to truly help. If you give me supplies or weapons to take back with me, I might be able to get them there by spring, but even that will be problematic."
Christoffer nodded at that... and he appreciated her honesty. Of course, from what he knew, all witches were bound to speak the truth, but she had been forthright with him, as well. That earned her more goodwill than all the promises of Lord Einian. "We might try that, even so," he said. In truth, they had set aside weapons and equipment captured from the rout of the Norics as potential trade goods for Lord Einian, backed by some additional weapons and equipment they had brought for the purpose. Just for her offer, he felt more willing to give her the majority of that equipment.
He had no doubt at all that doing so would make an enemy of Einian... but that would happen sooner or later anyway, he felt. His eyes narrowed as he looked at Lady Miel, "You knew that this would make us favor you over Einian, didn't you?"
"Good news, freely given?" Lady Miel said, "I could be forgiven for assuming a good man would favor someone who brought such news."
Christoffer nodded slowly. "Fine then. I'll need to talk with some of my advisers about some of the implications, but we'll need to move fast, even so. I assume you would want to leave before I tell Lord Einian about my decision?"
Lady Miel cackled, "Oh, while I would love to see his expression, I would think it best that my people and I are safely on our way before he has time to tell his people to close the borders." Her smile turned wicked, "Though it would be amusing to slip by any patrols he put in my way, it would probably waste time."
Her confidence that she could bypass Lord Einian's patrols suggested that she was more formidable than she appeared. Granted, he thought, she's a witch, but it isn't as if there aren't limits on all things.
If she could move across Taral so freely, she might be able to arrange for other things, such as placement of coal or even charcoal for supplying a windship, though the risk involved made that a difficult proposition. "I will have a plan for you by morning," Christoffer said with a glance at Siara. Her nod told him that she already had most of the information that they would need to proceed. He gave Lady Miel a warm smile, "Might I say that while it has been a pleasure, your presence has been something of a disturbance?"
"Thank you," Lady Miel replied. "I'll see you in
the morning."
***
Grand Duke Christoffer Tarken
Trelhaven, Grand Duchy of Boir
8th of Sopar, Cycle 1000 Post Sundering
Christoffer looked over at Admiral Elias Wachter as his friend watched the harbor. The two of them stood on a balcony of Trelhaven House that stood tall enough to look across the entirety of the town.
Lady Miel had left a week earlier, followed not long after by a sullen Lord Einian. Lord Einian's parting speech had been of the "more in sorrow than in anger" type, but his threats had been clear enough. Hopefully the additional soldiers that General Schoelhorn planned to station along the border would dissuade any real retaliation. If not, he thought, then we'll handle it.
His friend gave a sigh and Christoffer arched an eyebrow. "Thinking deep thoughts?" Christoffer asked.
Elias started a bit, "My apologies, your Grace, I found myself a bit lost in the moment."
"It is good to see the townsfolk returning," Christoffer said with a wave at the ship that had just made port. This would be one of the last vessels bringing townsfolk back after the evacuation. Not all of them had homes to return to, between damage during the siege and the use of the wizard's shot, but most of them did. Work had already started to repair or rebuild the damage.
Elias shook his head, "Actually, Your Grace, I'm afraid my thoughts were on my sons." He gave a grin of chagrin, "While I'm proud that one of them has retaken the position of armsman... well, I had hoped that the other one would continue his naval career."
"At least he's alive," Christoffer said even as he thought of his own eldest son.
"Oh, no need to remind me of that point!" Elias laughed. It was a happy laugh, yet he still gave Christoffer a respectful nod. "I know that so many, yourself included, lost family between the ambush of the Northern Fleet and what that bastard Hennings has done down in Freeport. I'm incredibly grateful that my son has survived, just a little shocked is all, at the turn of events that made him a Squire in the Order of King Gordon!"
