“Perhaps not …” There was another long silence, before Liende continued. “Were there another sorceress to follow you …”
“Another sorceress?” Anna laughed harshly. “I’m not sure that one isn’t too much for Defalk.”
“Power must be balanced by power, and women cannot lift blades as heavy as do men.”
Anna wasn’t certain about that. She’d seen Ytrude and Lysara carrying blades. But how many Ytrudes and Lysaras are there in Defalk? “Another sorceress …” Maybe that would help balance things out. But whom do you choose—and trust? Secca? She’s young, and will she have the insight after her hormones kick in? Clayre—Birfels’ other daughter, who had once expressed interest and might be coming to Falcor? Was there anyone else? Would there be? Could there be?
Anna frowned. Why did everything just get more complicated?
109
Under a cold midday sun that foreshadowed winter, Anna sat upright in the saddle and looked across the low valley, finally catching sight of the white structure that, as she had recalled, resembled a Mediterranean villa as much as a Defalkan keep. Flossbend stood on the low rise to the northeast, across the Synor River, linked to the main road by a winding lane that climbed the gentle slope to the hold.
“There, that’s Flossbend.” The sorceress pointed for both Liende and Himar, reined up beside her. “Both the holding and the town are on the other side of the river, but the town is upstream—east—of Flossbend.”
“The walls are low,” observed Himar.
“It’s not designed for a siege.”
Farinelli sidestepped, and Anna bent forward in the saddle and patted his neck. “Easy … easy …”
“What do you plan?” asked the arms commander.
“I’d like to get as close as I can, and then cast a spell over the keep to kill the handful of people, especially Beltyr, who are guilty of murdering Lady Anientta and her sons and who oppose the Regency.”
“After that?”
“We try to organize the keep before we head back to Falcor.” You make it sound so simple … and it won’t be. She looked at Liende, reined up beside Himar. “The players may have to dismount and perform quickly.”
“We will be ready,” the chief player confirmed.
The sorceress took another long and studied look at the white-walled hold before nodding to Himar.
The arms commander raised his arm, and the lancers followed the vanguard and the players downhill on the road to Synope. As Anna reached the bottom of the short incline, the light and cool breeze died away, and she found herself using the square of worn gray cloth to blot her forehead.
Anna began the first vocalise after they had traveled another dek across the western end of the valley. “Holly-lolly-pop …” She coughed, but the amount of mucus she brought up was minimal, and she continued vocalizing.
“Lady?” Himar’s voice interrupted her concentration.
She looked up, following his gesture. Puffs of dust marked the four riders headed westward on the road from Synope—toward Anna.
“They all wear green surcoats.”
“How far is the hold?”
“Two deks, perhaps three.” Himar stood in his stirrups. “Green company! Forward, arms ready! Bring forth the banner!”
The lancers of the green company used the shoulder of the road to make their way around the players and Anna. The sorceress coughed as the dust rose around her. The standard-bearer did not follow the green company, but led the main body of the column.
As the score and a half lancers rode eastward, the four armsmen in the pale green of Flossbend reined up on a high spot on the road, less than half a dek away, looking at the approaching lancers and the purple banner. Then all four turned and spurred their mounts eastward, raising a far larger cloud of dust in returning to Flossbend than they had in leaving it.
“I think they will be telling Beltyr that the sorceress is on her way to Flossbend,” Liende said.
“Will you need the lancers to attack?” questioned Himar.
“I’d rather have them ready to protect me and the players.” Anna looked back at the chief player. “There’s no point in losing lancers in an attack. We’ll have to plan on the flame spell, the long one.”
“The one that singles out the traitors?” asked Liende.
Anna nodded. “I wish I dared to try something else, but this fall I’ve lost tenscore armsmen. Where we’ll get more, I don’t know. Beltyr has seized these lands, and he and Tybel killed every heir but Secca. They tried to kill her.” Anna took a deep breath. “I can’t just turn my back on Beltyr.”
“None of us chose this.” Liende’s smile was both warm and wintry. “What we chose far earlier led us here.”
Is that true! Anna coughed, then continued to watch as the four lancers turned their mounts up the lane that led to Flossbend.
“There is little cover, and no hill or knoll near the keep,” Himar pointed out. “To defend the players will be hard if Lord Beltyr sends forth lancers or armsmen.”
Anna shifted her weight in the saddle before replying. “When I was here before, Lord Hryding didn’t even have twoscore armsmen left after the mess at the Sand Pass. Nearly a score of those left with Markan. Most of them are with Ytrude at Suhl. I’m sure Beltyr brought his own armsmen, but he was the younger son, and with all those that Tybel had … I can’t believe he has any more than we do.”
“If that be so, then I would judge less.”
“Far less,” added Falar, who had ridden up past Blaz and Fielmir to join the other three. “As a younger son, I know what coins it has taken for my poor score and a half of armsmen.”
At his rueful smile, Anna laughed. “You would know.”
“You think this Beltyr will not attack?” questioned Himar.
“There’s no movement outside the hold.” Anna gestured toward the lane and the keep above. “And your scouts haven’t reported anything. We could get attacked—like Tybel did—but I don’t think that will happen. I’d say that Beltyr would hole up in the keep.” Anna frowned. “He might do that because we don’t have that big a force. Not enough to storm a keep, not even Flossbend.” And none of these people seems to believe in your sorcery until they’ve experienced it.
The green company had reined up and waited at the base of the lane that wound up toward the white-plastered building. Anna and the players kept riding until they neared the green company.
“Riders, halt!” Himar ordered before turning his mount back to Anna and Liende.
Anna could see the roof of the stable for travelers, where she’d first tethered Farinelli when she had met Lord Hryding. Is Calmut still around? Unpleasant as ever?
“I would not ride more than to the midpoint of the lane,” Himar suggested. “Could you work your sorcery from below that small cot there?” He pointed.
“That’s a small stable for travelers, and I think that my voice will carry—if the wind doesn’t pick up.”
Liende glanced westward, toward the few scattered clouds that hugged the horizon. “There will not be more wind in the next glass or so.”
“Let’s go halfway up,” Anna suggested. “The sooner we do this, the less chance Beltyr will have to come up with something.”
“A moment, Lady Anna?” requested Rickel, as he unstrapped the large shield from behind his saddle.
Anna nodded, as did Himar. There might be archers.
Once their shields were in place, Lejun and Rickel eased their mounts ahead of Anna.
“Riders, forward!” ordered Himar.
Anna tried another vocalise, and was relieved to find that her cords and throat were clear. Not even halfway up the lane, Anna could see that every window was shuttered, every door barred. Not a soul was in sight, and the only sounds were those from her lancers and players.
“They fear you,” murmured Liende.
“Not enough to have done what was right,” Anna answered quietly. Not nearly enough. She rubbed her forehead. You’ve defeated two
enemies, one to the east and one to the west, and are trying to negotiate something lasting with the Liedfuhr, but you’re still dealing with backward lords at home. Then, your foreign enemies know more about you than do half the lords of the Thirty-three.
“Riders, halt!”
At Himar’s command, Anna nodded to Liende.
“Dismount and stand ready to play!”
Anna waited until the tuning died away before she dismounted. Flossbend remained silent, without even a single head appearing above the wall, not a single shutter moving. Let’s hope Beltyr doesn’t have any nasty surprises … been enough of those this year. She stepped forward, still flanked by the shield-bearing Rickel and Lejun, then inclined her head to the chief player. “Now.”
“On my mark … the long flame song!” Liende called. “Mark!”
After the first three introductory bars, Anna began the spell, her voice open and free and cascading across the white-plastered stone walls of Flossbend.
Turn to fire, turn to flame
all those against the true heir’s name
turn to fire, turn to flame,
who stand against the Regent’s claim.
While fire hissed from the sky, that fire came in arrows, rather than in a solid sheet, as had happened at Arien.
As Anna stepped back, Rickel and Lejun stepped forward, raising their shields to guard the sorceress. Anna watched as the last of the flame arrows died away.
Almost expectantly, Liende glanced at the Regent, waiting but not inquiring. Anna stood, studying the walls and the few crenellations irregularly set in the upper walls, but the keep remained silent.
Abruptly, the barred doors on the lower level were flung open, and an armsman in a pale green surcoat stepped out, carrying an irregular square of white cloth tied to a pole. He glanced from side to side, his head darting in one direction, then another, as he waved the makeshift white flag.
Anna turned, remaining behind the shields. “Arms Commander … if you would send a company to see if those who remain will accept the true heir to Flossbend?”
“Green company, forward!” ordered Himar.
“Have them ready with the short flame song—just in case,” the sorceress told Liende.
“Stand ready for the short flame song!” ordered the chief player.
Anna and Liende watched as the green company lancers rode up the lane, past the small guest stable, until they reached the armsman with the banner. After a moment, a single rider in purple turned his mount and rode down the lane, finally reining up before Anna and the still-mounted Himar.
“The hold surrenders, but begs mercy,” announced the lancer.
“We will secure it, Regent,” Himar promised. “I would that you remain here until we have done so. Captain Falar and his men can guard you.”
Falar’s face was blank for a moment, before he nodded.
“If there’s anything strange, bring all the lancers back, and I’ll use more sorcery,” Anna said.
“That I will, Regent.” Himar barked a short and humorless laugh. “That I will.” He guided his mount around Anna’s guards and uphill, another company of lancers behind him.
“You value your armsmen highly,” Falar observed.
“Good armsmen are hard to find and train,” she replied. “It took over a year to build up a force of twentyscore, and I’ve lost half of them in a season.”
“You destroyed a hundredfold of what you lost, mayhap more,” the redhead countered.
“That still leaves only a few more than tenscore. Not very much for a ruler or a regent. Lord Jimbob will need ten or twenty times that.”
“Because he will not be able to rely on sorcery?”
Anna nodded.
“Players … you may rest, but stand ready to play,” Liende ordered.
She and Anna—and Falar—watched as the two companies of lancers opened the lower doors, and then the double doors to the inner courtyard.
“They did not fight,” Falar said.
“How could they?” asked Liende. “The sorceress would have slain them all.”
Anna did not comment.
When Himar emerged from Flossbend and remounted, Anna climbed back into Farinelli’s saddle, but waited for the arms commander to ride to her.
Himar’s face was grave as he reined in his mount, short of Anna. “We hold the keep. Beltyr had but threescore armsmen. More than half died under your flames. Beltyr himself is dead, as is his consort … their children live.”
“His consort?” Another scheming woman?
“Ah … yes, Lady Anna.”
So much … again … for so-called innocent consorts … and more children, another focal point for future dissension. “The children will be fostered in Dumar. Lady Siobion, I’m certain, will aid in that. So will Alvar.” Should she have spoken so quickly, so openly?
“Dumar?” blurted Falar.
“We’ll talk about the details later,” Anna temporized. “And we will sleep in Flossbend tonight. The men and their mounts deserve some rest before we head back to Falcor.”
“They will appreciate that.”
“They are not to molest any of the women. This is Secca’s hold, and she doesn’t need that kind of trouble.” Anna’s eyes were hard as she glanced from Falar to Himar.
“I will let all the men know what you have said, lady,” Himar said mildly. “There will be no trouble.”
“Nor from mine,” added Falar.
“Good.” Anna flicked the reins, and Farinelli started up the lane. Rickel and Lejun flanked her, shields still at the ready. The sorceress-Regent reined up outside the door she had last entered more than a year before. What a difference a year makes … Her thoughts were cribbing from somewhere, but she couldn’t recall from where. Abruptly, she turned.
“Falar … ?” Anna looked at the redhead. “Would you see if you could find the saalmeister. Or whatever assistant is left?”
Falar bowed suavely. “I will see who I can find.”
“I’ll be up on the top level.”
Rickel and Lejun led the way, and Blaz, Bersan, and Fielmir followed.
As she passed the first landing, Anna could hear whispers.
“ … that’s her …”
“ … said she’d be back … can’t keep secrets from that one …”
“ … Lady Anientta … scared of her …”
“Fat lord Beltyr should have been …”
Once she reached the top of the stairs, Anna walked slowly across the tiled roof pavilion where she had once played Vorkoffe with Secca. A long charcoaled form lay sprawled by the wall, surrounded by several smaller forms. Beside the tall blackened corpse was a hand-and-a-half blade, as if it had been drawn and dropped.
The sorceress tried not to breathe deeply. She turned to Rickel. “Ah … could you have someone … from the hold staff remove those?”
Rickel gestured to Blaz, who headed down the steps.
Anna stepped toward the eastern wall, the one overlooking the entry and facing toward Synope. Does it end like this everywhere? She shook her head. It hadn’t ended in death in a lot of holds—not in Dubaria, or even Fussen, nor Abenfel, or Lerona, nor Sudwei … But at times it feels like it has. In the near-twilight sun, the lands to the east of the hold were bathed in a rose glow. Anna just looked. Looked until she heard boots approaching and turned to see Falar nearing, escorting a thin-faced man with graying hair.
Rickel and Fielmir stepped forward to block the two from moving any closer to Anna than about three yards.
Falar smiled and tapped the man on the shoulder. “This man says he was saalmeister. The other saalmeister died under the fire arrows,” said the red-haired de facto captain.
The older man bowed into a near grovel on the tiles of the floor. “She is the sorceress! The same one that promised to keep young Secca. Sorceress … be merciful. This was against my will. I could do nothing.”
“Secca is safe,” Anna said. “She is well and safe in Falcor. Who are you?”
>
“I am Gylun, Regent-sorceress … I was saalmeister … before … Lord Beltyr came.” Gylun remained on his knees, but looked up at Anna.
“Why did you let him poison Anientta?” Anna asked bluntly.
“Lord Beltyr … he sent me to the fields … me …”
“For now … Gylun … your job is to work—if you would not mind,” Anna asked the redhead, “to put Flossbend back in order. Back in a state appropriate for the lady Secca. Falar will get you started.”
“I would like to be of service to Lady Secca,” answered Falar with his roguish smile. “And I will do my best.”
“She’s too young for you,” Anna said with a laugh, “you smiling devil. You can start things, but I’d like you to come with me. But don’t worry. I always reward loyalty and skill.” Who else can you leave? You’ll have to talk to Himar about that. You still need Falar under your thumb. What about Lejun and one of the captains?
“That she does,” murmured Liende, standing at the top of the stairs.
Falar bowed.
“Have you got the players settled?” the sorceress asked the chief player.
“We are settled. Will you need more playing?”
“Not that I know.” Anna paused. “Thank you. I know it’s been hard on you … and on them.”
“They will all remember these days, lady and Regent, and few players can say such. Few indeed.”
Few indeed … but how will they remember them? Anna smiled sadly in yet another twilight. She walked slowly along the wall, looking down as her boots kicked a Vorkoffe stone that skittered along the floor tiles. A tile Secca might have used on a day past, a more innocent time. Had those times been better? Or merely more cruelly innocent?
Darksong Rising: The Third Book of the Spellsong Cycle Page 53
