by Guy Antibes
~~~
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
~
ANCHOR LOOKED ON WITH THE REST OF THE GENSLER RANKERS and officers at the Ropponi drilling in the main yard of South Keep. Their style of fighting reflected their foreign origins. Shiro hadn’t returned, yet Tishiaki, Shiro’s military expert didn’t seem to mind.
“He’s been gone before. I don’t worry until he returns beaten up or having just escaped from an enemy.”
“So he’s not just a wizard?”
Tishiaki shook his head. Anchor estimated that the man wasn’t nearly as old as Unca. His hair was laced with gray and lines crinkled around his eyes as he smiled. He moved oddly. Perhaps he nursed an old battle injury. “His father taught him sophisticated sword forms from the Imperial Guard. Shiro is as competent a swordsman as there is.”
“Humble?”
“Very. Smart and resourceful. He once escaped from a prison island, the only one likely to have ever done so. We all follow him because he is better than us all.”
The loyalty of the Red Roses impressed Anchor. He would have to spar with the Ropponi leader. Perhaps he could learn something about how Ropponi fight, about Shiro and about his own progress. Anchor had long realized that you could only be as good as your sparring partners as you learn. Well, maybe a little more speed, agility and strength would help. He smiled at the thought as he continued to watch the Ropponis. They seemed to do everything in unison.
“When do your troops train?” Tishiaki said. “We can leave the field at any time.”
“I think my men would rather watch yours train.” Both men laughed. “We work in smaller groups at various times during the day. I spar with the men at random times.”
“You train with your men?”
Anchor smiled. “I arrived here months ago, wounded in an attempt to save a lady from abduction. I gave my opponents my best at the time and it, quite frankly, didn’t even reach mediocre. I vowed to eliminate my lack of ability and did so. We had to put down our own little revolt in the keep aided by an invading company of Happly soldiers. I’m afraid I haven’t found a solution to a crossbow bolt to the back. Perhaps we might practice together? I’m unfamiliar with your fighting style.”
“I’m an older man,” Tishiaki said. “I would join you, only to respect your offer. I nurse an old battle injury, however.” Tishiaki put his hand to his chin and looked Anchor over. “Shiro would teach you a lot, I would think.”
If Tishiaki only knew how old Anchor was. “Shiro wouldn’t use magic?”
The commander shook his head and rubbed his chin. “It isn’t honorable for sparring unless both parties use it. The Ropponi use spells and by the time you think of a spell, your opponent has embedded his blade in your body.” He laughed. Because of Tishiaki’s evasion, Anchor didn’t entirely believe that no magic was used in a battle.
~
The door to the map room flew open as Morio and his men filled the room. Shiro and Chika followed. Anchor put a slip of parchment between pages to hold his place after reviewing another historical battle that he followed on a detailed map.
“My father and Princess Sallia send you their greetings.” Morio tossed two sealed letters on the map table. “We will be off for Crackledown as soon as we grab some supplies and get our horses saddled.” Morio held out his hand and Anchor took it. “You’ll have effective control all of the border keeps in the south, should you need it. Colonel Hesting should be here soon to take your place at South Keep and will coordinate efforts between Learsea and Crackledown. Father actually needs me at Crackledown to liase with Valetan and Prolan forces as they travel through Gensler south. Shiro’s stone communicates with Princess Sallia’s Bloodstone and Lotto,” Morio laughed. “Lotto doesn’t even need the Moonstone to join in, Shiro says.” He shook his head in wonder.
After all of this time, the Warstones still worked! Three of them together after many centuries. The wizard in Anchor exulted. The soldier in Anchor only hoped that Daryaku wouldn’t have heard anything with the Darkstone. This teleportation technique of the Ropponi would serve well enough to keep the Dakkoran emperor out of their communications. He’d talk to Shiro about this later.
“So how much longer do we have the pleasure of your company?” Anchor said.
“We’ll be leaving tomorrow morning at first light. Inspecting the border keeps makes a man thirsty.”
“Man?” Chika said.
Anchor smiled along with Shiro. She must be a handful for Shiro, his new partner. But he guessed she was right. Shiro wouldn’t suffer a foolish woman. It didn’t seem like him.
“Very well, then. Lord Morio, you have my permission to leave,” Anchor said and gave Morio a Bessethian bow, while Shiro presented Morio with the jerkier Ropponi bow. At least that’s what Anchor surmised. He had a whole new culture to learn from his Ropponi friends.
After Morio’s men left, Shiro looked down at the letters. “You might want to read those. We will leave you.”
“Give me a few minutes to read them in my office, and then we can talk. Chika, Tishiaki and you?”
Shiro bowed and nudged Chika to do the same.
Anchor picked up the letters, one from Sallia and a thicker missive from the duke. He tapped them on his mouth as he walked to his office. When he entered he tossed them on his desk and restrained himself from reading Sallia’s first.
Lord Anchor,
I give you the title of Lord of the Southern Border. There are no lands to accompany the title, but you will need it to satisfy Colonel Hesting’s sensitivities about reporting to a superior. Shiro, Lotto and Councilor Lessa of Prola have consulted with me and have decided to create another front for the battle against the Red Kingdom. He will send one-third of his Red Roses under the command of his female commander, Chika to join an alliance of Gensler, Valetan and Prola. Tishiaki and Shiro have pledged to help you defend Learsea with the rest of his band.
I have sent birds to the southern dukedoms and have yet to receive a reply. That is a new development. Oringia and Histo have also rejected any communication. These have long been suspected to be under Daryaku’s sway. We have to plan for that eventuality. As you know the southern dukedoms rely more on magic. That might affect your strategy.
You are King Willom’s leader, but I trust you will, through Shiro, counsel with us all.
I have prepared various writs of title and patents that verify your role to present to King Willom when you see him at his castle.
We are relying on you and as a subject of the Red Kingdom, so does the Princess.
Do your best,
For Gensler
Alon Jellas, Duke
Anchor sat back and thought of Besseth. He would have to assume that Histo, Oringia and the southern dukedoms of Teryon, Venato, Deshine, Ashof and Blintz were at Histron’s disposal. If that were the case, then they might be outnumbered. He thought back to the map. A campaign of sorts would be undertaken. Valetan would have to split their forces. A contingent to Oringia and whatever they could spare for the Red Kingdom. Perhaps. Learsea could roll up the southern dukedoms and converge on Foxhome in a final battle. That might work only if he could stop Histron from invading Learsea from the northwest.
He blinked as he realized that Sallia’s letter still lay unread. Anchor smiled. She would certainly wish him well again and that would be enough for him. He set aside the other documents for later review and picked up Sallia’s letter.
“Oh, Sally. If you only knew me, truly,” he said out loud.
His knife slid beneath the seal and broke it to see what was inside and let a red silk handkerchief fall to the floor. He picked it up and began to read.
Lord Anchor,
Duke Jellas suggested that I start this letter with your new title. Who would have thought the broken man in Everwet would now have power over southern Gensler, including that very same village. I’m am glad for it. I continue to follow your exploits and I take inspiration from them.
Forgive me for seeming a bit per
sonal, but I know not where my original advisor is. Perhaps you might take Unca’s place for a while. A commission from a grateful princess, no, a grateful woman. You embark on a task that I wish I could undertake for the Red Kingdom.
I have spent my life as a willful princess. A willful girl, if you may. Unca, my mentor, unknowingly unlocked a different part of me. Perhaps a milder side, a more womanly side. I clung to that role while in hiding in my land. I still cling to it, in a way, but it is now time to re-assert the more willful part of me, if I am going to rule.
Your work on behalf of Besseth has given me a hope that I really didn’t have before. In exile, I found that I lived day to day. Even when Horas Eberlo’s men tried to abduct me, I only thought to save myself without a thought of my land. Now to see you rise to your present position, I must use your example to rise as a queen. From a royal exile, dependent on the good graces of Duke Jellas to the rightful heir of the throne of the Red Kingdom. It is my goal to prepare for that eventuality, for I know you work for that as well.
My mentor, Unca, sent me the Bloodstone. Shiro can communicate with me and I trust that you will keep Duke Jellas and I up to date as your campaign progresses. I wish you could meet Unca, but perhaps it will require taking back whatever part of the Red Kingdom he has chosen as his hiding place.
I can’t bestow a royal title on you as you deserve, but I can declare you my Champion. Take this token with you into battle so that I might participate in your conquests in some small way.
My previous letter declared that I’d like you stand with me when I retake the throne and I still intend to have you by my side when that occurs.
My heart goes with you.
Sallia,
Princess of the Red Kingdom
Anchor clutched the letter and then reached down for the scarlet token. He put it to his nose. It smelled of roses. He re-read the letter and tucked it with the scarf into his uniform. Her words meant everything to him, but at some point, she would have to know that Anchor and Unca were one and the same. Would she feel betrayed? Would she withdraw the trust she so obviously had in him? He’d save that consideration for another time.
His first priority would be re-taking Besseth from the Dark Lord. His agents had nearly succeeded in Prola, Valetan and Gensler. King Willom had not succumbed, but Learsea, by itself, could never withstand the rest of Besseth arrayed against it. A chance now existed to fight back. Those chances might have increased if the War Stones truly worked.
Anchor left his office and found the three Ropponi eating in the common room.
“I don’t know what you eat in Roppon, having never been there. Let me know if you have any particular needs.” Anchor said as a serving woman from the village set a mug of ale in front of him. “Some people refer to this as liquid bread.” He had to smile at his guests’ reaction.
Shiro nodded. “Oh, I see. It’s made from grain. We generally drink wine made from rice or from grapes as you do. We drink water as well.”
“You’ll get sick doing that,” Anchor said.
“There are many among us with Affinity to purify what we drink.”
Anchor nodded. He’d done the same as Unca, but not as Anchor. “Perhaps I can share some of your water. I miss it.”
Shiro glanced at him and nodded. Anchor had just slipped up, revealing his wizardly roots and Shiro had caught it.
Anchor called for a ranker to summon Gasso.
When the officer arrived, Anchor said, “I’m now Lord of the Southern Borders, whatever that means. You probably know all of this,” he looked at Shiro and Chika, “but when Colonel Hesting arrives, he will report to me.”
Gasso laughed. “Such a quick rise!”
“I like Hesting. He and Pillar became friends as we traveled from Everwet to here. He’s going to be the one to protect southern Gensler, not me. My title is to give me some kind of rank above Hesting if we have to coordinate the defense of Gensler. Anyway, I will take one hundred men and two-thirds of Shiro’s company. The other third, under Chika, will proceed back to Everwet and wait there until forces from Prola and Valetan arrive.”
“You can come with me or you can stay, Gasso.”
“I’m coming with you, if you’ll have me.”
Anchor clapped him on the back. “I thought you’d make the right choice.”
Anchor noticed Chika’s concerned face. “Chika, do you have any questions?”
“Will a Warstone be in the army?”
“I think it a good chance that Lotto will lead Valetan forces and I would be surprised if Princess Restella will let him out of her sight,” Shiro said. “Ah. Don’t worry Chika. We can teleport between camps. You can teleport right onto my lap.”
“Whenever you are ready and able, my leader.” Chika said.
Tishiaki grinned. It took Anchor a moment to understand the banter. Gasso looked lost.
“Do they do this all the time?” Anchor said to Tishiaki.
He only nodded. “It’s a little more difficult in your language,” he said and withstood a push from Chika.
“I’ve been looking at the maps and our campaign may take us a long time. I propose assembling our forces at the entrance to Learsea from the northwest to forestall a straight run to the capital. If your magicians can help with construction, I intend on building a series of fortifications to protect Learsea when Histron’s forces invade. Once they are repelled, then we’ll swing to the south through the southern dukedoms and then up to Foxhome. I don’t expect a great deal of resistance along the way until we penetrate the Red Kingdom again.”
“What are your plans with Histo and Oringia?” Gasso said.
“Those are out of my hands. Prola and Valetan will have their own strategies. They will know more about those countries and how they fight than I do,” Anchor said. ‘Valetan has been constantly fighting the Oringians and constantly winning. I think they know what to do. Any questions?”
“Do you have a strategy for using the Warstones?” Tishiaki said.
Anchor looked at Shiro. “Do you?”
The man shrugged. The movement differed from a Bessethian and Anchor smiled. Both Anchor and Tishiaki would be getting used to a lot of new things. Unca never interacted much with others, even if he had to act as a spy.
Anchor looked at the three Ropponi as he took a sip of a proffered mug of water. “As I have learned, war, battle, saving people, all involve developing a strategy only to see the strategy crumble as circumstances change. Sometimes we are faced with an unexpectedly strong opponent and sometimes, we expect a fight and none transpires. I counsel flexibility in our course of action, but we need overall goals. I would prefer to use teleporters as messengers rather than rely on the Warstones for communication. We don’t know if Daryaku can listen in. What do you think, Tishiaki?”
The older man nodded. “A wise course. Anchor, perhaps you might want to show us your thinking in the map room and then I’d like to see you spar with Shiro. I’ve been waiting to see the both of you fight.”
~
Tishiaki showed his strategic expertise and repositioned the fortifications that Anchor had planned, using the terrain better than Anchor. They would work well together. It seemed to Anchor that setting up battle strategy had been new to Shiro and made sure that the Ropponi commander had all of his questions answered and that he understood the concepts.
The practice field would be in the shade by now. Anchor stood up straight. His back had stiffened up a bit, leaning over the maps for the most of the afternoon.
“I suppose it’s time,” he said.
Shiro’s face already glistened with sweat in the late summer sun as Anchor walked up. “I am ready to entertain Tishiaki,” Shiro wiped his blade down with folded paper. Anchor had never seen such a thing.
Anchor hefted his old sword. It had served him well and not so well since he bought it in Happly months ago.
“An antique?” Shiro said. “In your family?”
Anchor laughed and shook his head. “Just go
od steel, if it is a bit on the worn side.” The sword’s balance had improved, as his strength increased. He seemed to have recovered well enough.
Shiro used a sword that looked much different from the thin sword the rest of the Ropponis used. It looked more like the one he held in his hand.
“In the family?” Anchor said, knowing it couldn’t be.
“I recovered this with the Sunstone. It is a special blade, forged with power, forever sharp and likely unbreakable. The stone used to be here.” Shiro pointed to a hole in the blade close to the hilt.
If Shiro spoke the truth, the sword might be thousands of years old. The man constantly amazed Anchor, as did the unique shape of the blade. Anchor would not be able to hold the grip in both of his hands, but Shiro’s smaller hands nearly did as he warmed up with unfamiliar practice forms.
They faced off on the field. “We stop at first blood or before,” Gasso said. Both men nodded. “The purpose is exercise, not to establish who is better.” How many times had Anchor heard those words and fought to preserve life and limb.
Shiro bowed and Anchor put his sword in front of his forehead and swiped it to the ground. Anchor shuffled in the loose dirt of the practice field, keeping his blade in front pointed slightly down, his wrist loose as he had been taught, but his muscles shifted, never fully relaxed as he began to circle around Shiro.
The Ropponi reacted to Anchor’s movements in short jerky half-steps with his blade held over his shoulder and slightly higher than parallel to the ground. Anchor had expected Shiro to move smoothly, but every movement jumped from one pose to the same pose in a slightly different place. Shiro’s sword barely held both of his hands, but he moved his sword with startling precision.
Anchor saw the slight widening of Shiro’s eyes and the beginning of a flick of his wrist and his sword twitched ninety degrees and lashed out. Shiro intended on the blades clashing together, but Anchor lifted his blade to evade the backhanded slash and then slapped his blade against Shiro’s as he tried to return it to his previous stance. Shiro lifted his blade with lightning quickness and Anchor had to raise his sword for a parry. He flattened his blade, as did Shiro and the clash rung out in the courtyard.
