The Mage-Fire War

by Modesitt. Jr. , L. E.

  “Do you know how many?” pressed Rojak.

  “Not yet.”

  About half a kay past the junction with the Weevett road, Beltur began to be able to sense the different chaos concentrations within the western Hydlenese encampment, and by the time they were due north of the encampment, he was certain. “We can rein up.”

  “Squad! Halt!” ordered Raelf.

  As everyone reined up, Rojak asked, “Why now? We’re nowhere near the encampment, and there’s no side road in sight.”

  “We don’t need to be closer,” returned Beltur. “There are four white mages. One’s very strong, two are moderately strong, and one is much weaker.”

  “That doesn’t seem like enough,” said Raelf. “Do you need to get closer? Couldn’t you find out more?”

  “I don’t know that I’d find out any more, and they might discover that we’re here.”

  “Can’t they already?” asked Rojak. “You know about them.”

  “It doesn’t work that way. All the chaos around most whites means that they can’t sense as far as blacks can.”

  Raelf frowned. “I don’t believe I’ve ever heard that before.”

  “There’s a rough balance,” returned Beltur. “They can muster more destruction at a greater distance, but they can’t sense as far. We can sense farther, but we can’t do as much destructive. Some blacks can’t at all, and some whites can’t sense more than a hundred yards, if that.”

  “How close will you need to get to the eastern encampment?”

  “If we take the side road east of the Hydolar road, the one that gets near the hill we attacked, we can likely get to a point north of the first encampment.”

  “What about the troopers on the hill?” asked Rojak.

  “There were only a score.” Raelf turned to Beltur. “Can you sense if there are more there before we get too close?”

  “I can tell you at a distance of somewhere between two and three kays. That’s about as far as where the side road meets the main road.”

  “Then we’ll know before they’d even think about making an attack.”

  In moments, Beltur and Jessyla were leading the squad back east along the road.

  Some two quints later, they reined up at the side road.

  Beltur looked at Jessyla. “What do you sense?”

  “There’s no concentration of either order or chaos on the hill or near it. Beyond that, it’s a little far for me.”

  Beltur focused his senses on the hill, but could only discern ten men and their mounts. He reported that to Raelf.

  “The same as this morning. We should take the side road.”

  Another quint passed before the squad reached the wide curve in the road where it shifted from heading north and south to heading east.

  “There are still only ten men there,” said Beltur. “Five of them are watching us. At least, they’ve moved to the east side of the hilltop. There are also some scouts on the hilltops on those hills to our right. They’re less than a kay away.”

  “That makes sense,” said Raelf. “Their commanders would want to know if anyone is using this road. If we want to use it without them knowing, we’ll have to take the back lanes south out of the center of town.”

  “We can’t move as quickly that way,” said Rojak.

  “We also won’t get attacked as soon.”

  After another quint, Beltur reined up and asked Jessyla, “What do you sense?”

  “It’s fuzzy. There is one small concentration of chaos, and one larger one.”

  “Good! You’re getting better.” Beltur turned in the saddle and pointed south. “The second encampment is a kay beyond the hills there. There are two whites at that encampment. One’s moderately strong, and one is weaker.”

  “Six in all, then,” said Raelf. “Twice your number.”

  “We’re outnumbered four to one in troopers,” said Rojak.

  “More like three to one,” countered Raelf.

  “We’ve faced worse odds,” replied Beltur, “but it would be better if we can keep the mages somewhat apart.”

  “We’ll have to keep close watch on where they move companies, but we likely have a day, possibly two or three, because the latest troopers to arrive have been on the road almost an eightday.”

  “So have the mages,” said Beltur, “and most mages aren’t used to that much riding.”

  “That’s a good point, but will their commanders consider that?” asked Raelf wryly.

  “They might not,” agreed Beltur. “The three of us have done more riding and fighting than any mages we know.”

  “Is there anything else out here we need to see?” asked Rojak.

  Raelf glanced at Beltur.

  “Nothing else we need to see here, but it might not hurt to follow this road east and into Haven. That way we can see if they’ve put more scouts in the hills farther east of here.”

  “I’d thought that might be a possibility,” said Raelf.

  Once they resumed riding east, Beltur and Jessyla kept sensing for scouts, but after they’d covered another half kay, there weren’t any more scouts to the east.

  When they reached the winding lane that ran through the rocky grassland south of the western part of Haven, Raelf stopped the squad and turned in the saddle to survey the road they had just taken. After several moments, he said, “The Hydlenese in the eastern encampment just might send a few companies along that road just to probe our defenses, possibly tomorrow or on oneday. We need to be ready for that possibility.”

  “What do you have in mind?” asked Rojak skeptically.

  “Attack them either here or just south of those two steads.”

  “Not when they’re between the forest and the hills?” questioned Jessyla.

  “Not if they don’t send a substantial force. I’d rather save the hills and forest for a time when they’ve got so many troopers that they can’t move that easily. The area there doesn’t look as confined as it is. That’s because the ten yards closest to the bottom of the hills are much rougher than they look with that soft sand and small boulders. A company or two could more easily reverse and retreat, but that wouldn’t be near as easy with a larger force.”

  Beltur hadn’t thought of it that way, but what Raelf said definitely made sense.

  “That does mean,” added the majer, “that we might need one of you on very short notice.”

  “You know where to find us,” returned Beltur.

  “We’ll take this winding lane back,” said Raelf. “I’d like to get a better feel for it. We might be able to use the ground to our advantage.”

  Beltur didn’t see how, but if the majer could that was all for the best. He uncorked his water bottle and drank some of the ale. He was not only thirsty but hungry … and until they returned to Haven, and dealt with the horses, ale would just have to do.

  LX

  Just after Jessyla and Beltur reined up outside the barn on sevenday evening, Taelya came running across the street. Beltur couldn’t help but notice that the order and chaos around her were almost perfectly separated, and that both were stronger than he recalled.

  “Aunt Jessyla, Uncle Beltur … Mother says that you’re to come to dinner as soon as you finish with the horses.”

  “That’s very kind—” began Jessyla.

  “She also said you can’t say no.”

  Beltur grinned.

  Jessyla shook her head. “Then we won’t.”

  “Can I help?”

  “You can fill each of the buckets half full with oats,” said Beltur.

  “All six of them?”

  “All six.”

  A little more than a quint later, the three left the barn, which Beltur secured with both locks and order, and crossed the street to Lhadoraak and Tulya’s house. Taelya walked beside Jessyla.

  A smiling Lhadoraak had the door open before they reached it. “Your timing is good. Dinner’s just about ready. Tulya said I’m to escort you straight to the table.”

  “Wh
atever it is smells wonderful,” said Jessyla as she entered the front room.

  “It certainly does,” added Beltur.

  “Tulya’s always had a way of making the simplest dinners taste wonderful,” said Lhadoraak.

  She had to, given how little most mages in Elparta were paid. But Beltur just nodded and followed the others.

  “It’s really kind of you to fix dinner,” said Jessyla the moment she stepped into the kitchen.

  “I enjoy cooking,” replied Tulya from where she stood beside the stove. “This is simple enough, just a fowl burhka with a few additions and bread.”

  “What you cook is never ‘just’ something,” replied Jessyla.

  “It’s easier here, especially now. I’ve never had a stove and an oven, or a kitchen cistern. This is the largest house I’ve ever lived in, and we own it. Now, do sit down.”

  “You and Lhadoraak are paying for it in other ways,” said Beltur wryly as he seated Jessyla and then sat beside her.

  “We paid as much in Elparta, and we got less,” replied Lhadoraak, carrying a basket of bread to the table and seating himself. “Enough of that. What did you find out on your ride?”

  “The Hydlenese brought in another battalion and four more mages. Only one is strong. Three are moderately strong, and three aren’t all that strong.”

  “Compared to you, or compared to the rest of us?”

  “Compared to you,” replied Jessyla.

  “They’re all whites,” added Beltur. “I think your shields are strong enough to withstand any chaos any of them could throw at you. Taelya could likely take one chaos bolt from the weakest mage.”

  “I could?”

  “You probably could,” said Jessyla.

  “The problem is that he’d throw a second one at you,” Beltur said. “That wouldn’t be good. Shields have to hold against more than one chaos bolt, but that shows you’re getting better. When you started…”

  “It takes so long to get better,” said Taelya almost despairingly.

  Still standing beside the stove, Tulya looked hard at her daughter.

  “I know, Mother. Everything takes time if you want to be good. But Father and Uncle Beltur need more mages. If I were better, I could help.”

  “You’ll be more help later,” said Beltur, “when you’re still young and strong, and your father and I are old and feeble.”

  “That’s a long time from now,” declared Tulya firmly. “Taelya, you can carry the bowls to the table.” She ladled the burhka into the first bowl. “This one’s for Aunt Jessyla.”

  Taelya took the bowl and set it carefully before Jessyla.

  In instants, or so it seemed to Beltur, everyone was served, and Tulya settled herself beside Lhadoraak.

  “Where did you get the fowl?” asked Jessyla.

  “Ennalee had two. I got the second one. She said they were the nervous type that stirred up the other hens, and there were bound to be things stirring them up enough in the next eightday.”

  “I can’t imagine that,” said Lhadoraak dryly.

  “Will they try to raid people again?” asked Taelya.

  “Not if the majer can help it,” replied Tulya, “but we’re not talking about that at dinner.” She turned to Beltur. “Taelya’s been a help in starting the fire in the oven. I don’t have to spend so much time with kindling and shavings and muttering at the striker.”

  “I have to put the free chaos in just the right place, too.”

  “She had a tendency to overdo it at first,” said Lhadoraak, “but she’s gotten to where it’s just the right amount.”

  “I have to say,” added Beltur, “that you’ve kept your natural chaos, natural order, and free chaos very cleanly separated lately.”

  “She’s made that part of beginning every day,” said Lhadoraak.

  “It shows.” Beltur smiled at Taelya, then took a small mouthful of the burhka, not certain how spicy-hot it would be. He was relieved that, while it was definitely spiced, the heat was moderate. “This is very good.”

  “Thank you. I tried to make it not too spicy for you and Taelya, and not too bland for Jessyla and Lhadoraak.”

  While Tulya was talking Beltur quietly sensed her, noting that there was no untoward chaos around her and the child that she carried. Then he ate a mouthful of bread, thinking that, once everything was settled in Haven, he really needed to develop a better bread yeast. If indeed everything here will ever be finally settled.

  “Did Rojak go with you this afternoon?” asked Lhadoraak.

  “He did,” replied Beltur.

  “It was a good thing he did,” added Jessyla. “There’s a lot he didn’t know.”

  “That seems strange for a majer,” said Lhadoraak evenly.

  “There’s a great deal about Lydiar that must be strange,” declared Tulya, “but we can talk about that some other time.”

  “How did you get the quilla in the burhka not to be so bitter?” asked Jessyla.

  “You told me about how that trader’s cook did it in Rytel, and I soaked it in ale overnight. That helped a lot.”

  Beltur smiled faintly. There would be no more talk of fighting or the events that might occur in the days ahead. Not for the evening, anyway.

  Much later, as Beltur and Jessyla walked through the darkness toward their house, Jessyla said quietly, “You made that comment about when you and Lhadoraak get old and feeble. I wonder about that.”

  “Everyone gets old and feeble.”

  “Not if they try to do too much when they’re young and strong.” Her words verged on the tart side.

  “You’re really worried…”

  “After the number of times you’ve almost died, how can I not be worried?”

  And that’s a good and very fair question. “I’ll try to be more careful.”

  “Don’t try. Just be more careful.”

  “I’ll definitely be more careful.”

  “And listen to Slowpoke.”

  Listen to Slowpoke?

  Jessyla went on. “If he doesn’t want to go somewhere or do something, try something else.”

  Beltur couldn’t help but wonder what lay behind those words, but since Slowpoke had seldom balked at anything, if he did balk … He nodded.

  “Now,” she continued as she unlocked the door and opened it, “we need to get to bed.”

  Beltur hoped her words meant what he thought they implied.

  LXI

  Although Beltur slept well after he and Jessyla finally got to sleep, he woke abruptly just after dawn, only to find that Jessyla had awakened almost as suddenly.

  “Did something wake you?” he asked. “Besides me, that is?”

  “No. I just felt that I had to get up.”

  “Then we’d better get ready.” If they were worried for no reason, they might lose a little sleep, but if there was a reason …

  That thought was lost as he watched Jessyla get out of bed.

  “That was last night,” she said with a warm smile. “We do need to get ready.”

  The two washed and dressed, Jessyla having donned her arms-mage blues, then ate quickly, and filled the water bottles with ale. The sun hadn’t even peeked over the horizon by the time they were readying Slowpoke and the mare. That was when a trooper rode up to the house.

  “We’re down at the barn!” Beltur called.

  The trooper immediately turned his mount, and in moments, he reined up short of the two. “Sers, the majer requests you join him immediately.”

  “Just us, or all three mages?”

  “Those who are ready immediately. The others as soon as possible.”

  “Then we’ll ride across the street and tell Lhadoraak to join us as he can.” Beltur then mounted, as did Jessyla.

  For a moment, the trooper looked confused; then he said, “Yes, ser.”

  Even before the three reached the walk leading to Lhadoraak’s door, the older mage was standing there, albeit in smallshirt and trousers. “They’re attacking on an eightday morning?�
�

  “Apparently, they’re doing something,” said Beltur. “We’re headed to the East Inn. Once you’re ready, saddle a mount and join us. Don’t take the chestnut. Jessyla rode him yesterday. We’ll see you there.”

  “I’ll get there as soon as I can.”

  “Oh … and if you’d secure the stable.”

  “I can do that.”

  Then the three turned their horses toward the inn.

  As they rode past the Brass Bowl, Beltur saw a company turning out, confirming that at least some Hydlenese forces were moving.

  After dismounting and tying Slowpoke and the mare just outside the stable, Beltur and Jessyla hurried to the public room.

  For a moment, Raelf frowned as he looked up from the maps on the table at Beltur and Jessyla. Then he said, “I didn’t recognize you in the blues for a moment, Healer.”

  “Today, I’m an arms-mage. Besides, it struck me that wearing greens in a possible skirmish could lead to some misunderstandings.”

  Raelf nodded. “Good thought.”

  “Lhadoraak will be here shortly,” said Beltur. “We were almost ready when your messenger arrived.”

  “Oh? Some sort of magely foresight?”

  “Hardly. We were just worried,” said Beltur. “How many companies are moving and where are they headed?”

  “The scouts report that a company or more is saddling up at the eastern encampment, but they hadn’t left and likely wouldn’t for a quint more at the time the scout sent the report. That suggests that they’re coming eastward, either to set up east of town, or just to feel out how we’ll react. I have my own ideas, but I’d like to hear yours.”

  “There are several possibilities,” suggested Beltur. “One might be to ride toward Haven and do nothing, just to see how we react.”

  “I’d thought of that. What else?”

  “They could be trying an attack from the south with the goal of reducing our forces, since they have to know they outnumber us … or they might be trying to sneak forces out east of town over the next day or so. That way, they could attack from three directions at once.”