“Have you no manners, Forshire?” scowled General Nazzaro. “You did not bow to the king, and you sat without leave to do so.”
“I do not recall asking for a meeting with you, General Nazzaro,” retorted General Forshire. “I am here to speak with King Daramoor. As for your rude questions, I am not Vinaforan, therefore I have no obligation to bow to King Daramoor. As for leave to sit, it was obvious to me that permission was not required as you were already sitting when I came in. Anyone who would give leave to have you sit, certainly would not hesitate to offer me the same courtesy.”
King Daramoor raised an eyebrow as he listened to verbal dueling. It was clear that there was some tension between the two generals, and Daramoor always liked to know who everyone was allied with. He held his tongue and watched the incident play out.
“How dare you compare yourself favorably to me?” scowled General Nazzaro. “I command a true army, not a band of misfits.”
“Until yesterday,” General Forshire countered, “the 31st Corps had accomplished nothing in its entire history. My band of misfits, as you call them, is the only army to have hunted down Alcean rebels and eliminated them, including the powerful mage that destroyed the Federation fleet and the shipyards in Giza. Your lack of success aside, you are but one of Kyrga’s many generals. I am the Imperial General of the Federation. I report directly to Emperor Jaar.” Clint turned to gaze at the king. “I had wished to have a private conversation with you, King Daramoor, but if you are already engaged in another matter, I will wait until it is concluded.”
Clint stood to leave, but King Daramoor spoke quickly. “No, General Forshire, please wait. General Nazzaro was just leaving.”
General Nazzaro glared at General Forshire, but he rose and exited the room. Clint looked at the king and found him smiling.
“I take it that you and Nazzaro do not get along,” chuckled the king. “Do you have proof of your words regarding your position in the Federation?”
Clint reached in his pouch and withdrew the proclamation. He handed it to the king. “I do not suffer fools well, King Daramoor, and Nazzaro is worse than a fool. He is incompetent and subversive.”
King Daramoor read the proclamation and handed it back to the general. “I must admit that I had not heard of an Imperial General. I thought you were bluffing. Why do you say that Nazzaro is subversive?”
“He covets your throne,” the general declared.
“What?” frowned the king. “Do you realize what you are accusing him of?”
“I know what I said, King Daramoor,” replied the general, “and I meant what I said. You do know that General Garibaldi is dead, don’t you?”
“I received word of his death,” the king nodded. “What of it?”
“I believe that Nazzaro arranged for Garibaldi to die,” accused General Forshire. “You are aware that he was in Despair at the time of Garibaldi’s death?”
“I was not told about the timing of Garibaldi’s death,” answered King Daramoor, “but I do know that Nazzaro attended the celebration last fall. Did you know Garibaldi?”
“I shared a dining room in the Imperial Palace with Garibaldi and Fabio of Karamin,” answered General Forshire. “It was Garibaldi who warned me about Nazzaro. During the celebration, I got a chance to learn more about Nazzaro. I even got to watch him make a fool of himself. There was a wealthy Vinaforan lord there, and Nazzaro ridiculed the man, almost cost him a great deal of money by spoiling a contract with some Baroukan lords. I also heard him disparage you. He claimed that you were unfit as a general and more so as a king. He tried to promote himself as your replacement rather than Garibaldi. How convenient it must have been for him to have Garibaldi die that week.”
King Daramoor’s brow creased heavily. “So you were meant as the replacement for King Mectin of Tyronia?” he asked. “Is that why you were sharing a dining room with Fabio and Garibaldi?”
“That is correct,” General Forshire nodded. “Frankly, they sent the wrong man from Ur to Despair. I have no desire to rule. I am a general and that is all I want to be. You heard Nazzaro call the A Corps a band of misfits. That is what most of the Federation generals believe. In fairness to them, most of my men were recruited out of the prisons from Despair to Giza, so I guess they can be called misfits, but I have trained those men well, and they are the most loyal of Federation soldiers. That is what a general does, is it not? He takes raw materials in the form of untrained men, and he makes a fighting force out of them. That is what gives me joy, and I would place the A Corps against any Federation army. I have no slackers in the A Corps.”
King Daramoor grew irritable through the general’s monologue. He could not care less about the A Corps, but he did not want to appear anxious to learn more about Nazzaro.
“Who was the Vinaforan noble?” the king asked.
“Lord Zachary,” answered Clint. “He is a little known lord in Vinafor, but he is among the wealthiest of your landowners. I met him a couple of years ago when he journeyed to Ur to enter into some business deal with Sidney Mercado. I was assigned to escort him around town.”
“A general to escort a nobleman?” questioned the king.
“He was a personal friend of King Myer,” answered Clint. “Anything less than a general would have been considered a slight in King Myer’s mind.”
“His name does not ring a bell,” frowned the king. “Are you sure that he is Vinaforan?”
“Without a doubt,” answered the Imperial General. “Ask Colonel Pfaff about him. I seem to remember the colonel mentioning his name. Speaking of Colonel Pfaff,” the general said as if some thought just brightened a corner of his mind, “you have an excellent officer in that man. I happened to arrive as he was finishing off the rebels yesterday. His force was outnumbered, yet he managed to place the enemy right where he wanted them, and he defeated them soundly. If you wish to send him off to Despair, I would be happy to sponsor him as a general. He shows a clear understanding of strategy and tactics. He also was able to motivate his men well, and use their strengths against the enemy’s weakness. He has a bright future.”
“I will discuss it with him,” the king replied dryly. “What do I have to do to get rid of Nazzaro? Is there a mechanism in the Federation for requesting a new Commanding General?”
“There is,” frowned General Forshire, “but I would advise against using it. There would have to be a hearing held to discuss the failures of Nazzaro and your reasons for wanting him dismissed. Once Nazzaro learned of the proceedings, he would have you killed.”
“He wouldn’t dare,” scoffed the king.
“Wouldn’t he?” retorted General Forshire. “He would have nothing to lose. What do you think Despair does with disgraced generals?”
“Then how do I get rid of him?” scowled the king.
General Forshire smiled thinly. “I should think that the answer is obvious, King Daramoor, but let me make a suggestion. Should Nazzaro die unexpectedly, Grand General Kyrga will appoint one of his cronies to become the Commanding General of Vinafor. If you should ever find yourself in that position, elevate one of your own people to the post before informing Despair of Nazzaro’s death. The replacement of Nazzaro would then become a minor inconvenience, and Despair would probably never get around to appointing a replacement. You will end up with a Commanding General that is loyal to Vinafor and you.”
King Daramoor nodded silently as his mind thought of the possibilities. “I don’t suppose the A Corps…”
“No, King Daramoor,” Clint responded before the king could ask. “We will not get involved in the affair. My men are soldiers, not assassins. I should also warn you that if you intend to assign this to a junior officer, do not assign it to the man you plan to elevate. If his involvement was discovered, it would look bad for both him and you.”
“If I were to ever contemplate such a thing,” the king said with a dismissive wave. “Of course, that is not something we do in Vinafor, but I do appreciate hearing your thoughts on the
matter, General Forshire. Thank you for visiting today. I will have a suite in the palace made ready for you.”
“I appreciate the hospitality, King Daramoor.”
Clint rose and exited the king’s office. As soon as he was gone, the king ordered one of his guards to find Colonel Pfaff. Moments later, the colonel entered the king’s office, and the king waved him to a chair.
“Who is Lord Zachary?” asked the king.
“He is probably the wealthiest man in Vinafor,” answered Colonel Pfaff. “He is something of a hermit, though. He has a vast estate along the Lombardi River, and he owns many of the vineyards up there, though he holds many of them in the names of others.”
“Why?” asked the king.
“Many rich nobles like to display their wealth and brag about their successes,” answered the colonel, “but Lord Zachary does not fit that mold. I am not sure why he holds properties in the names of others, but I suspect he fears people knowing too much about his holdings. May I ask why we are talking about Lord Zachary?”
“General Forshire mentioned him, but I have never heard of him, and I pride myself on knowing all of the rich and famous. He certainly does not attend Lady Ferini’s parties.”
“Oh goodness, no,” chuckled the colonel. “I do not even think he enters Waxhaw more often than once a year. I heard that he loathes cities.”
King Daramoor nodded with satisfaction, and turned the conversation to a different topic. “You said that the A Corps helped at the end of the battle yesterday. How would you rate them as soldiers?”
“I was impressed with them,” stated Colonel Pfaff. “I am sure that you know that they are called misfits, but those men were professional in every way. Their archers were accurate, and their swordsmen were skilled. The A Corps is completely cavalry, and their handling of their horses was exemplary. In short, I would feel confident in battle with them at my side. I would like to ask General Forshire if his men would consider training some of our own when they arrive in the city. I meant to take this up with General Nazzaro when he left your office, but he didn’t seem to be in the mood to talk.”
King Daramoor chuckled inwardly as he thought about Nazzaro leaving his office. “What do you think of General Nazzaro?” he asked the colonel.
“He is the Commanding General of Vinafor,” frowned the colonel. “It is not my place to evaluate him.”
“I am your king,” Daramoor pointed out, “and I am asking you to evaluate him.”
The colonel’s brow creased heavily and beads of sweat appeared on his temples. “He has done nothing wrong that I know of,” the colonel began, “but I see no love for Vinafor in his words or actions. I do not think that he holds a great deal of respect for our country or our king, and he shows no ability to inspire the men under his command. I also think his strategic thinking skills are deficient.”
King Daramoor laughed. “It sounds as if you don’t care much for the man, Colonel.”
Colonel Pfaff smiled. “Let’s just say that I would not be saddened to hear that he had been reassigned to Karamin. May I ask what this is all about?”
King Daramoor hesitated. ”I will be honest with you, Pfaff,” the king eventually said. “I knew nothing about you when you were promoted to colonel. You were one of those up and rising stars of the queen, and I guess I resented you because of that. Major Garibaldi was convinced that you were a spy for the queen, and that did not help your cause at all, but you have pleasantly surprised me time and again.”
It was the colonel’s turn to laugh and the king looked at the officer questioningly.
“I am sorry,” apologized the colonel, “but your mention of Major Garibaldi brought back memories. I know that you and the major were fairly close, but his dislike of me was because I kept catching him when his incompetence was showing. Like the night that General Blackmoor entered the palace. If you had confided in me that night, that false general would never have left the city, but every time I got close to learning what was going on, the major interrupted until you finally sent me to Ramaldi Pass.”
“Really?” the king replied with surprise. “Garibaldi was sure that you would interfere.”
“It was I who brought news of the incident to you at Lady Ferini’s,” declared the colonel. “No one else was suspicious enough to even be alarmed by an unknown general walking the halls of the palace. Were it left up to Major Garibaldi, you would not have known about the incident until the next morning.”
“True,” agreed the king. “I did learn to appreciate your talents when you discovered that Major Pezzola was Crusher. What this talk is all about, Pfaff, is that I have learned to appreciate your efforts, and I am thinking of ways to reward you, but I must be sure of your loyalty to both Vinafor and me.”
“I am loyal to both Vinafor and my king,” declared Colonel Pfaff. “What must I do to prove myself?”
“Kill General Nazzaro,” the king replied with a straight face.
“Is the general a threat to Vinafor or my king?” asked the colonel.
“He is a threat to both,” answered King Daramoor.
“Then the general will die,” stated the colonel. “Is there a particular time frame required for this?”
King Daramoor smiled broadly. “The time frame is immediate,” he said. “I do not wish you to carry out the order, but I am very pleased with your response. General Nazzaro is indeed a threat to me and Vinafor and something must be done about him, but you are not the right person to do it. You, Colonel, will be his replacement. I suggest that you get a good night’s sleep because you will be very busy tomorrow.”
King Daramoor smiled as the colonel bowed and exited the office. He had posed the assignment merely to see Pfaff’s response. In truth, King Daramoor needed no assassin at all. General Nazzaro was an unsuspecting fool, and the king did not need any help to kill one of those. That was a task he had accomplished many times in his climb up the ladder to royalty. One more murder would hardly be noteworthy.
Chapter 23
Killing Their Own
Colonel Rhio and Captain Hahn rode in the vanguard of the 31st Corps as it headed northward towards Waxhaw. The captain had noted that the spirits of the men had risen when the column had turned around, but the men were still frightened and probably would be until they were out of Karamin. He could hardly blame them. The column had lost nearly a third of its men, and they had not managed to kill a single Alcean. His mind drifted to thoughts of what the repercussions would be when they returned to Waxhaw. He suspected that all of the officers in the column would be demoted, but he had no idea what Colonel Rhio’s fate might be. Surely, the worst punishment of all would be reserved for the colonel’s failure to accomplish his mission. He could even be hanged if General Nazzaro was angry enough or if King Daramoor demanded it. The thought sent a shiver up his spine as Colonel Rhio’s steadfast refusal to surrender began to make sense. So lost was the captain in his thoughts that the cries of anguish behind him caught him by surprise. He turned in his saddle to gaze upon the men behind him. He saw fear etched into the faces of the soldiers, but their gaze was directed beyond the captain. Captain Hahn turned forward and stared at the road before him. In the distance, three Rangers sat astride their Occan mounts, and a white flag of truce was planted in the road.
“But we are leaving Karamin,” the captain protested.
Colonel Rhio also was not taking the situation well. He signaled for two soldiers to come forward and then called for a halt in the column. When the two soldiers arrived, he spoke softly to them.
“The Alceans are going to demand our surrender,” stated the colonel. “I will listen for a while and then refuse them. When I turn to return to the column, you are to kill all three of them.”
“You would violate a flag of truce?” gasped the captain.
“I will have those Alceans bloodied before I die,” snapped Colonel Rhio. “If you are squeamish, Captain, you may remain behind with the column.”
Colonel Rhio and his two chos
en soldiers rode slowly towards the Rangers. Captain Hahn stared at them in astonishment as he realized what they were about to do. To dishonor a flag of truce was despicable, but Captain Hahn could think of no way to stop it. If he told the Alceans of the planned attack, he would be dishonoring his commitment to the colonel, and it would cost him his life. Yet he could not condone such treacherous behavior, either. Finally, the captain made up his mind. While he could not stop the attack from occurring, he could stop the colonel from riding away from the skirmish. If there was to be a dishonoring of the flag, let Colonel Rhio suffer the consequences when the Rangers strike back, as he was sure they would do. He did not think the two soldiers could kill the three Alceans, and that meant that at least one of the Alceans would have time to attack the emissaries. While it would probably cost the captain his life as well, the men of the 31st Corps would be better off without Rhio’s leadership. The captain kicked his horse and hurried after the other three men of the column. He caught up to them just as they reached the parley. He positioned his horse directly behind Colonel Rhio, so that when the colonel turned to leave, he would not be able to.
“What is the meaning of this flag of truce?” scowled Colonel Rhio. “As you can see, we are leaving your cursed country. Is that not what you wanted?”
“It is what we requested the day you violated the border of Karamin,” replied Mitar Vidson, “but you refused to turn back at that time. Since you were intent on invading this country, the terms changed. I told you this morning that you have only two options, surrender or die. Nothing has happened to change that.”
“We are returning to Federation territory,” snapped Colonel Rhio. “You no longer have a reason to confront us.”
“That is not quite true,” the Alcean responded. “Before you reach Waxhaw, Vinafor will have shed the chains of the Federation. Queen Romani will rule once again, and she is also allied with Alcea. So you see, I can no longer allow your army to endanger one of the free countries of the west. I must demand your surrender.”
Alutar: The Great Demon Page 28
