Siri spoke then. “My concern, Mistress is that Lok will side with them. If Lord Lok were to commit his full force to the battle, as well as himself, it could leave us at a severe disadvantage.”
Colonel Tianna spoke. “That would be a serious difference. According to Miss Fenel's intelligence reports, they could deploy a full company of twelve-thousand easily. And another Wizard... would be troublesome, to say the least.”
“He would be a fool to not side with Quarrel. This will likely be his only opportunity for vengeance,” Ari said unpleasantly.
Siri nodded. “We have already intercepted a messenger with an offer of an alliance. It is likely there were several sent though.”
“What other information do you have on Quarrel's movements?” She asked.
“At the moment, little. Our informants have been able to give us obvious information: they are preparing their soldiers and siege equipment. There is a rumor that they will march at midnight, but I would discount that. They know as well as we do that our informants will hear these things.”
“I will order watchers to be deployed by the west gate. They will surely see when Quarrel's armies are on the move,” Major Sutcliff said.
“Excellent,” Ari said with a nod.
“Our choices are simple at this point: We can meet them in the field, or fortify and wait,” Tarsis said plainly.
Korin spoke then. “They are preparing to besiege you. Don't meet the enemy on their terms.”
The General nodded. “It is better most times, yes. But being able to fortify with all of our strength behind the walls, and setting our siege engines on our side will allow us to easily counter any numerical differences, and put their Wizards on the defensive. With their Wizards being forced to defend, they will have great difficulty penetrating the walls.”
The Colonel nodded, and she added; “Quarrel will not be able to deploy all five of his armies either. He will have to leave a minimum of two companies behind to maintain the security of his hold. If he attacks us here, we will have the advantage in arms.”
A muffled voice from Siri's case spoke. “One moment, Mistress,” she said as she stepped away.
The Major spoke again. “Even if we meet them here, with the destruction of the north gate, we will not be able to commit all force to the defense of the walls. We will have to keep at least two companies back just to maintain security of the breach unless we mobilize the militia.”
Ari nodded tiredly beside him and put her fingers on her temples, rubbing them. “So there is no real advantage to either strategy?”
“Other than being able to keep their Wizards busy with our trebuchets, no Mistress,” The General conceded.
Siri returned to the table but did not sit. She looked at Ari and the General seriously. “I have word from my sources in Lok, Mistress. Lord Lok has agreed to an alliance with Quarrel. He will deploy a full company just before dawn to raze the fields of Niral before they join Quarrel's forces.”
The General's face hardened, as did those of the other Officers. Thorel was horrified that they would stop to destroy Niral's fields before joining this battle. It seemed... barbaric.
“Is that all? How reliable is this information?” Ari asked, seeming more tired than she had.
“It is completely reliable Mistress. And... that is not all. Lord Lok will be riding with his company,” she said looking hard as steel.
Ari pursed her lips. “Have a messenger sent to Niral. Have them memorize the message, do not write it. Let them know what is coming.”
“Yes Mistress,” Siri said, writing a note and seating herself.
“It seems then that they intend to actually attack tomorrow, based on their movements,” General Tarsis said thoughtfully.
“Is that a surprise?” Ari asked.
“Yes Mistress. I would have made the attack Tuesday morning myself, to give my troops a chance to rest. From the north to the south gate around the city is thirty-five miles. While my soldiers could do it, they would be exhausted. I would rather have them in combat with a nights rest after such a march. I would take them about twenty-eight miles, then stop for the night. With my armies being so close, I'm certain the defenders wouldn't sleep well, and then I would take advantage of their state before first light,” the General said seriously.
Korin nodded respectfully. “The defenders on the wall would have been up through the night, and would have a hard time aiming their arrows well with the torchlight on the walls blinding them,” he added.
“Exactly, Mr. Quedesham,” he said with a respectful nod to Korin.
“Then we should fortify and let them come?” Ari asked.
“No Mistress. I would say not to now. If we let them come, we will yield control of the battle to them. They can assemble at any distance they like and rest as long as they like. I would say we meet them,” he nodded seriously.
“Controlling where we stand is the only real choice we have,” Colonel Tianna said.
“Will we assist Niral, Mistress?” Siri asked.
“Niral would not add much to this battle, Mistress,” the Major said plainly.
“Lord Niral's son is a Wizard, Major. That could add a great deal,” Ari said seriously.
General Tarsis Nodded at that. “If we could defeat Lok in Niral's Hold, that will take an enemy Wizard out of the equation. Getting troops there quickly enough won't be difficult. But every soldier we send will be one less to hold our own lines, Mistress.”
Thorel was trying to wrap his mind around everything he heard. Another lesson in his new life to separate the realities from the stories is exactly what this was. He'd had no idea there were so many considerations to make.
“Mount an entire army General, and send them to Niral,” Siri said looking into his eyes intently.
“I think we would come out about a thousand horses short, but we could mount most of an army, aye. What are you thinking, Miss Fenel?” He asked respectfully.
She stood and pointed to the map near where the road forked east, west and south. “You said we should meet them in the field, then we should meet them here. Get the rest of the soldiers out there, and set up half of our siege equipment.”
He nodded. “Yes we could, but...”
Siri raised her hand for silence. “If they march at midnight, the enemy will not reach that point until early afternoon, or late afternoon if they march at dawn. We will be set and ready for them. We can use the siege engines to keep their Wizards on the defensive, and they will have no chance to set theirs. They will be tired, and in trebuchet range by the time they see us. If we send a full army with one of our Wizards to Niral, with Niral's Wizard and their forces, the battle should be swift enough for our cavalry to arrive and assist here.”
The Officers nodded energetically. “A solid plan, Miss Fenel,” the Major said with an appreciative nod.
“What about Quarrel?” Thorel asked. “Why don't we just kill him, and be done with it?”
“That is not an option, sir. He will be with his army,” the General said.
Ari looked like a light had just shown in a dark place. She took a pen and paper and began scribbling on it furiously. “Please continue,” she said as she did a series of complex mathematical problems and took another sheet of paper to write more notes on.
The Officers and Siri continued to discuss the military situation, with Korin chiming in from time to time. Thorel really had nothing to add, so he listened and tried to learn what he could. He watched in amazement as Ari continued her work though, busily covering a third, then a fourth sheet of paper with her complex Magikal formulas.
“Mistress,” Siri broke into Ari's train of thought.
“Just a moment,” she said as she finished writing something quickly.
Siri waited patiently. “What is it?” Ari asked when she finished.
“I was thinking Mistress, that we should have you and Mr. Tangarth with our forces on the wall, to help defend our withdrawal should it be necessary,” she said.
/> “That will not be possible,” Ari said firmly. “We will send Feran to Niral, and the others will stand at the crossroads. Send for the spy we captured. It is time for him to earn his life.”
“Yes Mistress. But why isn't it possible?” Siri asked with surprise.
“Because we are going to be killing Quarrel,” Ari said with a vicious smile.
* * *
Ari was tired. It was the eleventh hour now, but the planning session had lasted through dinner time.
Then she had taken Thorel and her Wizards to her laboratory (Which had caused quite a lot of envious chatter from her two new Wizards. They were quite amusing.) and taught them her new technique. That had taken some time. To his credit, Thorel had actually learned the fastest. He had impressed the others and her quite frankly.
Then she had to teach him how to link his power with hers so she could use his power. It would take both of them to make the new technique she had just ironed out on the planning table work. That was the key to their swift victory.
They had only finished a half hour ago, and she had managed to slide into her bath just ten minutes ago. Siri was too tired to join her tonight, she had been up through most of last night and had only a brief nap during her audience with the High Lord.
That left her alone here with her thoughts. The slaves didn't count. The war. The plans were sound. But something her father had often said, which General Tarsis reminded her of was, “No plan survives engaging the enemy.”
Conditions would change on the field of battle, she knew. Would she and her people be able to adapt to them favorably?
They would have to. Or they would die.
Siri and the General said her plan was too risky and full of unknowns. But when she had confronted them with the fact that her plan could end these battles in half the time, they had reluctantly acknowledged the fact.
Siri had conceded on one condition: that she would be at her side tomorrow.
It touched Ari's heart, the way she had said it with such conviction. Siri seemed to truly care for her the way a parent should. At least the way it was said to be in stories.
She could not let such sentiment get in the way of her judgment though. Siri would be present because she was effective, her feelings had no bearing on this.
“Thorel, I am ready,” she told him from under the cover of her bubbles. She wished she could pretend he had not seen what was beneath them. But she would not reinforce the memory of her ugliness if she could help it.
“Coming,” he thought back to her.
He entered the bathroom and closed the door. She had been the Mistress all day long. Now she could just be a woman, with the man she loved.
“Come here love, to my bath,” she said.
“Don't you want me to clean first?” He asked, surprised.
“Of course,” she said, disappointed. She waited as patiently as she could, given the fire in her womanly parts. By the spirits, she had been with him only yesterday morning! Was she truly so wanton?
She had never felt this way before now. But she wanted him far more than she could have him it seemed. She would never get anything done if she indulged her true desires.
They would never leave her chambers again, she thought with a guilty smile.
And tomorrow, she would be leading him into battle. She might lose him, she knew it was possible.
A tear rolled out of her eye unbidden at the idea.
She quickly wiped it and hoped Thorel would finish quickly.
When he did, she said; “You women may leave now. Lock the doors when you do.”
“Yes Mistress,” they said in unison.
Thorel raised his eyebrow at her questioningly.
“Come here love,” she said.
He did, albeit with suspicious humor in his eyes. “What are you plotting, Ari?”
“I am plotting nothing but satisfying my needs and yours, now come here,” she said, growing impatient.
His eyes lit with humor, but she did see his manhood stir. “Oh, by the spirits!” She cried, and evoked a vortex of air to bring him to her bath.
His eyes widened and he hit the water with a surprised cry. She wrapped an arm around him and kissed him while yanking his shorts off with her other hand.
He embraced her and returned the kiss when his surprise left him. He helped her with his shorts. She didn't even care that she stood in her bath right now and he could see part of her ugly, scarred body.
“You're in a hurry tonight,” he said with a moan as she took his manhood in hand.
“We might die tomorrow. I want you now,” she said, kissing his neck. Even though she was conscious of her scars, actually feeling her bare skin against his was far better than any silk ever made.
He looked at her seriously. “I know. I won't let anyone hurt you.”
“Hmmph. I will kill anyone that even looks hatefully at you,” she said seriously.
“Let them look at me, with the most beautiful woman in the world. They're jealous, nothing more,” he said, kissing her deeply.
She surrendered any semblance of control and let her passion take over.
Monday May 27th 1624th year of the First Great City
Mortal Terminus
Ronat Feran blinked sleepily as he drank the mug of steaming coffee. His carriage rolled forward in dawn's breaking light towards guard tower four, near the south gate.
There was an unseasonable chill in the air this morning, it seemed like the coldest morning he'd ever experienced. It was made colder by the research he had done last night, he was sure.
After the Mistress had dismissed them, he went to the Wizard's Tower to pull the dueling records of Sirius Niral, and Gorath Lok.
Gorath Lok: sixty-two years old, sight age of six. Six wins in light duels, one loss (his first), and two duels to the death which he won, obviously. He also happened to be the father and first teacher of Marylyn Dothranan, whose dueling skills were in a class of their own. With thirty-eight wins in light duels, and seven duels to the death. No losses. And she had managed to do all of this before her thirty-ninth birthday.
In a century, she would still be spoken of in the Wizard's Towers of the realm.
Sirius Niral; twenty-eight years old, sight age of seven. No dueling record. And he is going to be my backup. Feran groaned inwardly.
He knew it was better than taking on a wily old bastard like Lok by himself, but not by the kind of margin he would like. On the upside, the military force that would be with him will outnumber Lok's by more than four to one.
He liked those odds, a lot. But if they couldn't defeat Lok, besides his own life, it would likely cost a thousand more. No pressure. He thought sarcastically.
The carriage ground to a halt. He heard the driver jump down, then he opened the door. “We're here, Milord.”
“Thank you, sir,” Feran stood up with his staff in hand. He was happy that he'd been able to acquire a third spirit a week ago. Going into this with only two would have been cutting it a lot closer than he would have liked. It still wasn't the best case, even with three, but it would have to be enough. Unless I just happen upon one wandering around. He thought with a chuckle.
He did not expect the spectacle that awaited him though. He'd never seen so many horses or soldiers in one place. He could see some soldiers directing Holders and citizens away from the gathered army. Forty-nine-thousand men and horses. He understood the numbers intellectually, but it was a lot more impressive first hand. The lines of soldiers and horses stretched into the connecting streets around the guard tower.
Then the sun peeked over the eastern wall and lit up the tons of polished steel on the horses and soldiers alike. It took his breath away.
“Milord!” A young man called to him, who ran up and bowed. “I've been ordered to escort you to Colonel Tianna when you arrive, Milord!”
“Very well sir,” he said, trying not to appear slack-jawed in front of this young soldier.
He walked with this man through the m
assive throng of and human and horse flesh. He could see soldiers checking each other’s armor and saddles, quickly and efficiently in long lines.
He could see half had round wooden shields and long lances, and the other half had short bows with quivers of arrows on their backs. The armaments of the soldiers seemed to be mostly divided by gender: he only saw one woman, a big beast of a woman bearing a shield and lance. He had to look twice to be sure; she wore plate armor like the men did, but it had been shaped for the femininity that barely showed on her scarred face.
There were many men with bows as well. He knew the Legion was at least three-quarters male. It seemed those figures held true in the Dothranan Guard as well.
He followed the soldier until he reached a table beneath a canvas shelter inside the walls of the Guard tower. The Colonel he'd met yesterday sat in her scaled armor with a map and her helmet on the table. There were two officers with her, as well a dozen soldiers around them, with their eyes watchful.
The soldier that had escorted him snapped to attention and saluted fist to breast. “Ma'am! I have brought the Wizard as ordered, ma'am!”
She looked up briefly from the map to the soldier. She really does have pretty eyes. Feran thought. They did have an intense quality that looked like they could spit a man's gizzard at ten paces, but otherwise they were quite nice. Her hair was brown and pulled into a neat bun.
The man beside her looked out of place in his gleaming armor; he looked like he would be more at home in a bar room brawl than an organized military. The man's nose looked like it had been broken so many times that it couldn't remember what shape it was supposed to be. He had short black hair and arms as thick as Feran's legs. He wore a scowl that seemed etched on his face.
He was the sort of man that could give children nightmares with a single glance.
The other man at the table was a stark contrast to his comrade: his hair was short, and his face unmarked. He looked like a gentleman through and through. He had an 'everyman' quality about him that made him seem trustworthy just by looking at him.
Spirit of Magik (The Dothranan Chronicles Book 1) Page 50
