The Crown of blood tcob-1

by Gav Thorpe

  "There's some of us didn't trust the Askhans, so we've been keeping an eye on them," Furlthia explained as he dumped an armful of shirts into the chest. "Not causing any trouble, but just watching what they've been about. There's been a lot of shipments coming into the city these last couple of weeks that seemed to disappear. Looks like Ullsaard was sending in weapons and armour for his men.

  "Just before dawn, they came together and stormed the guardhouses and the homes of the chieftains we left alive last time. They've killed several hundred men already, some of them rebels we brought from the mountains."

  There was a pounding on the hall doors and Jutiil's voice called out, demanding entry. Furlthia froze, apparently gripped with sudden fear.

  "We can escape out the back," said Furlthia, slamming the chest shut. "Grab the other end of this."

  Anglhan shook his head and stood with his hands on his hips.

  "I'm not being driven out of my hall like vermin," he declared. "I'm going to find out what's going on."

  "They'll kill you," snapped Furlthia.

  "Nonsense! If Ullsaard wanted me dead, he's had plenty of opportunities before now."

  Feeling a little more in control again, Anglhan dragged on his trousers, slipped a shirt over his head and sat on the end of the bed to pull on his boots, tucking his trouser legs into their tops. Furlthia hovered like a frustrated fly.

  "Thank you for the warning," Anglhan said. He stood up, stomping his feet a couple of times to get his boots on fully. "Don't worry, friend, I'll take care of this."

  "How?"

  Anglhan shrugged.

  "I'm sure something will come to me when we find out what's happening."

  The thumping on the door had ceased and there was a clattering downstairs. Evidently one of Anglhan's men had succumbed to the demands, or else was in league with the Askhans. Anglhan shooed Furlthia towards the door.

  "Go down and tell Jutiil I'll be with him shortly. Make sure nobody does anything stupid." Furlthia hesitated until Anglhan shoved him towards the doorway. "That includes you. Go on, make our Askhan allies welcome!"

  Furlthia darted Anglhan a doubtful look, but complied. When he was gone, Anglhan busied himself at the dresser, pulling on rings and hanging a broad chain of gold around his neck. He picked up a polished bronze mirror and smoothed his hair as best he could.

  Now he felt like the lord of Magilnada, and looked the part too. Cinching his belt a little tighter, he left the bedroom and marched down the stair to the main hall with a confident swagger. Jutiil stood with a hand on the hilt of his sword, a shield in the other, backed up by half a company of legionnaires. The shutters on the hall windows had been thrown open and the dawn light cut ruddy bands through the gloom.

  "Good morning, First Captain," Anglhan said cheerily. "What can I do for you?"

  "By right of conquest, General Ullsaard of the Greater Askhan Empire claims the city of Magilnada as his dominion," Jutiil intoned solemnly. He was about to continue when Anglhan interrupted.

  "Save the official speech, Jutiil, and just tell me what Ullsaard is up to. Are you planning to kill me? And what's with the fighting in the city?"

  For a moment it looked as if Jutiil was going to continue with his bombastic pronouncement, but he stopped, suddenly deflated.

  "The general has decided to make his presence in Magilnada official," said the First Captain of the Twelfth. "There were a few objectors we had to deal with, nothing serious."

  "And me?"

  "Ullsaard wants you to be governor, with Magilnada as a province of Greater Askhor. If you agree, then we have no problem."

  "And if I disagree, you'll cut me down like a dog?"

  "That's pretty much it, yes." Jutiil smiled. "If it comes to that, the general will put Urikh in charge of the city."

  "I'll be fucked by an abada before I let that happen!" Anglhan declared with a snort. "Of course I'll be Ullsaard's governor. What's the rush? What happened to the plan of slowly converting the city to the Askhan ideal?"

  "General Ullsaard needs more men and equipment," explained Jutiil. "Your first job as governor will be to raise two more legions for him. We've got smiths and armourers who'll be teaching your lot how to make proper kit. You're also to open up the stores you've stockpiled. It's time to let trade flow again." "Why now? What's brought all of this on?"

  "Things are going well for the general," Jutiil said with a grin. "With Murian defecting to his side, Allon of Enair and Asuhas of Ersua have thrown in their lot as well. Nemtun's now the hunted one and has fled into Nalanor. To gain more support, General Ullsaard has bravely stormed the rebel city of Magilnada and will be sending the supplies he has captured for the relief of those poor folk who have been so deprived since the start of spring."

  "So Ullsaard gets to masquerade as conquering hero and saviour," Anglhan said with a chuckle. "I admire his balls. For a dumb brute, he has thought about this a lot. Was this always his plan?"

  "You can ask him yourself."

  "What? Ullsaard's coming here?"

  "He'll be in the city in a couple of days. As a governor of Greater Askhor, you have to be properly invested with your powers."

  Anglhan thought about this as he wandered across the hall to the open doors. Daybreak spread across Magilnada and Anglhan could see the distinctive silhouettes of legionnaires already on the walls to dawnwards. Whatever he felt about the change, it was done and he could do nothing about it.

  With all things considered, being an Askhan governor would be even better than the city's chieftain. Backed by the power of Askh, and more importantly by its legions, Magilnada would consolidate its hold on the Free Country. Anglhan would rule not just a city but a whole province.

  Despite Furlthia's panic, this was the best news he could have heard. However, a doubt crept into the mind of the governorto-be. Anglhan's future prosperity now depended upon a simple but important fact: Ullsaard had to succeed in his bid to become king. Posing as a rebel lord of Magilnada would have been preferable. If Ullsaard failed, Lutaar would not stand for allowing Anglhan to remain in power. Ullsaard's fate and that of Anglhan would be inseparable from this point on, and it was up to the former debt guardian to do everything he could to ensure the general's bid for power did not fail. Ullsaard was proving to be anything but a simple soldier and Anglhan knew he would have to watch his step even more carefully.

  The lord of Magilnada turned back to Jutiil with a clap of hands and a smile.

  "That all seems agreeable. I shall ensure that your men have every cooperation they need, and I shall put out the word that under the protection of General Ullsaard the merchants will be safe to travel into Ersua and Anrair. The treasury will be opened and you can begin recruiting your new legions after my investiture."

  "That's good to hear," said Jutiil. "I have to attend to a few other matters in the city. I suggest you stay here for the next day or two, until the general arrives. I'll be leaving my men here for the time being, for your protection, of course."

  "Yes, for my protection," said Anglhan, knowing the legionnaires would be gaolers as much as guardians.

  Anglhan left the main hall for a side chamber which he had turned into a secluded office. Furlthia followed him in and closed the door.

  "Are you mad?" Furlthia said in a low voice.

  Anglhan ignored the question and sat behind a table littered with parchments and scrolls. He cleared a space and leaned on his elbows, chin in one hand.

  "Listen to me, friend," said Anglhan, gesturing for Furlthia to sit down opposite. "I need your help as much as I ever did. You know that if I don't take this governorship, Ullsaard will have me killed and will thrust that bastard Urikh into the position. Whether you like it or not, you have to admit I'm the better choice."

  Furlthia did not sit. He paced back and forth, shaking his head.

  "I don't like it one bit. I told you before; I don't want to be an Askhan. Aegenuis isn't going to like this one bit either."

  "Aegenuis can go fuc
k his mother," snapped Anglhan. "He hasn't got the will or the money to retake the city by force, not against a legion or two. Give it a few more days, everybody here will get over the shock and it'll be business as usual. If I'm in charge we can make sure the Askhans don't do anything excessive."

  Annoyed by Furlthia's pacing, Anglhan walked around the table, grabbed his friend by the arms and thrust him into a chair. A question occurred to him.

  "How did you get into my bedroom?"

  "Your headman, Lenorin, is one of our group. He tells us what you've been up to."

  "You've been spying on me?"

  Furlthia shrugged.

  "Even when I was your first mate you didn't tell me everything that was going on, why would that change?"

  "True enough," said Anglhan, slumping back into his chair. "This group of yours, who else is in it?"

  "I'm not saying. People here and there; some came with us, some lived in the city before. Folk interested in making sure the Askhans don't get out of hand."

  "Well, you can add me to that list," said Anglhan. "Ullsaard thinks he can make me his creature, tame me like an ailur, but I'm not going to simply roll over for him. I'll need your eyes and ears, friend. It's situations like this when you need to know as much as possible. Can you do that for me?"

  Furlthia looked uncomfortable and rubbed his forehead in thought. He took a long look at Anglhan, weighing him up.

  "All right. If I hear of anything you need to know, I'll pass it on. But let's be clear about something: I'm not your man any longer. I don't like you, I don't work for you."

  "But still you came to warn me, to take me to safety…"

  "Yeah, I did. I hope I don't regret it."

  II

  Ten thousand legionnaires formed a guard of honour for Ullsaard and Anglhan as they paraded along the narrow street through the centre of Magilnada. Ullsaard wanted to put on an impressive show and Jutiil had not failed him. The men looked pristine and a good crowd had been turned out, although the reception of their new governor veered towards the sullen rather than celebratory. It didn't matter to the general; the whole point of the investiture was to make it plain to even the dullest Magilnadan that Anglhan was in charge, backed by an Askhan general with a large number of well-trained soldiers.

  Ullsaard glanced across at the new governor as Anglhan waved to the crowd, a beaming smile on his face. The general knew that inside Anglhan's mind gears were turning like the machinery of a mill, looking at every possible means to gain an advantage. He was a slippery ally at best, but he was also the most useful one Ullsaard had at the moment, out of a very slim choice.

  In a way, Ullsaard had Murian to thank for his recent success. If it hadn't been for the governor's complaints about Magilnada, Ullsaard might have never realised the importance of the city to the duskward and coldward provinces. While Nalanor, Maasra and Okhar were self-sufficient, the newer regions were still developing their irrigation and their farms, clearing space for settlers. It took several generations to get a province into full working order, and that vulnerability had given Ullsaard his chance.

  With the half-hearted shouts of the Magilnadans ringing from the high buildings alongside the street, Ullsaard wondered if he'd been lucky so far. Was it luck that Urikh had been involved in an insurrection against Magilnada's rulers? Perhaps there was an element of fortune about it, Ullsaard decided, but he was sure that what had come next had come about from good planning and hard work. Provinces didn't capitulate to a general because of luck.

  They reached the steps that led to the first level of the richer residents' houses, where a wooden stage had been built overlooking a wide plaza. Behind a cordon of armed soldiers, the people of Magilnada followed the procession and filled the square.

  Was it luck? The question continued to irk Ullsaard. If he had been lucky so far, that made the future that much more uncertain. It was certainly luck, or fate, that Kalmud had fallen ill, but Ullsaard had been well-positioned to exploit the opportunities as they arrived.

  He ascended the steps to the stage behind Anglhan, shield and spear in hand, and stood to one side as the governor moved to the front and raised a fist above his head. The assembled legionnaires beat spears against shields and raised such a shout that the square was filled with noise.

  Anglhan motioned for silence and the legionnaires quit their clamour immediately. Ullsaard allowed his thoughts to wander further as Anglhan launched into what would undoubtedly be a long and tedious speech. Ullsaard was a more direct orator and believed in three simple things: inspire the men, tell them what you want, and tell them what they get out of it. Anglhan was of that breed of men who loved the sound of his own voice, and Ullsaard listened vaguely as the governor went on at length about a new age of prosperity, a dawn of renewed civic pride and the welcoming of a time of plenty for all.

  Suppressing a yawn, Ullsaard tapped a marching beat on the haft of his spear. The sun was bright, the sky cloudless. It would be a great day for a battle, and Ullsaard wished he was many miles away in Nalanor, hunting down Nemtun. He had left Anasind in charge of the legions, camped three days duskwards of the Greenwater. There was no point in moving any further towards Askh until Ullsaard knew where Cosuas and his legions could be found. To advance without that knowledge was asking to be trapped. It was also the reason Ullsaard wanted to move full legions raised from Magilnada, so that should it come to a straight fight against Nemtun and Cosuas, Ullsaard could at least match their numbers.

  But nothing had been heard of Cosuas since he had left Maasra. No soldier, no farmer, no trader had heard anything of the legions fighting to hotwards. Perhaps the king had underestimated Ullsaard initially and ordered Cosuas to stay on campaign, but that seemed increasingly unlikely. What worried Ullsaard was the idea that Cosuas had found some route back into Greater Askhor, perhaps circling hotwards of the Mekha desert and coming back through the mountains duskwards of Okhar. Even now, Cosuas could be marching on the rear of Ullsaard's army.

  Though the general's instinct was to go for the killing blow now, he was reluctant to strike while Nalanor, Okhar and Maasra were still loyal to Lutaar. As it was, Ullsaard controlled half of the empire, but by far it was the poorer half. If he delayed too long, more legions would be raised against him in an escalation of armies he couldn't hope to match, but if he acted too swiftly, his blow might fall astray; and he reckoned he would have only one chance at victory. Any significant defeat, any hint of weakness, and his support from Murian, Allon and Kulrua would evaporate quicker than an Enairian morning mist.

  With some relief, Ullsaard realised that Anglhan had just about finished his inaugural speech. He was announcing three days of celebrations, more donations to the shrine gardens, and ended with a general call to all men of strong arm and fair mind to enlist in the new legions.

  "Imagine the glory that awaits such men," said Anglhan. "The first of a new breed of legionnaire, a place in history. The Askhan legions have proud traditions and they pay good gold for those that place their lives in danger for their fellow men. Such are the benefits of the Askhan way — food and a livelihood for you, money for your families. No longer will you have to toil in field or workshop for little reward, only to be asked to put down your hammer and scythe for a spear. You will be numbered amongst the most powerful army in the world, the Magilnadan First."

  Ullsaard shifted uneasily at this announcement. Legions belonged to all of Greater Askhor. Even though he defied the king and waged war against other legions, Ullsaard was still firm in his belief that he did so for a better Askhan future. Anglhan's two legions were to be the Nineteenth and Twentieth, raised and trained and equipped by legal means, not the private army of Magilnada.

  Ullsaard cleared his throat meaningfully and stepped up beside the governor. Anglhan glanced at the general and brought his speech to a hurried close. Ullsaard lifted his spear above his head.

  "Magilnada, I salute you!" he cried. "For generations you have laboured under the tyranny of weak kings a
nd self-serving nobles. This day things change. This day you become Askhans. To be an Askhan is to be proud of where you were born, but also to put the good of all above the wants of the few. I am an Enairian and also an Askhan. I grew up in a small village in the forests coldwards from here. Only in Greater Askhor could I have dreamt of becoming who I am today. Each of you can hold that same dream. To be master of your destiny; to raise your children without fear; to feed your families every day.

  "I too have suffered from the cruel indifference of a distant king. I am not a meek man, and so I do not sit at the table and grumble into my wine about it. No, I am a man of action more than deeds, and I will march to Askh and take the Crown of the Blood from the head of a man who does not deserve to wear it.

  "I can make a promise to you today. Every man of Magilnada who joins my legions and marches with me through the gates of Askh will have done his duty. I will give him a house and a farm, and money for crop and livestock. One year with me guarantees freedom and prosperity for the rest of your lives!"

  This announcement drew a far greater reaction than all of Anglhan's long-winded endorsements. The legionnaires began to chant Ullsaard's name, and their enthusiasm spread into the crowd. Raising shield and spear high, Ullsaard turned to the left and right, basking in the growing cries of adulation. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Anglhan looking on with jealousy. Ullsaard directed a cocky wink towards the new governor as a reminder: the power is mine, not yours.

  III

  Anglhan's new reign as governor of Magilnada began with a feast, and the lord's hall was packed with as many tables and benches as could be found; the former laden with food, the latter filled with dignitaries who had begged, borrowed or stolen an invitation. Music formed the backdrop to the ceaseless chatter and, much to Anglhan's delight, naked serving boys waited on the tables with Askhan wine and Salphorian ale. He sat at the head table with Jutiil to his left and Ullsaard to his right. Midst the hubbub, Anglhan had to raise his voice to have a simple conversation.