by N. C. Reed
“Have you spoken about this to your engineer?” Memmnon asked. Parno shook his head.
“Then do so,” Memmnon ordered. “If he hasn’t the time, then have him find someone who does. Someone who can think outside the norms. I agree, the idea at least merits study. See to it that it gets done.”
“Very well,” Parno nodded, wondering how to pay for that. As if reading his mind, Memmnon called his aide. As the man opened the door, a soldier of the House Guard entered, carrying a small strong box. The trooper sat the box on Memmnon’s desk, then both aide and trooper were shooed from the room by the Crown Prince.
“This is for you,” Memmnon said after the trooper and the aid had left. He raised the lid, showing Parno the contents.
“That’s a lot of money, Memmnon,” Parno stated, looking at the coins within.
“Some of it is to be used to replace your own money,” Memmnon ordered, “and I mean that. I told you I would see to your needs. No more spending your own coin.”
“Thank you,” Parno smiled.
“The rest you can use as you see fit provided you keep a record of it. It’s not a matter of trust, but of record keeping, understand. Now,” Memmnon rose from his chair. “I know you have an errand or two to run and that you want to return as soon as possible. Please keep me informed of any changes and certainly let me know if anything useful turns up,” he laughed lightly. “I also want to know when your engineer can start teaching our military. I’ll have the first class ready to go as soon as he’s ready. Another side note here,” he added, “is to see if Doctor Freeman-Corsin would be open to a similar school for military surgeons. You might inquire with her about that.”
“I’ll see to it as soon as I return,” Parno promised, cursing his luck that he would, indeed, have to speak to her again.
Memmnon hesitated for a moment before speaking again.
“You know that Therron expects you to fail,” he said rather than asked. Parno nodded.
“I do not intend to share what you have told me with him,” Memmnon said firmly. “I did not expect you to succeed either,” he admitted, “but unlike Therron, I didn’t hope for your failure. I simply expected you to sit on your hilltop and do nothing. I’m sorry about that,” he added.
“No need,” Parno shrugged. “I haven’t exactly given you any reason to think otherwise.”
“Be that as it may, now that I know you have it in you I expect it to continue. I look forward to hearing from you. Speaking of which, you could include letters to me in your dispatches.”
“Consider it done,” Parno grinned, pleased for some reason that Memmnon would want to hear from him.
“I’ll have this taken out to your horses,” Memmnon waved at the chest.
“No need,” Parno waved the idea away and heaved the chest up on his shoulder one-handed. Memmnon’s face showed surprise.
“I train with my men,” Parno shrugged.
“That must be some training,” Memmnon noted.
“It is,” Parno admitted. “Harsh and demanding and not very forgiving,” he shrugged. “It has to be, in case you ever have need of us.”
“Farewell, Parno,” Memmnon smiled.
*****
Outside, Parno delivered the box to Sergeant Berry with orders to place a guard on it, and procure a horse to carry it, though it would be only a small way. Before Berry could proceed, Cho Feng appeared, followed by a small carriage. Parno ordered Berry to place the chest in there instead.
“Have any trouble?” Parno asked Feng.
“No, actually, I did not,” Feng replied, seemingly puzzled. “I told them you required a carriage and four horses and here they are. Good horses, too,” he added. Parno looked them over, nodding in agreement.
“Well, we have a stop to make, and then we need to be on the road.”
*****
Dahlia Nidiad stood by watching carefully as Parno’s men loaded her and her father’s things aboard the wagon and into the carriage.
“How is my father, Parno?” she asked, turning to face him. The two had grown up together, and were more like brother and sister than anything else.
“He’s cantankerous, obstinate, bull-headed, and hard to get along with,” Parno grinned. “Same as usual, in other words.”
“Oh, you,” Dahlia slapped him playfully on the shoulder. “What’s this about me being your cook?” She eyed him in mock crossness.
“Already have one,” Parno sighed, “I had intended to place you on the rolls as my cook so you’d have a salary. You wouldn’t have had to cook for me, just your father. I eat in the mess, usually, but, I had a house built for the two of you, so you can cook for him for free now,” he teased.
“I wouldn’t mind working, you know,” Dahlia told him. “Not for you of course,” she added playfully, “but there might be something I can do once I get there.”
“I’m sure there will be if you want,” Parno agreed, “and there’s a hospital, too. You might work there as a nurse. Not for the men, but the women and children. You’re more than smart enough to learn to be a doctor, you know, and there’s a very smart female doctor in charge of the hospital.”
“A woman? Really?” Dahlia considered that.
“Really. You can do, or be, whatever you like, so long as I can help it, girl. You know that.”
“I know,” she smiled. “I love you to, brother Parno,” she teased, kissing him on the cheek.
“Yes, well, let’s not ruin my reputation,” Parno huffed. “I worked long and hard to get it…looks like we’re ready,” he added before she could respond. “You should make a walk through, make sure you’ve got everything.”
“I hate to leave this place, to be honest,” she sighed. “It’s been home for a long time.”
“It still is, so long as you want it to be,” Parno assured her. “I left instructions it’s not to be issued again without my permission.” Dahlia awarded him with a brilliant smile.
“Now go and take a look, girl. We’ve a long way to go.”
Twenty minutes later, the column was on its way to Cove Canton.
*****
Edema Willows rode stiffly inside her carriage as it rocked along the Nor trade route north of Loville. The train had just passed through another of the small nameless villages that dotted the countryside. After four weeks on the road she was tired. She wanted to be home, where she could be comfortable. . . .
Edema leaned forward, her eyes attracted to motion along the road before her. In front of their train she spied a large column of Nor horsemen heading for them along the road taking them south. They were in two columns and the lines seemed to go on forever. She frowned deeper as they met.
The men were unshaven, wet, and dirty. They had clearly been in the field, in this horrid weather, for many days. And yet. . . .”something is out of place here”, she thought to herself, looking over the line of troopers as they passed. “What am I seeing, and not realizing?”
Edema was a very intelligent woman, but the column was almost past before she realized what was. . .not wrong, she decided, but important. Despite the shape the men were in, and they were in bad shape, their horses and their weapons were in splendid condition. There was no knowing how long they had been in the field among the mud of the last week’s rain, but they had maintained their weapons and horses as if on parade all the while allowing themselves to go to the dogs, she noticed. As the end of the column came and went, she realized that her count had been automatic. Just over one thousand horsemen had been in that column. A full regiment.
Her discomfort forgotten, Edema reached for her journal.
*****
Edema would have been surprised to learn that the Tinker was watching the same column, though from more comfort. The traveler had taken a room in the small town through which the Willows had just passed without so much as slowing. The Tinker often took work here and the townspeople were, by and large, always happy to see him. They were curious when he showed up during this time of year, but, a
s he had told Parno, the explanation of a ‘woman I must see’ had been more than sufficient to allay any real concerns.
The truth was, no one cared why he was there. They were glad he was staying on a few days to fix various gadgets that had stopped working since his last visit.
The soldiers, however, that was something else again. They might well pay him a great deal of attention. Attention he didn’t want.
So it was with a great deal of relief that he watched the column continue on out of the town, still heading north. He, himself, was about the head south after so long in the Norland country. All the better, he thought to himself. The more Nor troops he could see, and yet avoid, the better.
This was the eleventh time in the last two weeks he had seen a full regiment of cavalry on the road. Each time it had been a different unit, too. He would have wondered what they were doing, had he not been in a similar town three weeks past. As he had sat in the window of his rented room, he had watched as three full regiments had converged on the town, each from a different direction.
All showed signs of having been in the saddle for some time. Their meeting was not by chance, either, the Tinker took note. The next morning, the entire division, for such it was, mounted up and headed north as one.
Interesting.
It was time to go home, he decided suddenly, placing his small tally book into the hidden pocket of his coat. He had gathered a great deal of information for the Prince. Now, it was time to get that information home.
He would leave in the morning, he decided.
*****
Edema noted that the train hadn’t turned for the secondary road home as they normally would have. They had crossed back into Soulan two days ago on their way home. It had been a profitable trip, which always placed Edward in a good mood. When he joined her in the carriage that evening, she had asked him about the change.
“Oh, I thought we’d follow the Trades this trip home,” he told her lightly. “Go through Nasil. The more I think about those bypass roads, the more I like them. Prince Parno’s idea that I suggest them to the King or Crown Prince was a good one. I’m going to follow up on it.”
“I had thought we wanted to get home as soon as possible,” Edema had responded.
“We won’t be more than a few days later than planned,” Edward shrugged. “I’ve sent someone ahead to notify the house staff, if that’s what concerns you, and,” he smiled, “this way, you can shop in Nasil for Christmas. I thought you’d like that.”
“It would be nice,” she had smiled. Inside, however, she was disappointed. She wanted to place her journal before Parno as soon as possible.
“Don’t worry,” Edward saw the look on her face. “We’ll be home in time to have things ready for Christmas.” She smiled again, kissing him lightly, before lying back into her blankets.
Nasil. Wonderful.
*****
Doak Parsons was concerned. No, he was worried, that’s what he was. And so where the five men from his old gang that had accompanied him.
The small group had rode into Kent when they left Cove. There were still a few drive groups returning along the route and, as was the custom, Parsons and his men had often supped with the groups along the trail, contributing something to the fire, and receiving a safer place to rest in return along with company. The men sat and exchanged stories, laughing around the campfire.
They had frequented inns and road houses along the Trade Routes, and smaller roads as well, talking with all manner of people—always just passing the time while enjoying a drink and the warmth of a fire on a cold night.
Parsons had learned a great deal during the weeks he’d been on the trail. Most of the people he’d talked to didn’t even realize he was questioning them. The same went for the men he’d selected to accompany him. They shot the breeze with trail hands, wagon handlers, traders, anyone who had or was traveling in the north. The men were all careful to exhibit enthusiasm for what the Nor were like and for the fact that the border was open.
“Wouldn’t mind seeing it myself.”
“Where’s a good place to see, happen I can get up there, come spring?”
“Any bandits about? Army won’t give us no hassle will they?”
“Reckon there’s any money to be made, was a man to head that way?”
These seemingly innocuous inquiries raised no alarms, or even interest in the people they spoke with, but the answers provided gave them a very good picture of what was happening.
Too good for their liking.
“Y’know, boss,” one of them said softly as they rode away from their latest camp, “This is startin’ to git scary.” Parsons snorted, but said nothing. He had been scared for the past two weeks and nothing he had learned since had made him feel any better.
He was as sure as he could be that the Nor were preparing for war. Against who was anyone’s guess, but it didn’t take a genius to figure that Soulan was the likely target. If the numbers they had were even half accurate the Nor army was huge. Worse, it was well equipped and far better trained than ever before.
Even despite the fact that the Nor were buying huge numbers of cattle from the South, there was precious little beef to be had anywhere. People were literally going hungry with steaks on the hoof all around them. Something about that wasn’t right.
Parsons made a snap decision then, reigning his horse in.
“We’re headin’ north,” he ordered. While his official rank was Sergeant, to these men he was still just the ‘boss’. They all nodded.
Parsons was mindful of his orders not to cross into Norland…and he wouldn’t, but he would get as close as he could and see what was to see.
Prince Parno’s hunch was looking more and more like it was right on the money. He wanted to gather as much information as he could before heading back. He still had some time and there was no sense wasting it.
*****
The Willows arrived in Nasil just before dark. A courier had rode forward to prepare a place for their train and to secure rooms for them. Edema was thankful for a chance to stay in something other than their carriage. While nice, it was not made for such extended use, especially in cold weather.
Several of their horses were hard used by now and some of the men were looking a bit worn as well. Edward announced that three days would be spent in Nasil, with the train leaving for home at first light on the fourth morning. Everyone was glad to hear that.
A Royal courier arrived that evening with an invitation to dinner at court the next evening. Edward was delighted as this would give him the chance to suggest the changes to the roadways. Edema was glad he would have that chance, but begrudged every minute that it kept what she’d learned out of Parno’s hands.
*****
“That’s an interesting suggestion, Duke,” Memmnon nodded gracefully when Edward broached his idea about the trade routes.
“Well, it’s not really my idea,” Edward admitted, “it was your brother, Parno, who suggested I pass the idea along.”
“Indeed?” Memmnon inquired, although Therron snorted in derision. “You see much of Parno?”
“He visits when he can,” Edward smiled. “He’s a very engaging young man. Edema is committed to finding him a wife, of course,” he added, smiling at his own wife. “Says he should have someone to look after him.”
“I pity the poor creature who weds him,” Therron snarled darkly. “You say he visits you often?” he asked, glancing at Edema before returning his attention to Edward.
“Sometimes once a week, sometimes it’s longer,” Edward shrugged. “He is very busy, but of course you know that…and I am too, often. Sometimes I’m away when he visits so I don’t get to see him as often as Edema, but he’s graced us for dinner several times. A likable young fellow, to be sure.”
“Indeed,” Therron smiled. Inside, however, the wheels were turning. He eyed Edema Willows. Older, of course, but still a fine flower of a woman. So, little brother was visiting the Willows regularly, was he? We
ll, he’d see what he could do with that.
Memmnon, not having noticed the look on Therron’s face, was still listening to Edward expound upon the importance of good roads to trade. The dinner lasted another hour before breaking apart. As the King took his leave, Therron McLeod gently took Edward Willows arm.
“Do you have the time to spare me for a conversation, Duke?” he asked politely.
“Well, I need to get Edema back to our rooms, milord. If not for that. . .”
“I can see that she has an escort from the House Guard, if that will suffice,” Therron offered amiably. “I would really like the pleasure of your company for a little while longer. There is much for us to discuss.”
