Darksong Rising

by L. E. Modesitt Jr.

  You are your family's sole hope, Zybar. You'd better make good on it."

  Zybar's eyes met Anna's. "Dare I do otherwise?"

  "No." Anna glanced toward Himar. "Escort him back to his mount and his men. Then untie him, and let him go."

  She watched the young man walk slowly downhill in the twilight, his steps uneven.

  "You are hard, lady," offered Falar, who had slipped up beside Anna's guards.

  "Hard? Not as hard as Tybel would have been."

  "He must atone for two generations of wrongs, and know that you could destroy him in a moment" Falar shook his head. "He must change everything his sire and his uncle believed in. He knew they were wrong, and he was not strong enough to stand up to them, and you did, and you are a woman."

  "That's because I have some power, and he didn't."

  "From what I hear, you had little enough power when you came to Defalk. Yet you would not turn from what you saw to be true. You have shamed him." Falar laughed, almost lightly, "Not that we all could not use shaming at times."

  Including you... but what else could you have done-except let people keep getting slaughtered. What you've started is like an avalanche... you either stay ahead of it or get swallowed in it.

  Her eyes burned as she turned and walked out to the end of the knoll, looking eastward at the distant keep of Arien. Zybar and his ten lancers had already vanished into the twilight.

  108

  Under the morning sun, Anna turned in the saddle and looked back over her shoulder at Arien. While some had wondered at her refusal to enter Arien, and her insistence on making a camp above the battlefield, after what she had done, she could no more have stayed in the town or the keep than... physically touched Elizabetta across the gap between worlds. Or worked sorcery on Earth.

  Her face turned to the road that would lead to Synope, and the keep of Flossbend, but she saw nothing. After a restless night's sleep, her eyes watered and burned with the questions that ran through her mind. What have you become? All you wanted...was a few more rights for women... a little more justice... and it's as though you were. . . some sort of monster. Even Himar looks sideways at you.

  She twisted in the saddle, then reached for the water bottle, not sure she was thirsty, but knowing she couldn't afford to get dehydrated, either. The water was cool, tasteless, and she swallowed, then replaced the bottle in its holder. The wind was cool, but not cold, on her face, and the air carried the mold of autumn. She found herself coughing, leaning forward in the saddle for a time before she straightened. Stress always had made the asthma worse.

  Liende rode up beside Anna. "You are troubled, Lady Anna." Her voice was soft, sympathetic in a way Anna had not heard from the older-looking woman in weeks, if not seasons.

  "Does it show that much?" Stupid question. "I'm sorry. Yes... I'm troubled." More than troubled... very troubled.

  "You did not wish to destroy Lord Tybel that way?" Liende glanced ahead toward Himar and the vanguard. Except for Liende and her guards, Anna rode very much alone, with wide spaces between her and the lancers.

  "It's not that. I mean, it is, but it isn't. All I started out to do was to survive and then to make sure Lord Jimbob would have a country left to inherit, and then I tried to make sure that women weren't treated as slaves. But I kept having to use sorcery against other countries to keep them from invading mostly, except for Ebra the second time, but Bertmynn was killing all the women in Elahwa because they didn't want to be slaves anymore." Anna swallowed. "And somehow, almost half the lords in Defalk are or were against me. And most of Defalk's neighbors. It's like a holy war, and all the old lords want to kill me and stop what I'm trying to do. Some of the old crafters like the chandler in Pamr, too. So I either give up, and that doesn't seem right, or I kill a lot of people, and that's not right, either. When I tried to talk, no one listened, and when I used force they all thought I was terrible."

  Liende nodded. After a time, she spoke. "Lord Brill treated women well, but he would do nothing beyond his own lands. He died, and nothing changed."

  "If I died tomorrow," Anna said, "nothing would change."

  "It has already changed, lady, and if you can but survive a handful of years, it will never change back." The chief player continued more softly. "Never would I have paid as you pay," Liende said. "You have given my son lands, and my daughter hope and dignity... and others as well, but few will thank you. You have begun to change this land so that it will survive and prosper, but few will thank you for that."

  "I guess I just got tired of being the good little girl."

  "Ah..."

  Another expression that doesn't quite translate. "Women are supposed to listen to men and take their advice. They're not supposed to he too assertive, even if they're regents. They're not supposed to use sorcery to wipe out brave strong armsmen. It's all right for that brave strong armsman to use his blade or lance, or to take an unwilling woman with his strength, but good girls don't point those embarrassing things out. Good girls don't say, 'You're not going to keep doing this, and back it up with superior force.' Good girls don't..." ' Anna broke off the monologue. "I guess I'm just not a good girl. Maybe I never was. . . Now I'll have to hold the Thirty-three-or many of them-under an iron fist." The sorceress shook her head. "I never wanted that."

  "Perhaps not..." There was another long silence, before Liende continued. "Were there another sorceress to follow you..."

  "Another sorceress?" Anna laughed harshly. "I'm not sure that one isn't too much for Defalk."

  "Power must he balanced by power, and women cannot lift blades as heavy as do men."

  Anna wasn't certain about that. She'd seen Ytrude and Lysara carrying blades. But how many Ytrudes and Lysaras are there in Defalk? "Another sorceress..." Maybe that would help balance things out. But whom do you choose-and trust? Secca? She's young, and will she have the insight after her hormones kick in? Clayre-Birfels' other daughter, who had once expressed interest and might be coming to Falcor? Was there anyone else? Would there be? Could there be?

  Anna frowned. Why did everything just get more complicated?

  109

  Under a cold midday sun that foreshadowed winter, Anna sat upright in the saddle and looked across the low valley, finally catching sight of the white structure that, as she had recalled, resembled a Mediterranean villa as much as a Defalkan keep. Flossbend stood on the low rise to the northeast, across the Synor River, linked to the main road by a winding lane that climbed the gentle slope to the hold.

  "There, that's Flossbend." The sorceress pointed for both Liende and Himar, reined up beside her. "Both the holding and the town are on the other side of the river, but the town is upstream-east-of Flossbend."

  "The walls are low," observed Himar.

  "It's not designed for a siege."

  Farinelli sidestepped, and Anna bent forward in the saddle and patted his neck. "Easy... easy...

  "What do you plan?" asked the arms commander.

  "I'd like to get as close as I can, and then cast a spell over the keep to kill the handful of people, especially Beltyr, who are guilty of murdering Lady Anientta and her sons and who oppose the Regency."

  "After that?"

  "We try to organize the keep before we head back to Falcor." You make it sound so simple. . . and it won't be. She looked at Liende, reined up beside Himar. "The players may have to dismount and perform quickly."

  "We will be ready," the chief player confirmed.

  The sorceress took another long and studied look at the white-walled hold before nodding to Himar.

  The arms commander raised his arm, and the lancers followed the vanguard and the players downhill on the road to Synope. As Anna reached the bottom of the short incline, the light and cool breeze died away, and she found herself using the square of worn gray cloth to blot her forehead.

  Anna began the first vocalise after they had traveled another dek across the western end of the valley. "Holly-lolly-pop..." She coughed, but the amount of mucus sh
e brought up was minimal, and she continued vocalizing.

  "Lady?" Himar's voice interrupted her concentration.

  She looked up, following his gesture. Puffs of dust marked the four riders headed westward on the road from Synope- toward Anna.

  "They all wear green surcoats."

  "How far is the hold?"

  "Two deks, perhaps three." Himar stood in his stirrups. "Green company! Forward, arms ready! Bring forth the banner!"

  The lancers of the green company used the shoulder of the road to make their way around the players and Anna. The sorceress coughed as the dust rose around her. The standard-bearer did not follow the green company, but led the main body of the column.

  As the score and a half lancers rode eastward, the four armsmen in the pale green of Flossbend reined up on a high spot on the road, less than half a dek away, looking at the approaching lancers and the purple banner. Then all four turned and spurred their mounts eastward, raising a far larger cloud of dust in returning to Flossbend than they had in leaving it.

  "I think they will be telling Beltyr that the sorceress is on her way to Flossbend," Liende said.

  "Will you need the lancers to attack?" questioned Himar.

  "I'd rather have them ready to protect me and the players." Anna looked back at the chief player. "There's no point in losing lancers in an attack. We'll have to plan on the flame spell, the long one."

  "The one that singles out the traitors?" asked Liende.

  Anna nodded. "I wish I dared to try something else, but this fall I've lost tenscore armsmen. Where we'll get more, I don't know. Beltyr has seized these lands, and he and Tybel killed every heir but Secca. They tried to kill her." Anna took a deep breath. "I can't just turn my back on Beltyr."

  "None of us chose this." Liende's smile was both warm and wintry. "What we chose far earlier led us here."

  Is that true! Anna coughed, then continued to watch as the four lancers turned their mounts up the lane that led to Flossbend.

  'There is little cover, and no hill or knoll near the keep," Himar pointed out. "To defend the players will be hard if Lord Beltyr sends forth lancers or armsmen."

  Anna shifted her weight in the saddle before replying. "When I was here before, Lord Hryding didn't even have twoscore armsmen left after the mess at the Sand Pass. Nearly a score of those left with Markan. Most of them are with Ytrude at Suhl. I'm sure Beltyr brought his own armsmen, but he was the younger son, and with all those that Tybel had... I can't believe he has any more than we do."

  "If that be so, then I would judge less."

  "Far less," added Falar, who had ridden up past Blaz and Fielmir to join the other three. "As a younger son, I know what coins it has taken for my poor score and a half of armsmen.

  At his rueful smile, Anna laughed. "You would know."

  "You think this Beltyr will not attack?" questioned Himar.

  'There's no movement outside the hold." Anna gestured toward the lane and the keep above. "And your scouts haven't reported anything. We could get attacked-like Tybel did-but I don't think that will happen. I'd say that Beltyr would hole up in the keep." Anna frowned. "He might do that because we don't have that big a force. Not enough to storm a keep, not even Flossbend." And none of these people seems to believe in your sorcery until they've experienced it.

  The green company had reined up and waited at the base of the lane that wound up toward the white-plastered building. Anna and the players kept riding until they neared the green company.

  "Riders, halt!" Himar ordered before turning his mount back to Anna and Liende.

  Anna could see the roof of the stable for travelers, where she'd first tethered Farinelli when she had met Lord Hryding. Is Calmut still around? Unpleasant as ever?

  "I would not ride more than to the midpoint of the lane," Himar suggested. "Could you work your sorcery from below that small cot there?" He pointed.

  "That's a small stable for travelers, and I think that my voice will carry-if the wind doesn't pick up."

  Liende glanced westward, toward the few scattered clouds that hugged the horizon. "There will not be more wind in the next glass or so."

  "Let's go halfway up," Anna suggested. "The sooner we do this, the less chance Beltyr will have to come up with something."

  "A moment. Lady Anna?" requested Rickel, as he unstrapped the large shield from behind his saddle.

  Anna nodded, as did Himar. There might be archers.

  Once their shields were in place, Lejun and Rickel eased their mounts ahead of Anna.

  "Riders, forward!" ordered Himar.

  Anna tried another vocalise, and was relieved to find that her cords and throat were clear. Not even halfway up the lane, Anna could see that every window was shuttered, every door barred. Not a soul was in sight, and the only sounds were those from her lancers and players.

  'They fear you," murmured Liende.

  "Not enough to have done what was right." Anna answered quietly. Not nearly enough. She rubbed her forehead. You've defeated two enemies, one to the east and one to the west, and are trying to negotiate something lasting with the Liedfuhr, but you're still dealing with backward lords at home. Then, your foreign enemies know more about you than do half the lords of the Thirty-three.

  "Riders, halt!"

  At Himar's command, Anna nodded to Liende.

  "Dismount and stand ready to play!"

  Anna waited until the tuning died away before she dismounted. Flossbend remained silent. without even a single head appearing above the wall, not a single shutter moving. Let's hope Beltyr doesn't have any nasty surprises... been enough of those this year. She stepped forward, still flanked by the shield-bearing Rickel and Lejun, then inclined her head to the chief player. "Now."

  "On my mark... the long flame song!" Liende called. "Mark!"

  After the first three introductory bars, Anna began the spell, her voice open and free and cascading across the white-plastered stone walls of Flossbend.

  Turn to fire, turn to flame all those against the true heir's name turn to fire, turn to flame, who stand against the Regent's claim.

  While fire hissed from the sky, that fire came in arrows, rather than in a solid sheet, as had happened at Arien.

  As Anna stepped back, Rickel and Lejun stepped forward, raising their shields to guard the sorceress. Anna watched as the last of the flame arrows died away.

  Almost expectantly, Liende glanced at the Regent, waiting but not inquiring. Anna stood, studying the walls and the few crenellations irregularly set in the upper walls, but the keep remained silent.

  Abruptly, the barred doors on the lower level were flung open, and an armsman in a pale green surcoat stepped out, car-rying an irregular square of white cloth tied to a pole. He glanced from side to side, his head darting in one direction, then another, as he waved the makeshift white flag.

  Anna turned, remaining behind the shields. "Arms Commander. . . if you would send a company to see if those who remain will accept the true heir to Flossbend?"

  "Green company, forward!" ordered Himar.

  "Have them ready with the short flame song-just in case," the sorceress told Liende.

  "Stand ready for the short flame song!" ordered the chief player.

  Anna and Liende watched as the green company lancers rode up the lane, past the small guest stable, until they reached the armsman with the banner. After a moment, a single rider in purple turned his mount and rode down the lane, finally reining up before Anna and the still-mounted Himar.

  "The hold surrenders, but begs mercy," announced the lancer. "We will secure it, Regent," Himar promised. "I would that you remain here until we have done so. Captain Falar and his men can guard you."

  Falar's face was blank for a moment, before he nodded.

  "If there's anything strange, bring all the lancers back, and I'll use more sorcery," Anna said.

  'That I will, Regent" Himar barked a short and humorless laugh. 'That I will." He guided his mount around Anna's guards and uphil
l, another company of lancers behind him.

  "You value your armsmen highly," Falar observed.

  "Good armsmen are hard to find and train, she replied. "It took over a year to build up a force of twentyscore, and I've lost half of them in a season."

  "You destroyed a hundredfold of what you lost, mayhap more," the redhead countered.

  'That still leaves only a few more than tenscore. Not very much for a ruler or a regent. Lord Jimbob will need ten or twenty times that."

  "Because he will not be able to rely on sorcery?"

  Anna nodded.

  "Players... you may rest, but stand ready to play," Liende ordered.

  She and Anna-and Falar-watched as the two companies of lancers opened the lower doors, and then the double doors to the inner courtyard.

  'They did not fight," Falar said.

  "How could they?" asked Liende. "The sorceress would have slain them all."

  Anna did not comment.

  When Himar emerged from Flossbend and remounted, Anna climbed back into Farinelli's saddle, but waited for the arms commander to ride to her.

  Himar's face was grave as he reined in his mount, short of Anna. "We hold the keep. Beltyr had but threescore armsmen. More than half died under your flames. Beltyr himself is dead, as is his consort. . . their children live."

  "His consort?" Another scheming woman?

  "Ah... yes, Lady Anna."

  So much... again. . . for so-called innocent consorts... and more children, another focal point for future dissension. "The children will be fostered in Dumar. Lady Siobion, I'm certain, will aid in that. So will Alvar." Should she have spoken so quickly, so openly?

  "Dumar?" blurted Falar.

  "We'll talk about the details later," Anna temporized. "And we will sleep in Flossbend tonight. The men and their mounts deserve some rest before we head back to Falcor."

  "They will appreciate that."

  "They are not to molest any of the women. This is Secca's hold, and she doesn't need that kind of trouble." Anna's eyes were hard as she glanced from Falar to Himar.