The Fireseed Wars

"Excellent," Kalvan said, after expelling another small cloud of smoke. "I already know the size of his Navy and Army; I'm just curious as to what you think Theovacar will do now that I've incorporated one of his lesser vassals into Our new kingdom."

Errock pondered for a few moments. "Your Majesty, Theovacar is wily and doesn't always react in obvious ways. However, almost all of his decisions revolve around two things: himself and the greater glory of Grefftscharr. With the improvements you're making to the Thagnor City walls and with most of the Hostigos Army soon to arrive, I do not foresee him taking any immediate military action. For one, it is already too late in the season to dispatch his Navy, most of which is on patrol elsewhere. Secondly, Theovacar knows that your Army is not only larger than his, but far better armed.

"Finally, Thagnor is a tough shell to crack. Theovacar can use his Navy to keep you stitched up and out of the Hassfryth Sea, but on the other hand you can blockade him from the Sea of Aesklos. This is the dilemma that Prince Varrack, and his forefathers, have relied upon to keep Grefftscharr's fleets at bay. Few of the other states, such as Vulthar, Zykthos or Ragyath, will support Theovacar for fear that it will only increase his power, which will be to their detriment the moment your armies are defeated. So, for this year, he will be unable to do anything."

"An astute analysis, Errock. How long do you think it will be before Theovacar is in a position to launch an attack upon Nos-Hostigos?"

"That's a difficult question, Your Majesty. Without any new allies, it will take Theovacar three or four winters to build up an army strong enough to challenge your Army of Hostigos. In that amount of time, many things can change. You have other enemies, the Grand Host of Styphon. He may decide to wait and see if they conquer you without his having to raise a sword. Of course, if the Styphoni defeat your army, then he'll have another enemy to worry over. I suspect he'll wait to see who wins, all the while building up his army and navy. It would be just like him to let the two of you whittle your forces down to nothing, then come in and conquer the survivor."

"Then, I guess, the big question is: Will King Theovacar ally himself with Styphon's House?"

"Under normal circumstances, Your Majesty, I would say no. There is no love for the false priests of Styphon in Grefftscharr. However, these are hardly typical times and Theovacar does not always see things the way his opponents, or supporters, do."

II

Nythros was surrounded and the brass guns and bombard stone throwers were taking big chunks out of the walls. The siege work is going well, Lysandros decided. Clouds of fireseed smoke from the big guns rolled over the Grand Host columns like fog banks. The last Nythrosi sortie had been three days earlier and the entire party had been slaughtered. Already ten siege towers had been built and enough timbers were cut and trimmed for another five or six.

The only failure of their initial attack was that they had been unable to catch the Nythrosi Navy napping. Most of the Navy had been out of the harbor during the initial operation and they had only been able to burn a score of ships, most of those at dock. The rest had escaped and, in daring night time sorties, were ferrying in supplies and armaments to the defenders. However, the raids were decreasing since a score of the Host's guns were mounted as shore batteries. Unfortunately, this prolonged the siege by decreasing the number of guns they were able to use for bombarding the city walls.

Enough riflemen were scattered along outside the walls to keep the Nythrosi off the parapets and so far the Host's casualties had been low. This is no Rathon City, Lysandros thought, with its guns, bastions and earthworks built by Kalvan's engineers. Any time now the Nythros City States will fall into our hands like an over-ripe apple. It's too far from Harphax City to properly govern so I'll graciously allow Aristocles to set up some sort of Styphoni-administrated government.

Then we will hunt down the Usurper, defeat his army and cut off his head. Maybe take his wife as a prisoner and bring her back to Harphax City in a cage to be hung from the City gates. Or, better yet, dress her in rags and have her serve my wife as a slave…

Lysandros' musings were cut short by the bark of Investigator Roxthar. The Investigator was accompanied by Grand Commander Aristocles, whose face was tight with anger and barely contained rage.

"What's wrong?" he asked, as the two men rode up within hearing distance.

"It is time for me to leave this dismal place," Roxthar declared. "My work is needed elsewhere. All are heretics in this wasteland!"