The Fireseed Wars

"I should say not. Didn't Danthor tell us now that he was in the business of forging documents?"

"Yes, but that's with official sanction from Styphon's Own Voice. It's only a criminal offense if it's committed by someone who's not among the power elite."

"Moral relativism in its basest form. The Opposition Party could take pointers from this bunch."

Kostran laughed. "It wouldn't surprise me if they made Danthor Dras' Gunpowder Theocracy mandatory reading for new Party members."

"Like they did with that Europo-American text, The Discourses, four to five centuries ago," Verkan said. "I hope not. We might get a better class of opponent. As it is we have our hands full with the dupes we're facing now."

"They're still giving you gas about the Kalvan Study Team?"

"Yes, I've spent more time this year before the Paratime Commission and the Executive Committee than I have in my own office. It doesn't look like I'm going to be able to transpose to Kalvan's Time-Line any time soon."

II

Rylla was glad to finally be leaving Morthron behind. Prince Eythart had only reluctantly given the Hostigi permission to cross his lands. Not that he could have stopped them. With the Army of the Trygath, she had the force to push her way through Eythart's Princedom no matter what he wanted or did to stop the Hostigi.

Morthron was an ally of both Nythros and Grefftscharr and the Prince was unsure of King Theovacar's position regarding the Hostigi migration. However, he detested Prince Varrack and thus was not unhappy to see him overthrown. To further a possible alliance with Morthron and warn him about the Grand Host of Styphon, she had spent several days in Morthron Town meeting with Eythart and his advisors.

Of course, it hadn't helped things when the Nythrosi Fleet had arrived with most of their dignitaries and rich merchants, with news of the Styphoni siege of Nythros. Many of the assembled dignitaries had looked at her as if the siege were Rylla's fault, which in a way it was.

Rylla would have much rather spent time with her husband, but instead she had planted the seeds for a possible future alliance. The Morthron Army, from what Klestreus' spies learned, was only three or four thousand men strong, but the feudal levy was another ten thousand. That was good to know as the Styphoni would have to roll over Morthron to reach Thagnor City. The longer it took the Grand Host, the better it was for Nos-Hostigos. She'd made some suggestions about fortifying the city walls and had some of the Hostigi alchemists explain how to make flreseed. The Morthroni had already learned the formula, but not the proper ratios nor the techniques to turn it into reliable fireseed.

She had left the Prince with the promise of a thousand calivers and arquebuses upon the signature of a treaty between Morthron and Thagnor. Hopefully, that would cinch the deal with his Assembly of Merchants. Watching Eythart trying to gain approval from his magnates for policy decisions that she or her husband would have made after a short discussion with their advisors made Rylla truly appreciate their rule in Hostigos. In Hos-Hostigos the Full Council of Hostigos was only an advisory group to the throne and not a law-making body like the Assembly or the Nythrosi Council of Oligarchs. The Middle Kingdoms had some troubling customs and she hoped they wouldn't lead to new problems for their House.

The Prince appeared awfully worried about King Theovacar's opinion. She had pointed out that the Grand Host of Styphon was the enemy of all kings and princes. She wasn't sure that Eythart would believe that until Theovacar put it in writing and sealed the envelope.

One thing she knew for sure, the Hostigi were going to need all the help they could raise to defeat the Grand Host of Styphon's House. Morthron was certainly doomed unless they became a vassal state, which wasn't likely. Too many of the Upper Middle Kingdom rulers saw their new Hostigi neighbors as invaders, or at best unwelcome competitors. The Grand Host would slash their way through Morthron like a saber through a cotton gambeson.

She knew they were drawing near to Thagnor when she saw that all the trees had been recently felled and carted away, and most of the brush removed or burnt off. There were only a few farmhouses and the fields were already harvested with only stubble showing. A few peasants came out of their huts and waved at the men. She thought this was a good sign. The closer to Thagnor City they came the more friendly their reception.

Her big bodyguard Xykos, with his farseer, called out: "City Walls up ahead, Your Majesty! There's a party coming out to meet us flying the Great King's banner."