The Fireseed Wars

Uncle Wolf Ramakros, wearing a shirt of finely linked mail and a wolfskin hood topped with a ruby-eyed wolf head, came over to where Hestophes was watching the fight. Uncle Wolfs, when not treating the wounded, were responsible for parleys and watching over captives and prisoners. "Captain-General, what are you going to do with all of these prisoners? I see at least five thousand prisoners here and no telling how many the other defeated war band will provide once your cavalry returns."

"You echo my own worries, Uncle Wolf. We don't need the nomads or want to provide for them as prisoners of war. If we take them captive, we'll have to feed and house them through the winter, which would defeat the purpose of our buffalo hunt."

The gray-headed Uncle Wolf shrugged his shoulders. "Are you sure, Hestophes? It occurs to me that your Great King has paroled far too many of the Thagnori soldiers and that His Majesty is running short of laborers for wall-building and his earthworks projects."

"A good point, Uncle Wolf. We can bring back about three thousand of the strongest to Thagnor City as laborers and parole the others. The fate of the prisoners will keep their clansmen true to their oaths."

"You don't have to worry about oath-breaking among the Urgothi," Uncle Wolf Ramakros said. "They're not civilized yet and haven't learned to dissemble. They will keep their oaths. You may even be able to use some of them as auxiliaries next spring. It will be a long time before they risk their lives for Theovacar's promises again. Once word of this debacle spreads, the Grefftscharrer King may find it hard to replace them. These barbarians are uncouth, but they're not stupid."

THIRTY-ONE

I don't like it at all, Your Divinity!" cried Archpriest Euriphocles, his voice shaking. "Roxthar was supposed to stay in the Middle Kingdoms until Kalvan was dead. What's he going to be doing in Thebra City?"

Styphon's Voice Anaxthenes shrugged his shoulders. Sometimes, and too often recently, it appeared that his command of Styphon's House ended at the borders of Hos-Ktemnos. All of Balph was reeling from the news that Roxthar had left the Grand Host and would shortly be joining Grand Master Soton's invasion force in Thebra City. Soton had already written him an angry letter, as if Anaxthenes himself had anything to do with the Investigator's decision.

He didn't remember anyone consulting him, and he suspected that Grand Commander Aristocles and Great King Lysandros had leaped with joy upon Roxthar's leave-taking. He had called together his closest political allies to frame a response and was beginning to regret it.

Archpriest Grythos answered, "Roxthar's going to Hos-Agrys because he's become a political liability in the Middle Kingdoms. Do you think Knight Commander Aristocles can afford to have him continue his demon hunt for unbelievers in the Upper Middle Kingdoms where Styphon rates a little bit higher than Ormaz in their pantheon of gods? Once he starts his Investigation in Rathon or Thagnor he will turn every serf, freeman and noble in the Middle Kingdoms against the Temple. He is a mad wolf and needs to be put down."

Anaxthenes completely agreed, but doing so directly would cause another war; a war of fratricide between the Inner Circle and Styphon's Own Guard which would split the temple right down the middle. With the Zarthani Knights already committed to two armies, one chasing Kalvan and the other preparing for the war against Demistophon, there was no telling what conclusion such a war might bring about. At the least, it would spell the end of Balph's fragile neutrality and quite possibly Styphon's House's rule over the Five Kingdoms. He was certain of that.

"Grand Master Soton is no more pleased than We are that the Investigator has returned to the Five Kingdoms. Fortunately for Us, it is Roxthar's will that he stay in Thebra City to rebuild his Investigation to prepare for the Holy Investigation of Hos-Agrys."

"That's a relief," Archpriest Dimonestes said. "His absence from Balph has been welcomed by the entire City. Is it possible that an accident can be arranged while the Investigator is in Hos-Agrys?"

"That is one of the items I have brought you all here to discuss. Killing Roxthar is much more difficult than you might suspect. He has a nose for treachery and allows few to see his back."

"For good reason!" Grythos guffawed.

"True, but it does make assassination particularly difficult. He uses his victims as food-tasters and is always accompanied by a squad of Styphon's Own Guard."

"Can we enlist the Grand Master in our plot?" Dimonestes asked.

Archpriest Grythos who had once served under Soton as a Knight Commander of the Zarthani Knights held his hands out. "The Grand Master is not one to take orders."

Styphon's Voice nodded. "So I have learned."