The Fireseed Wars

"May the gods curse the Styphoni who have led me astray. Is it too late to make peace with Kalvan?"

Petrus nodded. "Yes. I do not know what the Usurper's plans are for our City, but I do not foresee the Usurper Kalvan returning it to Your Majesty unless you surrender and end the war. Such a capitulation to the Usurper would result in Your Majesty being saddled with stringent and onerous conditions."

"I will not bind myself to any man. We are Grefftscharri from the oldest and greatest civilization in the world."

"Yes, Your Majesty. However, there are other princes and kings in the Upper Kingdoms who will see your defeats as an opportunity to increase their own majesty. We must leave this gods-forsaken land immediately and head to Helmout Town or Ult-Greffa and declare one of them your new capital."

"Which one do you suggest?"

"Ult-Greffa, as it was once the capital of Grefftscharr and holds a place in every citizens heart. Also, you will have close access to the Iron Trail."

"Petrus, start making preparations. I will talk to my admirals tonight."

"What about your allies, Your Majesty?"

Theovacar spat upon the ground. "To Hadron with the lot of them! They will know I'm gone when they see the dust of our leaving."

"But we must tell them something, Your Majesty."

"Fine, Petrus. I'll write a dispatch and, after we have left for Ult-Greffa, you can inform King Lysandros and the Grand Commander that we have left and why. We may yet find them useful. However, I suspect their so-called siege will give them no more satisfaction than our Navy found in Thagnor Harbor."

II

King Theovacar departed just after dawn, taking all his troops with him. May Dralm be praised! thought Rylla. Theovacar had also taken as hostages most of the surviving members of the Ragyathi ruling family and nobility. According to all reports, Ragyath Town was a shambles and would require extensive rebuilding. Good, Rylla thought. We can annex the entire Princedom and it will allow us to reward Prince Sarrask for his loyalty and decisive victory over King Theovacar. However, this time she would wait for Kalvan to return before crowning the Prince.

Rylla hoped the defeated King and his Army weren't headed back to Greffa, where her husband was besieging the City. She waddled over to her desk and looked at the growing piles of paper and parchments with dismay; she was beginning to understand why her husband had been so reluctant to introduce paper. With another princedom to administer, the piles would grow even higher, since they would not only have to do some extensive rebuilding after the Greffan occupation but provide foodstuffs and basic necessities as well as prepare for winter.

However, the rebuilding of Ragyath was not something she had to worry over today as any improvements would have to wait until after the Grand Host was sent home with its tail between its legs. She could arrange for ships to off-load foodstuffs and other essential supplies now that the Greffan naval blockade was temporarily ended.

The time had come to undertake the next stage of the war against the Grand Host of Styphon's House.

There was a knock at the door and Cleon stuck his head through the opening. "Your Majesty, Prince Phrames is here."

"Send him in, Cleon. Thank you."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Prince Phrames came in and gave her a quick once-over. "Your Majesty, it appears you have come to full term. Are you sure that you shouldn't be resting in your bedchamber?"

Rylla laughed. "I still have another moon or two before I enter the birthing chamber. I was even bigger with Demia." And I pray to the Allmother that this birth will not be as difficult…

Phrames bowed his head. "Why I came this morning, Your Majesty, was to apologize to you for doubting your wisdom in giving Prince Sarrask command of the attack on the Grefftscharri Army. I was wrong. Sarrask did an admirable job of defeating the enemy, and then breaking off before King Lysandros' Army reached the West Gate. I fear I allowed my older prejudices, from when the Prince was our sworn enemy, to cloud my judgment. Maybe, also, there was a bit of jealousy, as I have always considered myself to be the better commander."

"This was not a personal decision, Prince. I needed you to keep watch on the South Tower and oversee our upcoming attack on the Grand Host's encampment. I didn't want you distracted by the strike against Theovacar."

"I see that now, Your Majesty."

"I also want you to know that as soon as the Grand Host has departed and my husband has returned, we will be crowning Sarrask as Prince of Ragyath."

"It is only fair, since I am Prince of Gytha and Sarrask is a Prince without a seat, as it is unlikely we will return to Hos-Hostigos anytime soon."

"I know," she replied, trying to keep the sadness she felt about losing her former home out of her voice. "Sarrask has also been a loyal subject and has never given way to despair. True, his manners and deportment could use some work, but overall he has served us well."