The Fireseed Wars

Queen Rylla tried to sit cozily on her chair, but the baby was fidgeting and she couldn't find a comfortable position. It didn't help that the day was hot and muggy as well. Fortunately, the stone walls of the palace kept it cool inside. She knew the baby was due soon, within a moon half, but as far as she was concerned, it couldn't come soon enough. She'd hoped for a while that Kalvan would return from Greffa to be with her during this birth, but with the Grand Host still camped outside she knew that was not to be. Besides, now that she'd given birth once, it was not as frightening. Although Head Midwife Amasphalya kept reminding her about all the problems they had with Demia's birth, and how close they'd come to losing both her life and the baby's. If Amasphalya wasn't so good at her job, she would have dismissed the harridan in a heartbeat!

At least she and Kalvan had settled the problem of what to name the baby. If it was a boy-and she prayed to Yirtta that it would be, because a male heir would solidify their hold over their new subjects-they'd agreed to name him Ptosphes, after her father. That had always been her hope, but she'd graciously offered to name him after Kalvan's father, who had been a priest-although he had never told her of which temple. Kalvan had refused to even discuss it, saying his father's name was clumsy and unpronounceable. She suspected that far more was involved, as he never discussed his childhood. She knew him well enough to leave the topic alone.

Rylla prayed to all the True Gods that their children would have happier memories of their childhood.

There was a knock at the chamber door.

"Come in."

One of her Ladies-in-Waiting, opened the door and stuck her head inside. "There's a Baroness Lysia to see you, Your Majesty."

That was a surprise, since Lysia must have come all the way from Hos-Agrys. It must be important, she thought. I pray nothing's happened to Hestophes!

"Your Majesty, look at you! You're as big as a house!"

Rylla laughed. "The baby's due any day now."

"It'll be a big boy," Lysia pronounced.

Rylla smiled. "We hope it's a boy. A son would go a long way towards bringing our new subjects to the Fireseed Throne."

"I will pray to Yirtta that it is so."

She rose up and attempted to hug her friend. "Lysia, is Hestophes safe?"

"Oh yes, Your Majesty. I left on his orders."

"Whatever it is, it must be important for him to send you away."

Lysia laughed. "Yes, he likes to keep me within arm's reach, especially when there's a battle."

Rylla joined her. "Our men are very much alike."

"It is good that they are on the same side."

"Did you have any difficulties making your way past the Host's sentries?" Rylla asked.

"I had the ship master land in Ulrym, a small fishing village in Gytha, and rode overland. Some of Prince Phrames' men escorted me to the boat from Gytha Town to Thagnor."

"Good. Praise Dralm, the Styphoni don't have any warships on the Sea of Aesklos."

"No, but most of the ships leaving Port Glarth are bringing supplies for the Host. It was fortunate that I only needed a small boat for my party."

"How are things in Hos-Agrys?" Rylla asked. "I heard about the League's defeat in Hestophes' last dispatch. Will the League reform with a new army before the next campaign season?"

Lysia nodded. "They have no choice. If they do nothing, Styphon's House will own the entire Kingdom by next fall. The spur that goads the Agrysi on is Arch-Butcher Roxthar's Investigation. They're afraid that the Investigation will find them to be heretics."

"I'd say that's being realistic; a heretic to Roxthar is anyone who doesn't believe that Styphon is the only true god."

"Yes, and the Agrysi people have come to realize that means almost all of them."

"I see the hand of Xentos behind this, as well," Rylla said.

"Oh, yes. He preaches to one and all the sins of Styphon's House. I know the Primate's heart is filled with sorrow over what happened in Hostigos and to her people."

"Too little, too late, for me." She found it impossible to keep the bile she felt out of her voice. They might still be in Hostigos, her father and Harmakros alive, if Xentos had pushed the League of Dralm to intervene in the war with Styphon's House last spring. Now, it was Xentos' turn on the hot seat. Good, Dralm damn him!

"I hope you're not here to ask for more troops to help the League of Dralm?"

Lysia shook her head. "No, Your Majesty, I came about a secret operation that Hestophes came up with. We have a one-time opportunity to put our own candidate on the Throne of Light."

Rylla leaned forward, her discomfort momentarily forgotten. "Yes. And how is that to be done?"

Lysia told her about the stolen dispatch from Styphon's Voice and the search for the King's heirs throughout Hos-Agrys by the Styphoni and Captain Ranthos and Duke Mnestros. "If Ranthos finds the boy first-and I believe he will-and if we can find a suitable substitute, we can eventually put a Hostigi on the Throne of Light as the next Great King of Hos-Agrys."