The Fireseed Wars

"Also, her Majesty and I discussed your plan and made some more improvements."

Hestophes braced himself for the worst. There was no telling what those two she-panthers might have come up with.

"We decided it wasn't safe to leave the boys on their own. The Queen thinks it might be best if we had someone to watch over them."

"But who, my love? The Duke was buried five years ago. The Lady Tymolara hated the old Duke, but who knows how trustworthy she'll be in Agrys City, where she could sell us out for a wheelbarrow of gold?" Wheelbarrows were another of the Great King's gifts, thought Hestophes, one that at first seemed simple and obvious. Once Kalvan had demonstrated them they had spread throughout the Five Kingdoms like dandelion seeds, improving the lives of farmers and workers throughout the Great Kingdoms.

"I know who will take Tymolara's place, my husband. Great Queen Rylla and I discussed this idea and drew the same conclusion." Lysia beamed at him as if she'd just won an archery competition. "It was Rylla's idea that I take her place!"

Hestophes felt his stomach drop. "But it's too dangerous! Besides, I might not see you again for many winters-"

She grabbed onto his neck so tightly he thought it might bend. He felt her tears as they soaked his ruff. Between sobs, she spoke, "I know, my love… it might be a very long time and I will miss you every moment. Still, we owe the Queen this service. I haven't been happy watching you from afar, suffering under the fools that the League placed over you. I'm glad we decided to tell no one of our plan other than Ranthos and the few Hostigi we needed to smuggle young Dementros, his half-sister and the Lady Tymolara out of Hos-Agrys.They should all be safely inside Thagnor City by now, where they will be kept under assumed names. No one must know, so darling, there is really no one else but myself who can make this deception work."

"I know you're right, but that doesn't mean I like it! It does make me want to take the war to the Styphoni with a vengeance!"

"That's the right idea. The sooner the Styphoni are driven from Agrys City, the sooner we can be together."

FIFTY-THREE

Prince Phidestros watched as General Geblon, holding his banner, a gold thunderbolt breaking a black iron chain on a green field, approached the City Gates of Harphax City and drew within hailing distance. Phidestros was on horseback at the top of a ridge, in his new silvered parade armor, with five thousand horse behind him waiting to see if the Gates would open peacefully or remain closed. At the first sign of armed resistance, his orders were to pull back; he was determined that this was not going to turn into a siege. He had come to Harphax City to restore order at the invitation of the rightful Prince; not to fill the gutters with blood. Not that he cared about a little spilled blood, but Arminta had convinced him that his reputation would suffer unless his entrance was peaceful.

The City's fate was balanced on a knife edge. If they were refused entrance, the riots would continue until the bandits and minions of Yathar, the Death Bringer, ruled the streets. The Harphaxi City Watch had resigned en masse, claiming they weren't paid enough silver to die for their jobs. The pitiful remnant of the Royal Army that Lysandros had left behind had either deserted or barricaded themselves in their own barracks.

Suddenly the gates burst open and several hundred celebrants ran out to greet their liberators. He was glad he didn't have to hide the smile that broke out on his face.

"It looks like the Princess's groundwork opened the old lady's legs, Captain," General Kyblannos hooted.

Phidestros clapped him on the back and laughed out loud. The Princess had sent word to several of her fellow aristocrats to enlist their aid in putting their rightful King back on the Iron Throne. Two days earlier he'd sent Cythros, Captain of the Blue Company, into the City with his most trusted soldiers to secure Great Queen Lavena and Chancellor Lyphannes to ensure they survived the tumult as the Kingdom changed rulers. Lavena and the new baby would be useful in case anything happened to Selestros or he proved difficult to manage, while Lyphannes was necessary to ensure a smooth transition between rulers. He'd met the Chancellor before and knew he was amenable to bribery and intimidation; Phidestros would use whatever it took, even if it meant throwing Lyphannes to the mob as a symbol of Lysandros' oppression.

General Geblon returned with a delegation of city fathers, nobles, High Guildmasters, a Styphon's House Highpriest, a brace of magistrates, an Uncle Wolf whom he remembered from last year's campaign, and several wealthy merchants of note.