The Fireseed Wars

"By Dralm, those stout walls will stop the Styphoni in their tracks! Won't they stop our Army as well?"

Kalvan felt like a proud schoolmaster, one whose favorite pupil had not only mastered a difficult lesson, but learned to read between the lines as well. "Our plan is to bypass the City entirely and inflict as little damage as possible upon the Princedom of Rathon. We will provide weapons and support for those who opposed King Nestros. But we'll leave it for the Styphoni to storm Rathon City."

"That's a good plan, Your Majesty. With the fields of Rathon stripped bare and their own pantries empty, the Grand Host will have to bring in huge wagon trains of victuals to invest the City. If they leave it behind, we can cut their supply lines and attack them from the rear. But what if there is no Rathoni uprising, or it fails and does not supplant Great King Nestros?"

Kalvan nodded thoughtfully. "We know from recent reports that his subjects are growing restive under his rule. Nestros has taxed them heavily to build five Great Temples within Rathon to glorify Styphon-part of his price for being granted recognition by Hos-Ktemnos. Nor are his people happy with the arrogance and demands from Styphons highpriests. With our encouragement and without direct support from Styphon's House, it's quite possible that the Rathoni people will rise up in rebellion and remove Nestros from his Throne."

"It's a good plan, Sire, but often plans do not work as we would wish," Hestophes observed. "In that case, we will be leaving behind us both an enemy and an ally of Styphon's House."

Kalvan sighed. "True. However, we do not have the time to besiege Rathon City. We will have to take that chance. The plan is to drive the war home to the Styphoni for a change. If the uprising fails or doesn't materialize, it will be up to you and the Army of Observation to slow down the Styphoni advance.

"Meanwhile, I'll be taking Thagnor so that we will have a place to winter this year. Otherwise, we will be at the mercy of the Gods."

Hestophes scowled.

Kalvan could almost read his thoughts: he knew there was little mercy to be found in the Zarthani Pantheon of Gods. Only Allfather Dralm and Yirtta Allmother, cared about their children, but the Allfather and the Allmother were far away in his Sky-Palace watching his people in the Six Kingdoms. This new land knew its own gods and they were a vengeful lot.

"Hestophes, I also want you to keep an eye on the Great Queen. Nothing obvious; she will upbraid me if she notices. Still, I do not want anything bad to happen to her."

When Hestophes nodded, Kalvan believed from the look in his eye that he truly understood. I wonder if he's met someone? Rylla will know, I'll have to ask her.

Hestophes' next words answered that question.

"Your Majesty, now it is my turn to ask a boon. One of the captains of Queen Rylla's Pioneers has done the Army of Observation a great service and I would like to have her company added to the Army."

"What's this Captain's name?" Kalvan asked, knowing full well if he didn't find out he'd get the third degree from Rylla later on.

"Her name is Captain Lysia. Her company was in command of the wagon you suggested we use as bait for the ambush, which worked as planned-maybe better, Praise Galzar!"

Praise Galzar, indeed, thought Kalvan. Three thousand dead Styphoni and another two thousand prisoners would be hard to improve upon.

"I will bring your request to the Queen. I foresee no problems with your

boon."

Hestophes all but bowed. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"I take it you want to put this Captain under your protection."

Hestophes laughed uproariously. When his fit was finished, he said, "I could no more protect Lysia than you can protect your Great Queen! But I can try."

TEN

Kalvan and Rylla held their strategy meeting before his private audience with Ambassador Dykar of the Nythros City States. The Nythros City States was at the site of Otherwhen Cleveland, Ohio and, like Renaissance Milan or Venice, was only one city-state with several large suburbs, which had probably been important towns in their own right a few hundred years ago. Nythros reminded Kalvan of Venice, with its Council of Oligarchs and Doge, only the Nythrosi called their Council the Family of Five and their Doge was titled Koynig, which meant king in Urgothi.

Ranjar Sargos, the current leader of the Sastragath, called himself Var-Wannax-which meant Great Leader and was the linguistic equivalent of Great King (Hos-Vanax) in Zarthani. The Sastragathi tongue was an interesting analogue to Mycenaean Greek and proto-Germanic tongues. In the Great Lakes Urgothi, Sargos would have been called Grot-Koynig-the title that King (Koynig) Theovacar would embroil his kingdom in civil war to obtain.

"What makes you think we can trust this oily snake, Dykar?" Rylla asked.