Once more the scout shook his head.
“
The Isogorreans were putting anyone wounded or left alive to the sword when I chose to leave. They killed them all my Lord.”
The scout was almost sobbing now. The lieutenants began talking amongst themselves and questioning the information. Cathan could only stare as a look of horror crossed his face. An entire army group had been wiped out. If it had not been for Urroz ordering him off they too may very well have been dead too. Cathan turned to his lieutenants.
“
We need to get back to Kassandrea as soon as possible, order double time immediately!”
The men saluted and quickly moved off, it was within the minute their pace had picked up and they were on their way back to Kassandrea with more urgency now. This was no longer a journey to mark their loss of face it was about getting word back as soon as possible to mobilize the Kingdoms armies. There was no telling how close behind the Isogorreans may be by the time they got there.
Cathan focused on what he would need to do, report what had happened to Lord Ercanbold and also request permission to return to his homeland to mobilize the men of the district. Word would also have to go out to all the provinces of the Kingdom. He now understood that the early report he had heard regarding the genocide in the south was most likely true. It gave him pause as there were so many people in small villages stretching from here to Kassandrea. The more he thought about it the more he realized he should give fair warning not only to those they directly pass but to all villages out wide too. It also meant he was going to be taking a major decision without the approval of his superiors, but right now he was the highest ranking officer left in the south and his men were what was left of the southern army group.
Turning to one of his men he ordered that the Lieutenants return to him which they did in quick time, they were all experienced men and knew they needed to be focused and vigilant.
“
I need you all to split the men up into small groups of six all with at least a corporal in charge, these groups are to fan out either side going out to a distance of three days ride and then go to every village along the way warning them of what is coming and that they are to retreat to inside the walls of Kassandrea. They are also to strip all supplies of any kind including burning whatever is left behind. They are not to let anything fall into the hands of the enemy that could be of use, are there any questions?”
All of them shook their heads, they understood perfectly what it meant. It would be no easy task to convince the villagers stretched far and wide across the land to abandon their homes and livelihoods, then torch anything they left behind.
“
Men, we have no choice in this, the Isogorrean army is stronger than we could have imagined and I truly believe this course of action is the only one we have open to us, if any of you disagree with me at all speak now.”
His lieutenants looked at each other and one spoke up,
“
We are with you all the way Lord Cathan, we place our trust in you implicitly.”
Cathan nodded,
“
Thank you, I in turn will take seven men and return to Kassandrea directly by the fastest means possible. All men are to carry what food supplies they can and the supply wagons will be cut loose and burnt. There is no time to waste, move out!”
It took them only three and a half days to get back to Kassandrea and as Cathan entered the massive gates of the city he looked around at all the people going about their normal day to day lives, totally oblivious to the coming human made storm.
Kassandrea was a huge city covering almost 15 square miles, it had made its own importance a top priority under the present King and had prospered beyond even its own expectations. Cathan wondered if that bubble was about to burst? At least there was plenty of room for the coming masses.
It took a couple of hours to wind their way through the busy city to the Castle proper. It was like its own isolated town within the heart of the city. The high walls had once been the original boundary of Kassandrea before it had gotten so big. Now within these second set of walls sat the administrative hub of the Kingdom. This was the seat of power of all. Cathan stared up those high white granite walls and wondered at the colossal energies that must have been used to fashion them. No human hand was capable of making a dent in them, let alone breach them. It was the one thing they could count on if all else failed.
Presenting himself at the secondary set of gates he announced his presence and waited to be ushered in. He sat with his men in the small outhouse provided for those in wait. Cathan then thought better of his men and gave them leave to come back in a few hours. They could have free reign until then. They bid their thanks and moved off. Some went to have a beer, others to find a place with a bath and a couple of them went looking for some working girls.
Finally he was ushered in and Cathan followed the guide. They must have walked another five minutes and entered another large set of gates. Here finally they were inside the castle proper and he continued to follow the guide upstairs to a high ceiling-ed hallway. They traveled down it and he was bade to sit at a bench outside a set of huge ornate doors. Cathan had never been inside Kassandrea before and he was feeling somewhat intimidated by his surroundings. He began to fidget at the delays, they were making him wait even longer and he had urgent news.
He continued to think about how to convey what had happened. It was important that they understood the seriousness of the situation. He had been in Kassandrea only a few hours and already the memory of what had happened was becoming some sort of abstract reality far removed from the immediacy of this environment. He wondered if they would be worried at all?
The massive doors finally parted and an usher came out waving him in. As Cathan entered the man spoke loud,
“
Your highness, the Lord Cathan of the High Wilds in service to Lord Urroz southern commander of the Kings armies!”
Cathan stood at attention. He hadn’t expected such fanfare. Lord Ercanbold was seated at his leather chair looking at forms of all descriptions. The table in front of him was a good ten feet wide and five foot deep but in the center of that room it looked very small. The ceilings were over thirty feet above them with highly sculpted roof beams. With the sunlight coming through the tall and narrow windows it looked like there was a haze in the air.
Lord Ercanbold looked up finally and motioned with his outstretched hand still holding a quill.
“
Lord Cathan please come forward.” Cathan approached and stood before the desk, “You have a report from the southern front? How goes Lord Urroz?”
Cathan took a deep breath, he may just as well come right out with it,
“
He is dead your highness, they are all dead.”
Ercanbold looked at him blankly,
“
What do you mean dead? Who is all? The Isogorreans?”
It was the same initial reaction Cathan had given his scout only a few days ago.
“
I will explain more fully your highness. Lord Urroz and all the men under his command are dead. They have been slaughtered in battle with the Isogorrean army. My own men are all that’s left, a total of no more than five hundred.”
Lord Ercanbold sat there staring.
“
That is not possible. Lord Urroz was my best and fairest, he cannot be dead surely?”
Cathan could do nothing more than shake his head slowly now. Ercanbold sat there in deep thought, Lord Urroz was a close friend and a good man. He began questioning how it could happen but first he had to deal with transmitting the bad news to the King.
“
I will need you to attend a court meeting with the King and his high command to explain what has happened. For now you may leave, you will be expected back this evening, be prepared.”
He waved his hand for Cathan to go and he turned his chair away. Cathan stood stiffly, turned and left.
Back outside the door Cathan started down the hall, a little confused by the man’s reaction and a little frustrated at how slowly things were being dealt with. It had been morning when he had arrived at the gates of Kassandrea. Now it wouldn’t be until later this evening, probably later still, before he gave his account of what was happening. It effectively meant another day was lost in preparations. Was the entire structure here so slow to move? They knew they had invaders in this land. They knew they were up against a sizable army. They knew that Port Cholandra, a major trading port to the south had already fallen and yet, it seemed like this war was an inconvenience to their day to day activities. Cathan left the castle looking for a tavern, he needed a beer badly.
Back in the halls of power Lord Ercanbold called for an audience with the King. He had arrived back from his Oceanside foray only a week before and had been keeping himself busy getting reacquainted with the maids. It was an hour before Ercanbold got to see him but the Lord made it short and quick. As he came into the Kings chamber he bowed deeply,
“
My Lord King and protector of all that is worthy, you humble servant Lord Ercanbold bids you good tidings.”
The King looked at his man.
“
Arise Lord Ercanbold, you have news?”
Ercanbold pulled himself back up and not without a little effort, his knees weren’t like they used to be.
“
I have bad tidings to bring you from the southern army. I do not wish to convey second hand news so I have taken the liberty of asking the officer in question to return this evening at your convenience to address us and the high council of Regional Barons.”
The King nodded.
“
Yes very good, no point in hearing bad news on an empty stomach. I concur with your decision. Will you be inviting my son along? I haven’t managed to catch up with him since my return.”
Lord Ercanbold thought on this. He would have liked to have kept it between him, the Barons and the King.
“
Well your highness, I suppose that Prince Alard will have to be informed too as he will have to make adjustments to his own preparations in light of the new circumstances.”
The King smiled.
“
Yes good, my son has proven himself to be very able of late, just as I had always expected of him. You know even when he was growing up I always thought he would do me proud.” Ercanbold nodded and bowed. The King continued on, “Well if you have nothing further?”
Ercanbold shook his head.
“
No your highness, I will not trouble you with any other frivolities.”
Again the King smiled.
“
That is good I can return to my uh previous engagements, you are dismissed.”
“
Thank you your highness.”
The lord bowed and backed out of the room. Ercanbold returned to his office and began writing out a telegram to be hand delivered to Prince Alard who was in Kassandrea as well. He wrote it vaguely enough that maybe the Prince would send one back stating he couldn’t make it. He knew the Prince to be an industrious man and not one to waste his time on matters he didn’t think were important.
After all, the more he thought about it the more he realized that the consequences of losing the entire army might in fact reflect on himself when the story came out. He had personally picked not only Lord Urroz, but also most of the officers under his command. So once the facts came to light, whatever they may be, he was sure Prince Alard would seize on the opportunity to install one of his own men in his position. Ercanbold wasn’t going to let that happen if he could help it.
A plan started to form in his head. Cathan could be made to look responsible if he played his cards right. The King would have a scapegoat and Ercanbold’s position would be safe. He turned and addressed an adjutant.
“
Get me everything we have on file on this Lord Cathan.”
Yes everyone had a past and everyone had black marks. It was simply a matter of playing them to take advantage. Lord Ercanbold hadn’t become supreme commander of all the land armies by being a good little soldier.
That afternoon Cathan got sidetracked on his walk to a tavern by a small bazaar on a side street and he picked his way through the vendors all offering their wares. He was simply amazed at all that was on offer. As he moved through his nostrils kept running into new and different odors, some were musky and others spicy. Some just downright bad in his opinion, but nevertheless it added to the exotic flair of what he was seeing. The stalls were filled with all sorts of wonderment to his eyes. At one there was a trader selling rolls of material so soft and light, it shined in the sun like the surface of a still pond. It was called silk and each roll was of a different color that had murals of different types of fantasy creatures on it. It also felt so smooth and pleasant to the touch he was half tempted to buy some to take back to his mother in the north.
At another stall he found a vendor with small two pound bags of spices and herbs of incredible variety and the aromas that attacked his nose actually made him feel a little queasy so he moved on quickly. Music was playing too from some quarter but he was never able to work out exactly where it came from, it’s sounds totally alien but attractive to him. He came across one vendor selling arrows ‘guaranteed to fly further and straighter than any other.’ The man seemed quite shifty and he didn’t spend much time at that stall.