Bloodstone - Power of Youth (Book 3) (20 page)

“Please send birds to them with a warning of possible conflict with Deshine.”

The king nodded and took a deep breath, placing both hands on the table. “I’m afraid I have overtaxed you this evening. We will talk again tomorrow morning. I will have servants show you to your quarters. Leef, you get to stay as a guest in the castle tonight, but don’t let it go to your head. Right?”  The king looked to be the one overtaxed.

Leef bowed his head. “Your majesty.” Anchor thought the Captain had outdone his monarch in the volume of alcohol consumed.

In the morning, the king had successfully shrugged off the previous evening and sat in his map room perusing a folder.

“Anchor, I will make you my War Marshal. You will have command of all of the land forces of Learsea. I’ve got your appointment papers here.” He looked down at some notes. “It seems that we might have to do something about Deshine. But don’t worry about the south or an attack from the Ayrtan Sea. We can assist Valetan in capturing Port Scarlet from the sea. There is a naval installation close by. Remember, I rule the waves without question.”

The king or one of his people had been scribbling during their dinner. King Willom’s confidence in his sea defenses only served to reinforce his impressions of the king through the years. The king ruled competently enough, but clearly loved the sea more than his subjects inland.

“What kind of defenses do you have in place now?”

“Of course, you know of the Fargo, that great, vast stinking river that starts in Histo and runs through Valetan and Oringia into the Ayrtan Sea. Still, I’ll have General Fellon brief you now that your appointment is official. You do what you deem necessary and that includes drafting men and women into the army. I would appreciate being up to date on all of your activities. You do realize that appointments to high rank come and go.”

Anchor got the message. He examined his documents and confirmed that King Willom had given him extraordinary powers. The king waved his hand in dismissal and took another folder. Before he opened it, he looked out at the sea.

Anchor knew it was time to go and rose to leave the room.

A guard took Anchor to the military building on the castle grounds. “This is your office sir.”

Anchor looked into a hastily cleared out room. Perhaps it housed officers. He couldn’t tell since the furniture looked very new. Leef walked in.

“I’ve now been officially assigned as your adjutant, Lord Marshal.”

“Call me Anchor when there aren’t other officers around. Can you possibly do that?” Anchor said.

“Of course, Anchor. Do you want me to get General Fellon? He’s been in his own office pacing and muttering.” Leef said. “I love to see an uncomfortable general.”

“I don’t,” Anchor said. “They make the rankers uncomfortable.” Anchor never liked seeing King Billeas pacing back and forth. It usually meant trouble for him. He was sure the same kind of discomfort trickled all the way down to every soldier.

Leef’s face fell a bit. “I’ll be right back.”

Anchor didn’t have to wait long.

“Marshal,” Fellon said. He was a fit man, a head shorter than Anchor with steel gray hair and a full mustache.

“Sit. We have a lot to go over.” Anchor looked over at Leef. “Leef, could you bring in Shiro and something to eat and drink. I’ll be spending the next few hours of the day with the General.

“Yes, Marshal,” Leef said. The man still had a smile on his face, so Anchor guessed Leef cheerfully accepted his new assignment.

The four men met until mid-day exchanging information. Anchor thought Fellon to be competent, but not very imaginative. He had little to add to his strategies and assigned him to the defense of the south and the build up of the army for the southern swing. He only spoke of his general strategy of defending the northwest. Already too many people knew of his plans, so he’d have to assume that Histron would know as well. Thank the gods, his strategy did not require surprise.

Fellon arranged for Anchor to spend a working dinner with the officers in the castle, explaining how the general muster would occur and a broad discussion of strategy. All of the details of the muster had originally come from Tishiaki. Anchor kept it very simple and didn’t provide the men with Anchor’s full strategy along the Northwest Corridor that they all began terming the conflict.

Anchor allowed the three of them another night in beds before they returned to their forces. He took along a willing well-traveled sergeant to connect with Shiro so they could transport to many places within Learsea.

He looked up at the ornate ceiling of his quarters in the castle. Tomorrow he’d be looking up at the stars or the ceiling of a dripping tent. He sighed and turned over. Everything had gone too easily. He tried to go to sleep outlining everything that could go wrong.

~~~

Chapter Twenty-One

~

L
otto paced the floor of Duke Jellas’s study
, waiting for Princess Sallia to arrive for a final meeting before he departed north to Valetan.

“Are you that nervous?” Councilor Lessa of Prola asked, sitting back in one of the Duke’s side chairs. The duke hadn’t arrived yet either.

“I don’t know,” Lotto said. “I had an adolescent crush on Princess Sallia and I’m still excited to see her.”

Lessa laughed. “Is the Princess Restella jealous?” He played with his dagger as he continued to lean back.

“She’s always jealous. The link just makes it worse. She can’t read my mind this far away, but we can communicate through the Moonstone, if we concentrate. Restella has the Moonstone and she thinks that gives her more power.”

“But you don’t need the Moonstone.”

“I don’t need to touch the Moonstone, but it’s my guess that any communication goes through it.”

“So if Sallia was interested in you after all, you wouldn’t want that relationship to be communicated. Am I right?”

Lotto wrung his hands. “I suppose so. That damned link has me so confused. It amplifies the emotions between Restella and me.”

Lessa laughed. “I’m glad I’m not you.” He pointed the tip of his dagger at Lotto as Duke Jellas entered with Princess Sallia.

“Please,” the duke said holding up his hand. “No fighting in my offices.”

Lessa smiled and sat forward, sheathing his weapon. Lessa stood and offered Sallia his chair.

“I kept it warm, just for you,” Lessa said, smiling at the princess. Lotto knew he said it just to tease Sallia. The man was a lovable rogue. The princess colored as Lessa had intended, but sat in Lotto’s unoccupied chair. Lessa just raised an eyebrow in mock alarm.

“I’ll just sit here,” Sallia said. “It’s closer to the duke. Are you sure you aren’t Morio’s brother?” She gave Lessa a doubtful smile as she delivered the mild chastening.

Jellas pursed his lips to hide a smile, Lotto surmised. Lotto pulled up another chair over from its place along the wall. He sat on the other side of Lessa from Sallia. Lessa gave him a knowing smirk.

The duke cleared his throat. “I’ve called you here to discuss Prince Peeron.”

“He’s a worse popinjay than I am,” Lessa said, examining his fingernails. “I’d just as soon ship him back home to his father. I dislike cringing in strategy meetings.”

Sallia moved up in her seat. “I disagree with the Councilor. Prince Peeron has little standing among us, but think of the damage he’ll do to Anchor in Learsea. I can put up with a little ‘cringing’ if it furthers our efforts to rid Histron and the Dark Emperor from Besseth.”

The three of them looked at Lotto, who had put his hand to his chin, thinking about his plight with Sallia and Restella. “Uh, I agree with the princess.” He hadn’t really noticed that the question had been aimed at him.

Lessa poked him in the side. “Your opinion of the prince?”

“Oh.” Lotto couldn’t verbally thank Lessa, but he did give him a nod. “I think your initial motive was to keep him close so he can be controlled. I still think that’s the best solution.” He patted Lessa’s knee. “Sorry, Lessa, I’ll have to disagree with you. We won’t assign him to your forces, how’s that?”

Lessa nodded. “I will submit to your collective wisdom, especially assigning him to someone else’s forces. He will stay healthier that way,” Lessa sighed, “but if called upon to be his nursemaid, I can handle him.”

Lotto knew what Lessa meant and he looked at the duke.

“Fair enough. Any word from Oringia?”

Sallia pulled out her Bloodstone. “Let’s have an up-to-date assessment.”

Lotto heard her calling for Restella through the Moonstone.

“Who calls?” Restella’s voice clearly rang through Lotto’s mind.

Sallia spoke, “Lotto, Councilor Lessa, Duke Jellas and I were talking about our intentions to the south and wondered about your progress.”

Lotto heard and felt a laugh. He sensed Restella’s confidence through the communication. “What a difference when the command wants to win against the enemy,” Restella said. “We are halfway to the capital…  ”

Lotto realized that Restella was about to act as Duke Histron to Oringia’s Learsea in Anchor’s Learsea strategy. “Oringia’s strategy could be identical to Anchor’s. They might let you advance unhindered to the capital on the other side of the country and then collapse unseen forces on your flank. If you continue forward, you won’t have anywhere to go if they attack from behind.” If Restella needed to listen to advice, it was now. He let his concern for her welfare seep into his thoughts.

Restella said nothing for a few moments, but Lotto could feel a procession anger, confusion and then embarrassment. “Oh, I see. Let me pull out a map.”

Lotto told the group in Crackledown that she was evaluating her position as the moments passed.

“You may have saved me from a monumental error.” Her emotion was one of relief.

“The Oringians might just be weak, Restella and your strategy sound, but I ask you to reconsider. You don’t have to unnecessarily expose yourself.”

“Like in Happly? I know full well the strategy and have had a version of it already played out on me. And I didn’t even see it.”

Sallia looked concerned. “Princess, I’m no strategist, but I urge you to be careful. We are always at your disposal. The Duke, Lessa and I, as well as Lotto, would be pleased to share our thoughts with you as I am of the opinion that your thoughts can benefit our movements as well. Anchor and Shiro would be happy to consult as well through the Sunstone.”

Lotto tried to keep his admiration for Sallia’s comments from his mind.

“I can sense you agree, Lotto.” Restella said.

Lotto felt his forehead grow hot. “I do. This method of instant communication is new to me and I think Sallia makes a great point. We have the Warstones. We should use them.”

“I’m calling my commanders together. I will get back to you after we reframe our strategy, now that you’ve shown me they need reconsideration. Thank you.” Restella’s connection had been cut off.

Sallia communicated Restella’s final thoughts to the Duke and Lessa. Lotto could only feel relieved.

Lessa fell back into his seat. “Good going, Lotto, for piercing through her strategy.” He made a thrust with his index finger.

“It just became clear to me what she intended. I can sense more through my connection with Restella than can Sallia, I imagine, and I could tell generally what her plans were. It was more of a feel, actually. She instantly made the connection with Happly. Perhaps Anchor’s plan won’t work on Histron. The usurper might see the same pattern.”

Lessa sat up again. “Anchor knows that. His plan has layers. His expectation isn’t to smash Histron’s forces, at this point, as much as it is to keep the Red Kingdom army from penetrating too far into Learsea, while keeping them occupied while we continue to prepare in the north.”

Duke Jellas looked at the three. “I agree with Lessa. Remember Anchor expects to eventually be fighting through the southern duchies and come up to Foxhome from the south.  That’s a strategy expecting expulsion of Histron’s forces in Learsea.”

“I only hope that he is successful,” Sallia said.

Lotto hoped they would all be successful.

~

The earthenwork walls looked nearly as strong as stone to Anchor. They took on the aspect of fired clay, to his mind. This wasn’t like mud and wattle structures used by peasants throughout Besseth. Even with coats and coats of limestone wash, no cottage or inn approached the stone-like quality of the walls he now inspected.

“What do you think?” Tishiaki said to Anchor.

“Solid. What will rain do?”

“Make it wet.” Tishiaki laughed and then shrugged. “In fifty or a hundred years, the edges might soften, but as forts, for a few years, Histron’s army can’t pull them down.”

“But can you?” Anchor said. His thoughts turned to Lotto’s method of entering Happly Keep by reducing the mortar to sand.

Tishiaki furrowed his brow. “Why would you do that? Our men and women would become exposed.”

Anchor laughed. “I wasn’t thinking about my men and women. What if Histron occupies these fortifications, filling them up with his soldiers and we come back and knock the walls down.”

“Let’s get Shiro over here and find out,” Tishiaki said. “I like the way you think, Anchor.”

Anchor had been looking for more strategies ever since he met with the king and his generals. The fortifications became a wrinkle in defending Learsea and he doubted that Histron would risk sending his forces through his string of keeps, even if they were strong. He’d have think of other possibilities. An invasion from the south still bothered him. He wished that Chika’s half of the Red Rose were in Learsea, but Lotto and Duke Jellas needed the wizardry strength to keep Histron bottled up in the Red Kingdom.

Shiro walked up and slapped the wall. “This should be sturdy enough.”

“What if we wanted to take the fort down after the war? How could we do that?”

The question got Shiro to rub his chin. He pursed his lips and put his hand on the wall and then withdrew it.

“Perhaps I could do this,” he said. He extended his arm like he did when he tested the wall for hardness and narrowed his eyes. In a moment, the dirt began to soften and flow from a circle three feet in diameter. In moments the six-foot thick wall had a hole large enough to fit a man crawling through. “Something I learned from Lotto’s actions in Happly.”

Anchor nodded in agreement and slapped the wall on either side. It still seemed just as hard. “We may have the best backup strategy yet. We let Histron’s army take the keeps. He will feel secure enough to move his men towards Learsea. At the right time, we destroy the forts and the army is exposed. He won’t know what to think when we attack without siege engines. What do you think?”

Shiro tilted his head. “With a little practice, we can probably make so the walls fall on them.” He smiled. “Now I must figure out how far away that magic will work.”

“It’s now your problem, Shiro. I can worry about other things. I like having many options. It makes finding solutions so much easier.”

~

Shiro worried more about Chika than he did tearing down the walls. In a few days, he could teleport to Crackledown. Perhaps she would be there. He pulled out the Sunstone and called Sallia. She spoke to him through the stone.

“How go the preparations at Crackledown?” Shiro asked.

“Is Anchor there?” Sallia said. Shiro could sense anticipation in her voice.

“Should he be?”

“No. I trust you’ll let him know that Prince Peeron has been a royal pain. Tell him that Peeron is worse than I ever was. But he’d be worse there with you. Let him know we are doing our part in ensuring your success by entertaining him here in Crackledown.”

Shiro laughed. “I will. Has Chika arrived yet?” He knew she wouldn’t have.

“Oh. Her forces have been assigned to the Border Keep in Everwet. She should be there today or tomorrow. Anchor knows the place. We had an interesting communication with Princess Restella a few days ago. She headed directly to the Oringia capital, just like you expected Histron to do to Learsea. Lotto reminded her of Happly and Anchor’s strategy and she’s still fighting Oringians, but no longer is trying to plunge inside the country.”

“As long as she can keep them from the Learsea border.” Shiro said. “Do you have any words for Anchor?”

“Just tell him to keep safe and I am thinking of him.”

“I’ll tell him,” Shiro said. “Goodbye.” He put the Sunstone back into his sword and fixed it in place with a little magic. He hadn’t displayed the stone for some time and perhaps he needed it in his sword. He’d use it with Anchor to locate the village of Everwet. He would like to hold Chika in his arms again and banter for a bit. He smiled as he walked out of his tent to assemble his best wizards. He had no desire to let Anchor down on those walls.

~

Restella sheathed her sword after dispatching the last of the enemy around her. Her officers and personal guard leaned against their swords, breathing deeply. She would show them more discipline. The Oringians fought more like she had expected, now that her forces advanced on a much broader front. She mounted an Oringian horse. Her own hadn’t made it through the battle. As she made her way through the carnage, she shook her head at the extent of her losses. Still the Oringian army couldn’t take much more of this battering. Her enemy’s casualties dwarfed hers.