Fortress Draconis (58 page)

General Markus Adrogans turned from his study of the battlefield maps and nodded to Princess Alexia. “Good afternoon, Highness. I’ve heard of your order and I approve. Thank you. Will there be anything else?”

The fire that sparked in her violet eyes didn’t surprise him. “There are many things, General Adrogans.” She glanced at Phfas, the tent’s other occupant. “I would speak to you alone.”

“Say what you have to say, Highness.”

“I would not embarrass you.”

“I doubt you could.” He folded his arms over his chest. “Please don’t waste my time.”

She lifted her chin slowly and deliberated, choking back anger.That is good, Highness, that you manage to control yourself so well. Adrogans raised an eyebrow, but got no further reaction from her.

“General Adrogans, you clearly are aware that we have five Aurolani battalions prepared to strike at our rear. You’ve shifted no forces, issued no orders to address this problem. My Wolves and the Kingsmen are positioned to bear the brunt of any attack. We do not protest this, but we are cavalry and without infantry support, we are not going to deter Malarkex.”

Adrogans nodded. “That is a problem, yes, but one I will remedy.”

“How?”

“A fair question. You have to trust me that I will deal with it. You are well advised to prepare your troops, for you will be fighting tomorrow. You will be the key to crushing that relieving force.”

“How can I trust you, General?” The Okrans warrior stalked over to the battlefield map and stabbed a finger at it. “The two battalions coming down the lakeshore route will hit and hold against the Stonehearts here. If they send more forces out from Svoin they catch the Stonehearts from behind, and will push the Okrans Volunteers back into them, breaking the end of our line. Malarkex brings her forces forward to prevent us from flanking her forces and presses us hard on that same flank. If we successfully counterattack, she pulls back into the hills and has us at a severe disadvantage. At worst she gets more troops into Svoin.”

Adrogans nodded slowly. “I congratulate you on your analysis, Highness. I suspect this is exactly as Malarkex has seen it. You forgot to mention that your line of attack on her is muddied, but her path to the Stonehearts is fairly clear.”

Alexia’s nostrils flared as she glanced sidelong at him. “Don’t mock me, General. You ask me to trust you, to believe you have everything under control, but you hide things. That does not promote trust. You know I am a competent leader, a good leader.”

“You betray yourself, Highness, for it is clear you do not think I am the same.”

“I have evidence that speaks for and against it, General.”

“I see.” He narrowed his eyes. “Understand something, General. I know very well who you are and how you have been trained. I do marvel at your analysis. Your planning skills are splendid. You have done more with fewer troops in your engagements than I would have thought possible, and I have learned from reports of your battles. Yes, do not be surprised, I have read of you.”

Again she lifted her chin. “And I’ve read of you.”

“And you find flaw with my tactics.”

“I do.”

“It could be that I am at fault, or…”

“Or, General?”

“Perhaps the reportage of my battles has been faulty?” Adrogans let his voice harden. “Do not take this as criticism, Princess, but while you have been being trained, and trained so very well, I have been here, fighting the Aurolani. What I have learned in all that time has imparted to me a knowledge of Aurolani tactics that I will make good use of here. Malarkex has not yet deigned to engage me, so tomorrow will be a momentous day. One for which I have been preparing for decades.”

Alexia nodded. “I grant you have that knowledge.”

“Good. The other thing I have learned is that loyalties waver and fail. I know, for example, that there are forces in Lakaslin who do not like me and see me as a threat. They would be perfectly happy to see me die here. That there are conduits which guarantee my plans make it to Chytrine, I do not doubt. I do not ask you to trust me, I demand it.

That I do not seem to trust you is because I cannot, lest I chance betrayal.“

“Trust is not a river that flows in only one direction, General Adrogans.”

“In my army it is, Princess. It has to be.” The Jeranese soldier snorted. “Quickly, then, you know it benefits me not at all to betray you. I gain nothing by putting you into a position to be killed. I want Okrannel in your hands. It buffers my home against the Aurolani, if nothing else, and the merchant princes of Jerana drool with the prospect of profits to be gained in helping Okrannel rebuild. Half” the Okrans nobility in exile have married daughters of the Jeranese merchant class, and these same people will reward me very well to bring your nation back to life.

“Moreover, Princess, I have great respect for you and your skills. The positioning of your troops was not an accident, since I had to assume Malarkex would come to relieve Svoin, and come from the north. I wanted you there, not to waste your forces, but to provide you the chance to strike and draw first blood from those who have deprived you of your nation. Your troops are wonderful. I can count on them, so they are the tip of a lance I want to drive into the Aurolani forces.”

Alexia nodded. “Thank you.”

“So, Highness, while I cannot and will not trust you with information you have no need to know, I do trust you will do everything you must to defeat Malarkex. How, you will see, as needed, but the way to victory will be clear for you.”

She frowned. “I do not like this.”

“No, I don’t suppose you do, but that is a flaw in your training. You were trained to be a great warrior, and you are, but you were not trained to accept orders. I am not one of your tutors, but I do not shy from presenting you this lesson.”

Alexia snorted lightly. “If it is not a profitable lesson, I will hold you accountable.”

“If things go wrong, we’ll have an eternity in the grave to ponder our errors.” He sighed. “I do have an order. We will have a cold camp tonight. No fires.”

Irritation creased Alexia’s brow. “Malarkex is not going to be counting campfires to see how many of us there are. That information has likely been signaled to her from the city, and they have had ample time to tally our number.”

“Trust, Highness, trust.”

Her eyes narrowed, then she nodded once. “We will be ready to go at dawn?”

“Not unless she forces it. Get a meal into the troops, then fight by mid-morning, I think.”

“We’ll be ready.”

“Good, Highness, I am counting on you.”

She gave him a salute and he returned it. He watched her until she departed his tent, then glanced over at the cackling Zhusk. “What is it?”

“If you fail tomorrow, she will be a deadly enemy.”

“If I fail tomorrow, I will be ready to die.” He shook his head at the little man. “Is everything ready?”

“Yes, all ready. We will keep our half of the bargain.”

“And I will mine.” Adrogans drew in a deep breath and let it out in a heavy sigh. “This is the one time Chytrine will underestimate us, so we have to make the most of it. Gods and all else willing, we will do just that.”

Dawn could not come quickly enough after a night spent in a cold camp. The night had not actually been that cold, though the moisture in the air made it seem much more so. The lack of hot water for tea or to cook up what would be some men’s last meal did not sit well, but rumors passed quickly enough through the camp that fire was a tool Chytrine could use to spy on them. It actually got creative, equating tongues of flame with wagging tongues—an old soldier’s legend that gained new life one more time and served to quiet some grumbles.

The night had remained peaceful save for two things, neither of which became truly clear until the sun’s first light crept down to shrink the plateau’s shadow. In the dark, the people in Alexia’s position had been able to hear sounds coming from the direction of the Aurolani standards. She could see nothing, but anyone who had a moment to spare kept watch in that general direction. She almost asked a Vilwanese warmage for the lend of a spell to see what was happening, but she quickly assumed that because such spells would be available to the Aurolani vylaens, Crow, Resolute, and their allies had worked counterspells to cover themselves.

Even knowing she’d not see anything, she did watch from time to time, and two hours before dawn her efforts were rewarded. A bright flash of fire as silver as Resolute’s eyes split the night. The circle of standards was burned into her sight as black silhouettes. Within it, another standard—half again as tall as the Aurolani ones—had been raised. It proved as gruesome as those surrounding it, comprised of a crucified vylaen on a stick. His body writhed as silver lightning played over it—likewise twitched and danced the bodies of gibberers trying to haul him down.

Subsequent green and red sparks flared as gibberers were blasted against the Aurolani standards, triggering the horrible magicks that had been worked into them. The screams and howls ran from outrage to pain, th’en darkness closed in again, disturbed only by yellow flames guttering on bodies and broken shafts of standards.

That single act seemed to warm many men beyond what a hot meal would have done. Crow and Resolute slipped back through the lines all but unnoticed, with Dranae in tow. Each of them had sooted their faces and exposed flesh black, and had dark cloaks covering them. When Alexia saw them, they were doing their best to contain their giddiness. Aside from some minor cuts, and a few weals earned from slashing underbrush, none looked worse for the wear.

Alyx smiled at Crow. “There was some excitement out there.”

Crow nodded. “Was there? We were out for a constitutional—loosening up old bones before the coming battle.” He winked at her.

She returned the wink. “Clumsy of the Aurolani to trigger their own trap.”

Resolute swiped a rag over his face, reducing his complexion to grey. “The Aurolani are not always as smart as they should be. You might warn General Adrogans that he wants to keep people away from the standards, a hundred yards at least, east and west. Someone left caltrops all around there, poisoned ones. Boots might stop them, but thick gibberer foot pads won’t.”

“Noted, thanks.” She glanced at Dranae. “And you’ll continue this charade?”

“What was done is more important than who did it, Highness.” Dranae smiled broadly. “There will be heroes enough to laud tomorrow. This was a lark. That will take courage.”

Alyx nodded slowly. “But first blood is to us. Thank you.”

Crow returned the smile. “Don’t thank us. Thank whoever did it. Dranae is right, and the last thing needed now is distraction, with all that is going on.”

She smiled tightly and walked away from them to oversee preparations for the coming battle, which was the second thing that disturbed the night’s peace. In setting up the forces for the siege, Adrogans had broken the infantry down into six groups. He kept the Stonehearts in position, but pulled his second group back to cover their eastern flank. The next unit in line, which consisted of the Okrans Volunteers and a full regiment of the Alcidese King’s Heavy Guards, was split into four parts. The Volunteers, who were a battalion of light infantry, covered the gap between the Heavy Guards and the unit to the west. The Guards broke into three wings, with two battalions in the center, one each left and right, drawing a line to screen Alexia’s cavalry from the Aurolani forces.

The deployment took place in the dark, with Zhusk scouts leading the troops into position. The discipline of the Alcidese troops made the maneuver possible. As the morning’s light filtered onto the battlefield, the Heavy Guards with their blue surcoats over ringmail, round shields, and long spears stood in a strong line to oppose Chytrine’s troops.

While they waited for their enemies to take the field of battle, the troops ate from dry stores and drank, knowing they’d likely not get a chance for another meal until much later in the day, if at all. Most appeared to be in good spirits as she rode among them, but she noticed some who were dour or nervous. Many used daggers to dig hasty little holes in the ground, tucking a scrap of food or a coin into the earth in an effort to appease theweirun of the city. She suspected few who observed that superstition hoped to be saved from death, but instead wished that their spirits would not be bound to haunt this place.

As the sun rose and mid-morning approached, the Aurolani legions spilled from the forest to the north in dribs and drabs. Bereft of their standards, which still smoked in a blackened circle to the west of their line, they gathered nonetheless. Occasionally a gibberer would venture in that direction, then he would yip and howl, grabbing one foot. Sometimes he would hop about, but most times he would just drop and die twitching.

The legions did not mass as heavily as the Alcidese did, though rising from their midst were hoargoun. Pale of hair, eye, and flesh, and given to growing long beards and longer hair—both of which were sometimes braided with black ribbons—the glacier giants stood easily three times as tall as a man. Their legs had the stockiness to carry them, with big flat feet that let them walk over snow without sinking. Alexia wondered if Adrogans’ creation of the chain of ponds had been designed to make the battlefield swampier. Though it put her cavalry at a disadvantage, it also would slow the giants terribly. Most of the oncoming titans favored clubs, but at least two had massive, double-bitted axes and one appeared to be wielding an iron mace that looked as if it had once served as the clapper for some huge bell.

As ragged and hideous as the Aurolani infantry appeared, the cavalry was both colorful and impressive. They drew themselves up in smart ranks, long lances held so that sunlight glinted from the sharpened foot of steel at the end of each one. To the right and left, three hundred strong, were lighter cavalry legions consisting of frostclaws with vylaens or gibberers mounted upon them.

Alyx had seen temeryces before, but seldom alive and certainly never mounted. From their noses to the tip of their stiff tails they’d been shrouded in iron-studded leather armor, tight-fitted yet supple enough to let her see the rippling of their muscles. The powerful legs, which were birdlike in design, sprouted three toes, the interior-most of which had a huge sickle-shaped claw designed for slashing. Their narrow heads had two amber eyes that looked forward and a mouth bristling with sharp teeth. Without riders the frostclaws would be formidable enemies, so slaying their masters did nothing to eliminate their threat.