The High King: Book Two of the 'Riothamus' trilogy (26 page)

Aran glanced
outside where night had fully descended, “Will you be able to get
the entire army under canvas?”

The same
commander nodded, “Aye lord, although we did have to commission the
canvas and tent makers of our respective towns and cities to
provide us with more. We knew the approximate numbers that were
coming from Andur’s Keep, and the walled cities, but we were unsure
how many the fyrd was going to gather, so we brought extra just in
case.”

“There are
still troops and fyrd due to arrive from the more remote southern
towns, lord king,” one young Commander said bowing. “We calculate
that in two days the last of the army will have gathered, and we
should be ready to ride by the morning of the third.”

“I had
expected such a wait,” Aran agreed, sitting on the edge of the bed
and pulling off his boots. “Please gentlemen make yourselves
comfortable here. I know that Captain Taran and Leaders Darven and
Caldor will shortly join us, just as soon they have changed and
disposed of their gear at their own quarters.”

There was a
smattering of nods, and “Thank-you lord,” and they were soon seated
on the wood and leather stools.

Barely had
Aran thrown off his cloak onto the bed, when there was a movement
at the door of the tent, and several young soldiers appeared with
trays of soup, roasted turkey with seasonal vegetables, and fresh
baked bread from the town.

“Ah, dinner,”
breathed one Commander, getting hurriedly to his feet. “Are you
hungry my lord king?” he asked turning toward Aran.

Aran nodded,
“Hungry enough to eat a horse, Commander.” He stared at the
platters of food in some amazement, “Although I hope that this is
for all of us? I may be hungry but I doubt that I could eat all
that.”

The Commander
grinned, “We have already supped lord. This is for you, and the
other leaders of the Andur’s Keep contingent.”

Aran stared
amazed at the platters of steaming food, “Then have someone fetch
Captain Taran, Leaders Darven and Caldor, Archmage Maran and Lady
Alissa, and make certain they join us here.”

*

Once the
others had arrived, there hadn’t been enough seats for everyone, so
one of the legio assigned to Aran’s tent had been sent off to
gather some more from the camp.

After dinner,
and talking quietly with his friends and the legion commanders,
Aran found himself sitting on the bed beside Alissa. Seeing how the
others were intent upon discussing the war, Aran took this brief
opportunity to see how Alissa had fared.

“So where are
you staying Alissa?” he asked. “Are you with Kiaia, or your
father?”

The young
golden-haired woman smiled a secret smile. “I’d much rather be
staying here with you,” she confided in a low voice, “But in truth
I share my father’s tent. Besides Darven and Kiaia are sharing each
other’s blankets, they would not like a third in their tent.”

Aran gazed
about him, “As you can see I have a spacious and comfortable
pavilion. Shall I arrange to have your bed and gear moved here? We
have a two or three day delay at Leigh, and I’d rather you were
comfortable and out of the damp.”

“The soldiers
will talk,” she pointed out a little unnecessarily. “It will be all
over the camp that King Arantur is sharing his tent with the Lady
Alissa…”

“Who is his
betrothed and Queen-to-be,” Aran interrupted. “If Darven and Kiaia
can share blankets, then surely there can be no fault in us sharing
a tent.” He stared at her hesitant face, “If you agree to it then I
will have a word with Captain Taran. Surely he will understand that
I would like to spend time together with my future queen and
betrothed.”

Alissa smiled
a little uncertainly, “My father is a normal red-blooded man, he
will understand,” her voice faded off. “Although as a father he may
have some objections. He has been careful of my honour in the past,
and although under our laws there is no sin or error in a betrothed
man and woman sharing a tent, father may have his own reasons to
gainsay this request.”

Aran frowned
at the grey haired Captain of the Guard, talking so animatedly to
the other Legion Commanders.

“I am the
king,” Aran said in a low voice, “Surely I could order him to
accede to my request.”

Alissa gently
touched his hand, his skin tanned and roughened by days out in the
elements. “Would you exercise your authority that far Aran?”

Aran shrugged
and whispered back, “Probably not. I don’t want to be seen as
overbearing…” He looked across at her sun browned face, “But I will
speak with him, and try to impress upon him that if you are old and
mature enough to be queen, then you are old and mature enough to be
a woman in all other ways. He must learn to let you go Alissa. I
may be a patient man but by Andur I’ll be damned if I have to wait
until our marriage day before I can know you fully.”

“Shhh,” Alissa
cautioned, “We are not alone here, and these are private matters of
which you speak.” She smiled to gentle her quick words, “I love you
Aran, but I’d rather our most private desires were not discussed
before all the Legion Commanders at a war council.”

Aran laughed
at that, and then his face grew serious. “Then go now my love, and
get some rest. We will be here awhile discussing the plans for the
campaign, and when we are finished I will speak to your father
about this new arrangement. I dare say that you will certainly know
the outcome by morning.”

She nodded and
got up from the bed. When they noticed her leaving as one the
soldiers got to their feet and bowed their heads.

“Sleep well
Lady Alissa,” a young Legion Commander called out with a smile in
his voice. “Rest easy, for although this may be a camp of soldiers,
I trust every man here to respect the women who travel with
us.”

Alissa turned
and smiled guardedly at that, “Do not be concerned Commander Druec.
You know that I can defend myself from any over lusty man.
You
know too that I am considered the equal to any Guardsman
in weaponskill, besides I am certain the soldiers realise that it
would be more than their life is worth to bother the woman who will
be their future queen.”

*

“So where were
we?” Aran got up from the bed and pulled a stool over to join the
other men at the table.

“Discussing
the details of the campaign lord,” Darven replied clearly, standing
and moving his stool over next to Aran. “You are a Warriormage;
perhaps you may have some ideas about how we should proceed.”

Darven sat
down next to him and his voice fell low, “I am very glad indeed
that you and Alissa are betrothed.”

Aran looked
across at his friend, “Why?”

Darven’s eyes
flickered across to the young Legion Commander.

“It’s Druec
there. Last time Captain Taran and Alissa visited Sentinal they
spent some days with Drucec’s Legion—you know he is the Captain
Commander of the Third Sentinal. Well I have been talking with some
of his men, and I got the impression that a while back he was keen
to make some formal arrangement with Captain Taran about Alissa. In
fact I believe at one stage he wanted to marry her.” Darven’s voice
fell into a low whisper, “I’m not certain, but I’ve also heard a
rumor that on the last trip south he made an unwelcome advance, and
as a result Alissa thumped him so hard that Druec almost went over
backwards.”

Aran’s fists
balled as his temper suddenly flared, “I’ll
kill
him!” he
whispered furiously.

Darven put a
restraining hand on his friend’s arm. “No, don’t!” he hissed. “It’s
rumour only and besides Alissa has already seen him off.” Darven
suddenly grinned, “If it is true then Druec would be insane to
approach her again, especially now given her changed
circumstances.”

Aran frowned
his quick anger fading, “Very well, although I cannot understand
why he seems so overly solicitous about her welfare. Alissa is
betrothed and queen-to-be. Surely he can have no plans towards her
now?”

Darven brow
drew in, “You’d think not, yet I feel that he has not quite
renounced his desire for her.”

Aran chewed
his lower lip, “I wonder why Alissa tolerates his continued
interest?”

Darven
grinned, “I don’t think she does…” the Wolf Leader grinned
mirthlessly. “Else why the reminder about him knowing that she was
able to defend herself from any over lusty man,
and
the
parting comment about soldiers not bothering the woman who will be
their future queen”

His sudden
anger subsiding, Aran relaxed back in his seat after hearing that,
“I trust Alissa, she is more than able to look after herself.” He
looked across at his friend, “Although it only reinforces the right
of something I must do tonight.”

“What’s
that?”

Aran shook his
head and put his finger to his lips indicating that he would say no
more.

*

“My
lord...”

Aran looked up
to see one of the Legion Commanders trying to attract his
attention. Tall the man was, with jet black hair and closely
barbered beard, and dressed in the off-duty Legion dress of
blood-red cloak, a belted, knee-length quilted long-sleeved tunic,
and heavy wool leggings cross-gartered to just below the knee.

“Captain
Commander,” Aran replied waiting to let the soldier introduce
himself.

The black
bearded man bowed, and nodded “Sire, I am Captain Commander Terdec
of the First Sentinal Legion. I have heard that you are a
Warriormage, and would like to know your thoughts on the coming
campaign.”

Aran frowned,
and stared at the circle of soldiers about him. “If I understand
correctly Commander Terdec, we are planning on taking the combined
Legions of the army through central Andur, and to hold the enemy to
the west of the Nay Forest.”

The commander
nodded, “Aye lord, we cannot allow the Thakur to advance further
into the province. If by chance Eldenton falls, then all the rich
farmland and towns of central Andur will lie open before their
advance.”

“And what will
be our numbers once the Legions from Haulgard arrive?” Aran asked
quickly.

“My lord, we
estimate close to seven thousand legio, guardsmen and fyrd,” the
other replied.

“And what of
the enemy?”

“From what the
mages have reported, and our own intelligence reckons, twenty
thousand are gathering.”

Aran frowned
again, “That is almost three to one against us…not good odds. What
will our numbers be if the plainsmen join us?”

“My lord, we
have information that leads us to believe that the plainsmen can
supply almost five thousand mounted archers.”

Aran nodded
and did a quick calculation, “That takes our army to twelve
thousand and it reduces the odds considerably,” Aran said. “It is
obvious to me that we must have the plainsmen with us if we are to
have any hope against the Thakur.”

Aran pondered
the problem then slowly closed his eyes to let himself access the
magepower to see if his new Ability could resolve the
situation.

“There may be
a way we can reduce the odds,” he said at last, verbalising the
solution that had at last presented itself to his mind. “I believe
that the enemy will send out a vanguard of a number of their elite
troops to secure any important strategic positions ahead of the
main army. Now I ask you, what are the most important strategic
sites of western Andur?”

The commanders
spoke amongst themselves for a minute or two, before Commander
Sennar, who had obviously been chosen as nominal Commander of the
Camp, replied.

“My lord King,
we believe that they will strike for Eldenton, or at least Mount
Solstice if they are delayed in their march,” he said. “Coming into
winter, the snow will delay them mightily,” he added wryly. “The
villages within Nay Forest are closer, but have little strategic
value, besides a mounted army will make better time across the
plains than slogging it out through the heavily wooded
forests.”

Aran nodded,
“I agree, they hope to take the rich farmlands of Central Andur,
and are obviously not interested in the southern towns of Murgonere
and Hallsere.” He looked up and met the eyes of the others,
“Besides those towns are situated in Nafeking, and as far as we
know, the Thakur are warring against us and not the southern
province. They will indeed strike for the north and aim to take the
western towns.”

There were
nods of agreement all round.

“So until we
have word that the plainsmen are riding with us, we still have the
problem of three to one odds,” Aran mused then looked up.
“Commander Sennar, perhaps you may be able to tell me how many the
enemy may commit to an expeditionary force, their vanguard if you
like, in order to take Eldenton.”

The soldier
scratched his salt and pepper hair, “If I were the enemy, then no
less than one and a half to two thousand mounted troops.”

Aran drummed
his fingers on his knee in abstract concentration, “I agree. So if
we keep in mind that our army may only be just the Legions, Guard
and fyrd, then we must then attempt to reduce their numbers to
improve the odds in our favour.”

Aran pursed
his lips then glanced up again at the waiting soldiers, “Commander
Sennar, if I could impose on your knowledge again. What would our
numbers be if we only counted the Guard and the mounted companies
within the three main Legions?”

The Commander
answered immediately, “Five thousand cavalry my lord. The First and
Second Legions of Haulgard, Helmsgard and Sentinal are all mounted,
whilst the Third and Fourth Legions of those cities are entirely
infantry and archers.” He looked across at his young king and his
mouth twitched in a half smile, “My lord, are you thinking of
waylaying their vanguard before they even reach Eldenton?”