Cry of the Newborn (73 page)

'Does he, Captain?' repeated Willem.

Patonius shook her head. 'He's taking them to join Roberto Del Aglios. He wants them to help him win the war.'

'He has no right to do that. They are just children.' Andreas's voice was the loudest of them, rising above the outrage that swept across the Echelon. And this time, it was not Patonius that was the target, it was Vasselis. 'He's your friend. How can he do this?'

'Enough,' said Vasselis. He stood up, imposing himself and demanding attention. There was anger on his face. This wasn't Arvan, this was Marshal Defender Vasselis, their ruler.

'You cast your accusations about but you don't have all the facts. Exchequer Jhered has considerable powers in time of threat to the Conquord. That gives him the right to second anyone he chooses to aid a defensive effort in anyway he sees fit. It does not matter if they are fresh from the womb or breathing their last. He has not exceeded his rights.'

'But his moral and ethical—'

'Andreas, I do not want to order you out of here,' said Vasselis. 'Calm yourself. Look, I know this is difficult for you to hear. And remember my son is with them. Whatever dangers they are facing, he is facing too.' He nodded ruefully. 'Yes, forgot that, didn't you?'

‘I
am sorry, Arvan,' said Andreas.

'No need,' said Vasselis. 'Now, Captain. Something isn't right here. The beacons tell us there is a threat to the Conquord. My messengers have relayed that our eastern front has collapsed. But there is considerable defence in the area. Why has he decided he must take them to Del Aglios?'

'Your next messenger will confirm the threat is mortal,' said Patonius. 'Atreska has rebelled. Marshal Yuran has sided with the Tsardon. Nowhere is safe.'

She paused and all Hesther could hear was the sound of nervous breathing and the buzz of the citizens gathered outside the villa, waiting for news. Vasselis motioned her to continue. His face had paled.

'Lord Jhered feels the Conquord could fall unless decisive blows are struck. And he believes the Ascendants are the key. I know you think they are a force for peace but I have seen their potential as a weapon, as has he.'

'But they are just four young children,' said Hesther. 'How can they stop whole armies?'

'It remains to be seen if they can,' said Vasselis. His voice was flat. 'With respect, I don't think any of you can really grasp the seriousness of our position. When Atreska rebelled it gave the enemy a seaboard in the north of the Tirronean. If the Tsardon armies invade Gestern too, then Caraduk is under direct threat.

'Captain, I presume you have been signalled by Kester Isle?'

'Yes, Marshal. We will rest and resupply here tonight, with your leave, and will sail on the outgoing tide tomorrow. The colours of the Ocetanas will be flying from the mast.'

Hesther shook her head. 'Our children. Our poor, poor children. How has all this happened to them? What have we done?'

She felt Vasselis's hand on her shoulder. 'Unpalatable as it is, what you have done is give the Conquord the means to defeat the Tsardon and save Caraduk from invasion. They are in the best hands possible.' He spoke to the room. 'We all fear times like these. So what we must do is ensure we neither flinch nor falter and that our enemies do not succeed.'

He sat down and Hesther could see the strain on his face. He wiped a hand across his mouth.

'My son is out there,' he whispered. 'Please God let him be safe.' There was an urgent rap on the door. Captain Harkov strode in. 'Marshal,' he said. 'We need you at the gates. Trouble's coming.'

Appros Harin felt sick. His shoulder wound ached terribly and the wind that blew through the basilica was icy. Marshal General Niranes stood with him but they did not stand united. They watched the Advocate walking up the steps in response to their summons. On the tactical map table in front of them, the muster and marching reports were laid out, held down by carved stone paperweights. Birds and riders had been arriving in Estorr from all over the Conquord in the previous days and what had begun as serious had become desperate.

'All the reports are in, I take it,' said the Advocate. 'Yes, my Advocate,' said Niranes. 'And I have already responded demanding more. I don't know what else we can do.'

Harin cleared his throat noisily and felt his face flush with irritation. He looked pointedly at the tactical map and its feeble number of legion markers.

'You are in every way a product of the Jhered school, Appros Harin,' said the Advocate. 'What is it that so taxes you?'

'The Conquord is complacent, my Advocate,' he said, marshalling his courage. 'And it will fall because of it. We stand here talking about demanding more support but we will get none. Even if we did it would arrive too late.'

He pushed a hand at the muster reports.

'Pick any one of them and it tells you all you need to know. Bahkir has managed a third of its expected numbers and cites western sea raiders as a reason not to send more. Morasia's muster is pathetic. Tundarra claims the Omari are threatening her borders. Similarly, Dornos. We had to have their numbers on the Atreskan border. We are short by twenty thousand soldiers and cavalry. They know the Tsardon aren't going to invade them because King Khuran wants to sack Estorr and that is as far as he will go. So when it comes to it, when war begins to extend its hand, all those countries who gloried in the wealth of the Conquord are effectively turning their backs. All they are sending us in great quantity is food.'

The Advocate stared at him long and hard. He felt himself begin to wilt under the pressure. Eventually, she gestured back towards the palace.

'I have representatives from all those countries staying on the Hill,' she said quietly. 'What do you propose I do with them?'

'With respect, my Advocate, it doesn't matter. They are all loyal Conquord people but their influence clearly doesn't spread to the palaces and villas of their home countries. Not enough are coming. We have everything we could hope for from Neratharn, Avarn, Caraduk, Easthale and Estorea. But latest reports suggest at least forty thousand rebels and Tsardon are on the march west through Atreska. We will muster twenty-five thousand at best. It will not be enough.'

'Marshal General Niranes, your thoughts?' The Advocate turned her gaze upon him. He started. Harin bit his lip to avoid laughing.

Niranes waved a hand at the map. 'We can hold them for long enough that more will come. They are the Tsardon. We are the Conquord. But if you are worried, let's take defence from the eastern coast of the Tirronean Sea and send it to Neratharn.'

'Suicide,' muttered Harin. 'Idiot. They are too far away already.'

'Appros Harin, you will mind your words,' said Niranes

Harin felt the last vestiges of his respect disperse. 'Damn you, I will not. You have not listened to me. You have not taken up my contingency plans. You have relied on every territory sending eighty per cent of the maximum numbers. The Neratharnese front is too broad to defend against such numbers. I asked you to move the coastal reserve north fifteen days ago. Now it is too late.'

'Not if we use the fleet to transport them,' hissed Niranes.

'And leave Kester Isle a helpless sentinel should the Tsardon fleet be on the way? Why didn't you listen to me?'

'Enough!' The Advocate slapped her hand on the table. Her voice echoed through the basilica. Heads turned. 'What are you telling me. That we cannot defend the Conquord? That is not acceptable.'

'We can,' said Niranes. 'Move legions from Estorr and Caraduk's coasts using the Ocetanas.'

'And I will welcome the Tsardon into Estorr's harbour myself.' Harin turned to the Advocate. 'May I speak freely?'

'You mean, you haven't been so far?' The Advocate's tone was without humour. 'Why not? I'm standing here wondering if I'll have a Conquord to rule come genastro, and I find myself listening to bickering children. And when you have spoken, I will hear the Marshal General. Also without interruption.'

Harin bowed and took a deep breath.

'It is a rule of war the Marshal ignores, that you cannot attack or defend with potential numbers of home forces, only with absolutes. Therefore, we cannot currently expect to hold the Neratharnese border. We could, just possibly, reinforce in enough time by raping the coast of its infantry defence. But the transport and supply of ten to fifteen thousand infantry on a sea journey of that length is not to be undertaken lightly. If it isn't done properly, they will be in no condition to fight when they arrive.

'The second rule the Marshal has ignored is that you must prosecute defence on your enemy's potential numbers and not on known absolutes. My Advocate, Gesteris lost at Scintarit almost eighty days ago. It is inconceivable that the Tsardon fleet has not moved to attack either the east coast of Gestern or, more likely, their Tirronean coastline directly. Make no mistake. King Khuran wants his flag on the Hill now that he has us on the run. And he will move on both fronts.

'The Atreskan navy is sizeable and we can assume widespread defection. The Tsardon navy is reportedly enormous. The Ocetanas is spread the length and breadth of the Tirronean Sea already. To move a hundred ships off station invites the Tsardon to sail in virtually unopposed. We could have moved defence by road fifteen days ago and left the Ocetanas to guard the coasts. Critically, we could have taken a couple of thousand horses. I was ignored by this civil servant and now it is too late.'

The Advocate raised a hand to silence Niranes while she thought. Harin watched her study the map. Her eyes moved to Tsard.

'Give me options. I will not cede the Conquord. We have armies in the field in Tsard. What of them?'

'We know that Atarkis is pledged to defend the Gosland front. He will hold but he will not break through either, in my opinion. We have no word from Jorganesh. We can assume that he is heading for Gestern but we cannot rely on it. And your son is marching south. The number of Tsardon pressing the Gesternan border is too great for Marshal Mardov to counter for long and then the western coast of Gestern is open to the enemy.

'General Del Aglios is your most capable commander but even he has been damaged by plague. Both he and Atarkis have moved away from Atreska because they had to hope we could stay the advance. Your son will be angling to protect Estorr from invasion and I have no doubt he will succeed.'

'But he will be too far from Neratharn to help us when he does,' said the Advocate.

'Yes, my Lady.'

'There has been a disastrous error of judgement,' she said. 'Yes,' said Harin. 'But we can still buy a little time and hope for a miracle.'

'Is that all we have to hope for?' asked the Advocate.

Harin shrugged. 'If your son is victorious sooner than we could dream of and marches faster than we can imagine, he might reach Neratharn through Atreska in time. Or we can pray that Exchequer Jhered was right and the Ascendants are the weapon to win the war.'

'But you will refer me to rule one if I cling on to that,' said the Advocate.

'Indeed I will.' Harin could feel the change in the mood.

'And tell me, Appros Harin, how you will buy me some time for the miracle we must pray for from now on.'

'Release me from my duties here. The levium are mustered at the Solastro Palace. I know they should ride to secure Estorr but that is no use to us now. Let me lead them to Neratharn. Over three thousand horse. We'll be late to the battle but we'll get there before the end.'

The Advocate considered for a moment. 'But where will I find another Harin to advise on tactics?'

'Appros Derizan is in Estorr,' said Harin. 'She is more than capable. I can brief her before I leave.'

'Good. Then go, Harin, and take my blessing, my good wishes and the hope of the Conquord with you.'

'One more thing, if I may,' said Harin. The Advocate nodded. 'I'm going to break rule one. Lord Jhered will come through. Look for him at the time you need him most. He has an uncanny knack of being at your side.'

The Advocate smiled. 'I pray to the Omniscient that you are right.'

Harin thumped his right fist onto his chest and marched from the table. He heard the Advocate speak to Niranes, a smile cracking his face.

'I have a new title for myself,' she said. 'Marshal General of the Conquord.' 'I—'

'You, Niranes, might have cost me the Conquord with your pigheaded arrogance. Go home and implore God that the next person to knock on your door is me, not King Khuran. Get out of my sight.'

Chapter 60

848th cycle of God, 35th day of
Solasfall 15th year of the true Ascendancy

Roberto broke away from the embrace, but still couldn't quite believe it. The absurdity made him laugh and it was a moment before he could speak.