Hawkmoon (The Hawkmoon Chronicles) (13 page)

                                                     The Queen in Waiting.

Everyone rose when Mira came in. Dwarfdale  bowed regally. “Your Majesty” Mira glanced at him. She went to the front of the room and sat before an ornate desk.Sifting through papers, she   composed herself.

A room full of people waiting for instructions, seeking answers to problems she barely understood. She was frightened. She could not let anyone see her fear.

“We will not use that form  of address until after the Coronation. For the present, My Lady will suffice, or Mira with my friends. I will begin by outlining my thoughts .You have permission to interrupt… Elmund. I wish to have Bar present to take notes.” Dwarfdale went out.

“There are several matters … The first is the Succession. There is one other with a claim to the throne. The second is the prospect of war and this country’s lack of preparation.  Apart from that we have the state of the Realm, the absence  of law, an infestation of Revenants and a broken economy. “

A grey  haired man with  an eye patch satin the corner with the Bashir. Britan, Chief of the Army . Mira  acknowledged him.

“I remember you General. You served my father well”

The officer got to his feet. “My Lady, it is a great day to see you where you rightfully belong. I have never been   defeatist but the Kingdom is in a parlous state. Now, at last it seems that the Gods have smiled on us. We may be defeated, we may go down to darkness but at least we have our fate in our hands . I speak for every man and woman in the Realm when I say that we will serve you to the end. If the Enemy wishes to take our land he will do so over our dead bodies. I defer to my junior colleague”. Bashir stood forward with a nod to the General.

“Thank you sir.  My Lady. Your half-brother is at his house in the country. I have lancers guarding him. I informed the Prince that this would be necessary because of disturbances in the city. I told him of the attack on the city gaol and advised him that it would be better to remain outside the city for at least a week”.

“That was well done” Dwarfdale murmured.

“The Prince believes that his path to the throne is unimpeded.  He is either unaware of your presence or has discounted it. Several of his friends have tried to visit him. They have been refused. I am awaiting your orders”

“Thank you Bashir. With Britan’s approval you are henceforth commander of  Lancers” Glancing at the General she continued” By the morning  I  expect a list of officers; those to be dismissed and those to be promoted.”.  Britan made to rise from his seat.

“From where you sit general”

“My lady the expansion of cavalry is critical. We also  need  skirmishers  and scouts. Except for the  garrison at Shaleen’s Gate,  we have no standing army. We have a militia and, as much as was possible, we have worked to keep it   on a war footing. We lack supplies, weapons and transport. All of which require heavy funding” 

“Ask the Rangers if you can borrow their scouts.”

Dwarfdale stood. “My lad, this is commendable. The fact is, however, the Realm is bankrupt. How the former Queen managed to bleed a wealthy country to the point of collapse will bear investigation.  I will arrange emergency finance .It will be a temporary measure. I am  sure that Silverlode will take  over the  project. Vastly larger sums will be needed for reconstruction .   When  invasion comes the first blow will fall at Shaleen’s Gate. If the Reiver’s pass the Gate Silverlode will be next in their path.  We have neither the numbers nor the skills to oppose them. 

“Elmund . No force has ever passed the Gate. Its defence is critical.”

The Director of Rangers spoke from the back of the room. “The fact remains that as far as everyone outside this room is concerned the Prince will be King. I propose that he be executed immediately.”

“There will be no summary executions.  Am I clear?” The room was silent until Morah resumed. “In that case, I   recommend that a proclamation be issued announcing your return and your coronation which should take place within a week. It is too early to know what plans are being laid against you. You have enemies and they will act. Many of the barons were close to Chandra and have much to lose”

“Director, you are considered   as one of the best to hold the post you occupy. I want you to start laying plans based on increases in funding. I am keen to know the intentions of the vampires “

“If Morah was impressed she concealed it well. “My lady, I have spoken plainly. I intend to be plainer still. You are reckless. You are impulsive. Neither are qualities suited to a Sovereign.  It is your prerogative to heed or discard the advice of your counsellors. If you die the country returns to anarchy”

Mira sat, silent. Minutes passed.  Tension mounted in the room. Those familiar with the former queen were expecting an outburst “I plan about to  establish  a  Privy Council.  It will administer the country in the event the monarch is absent or incapacitated.. No succeeding monarch can rule without   acknowledgement of established law.”  The meeting ended with instructions to reconvene later that evening.

Bar had laid out honey cakes, fruit and a glass of cordial. Mira wondered if she could steal him away from Dwarfdale when she moved to the Palace. Leona came in. She was elated. “We have made progress. However the proposals do not address immediate problems.  We are facing a winter with low reserves of everything, especially food and fuel”

“The warehouses are full. I have seen them”

“Those are the property of merchants”

“As soon as Dwarfdale releases funds I want you to start spending money. Set prices at a reasonable level. Let it be known that this is by Royal decree. Anyone caught profiteering will lose their licence to trade”.

“There is also the matter of fuel”

“There are forests near the city”.

“Royal forests”

“Cut down dead trees and collect whatever is on the ground.  Later in the winter take mature trees but cut selectively. By spring the fleet will be able to ship from the North Coast. I am concerned with the camps outside the city walls.   One outbreak of disease will destroy them and much of the city”

They resumed after dinner. Britan spoke from behind a table covered with papers. “My lady, we have established a Military Council to oversee the reconstruction of the Army. It includes myself, the Bashir and several officers who were forced into retirement under the old regime. Others will be added. There is an Economic Committee, with Mistress Leona and Dwarfdale”

“Elmund, how soon can you arrange the financing?”

“Tomorrow, my lady”

“Then we have the Coronation Committee which is   concerned about the venue.” Britan added.

“Why?”

“My Lady, the Coronation will attract thousands. It will be impossible to police with a small force of lancers …”

“Hawkmoon, , what is your view?”

“If anything the General does not go far enough. I would rope off an area and allow a small number of people to attend. The Coronation site is out of question.”

“Dasatii monarchs have been crowned there for centuries...”

“It was open pasture then. A crossbow could be fired from any of a hundred windows”

“Close the building…”

“My Lady from the moment the Coronation is announced there will be assassins hidden there. They will only find those they are meant to ….

“What about the King’s pavilion? It is outside the city. We can announce the change on the morning of the Coronation” The suggestion came from Dwarfdale.

Hawkmoon nodded.“A good choice; away from the walls but not too close to the woods. Also it is on rising ground “

Under Dwarfdale’s house lay a system of tunnels to neighbouring properties . The servants had been instructed to light the house as if a large number of people were present. Bashir and the others waited at the safe house for an hour to allow Hawkmoon to escort Mira to the palace. 

“My lady. I want  the halfpint  moved  to Silverlode...”Mira nodded to Hawkmoon and turned to Dwarfdale:

“Go with them. She will want to see a familiar face.  Ask Regina for her assistance help locating the wealth stolen by the former Queen. This was a rich country.  Where did the money go? Wherever it is, I want it back. If you trace it to accounts in the Free Cities tell them to transfer it to the Royal Treasury. If they refuse, tell them I will blockade their ports.

It is difficult to know when war will come but when word reaches the North that Chandra is gone the invasion will commence.  They cannot come now; winter is at hand. The earliest will be late spring or early summer. “

Norry was sitting quietly, listening. Mira gazed at him with affection, “I little thought when you fell from a tree you might  be the mightiest soldier in our army” Norry blushed.” Not much of a soldier my lady, but I will serve as best I can”. Mira turned to her Chancellor.

“Leona, I want you to arrange a wagon to carry two balloons to Silverlode with one of the sisters to advise them. Whatever their merits as a form of transport, they will serve as observation platforms. General, sit by me .The rest of you may retire “

Hawkmoon went to the kitchen where he found Bekter regaling the staff with his exploits as a mercenary. Shula was cooking at the long stove. Hawkmoon she ignored. They sat at the end of the table. Bekter had a pitcher of ale.

“Remember the bridge over the Challon Gorge?” Taking  a clean glass Hawkmoon poured ale from the pitcher.

“What about it?”

“I want to knock it down”

“Is that all?” 

“Spare me the sarcasm. That bridge has to be destroyed”

“Why?”

“To buy time.  Mira is right, the longer we have to prepare the better...”

“We can stop them at Shaleen’s Gate”.

“The army that’s coming will be bigger and better prepared. Shaleen’s Gate has protected us in the past but we cannot depend on it. The Reivers put a bridge over the Gorge because the river is too wide and too fast anywhere else.. If we can bring it down it could gain a year.”

”They could try crossing further up” Bekter lifted his tankard to find it empty.

“The river is in flood to the start of summer.”

“They will try, they don’t mind taking casualties”.

“It won’t work, they’re not river men, they will  need pontoons  and the engineers to handle them.. The destruction of the bridge gets us twelve months. A strong defence of the Gate brings us to the following year ..”

“Am I right in thinking  you haven’t mentioned any of this to the Princess Royal? Any more than you told her what you planned to do about Chandra?”

“I couldn’t protect her.”

Bekter looked long at the Ranger“With  few  exceptions I have never faulted your judgement. However there are a number of points I want to bring to your attention” Bekter refilled his mug.… “From where we sit  the Challon Gorge is a thousand miles.Seven  hundreds of that is, if not  Reiver territory,  is land  they  control. With the onset of winter it will take several months of hard travelling. When we get there, how do we knock it?

“I was thinking we might do it on our own, just you and me”.

Bekter curled a fist around the  mug.” I need  drink. Wait. Don’t say a word”

He returned with a pitcher of ale. Shula brought plates of lamb stew with fresh baked bread.

“If memory serves that bridge was set in Granite, built of  Oak and tied with iron cable.. If we had three companies I doubt if we could knock it in a week. Not to mention the Reivers who will not take kindly to us  hacking away at it.”

Hawkmoon told Bekter about the fight with the revenants. “They were out of bolts.  Another group came in. The Halfpint reached  into his pack and took a  glass  He threw it into the mass of the Daywalkers. Everything disappeared . When the smoke cleared they were down, some on fire. I’ve never seen anything like it.   “

“You think that, whatever it was, can bring down a bridge”

“Bekter, I crossed the ground before the fight started. It was strewn with boulders. After the fire they were gone. .”.

“You told me how to bring it down; you have yet to tell me how we get there. I am keen to know how you think we can cross the desert.”

Hawkmoon told him about the balloons. Bekter started to laugh. A low rumble rising to roars of mirth. Tears ran down his face. The servants stared at them, some were smiling. Shula glared.

“Hawkmoon, you keep me young”  Bekter said wiping his face… He started to hold up fingers. “Let me see if I have this right. You want to go a thousand miles in winter through some of the most dangerous, in a gadget that has never been seen before, to deliver a weapon that may or may not work, against a heavily defended target. Have I missed anything?”

“That sums it up” Bekter leant back from the table, a mug of ale in one hand and a fork in the other. “What are we waiting for?” They started laughing

Bekter stopped when Shula caught his eye. She was nervous when those two got together Shula knew that look. .Her husband was going to war. Sometimes she thought it would be easier living with an alcoholic.

Mira was alone when Hawkmoon and Bekter sat before the  desk.   They outlined the plan.  She listened in awe at the daring of the plan. “We must have time  to prepare…You have my blessing…. Bekter would you be so kind… I must speak privately with Hawkmoon”.