The Dragons of Argonath (39 page)

The first man was overconfident. In a moment he gave a gasp as Eilsa's knife found his belly. He doubled up and went down.

The others attacked together. A club just missed her head, and she ducked, but a net was cast over her and this proved her undoing. Her knife hand was trapped. The club struck the back of her legs, and she went down.

"Little bitch! She's done for Etrap."

"His own fault, should've seen that knife."

The club struck her a few times as she struggled to rise, and one of them dropped on her, bearing her to the ground with his weight. Her knife was wrested from her hand, and she was gagged and bound and carried around into Meal Lane.

Meanwhile the noise had aroused a few lights, and some voices were calling for the watch.

Eilsa continued to struggle until she was struck with the club a few times and sagged semiconscious in their arms. They dragged her through a door into an ill-smelling passage.

"Damned bitch brought the watch. I saw 'em," growled a harsh voice.

"She's killed Etrap too."

"Got to move now!" said another.

They moved down the passage. Another door opened, and they were outside in a court. A sack was passed over her head, and then she felt herself swung up onto a cart. There was a whip crack, and the cart was in motion.

She could hear men running alongside. Harsh whispers rose among them to keep their eyes open. The watch never found them. Instead a twenty-minute trot down side streets took them past the temple, across Broad Street, and down to the docks just above the fish market. The streets here were an inch or two underwater, as usually happened when it rained like this.

The cart was driven through the floods and straight out onto the docks. A small light showed in a waiting bark. The horse pulled up, men hauled the two sacks across to the bark and stowed them below. A few minutes later the bark slipped its moorings and began poling out as the sails were lowered.

There was a stiff offshore wind that soon filled the mainsail, and the bark moved out into the Long Sound.

In the crypt beneath the great Temple of Marneri were ceremonial rooms, storage rooms, and a secret place where met the Committee of Insight. One entered through a closet in the senior priestess's vestry. Within was a square room filled with a round table on which sat a great copy of the Weal of Cunfshon. On this wet and windy night, the committee had gathered to meet with Lessis of Valmes, who was acting emissary from the emperor in Andiquant.

Lessis felt a special tension in the air from the beginning. She traced it to Chamberlain Axnuld, who seemed uneasy in his place. And well he should be, considering what he faced. The situation was still very dangerous. Defeat at Redhill had magnified the rebellion. They were singing of it up and down the Argonath. Most recently the little battle at A very Woods had turned the tables. But the rebel army was much larger than the legion force, for the moment, and remained a threat.

Time was precious, so Lessis pressed on with a report on the emperor's health and what actions he had taken most recently. Reinforcement was being rushed to Lucule from all over the Empire of the Rose. A force of ten thousand would be assembled within a month. The emperor had fully recovered from his battle wounds. He was in full command of all Imperial forces, and everyone should understand that the Imperial response to the rebellion would soon be felt.

Axnuld listened abstractedly, nervously chewing his lip. He kept looking across to Ewilra, High Priestess of Marneri. Ewilra's face was stony. Whatever it was Axnuld sought, it would not be discerned there.

Something was bothering the chamberlain. Could it be he was at last ashamed of his friendship with Wexenne of Champery and the other Aubrinan hotheads?

The table also held Merchant Slimwyn and Banker Wiliger, representing the prosperous folk of the city, plus the Warden of Watch Glanwys, and General Hanth, and General Tregor. These last two were in a state of excitement, but it was of a different quality from that which possessed Axnuld the royal chamberlain.

Then Lessis realized that Axnuld was afraid she would discover something about Besita, Queen of the Marneri city-state. An awkward job sometimes, being chamberlain under a queen like Besita. She wondered what the queen had done now.

Later, after hearing a fulsome report on the state of the city's security from Glanwys and then some inconsequential remarks from Axnuld, Lessis seized the bull by the horns. Tossing subtlety aside, she asked poor Axnuld directly how Besita was coping with the emotional stress of the crisis.

Axnuld sucked in a breath. A haunted look came into his eyes. He had discovered that it was not easy to be chamberlain to a weak-willed monarch. When he had first been raised to the post after Burly's retirement, he had enjoyed dominating Besita and ruling through her. She had been pliant enough, willing to let him take over the grueling work of ruling a busy city-state. He had taken the opportunity to reward his friends in Aubinas very well.

And how had they repaid him? "Imperial Home Burners" they were singing while they torched the farms of Lucule! It was no more than a kick in the teeth. The rebellion cast him in a most unfavorable light. He had befriended Wexenne of Champery. Now Wexenne was one of the chief rebels. Axnuld felt intensely vulnerable. The agreement he'd had with them had been that they would threaten rebellion, but not actually step over the line and proclaim independence!

Meanwhile Besita had taken the weakling's way out of her situation. She had never wanted to be queen. Her brother's untimely death had thrust her into the role. She rebelled, and she drank too much. She took lovers, often unwisely chosen. She hated giving royal audiences. She hated paperwork. This led to many sulks and fits of depression. Axnuld had long since lost any enjoyment of his position.

"She is indisposed at this moment, Lady. I would inform you, just between ourselves, for we all know the queen and respect her, uh, difficulties of character, that she began the crisis very well."

Lessis warmed slightly to the man. She respected loyalty.

Axnuld went on.

"She even managed to find her courage after the defeat of General Cerius. But then her little dogs disappeared, and she was heartbroken, for she loved the little dogs. And then her lover, Jadon of the Guard, was killed in mysterious circumstances. That sent her over the edge. She found the period leading up to Commander Urmin's victory at Avery Woods too much for her nerves."

"I see," said Lessis. "And when will the queen return to active duty, do you think, Lord Chamberlain?"

He looked around as if desperate for escape.

"At this point it is hard to say. The shock of the rebellion struck her hard, but she did well for a while, as I said. Just lately, however, things have been less, ur, smooth. She needed a rest. Two weeks at her manse in Cheverny was required."

No wonder Axnuld was tense.

"Two weeks?"

"Ah, urm, yes, well, you see…"

"I do, Lord Chamberlain. Believe me, I do." Lessis wore a slight frown for a moment as she considered the royal family of Marneri. Things had gone well for the city, despite them, but the last three rulers had each been difficult. Great King Wauk had been a great warrior, but an amoral monster in his personal life. His son Sanker had ruined himself with drink and rich living. Sanker's daughter, the current queen, was spoiled and lazy.

Was it time for the witches to engineer a change in dynasty here in Marneri? They hated to do this work, but sometimes it became necessary. It had been hoped that by pruning away the vicious brother Erald, they would be able to keep the monarchy moving smoothly along. Unfortunately, in a time of national crisis, Besita was failing the people. She had a duty tb be in the city, to be visible and to provide a focal point for the spirit of the people. Instead she shrank away to her country house.

Besita was just a weak reed, and there it was.

Lessis was angry at this dereliction of duty and resolved to ride to Cheverny at daybreak. The queen would have to be persuaded to resume her duties and lead her people.

She turned to General Tregor with an angry shake of the head. Axnuld was left trembling. The Grey Witch was visibly angered. Besita would have the coals heaped upon her head before too long. Axnuld knew the stories they told about Erald's death. He could only wonder how long he would have a queen to serve.

Lessis had turned away from him, eager for other news.

"General, what word from you? I can see you're bursting with something!"

Tregor was indeed a happier story.

"I have twelve hundred men on the Argo Road to Posila. They should make contact with Commander Urmin in two days."

"Excellent news." Lessis chided herself for her previous display of emotion.

Merchant Slimwyn tried to keep the good cheer going. "There are nearly one hundred more volunteer horsemen prepared to leave tomorrow."

"Very good. It sounds as if Urmin's force will be more than doubled in size. General Tregor, you will be taking over command?"

"I will. I have orders from Dalhousie, written by General Dameo. General Hanth has seen them."

Lessis nodded to Hanth, who obviously had some news of his own to tell. Maybe he had raised some money. That might be why this banker was here. As she flicked a glance at the banker she realized who he was. This was the very father of Delwild Wiliger, the former dragon leader of the 109th Marneri.

She studied him more carefully. He seemed a perfectly sober member of his profession with none of the madness that infected his son. Nor did the banker give off any emanation of ill will. Delwild's fate had not made his father a traitor to the state. Lessis was encouraged. The high citizens of Marneri were still capable of making the great sacrifices that were needed.

She turned to Tregor.

"Well, General Tregor, if we can double the force in front of Posila, then we can be certain of keeping the Aubinans penned up. Meanwhile the Red Rose Legion is on the ocean as we speak. Of course, at this time of year the winds are unfavorable, so it will be weeks before they get here. Until then we must keep the cock in the bottle down there in Lucule."

Lessis exchanged a look with the high priestess.

"The enemy must know all this too," said Ewilra with a slightly raised eyebrow. Ewilra had read Lessis's private report, and knew that they faced something more than just the Aubinans in this war.

"Oh, yes, he does," said Lessis, allowing the conversation to work on two levels at once. "This next week or two will be crucial. We can expect another thrust from him very soon."

Tregor and the others were slightly puzzled by this, but Ewilra understood.

Lessis now turned to Hanth, who had waited patiently to give his news. Normally a stolid man, Hanth was obviously excited.

"First, let me say that I have word that a force of two hundred horsemen has been raised in Bea and Pennar, and is on the road to Posila as we speak. Ryotwa has also raised a company, more than one hundred young men, all with horses. They too are on the road."

"Excellent! The greatest problem Commander Urmin faces is that he is heavily outnumbered in horsemen. The Aubinans have a powerful cavalry division."

"Secondly, the Merchants' Association of Marneri has raised ten thousand pieces of gold for supply. We have already sent out the first wagon train, forty wagons full, on the route to Posila. A second train will leave within a day. The men at the front will soon be properly supplied."

"Well, it's true what they say," said Lessis. "An army marches on its stomach. Men, dragons, and horses all need to be strong, fit, and well fed."

She turned back to the banker. "Thank you, Master Wiliger. I know your influence in the city must have been vital to secure such a prompt and generous donation to the supply of the campaign."

Wiliger was plainly pleased.

"And, by the way, tell me, how is your son? You know I was privileged to serve with that brave young man in Eigo. The things he did!"

The banker nodded ruefully. Delwild had earned himself a somewhat mixed reputation in the legion. Lessis sought to soften any ill feeling.

"He was not meant for command of dragons, perhaps, but that boy was there at the end when we needed him the most, and served with great courage."

Wiliger flushed with pride at these words. "Our family is honored to serve, ma'am. Delwild recovers. Sometimes he is almost his old self again."

"Such gallantry will be remembered. It will always be said that when Heruta was broken, Delwild Wiliger was there."

Banker Wiliger's blush deepened.

Through this exchange with the banker, Lessis had subtly laid a spell on the group: nothing directed or specific, just a general elevator of spirit. They all felt it, even such a seasoned hand as Ewilra. She marveled to herself at the subtlety of the spell, for that was what she surmised the sudden boost of elan to have come from. She had never felt a glimmer of the sorcery involved. Even poor Axnuld had recovered a little of his normal poise.

"General," said Lessis, turning to Hanth. "What is the most recent news from Posila?"

"Commander Urmin has Posila in sight, but he is avoiding contact with the enemy. To attack Posila is inconceivable with only a thousand men. The Aubinans even have enough catapults that it would be extremely dangerous to use dragons."

Lessis nodded. They could not afford to waste dragons, especially when they only had ten at the front.

"How long before we can reinforce our dragons down there?"

"Well, that's still a bit of an unknown. There's a half squadron, the 120th, which is on its way from Dalhousie. Also there's the 155th, which is resting up at the Blue Hills. A message has been sent to get them on the road."

"We must get more dragons into that force. Our enemy has many resources."

"Indeed, but for now, Commander Urmin must husband his force and demonstrate outside Posila while avoiding battle."

"Unfortunately that also means we give up the initiative."

"Just for the next few days. Once my men have joined Urmin's, the situation will be much improved."