The Pinnacle Of Empire (Book 6) (35 page)

The Shinnadda’s general watched as Bodrin led his troops, first chasing down the fleeing enemy, then to burn the crystal’s caissons. One crystal shattered from the heat. The other one fell, crashing down the hillside. Shinnadda’s troops joined Bodrin’s in routing the remaining enemy troops. They returned and brought the captured enemy supplies and weapons into the fortress. Work began on rebuilding the gate once they hauled the remaining crystal inside. Before the week was out, Shinnadda again stood as the indomitable guardian of the Powterosian Empire’s western border.

“I must march on to Engwaniria to help in the relief of that beleaguered city,” Bodrin told the grateful general. The Neuyokkasinians left, heading southeast.

* * *

At the imperial palace in Graushdemheimer, Emperor Grekenbach received two couriers at the day’s formal audience. The first bowed and handed the chamberlain his sealed message from Sengenwhapolis. The chamberlain handed the message to the emperor as the courier backed down from the dais, awaiting a reply should the emperor wish to send one. Grekenbach opened the message and jumped up, elated.

“I have a son!” Grekenbach shouted across the audience hall. “The empress has given birth to a healthy son at Sengenwhapolis. Ring the bells throughout the city and send messengers throughout the empire.”

Grekenbach sat back down, reading the rest of the message. His son was born prematurely due to Dagmar’s shock and resulting stress at learning Grekenbach had invaded Talok. The court feared for the empress who worried about Saxthor’s eventual revenge for Grekenbach’s betrayal. The news was sobering.

“Send this man back straightaway with my congratulations to the empress. I want daily reports on her health and that of my son.” Grekenbach turned to the other messenger and waved his hand. The man stepped forward and the chamberlain took his message, handing it to the emperor, who read it.

“This is good news. Tossledorn’s general has taken Talok Tower and marched on Hoya. Now if he can convince General Sekkarian to surrender that castilyernov before the Neuyokkasinians send reinforcements, we’ll secure the province at little cost in men or supplies. It will be a rich, new source of revenue and the Hoyahof a grand residence for the new crown prince. What say you to that, Court Wizard Tolalo?”

“I warned Your Majesty against this action.”

“Don’t be so gloomy, court wizard.”

“I foretell only what I sense.”

“And the future, what do you see in our future for this new province?”

“I’m not a primal wizard, Majesty; I can’t see the future, but I warn you again to withdraw your forces before you regret this action. I request permission to join the empress at Sengenwhapolis.”

“Later.”

Tolalo bowed and withdrew.

“Will Sekkarian surrender Hoya without a fight?” the chatra asked.

“Not likely.” Grekenbach frowned. “He was tenacious in the Great Dreaddrac War, as I remember. We can still hope the aged general is tired. We hope he’ll see the futility of holding out.

Dismiss the court; I’ll see no more petitioners today. This is to be a day of celebration for the birth of my son and the new province that shall be his gift as crown prince.”

* * *

Tossledorn’s general marched his victorious legions along the Talok Mountains just past the hidden Talok Tak elf kingdom and up to within sight of Hoya’s massive towers. General Sekkarian watched from the Hoyahof’s highest post as the Graushdem’s legions appeared on the horizon.

“That frantic messenger was right after all,” Sekkarian said to an aide. “Unimaginable that Grekenbach would try to take advantage of his former brother-in-law while Saxthor is engaged in a war in the west. Well, his numbers overwhelmed Talok Tower, but that general won’t find Hoya so easy to subdue.”

“He’ll need to secure Talok quickly before Saxthor can react,” the aide said.

“That won’t happen,” Sekkarian said. “Send for Wizard Tournak. He arrived just yesterday from Konnotan. We’ll see what his take on this is. He was Saxthor’s mentor in his youth. He’ll know what the emperor’s response will be.”

Tournak climbed the tower stairs with a slight limp. He was getting older and arthritis in his left hip and knee pained him on the stairs. When he joined Sekkarian on the tower’s balcony, he surveyed the approaching army.

“What say you to that?” Sekkarian asked.

“Their army is wasted,” Tournak said. “Saxthor’s vengeance will be great. You must not surrender this city under any circumstances. Chatra Lemnos summoned all the veterans he could muster from the countryside. They were to march here, starting two days after I left. The reinforcements should reach here by dawn tomorrow.”

“Looks like our forces will be evenly matched,” Sekkarian said. “Ships docked yesterday with fresh supplies from Konnotan. I’ll send them back to meet the coming veterans and bring them to Hoya so they don’t have to fight their way through the siege. See what you can come up with to aid in this confrontation.”

“I’ll be in the wizard’s tower should you need me,” Tournak said, going back down the stairs. Sekkarian turned back to the approaching army.

“Bring the catapults around and distribute them along the southeastern walls. I’ll allow the invaders to establish their siege camps around the city’s southeastern perimeter. A few volleys of rubble should halt the enemy advance on the walls. Then I’ll send out a small party to burn the field stubble around their camp. That should unnerve them and perhaps destroy some of their supplies.”

“Will you lead the garrison in an attack on the invaders?” the aide asked.

“Not yet, I want to see what the wizard comes up with. We can afford to take our time; Grekenbach cannot.”

*

In the wizard’s tower, Tournak settled in and began studying the contents of the wizard’s workroom. A cat was sleeping on the unused bed and didn’t get up when the wizard entered. Tournak mumbled to himself and the oblivious cat.

“King Mendentak had his elves take all available provincial resources they could find after the Talokians fled south to Lemnos and Konnotan at Chatra Lemnos’ warning. That approaching army has marched all the way from Tossledorn. Their supply lines will be stretched thin and Mendentak will have used his powers to disrupt them. The supplies captured at Talok Tower would have been limited relative to the much larger army’s needs. They must be running low on food. The river can provide water, but food will be scarce.”

Tournak researched a book of spells and incantations.

“This one could bring a horde of insects down on the enemy, but insects are hard to control and could attack Hoya as well,” Tournak said to the sleeping cat. “Here’s a spell to draw water up, and another to shake the land, bringing down a landslide, but a footnote says it’s unreliable and the consequences difficult to predict. This one can animate an object; that might be useful. I’ll remember that one.”

He looked at the cat, which rose, stretched as if it had no bones, then curled up again, apparently bored with Tournak’s chatter. A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. He looked up to see a young man standing there.

“Excuse me, sir, they told me I might find you here; my name is Meklin. I’m Wizard Hendrel’s son. You might remember my father from your adventures he’s told me so much about.”

Tournak rose slowly from the worktable, looking at the boy all the while. He walked over to the door and reached out, shaking his hand, nearly jerking him into the room.

“Yes, of course… I remember your father well. We were, indeed, on the adventure with Saxthor in his youth. Your father gave me quite a surprise when he joined our company here at Hoya. He was most helpful to us. How is he these days?”

“He’s fine, still in Hador. The duke won’t allow him to leave, even to get away fishing in the mountains. They’re inseparable; it drives Mother mad. She’s so possessive, you know. She got all in a tizzy when she found out I was coming south to find you. But Father insisted I get out on my own and start learning a trade. I think he wanted to get me out from under Mother’s control. She means well, but she’s so over protective.”

“A trade… You’re here to learn a trade? Why not follow in your father’s footsteps at Hador?”

“Father taught me a lot, but Mother kept insisting I learn to be a shopkeeper. Father’s known since we were kids that I wanted to be a wizard like you and him. He told me I’d never get the chance with Mother hounding me to give up magic and settle down as an honest shopkeeper. She’s got Hendrel junior under her thumb, but Father convinced her to let me go. So I came to find you to study wizardry.”

“So you’re here to understudy me, be my assistant?”

“Yes, sir, if you’ll have me.”

“Hendrel’s son, indeed… I’ll be happy to accept you as my assistant, young man. It pleases me greatly to see how you’ve grown and that you’ve kept your passion for wizardry through your youth. Well, you’re still young, of course…”

“Yes sir, I know what you mean.”

“Then you shall learn wizardry with me. Young people these days don’t seem to have much belief or confidence in wizards anymore. I’m happy to have an apprentice to whom I can pass along my knowledge. Of course, we don’t have the abilities of the primal wizards of old like Memlatec, but we can still do some remarkable things, let me tell you.”

“Of course you can, sir,” Meklin said, laughing. “Father told me about your saving Favriana Fortress in the Great Dreaddrac War. He told me other stories too, but I’m not so sure they’re true. One story was about your elfin boat that changed shape according to need, a boat that watched out ahead for its passengers.”

“Yes, well, try believing rather than doubting. It opens up a lot more possibilities, son.”

“Yes, sir, I’ll try to do that. That’s why I wanted to come study with you, sir.”

“Then together we’ll evaluate this current problem. You’ve come at a good time. We’ve been challenged to help repel that approaching army. We’ll start there. And you must call me uncle… Uncle Tournak.”

Meklin joined Tournak and began reading the books in the wizard’s workroom library whenever there was time. He was an avid reader and learned quickly, helped along by his exuberance and Tournak’s encouragement.

That boy has the kind of enthusiasm Saxthor had in his youth too, Tournak thought. It’s like having a foster son again.

The two were seldom ever separated thereafter.

* * *

Governor Otaqua conferred with his councilors in Challula’s provincial capital. A messenger from Saxthor requested Otaqua send his delayed recruits to assist driving the invaders out of Mendenow. In the palace’s council room, the dozen councilors ranted, having learned the enemy had taken Mendenow and only five legions now marched to expel the Senoshesvasians. Otaqua silenced the chatter.

“Apparently, the emperor originally thought the attack on Mendenow was the main invasion, but now he’s not so sure. Listen to the messenger here and see what you make of it.”

The messenger bowed to the august assembly. “His Imperial Majesty sent me to order what recruits you’ve mustered to support the legions at Mendenow at once. His Majesty has returned north with half his forces. The emperor now suspects the main invasion will come from the north, attempting to seize Engwaniria. His Majesty requires your troops, inexperienced as they might be, to augment the legions now attempting to retake Mendenow.” The messenger put the document he’d read baring Saxthor’s stamped, wax authorization seal on the council table. The councilors resumed chattering.

“If we send our small force, Challula will be defenseless,” one man said.

“The imperial fleet just sailed past here on the way to Mendenow,” Otaqua said. “The enemy fleet can’t get past that to land an invasion force in Challula. If we delay and the enemy defeats the imperial legions, their entire force will then be free to invade Challula from Mendenow. The enemy must be stopped there. We must obey the imperial order and send our men to support the legions at Mendenow.”

“I say we keep our men training but move them to the Mendenow border. If the enemy does come by land, our men can stop them at our border,” another councilor said.

“We can’t look the other way while invaders destroy Mendenow,” Otaqua said. “If we fail to support the imperial legions there and they’re overthrown, our pitiful legion can’t stop them here. We must send our support to Mendenow now to augment the imperial force where our small number can be more affective.”

A knock at the door stopped the arguments. A wide-eyed guard entered to announce an unexpected visitor.

“King Zirkin of Zenobia’s personal representative,” the guard announced. The Zenobian officer walked around the guard. The assembled Challulans turned to the unexpected ambassador.

“Gentlemen, there’s no time for delay. King Zirkin’s sources tell us that Mendenow is about to be enveloped in a great battle and the outcome isn’t certain at all. King Zirkin has sent with me a Zenobian legion to aid Emperor Saxthor in repelling the invasion. We request permission to pass through Challula. Your own force can march with us to Mendenow.”

An elderly councilor gasped. “Zenobians marching through Challula?”

Without further consultations with his advisors, Governor Otaqua stood facing the officer. “As King Zirkin’s representative, you are most welcome. Your unexpected aid is greatly appreciated. We shall, indeed, assist your passage through Challula. Our own poorly trained force was just about to leave for Mendenow as well. We welcome your men to join our own to retake Mendenow. Gentlemen, we are adjourned.”