by N. C. Reed
“You weren't close to me then,” he said softly. “Your kindness toward me will mark you. Has marked you. You’ll be in danger now because of me. From Therron, from Imperials, from enemies of the Crown, the list is long but distinguished. Pike is non-negotiable, Edema,” Parno said firmly.
“I need you to be safe,” he almost whispered. “I can't lose you.”
A sudden awareness of his fear swept over her and she felt a rush of sympathy swell within. She smiled faintly and nodded.
“Very well then,” she gave in with grace. “It will be as you say.”
“I knew that,” Parno nodded as he returned to the map.
-
“This is Carroll,” Winnie said as they rode across the flat plain leading toward a collection of buildings. There were farms all along the route as well as small markets selling everything from early produce to meat from livestock.
“So, it is,” Case nodded. They had made excellent time through the morning and were arriving just after lunch. They had planned originally to make this trip in one day but with new people added to the train, some of whom were still not quite settled, it had made more sense to spread the trip over two days.
Winnie didn't mind. They would be able to meet and plan this afternoon and evening and then would spend all day next helping lay out defenses and giving some rudimentary training to the locals that they could continue working with on their own.
“This is lovely country,” she told Case. “I don't think I've ever seen so much flat ground in my life.”
“These plains and the area south of here are our breadbasket,” Case nodded. “That's why it's so crucial to get the Nor back across the Ohi. Until we do, they're squatting on millions of acres of prime farmland.”
Winnie didn't have anything to add to that and so stayed silent. She knew from sitting in meetings with Memmnon and Parno how bad things were, and how bad things would be come winter. She shook her head slightly as if trying to rid herself of the thought. She had her work before her. Stick to that.
“Let’s take one company and ride ahead into town,” she said suddenly. “We can find the leaders and start talking to them now.”
“Very well.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
-
Thirteen thousand, two hundred and three.
That was how many Imperial troopers saddled horses in the predawn darkness. It was less than he had wanted and still more than Baxter had hoped for. And he was pleasantly surprised to see the horses looking so much better. He had spotted troopers the night before checking hooves and shoes as well as back and skin while they were walking the horses to their regimental corrals to be ready for this morning. So far none of them had reported any problems. The wrangler and vet had been true to their word.
“Sir, all regiments are reporting ready to move,” an aide told Baxter just as light began to show in the east.
“Very well. Scouts out, van and flankers. Let’s make sure the infantry are safe,” he chuckled. The aide grinned in the growing light and went to carry the orders. Baxter mounted his own horse, patting his neck after he was seated.
“We’ll try and take it easy today boy,” he promised.
-
General Venable was doing much the same thing as Jerome Baxter, just on a larger scale. His aides were reporting in as the huge procession began to shake down in preparations to move.
“Wagons are all hitched to their teams, sir.”
“Division commanders report all in readiness for march, sir.”
“Wagon Master reports all wagons are manned and ready to travel, sir.”
“Medical officer report...”
And so forth and so on, over and over until suddenly it was quiet. Venable waited a few seconds to make sure of what he was hearing, then turned to face them.
“Is that it?”
“Yes sir,” his Chief of Staff nodded. “All preparations are made, sir. We are ready to proceed.”
“Then let’s get this show on the road,” Venable ordered simply. “Are the cavalry moving?”
“Ten minutes ago, sir,” the staff officer nodded. “They're on the road.”
“Then pass the orders and let’s get moving. I'd like us to be moving by the time the sun comes up. Ideally, I'd like for us to make this trip in three days and have time to at least get a look at the town before dark. So, let’s shake a leg and try to make that happen.”
“Yes sir!”
-
Scouts all along the Imperial lines recognized the sound of tens of thousands of men moving. They had been expecting it anyway but even had they not it would have been hard to miss. During the night Soulan scouts would crawl to within one hundred yards of their enemy in many cases and just listen. This morning as they prepared to return to their own lines they could hear orders being passed and wagons rumbling along the road that ran through the Imperial camp.
The enemy was moving.
-
“Well, we wondered where their horses were,” Earl said as he and Felds ran their own mounts flat out trying to outdistance the Imperial scouts that had just almost caught them.
“We need to get ahead of this crowd and back where we belong,” Felds said as he looked over his shoulder. He couldn't tell if the scouts had actually seen them or if they were just clearing the way for the others. They would have to chance it.
“When we get to the next cut, we head south,” he told Earl. “There's a small rise there. Up and over, we’ll be out of sight of the road at least. From there it's straight on south for a mile and then back east to our lines.”
“Good deal,” Earl nodded. While he probably knew the area south of the road better than Felds, he knew that Felds was more knowledgeable of the northern side. The two urged their horses on, looking for the small dip that would indicate the cut was ahead.
-
“I think I hear horses.”
“You can't be serious,” the Imperial scout turned to look at the man next to him. “Are you still asleep?”
“I meant besides ours, idiot,” the first man replied angrily. “Didn't you hear that?”
“There are over ten thousand horses behind us Jake,” the second scout shook his head. “I'm lucky to hear myself think over that noise.”
“That's true,” 'Jake' nodded. “Probably just an echo.”
“Probably.”
-
“I think we're clear,” Felds said after ten minutes of hard riding.
“Looks like it,” Earl agreed. “What now?”
“Head for camp and report in,” Felds ordered. “I'm gonna keep watching. See what else happens.”
“What do I tell them?” Earl asked. Before Felds could reply they heard bugles blowing.
“Hang on,” Felds said, pulling his glass out. Earl kept watch on their own surroundings. After a minute Felds lowered the glass.
“Their cavalry is moving,” he told Earl. “At least a division I'd say and maybe more. And there's something else behind them, maybe a wagon train or something, I can't see yet. Head back and report that in and see about orders. I’ll be on that little rise yonder,” he pointed to a small clump of trees on a low rise behind them. “Should be able to still see but maybe be away from their flankers. I’ll meet you there.”
“Got it,” Earl nodded and set off at once, bearing south to avoid Imperial patrols.
“Come on, boy,” Felds patted his horse's neck. “We need to move.”
-
Baxter had one brigade remain behind to bring up the rear of the column of infantry. They would be responsible for ensuring that Soulan cavalry didn't come up on the column from the rear, riding over the foot soldiers.
Company strength flankers were posted along the road and would shadow the infantry as they moved, ensuring a clear flank. A full regiment was devoted to the van, with company strength flankers for them and scouts crawling everywhere ahead of them.
Ahead, and not on a small slope just over a mile distant to the south.
-
Felds let his reins trail on the ground as he slipped off his horse and made his way through the thin brush to where he could see. Behind him the horse pulled fresh green grass from the ground, content to wait there for his master.
Felds used his glass from inside the shade of the brush to avoid any flash of glass that might give him away.
“Good thing we moved so far back,” he murmured to himself as he saw Imperial scouts a scant five hundred yards away. “They'd have rode right over me.” He scanned the road, so far seeing only the cavalry. He would lower his glass every few seconds and take a look around him. Being alone meant he had to split his attention so as to ensure no one could take him by surprise.
He tried to calculate how long it would take Earl to return to camp and explain their situation. Then Captain Parsons would have to report in and that would take several more minutes and then a decision would have to be made and that could take who knew how long. In the meanwhile, he needed to try and see what that cavalry was screening, if anything at all.
“Maybe it's just them,” he thought aloud. “I doubt it, though. Now with all this.” He resigned himself to wait and see what happened. He didn't have to wait long.
-
“We're moving, finally,” Venable said to no one in particular. He was mounted as were his aides and several runners, but the majority of his staff were riding wagons or empty ambulances, their horses pressed into service to mount as many cavalry as possible.
“Yes sir,” several of his aides answered and Venable sighed. No one around him could tell the difference between him simply making an observation and him asking input.
Well, that wouldn't make any difference now. His men were moving. They had a small trip ahead, probably three nights camped in the open and then reaching Unity by lunch the fourth day. At least that was his plan. He had said he wanted to make it in three days hoping the extra motivation would help them keep the actual schedule he had in his head. It might not work but there was nothing lost in trying it.
He was impressed by the cavalry commander, Baxter, for the disposition of his men, including leaving what looked like a full brigade to bring up the rear and screen the vulnerable column from being overtaken by enemy cavalry. Venable has made a similar move by placing one division behind his wagon train so that his stores and equipment would not be straggling without cover. In a few hours they would be beyond support of any kind that would arrive in time to matter. Caution was the word of the day so far as he was concerned.
It would take over an hour for the entire column to get out on the road, but once it did they would move more quickly. It was a good road and good weather. Once they shook down things would be fine.
-
“That's a lotta Imp soldiers,” Felds whispered as he watched yet another division emerge from the tree line, the third so far as near as he could tell. He fished in his shoulder bag for a piece of hardtack and broke a piece off, placing it on his tongue to let it soften. He and Earl had of a necessity missed breakfast as they were running from Imperial scouts. Hunger was now scratching at his belly.
He continued to watch as regiment after regiment appeared. Finally, after a fourth division had shown, came the wagons.
“Look at that,” Felds breathed as wagon after wagon rolled down the road from behind the trees. “I guess that's what all the noise was,” he decided. He had his notebook out and was keeping careful count of how many units he had seen, and had written down any units he had managed to identify. Now he counted the wagons, and when the artillery rolled from the trees as well he made special note of that.
“They ain't kidding around this time,” he decided.
-
“Milord, we have a report of movement in force on the enemy right,” an aide said softly as Parno sat eating breakfast.
“How much force?” Parno asked.
“It's still coming.”
“Excuse me ladies,” he stood, taking a pastry from a dish on the table. “I better check on this.”
Having made his manners, Parno hurried to the command tent where Davies was already looking at the reports coming from all down the line.
“What's happening, General?”
“Large enemy force moving out to the west, milord,” Davies handed over a handful of hasty reports. “Likely the group they removed from the line earlier but we truly can't be sure. Confidence is high though that it is. And it's a lot of movement. Our reports so far haven't gotten a look yet but-”
“Beg pardon, Milord,” Doak Parsons walked into the tent already speaking, cutting Davies off. Parsons walked to the map as he spoke,
“My men have identified a large cavalry force emerging from the Imperial line in the trees here,” he indicated the Imperial right. “Infantry coming in force behind them. They were just emerging when one of my men left to report in. Another is still there trying to get a better look. This is a major movement with a heavy cavalry screen. From the look of it, I'd say it's probably every cavalryman they have left.”
“I need you to go and check on this,” Parno said softly. “I need accurate information so I can make a decision. It sounds as if they're just making a move for Unity again, but if a force that size turns south we could be in real difficulty.”
“We’ll be in the saddle shortly, milord,” Parsons nodded and departed. Parno took a deep breath to collect his thoughts.
“Have General Wilbanks assemble his men near our left,” he told Davies. “His men and mounts have been through the new training regimen and passed with high marks. I don't want them pursuing, at least not yet, but I do want them ready to respond if this is an attempt to flank us.” He paused, gnawing his lip, then spoke again.
“And send a runner to Graham instructing him to keep his men ready to march with fifteen minutes notice. I don't want them standing in line but I do want him to be able to get moving as soon as we need him.”
“Will do, milord.”
It was all Parno could think of for the moment. He needed to know more before he could commit his troops.
-
“I'd give a pretty penny to know what's being said in their command tent,” Wilson mused as he watched the last of Venable's men heading out. Sterling stood beside him, nodding. Wilson looked at the younger man.
“Orders written and ready?” he asked quietly.
“Ready to post on your say so, sir,” Sterling promised for the third time.
“Deliver them tomorrow after noon mess,” Wilson ordered, a decisive tone in is voice Sterling hadn't heard in a several days.
“Sir, I have to caution you again about-”
“I know,” Wilson held up a hand. “I've heard all your arguments and you're right to make them,” he said to make sure Sterling knew he wasn't being reprimanded. “Follow your orders, Brigadier.”
“Yes sir,” Sterling nodded.
Wilson reined his horse around and began moving. He had a lot of work to do today.
-
Felds tensed at the sound of horses and hurried through the brush to his own horse, expecting to see Imperial scouts running up on him. Instead he found Earl returning with Captain Parsons and ten other men of their group, all good scouts and horsemen.
“Anthony,” Parsons nodded as he dismounted, passing his reins to another man. “Show me what's happening.”
“Yes sir,” Felds nodded, motioning for Parsons to follow him. The two made it back to Feld's hiding place just as the wagons finished coming from the wood. Felds did a hasty count from the wagon he had marked in his memory and showed the total figure to Parsons.
“All in this one move?” Parsons asked.
“Including eight artillery pieces, sir,” Felds nodded. “I never seen so many wagons.”
“And now more infantry,” Parsons muttered. “What have you seen so far,” he looked again at the notebook, copying Felds' information into his own. “Damn,” he muttered as he finished. “That's a serious move.”
“Yes
sir,” Felds nodded. “Lotta men and supplies and what not. Wherever they're headed, they aim to stay there.”
“So, they do,” Parsons nodded. “Keep them under observation until they're done,” he told Felds and Earl. “I'm going to start sending men further west to screen that bunch. When they stop coming, you two report to me at headquarters. Got it?”
“Got it,” the two younger men replied as one, nodding as they did.
Parsons walked back to the men who had came with him.
“Spread out westward,” he pointed. “Keep an eye on that bunch. Stay close enough to each other that no one is lost, and don't let their scouts see you. I'd like them to think we're not looking. If they turn south for more than a mile I want to know it as soon as a horse can get you to me. Hear me?”
“We hear you, sir,” the senior man nodded. “Let’s go, boys,” he said over his shoulder and the five men began moving, angling away to avoid being seen. Parsons watched for a minute, trying to decide if he'd missed anything. Satisfied he hadn't, he hit his saddle and began running back to make his report to the Prince.
-
“An entire infantry corps, plus attachments, screened by a reinforced cavalry division,” Parno listened as Davies read off the total. “We're looking at somewhere around fifty thousand infantry and another twelve thousand or so cavalry, all headed west of the line,” he traced it one the map.
“They're going to take Unity again and intend to hold it this time,” Parno mused. “Why, I wonder?”
“I still think it's because they've decided there's something out there we don't want them to see,” Davies was shaking his head. “It's the only thing that makes any sense. There is nothing out there for them to try and take.”
“What if they're just looking for a position advantage?” Parno asked, looking at the map alongside his General.
“What do you mean?” Davies asked, frowning.
“Look,” Parno began tracing lines. “From Unity there's a major trade route straight to Jason, and another equally good one that runs directly into Shelby,” he traced another line. “This force is large enough to present a threat we can't ignore. Do you see what I'm saying?”