by CJ Brightley
“You might wonder now why I am opposing Nekane Vidar and Ryuu Taisto, since they both have no small measure of credibility. Nekane Vidar is a good man, but I do not believe he has the grasp on power that he believes he has. Some of you may have heard that groups were sent to eliminate me in order to assure that the coup was unopposed. Some of them were suvari, paid to act as assassins. These orders did not come from Vidar, but from Taisto, who supposedly follows orders from Vidar. Does that sound like the action of an honorable man?” He paused and looked over the crowd.
“From my friend Kemen I have learned more about honor than I’ve ever known before, and I would not have the Erdemen army of honorable men like him be led by a murderer and thief. Taisto stole from my father like a common thief years ago, and my father forgave him and trusted him again. Taisto and Vidar between them executed my tutor, his wife, and several other innocents for a plot to murder me, though I know they were not involved.
“Yet even this I could understand, if it was done for the good of Erdem. I would not, perhaps, agree with it, but I could understand. But then there is another fact that Kemen and I discovered yesterday. I assume you are aware of the famine that has plagued Rikuto for the last few years.”
He waited until he saw a few nods among the men. “Rikuto has suffered both from bad crops and a great increase in Tarvil raids that have destroyed crops and killed women and children as well as men. The Rikutan king Ashmu Tafari has been buying grain from Erdem for over a year at prices that nearly destroyed Rikuto. I, in the palace, was not told of this. That grain, too, was often stolen by Tarvil raiders. What can you imagine was done with it?”
He paused again for one heartbeat. “It was sold in Erdemen marketplaces at absurdly high prices. The Tarvil raiders were paid by Taisto to destroy crops in Rikuto, then to attack the convoys carrying grain that Rikuto fairly paid for and bring it back to Erdem to be sold again in our markets. All this money was funneled directly into Taisto’s pockets. The result, desperate raids by Rikuto into Erdemen border towns for food, was of no concern to him.”
“I do not know yet whether Taisto’s only purpose was gold, or whether there is more to his treachery than that. But I do know that innocent women, children, farmers, and soldiers on both sides of the border have suffered for his greed. I oppose Taisto and Vidar because they do not serve the Erdemen people. I care about Erdem more than I ever did when I lived in the castle, for now I have lived among farmers and soldiers, good men.
“I am honored by your support of my claim to the throne, as I’m honored to serve such a great country. I am young. I am untried. But I swear to you that I will serve Erdem before myself, and I will take the counsel of honorable men in doing so.”
I noticed he assumed their support, rather than asking for it. Good.
Hakan’s voice faded into a vast silence. He stepped down and glanced at me. Itxaro dismissed the men for the evening. The formations relaxed, and men began talking in the growing darkness. Someone on the far side of the training ground began to sing, and it quickly swelled to a roar, the song picked up by hundreds of voices. It was an old song, a song of love for Erdem, of a soldier’s pride in the country he serves. The choice of that song didn’t exactly promise anything. But it did give me hope.
18
The next morning we headed on to Relakato, some eight days away with quick riding. Hayato said his commanding officer, Sikke Bakar, who was normally stationed at Rivensworth, was meeting there with the local kedani commander. We didn’t have many men, just Hayato’s squad less the one man who’d been wounded in the skirmish, Hayato, Hakan, and me.
Every night I dismounted wondering why bones knit together so slowly. Hayato and his men prepared the food, and the first night Hakan brought mine to me before I even realized it was ready.
I had taken off the strap around my ribs and was lying on the ground flat on my back taking deep breaths to ease the tension, trying not to grimace at the pain.
“Here.” Hakan dropped to sit on the ground next to me, holding out a skewer of roasted venison, onions, and tubers.
We ate mostly in silence. It was late spring, and the country was beautiful, though most of the time we were riding too fast to pay attention to it.
“How much do you hurt?”
I shrugged. “It’s fine. Why?”
He looked away. “In a couple days, when it’s a bit better, could we practice with the swords again?”
I nodded. “You could practice with Hayato now.”
He hesitated, but then nodded. He was nervous. He didn’t trust Hayato the way he trusted me. That was good. He needed to practice against someone else, someone unknown.
I finished eating quickly and went to find Hayato. “Do me a favor.”
He grinned. “Sure. What?”
I handed him my wooden sword. “Spar with Hakan.”
“You think he’ll have to fight? That’s what the army is for.” He frowned in confusion.
“I know.” I nodded seriously. “Work on his parries and make him counterattack. He tends to be too passive, too defensive. Push him. Make him work. Give him confidence, too.”
Hayato licked his lips. “Right.”
Watching them train made me realize how much progress Hakan had made. He wasn’t good, couldn’t hold his own, but he was a hundred times better than he had been. With luck, he might last several minutes against an average kedani. I hoped we wouldn’t have to test his skill, but I wanted him prepared for anything.
At the garrison at Relakato, we followed Hayato to the officers’ quarters, where Hayato spoke with Bakar. After a few moments of conversation, Hayato invited us in and Bakar bowed deeply to Hakan. A solemn joy lit his face, and I warmed to him immediately.
Hayato told me later that Bakar, too, had been a foundling. Several years older than I, Bakar was then one of the highest-ranking suvari officers in Erdem, though not the oldest, by virtue of long years of service and a natural talent for leadership. He inspired men to greater heroism and loyalty and was known for his generosity in sharing his knowledge and expertise with younger officers. Hayato greatly respected him; he’d been one of Hayato’s mentors and had taken great pains to give Hayato good command experience.
Bakar spoke to Hakan with respect and a fatherly sort of affection, though it was the first time they had met. He sent a messenger to Rivensworth to ready the suvari there to join with us in two days. The kedani commander offered his men, but Hakan shook his head.
“I want to be in Stonehaven before Taisto knows I’m coming. Kedani will take too long. Send word to all the garrisons to wait two days, as if I am still at the border, and then proclaim their support publicly.”
We ate dinner that night with Bakar and Hayato. Hakan questioned them in detail about the raids over the northern and eastern borders. Though I’d heard of them for quite some time, he had not received much information in the palace. What we’d seen was enlightening, but hardly a comprehensive account of the border tensions. I wondered what his father the king had been thinking to leave his son and heir with so little knowledge about the country he would rule. Trained, yes, and Hakan’s natural intelligence and wisdom were becoming apparent. But he knew little about the true situation in his own country. Surprisingly, he seemed to have more information about Rikuto, I suppose as a result of the spies his father had in place.
Every nation has spies, and in some ways, I realize they’re necessary. Information saves soldiers’ lives. It prevents, or can help prevent, stupid decisions by a king or an army commander. But, though I realize its necessity, it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. I prefer to fight my enemies face to face, blade to blade. Most soldiers I know feel the same.
I met a spy once, and he impressed me more than I would have expected. He was a man like any other. He had an easy and agreeable demeanor that distracted from the light of quick intelligence and relentless purpose in his eyes. His information about the Rikutan army’s movements had guided our actions some two weeks before t
he battle that had retired me. I wished now I’d spoken with him more. His purpose was information, and that didn’t strike me as underhanded in the way that a secretive strike or assassination would have.
I suppose I would have felt differently if he’d given information about our movements to the Rikutans. In fact, I suppose there is no reason to believe that he didn’t give information to them as well, aside from the fact that we avoided a battle that would have gone badly by our numbers. The morality of spying makes my head ache, but Hakan seemed entirely comfortable debating the value of conflicting information he had received.
“I wonder what his purpose in this is. Surely it cannot be only gold.” Hakan sounded puzzled.
I wondered if he underestimated the lure that gold carries for some people. Though I have many faults, gold has never tempted me unduly. It is beautiful, certainly, but the things it buys are not what please me most. Yet it can corrupt some men, leading them far astray into deeds they might have considered despicable in better times. Hakan had been thinking on the puzzle for days but still had reached no answers.
“His actions weaken Erdem nearly as much as they weaken Rikuto. I don’t see the purpose.”
Bakar spoke quietly. “Do you think he is working for Ophrano? His purpose being to weaken both nations for an invasion later?”
Hakan shook his head. “No. I mean, I suppose it’s possible. But Ophrano has little to offer him, and I don’t think he speaks Ophrani. He’d be at the mercy of a translator; I can’t see him accepting that. Besides, he’s been in Stonehaven almost continuously for four or five years. It would be difficult for him to receive orders from outside. Though not impossible, I guess.”
No one asked about Irkamil to the northeast. Irkamil is weak and could never dream of invading Erdem. We’d been more or less at peace with Irkamil for two hundred years, and could have conquered it long ago if it had anything worth possessing.
Hakan tapped his fingers on the table as he thought, but that night we came to no answers.
From Relakato to Rivensworth and on to Stonehaven is a four day ride if you aren’t in a hurry. We made it in two, and arrived late the following night in Esklin, a small village of no importance except that it had an inn. We could have camped or ridden through the night to Rivensworth, but Hakan looked tired and I wanted him strong for whatever would come when we reached the capital. My own aching ribs were not much of a concern; the pain tired me enough that by the time we stopped for the night I could have slept anywhere. Most of the men had to sleep on the floor, of course, but I wanted them near in case of any trouble.
The inn had room, so I did get a bed that night, though I didn’t get to sleep in it. I was nearly asleep when the clatter of hooves jerked me back to wakefulness. I pounded on Hakan’s door and waited until I heard an answer before running down the stairs. A young suvari was speaking breathlessly with the innkeeper. When he saw me, he dropped to one knee in a bow as deep as Desta’s had been. I sat him down at a table, for he was clearly distraught, and he was already speaking when Hakan entered.
“Sir, I come from Relakato. I’m Rokus Serkan, a friend of Commander Siri Andar, in the king’s guard. He’s friends with Commander Hayato Jalo. I got a message from Siri a few hours after you left Relakato saying that Taisto had heard you were coming. Siri thinks he heard rumors from Vettea. Taisto knows your name, sir, and connected you with the prince even before the rumors of your triumph in Senlik reached Stonehaven. He sent me to warn you to move quickly. Taisto sent his men from Stonehaven three days ago to check every small town for you.” He hadn’t even stopped to breathe as the words tumbled out in a rush.
“How many men?”
“Thirty, sir.”
“Who is their commander?”
“Baris Eker, out of Darsten. They heard you were at Relakato somehow and Eker guessed you’d head for Rivensworth. They’re riding for speed, but they’re kedani and won’t want to fight on horseback if it comes to it. Two or three of them trained as archers for a while, though they’re not serving as such now. There’s a price on your head, but only Eker’s squad took the bait, sir.”
Of course, he would use official sanction for his revenge if possible.
Hayato entered then. “Rokus? What are you doing here?”
Serkan nodded toward him respectfully. “Message for Sendoa, sir, from Siri. There is more. Vidar was found dead this afternoon. Looks like poison. All the king’s guards have been arrested on suspicion of murder and are to be held until trial next week if no one confesses before then.”
Phraa.
I wondered if we would ever know what part Vidar had played. The young man looked down at the table. Would Taisto really wait until the coming week before executing them? Unlikely, unless it served his own purposes somehow. The men of the king’s guard are almost beyond suspicion. Service in the king’s guard is a reward for past honorable service. Commander Andar was probably older than I was, experienced, having volunteered for further service out of loyalty and pride in Erdem’s glory.
Hakan spoke quietly. “We will do what we can.”
The young man looked at him bleakly. “He believes Taisto ordered it done, so the real murderer will never be found. The food was not touched from the kitchen to Vidar’s table, and Taisto has his own men in the kitchen. Siri will confess to the murder if it appears the other guards will go free if he is executed for it. He begs that you take care, for he is no murderer, and once he is dead, the threat still remains. It is to save his friends that he will do this, but he would have you know he did not poison Vidar.”
Hakan nodded.
The young soldier stared at the table a moment before standing to bow again. “I am honored to meet you, sir. I should have been more courteous earlier. Forgive me for my haste and discourtesy.”
“Sit down. Have some dinner if you haven’t yet. We’ll leave immediately.”
Hakan nodded and ran upstairs to get his cloak. The innkeeper brought a bit of food and the young soldier ate quickly, as if he were out on a campaign. Good. A soldier learns to eat when there is food, regardless of emotional turmoil, for hunger can make one weak and slow one’s reflexes. Hayato woke his men while I thought. When he returned, Hakan looked to me for direction.
I called the innkeeper in to speak with him. “There may be men hunting us. If they ask, say that we’re moving west toward Llewton.”
Then we mounted up and headed north on the road toward Stonehaven, and I saw the innkeeper staring out the door at us. Good.
Out of sight of the inn and well over a small hill, I led the group off the road to the east, stumbling through the dark woods until we reached a deer trail. That made our path easier, and we followed it for half a league until we reached the road going northeast, to circle around to Rivensworth and enter Stonehaven from the east rather than from the south. Rivensworth was not far.
If the innkeeper followed my instructions, Eker and his men would be off track, but if they threatened him, he would have something else to say and they would be full on the wrong path heading north before long. In the darkness they would have difficulty following our path; there was hardly a sliver of moon to light the way. It was all I could do; we had to go to Rivensworth to join with the men Bakar had commanded for us.
The night was cool and thick with fog which seemed to quiet the horses’ hooves, and it would have been beautifully peaceful except that the fog preceded a light misting of rain. The mist turned into a drizzle and then into a steady heavy downpour which soaked through our cloaks, filled our boots, and turned the road to slippery mud. Our path would be washed away, which was good.
But one does not stay alive by trusting to luck, and it worried me that we could not have heard Eker and his men over the rain if they had been right behind us. I finally asked Hayato to take the lead as I fell back to make sure we were not followed.
The young messenger, Serkan, stayed with me, silent and dripping in the cool rain. I was glad summer was well started; even a month e
arlier the rain would have been much colder. After several minutes, I thought I heard something in the woods to our left, and I pulled Serkan off with me to wait and listen more closely. Indeed, there was someone approaching. Only one person by the sound of it, though the rain made it difficult to judge.
Rainwater ran into my eyes and down my back, between my shoulders and through my hair. My horse blew quietly. A twig snapped softly, barely audible under the steady rain. I dismounted and handed the reins to Serkan before making my way quietly through the brush. I’m a better woodsman than most soldiers. It was so dark that I couldn’t see clearly, but I waited and moved softly and finally he was within reach.
The edge of my sword at his throat brought a soft surprised intake of breath, but he waited until I spoke. “What are you looking for?”
“I have a message for the prince Hakan Ithel.” He kept his voice quiet and even, an intelligent move.
“I will take it to him.” In the dim light, I could see the glint of the white in his eyes.
“I would deliver it to him personally.”
I remained silent.
“Or to his friend Kemen Sendoa. I have heard the prince trusts him.”
“I am Kemen Sendoa. What is the message?” I did not remove my sword from his throat.
“I was in a squad sent from Stonehaven to kill the prince. I didn’t want to do it, so I left my horse to cut through the woods. I hoped I’d find you faster this way. The rest of the group has split, some going on the north road to Stonehaven, and some following the one that cuts around to Rivensworth and then enters Stonehaven from the east. Commander Eker did not believe you would go to Llewton.”
“Why are you not with them, then? Surely you would be of help to the prince in a skirmish.”