Whorlyr, seated beside Encourager N'loe, disliked having to peer through the drover's port, but knew that standing up through the observation hatch would make him an easy target for the enemy crossbowmen.
His basic strategy was a direct adaptation of that used at Yhmghaegnor. Five hundred algars would close to within twenty paces and pour fire into the center of the earthworks to focus the attention of the enemy. The battalions on the wings would pierce the line, roll through, and converge toward the center.
"Brother Zsii, relay an order to all battalions to reduce speed to one-quarter. We want the Mhajhkaeirii to have plenty of time to bring all their armsmen to the line."
"As you say, brother."
At thirty paces, a swarm of crossbow bolts slammed into the forwardmost algars. Nearly all of these projectiles shattered impotently on the armored shells. One lucked through the drover's port of Whorlyr's algar and barely missed him. The shaft lodged into a curved section of a wooden rib just above his head and vibrated with a high-pitched sound for a few seconds.
"Signal to Commanders-of-Cloisters Bh'sh and Zhloartl," he told Zsii. "Commence envelopment and let the slaughter begin."
FORTY-NINE
"... and then we returned to the Empress Telriy," Lord Ghorn finished.
The first thing that Mar had done after Yhejia had come that morning to collect Telriy -- to begin making baby clothes, an activity that struck Mar as confoundingly surrealistic under the circumstances -- was to ask the Prince-Commander to give him a detailed account of what had happened to him.
He had also asked High-Captain Mhiskva, Lord Hhrahld, and Maidsear Berhl to join them in his dayroom, with the intention of once again discussing strategy for the coming conflict. Lord Ghorn might not have any new advice, but he was certain to have a fresh perspective on the current state of affairs. Now, the six of them sat in a circle of chairs, though those of the Gaaelfharenii might more properly be considered to be couches.
"Waleck didn't explain why he was helping you?" Mar asked.
"No, my lord emperor. As I said, it is as if he has two spirits in his body and the two are at counter purposes to each other. The weaker one is sympathetic to your cause and makes clandestine efforts to provide assistance. The other, the stronger one, sees you and everyone else as mere tools that he must use to achieve his own agenda. I received the impression that while the antagonistic spirit is more or less lucid, the sympathetic spirit is afflicted with a deteriorated mental state."
"Let me know at once if he appears to you again. Right now, I don't have any magic that can neutralize his interference, but I'm working on spells that may help. Captain Mhiskva told me that you'd like to take command of the First Army?"
"Yes, my lord emperor, if that is acceptable to you."
Smiling, Mar said, "If you want that headache, it's yours. In a few days, I'm going to take Number One to Lhinstord. I'll drop you off in the Steo Hills on the way."
"Thank you, my lord emperor."
"Wilhm, Mhiskva, and I should go as well," Lord Hhrahld said.
"I was going to leave Mhiskva in command here at Mhajhkaei," Mar said with a frown.
"My lord king, I believe that the three of us in concert is a most potent weapon."
Wilhm, who had been leaned up in a corner apparently asleep on his feet, opened his eyes and said, "This is the way the dreams go. We are all together." Then he leaned his head back into the corner and began to snore softly.
Mar had no doubt that the ancient magic of the giants' blood, which had thus far defied all his attempts to delve, reinforced itself when they were near each other. Fighting singly, they were no doubt magnificent, but fighting together, they were more than human.
"I wish I had a hundred Gaaelfharenii."
Lord Hhrahld gave a sad smile. "But you do have three."
Mar turned his eyes to his First Minister. "Captain Mhiskva?"
"I was born to swing an axe, my lord king."
It was a trite phrase often spoken by heroic characters in three-penny dramas, but in Mhiskva's case there was no question but that it was literally as well as figuratively true.
Feeling as if he were somehow condemning all of the huge men to death, Mar conceded, "Alright. We'll all go together then. Maidsear Berhl -- make that Coirneal Berhl, you'll be on your own with Mhajhkaei."
"With the militia, the constables, and the marine brigade, I should be able to handle anything but a full blown invasion, my lord king. As soon as more are available, I'm going to mount polybolos on every one of the Tertiary Wall towers. Each machine is worth a brigade all by itself."
Then, as the talk began to turn as it always did to the routine topics of logistics and deployments, an agitated and scowling Subaltern E'hve presented himself at the door. Behind him stood one of the magician-pilot couriers, Nihmraeyi, a young, sturdy woman just a few years older than Mar. It was clear that she had travelled far. Her clothing had a sweaty, wrinkled appearance and she had dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep. Soot and grime smudged her wind-chapped forehead and cheeks and her light-colored hair, though braided, was mussed and straggling.
"A message from Knight-Commander Dhrasnoaeghs, my lord king!" E'hve announced.
Mar waved them in. From the courier's expression, he knew right away that the news contained in the scrap of paper that she clutched in her hand was bad. It being a good hundred leagues to Lhinstord and Nihmraeyi's best speed being less than ten leagues per hour, it also had to be at least ten hours old.
"Read it aloud," he told her.
The magician-pilot unfolded the paper with hands that trembled slightly and let her eyes fall upon it.
"Evening of Eighthday, Waning," she read in a strained soprano. "My lord king, it is my shameful duty to report that our prepared fortifications before Lhinstord have been overrun by a devastating Phaelle'n assault that utilized steel-armored conveyances of a previously unseen design. These conveyances appear to be magical in nature and move in a similar fashion to skyships, but do not take flight. They are armed and manned, and projectiles are discharged from portholes along their sides. These projectiles readily pierce plate and chain armor and are stopped by only the thickest stone or wood. Within the first half hour of the engagement, I suffered the loss of more than eighty percent of my command. The majority of the casualties have been fatalities. The Phaelle'n have paused to reduce Lhinstord and this interruption of their advance has allowed me to retreat with some survivors. I am in full flight to the west on foot. I will attempt to regroup at the Sand River, but do not believe at this time that I and the remaining legionnaires of the I Corps will be able to take any action that will slow the enemy offensive. I await your orders. Knight-Commander Dhrasnoaeghs."
Lord Ghorn leapt to his feet. "The Steo Hills. I should leave now."
Already moving toward the balcony, Mar enchanted the Prince-Protector's clothing and towed him along.
"Nihmraeyi, take an order to Coirneal Relvhm at your best possible speed," Mar ordered over his shoulder as he passed through the balcony doors. "I want the Skyship Corps to move to support the First Army. I'm taking Number One to Lhinstord. Coirneal Berhl, evacuate the Palace and everyone else that you can to the Monolith in any available transport. Turn out the militia and warn the population of the city to expect attack at any moment. Captain Mhiskva, gather up all the reinforcements that you can and follow me in the Empress Telriy."
With Lord Ghorn flying alongside as his grim companion, Mar sailed out to go to war.
FIFTY
143rd Year of the Reign of the City
Ninthday, Waning, 3rd Springmoon, 1645 After the Founding of the Empire
Palace of the Empire, Mhajhkaei
Mhiskva had to hold the Empress Telriy's departure.
"They're not in the palace, sir," Berhl affirmed. "We searched top to bottom."
It had taken six hours, but sixteen hundred armsmen -- three troops of marines from Brigade B and four sections of half-trained legionnaires -- and their
equipment and supplies were packed aboard the big skyship and four sail-rigged skyships attached as tows. Berhl would be left with only two troops from Brigade B, the borough militias, and a contingent of civil volunteers to organize the defense of The Greatest City in All the World.
Mhiskva turned to the master of the vessel, who stood with First Officer Rhoird'myg and the magician-pilot Keiarh. "Captain Thylbr, are your preparations to get under way complete?"
"Aye, they are, High-Captain. Crew all present and accounted for. I checked the tow cables personally."
"We will wait another half hour. If Lord Hhrahld and Wilhm do not turn up by then, we will leave without them."
It was twenty-eight minutes by the spring-wound clock mounted beside the compass on the steerage bulkhead when Lord Hhrahld and his catechumen finally appeared upon the mooring platform.
"I didn't think that the old pirate would miss this trip," Berhl commented.
"Nor, truthfully, did I," Mhiskva agreed. "Captain Thylbr, we will cast off as soon as they are aboard."
"Aye, sir. Third Officer Keiarh, make ready to get under way. First Officer, away all lines."
Orders relayed across the deck and crewmen jumped to. Keiarh's eyes glazed over and the Empress Telriy shivered for a moment.
Berhl saluted. "Good luck, sir. I'd better get off myself. Can't swim back from a skyship."
Mhiskva returned the salute, unable to shake the impression that the courtesy substituted for a final goodbye.
It took the two Gaaelfharenii just seconds to reach the stairs of the steerage deck, and as quick as the last mooring line was thrown free, the skyship shifted away from the dock and began a steady ascent. When the slack came out of each of the tow cables, the vessel was given a jolt, but did not slow. Behind, the other skyships, sails furled on masts but crews all at their posts, fell in line to follow.
Mhiskva awarded Lord Hhrahld a disapproving frown. "My lord, I did indicate the time of our departure."
"Sorry about that, Mhiskva. We were only a bit off schedule, though. I took the boy to have his sails adjusted at a nice establishment that I know down in the city. The women there are very understanding and patient."
His expression quiescent, Wilhm nodded his head in his ponderous way. "Lhissa was very nice."
Mhiskva scowled. "My lord, perhaps Wilhm should not be exposed to such common vices without the permission of his brother, Orhv."
Lord Hhrahld gave a great sigh. "You are right, of course, but we all know that this is the end of it, High-Captain. We see it in our dreams and I feel it in my bones. The three of us are not coming back from this voyage and I did not want Wilhm to leave this world not having experienced one of its great comforts."
Mhiskva looked at the hulking pirate for a moment, then urged, "Turn aside, Lord Hhrahld. Take Wilhm and go to Bhrisnia. Bhrisnia will endure, this I know to be true."
With profound sadness, the Prince-Protector shook his head. "That I cannot do. We have a duty in the east, you, Wilhm, and I. I will not leave it to another to bear my burdens. Even if I were so craven, I know that it is only the bond of the Gaaelfharenii that keeps me sane and holds Wilhm's rage in check. We must face what comes together, the three of us."
Much as he wanted to, Mhiskva could not refute the old pirate's words and slowly nodded. "Yes, I suppose we must."
Third Officer Keiarh gained a low cruising altitude of twenty manheight within an half an hour, leveled off, and gradually accelerated to his flank speed, which Mhiskva had been told was close to five leagues per hour. It would take better than twenty hours to reach Lhinstord, but that was still a remarkable speed to Mhiskva's mind, considering that the same distance traveled by horse or galley would have taken ten days or more.
After another hour, some eight leagues west of Mhajhkaei, the shoreline curved northward into the vast Steel Bay. Following the shoreline would have added another forty leagues to the journey, so Keiarh had set a direct course due east over the waters of the Silver Sea. With low tide and a stiff wind from the southwest, the waves below were choppy and any wet sailor would be having a rough time of it, but the Empress Telriy proceeded unhindered. The favorable wind caused Captain Thylbr to have half canvas put up to gain a little extra speed and by nightfall, the expedition had covered a full thirty leagues by the shipmaster's reckoning.
Except to have a quick cold supper of bread, cheese, and cured beef sausage and to respond to calls of nature, Mhiskva stayed on deck the entire time. All of the skyships had lookouts posted in the shrouds and fore and aft, but he felt moved to keep a personal watch, wandering from bow to stern, his eyes cataloguing one part of the sky for a few moments and then shifting to another. He did not expect to see Shrikes this far west, but the nearer they came to Lhinstord, the greater the possibility that one of the Brotherhood's skyships would discover them. The Empress Telriy had no defense against the speedy enemy vessels and the only hope for the men aboard her and her tows was to seek cover on the ground. He had given Third Officer Keiarh orders to descend and to steer toward land immediately at the first sighting of a Shrike.
Four hours into the night, the fat sliver of Father Moon arose, providing enough light to reveal when the skyship passed from over the bay to the hilly, scrub and vineyard covered terrain of the Nharlae Peninsula. Occasionally, a light could be seen below in some village or other, but in the main the world was dark and slumbering. When the wind changed to the south, Captain Thylbr sent men up to furl the sails and the Empress Telriy lost some speed, but she still reached the eastern shore of the broken headland within an hour. This landmark signaled that the skyship had reached the halfway point to Lhinstord. Here, Third Officer Keiarh shifted course to an east-northeast bearing. This would, according to Captain Thylbr's plot, make them strike the coast again just west of the Sand River. It had seemed advisable that the last several leagues of their journey to Lhinstord be undertaken over dry land.
Completing another widdershins circuit of the skyship, Mhiskva went back forward to join first mate Bentlh and Third Officer Keiarh on the steerage, and unobtrusively examined the pilot. The former scholar had begun to show signs of severe strain. Though it was quite cool at this altitude, Keiarh's brow was covered in sweat and his breath had begun to labor. The other officers of the ship had taken watches on and off through the voyage, but there was no one to take Keiarh's place.
"Third Officer," Mhiskva told the thin fellow, "perhaps you should allow the skyship to coast for a bit and take a rest."
Without turning his head from his blank stare into space, the magician-pilot said, "Thank you, sir, but I can't do that. If I let her take her head, the winds would push her off course. Moreover, we'd loose speed immediately. I don't have the skill to fix the driving spell at a specific strength. For me, it's like a constantly moving target. Every adjustment I make has to be adjusted for overcorrection and then an adjustment made for that and so on."
Mhiskva gave a understanding nod. "I appreciate your dedication, Third Officer."
Keiarh turned out his palm to show the Scar. "We all do our duty, sir."
By dawn, the coast was again within sight, but the magician-pilot appeared near exhaustion. He now slumped in his chair, bleary-eyed and occasionally shivering.
Captain Thylbr had the first day watch, and as soon as he appeared on deck, he had a quiet discussion with Keiarh and then came over to speak with Mhiskva.
"High-Captain, I think we're going to have to set down. Third Officer Keiarh is adamant that he can keep going, but he's been awake for almost nineteen hours. He must have a rest or I'm afraid that he will keel over."
Though more than anxious to reach Lhinstord in the shortest time possible, Mhiskva had already come to the same conclusion himself.
"As soon as we reach an open area large enough to accommodate all the skyships, we will land for a few hours and let everyone stretch their legs. Once Third Officer Keiarh had recovered sufficiently, we will press on."
Mhiskva had a signalman flag the ot
her skyships to let them know about the stopover, and then went to tell the legates and subalterns in charge of the armsmen aboard the Empress Telriy to prepare to disembark.
An irregular landscape of creek bottoms and low hills, the area inland from the coast, a western province of the Lhinstordii princedom, was thinly settled. Wool seemed to be the major produce of the small farms and holdings, with sheep dotting most of the pastures. The few roads were twisting trails hardly wide enough to accommodate a wagon and none were paved.
The first suitable landing area to be encountered was a large pasture that ran more or less in a northerly direction alongside a deep, placid rill. A few dairy cattle were strolling about the southern end, but the barns and farm buildings were on the rising ground west of the watercourse. To the east a low hill covered in scrub oak offered the potential of shade and concealment from aerial observation.
It took Keiarh almost half an hour to align the skyships with the pasture and bring them down to just an armlength above the waving grass. When he was done, Captain Thylbr and four of the skyship's crew had to carry the exhausted pilot below.
The marines and legionnaires disembarked from the skyships on the double, streaming into the woods covering the eastern hill. Mhiskva had given orders for the armsmen to establish a distributed bivouac.
After checking the skies one last time, Mhiskva went below to join Lord Hhrahld and Wilhm and the three of them exited down the starboard ramp and moved out in the wake of the armsmen.
As their long, matched strides carried them away from the skyships, Lord Hhrahld raised his eyes up and swiveled his head back and forth.
"I dislike these new ways of war," the Prince-Protector commented. "It seems to me unnatural that death should come with no warning from the heavens."
"War is death," Wilhm said after a moment.
"Aye, that is true, but it used to be more personal. You had to look into the face, if perhaps only briefly, of the man that you fought. You had to see his rage or fear or indifference."
Warrior (The Key to Magic) Page 24