When he reached the exit, he halted and dismounted instead of riding up to where the Knight of Alcea stood. He signaled for Tedi to approach him alone. The Knight of Alcea hesitated, but he eventually complied with the request.
“I do not want my words heard in the valley,” the colonel said in a whisper. “Instruct your black-cloak of my desire so that we may speak plainly.”
“Our words are only between the two of us,” Tedi assured the colonel. “What is it that you wish to speak about?”
“I need your help. General Stemple and I have agreed to surrender, but General Ritka must die for that to happen without greater bloodshed.”
“And you don’t want to kill him yourself?” asked Tedi.
“Would you want to kill your superior officer?” countered the colonel. “I am a soldier, not an assassin.”
Tedi hesitated to reply. He stared at the colonel for a moment and then gazed blankly at the ground before returning his eyes to the colonel.
“If I kill General Ritka,” asked Tedi, “do I have assurances that both the 21st Corps and the 29th Corps will surrender?”
“General Stemple has already agreed,” answered the colonel. “He will become the leader of Team Gortha upon Ritka’s death.”
“And you agree as a colonel of the 21st Corps?”
“You have my word,” replied Colonel Pierce. “I will find an excuse to bring him here.”
“No,” Tedi said quickly and firmly. “We have extended what amounts to a flag of truce here. I will not attack an enemy under those conditions unless he attacks me first. Can you get General Ritka to do that?”
“No,” frowned the colonel. “He would never be so foolish as to draw his sword surrounded by your archers.”
“I didn’t think so,” replied Tedi.
“Then you will not help save my men?” the colonel asked, his voice soft with disappointment.
Colonel Pierce saw movement out of the corner of his eye, and he turned to see a beautiful saddled horse walking towards Tedi.
“Mount up, Colonel,” Tedi said. “We are going to see General Ritka.”
The colonel turned to the Knight of Alcea, his eyes wide with awe. “You are going to ride into a Federation camp alone and kill the commanding general?”
“I am not going alone,” Tedi smiled thinly. “You are going with me.” Tedi turned to the dwarf and the black-cloak as he mounted his horse. “I am going to see General Ritka,” he called to them. “Nothing has changed until you hear from me.”
The black-cloak nodded in understanding, and the two riders turned their horses and headed into the valley.
“Will your soldiers attack me?” asked Tedi as they rode into Hendy Valley.
“Not unless they have cause to,” answered the colonel. “While you are riding with me, no one will disturb you, but I cannot speak for their reactions after you kill the general. The command tent will have four guards stationed outside, and Ritka might bring them inside if he understands who you are. I will try to protect you, but they may ignore me when they see Ritka dead. Some of the men are fiercely loyal to him.”
Tedi merely nodded, and they rode on in silence for a while. Tedi glanced around the encampment with curiosity, and the soldiers gazed back at him with an even greater curiosity. He could only imagine what they might be saying to one another about the strange visitor. They had to know that he was an Alcean.
“I really must apologize,” Colonel Pierce said softly. “You must think me a fool, but I never imagined that you would simply ride into camp. Perhaps it would be better if I found another way to accomplish this. I have no right to ask for your life to save my men.”
“With luck,” Tedi replied, “only General Ritka will die this day, but I can make no promises. If your men attack me, I will vigorously defend myself. Do what you can to stop your soldiers from trying to kill me.”
“I can keep the men away from you except for the four guards,” promised the colonel, “but they will be more than sufficient to kill you. Ritka chooses the best for guard duty on his tent. Let’s turn around.”
“Turning around now would cost you your life,” Tedi pointed out. “General Ritka would surely hear about you riding through the camp with an Alcean at your side. What do you suppose his reaction would be?”
The colonel glanced around and saw everyone staring at him and Tedi. He shuddered as he realized that the Alcean was correct.
“I’ve really made a mess of this, haven’t I?”
“You appear to be a good man, Colonel,” Tedi replied. “You are doing your best to save the lives of your men, and that is exactly what a good officer should be doing. I can kill General Ritka in a manner that will be deniable, but if the guards attack me, everyone will know that I killed them. That will make my exit from your camp a dangerous proposition. In any event, you do not want to remain inside the tent with me. Lead me to General Ritka and then depart.”
The colonel had taken a sudden liking to the Alcean, but Tedi’s casual boasting of killing the four guards after being told that they were the best in the 21st Corps rankled Pierce. He sighed deeply as he tried to think of a way out of the mess he had created. All too soon they arrived at the large command tent and dismounted. The colonel glanced at General Stemple’s tent next door and wondered if the Aertan general could order the guards to remain outside. It was worth a try, but Pierce was not sure if they would obey Stemple.
Colonel Pierce led Tedi to the tent flap of the large command tent. The four guards glared at the Alcean, but they made no move to stop the colonel from escorting Tedi into the tent. General Ritka looked up with annoyance on his face, but that expression soon turned to confusion.
“Who is this?” scowled General Ritka.
“He may have information about the Alceans that is vital to our plans,” declared Colonel Pierce as he led Tedi towards the table where the general was sitting. “I will go get General Stemple. I am sure he would like to hear what this man has to say.”
The general opened his mouth to object, but the colonel was too quick. He exited the tent and left the Alcean and the general alone. Ritka looked at the Alcean with distaste.
“I do not permit weapons in my presence,” spat the general. “Lose the staff and sit down.”
Tedi smiled and nodded. He dropped the staff on the ground and sat across from the general, whispering softly to himself as he sat.
“What did you say?” demanded the general.
“It was a prayer,” smiled Tedi as his hand moved silently under the table where the general could not see it. “I understand that the dwarves have demanded your surrender, General Ritka. Is that true?”
The general frowned in confusion. He silently cursed the colonel for not explaining who the Alcean was or why he was being presented to the general.
Tedi held a smile on his lips as he eased the myric-quill-filled reed out of the small quiver at his waist. The shot would be a simple one, but the trick would be in getting the reed to his lips without the general shouting for the guards. He needed a distraction, and Tedi had alerted Button to provide it.
“Just who are you, and what do you know about the dwarves?” asked the general.
“My name is Tedi,” answered the Knight of Alcea. “I know that dwarves can be a merciless foe, but…”
“Tedi?” shouted the general. “I thought I had recognized your voice. You are one of them! Guards!”
Tedi cursed as he quickly brought the reed to his lips and blew the myric quill into the general’s neck. He had forgotten that Doryelgar had magically sent the conversation into the valley while General Ritka had been in his tent. He should have used a false name instead of his own.
The tent flap flew open, and Tedi tumbled out of his chair, stretching to reach his staff. He heard the pounding of the soldiers’ footsteps as his fingers wrapped around the staff.
* * * *
Colonel Pierce raced to the smaller command tent and barged inside when he saw no guards outside of it. G
eneral Stemple looked up with a start, but his face soon took on a questioning expression.
“Did you do it?” the general asked.
“I could not,” replied the colonel as he waved the general to his feet. “I had planned to lure Ritka to the southern exit from the valley and have the Alceans oblige us, but I have managed to botch everything. The one called Tedi is with Ritka right now in his tent. He will kill Ritka, but I am afraid that the guards will intervene. I need your help to save Tedi’s life. Come quickly.”
General Stemple had already risen from his chair, but he now hesitated.
“An Alcean assassin?” he mused. “How are we going to explain aiding his departure from the camp? Have you thought this through?”
Colonel Pierce fidgeted nervously. “I haven’t had time to think it through,” he admitted, “and we don’t have time now. If we don’t move quickly, both Ritka and Tedi will be dead, and I was seen escorting the Alcean into the tent.”
“We might be able to get around that,” suggested the general.
General Stemple clearly was not done with his words, but the colonel could brook no further delay.
“I vowed to get Tedi back out of this camp, and I will not abandon him. If you will not help me, I will do what I can on my own.”
The colonel whirled and pulled the tent flap away.
“Wait,” the general called after him. “I will help. I merely wanted to think things through before acting.”
“We are out of time,” sighed the colonel as he gazed at the large command tent and saw no guards in front of it.
The colonel raced towards the large command tent with the general right behind him. Pierce threw open the tent flap and stared uncomprehendingly. Bodies littered the floor of the tent, but a lone figure stood and stared defensively at the tent flap, his staff held ready to attack. General Stemple nudged the colonel from the rear, urging him into the tent. The two officers entered the tent and let the flap close.
“What manner of man are you?” gasped the colonel. “No man should have survived an attack from the four of them.”
“I am a Knight of Alcea,” Tedi stated confidently. “The guards are not dead. I was able to subdue them without resorting to fatal means. They will be fine when they wake up, but I would prefer not to be here when that happens.”
General Stemple ignored the bodies of the guards. He moved around the table and knelt next to Ritka’s body to be sure that he was dead. He stared at the bluish tint of the general’s skin and frowned deeply.
“Would you happen to know a Colonel Belasko?” asked General Stemple as he rose to his feet and stared at Tedi.
“I served under him for a time,” Tedi answered with a smirk.
“What are you talking about?” asked Colonel Pierce. “Why bring the deaths of the black-cloaks into this?”
“Because Ritka was killed in the same manner,” answered General Stemple. “His body has the same bluish tint.”
The colonel’s eyes grew wide as he stared at Tedi questioningly. “Who is Belasko really?”
“Another Knight of Alcea,” Tedi answered impatiently. “While I do not mind the questions, I think our time is better spent elsewhere. How will you explain the general’s death?”
For a moment, neither officer spoke then General Stemple walked around to the front of the table and looked at the bodies.
“Where were you when the guards entered the tent?” the general asked.
“In the chair offered to me,” answered Tedi.
“Excellent,” smiled the general. “We told the men that the black-cloaks had died from eating poisonous foods. I doubt that many men believed the story, but that hardly matters. It was the official explanation for the deaths of the black-cloaks, and it will be the official explanation for General Ritka’s demise. These guards,” he continued with a wave at the four bodies, “will be doubly punished, although not severely.”
“Doubly punished?” inquired the colonel.
“Once for attacking an invited guest without provocation,” smiled the general, “and once more for failing to subdue a lone Alcean. I may offer to waive the second punishment out of embarrassment for their performance.”
Tedi chuckled. “Waive both punishments and none of them will speak about what transpired here today. I think you have the situation under control, General. When can Prince Darok expect your surrender?”
“Within the hour,” answered General Stemple. “Colonel Pierce and I have to coordinate things so that we do not have a mutiny in the process. I will provide an escort for your return to the southern exit.”
Tedi looked towards the tent flap and smiled broadly. “I do not think that will be necessary. My people have already become concerned about the length of my stay here.”
The two officers turned towards the flap and gasped when they saw that a black-cloak had been standing silently behind them. They nodded wordlessly as Tedi crossed the room and stepped out of the tent with the black-cloak.
The two Alceans rode silently away from the large command tent. Tedi noticed that while the soldiers were still curious about his presence in the camp, they averted their eyes from the black-cloak. He chuckled inwardly.
“You took a risk coming in after me,” he said softly.
“You would do the same for me,” smiled Natia. “When can we leave to join General Mobami against Team Caldar?”
“As soon as General Stemple surrenders.”
* * * *
Jenneva and Queen Tanya finished up their leisurely morning meal and sat talking to Theos and Balamor about the effectiveness of various spells. When the first rays of sunlight glinted through the forest canopy, Jenneva frowned.
“It is sunrise already,” Jenneva stated. “Why are we not moving south to the next observation post?”
“A good question,” the queen responded anxiously. “Let’s go find out.”
The four mages rose and climbed the hill towards the dugout. When they reached it, they found the king, Alex, Colonel David Jaynes, and Colonel Mitar Vidson talking softly.
“Is something the matter?” asked the queen.
“Neither Bledsoe’s army nor Kozinski’s army have broken camp,” answered King Arik.
“They haven’t even sent out the advance scouts,” added David. “Something strange is going on.”
“It is possible that the loss of their mages has made them hesitant to move before the sun is fully up,” suggested Mitar. “They certainly know that they are now facing more than mere snipers to be used against their foragers. I suspect the four of you hurt them badly yesterday.”
“Have you sent a fairy to investigate?” asked the queen.
King Arik nodded. “Prince Midge went himself. He should be back soon.”
Jenneva frowned. She noticed that Alex was not contributing to the conversation, and that meant that his mind was elsewhere.
“What are you thinking, Alex?” she asked softly.
Alex shook his head as if breaking out of a trance. He looked at Jenneva and smiled sheepishly as if he had just realized that she was there.
“I was thinking that General Bledsoe has shown that he is not a typical Federation general,” stated Alex. “His division of forces to trap game is clever, and he appears more willing than other Federation generals to let his subordinate general exercise near total control over his own army. That means that we might have two large armies to worry about instead of just one.”
“You think they might split up?” asked David.
“I don’t know,” answered Alex. “I was just thinking about what they might do, or more importantly, what we want to make them do. Splitting their armies might help them or hurt them, depending on what we do about it.”
“Whatever we plan to do,” commented Mitar, “we had better start planning it soon. They are only three days from Tagaret.”
“Or longer,” Alex said distractedly.
“What do you mean longer?” asked the king. “They have a schedule to keep.�
��
“General Bledsoe is not going to destroy his army trying to keep to a schedule,” answered Alex. “He is too smart for that. In fact, I would be willing to wager that his armies do not leave camp today.”
“Why wouldn’t they leave camp?” asked Theos.
“Because we expect them to keep to their schedule,” sighed Alex. “Mitar, you said that the black-cloaks were seen flying in the days before they died. Do you think the Federation was using them only to communicate with the other teams or could they have been spying on your forces as well?”
“I would suspect both,” answered the leader of the Alcean Rangers. “They were careful not to fly low enough to get shot, so their estimates of our forces will not be very good. Our men know how to keep hidden fairly well.”
“You can’t hide four-thousand men and their horses completely,” Alex responded. “General Bledsoe must know that he is facing a force large enough not to be ignored. With the loss of his mages, he will hold up in camp today and send out spies to see what his opposition looks like.”
“And disregard his schedule?” asked the king.
“To a degree,” Alex nodded. “It is possible for him to cover three-days of his schedule in two days. His men will be fed and rested should he need to force march them. In the meantime, he forces us to make a decision. General Fortella and Team Mya are also three days away from Tagaret. If we spend the day here waiting to see what General Bledsoe does, Team Mya will be only two days from Tagaret. It is a clever move.”
“Dastardly clever,” scowled King Arik. “If we leave here to intercept General Fortella, team Miram is free to break camp and continue their march down the Coastal Highway.”
Alex nodded. “General Bledsoe’s problem though is that he still doesn’t know what he is facing outside his camp. How will he know if we have left to confront Team Mya?”
13 Day War Page 48