“No doubt. But that time has passed.” Solteszy cleared his throat. “To be honest, I was sure you had a different purpose in visiting the Arnfels.”
“What other reason could I have?”
Solteszy shook his head and smiled. “Hear me out, Your Highness. You can win back Kersenstadt without Mattila’s help.”
Teodora leaned forward. “Do tell.”
When they reached the Arnfels, Teodora had her carriage take Solteszy straight back to the palace where he could start planning. He insisted on taking the guard with the sharp halberd, too. Teodora ordered the prisoner brought to her, and waited for him in a little anteroom. She ought to pay Kendryk a visit while she was here, though she still didn’t trust herself to leave him unharmed. If it wasn’t for him and his ridiculous ideas she wouldn’t be having any of this trouble right now.
So she waited until the prisoner was ready and brought to her.
“Count Ensden.” She walked up to him, taking both of his hands in hers. “It’s good to see you again. I trust you are well?”
“Well enough, Your Highness,” he said, though her old general looked even more corpse-like than the last time she saw him. She’d thrown him in here months ago after all, and if the dungeon could destroy the looks of a pretty boy like Kendryk, it did much worse on a fellow who was already a dried-out old husk. “Is it time for my court martial?”
She had forgotten about that. “No, I’ve decided to dispense with that altogether.” She smiled brightly.
He paled. “So it’s straight to the block then?”
“Oh heavens, no.” She had to laugh. The poor man really expected the worst. “No, no. I’m here to set you free and to reinstate you.”
“I’m afraid I don’t understand.”
“Your replacement has proved a disappointment. She has made a frightful mess in Kronland and I will need your help to clean it up.”
“Brynhild Mattila? That’s a surprise. She’s not known for making mistakes.”
“No. But there’s a first time for everything. She’s lost Kersenstadt.”
“Oh dear.”
“Yes. And what’s worse, she’d filled it with the bulk of her supplies she’ll need for a spring campaign. Supplies now on their way to Arryk Roussay while his whore Larisa Karsten builds up the fortifications and turns our own guns on us.”
Ensden stood up straight and his eyes cleared. “Unbelievable. We must go there straightaway.”
“Unfortunately, I have no army of my own. Demario Barela is under my command, but he’s gone east. In any case, I will need more than that to besiege a city the size of Kersenstadt.”
“Yes, though it can be managed.” Right before her eyes, her pathetic prisoner had turned into the resolute warrior she’d known for so long. Ensden’s voice strengthened and all he lacked now was weapons and armor. “With my contacts in Cesiano, and sufficient incentive, I should be able to gather a suitable force within a month or two.”
“That long?”
“At least that long, especially with the mountains still difficult to pass.”
“Can’t you get troops from anywhere else?”
“I’m sure Mattila has picked the area clean. I’ll send to Floradias as well, but the armies in Kronland drew heavily from there.”
“Oh, it’s frustrating!”
“Yes, it is. But please be assured, Kersenstadt will be yours before long and Mattila will receive no credit for it.”
“That would be most gratifying.” She had to admit, it was nice to have her old general back. They had always worked well together. “I’ll tell you what. Give me Kersenstadt by summer and I’ll make you a duke.”
“Your Highness, I am very honored. But it’s unnecessary. I only wish to do my duty.”
“Oh, I know, but the offer stands. You are released at once and all of your property returned to you and so on. I’m sure your family will be pleased.”
His smile was broad. “Is my wife well? And my daughters?”
She had no idea. “I’m sure they are. I believe they left the capital after …”
“Yes, of course. They ought to be with my brother-in-law in Moralta. I will write to them right away.”
“Certainly. Though don’t take too long. I will expect you at the palace tomorrow morning so we can make plans.”
“I would like nothing better. Please don’t worry, Your Highness. It will all come right. I can’t imagine what Mattila is doing, but we will correct whatever damage has been done.”
“And when it has,” Teodora allowed herself to dream a little, “I won’t have much use for her and you can take your rightful place at the head of all my armies.”
“As you wish. Let’s get Kersenstadt first.”
Kendryk
Kendryk was reading in his little study when the door burst open and Teodora swept in.
“Darling!” she said, coming in and putting her wrap on a chair.
“Your Highness,” he said, standing up rather abruptly. “How good of you to visit.” He bowed and motioned toward an empty chair with soft velvet cushions.
She sat, then said, “I was here anyway.” She paused. “Well, to be honest, I was coming to kill you.”
He found it hard to take her seriously, though he probably should. “What stopped you?”
“Someone reminded me of my stupid agreement with your stupid friend, and I decided it would be unwise.”
“That’s never stopped you before.”
“Careful, brat. I can still put you back in the dungeon.”
“No, you can’t. Natalya will check on me.”
“I can keep you in the dungeon until she sends someone.”
“Oh? When will that be?”
“I’ll be notified of an official visitor from Galladium.”
“But they won’t always be official. It might be anyone.”
“She said that?”
“Yes. I can expect visitors from Galladium of virtually any occupation or position.” The look of surprise on her face was priceless.
She stamped her foot. “I’ll find another way to make you miserable, then.”
“I’m sure you will.” He smiled softly and closed his book. “I apologize, Your Highness. I don’t wish to have a difficult relationship with you. Even if you had no power over me, I’d rather we were on better terms.”
“I don’t.”
“Just know for my part, I wish we were friends.”
“Whatever for?”
He sighed. “Shouldn’t we find a way to end this terrible war? Hasn’t it gone on long enough?”
“No, absolutely not. It will be long enough once I’ve driven your brother-in-law back into the sea and have at last executed that horrid priest of yours. When I have a ruler of my choosing installed in Terragand and all of Kronland acknowledges that neither you nor your children will ever live or rule there again, it will be long enough.”
Her words struck Kendryk at his core, but he also knew she was trying to upset him. He did his best not to rise to the bait. “What if my brother-in-law could be persuaded to return home in exchange for something else?”
“If it involves you getting your country back and your pet priest running around unhindered, then no.”
“You wouldn’t discuss the possibility? What if I abdicated in favor of my uncle, while he acts as regent until Maryna comes of age? I’ll even do a public ceremony so you look good in front of the Kronlanders.” He would forgo ruling Terragand if it gave Maryna a chance in the future.
She shook her head. “You want to sit here and negotiate?”
“Why not? I don’t know what’s happening right now, but surely an agreement would make your life easier.”
“There can be no possible deal unless Edric Landrus is part of it.” Her face took on that stubborn cast he knew all too well.
“I’m afraid Edric Maximus has passed out of my jurisdiction altogether. And you realize that what you do to him makes no difference at this point, don’t you? The n
ew faith has taken hold and it’s too late to undo that. Executing Edric would only inflame matters.”
“I don’t have to listen to this.” She stood abruptly.
Kendryk rose more slowly. “I’m sorry if I’ve offended you. But when you’re not angry anymore, please think about it. Arryk Roussay returns to Norovaea, the armies of his allies are dissolved, and I abdicate in favor of my uncle and daughter. It could all be over within weeks.”
Teodora took a step closer and looked into his eyes. “I think not. You are mistaken if you believe I would negotiate with you as an equal in any way. You are no longer Prince of Terragand. You are a nobody. I would never negotiate with a nobody.”
Anger rose inside him, but he did his best to keep his face impassive.
She took a few steps until she stood uncomfortably close to him. “If you think I would make any agreement that would let your heresy run unchecked through my empire, you are also mistaken. There can be no compromise. I will defeat Arryk Roussay and his allies, and then I will wipe Kronland clean of all heresy. I don’t care how long it takes. And you will sit here and watch me do it. And when I am done, you will watch me finally, finally execute your priest, and then you will confess to the error of your ways, or follow him to the stake. Is that clear?” Her voice rose to a shriek, bouncing off the stone walls of the little room.
Kendryk stepped back. His jaw trembled, but he stopped it somehow. He took a deep breath. “That is unacceptable, Your Highness. I’m afraid my friends will have to defeat you on the field to show you the error of your ways. And I am sure they will.”
Teodora stared at him for a long moment, breathing hard. He wondered if she really would try to kill him. Then she took a deep breath and without another word, turned on her heel and left the room.
Kendryk took a shaky step back and sank into his chair.
Teodora
Teodora found it marvelous to be outside the city again with no fear of attack from another quarter. Andor Korma hadn’t made a peep in three years and the Zastwar border remained secure since a renewal of the temporary truce a year ago. Once she neutralized Kronland she would be in a position of strength and could negotiate a permanent treaty.
Already, Teodora was in a much stronger position than the last time she had left Atlona to attend the Landrus trial. She left a strong garrison from troops Ensden felt he could spare while Solteszy headed the civilian government.
Livilla accompanied the army. “I will send another hundred of the League of Aeternos with you, but I want to move on to Mattila’s army and see how that group is faring.”
“I’m sure Ensden’s army is most devout,” Teodora insisted, not wanting to be hampered with too many priests on her march. “Most of his recruits are from Cesiano and Maladena and surely uninfected with heresy.”
“I’m sure that’s true. No, it’s the people of Kersenstadt who will need instruction. Several priests and priestesses fled the city after Landrus came.” Livilla pulled a face as if mentioning him left a bad taste. Teodora understood. Just saying the name made her want to spit. “They bring the most alarming tidings. Many of the temple acolytes were too easily swayed by heresy and now preach it in all the temples of the city. Their congregations eat up every false word. When you take the city, the heretic clergy will be removed and punished, but their congregations must be returned to the faith.”
“They will be.” Teodora still couldn’t quite grasp how much trouble one man had caused. If someone had told her three years ago that all of Kronland would turn from the true faith, she would not have believed it.
Still, it was obvious the gods had not blessed the Quadrene heresy. In spite of Arryk Roussay’s vast resources he had failed to attack Teodora when she was vulnerable and now it was too late. Mattila would meet him in battle soon and Teodora was sure there was no chance a lightweight like Arryk could prevail against the seasoned general. Mattila might have miscalculated with Kersenstadt, but she wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.
As Teodora’s army moved north through Tirilis, she received letters from all directions. First and most frequent were messages from Mattila. She wasn’t the least bit apologetic for losing Kersenstadt and in fact acted as though it didn’t matter at all. She was most displeased at Teodora and Ensden taking the field. “This clearly violates our earlier agreement,” she wrote. “I’m afraid we will need to revisit terms the next time we speak.”
“Indeed we shall,” Teodora sniffed, dropping the letter on the road and smiling as it crunched under her horse’s hooves.
“Do you think she’ll refuse to engage Arryk, just out of spite?” Ensden looked worried.
“Never. Now she’s in the field, she won’t be able to let it go. I hate the woman, but I must admit she’s never shied from a fight. And if Arryk can gather his allies soon, she’ll have a good one on her hands.”
More civil, if less literate, correspondence came from Prince Novitny. Mattila had sent him south to harass Arian Orland’s cavalry and prevent him from meeting up with Arryk. Fodder was scarce in Fromenberg, so Orland had struck out for southern Lantura, where grass grew plentifully. If Novitny did his work well, Arryk would have to face Mattila without Orland’s support.
Novitny also grudgingly noted that Daciana Tomescu was doing her part by harassing Seward Kurant as he moved out of his Oltena winter quarters. “Daciana will keep him out of the fight, I’m sure.” Teodora was pleased. “Kurant is a decent soldier, but he’s old and unable to manage anything unconventional.”
“Daciana is unconventional enough.” Livilla smiled.
Novitny went on to say that as far as he knew, Count Faris had assembled a force of indeterminate size in Terragand, but wasn’t budging from Birkenfels and the surrounding area. “It appears he plans keep himself apart from Arryk’s activity, which is prudent of him and good for us,” Novitny wrote.
“Faris will be easy enough to mop up when we’ve dealt with the others,” Teodora said, though it rankled that Birkenfels was still not hers.
Mattila had split her force, and neglected to inform Teodora. This intelligence came from Elektra. “Finally, something of use.” Teodora hoped it wasn’t misdirection, but Elektra’s letter was full of her new spiritual adviser, Mother Luca. “It’s Luca this and Luca that.” Teodora rolled her eyes and handed the note to Livilla.
“Good.” Livilla smiled. “Luca is clever and subtle; she will see that Elektra is drawn away from Mattila so slowly she will scarcely notice it.”
“I hope you’re right. Since Mattila neglected to inform me she sent four thousand foot and two thousand horse north to face Emilya Hohenwart, I assume she didn’t want me to know. In which case, Elektra has done well.”
“Do not let on to Mattila that you know,” Livilla warned. “Or she might find out it came from Elektra and will no longer speak so freely in front of her.”
“Of course,” Teodora said, not mentioning that her first impulse had been to send Mattila an angry missive, ordering her to include such vital information in all future correspondences. Much as she hated to admit it to herself, it was a good idea to have an adviser or two keeping her from being too impulsive.
Gwynneth
Gwynneth was sick, exhausted and terrified by the time Captain Brun sailed into the tiny harbor at Strutka. Though it was spring now, the storms in the Northern Sea didn’t abate. The Rusa had pitched and rolled endlessly on its slow progress to the Prinova Islands. Both the village and the fortress looked as forbidding as before. The snow had disappeared, but Gwynneth couldn’t imagine greenery ever covering this rocky bit of ground.
“Damn.” Lennart struck the table with his fist, making Gwynneth jump. “I should have married you when I had the chance. We might have fought like a couple of terriers, but I would have sent you off on embassies to keep you out of my hair and conjure up treaties everywhere. You’re a sight more useful than any Sanovan princess.”
Gwynneth rolled her eyes. “In this case, there’s no substitute for a Sano
van princess. Without her, there’s no treaty.”
“There might not be one anyway.” Lennart had already attacked the documents she brought with a quill and great splotches of ink. “Ottilya wants these islands back.”
“You won’t scuttle your chance at peace arguing over this bit of rock, will you?”
“Likely not.” Lennart sighed and kept reading.
Gwynneth felt the Sanovan terms were more than fair. “Ottilya is giving up all direct claim to the throne of Estenor. The least you can do is throw a sop to her pride.”
“Is that what they’re calling it?” Lennart looked up. “So, what can you tell me about Princess Raysa?”
Gwynneth frowned. “She’s terribly unhappy, I’m afraid. She’s spent her life being told you represented all the evil in the world and now she has to marry you.”
“Poor girl. Please tell me you lied to her about how wonderful I am.”
“I tried to console her, but I think she’s nearly as frightened of me. She’s quite timid.”
“I suppose I’ll try to not be so loud around her. I’m having a go at not swearing so much since my priest reckons I should set a better example. Maybe that will help. Do you think I ought to get rid of the beard too?” He looked distressed at the prospect of so much domestication.
Gwynneth smiled. “The beard isn’t too alarming, as long as you keep it trimmed.” It looked like he’d let it grow while he was on Strutka, likely in a vain attempt to keep his face warm.
“I can do that. In any case, I won’t frighten her for long. I plan to leave for Kronland within a year or so.”
“That long?” Gwynneth couldn’t hide her dismay.
“I must bring in all the troops scattered along the border with Sanova, and recruit more before I sail south.”
“I thought you already had a rather large army.”
“Hardly.” He barked a laugh. “Estenor is a small country, and we’ve been at war for years. I’ll need to levy a second round of militia troops from the countryside, and that’s unlikely to go over well. I imagine I’ll spend some time in Tharvik, drumming up support since I’ll have to raise taxes as well.” His face brightened. “You might help with that.”
The Desolate Empire Series: Books 1-3 Page 79