The other did not answer.
"And," continued Talaos, "I've solved the mystery of General Sanctari's murder."
With that, Talaos motioned, and Vulkas walked forward with his squad of men carrying the cloth-wrapped burdens. They unrolled them on the ground before the gate. There were the corpses of Dromno, the robed man, and the man who'd had the concealed face. Then, Talaos's men placed certain items in presentation before the bodies.
"Do you see that?" asked Talaos."Take a look at that dagger, and the matching tattoos on that man with the robes, the Eastlander magus, and the copper rod which was his."
Nissas sent men forward, who brought them back for his inspection.
Talaos continued, "Look at the man in the loose fitting clothes. He wielded that dagger, which if you'll note, is the twin of the one that killed Sanctari. See that he is also an Eastlander. After a good deal of asking around, I was able to establish that his sash means he is from some order of assassins in the Eastlands. Does any of this put things together for you, General? Now, time for you to establish where you really stand."
Nissas examined the items, rode forward with his officers and two guards past the gate to examine the bodies. He then sat back up in the saddle and looked Talaos in the eye.
"It seems," said Nissas, "that I have been played on all sides, by rash fools like you and Kurvan, by ambitious scoundrels like Tescani, and by traitors like Dromno and Lurios."
"Lurios?" replied Talaos, shocked by the mention of that name.
"He refused to obey my orders to join me in seizing you, and cost us enough time that Tescani there arrived. He's under arrest at the moment, though I'm sure you'll change that."
"You can still change things now, Nissas. We have a war to fight," said Talaos.
"I will give you my answer shortly," said Nissas. Then he turned in the saddle to face his officers around, "Officers of Aledri, I hereby order you to stand down, no sooner than thirty minutes from now, and then convey Warlord Talaos and such men as he wishes to accompany him to my offices."
Then the General of Aledri rode back into his camp, accompanied only by his two guards.
Talaos looked around him. The Madmen looked uncertain. Tescani's face was a steel mask, and Adriko put his fingers thoughtfully to his chin.
Time passed. Talaos spent it giving orders and organizing his men. Messengers came from Kurvan and Aro that they'd taken control of Dromno's men, and that Dromno's remaining officers had professed ignorance of any plots.
At last, the time arrived.
An Aledri captain rode forward, saluted Talaos, and then turned again. Talaos followed with the Madmen, two squads of his Wolves, and Adriko. As they passed through the fortified neighborhood that comprised the Aledri camp, he could see the soldiers looked grim and watchful. Some lowered their heads as he passed, but many others saluted.
They reached a large building, the headquarters of a consortium of merchants, now in use by Nissas and the Aledri command. The doors were open, and the guards there had a different expression. Sadness. Talaos left most of the men outside, and went in with the Madmen and Adriko. There was a well appointed entrance hall of marble, brass, and tile. They passed from it back to a hallway with smaller offices on either side, and a larger one at the end.
The door at the end was of decoratively painted and inlayed wood. A guard stationed there bowed his head, and opened the door. Talaos entered the office. There on the floor in front of a gilt-painted desk was Nissas, lying with his own sword through his heart, and his right hand still at the hilt. His tunic and cloak were blue, in the color of his city, but they were now drenched in red. Around him, several officers of Aledri either kneeled nearby, or sat, slumped miserably in chairs.
Talaos looked at his now dead foe, the man who'd opposed him time and again since his actions during the taking of the city. He thought of the choices he'd made, and those that Nissas had made. Now, he thought, time to make better ones. He lowered his head as he surveyed the fallen General of Aledri, and raised his arm across his chest in salute.
The officers in the room looked at him with wonder amid their solemn misery.
"Release Tribune Lurios," he said to them. "He is in command for Aledri now."
The Aledri officers looked surprised. They paused, and some glanced doubtfully around. Then, one by one, they raised grim salutes to Talaos.
~
Outside the Aledri district, a delegation of well-dressed Avrosan civilians arrived. There were some Talaos knew well, a number he hadn't seen before, and three in the dark gray tunics, but not the gear or armor, of the disbanded Avrosan army. With them were two figures that surprised Talaos. Liriel, and Milo the musician. The latter was sitting on a stretcher.
Liriel walked towards him, wearing her red dress. She had put kohl around her eyes, and red paint on her lips. With her was an old man in rich but rumpled dark blue clothes. She spoke. "Talaos, I hope you don't mind that I've been a bit busy tonight. This is someone you should meet, though you may have heard of him."
"I'll guess that you've been busy for a while before as well. Thank you," smiled Talaos, as he took her hand. She returned the smile, and their eyes met. He felt it, like a bit of lightning of its own. But he had much to do. He squeezed her hand, then released it. Then he turned to the man, who raised a hand in greeting. Talaos thought he knew him by description.
"I am Akaros," the man said. "Hail and greetings, Warlord Talaos."
Talaos raised his own hand, "Hail and greetings. Akaros... formerly of the council?"
"Until I went into hiding during the rule of the Prophet's followers, yes."
"Then welcome back. How can I help you?" replied Talaos.
"You are doing a fine job of that thus far, Warlord, despite the manner of your arrival," answered Akaros in an eloquent voice. "But I understand your meaning. First, thank you for saving Milo, a great composer and musician here in Avrosa... who paid a price for his interest in the music of the Prophet. There is more, though, much more."
Talaos nodded as Akaros went on. Nearby, Adriko sat in his saddle looking amused, and Tescani watched with sudden, calculating, interest.
"We, the men and women who have joined me here tonight, are most of the remaining prominent citizens of Avrosa who'd opposed the Prophet. I doubt any of us would have been left in another year. We... and I... wonder what you plan to do with us, or rather our city."
"I'm merely one of several remaining commanders in our army," answered Talaos.
"You seem to be the one who matters now. But regardless of the views in your army, many people of Avrosa believe you are the Storm Lord reborn, and here to save our city again. Many have followed you already, and now more await your word."
"I am not the Storm Lord," answered Talaos, firmly, "though it is possible I have some connection with him. However, it is true that I am of the storm. It is with me, and it is within me. I did not come here to save Avrosa, but to fight the Living Prophet."
Akaros spoke, his eloquent voice rising in intensity, "Then if not the old Storm Lord, you are still the new, and whether or not you came to Avrosa to save us, in fighting the Living Prophet, you have done one and the same."
Talaos listened as the man continued. Then he replied to Akaros with sudden intensity in his own voice, "So be it. Our fight is the same. I will help you, and I will help Avrosa."
Looks and whispers passed among the Avrosans, and made their way to Akaros.
Tescani nearby, leaned forward in his saddle, intensely focused on what was unfolding.
Back in the crowd, voices shouted, "The Storm Lord!" and, "Offer it!"
Akaros lowered his head in thought, then raised it with a fierce, earnest expression on his age-lined face. He spoke again, his voice loud, powerful, yet clear, as one long accustomed to public speaking, "Warlord Talaos, many in Avrosa see you as our savior. By their wish, by your actions, and by the soldiers at your command, Avrosa is at your feet."
Talaos had the sense another old rit
ual of Hunyos was unfolding before him, like his acclamation as warlord. Still he had little doubt as to what a statement like that last one could mean. Neither did he have any doubt of his reply. Then he remembered something from his readings in the great library of Carai. He understood. The Avrosans stood waiting on his word. Soldiers of the allied army, those standing nearby, turned toward Talaos with the look of interested spectators.
Talaos answered with words from memory."I accept that which is offered. I will take Avrosa under my protection, and I will guide it through this crisis."
Akaros, and those with him, kneeled. Liriel did so with them. Milo's bearers carefully lowered the old man on his stretcher as they kneeled. Then Talaos stepped forward, put his hand on Akaros's shoulder, and helped the old man rise to his feet.
The former Patrician took a step back and raised a salute to him, then shouted, "Hail Talaos, Dictator of Avrosa!"
"Hail Talaos, Dictator of Avrosa!" shouted the Avrosan leaders and the crowd of their people with them. There were cheers from the Avrosans all around, and amazed expressions from the men of the allied army. Adriko grinned like he was watching some great spectacle of entertainment. Tescani looked as if he was calculating odds, and liked them. He suddenly made the faintest of smiles, wheeled his horse, and rode to rejoin his men.
Akaros whispered to Talaos, "The reply in the old way is often neglected in these times. Dictators now sometimes fail to step down after the crisis... I am amazed a man from the Republic would know it."
"I used to study at the great library in Carai, when I had time," replied Talaos.
Akaros looked surprised and impressed. Talaos took a step back. He raised his right hand, and the Avrosans grew quiet. In his heart, Talaos felt the exultation of what had happened, and what was before him. He resolved to use it well. Inner power rose in reply to the temporal power he had just taken. His eyes smoldered with flickers of lightning.
"As my first act, "Talaos said in a voice suddenly as loud as thunder, "I call upon the people of Avrosa to look to your safety and defense. The army that approaches was allied to a council that no longer exists, the council of your enemies. That army will not be your friends. The army here with me are no longer your conquerors, but your protectors. Therefore, the Army of Avrosa will be mobilized again, and together we will defend this city."
From among the cheering Avrosans, the three men in gray military tunics stepped forward. Akaros introduced them, "Dictator, these are Tribune Megaras, Captain Sevri, and Captain Nerio. They are the highest ranking officers who were not followers of the Prophet, or in association with them. They were purged by Petani shortly before your army arrived."
Megaras was several years older than Talaos, with olive features and an intense, alert, solemn expression. Sevri was tall, only slightly older than Talaos, and fair-complexioned for a man of Hunyos. He had a bright air. Nerio was powerfully built, dark, and watchful.
Talaos nodded to them, "Then you are now the first, and highest ranking commanders in the new army of Avrosa. Congratulations General Megaras, Tribune Sevri, and Tribune Nerio."
The three officers looked stunned, proud, and almost worshipful all at once. They saluted, and he returned it.
"Now," said Talaos, sweeping his arm to all around him, "we have much to do."
~
Dawn was not far away, and Talaos felt that at last, he might need some rest. He ascended the stairs of The Waverider with the Madmen and Liriel. He knew he'd need sort to out a more permanent headquarters, and there would be much more to do. There was no end of what would need doing, and sometime tomorrow, the enemy army would come. For the moment though, he could use time to reflect.
They reached the top floor, and the guard on duty saluted. The exhausted Madmen awaited his instructions, and he gave them leave to sleep. With no argument even from Kyrax, they quickly did so. As he walked to his office, Liriel stayed at his side.
"I told you to stay safe," he said, gently teasing.
"I feel quite safe, now that you are dictator," she answered with a cryptic smile.
"You certainly helped with that process," he replied, opening the door to his room.
"Despite appearances, I still have a little influence," she answered.
He found her actions and that answer intriguing. As he entered his room, he gestured for her to follow. She smiled, lowered her face and the long black lashes of her eyes, and did.
Talaos took his chair at his desk, and she one of the many others around. She moved it close, across a corner of the desk from him. He poured some wine for them both.
"Still have a little influence?" he asked.
"There was a time when my family was wealthy, powerful, and respectable." she said, "We are, or rather were, a very old family in Avrosa. As far back as the height of the old Empire, we were merchant princes, scholars, councilors, and magistrates."
Talaos sipped a bit of his wine and interjected, "But then..."
"Yes," she smiled, "But then, my ancestors started to go astray, become eccentric, and manage their affairs... less well. In the last generations the wealth largely went away, though there was a trace of respectability left, until me. Certainly I was introduced to the best sort of young men when I was coming of age. Until..."
"Your gifts?" mused Talaos.
She took a sip of wine, then leaned forward, and their eyes met.
"Yes. You understand me," she answered in a quieter voice, putting a hand on the desk. "Neither of us are ordinary, or normal, and that has consequences. Yes, my gifts manifested themselves, and less controllably when I was younger. But that wasn't the only problem."
Not sure what was coming next, but sympathetic, Talaos reached a hand across the desk and took hers. She turned hers palm up beneath his, shivered slightly, and then spoke again.
"Talaos, when I'm not wounded and weary like this, I fancy myself a beautiful woman."
He watched her; luminous dark eyes with their heavy lashes, her elegant face with its high cheekbones and full lips framed by her mass of long, spiraling black hair, her smooth, light olive skin, her slender body and rounded breasts, and thought her beautiful now.
As if in reply to his attention, she flushed, but slid closer in her chair. "I...was not oblivious that men agreed," she added, "and I think I have stronger desires than most women. There was a young man, of a good family. He was a promising decurion in the army, and I was barely of marrying age, with a head full of foolish notions."
"Liriel, you don't have to apologize for... wherever this is going," said Talaos.
She smiled, seeming flustered for a moment, then regained her composure, "My apologies. I will eventually come to how I helped you. I had a lot of wonderful times with that young man. Enough that I became worried I might have a child, which would complicate things for everyone. The physicians took long good looks at me, and found something wrong.
"Talaos, they found that I am barren. I never could and never can have children. I simultaneously ceased to be in danger of losing my virtuous honor, or of any further interest to him as a wife, or as one to most other men. In any case, after he left me, he went on to die in another of Avrosa's wars, eight years ago now. But I learned and gained some things from my fate.
"From seeing the skill of the physicians I gained my interest in herbs, oils, and potions. Then I found an old woman in the city to teach me more, one who also worked with things physicians do not. I'm still young, but I am a crone and a sorceress. Many sought me for my powers or the counsel of the spirits, and some for my company, and I like powerful men."
She stretched her legs, and they bared past the knee as the side-slits of her dress parted.
Liriel continued, "One of those powerful men later joined the Prophet's cause and then found me an embarrassment. I'd never asked him for a thing but his company. You struck him down with your lightning, on the platform. Of course, the Prophet's followers would have come for me anyway, sooner or later. Others though, on the other side, remember me. Not
that you've been remotely idle, but I've been putting out the word to help you for days."
"All because I rescued you, Liriel?" asked Talaos, gently teasing.
"As if that wouldn't be enough!" she replied, almost defensive, "but also more..."
He looked intently into her eyes, smiling. She averted hers, almost afraid, then raised them again, and returned his gaze. Her body shivered.
"Talaos, for all that has happened to me here, I love this city. It is my home, and my roots here are very deep. The stones and soil of Avrosa are in my blood and bones, and I have given it my heart, my gifts, my skills, my desire, and my flesh." She leaned closer still, eyes in his, and put her other hand next to the one he held. "Talaos, you freed me," she whispered, "but I've had the feeling ever since that it was more like a conquest. You... "
He put his other hand on hers. She smiled.
She whispered, lips parted, "What have you done here, in Avrosa? You've conquered it and freed it as you've freed and conquered me. Does that sound ridiculous? If it does, I don't care, it feels right to me. And not just the people... The spirits here are terrified of you, and yet circle you at a distance. As have I. Talaos, I..."
He interrupted her as he pulled her to him and kissed her inviting lips. She moaned and melted into his arms. He took one of his hands from hers and ran it up her bare thigh. She took one of hers and reached between his legs.
He picked her up. She was light in his arms, and he carried her to his bed. She reached an arm around his neck and kissed him as he placed her there. She undid her dress and slipped it off with her undergarments. He removed his boots, armor, gear, and his tunic. As he did so, she loosened the cords of his pants, and put her hand inside, hard around his hardness.
"Talaos," she said, breath heavy and cheeks flush, "I've wanted you to take me, wanted you inside me, since I first spoke with you, but I was too broken, too pitiful until now."
In reply, he ran his hands along her bare slender body, the curve of her hips, her small waist, and the cups of her breasts. He kissed her neck and her mouth. She finished undoing his pants and they dropped to the floor. She stroked his bare hardness in her hand.
The Storm's Own Son (Book 2) Page 14