Darksong Rising (57 page)

“He is up earlier, in the cool of the day,” noted Himar. “He will let the Nesereans weary their

mounts in the heat.”

Anna didn’t recognize the landscape and looked at Jecks, then Himar.

“I cannot say where he is,” admitted the overcaptain.

“We can’t do much, and he seems to have all the lancers he left with.” Anna released the first

spell, then sang again.

Show me now and show me clear

Rabyn’s forces that any might fear,

near any hold or castle strong…

The silvered waters of the pool revealed a line of lancers in the blue and cream of Neserea posted

along a ridgeline, with Westfort in the background—its gates closed.

“Rabyn has left enough lancers there to keep Jearle within his walls,” suggested Himar.

“No…enough lancers there for Jearle to claim he was kept within his walls,” countered Anna.

Jecks nodded agreement with Anna. After a moment, so did Himar.

“Still... those can’t be all the armsmen Rabyn has out there.” Anna sang the release couplet and

thought, then tried again.

Show me now and show me bright

where Rabyn’s forces may go to fight....

The next image that wavered up in the pool showed a field beginning to catch fire, with

Nesereans in uniform canying torches.

Anna winced.

“That is good,” Jecks suggested. ‘They have not won any battles, so that they must stoop to

firing crops.”

“There are no Mansuuran lancers there, either," suggested Himar.

Anna wanted to shake her head. Instead, she pursed her lips, then let the image go and tried

another spell, one that mentioned the Mansuuran lancers.

The image was similar to the first, except the riders were in maroon.

“So the Mansuurans released to Rabyn chase us, while the Nesereans burn fields and lay siege,”

offered Jecks. ‘That speaks ill of Rabyn’s forces.”

“Mayhap...." Himar’s response was slower. ‘The Mansuurans may have refused to burn fields.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Except it does... and there’s a reason why. Anna frowned, but she couldn’t

remember what that might be. Finally, she took a deep breath, released the image, and replaced

the lutar in the case. “We need to get moving. That’s what it shows.” She glanced at Himar. “If

you would have everyone ready to ride in a glass....”

Himar inclined his head. “We will be ready. By your leave?”

“You may go. We won’t be long.” As the overcaptain left, Anna walked to the side table. “All of

the scrolls can wait, except these. We need to go over them—quickly. Then I need to write what

replies are necessary, and then we leave.” Anna picked up the first of those she had culled; the

others were packed to be taken back to Falcor and considered when necessary—and if necessary.

“Herstat reports that he thinks Halde can leave Synfal, and would like our permission.” She

handed the scroll to Jecks.

After reading it, he nodded. “Herstat is cautious, but you need not have asked..."

“Jimbob is your ward, and I’d prefer to ask about things involving him.”

“Thank you.”

“I also thought if I sent off an answer with a fast messenger, Halde might be able to get to Falcor

by the time we’re there.” Anna picked up the second scroll, then passed it to Jocks. “Lady

Anientta is suggesting, ever so politely, that I make some sort of proclamation to Lord Tybel

about how Lord Hryding’s lands will go to his heir Jeron. That sounds to me like she’s trying to

stop a power grab by Tybel.” Anna’s smile was wry.

Jecks nodded more slowly after reading Anientta’s missive. “Must you act now?”

“That was my thought,” Anna admitted. “We already have problems with Lord Dannel, but he

hasn’t sent me a protest, and that bothers me as much as if he had. Unless I go to Synope or

Arien, nothing will change. It might be better if Tybel did try something. . . .“ Anna let her words

die away.

“That way you could replace both?” Jecks raised his eyebrows.

“After meeting some of her shirttail relations in Pamr, I don’t know that there’s anyone in

Tybel’s whole family that could be trusted with lands."

“Then you should wait until you return from the Western Marches."

Anna lifted another scroll. “Lord Hulber of Silberfels wishes me Well, and would like to remind

me that the lands of Loiseau were once of Silberfels until graciously granted to Lord Brill’s

grandsire. He is most confident that I will manage all that is on and below them well." Anna

snorted. “He must have a seer, or be able to do it himself. In short, he’d like a little of the gold as

a gesture.”

Jocks shook his head.

“I’ll write him and thank him and tell him that I appreciate his wishes, and that I’ll find some

way to repay the graciousness of his family once Defalk is rid of the immediate threat from

Neserea.”

A wide grin lit Jocks’ face.

“Only two more,” Anna said. “Your neighbor, Lord Clethner, expresses concern about the

deteriorating state of Wendell with Lord Genrica’s long illness, since Genrica’s offspring are all

daughters, and since Lord Fustar of Issi has numerous sons. That’s a warning of another land

grab that may be coming. Do we wait and beat up on Fustar. . . or try to head it off?”

“When you face a mountain cat, do not go out of your way to trample on a viper.”

“Wait. All right.” Anna rummaged for the last scroll. “We don’t have to do anything on the next

one, not until we get to Falcor, but it’s the rivermen. Menares says that they are threatening to

lay up their barges unless I reduce their tariffs.” Anna offered a falsely bright smile. “Some days,

I just love being Regent.”

Jecks nodded slowly as Anna packed away the scrolls and then picked up the lutar.

61

With Farinelli’s reins in her left hand, Anna rubbed her forehead and temples with her right,

trying to massage away the residual headache that had started soon after they had ridden out of

Loiseau. Something in the air? Worry about how long it would take to reach western Defalk?

Who knows? She tried to concentrate on riding, on the river ahead.

The road from Mencha to Pamr sloped slowly upward to the bluffs on the south side of the

Chean River, then swung abruptly northward around the steep-walled, sinkhole lake that was the

remnant of Anna’s destruction of the Evult’s forces. She glanced to the west, noting the lake’s

now-blue waters sparkling in the sunshine, sunshine that had come and gone all morning with the

scattered clouds. The low mudflats were now covered with bushes and clumps of grass, and the

crumbling clay walls had become less steep. The lake itself did not appear any smaller to Anna

than when they had traveled past it on the way to Loiseau. “It is hard to believe that so many

died there,” Himar said, turning in his saddle to look at Anna. “Alvar... he... never had he seen

anything like it.”

“I wish I hadn’t.” Anna replied.

“People do not learn,” Jecks interjected. “She destroyed the Evult’s lancers and armsmen—all of

them—and yet he raised more lancers.”

Anna shook her head. Were people really like that? Did she have to annihilate any opposition. . .

or fight them endlessly? Or just individuals like the Evult or Lord Ehara?

“Some are like that.” Himar turned and guided his mount around the wide curve back toward the

river. “Some will not believe what they have not seen, and some will not credit their own eyes if

what they have seen does not accord with what they wish.”

Like about half of the Thirty-three.

At the top of the bluffs, before the road cut down to the ford, Anna slowed Farinelli. She

continued to study the rock base of the ford set by her sorcery as the palomino gelding carried

her down to the river.

When she reached the edge of the river, she could see the water sheeting evenly across the line of

stone, so smoothly that it seemed like flowing glass. She couldn’t help but nod. You did do a

good job replacing the ford. After a moment, the qualifymg thought popped into her mind. More

than a year later.

Farinelli stepped into the water without hesitation, following Himar’s mount along the rock shelf

of the ford. The sound of splashing replaced the dull thud of hoofs on clay, and drops of water

left small blotches on the lower legs of Anna’s dusty riding trousers.

 
"...one of the holding armsmen at Pamr called it... Sorceress’ Ford..." Kinor’s voice drifted

forward from where the lanky redhead rode beside Jimbob—a smaller redhead.

"...stone like that. . . last forever..."

Forever? Will you be remembered by things like fords and bridges...or by the number of bodies

you’ve left strewn across Liedwahr?

Beyond the ford, the first fifty yards of road were dark and damp from the river water carried

there by the mounts, but beyond that the dust resumed—as did the conversations behind Anna.

The low fields were brown and cut to stubble, or in the case of those that had held beans, brown-

dappled green plants stood in the noon sun ragged and wilting.

“Be late by the time we get to Pamr,” Jecks said, glancing at the flat road that stretched through

the fields toward the northwest.

“I know... but Gatrune and Firis will take care of us. I worry about Hanfor."

“Best you worry about yourself,” Jecks suggested, his hazel eyes twinlding. “My lady.”

He said that like he wished it were so. Lord.. . you wish this were all over. Then maybe there’d

be time for you. But then, even on Earth, there had never been, what with job demands, Avery’s