Parno's Destiny: The Black Sheep of Soulan: Book Two (17 page)

“Just over a mile distant, even at the most narrow,” Raines commented quietly as if reading Parno's thoughts. “Deceptive to say the least. Several idiots drown each year in an attempt to swim the damn thing. I dare say with so many Tribal horsemen just across the expanse there will be a slow down of that activity, at least until they are gone.”

“Swim,” Parno shook his head at the news. “I can't imagine the mental issues that would make someone want to swim against that current,” he pointed to a swirl and eddy clearly visible below them.

“And even that is deceptive,” Raines nodded. “We've lost more than a few small boats to such as that. Almost always with fatalities. Most fishermen don't even care to know how to swim they say, since it's unlikely to be of any assistance if they're very far from shore. I know I try to avoid being on the water any time I can.”

“Why would you need to be on the water at all?” Parno asked, turning to look at him.

“I need to see my defenses from the enemy's viewpoint,” Raines shrugged. “I need to see what they see. Look for weaknesses and try to correct them. It's a never ending mission. Plus, watching for erosion to existing fortifications. The current is strong and in flood the river often does great damage. There's always work to do here, milord,” he grinned. “No shortage of work details.”

“So I see,” Parno nodded. “And that boat? There?” he pointed to a medium sized vessel with oars over the side perhaps a quarter of the way across.

“Fishermen,” Raines informed him once he'd seen the boat. “They have to make a living,” he shrugged again. “And there's no real justification for keeping them from going out. The enemy hasn't fired on the boats that I've been made aware of. Restricting the fishing would simply create ill will for my men. Under the circumstances I felt it better to allow business as usual.”

“Sensible,” Parno agreed. “Is there much fishing here? Like that?”

“A good bit,” Raines replied. “Perhaps not so strong as further down river or on the coast of course, but it is a thriving industry here.”

“I'm glad they're still able to work,” Parno said flatly. “Retaining any little bit of normalcy is good, especially right now.” Abruptly he turned from the view and began following the platform along the fortified area around the bridge. Raines fell in beside him.

“I have heard things are. . .bad, milord,” Raines finally broached a subject that had been the source of more than one rumor or speculation. “At least in places.”

“It is, indeed,” Parno nodded, sighing as he thought of just how 'bad' things were. “We have averted, or at least postponed disaster for the moment General, but make no mistake that our very kingdom rests in the balance. The events of the next few months will almost certainly decide the future of our people.” He stopped, turning to look Raines in the eye, then to look at the gaggle of aids following them. All backed away under his gaze and when satisfied they were out of earshot Parno continued.

“My brother's plot has simply made things worse,” he said flatly. “At a time when the Army needed him, he has allowed his desire for personal gain to imperil the entire kingdom. His arrogance in believing that we could simply overwhelm the Nor has left us in this mess. We have to clean it up and we must hurry.”

“Every day they occupy so much of our crop land is a victory of sorts for them. Their own crop lands are likely being planted even now while millions of acres of our own lies fallow or covered in Nor refuse. It is intolerable and cannot be allowed for a moment longer than necessary to remove them.” Parno stopped abruptly as if he had suddenly become aware of how he sounded.

“There is an Imperial naval force off our coast that is threatening the south-eastern shore line with ships that could be carrying more troops. I strongly believe those ships are a ruse to prevent out moving troops from that area into the campaign here in the west. Yet I must honor that threat unless and until it can be proven false. Admiral Semmes is at sea now to try and deal with the problem, but it takes time to assemble his ships and even then he must have favorable winds to be successful.”

“And time is our enemy as surely as the Nor Empire right now,” Parno sighed, summing up the problem in that one sentence. “We have to commit more men to the fighting on the Tinsee plains or we're going to be pushed further and deeper into the heartland every day.”

“I understand you may have stymied that move for a bit before coming here, milord,” Raines pointed out.

“For all I know they are attacking this very minute,” Parno shrugged. “I won't even know it until it's too late. And one man, more or less, won't make much difference I suppose,” he added. “Tell me straight out, General. Can you spare any men from your present command and still be assured of holding should the Nor or the Tribes launch a determined attack on your position?”

Raines stifled his automatic response to such a question. He needed all of his forces to hold his ground here. That was the standard response to any such question.

But this was the Lord Marshal of the Army. Parno McLeod also had two amazing victories behind him already where everyone else was failing miserably. He deserved an honest answer.

“I don't know,” Raines admitted finally. “I can only estimate the enemy numbers, milord. And that's essentially what we called an educated guess when I was in Command College. If I'm right about their numbers and they can take the bridge, then I'd need every man I could scrape up and then some to hold the shoreline here.”

“If I'm wrong and they have even more men than I think, then it might not matter one way or another in the long run,” the General continued. “We'd lose due to attrition if nothing else. That was why I suggested destroying the bridge. With it gone, even boat raids would be of limited use to the enemy. They simply cannot move horses and heavy equipment across this river in barges like they are reported to have done on the Ohi. The current would sweep them downstream and possibly capsize them.”

“That bridge is the last of the avenues across this river, General,” Parno shook his head. “I need it. Or at least I will. Later on.”

“That's twice you've said that, milord,” Raines couldn't stand it anymore. “May I ask what you mean by that?”

“I mean that I'll need it,” Parno said flatly. “If they destroy it, that's fine, you'll not risk any of your men to prevent it. But we will not fire the bridge ourselves unless it's full of screaming heathens and we're in danger of losing the war. Understand?”

“No, I don't,” Raines replied flatly. “But I don't have to understand orders to follow them. It will be as you command, milord.”

“One day we'll be crossing that bridge ourselves,” Parno decided to share. “We'll be moving across it to put an end to all of this, once and for all. That's why I need it. Now do you understand? General?”

Raines knew that his eyes were growing large but he didn't know that he could help it. Never in history had the Soulan Army marched outside their own borders. Yet the Marshal was hinting. . . .

“This will be the last invasion of Soulan soil, General,” Parno said grimly. “One way or another, there will be no more. War perhaps, but not invasion. Our people will not suffer through another occupation. That's why I need that bridge. Now, can you spare any of your command and still be at least reasonably sure of holding your position here?”

Raines immediate answer was no, but he caught the reply before it left his lips. This Marshal was nothing like his brother. Raines had never had much time for Therron McLeod, having never liked or trusted the man. Raines had been friends with Memmnon McLeod for more years than either would likely want to consider, and he knew for a fact that the Crown Prince had likewise had little time for Prince Therron.

Parno McLeod was another story. Never taken seriously before now, the youngest son had quickly made a name for himself as a fierce fighter and leader. Suddenly he was no longer the Playboy Prince that everyone ridiculed or treated with casual contempt. In a war that had already seen grievous losses and military defeats Parno had produced the only viable victories, both of them as tremendous as the earlier losses.

And that was the man asking him if he could spare any of his command.

“I would need to reevaluate our position to answer that effectively, milord,” he admitted finally. “I think we could spare a cavalry division, provided we can use the militia in their place. I've kept a cavalry division in reserve to respond to any sizable incursions along the river. It would be a gamble,” he admitted, “but I could release that division to you. It would leave me seriously undermanned in the event of a major crossing by boat, but. . .if we're right and they don't intend to attempt a forcing then we should be alright, at least so long as we can keep up the enemy from discovering that we've weakened our forces here.”

“And if they stage a large river crossing to effect a raid in strength?” Parno asked. “Will you be able to ride them down?”

Raines blinked at that. Was this a test? Had he not explained this just now?

“Sir, I don't know,” he decided for truth. “It would depend on where they crossed, how much warning we had, and how large a force we had nearby. If I spread my forces far enough and thin enough to cover everywhere, then they run the risk of being defeated in detail if the raiding party is strong enough. And, honestly, the militia won't be nearly as effective in pursuit or in combat as the regular cavalry unit I'm keeping in reserve for that instance.”

“True,” Parno nodded. He stood looking across the river, apparently lost in thought.

“Your militia, where are they coming from?” he asked suddenly.

“Mostly from Tinsee Province, milord, though a handful are from Misi and Northern Alma. But most of their units have gone south.”

“To the gulf,” Parno said absently, still looking across the river.

“Yes sir,” Raines nodded. “I requested that some help be sent to me before the war ever began to assist with patrolling the river. In fact, I asked that the river south be handled by 4
th
Corps, to allow me to concentrate here, and to guard the river to the north.”

“The response?” Parno asked, looking at Raines finally.

“I received what was supposed to be a brigade of mounted militia from Misi, supplemented by a late forming battalion of Alma cavalry.”

“Supposed to be?” Parno raised an eyebrow in question.

“Little more than two regiments worth of men, milord, even throwing in the Alma cavalry. About half mounted and them not well. In a pursuit, they would not last more than two days, if that,” Raines replied evenly.

“I see,” Parno nodded. “Dismount them and add them to your infantry here,” he nodded to the fortifications around the bridge and along the shore. “Use them to man more of your observation posts. Can anything be done with the horses?” Raines was so surprised by the order that it took him a minute to answer.

“I. . .I don't know, milord, to be honest,” he admitted. “I haven't had the time to see to them myself.”

“Nor should you,” Parno agreed. “Have your lead wrangler inspect the animals. If they can be fed up and exercised back into shape, order that he do so and use them as remounts. Any that cannot be used for cavalry or to bear mounted infantry should be used as draft animals for supply trains. Should any be unsuitable for that, you may dispense them to area farmers in recompense for food stores. Even old horses can have uses for stockmen and farmers. If we cannot use them as war mounts or as draft animals, get them off the supply burden. Your fighting here, should it come, will mostly be on foot it appears to me.”

“Any attack on us here will certainly be so, milord,” Raines nodded.

“Using those men on foot should free up some of your regular mounted infantry?” Parno asked, and almost grinned as he saw the light finally dawning on Raines face.

“It would,” he nodded. “But milord, there are political issues with moving militia to-”

“I'll have an order drafted for it as soon as we return,” he looked at Sprigs who nodded and make a notation in his notebook. “We have no time for political issues at the moment. Any who try to make them will be dealt with as you see fit, up to and including execution if they refuse reassignment. If you'd rather, I can have my men see to that,” he added, his tone kind. “I know it might cause you discomfort.”

“It won't be a problem milord,” Raines replied evenly. “Distasteful perhaps, but it will be done.”

“I don't expect a wholesale revolt,” Parno said ruefully. “I simply want you to understand that you are in command, General. I can't be everywhere at once. As I told my Regimental commander a few days ago, I can't even be two places at once. As of now, you are in command of all forces in this area, period. Every man in uniform in this district will answer to you for the duration of the war. No more political 'issues' or interference in your command by minor 'nobles'. Or major ones for that matter.” He paused for a moment before making the plunge. Karls was right; Parno had to trust someone.

“Memmnon speaks highly of you, both as a friend and as a commander,” he said finally. “Before leaving the front to the north I promoted General Davies to command of the First Field army, combining First and Second Corps. I'm doing the same for you, here. As commander of the Second Field Army, there will be no more political wrangling. If there is a 'noble' among that militia rabble that allowed their horses to be so ill kept, put him to work with the rest. You need work details? Put them to it. We simply cannot afford to have mounted 'dandies' running around while real soldiers do grunt work.”