“General!” Glaucous came back from wherever his thoughts had been wandering to hastily intervene. “He is your king.”
Konnal.muttered something that sounded like, “He is not my king . . .” but he said the words beneath his breath.
“I have fought against these Knights and their forces, General,” Silvan continued. “My father and mother fought the Dark Knights in the forests around Qualinesti. I have fought ogres and human brigands. I have fought elves, as you may know, General.”
The elves they had fought had been elven assassins sent out before the shield was put in place, sent to murder Porthios and Alhana, who had been declared dark elves, perhaps on the orders of General Konnal.
“Although I myself did not fight,” Silvan said, bound to be truthful, “I have been witness to many of these battles. In addition, I have taken part in the meetings during which my father and mother and their officers planned their strategies.”
“And yet, the Dark Knights managed to capture Qualinesti, despite your father’s best efforts,” Konnal said, with a slight curl of his lip.
“They did, sir,” Silvan replied gravely, “and that is why I warn you not to underestimate them. I agree with your decision, General. We will send out a force to fight them. I would like to see a map of the area.”
“Your Majesty—” Konnal began impatiently, but Silvanoshei was already spreading a map on the desk.
“Where are the Dark Knights, kirath?” Silvan asked.
The kirath stepped forward, indicated with his finger on the map the location of the troops. “As you can see, Your Majesty, by following the Thon-Thalas River, they entered the shield here at the Silvanesti border, where the two intersect. Our reports indicate that they are currently hugging the banks of the Thon-Thalas. We have no reason to believe that they will deviate from that course, which will lead them directly into Silvanost.”
Silvan studied the map. “I agree with the kirath that they are not likely to abandon the road that runs alongside the river. To do so would be to risk losing themselves in unfamiliar wilderness. They know they have been seen. They have no reason to hide. They have every reason to move with haste. Their only hope is to attack us while we are presumably reeling from the shock of finding them inside our borders.”
He glanced pointedly at Konnal as he said this. The general’s face was stone hard, stone cold. He said nothing.
“I suggest that here”—Silvan placed his finger on the map—“would be an excellent location for us to engage them. The enemy will come down out of the hills to find our forces spread out in this valley. They will find themselves trapped between the river on one side and hills on the other, which will make it difficult for them to deploy their forces to best advantage. While the foot soldiers hit them from the front, a company of cavalry can circle around and hit them from the rear. We will gradually close the jaws of our army”—he moved his finger from the footmen in the front to the cavalry in the rear, forming a semicircle—“and swallow them.”
Silvan looked up. Konnal stared down at the map, frowning, his hands clasped behind his back.
“That is a good plan, Your Majesty,” Glaucous said, sounding impressed.
“General Konnal?” Silvan demanded.
“It might work,” General Konnal conceded grudgingly.
“My only concern is that the Knights may hide in the wilderness,” Silvan added. “If they do that, we will have a difficult time flushing them out.”
“Bah! We will find them,” Konnal stated.
“It seems your forces cannot find an immense green dragon, General,” Silvan re;turned. “They’ve been searching for Cyan Bloodbane for thirty years. If this army of humans was to separate, scatter, we might search for them for a century.”
Glaucous laughed, causing the general to cast him a baleful glance.
“I find nothing amusing in any of this,” Konnal said. “How did this spawn of evil come through that precious shield of yours, Glaucous? Answer me that?”
“I assure you, General, I do not know,” Glaucous said and his face was once again troubled, shadowed. “Not yet, at any rate. There is some fell magic at work here. I can smell it.”
“ All I smell is the stench of humans,” Konnal said bitterly.
“I suggest that we try to capture alive this strange woman-child who leads them. I would like very much to speak to her. Very much indeed,” Glaucous added, frowning.
“I agree with Glaucous, General.” Silvanoshei turned to Konnal. “You will give the necessary orders. And you will arrange for me to join the army.”
“Out of the question,” Konnal said shortly.
“I will go,” said Silvan imperiously, staring intently at the general, daring him to defiance. “You will make the arrangements, sir. Would you have me cower under the bed while my people ride to defend their homes?”
Konnal considered, then he made an ice-rimed bow to the king. “Very well. If your Majesty insists, I will see to it,” he said.
Silvan turned on his heel. He left the room in a flurry of robes.
Kiryn cast a thoughtful glance at Glaucous, then followed after the king. The guards closed the doors behind them, took up their posts.
“I would be interested to know why you changed your mind, General,” Glaucous said quietly.
“Battles are chancy affairs,” Konnal replied, shrugging. “No one knows how they will turn out. No one knows who may fall victim to the enemy. If His Majesty were to suffer some hurt—”
“—You would make him a martyr,” said Glaucous, “as you made his parents martyrs. You will be blamed. Never doubt it. You should not permit him to go.” The mage was grave, withdrawing into himself again. “I’ll have a presentiment that, if he does, something awful will happen.”
“Something awful has already happened, in case you hadn’t noticed!” Konnal said angrily. “Your magic is failing, Glaucous! Like all the others! Admit it!”
“Your fear is talking, my friend,” said Glaucous. “I’ll understand that, and I forgive you for impugning my magical skills. I forgive you this time.” His voice softened. “Consider well what I have said. I will endeavor to persuade His Majesty to reconsider riding to war. If I cannot do so, permit him to come, but keep him safe.”
“Leave me!” Konnal said harshly. “I’ll do not need a wizard telling me what to do.”
“I will leave,” said Glaucous, “but remember this, General. You need me. I stand between the Silvanesti and the world. Cast me aside, and you cast aside all hope. I am the only one who can save you.”
Konnal spoke no word, did not look up.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
The Touch of the Dead
This evening, while Silvanoshei prepared himself for his first battle, Goldmoon prepared herself as if for battle. For he first time in many long weeks, Goldmoon asked that a hand mirror be brought to her quarters. For the first time since the storm, she lifted the mirror and looked at her face.
Goldmoon had been vain as a girl. She was graced with a rare beauty, the only woman in her tribe to have hair that was like a shimmering tapestry woven of silken threads of sunshine and of moonlight. The chieftain’s daughter, she was spoiled, pampered, brought up with an exalted opinion of herself. She spent long hours gazing into the water bowl just to see her own reflection.
The young warriors of her tribe adored her. They came to blows for her smile. All except one.
One day, she looked into the eyes of a tall outcast, a young shepherd named Riverwind, and she saw herself in the mirror he held up to her. Looking into his eyes, she saw her vanity, her selfishness. She saw that she was ugly in his eyes, and she was shamed and despairing. For him, for Riverwind, Goldmoon wanted to be beautiful.