“Yes, sir.”
In moments, another mist-shrouded pier appeared.
“Now … drink something and eat a biscuit or two, both of you.”
While Lhandor and Khalis refreshed themselves, Quaeryt imaged the span between the piers. He did feel a bit tired after his second imaging. He took out his water bottle again and ate another biscuit before addressing the third imager. “Elsior, image the paved causeway connecting the bridge to the road here.”
“Yes, sir.”
After that, the three undercaptains alternated in adding the stone side rails and pillars. Then they rode to the far end of the bridge, where Elsior added the approach causeway, and each of the three added five-yard sections of stone paving from the end of the causeway until they reached the rutted dirt track that passed for the west river road.
“Now … we’ll take a break while the companies cross and then rest the men and water the mounts.” Quaeryt signaled to Zhelan to have first company begin crossing the bridge, then waited for the major.
“That’s a solid bridge, Commander,” observed Zhelan when he reined up beside Quaeryt. “I’d wager that the locals will be using it in days.”
“Most likely. We’ll stand down here for two or three quints. Men can rest and water their mounts. They’ll have to ride back south to get access to the river.”
“You want the imagers rested, don’t you, sir?”
“I’d rather be careful.”
Zhelan nodded, then turned to Ghaelyn. “Have the men water their mounts. Stand down for two quints … and pass the word to the Khellans.”
“Yes, sir.”
Quaeryt rode south a good hundred yards and turned the gelding. Before heading down to the water, he looked back at the gray-stone bridge with its gentle arch over the River Aluse. A solid workman-like structure, and none of us are noticeably exhausted. And they were on the west side of the river, with Daefol likely only a few milles ahead. And our real difficulties are just beginning.
44
The second glass of the afternoon on Meredi came and went, and the west river road remained rutted and rough as Quaeryt and his force rode north, more slowly than he would have liked. The road was mostly shaded by tall trees that grew closer to the road than Quaeryt would have preferred. There were no cots or fields beyond the trees to the west, suggesting forest or woodlands belonging to Daefol, as opposed to fields tilled by tenant growers.
He studied the maps, both the large one and the hand-drawn one he’d received from Seliadyn, trying to determine just how to deal with the situation … or to explain to Daefol how he ended up at his gates, so to speak. Abruptly he shook his head. Fiancryt’s holding was across the river bridge in Rivages and just north of the town.
He almost laughed, but ludicrous as the idea was, it just might work … and it might tell him something about what Myskyl was doing. He put the maps away and beckoned for Zhelan to move closer.
“Sir?”
“If I can, when we get to Daefol’s hold, I’m going to act like a very stupid commander. I want to see how he reacts. So … try not to act as though I’m out of my mind.”
A puzzled expression crossed the major’s face.
“I’m going to insist that I was just following directions, the way Kharllon did when he wanted to make trouble, except I just want to confuse the High Holder and get enough men in position to take over the holding without anyone getting hurt…” Quaeryt went on to explain what else he wanted Zhelan to do when the time came. Then he rode back and gave a similar explanation to Calkoran.
The senior Khellan officer snorted. “The High Holder … he will likely believe you. A commander who comes late to an area is often not the smartest.”
“I hope he does. It will make matters simpler.”
As Quaeryt rode back to the front of the column, he could hope that Seliadyn’s description of Daefol as a fool was at least partly accurate. At the same time, he pondered over the mysterious older High Holder … and about what he had missed in observing him.
Another quint passed, and Quaeryt was beginning to wonder about the maps and the directions he had received when one of the scouts rode back and reined up-since Quaeryt had ordered a halt when he saw the scout returning.
“Sir, there’s a walled holding ahead, west of the road.”
“It’s not on the river?”
“No, sir. It looks to be quite a ways back from the road, maybe a good half mille.”
“Good. Did you see any scouts or troopers?”
“No, sir. The lane from the river road to the gates is empty. Much better than the road we’re on. The river road north from where the hold road joins it is better as well.”
Seliadyn had said it would be. That confirmation made Quaeryt feel somewhat less uneasy about relying on the white-haired High Holder’s information. “I was told that, but it’s good to know it’s so.”
“Much better. Leastwise, it looks so from a distance. You told us to stay out of eyeshot from the hold.”
“I did … and thank you. From here to the hold, you’re only to be a hundred yards in front, and let that decrease as we near the gates.”
“Yes, sir.”
Quaeryt turned to Zhelan. “We’ll take a break here. A last watering for the horses.” And then I play the willfully stupid commander … and hope it works.
While Zhelan dealt with the details of rest and watering, Quaeryt gathered the imager undercaptains under a large tree, not an oak but something equally large and impressive, if a species he didn’t recognize.
“Once we get inside the hold, assuming we don’t have to use force, we’re going to need to find out as much as we can quickly. All three of you can hold personal concealments. I’d like each of you to slip into areas where you can under concealment outside the hold house itself and listen-”
“Ah … sir,” interrupted Khalis, his tone one of embarrassment, “I can hold a concealment, but listening won’t help. I don’t know much Bovarian.”
Quaeryt wanted to shake his head. He’d known that. He just hadn’t thought about it. “Lhandor? You know some, don’t you?”
“I can pick up some things. I’ll miss some, but I can try.”
“Elsior?”
The youngest undercaptain nodded.
“All right. Khalis, you stay close to Major Zhelan and make certain nothing happens to him. Elsior and Lhandor, here’s what I want you to do…” Quaeryt went on, detailing the possibilities and what he wanted them to look and listen for, and where to go.
Then he explained to Zhelan what would happen … if all went well … and what they would do if it didn’t. Then he rode back to Calkoran and outlined what he wanted from the subcommander and his men.
Less than two quints later, Quaeryt led his small force out of the tree-concealed section of the west river road past the meadow pasture area that fronted the hold and toward the lane up to the gates. The rutted section of the river road ended abruptly, exactly when the smooth graveled lane heading westward to the walled hold began. Quaeryt could see that the gates were open … and that they were simple, if tall, ironbound wooden gates drawn back from gate buttresses that were part of the reddish stone walls that surrounded the hold house and its outbuildings. There was no stonework between the buttresses, either. As he rode closer, Quaeryt could see that the walls were not hard redstone, but sandstone. That and the gate structure indicated that the hold might withstand a short assault but not even a modest siege-or a force with a single accomplished imager, not that Quaeryt wanted to image his way through the gates. The hold house or keep looked to be only three stories, since a single level and a slate tile roof were all that appeared above the walls.
There was a small flock of sheep grazing several hundred yards to the north, and the fact that the grass closer to the road on the right was lower than on the left suggested that they were being used to keep the growth in the meadows at a low level. Quaeryt could see some thin trails of smoke from hold chimneys, most likely from the kitchens.