Sovereign

'I wondered when you'd get around to that. Use a sword against whom?'

'Lynan, of course.'

'I mean whom specifically?'

She pointed in the direction of the road. 'Against them.'

Galen squinted, barely able to make out a dark ripple on the northern road. 'Troops?'

'Or supplies. Maybe even a small caravan. Whatever it is, destroying it will hurt Lynan.' She continued to gaze northwestwards. 'Look there…'

Again Galen squinted, 'I can't even see the road that way—'

'Exactly, If I'm not mistaken—and,' she said, turning to Galen, 'I rarely am—that is the Elstra Gorge. It runs north-south for about a league.'

This time Galen was keeping up with her. 'A perfect site for an ambush.'

'Exactly. Especially for a force of infantry.'

'You're going to raise infantry?' This was the first he had heard about it.

'God's death, Galen,' she said, shaking her head. 'You nobles of the Twenty Houses really do think the world was made solely for your benefit.'

'What did I do to deserve that slap in the face?' he asked testily.

'Where do you get your horses from?'

'Me personally?'

'You and every other knight.'

'Well, from our stables or farms outside of the city.'

'And on these farms you grow what crops?'

'Not many. They're mainly horse ranges…' His voice dropped away.

'Exactly. You need to be rich to raise horses, especially warhorses, since they need specialised training, feeding and breeding. Look around you. This is farming and wood country. Not poor by any standard, but not particularly rich. The land here is drier and has more clay than you get around Kendra or the green valleys you find everywhere in Chandra. The average farmer might own one horse, two at most, but they're likely to be old hacks with saggy backs and a tendency to bite. That's why I'm going to raise infantry. Besides, if we're going to use this hill as our hideaway, where would you suggest we put the horses?'

'I've never fought on foot,' he said doubtfully.

'Yes you have,' she said, and patted his hand. 'Defending my city, and by all accounts you fought well.'

'How would you know?' he asked, but she could see he was flattered.

'Farben told me. I think he liked you.' Her face grew solemn. 'I hope he is alright.'

Galen looked at the hill from Charion's point of view again and saw that she was right. It gave them an easily defended position, good views over the north road, access to the river, and lots of hidey holes.

'Very well, you've convinced me,' he told her. 'What next?'

'We recruit.'

'As soon as you do, word will spread about what you are doing. The Chetts will learn of it eventually and come looking.'

'Let them. It's about time we gave them a bloody nose again.'

'Do you seriously think we can win?'

Charion half smiled and shook her head. 'By ourselves? Of course not. I'm counting on your queen—sorry, our queen—coming to my rescue eventually. But everything I can do to help her cause I will do. We may only sting Lynan, but it might be enough. It might make all the difference in the world.'

Lynan called his war council together. It was the first time he, Korigan, Gudon, Ager and Jenrosa had gathered in the same room since the fall of Daavis. They met in a room Farben told them had been used by Charion for the same purpose, and sat around a square table. All except Jenrosa seemed relaxed and confident; she wore the tired, sullen expression she had adopted since Eynon's departure, and Lynan did not know what to do to change it. He resolved to talk to Ager about it after the meeting.

'We have a few things to discuss. First, our reinforcements from Haxus have started to arrive.'

'I've seen them,' Ager said disdainfully. 'Dribs and drabs. Just recruits.'

'We should expect little else after what Haxus has been through. But they can be trained up.' He looked meaningfully at Ager, and the crookback sighed his understanding.

'We must also decide on a replacement for Kumul.'

Jenrosa looked up sharply. 'What do you mean by that?' she demanded.

'I mean we need someone to take over command of the banner of lancers,' Lynan said, keeping his voice level. He glanced at Gudon. 'I was thinking of your brother, Makon, but I had need of him elsewhere.

'Third, we must discuss the timing of our attack on Chandra.'

'I've been giving that some thought myself,' Ager said.

Lynan smiled. 'I thought you might have. It wouldn't by any chance involve a long raiding party into Chandran territory?'

Ager looked abashed. 'Possibly,' he said rather too meekly.

'Involving the Ocean Clan?'

Ager shifted uncomfortably in his seat. 'Possibly.'

'First things first,' Korigan said. 'The reinforcements.'

'Three hundred have arrived so far, in four groups,' Lynan told them. 'All spear.'

'How many have you asked Salokan to send?'

'Just over three thousand, almost all of whom will be allotted to defend Daavis; a handful will be sappers, replacing those we lost assaulting this city.'

'They are worth their weight in gold,' Ager said. 'Do you trust the Haxans to defend Daavis for you?'

'Only as much as I need to. If things go according to plan, we will have Sparro before next summer and Daavis will become less important in the scheme of things.'

'Salokan won't make a grab for it?' Gudon asked.

Lynan remembered the last conversation he had with Salokan. 'No. He will never betray us.'

'That won't stop some Haxan defender with imagination trying to seize Daavis in his name.'

'We will leave Chett officers to supervise any defence,' Lynan said, 'and with them a good contingent of Chett warriors.'

'Three hundred reinforcements so far,' Korigan said, shaking her head. 'I hope the flow increases somewhat.'

'Salokan sent those from among his own house troop as soon as he received my request. The remainder have since been conscripted and are being sent on their way south over the next few days. We should have them all halfway through autumn. Furthermore, they bring with them supplies—weapons, horses, some bullion.'

'Bullion?' Korigan looked surprised. 'We Chetts do not need coin for our services!'

'Not for us, cousin,' Gudon said. 'But for the city. Daavis must resume trade if it is to survive, and the Haxan troops will have to be paid.'

'If you're wanting me to train up these dribs and drabs, lad,' Ager said, 'you'll not be letting me dillydally around Chandra with my Ocean Clan.'

'I'm sorry, no,' Lynan said.

'My people will be disappointed.'

'I don't want that to happen, my friend. The Ocean Clan can still carry out its long raid, but they'll do it under Morfast and not you.'

Ager nodded. 'Very well.'

'The lancers,' Jenrosa said, her voice flat. 'Who will you have take them over? Who can replace Kumul in their hearts? And since you let three troops go with Eynon and Makon, you have not much more than that left here. The battle against the knights saw them lose nearly half their number.'

Every word was aimed at Lynan, as if she was insulting him for so neglecting the lancers and in that way the memory of her beloved.

'I do not think anyone will replace Kumul in the hearts of the lancers,' Lynan replied. 'Nor for that matter in anyone else's heart. But I will not punish them for that by leaving them leaderless. We will increase their numbers when we reorganise some of the common banners.' He turned to Korigan. 'Arrange for two hundred more riders to be added to the lancers. Coordinate their training with Ager.'

'I know nothing about heavy cavalry,' Ager said.

'But you know about the discipline necessary to make heavy cavalry work.'

'And its leader?' Jenrosa prodded.

Lynan met her gaze. 'Terin of the Rain Clan.'

Jenrosa's expression was matched by the others'.

'He is too young!' Jenrosa declared.

'Truth, it is a great responsibility for Terin,' Gudon said.

'He has his own clan, and has led one of our banners with skill and courage. As well, he deserves a reward after his part in our victory over the mercenaries. If not for him and his clan, Rendle would never have entered the trap.'