Sovereign

Hern shook his head. 'Not entirely. But everywhere from the palace to the docks is burned down.'

'Then Areava will not send an army north! She will use it to rebuild her city!'

'Charion and her Kendran aide assure me that Areava will not fail us. We can expect an army soon, maybe even before winter.'

'No,' Kivilas said. 'You are a priest and are used to believing in difficult things, but I am a farmer and depend on what I see with my own eyes. I fought in the Slaver War, and I can tell you that no army moves that fast.' He grimaced then. 'Except maybe one from the Oceans of Grass.'

Hern pushed the coins even further across the table. 'I know of your service to Hume and the Kingdom. That is why I asked you to come. Your village can raise seven soldiers for Charion's army, eight including you. There's the equal of twenty-four silver pieces, pay for a full month and in advance. Take it and join our cause.'

'We don't need the money to prove our loyalty to Queen Charion.' He said her name almost with reverence.

'Charion knows this. She is not buying your loyalty but making sure your village does not lose out by sending its best and strongest to join her. This money will keep food on the tables of your families while you are away.'

Kivilas grunted in approval. His hand hovered over the coins. 'And after the first month?'

'More bullion, captured from Haxus convoys.'

Kivilas grinned and scooped the coins into one hand. 'You'll have your eight soldiers.'

'Not me,' Hern said seriously. 'Queen Charion.'

It took the Chett force over a day to reach the gorge. They found signs of the slaughter readily enough. The road was littered with the half-eaten corpses of over a hundred soldiers. Flies hung in the air as thick as a dust cloud, and birds called and wheeled overhead waiting for the living to get out of the way so they could resume their feasting. Before anything else, Lynan ordered the dead be gathered together in a huge pyre. It was noon before the job was done, and the stinking air was almost unbreathable. Lynan himself set fire to the mound.

The Chetts spread out north and south, east and west of the gorge, looking for any and every sign of passing. It did not take them long to discover that the enemy had approached from the east and then returned that way, heavily laden with booty.

'What lies between here and Sparro?' Lynan asked Ager.

'Woods, some hills, a few towns,' Gudon answered before Ager could open his mouth. 'Remember, little master, that I used to pilot a barge up and down the Barda River. I got to know this part of the world quite well.'

'How many towns?'

Gudon shrugged. 'I don't know. They have regular fairs, so a reasonable number, and villages between them.'

'I don't like this,' Ager said. 'The enemy could disperse among any of the towns or villages, making it almost impossible to track them all down, especially their leaders.'

'Nonetheless, we'll try,' Lynan said. 'I don't want the enemy working behind my lines if I have to advance on Chandra.'

'That could take us the rest of autumn,' Ager pointed out.

'We move east until we come to the first settlement. There we get descriptions of the local area and we split in four groups to cover as many towns and villages as possible in the shortest amount of time. Ager and Morfast divide the Ocean Clan; Gudon and I divide the Red Hands.'

The others had no better idea, so the party continued east until they came to a place too small even to be described as a village. The inhabitants were small plot farmers, working land rented from an owner who spent most of his time in Daavis. Their knowledge of the local area extended no more than twenty leagues in any direction, but that did include a couple of villages and one town.

'What's the town called?' Ager asked.

'Was called Esquidion,' one farmer told them.

'Was called?' Lynan asked.

The farmer took a step back. He did not mind talking to the ugly bastard with a misshapen back, but this short, pale, scarred man scared him. 'Priest's Town, if you don't mind.'

'I don't mind,' Lynan repeated, puzzled by the expression. 'But why Priest's Town?'

The farmer looked at him as if he was stupid.

'Because a priest lives there, I dare say,' Ager suggested.

'That's right,' the farmer agreed. 'He came about ten years ago and built a chapel an' all, and does the rounds for the whole area. He could draw you a map, if you don't mind.'

'I don't…' Lynan shook his head. What was the point? 'We go to Priest's Town then. Have you seen any soldiers come this way?'

'Only yerselves.'

Following the farmer's rather vague directions they finally found a large town around noon. Leaving most of their column behind under the command of Morfast, Lynan, Gudon and Ager rode down the dusty avenue that passed for the main street. They asked a local if the place was indeed Priest's Town, and were told in no uncertain terms that it was still called Esquidion by those born and bred here.

'But there is a priest hereabouts?' Ager asked.

'In the chapel,' the local said, and pointed to a long, low building made from recently cut sandstone at the edge of town.

The three companions rode to the chapel and dismounted. Lynan moved to enter first, but Ager put an arm out and stopped him. 'Let Gudon go first. The priest will not be too surprised by a Chett.' Gudon agreed and entered, followed by Ager and Lynan. It was dark inside, and the priest would probably not have made much of any of them. There were low bench seats on either side of the large room they found themselves in with an aisle running between them. At the end of the aisle, and facing the seats, was a plain, strongly-made chair. Behind that was a wall with a doorway.

'The back entrance?' Gudon asked.

'No,' Ager said. 'The main room is not as long as the building. Probably the priest's quarters.'

Gudon went up to the door and knocked. They heard a chair scraping and then footsteps. The door opened and they were confronted by a huge man who seemed to fill the doorway. He looked down at Gudon and blinked in surprise.

'Good Father,' Gudon said in his sweetest tone, 'I hope we did not disturb your meditation?'

'Not at all,' the priest said, a little too quickly for Lynan's ears. 'How may I help you?'

'I come seeking information. I was directed to you.'

'Really? Information of a spiritual sort, perhaps?'

Gudon shook his head. 'Alas, no. We were looking for information about the area; such things as the number of towns and villages, and the number of their inhabitants.'

'I am a priest, not a map maker.'

'You are also learned and well-travelled,' Ager said, stepping from behind Gudon.

The priest did a good job of trying to hide his shock, and Lynan was sure it was not at the sight of the crookback. Working in a farming area like this he was sure to see many with permanent injury of one kind or another; it was Ager himself, and the priest recognised him.

'I recognise your accent,' Ager continued quickly, 'You come from one of the villages to the east of Kendra.'

'You have been there?' the priest asked, trying to sound interested, and to divert the course of the discussion.

'No,' Ager admitted, 'but I have a companion who comes from a village in that area.'

'Do you know the name of the vill—'

'Her name is Jenrosa Alucar,' Ager said over him. 'And before you ask, my name is Ager Parmer.'

'Truth, mine is Gudon,' said the Chett.

'Ah, yes.' Fine beads of sweat had appeared on the priest's forehead. 'I am Father Hern.' He tried to peer behind Ager. 'And your other friend?'

'Friend?' Ager asked. 'Yes, I suppose he is. And my lord. Your Majesty?'

Lynan now stepped aside so the priest could see him clearly. 'You already know who I am, don't you Father Hern?'