"Light cavalry," she went on, looking over at Loring. "Bows and swords. Very mobile, and fine scouts."
Aylward looked at his ex-commander as well. "Ranchers and their cowboys," he said. "The ranches are like hamlets these days, they took in a good many of the townsfolk who survived the Change. It's very: decentralized over there, so the CORA as a whole doesn't have to vote for war. The ranchers aren't what you'd call well organized, but they can fight well enough by bits and pieces, as it were."
"Which gives us maybe six thousand against his ten thousand," Havel said, breaking a cookie in half. "And apart from my A-list, ours are part-timers, and his are all full-time fighting men, all well equipped. OK, say he has to leave some at home to keep the farmers under control; it's still not good odds, particularly since about two thousand of his are knights and men-at-arms-heavy cavalry and damned hard to stop. And he's got a better battering-train than we do, and we've got a lot less in the way of fortifications. Besides which, standing siege would let him destroy everything we've spent ten years building up."
Everyone looked at the two from Corvallis. Reluctantly, Peter Jones spoke: "We could put seven thousand in the field with a general call-up. But that would require a council resolution and a referendum vote, if our own territory weren't invaded."
"Ah, participatory democracy," Loring said, his tone neutral.
Edward Finney flushed slightly: "When the people who're going to fight do the voting, they really mean it!"
Which was true, but didn't entirely make up for being late to the party.
"He's still not going to attack before the harvest," Signe Havel said. "The logistics are bad otherwise."
"If he's planning on some sieges he'll bring-"
Loring sat back and let the others argue; he was the stranger here, and thought himself lucky to be allowed to listen in, despite the pleasant informality of arrangements. Instead he watched the faces. A man-or a woman-could lie to you with words, but it was harder to deceive a third party-particularly about character.
Yes, our Lord Bear would make a good friend and a very dangerous enemy, he thought. Just the man for a sudden deadly blow with no warning.
He recognized the type; Sam Aylward was another, solid noncommissioned officers, perfectly capable of running a company and of seeing that lieutenants didn't mess things up too badly before they learned their trade. Both capable of a good deal more under the right circumstances.
And young Lord Bear has come a long way: I suspect most dynasties were founded by men much like him. Wit enough, even if he's no genius, but willpower to spare. Not half so dangerous as his wife, though, I would venture. Beautiful to a fault, yet she reminds me a bit too much of Queen Hallgerda. And I rather think she's a good deal more intelligent, not to mention personally formidable. Mr. Havel is welcome to her.
The two from Corvallis had the harassed look of good men doing their best in a situation that they knew was beyond them. Sam Aylwardhe looked a little different, and not just because he was nearly a decade older. He didn't seem as detached as he would have been at a briefing before the Change; the matter at hand obviously touched him in more than a professional manner.
He's more settled, Loring thought. He was always a fine soldier, but a bit lost out of uniform. Glad to see he's found a home. And we could have used him back in England after the Change.
And then there was Juniper Mackenzie. He noticed that she spoke little, but tended to quiet arguments when she did, and help keep people focused. And her voice was interesting in itself, softly musical, the American accent he'd always found rather harsh and flat softened by the trace of a brogue.
West-Irish, at that, I think she said. Fine figure of a woman, too. Pretty in a colleen fashion, but with character too-someone interesting has been living in that face. Friendly, but I suspect there's a volcano of a temper under that red hair as well.
He'd known Witches before; a good few had survived in England by geographical accident or prescient flight to somewhere remote-two dozen had hidden out in the New Forest, evaded the mobs by some cascade of miracles, and greeted the king's men when they came surveying. Juniper seemed to have her feet planted more firmly in the earth than most of the breed that he'd met. At that moment she looked up and met his eyes; there was a slight jolt that left him blinking, and then she winked at him. He hid his smile, smoothing down his mustache with a finger, then bent his attention back to the discussion. When it ended, she cleared her throat.
"That leaves the question of where to keep Mathilda Arminger." At Havel's quick glance she went on: "Come now, Mike, it's not as if it would stay a secret for long, wherever we put her, sure. You can hide people in a city, but those days are gone, and all we have are villages where everyone knows everything about everybody-we could scarcely chain her up in a cabin in the woods. Too many saw her at that fight in Molalla's territory, for what happened to stay secret for long. Too many of my folks and his."
Havel exchanged another glance with his wife. "She's got to stay somewhere safe, at least."
Juniper nodded. "That leaves either here or Dun Juniper-unless Corvallis would like to keep her, as neutrals?" The two emissaries of the city-state made quick fending-off gestures, and Loring hid another smile.
"Well, then, Dun Juniper for the present. It's out of the way, and as strong as any of our holds, and farther from Protectorate territory," Juniper said, with a trace of reluctance in her voice. "Though if anyone would care to volunteer to take her off my hands: "
Signe Havel nodded slowly and unwillingly. "For now that's the best option, yes," she said.
"Sure, Signe, and we can reconsider later if it seems wise," Juniper agreed. "From what I've heard back, she's not the sweetest-tempered guest ever received in my Hall. But moving her across the valley would be far too risky: "
Hmmm, something there, Loring thought. But there's something about Lady Juniper's voice that makes it hard to stay angry with her, I think.
"Yeah, it would be an invitation to a raiding party," Signe conceded. "She'd better stay at your place for now."
A little surprised at himself, Loring spoke: "It might be a good idea to give her some additional guards. I and my son and John Hordle have more than a little of experience at clandestine operations between us, before the Change and after it. And we'd like to see a little more of the neighborhood, since we seem likely to settle here at the last."
"Good idea-" Signe and Mike Havel's voices tripped over each other. Havel cleared his throat and continued: "Very good idea. Arminger has some sneaking-around-the-woodshed types himself."
Chapter Nineteen
Dun Juniper, Willamette Valley, Oregon
May 31st, 2007 AD-Change Year Nine
So, what's this Sir Nigel like? Eilir asked.
She looked around one last time to check that everything was in place. The sun was setting to her right, westward; the sky there bright towards the Coast Range, while the snow peaks of the High Cascades on her left were touched with a last touch of crimson, and a first few stars bloomed in the purple above. Birds sang towards evening, under the murmur of voices and the eternal sough of the forests above.
From what Mom writes, he's quite a man, she went on. Sam thinks so too of course. It's enough to turn me against him, almost.