Book 3, Chapter 18: Council
My war council needed to learn of the Laemacian demands. I needed updates on how our weapons development and production was coming along, so the following day I called a meeting. Brundle, Etienne, Morry, Brin, Tread, Rand and Gun, and the Head Physician and Master Weaponsmith were present.
“Thank you for coming, gentlemen, Lady Brin. I want updates on, well, everything. First, where’s Earl Carlisele? Tread, didn’t I ask you to invite him?” Brin looked at Tread, wondering his answer.
Brundle spoke up, “If you’ll allow me to answer, my lady. I had Tread remove the earl from our council because Bechalle’s troops are almost fully integrated into yours. The earl’s troops remain in his earldom, with the exception of his honor guard. Unless you call him to provide you with soldiers for the spring war, there’s little point in having him in on our discussions.”
“I see. Thank you, that makes sense.” I didn’t really like the man and, anyway, it was probably better to keep him from knowing all our explorations in new technology. Except for one detail. “We’re going to also have a meeting with the bannermen at some point, especially with the Laemacians threatening war.”
Rand spoke up, “the Laemacians are threatening war?”
“If I don’t marry their emperor, yes. Well, they’re strongly hinting at it.”
“And are you going to marry the current emperor?” Morry asked, leaning forward.
“Good god, no. I’m sorry, gentlemen. I seem to cause you no end of problems. Also, if it means anything, the late Duke Bechalle considered the current emperor to be a usurper. And myself the legal heir to the Laemacian lands.” Gun and Rand sat back, Morry stroked his chin. Brundle already knew, of course. Judging from their reactions, he hadn’t told his majors. Tread, honest Tread, didn’t change and that meant Brin and him were sharing secrets. I wondered if they were sharing more, and kinda hoped.
Rand spoke up, “This may alter our plans for spring. We may be facing a superior Laemacian force. I wonder if they’ll partner with the Ketzles.”
“Major Rand, if I have my way,” I said, “we will be the superior force. If not in numbers, then in technology.”
“Well,” Gun said, a smile on his face, “we’ll add them to the list of our enemies then.”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I’d prefer to negotiate some form of treaty, perhaps a mutual recognition of our borders.”
“That may not be possible, Princess.” Morry didn’t look happy. But then, he never did.
“In any case,” I paused, looking at Morry, then Brundle, “because of their presence, we’ll need to discuss our plans with the bannermen. After the coronation. After I’ve taken their oaths.”
Morry nodded, Brundle smiled, and I didn’t look at either Rand or Gun.
“Excuse me, I’d like to know how separating ale into, I believe you called it, distillation, can produce poisons,” said the head physician, Markin. “It’s worrisome to me that you had the alchemist turn ale into poison.”
“Uh, can that wait? Let’s table that until after the military discussions. I’ve already explained it to Reese in some detail . . .”
“Head Nurse Reese did not seem convinced by your explanation. She suggested that, in your inebriation, you may have become fanciful.”
I was having some problems remembering exactly what I’d said. It seemed to me that I tried to explain the various alcohols in a fermented beverage to someone who had no idea that molecules and microorganisms existed. I wasn’t sure I wanted to lead a class in middle school science. “Uh, perhaps at a later date?”
“I can agree to that.”
I didn’t roll my eyes, but probably puffed up my cheeks as I turned to Brundle. “Let’s get to it. How’s the sarissa training going?” Before he could answer, I asked the smith, “And sarissa production?”
“Training is coming along. We have more and more centuriads adopting the sarissa. Some individuals are becoming quite proficient in the new weapons, and I’ve taken it upon myself to promote them.”
“Excellent. About training-”
The master smith broke in, “Our production speed is at maximum and we’re able to produce thirty per day, but that won’t be enough to outfit the entire phalanx come spring. We need to double the number of journeymen and apprentices in the sarissa workshops.”
I gave him my attention, “Alright. See to it.”
“I’ll need to expand the accommodations then.”
“Ok. Go right ahead.”
“Well, the problem is,” he started, “that-”
“My lady,” Tread began, “there’s simply no room. The marketplace and cobblers on one side, the armorer on the other. As for accommodations, I’m afraid all the inner housing is taken.”
I couldn’t place the word, ‘cobblers,’ didn’t want to openly display yet more ignorance in a council meeting and decided to ask Brin later. “I see. What about temporary housing? More tents?”
“In winter? We’re already burning through a lot of firewood for the soldier’s tents.”
“Ok, how about setting up wooden buildings on the other side of the castle walls? We basically have a village inside, why not outside?” I spoke to the smith, “Then you’d be closer to the troops, easier to get materials.”
Morry leaned forward, “Not a great idea in times of war to build on the other side of our walls. Too easy to climb. But the idea has merit. How about on the inside of the outer walls?”
“Actually,” Brundle began, “that’s a good idea for several reasons. With your, ahem, suitors here and more on the way, and especially the Laemacians, it’s perhaps best we move the sarissa training away from the castle proper.”
“Sounds good. That’s actually what I wanted to ask you about training, moving it to where it’s less visible. Tread, can you get people on putting up new buildings? Whatever the Master Smith here needs.” Tread took notes, adding it to his ever-increasing list of things to do and the smith nodded. I probably should get him an assistant.
“We’ve had some success with the new crossbows, Your Highness. They’re still a bit heavy for one man to carry, but we’re making progress on getting the mechanisms down.”
“Oh, that’s fantastic! I would very much like a crossbow regiment come spring if you can manage it.”
“That may be difficult.”
“Take on as many apprentices as you can.”
Brin spoke up, “We are dangerously close to reaching our limit in terms of how many people we can support. I spoke to you of the taxes not too long ago?”
“Right, yes. And how did tax collection go?”
“Well. It’s going well.”
“You set up a tax collection agency, didn’t you?”
Brin smiled, but also looked confused, “Tax collection agency . . .”
“Just make sure they don’t treat the peasantry badly.” I wagged my finger at her, “and no skimming from the top!”
“Yes, of course. To both.”
“Ok, back to crossbows. How about shifting some troops to the smithy instead of hiring new people? Brundle, can you make a crossbow regiment? Their first task will be to work with the Master Smith here and build some crossbows.”
“We can do that, but it will detract from their training time. And, I’m sorry, but I still don’t see the value in this device you call a crossbow over a bow.”
The smith spoke up, “Our initial test models are able to punch through armor. Her Highness is onto something, these have incredible draw strength.”
“Yes, yes, I’ve heard that. Can you get them to fire more than one, ah, bolt is what you call it? Per minute, more than one per minute. An archer can fire more than ten arrows in a minute. Some, up to twelve.”
“I doubt it will ever get better than one bolt per minute, General.”
“Princess, this is why I question allocating more resources to this project.”
I couldn’t exactly explain to him my image of a crossbow regiment attacking in Red Coat formation, but we’d get there. “When we get working models, worthy of being in the hands of soldiers, I think it’ll change your mind.”
Rand asked, “Any word on the new saddles with the straps you think will help stabilizing cavalry?”
“We’re having new saddles built. The saddle makers couldn’t figure out how to affix the stirrups, not straps, to the saddles in such a way that it wouldn’t harm the horses. So, we’ve now got wood workers on the job. Hopefully, we’ll see a prototype in the next few weeks.”
Brin spoke up, “More suitors should be arriving every day. This may prove difficult for security, especially with the Laemacians here making demands.”
“Also,” I said, “the emperor has gifted me, our army, with forty, uh, war rhinos.”
“Forty of them?” Brundle stroked his face, “That’s a considerable force.”
“Is it?”
“Oh yes. Excellent as reinforcements in battle, but also very good to frighten cavalry horses with. The problem is feeding them. And cleaning up after them. They eat a tremendous amount of food every day.”
“More to feed?” Brin sounded annoyed. “And where are we going to put them?”
Before I could say it, Tread raised his short quill up, saying, “I’ll have some stables put up for them soonest. And figure out their eating requirements.”
I paused for a moment, wondering how to invent a ballpoint pen, then caught myself and said, “Thank you, Tread. What are we going to do about integrating their handlers into our army?”
“We have to assume some of them will be reporting to the Laemacians as spies. And we certainly cannot count on them in battle against their own countrymen,” said Rand, ever cynical, but usefully so.
Giving a wry smile, Morry said, “I suggest including them in gatherings with the nearby villagers and letting it be known that they’re paid well.”
“General Morrentz,” Brin started, “we have little margin for expenses, as I brought up earlier.”
“We don’t have to pay them well, the villagers just have to believe they’re paid well.”
I cocked my head at the big man, my brain slowly working out the Machiavellian genius in his comments when Gun snapped his fingers, smiling, “You mean to get them married!”
“That’ll tie them to our land and people. Excellent idea, General,” said Etienne.
“Can we return to the Laemacian ambassador?” asked Rand. “How many troops did they bring with them? What exactly are they threatening?”
“Apparently, they’ve brought a thousand troops. Called it an honor guard. Camping outside the outer walls. So far, the threat of war is nonspecific. The ambassador said it’s that or I become the emperor’s fourth wife.”
Gun sat forward, “We could kill their messenger and those troops. It wouldn’t stop war, but it would prevent knowledge of our new weapons from reaching the Laemacians.”
“Gun,” Etienne spoke up, “it’s foolish to think their spies lie only within their military.”
An idea suddenly occurred to me, “What about a misdirect? Gun, Brundle, if you could get the sarissa forces losing to regular phalanx when I give the ambassador a tour, that might help. The spies would be telling them one thing, and their high-ranking officers another.”
Etienne raised an eyebrow and Gun spoke up, “I think we can manage it. Just tell us beforehand.”
“Perhaps practice badly for a few days, so it’s not so obvious to the spies when practice routines are changed.”
“Princess, Wizard, I’m not sure I like this idea,” said Brundle, scratching his beard. “The soldiers aren’t thespians, and I don’t want it get it into their heads that they can lose to a regular phalanx.”
“Gun, you’re in charge of the infantry, what do you think?” I asked, but I shouldn’t have. He was too eager to please, too wanting of my attention.
“I think we can arrange for situations where the phalanx have the advantage over the sarissa, and the sarissa troops take it easier on them.” He nodded, “Yes, I think I can get that to work by letting the sarissa troops think we’re really training the regular pikemen.”
“Alright. Let’s do that for this week. I’ll bring the ambassador around for a show and tell. Hopefully, we’ll get him thinking these aren’t effective.”
“That may make the Laemacians more eager to attack us,” said Morry.
“I’m not in favor of it, either,” added Brundle.
“Better we face an arrogant enemy sporting regular sized pikes than a prepared enemy sarissa force to match our own.” More and more these days, it seemed we didn’t reach a consensus. Part of me wondered if it was because we had more time on our hands to prepare or because we were getting to know one another better. “Alright, this concludes our meeting. Thank you all, Lady Brin, gentlemen. Wizard Etienne, I would like a moment if you have time.”
“I do, my lady.”
Everyone else rose, except Morry. “Hey,” I moved over to the big guy, speaking softly, “I have to talk to the wizard alone. I’m . . . I’m sorry.”
“I am here for you, Princess.”
“I know. I won’t be long.” Somehow, he understood my need for privacy and left. I felt guilty. But I couldn’t have Morry in on my terrible secret, too. It’d just be more likely he’d be killed.
“I’m assuming this is about my research into your, shall we say, scarification?” He folded his fingers together, leaning forward on the table.
“Yes. Have you found anything?”
“Bechalle was not lying when he said he thought you were a deity. That symbol, or more accurately, those symbols, are designed to syphon an avatar’s power.”
“An avatar?”
“The living embodiment of a deity. In this reality.” He took my right hand in both of his, “Princess Cayce, are you a goddess?”
“I’d laugh if you weren’t so serious. You think I’d let myself be so abused were I a goddess? If I had that power, couldn’t I just kill everyone who opposed me?”
His olive skin took on a slightly paler tone, a touch of fear on his face when he looked at me, “I don’t know. Avatars are limited amongst us humans. Not omnipotent. The reason we mages, our conclave, don’t allow aristocrats to learn magic is-”
“Yes, yes!” I was getting impatient. “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
“I was going to say, because of history. Only four hundred years back, such a ruler came to power. He nearly caused humanity to go extinct. This land we’re on, it wasn’t always divided by a great river like it is now.”
I clued in. The hills, that statue. “It didn’t always have the rolling hills, did it? He melted the glaciers, caused an enormous flood?”
“Glaciers? I know of no such thing. The texts state that he held up the oceans and let them loose upon the land.”
“That makes sense.” Etienne looked at me quizzically. “The rolling hills look like the deposition left behind by an enormous flood. That statue, buried over sixty feet deep, probably a result of the same floodwaters.”
“Your Highness, I have to ask you, and you know why I’m asking you, but where do you come by this curious knowledge you possess? Fourteen-year-old girls do not talk about deposition. Or invent new weapon technology. They especially do not invent, what did you call it? Distillation.”
Shit. I sat back. How stupid of me! It was only a matter of time, I guess. I couldn’t hide my years of education, from a functioning, modern society, and my age. “I’m not a god, Etienne. I’m not. I don’t want to be here! I didn’t come . . . oh, for Christ’s sake!” I almost blurted out, ‘I didn’t come here on purpose.’ I stood up.
“I didn’t mean to upset you, Princess. I am trying to help.”
My eyes were getting wet and I couldn’t stop them and they shouldn’t be. Damn teenage hormones! How soon till I couldn’t stop the lightning? I blinked and blinked and looked into his eyes and said, “I’m not offended! I am just feeling way too emotional for this!” Then I stormed out.
Morry was waiting, I stomped past him. He followed.
Comments (0)
Please login or sign up to post a comment.