Book 6, Chapter 27: Into the Fire
After getting the proper honorifics from his generals, Serce held the tent flaps up, saying, “And may I present Empress Cayce.”
I had to dip slightly to enter under his arm, while pulling up my dress to keep it from dragging, then stood in front of the assembly, nodding to each man as they bowed in turn, saying, “Your Royal Highness.”
Forcing a smile, I said, “Gentlemen, lords. The situation if you would, please.” That earned me a questioning look from one of them. I suppose I should have asked for names, first.
They were much more finely dressed than my own generals, wearing pants with belts through belt loops, instead of leggings, blacks, greys, silk shirts and lots of gold trim in their overcoats. Each man carried a curved sword at their hip, a curved dagger on the other side, the hilts ornate, silver and gold threads designs aplenty.
Curved swords were generally better for cutting people not wearing armor, but I suppose if you weren’t wearing armor to a sword fight, you were probably in trouble either way. Anyways, I liked how my own generals dressed and the straight swords they used, and was sorely tempted to tell these guys that, but held my tongue.
A man with a thick, triangular beard, long black hair tied back, drew his arm across the table, “A rough map.” It had several dozen carved figures atop, horsemen probably representing calvary, spearmen to represent phalanx, swordsmen for the skirmishers, and little green trees to tell us where the forest lay. He tapped the map, “Their army lies to the south, some three miles from here. And-”
“That close?” asked Serce, walking up to the table, looking down at it. “Have they sent messengers?”
Another man, clean shaven, light auburn hair, younger than everyone else save me, spoke up, “We have, perhaps one hour ago. They should be returning soon. If they don’t return, we have our answer.”
Serce tapped his fingers on the table, “Attack now, while they’re setting up, or wait to see what they want.”
The younger general said, “It’s safe to say that they have parties watching us as well. They’ll know if we march on them. And-”
Serce cut in, “-and we won’t be able to field our rhinos.” He looked at me, not saying more.
The younger one continued, “They also cannot attack us, my lord, not at night with our fortifications.” He had dark purple eyes, like my own.
“How many,” I asked to Serce, “war rhinos do we have?”
“Forty. We’ll use twenty on each flank. But they don’t see well enough at night to attack with.”
“Ah. Only forty? You gifted me that many last year.” And when he did, he said that Laemacia could field as many rhinos as they wished. But it seems that may not be the case. If Otholos had taken out the majority of his forces when he came to war against me, then I may have crippled Laemacia. Mental note to ask Serce about that later.
“I expected this to be a mere expedition and not conquest.”
“Your Royal Highness,” the familiar voice of Captain Gyges rang out, “you called for me?” As he entered the tent, several of Serce’s men again nodded their greetings but with, I smiled inwardly, less exuberance than when I entered.
“Yes and welcome,” said the prince, tapping the map with his forefinger. “The army that attacked you is camped not far from here now. We’d like to hear your assessment of them.”
“Ah.” He cleared his throat, “They’re very mobile and attack quickly.”
Crossing my arms, I shook my head a little, “Only because you didn’t set up fortifications or barriers of any kind to protect your army. Did you even have lookouts? Watchmen?”
He looked at the ground for a moment, left hand tightening into a fist, but soon forcibly calmed, saying, “We did. I assure you that we did, my lady. They first attacked on horseback, with bows. Well-coordinated lines of horsemen riding past our frontlines, loosing many arrows. Naturally, we returned volleys, but they easily outnumbered our ranged units, and we had to retreat.”
“Ah,” said Serce turning to face me. “Empress Cayce, your thoughts?”
I tilted my head, thinking. It was true, I wasn’t at the front and didn’t see the initial attack. Nor did I know the new army we faced was using bow wielding horsemen – the tactics of Genghis Kahn. That could be a real problem for us, for any of our armies. All they had to do was ride past our infantry, shooting their arrows into us, then ride out of range. The rhinos would count for a lot, but they’d be eventually overwhelmed, too.
Yet, the Mongols had two pieces of technology that these lands lacked. Advanced composite bows and stirrups. Was it possible to innovate so quickly in the void the mages’ absence created? It was remotely possible that news of my own improved saddles spread, but that seemed very quick. On the other hand, Gyge’s army simply wasn’t prepared for actual war. They may have collapsed to regular light cavalry quickly to any competent force. I wouldn’t know until seeing the nun’s army myself. Yet this information was worrying.
“Empress?”
“Yes, sorry, I was there. Their army moved quickly, it’s true, and effectively divided the mages’ soldiers into pockets that couldn’t adequately defend themselves. However, Captain Gyge’s army wasn’t well prepared. Ours is. And the Laemacian army is used to combat. I’m not sure we should be worried. Perhaps when we have more information. Have scouting parties returned with more exacting observations of their formations?”
“Ma’am,” said the young general, stepping forward, “it’s too dark to get a proper count of their numbers, but the scouts estimated them to number around 70 000 men. Perhaps that large number explains how quickly they overtook the mages’ army.”
“We can’t all fight as well as you,” said Gyges to me.
Everyone turned toward him, then stared at me, awaiting my answer. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I’m sure were our army made of up warriors capable of how you carried yourself in battle, we’d have won the day, but we can’t all be gods.”
I gave a quick glance to Serce, trying to gauge how he was taking this in, shot him an embarrassed smile, then took charge, “Thank you, Captain, that’ll be all.”
“Wait, I’d like to know how you’re including my troops in your planning.”
Serce gave a slight head nod to the older general, and he stepped forward, saying, “When our plans are solidified, and we have a place for your troops, we shall discuss formations with you.”
Gyges stiffened, gave a tense, terse bow, turned on his heel and made for the exit. He stopped there, faced back at the generals and Serce, pointing his finger at me, “She killed five attacking men herself! Just send her to the frontlines!”
The younger general, choking back laughter, covered up his mouth, saying, “Well, I certainly hope that is true. Anyways,” he turned his back to the captain, placed his finger on the midpoint of the map, “this is where the hill we’re on slopes down. They’re encamped south of here, which puts them at a serious disadvantage. To reach us, they have to fight uphill through many obstacles and impediments. Their scouts should be making that clear to them and so their army will,” he drew a large circle with his hand, moving away from the hill, “have to go around. To do so requires moving through the thick forest before reaching clearings here,” pointing north of our hill and far off to the side, then the opposite side, “or here and that will slow them down. If they really are mainly comprised of light cavalry, we can meet their frontlines at the forest’s edge, some fifty to a hundred feet from it, to constrain their maneuverability.”
“Excuse me,” I said, a little in awe that he could come up with a plan so quickly, “what is your name?”
Nodding his head, he said, “I am Arsaces, my lady.”
I gave him a slight head bow as well, hoping and hoping I’d remember his name, “A pleasure.” It was good to be among competent military men again.
“Archers shouldn’t cause us problems,” said Serce, “as our phalanx has tower shields. We’re roughly one third heavy and light cavalry, one third phalanx, with the remaining being archers and skirmishers, plus the war rhinos.”
“How many men?”
“Just over 50 000.”
“They may outnumber us, then.”
“I can’t imagine it will matter, given that we can choose the battlefield. And,” he smiled, “the war rhinos.”
It was true, they were terrifying beasts in combat. My gaze moved from Arsaces to Serce, I said, “I hope you’re right.” Serce was handsome, it was true, but Arsaces was sharp. No wonder he reached general at such a young age. I shook my head a little at these intrusive thoughts, tried not to look like I was having them, and focused on the map. That’s where we are, I told myself, right on the well-fortified hill, waiting for the baddies.
“It’s true, ma’am,” said a different general, which worried me, since I’d have to remember his name soon, too. “From our well defended location, we can set up formations in either direction they may attempt to attack. However, they remain a danger, especially if their forces are larger in number. Were they to forgo a direct attack, they can divide into two groups to test our capabilities, or disengage entirely and head toward Laemacia in an attempt to cut off our return home and create a battlefield of their choosing. Here, on this hill, we have all the advantage. But that can change.”
“Excellent.” I said all too quickly, then shook my head. “And troubling. Uh, can we work out ways to prevent them to go around us?” For me, well, it was excellent if they went around us, since the mage and I could simply sneak off, leaving the armies to fight it out. And I wanted absolutely nothing to do with the evil nuns. Did not want to see them, did not want them to know I was here. And if they did catch a glimpse, that’d be a problem. For they wouldn’t stop until they caught me, their precious source of life everlasting. I would like to know who they were working with, though.
The clomping of hooves outside the tent, the thump of someone dismounting, and a man’s voice, loudly saying, “I’ve a message for Emperor Searcian from the enemy army. This is what their commander says he wants. Once he gets it, he’s promised to leave our lands.”
He was shortly in the tent, kneeling before Serce, handing him a wax sealed letter.
“Stand up, soldier,” said the bearded general number two. “Tell us what you saw about the army.”
“Mostly cavalry, my lord. A small phalanx contingent, but with bucklers instead of our tower shields. A fair number of skirmishers, too. I was only able to observe part of the camp, though.”
“Did it look like they were preparing to fight?”
“No, lord, they were having supper. I cannot say whether that was a ruse, or how soon they plan to attack. All I can do is relay that the commander demands whatever is written on that note, and that is all he claims to want.”
“Good news, then. Thank you. Go get some dinner yourself.”
The scout left.
The prince, whom everyone was still calling emperor, and slightly to my annoyance, opened the letter, making me wonder just what he’d told them about my own status. Still, he called me Empress Cayce in front of everyone and they didn’t laugh or sneer. Maybe I was ok. Maybe Serce didn’t mind me taking over, as long as he retained his own power.
“Here,” he said, passing me the letter, not looking happy at all.
“What is it?”
He nodded, indicating the letter.
Unfolding it, there were only two words on the page:
Princess Cayce
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