Roland Green - Great King_s war

"Tortha, do you think Danthor still holds it against the Paratime Police? That incident was a long time ago!"

"Dalla, Danthor Dras reminds me of some Fourth Level mountain-tribe chieftain. Once somebody's done him an injury, he won't die happy unless he's paid it back or at least had his sons swear they will."

"After not saying a word for over a century?" This time it was Verkan sounding skeptical.

Tortha took a firm grip on both his glass and his temper. "By the time he was in a position to fight the Paratime Police, I was too firmly seated in the Chief's chair. He also had a few enemies of his own at the University. He's not the most lovable man there, even if he is right most of the time."

"That's like saying Queen Rylla isn't the most even-tempered woman in Hostigos," Dalla said. "But go on."

"Anyway, he seems to have spent the last few centuries out-arguing, out-writing or outliving all his enemies. Now there's a new Chief of the Paratime Police who isn't on quite such a firm footing as old Tortha Karf. Danthor's own flanks and rear are safe, and Kalvan's war against Styphon's House will give him a ready-to-hand audience without his having to do anything except write his fiftieth book. That's a situation a child couldn't fail to notice, and Danthor's forgotten more about strategy than most generals ever learn."

Before either Verkan or Dalla could reply, the waiters arrived with dinner. Tortha had thought his appetite was gone for the evening, but the fish, house sauce and hot bread smelled irresistible. He let the waiters load his plate. Before long he was picking at his dinner.

A little later, he noticed that Verkan and Dalla were no longer paying him or their own loaded plates any attention. They were so lost in each other that they didn't even look up when the pattern of projected constellations on the ceiling overhead flared into a supernova. If they'd been fifty years younger, he'd have suspected they were holding hands under the table.

The sight restored his good humor, and appetite. Strictly between him and his conscience, he was willing to admit that Dalla's old hostility toward him had some justification. He had been careless about their first marriage, keeping Verkan grinding away at one job after another.

Well, Dalla had no more worries coming from him. Now she had a much more difficult job: protecting her husband from himself.

Balph, the hub of Styphon's House, lay downstream on the Argo River from Ktemnos City. While nowhere near as large as the capital with its half a million people, Balph was still large enough to be called a city-the Holy City.

Despite being the fourth largest city in Hos-Ktemnos, its major industry was religion. Its secondary trade was shipping. Old Balph, the original trading settlement, had long ago been encircled by its strange offspring, except near the dockyards. Someday the old buildings would be leveled for some new monument to Styphon's glory. Balph proper was already home to Styphon's House Upon Earth, an old golden-domed basilica that contained Styphon's Own Image, sixteen Great Temples and the Shrine of Styphon's Ascension, the Temple Treasury, the Temple Academy, the Supreme Priest's Palace.

Supreme Priest Sesklos sat at the apex of the Inner Circle's Triangle Table, with First Speaker Anaxthenes to his right and Archpriest Dracar on his left, facing Styphon's Golden Image, the huge idol of Styphon that the lay members only saw during times of great crisis or special events. As Speaker of the Inner Circle, it was Anaxthenes' duty to provide the voice for the mechanical bellows that allowed the giant idol to mimic human speech. Typically, this duty was the province of Styphon's Voice, but when Sesklos had reached eighty winters Anaxthenes had assumed some of Sesklos' formal duties.

Ever since Sesklos' talk with Dracar, opposition to Anaxthenes' coalition had evaporated. With a clear majority of the thirty-six Archpriests of the Inner Circle behind him, Anaxthenes was forging a program that would change the shape of Styphon's House in ways the others would never realize until it was too late.

After the ritual Blessing of Styphon, benedictions and ritual chants, the Fifth Council of Balph unanimously passed a resolution to lend two hundred and fifty thousand ounces of gold to King Kaiphranos to hire mercenaries and buy supplies for the war against the False Kingdom of Hos-Hostigos. Next they'd put together the First Edict of Balph, condemning the Usurper Kalvan, but leaving an escape clause for any of his princes whose loyalty was wavering.

By Styphon, thought Anaxthenes, they would crush this interloper before another winter passed!

As he'd been prompted earlier, Archpriest Neamenestros spoke up. "I suggest we frame a reply to the false rumors spread by the Daemon's dupes, that Styphon's House recognizes no other gods but Styphon."

A polite way of saying what Archpriest Zothnes and the dearly departed Krastokles had said in public should have only been said in the privacy of the Inner Circle: that Styphon's House recognized no other god but Styphon. The truth was even harsher; Styphon's Archpriests believed in no gods, including Styphon.

Archpriests Roxthar and Cimon squirmed in their seats but kept quiet as promised.

"Why should the Council of Balph deny the special divinity of our God, the brightest star in the night sky?" Archpriest Timothanes snapped.

"Because the mercenaries we need to win this war against the Usurper worship Galzar with a fervor our priests lavish only upon the offering bowl," Anaxthenes replied. He hoped that would be enough to make Timothanes think twice before opening his mouth again.

He continued, "The time for declaring Styphon's sole divinity will come when the Usurper's bones are moldering in their grave cloths. Already some of the Wargod's priests openly counsel their charges to side with the Usurper in the coming war. We must keep our peace with Galzar before Kalvan forces a breach. He who owns the mercenaries, owns the Five Kingdoms."

"Yes," Heraclestros agreed. "And we own most of the gold."

"Wise words," Styphon's Own Voice declared. "I call for a vote."

"Aye, aye," said twenty-four voices, while twelve said "nay." Dracar and his allies looked like cats passing fish bones.

"The resolution passes. It is Styphon's Will. It shall be decreed that Styphon respects the divinity of all true gods, except for the False God Dralm. We also offer the services of our healers to any and all priests of Galzar engaged in the struggle against the unlawful Usurper who calls himself Great King Kalvan of Hos-Hostigos. Styphon's Will Be Done."

When Styphon's Voice had fallen silent. Anaxthenes added, "The Daemon Kalvan and his minions threaten not only our lives, but the very timbers of Styphon's House On Earth, as well. King Kaiphranos is but a poor weapon, one easily broken or thrown aside, against the might of the Daemon Kalvan. Should this weak tool be broken, I fear that Kalvan's path will lead straight to the Holy City itself!

"We need a sharper sword. Why not that of Great King Cleitharses of Hos-Ktemnos? Let him lance the boil of Hos-Hostigos that corrupts the body of the Five Kingdoms. I say we must issue a proclamation, calling for the Sacred Squares of Hos-Ktemnos to come to the aid of the God of Gods."

That was the prearranged signal to Archpriest Theomenes, spiritual guardian to King Cleitharses, to touch his first two fingers to his mouth. Anaxthenes touched his fingers to his forehead, by way of reply, granting Theomenes permission to address the Council.

"Great King Cleitharses has found his faith disturbed over the misfortunes brought down upon Styphon's House by the Daemon Kalvan. Thus, he will no longer willingly and of his own free will grant that which is ours to ask, but he will listen to our united voice. As we all know, the wise and fair King Cleitharses has little love for the clamor of battle or the open air."