John Carr - The Fireseed Wars

"Yes, sir."

From the looks of the Duchess, a quick stab in the heart might be the most merciful thing he could do. Her gray hair was caked in tangled strands and her pale skin hung in wattles from her face, leaving the bones underneath in stark relief. Ranthos doubted she weighed thirty ingots, all wrinkled skin and bone. From her labored breathing, he suspected pneumonia or pleurisy. While Phidestros would accept her murder as the logical course of action, he might have a more difficult time explaining it to Duke Mnestros, or Captain-General Hestophes.

Of course, if they put her in her coach she'd die soon enough, regardless, although it would be a lingering and painful death. As a Paratimer, he knew a fast end would be the best cure for her ills.

The Duchess came to with a start. "Who are you?" she asked, between coughs.

"I have come to rescue your son. He is wanted by Styphons House."

She shuddered. "I feared this day would come. They will use him badly, if you allow it. I don't have long for this world, Bless Yirtta Allmother." She began a series of coughs that wracked her thin frame. When her spasms stopped, she implored, "Please, promise me you'll take good care of my son."

Since that was the plan anyway, Ranthos had no trouble giving her his oath. Somehow that seemed to release her; the Duchess gasped a few times, and fell back upon her bed. She looked at rest and he checked her wrist for a pulse.

When Lady Timolyara arrived, she looked at the Duchess and asked, "Did you hurt her?"

"No, she made me swear not to harm the boy, then she quietly passed."

The Lady nodded. "She's suffered so much."

He nodded. "It is for the best. I have seen this illness before and it never ends well."

"May Yirtta take her to the Allmother's Blessed Fields."

He asked, "My Lady, is the boy a lackwit? He doesn't appear to have his senses about him."

She shook her head. "No, Dementros is just in shock. He had to sit and watch his mother being devoured by the coughing fever. He's refused to leave her side. The Duchess was in fair health less than half a moon ago. Although, she has never been very strong; still, she was always kind.

"What do you intend to do with us, sir? You are no peddler. Are you bandits? As you can see, there's little here worth stealing."

Ranthos pondered for a moment, then decided the truth couldn't hurt. "No, we are soldiers. Has word reached your village that Styphon's House has laid siege to Agrys City?"

"Yes, about a moon ago someone brought the news to Salis. Have they taken the City?"

"Not yet, but it won't be long. It won't hold out past summer. The Styphoni defeated the League of Dralm's Army which attempted to break the siege. Now, the Styphoni have patrols throughout the Kingdom searching for King Demistophon's heirs. The boy's father was the Great King's cousin."

Her face scrunched up and she practically snarled. "He was always a terrible braggart! But, while he was alive, a purse of gold came every moon from Agrys City. He claimed to be in line for the Throne of Light. We did not believe it since he lived as a friendless exile. The Duke died over five winters ago, while I was still a girl. He was a terrible man and all the manor rejoiced at his passing, none as much as the Duchess."

Ranthos did the math, remembering that the Duke had been exiled because of his penchant for young girls of noble blood. It was possible her daughter was the Duke's bastard. He needed Timolyara's cooperation so this wasn't the time to question her about it, nor was he the right man to make further inquiries.

"We are going to spirit you out of the manor before the agents of Styphon's House arrive."

She made a quick circle around her chest, as the worshippers of the Allfather were prone to do when they made their silent prayers. "We have heard the terrible tales of Styphon's Investigation of Hos-Hostigos, even here. I would have killed the Duchess and her son before I would have let them fall into their unclean hands."

Considering the abominable security his men had encountered at the manor, he doubted that she would have had the opportunity.

"Can we stay until the Duchess is buried?"

Ranthos shook his head. "She comes with us."

The Styphoni might only be days behind them. They had to evacuate the manor and buy time for Great Queen Rylla to put forth her own choice for the Throne of Light.

Turning to Mnestros, he said, "It's your job to burn the village and chase away the villagers. If we fail to stop the Styphoni, I want them to believe the inhabitants were snatched by demons."

Queen Rylla tried to sit cozily on her chair, but the baby was fidgeting and she couldn't find a comfortable position. It didn't help that the day was hot and muggy as well. Fortunately, the stone walls of the palace kept it cool inside. She knew the baby was due soon, within a moon half, but as far as she was concerned, it couldn't come soon enough. She'd hoped for a while that Kalvan would return from Greffa to be with her during this birth, but with the Grand Host still camped outside she knew that was not to be. Besides, now that she'd given birth once, it was not as frightening. Although Head Midwife Amasphalya kept reminding her about all the problems they had with Demia's birth, and how close they'd come to losing both her life and the baby's. If Amasphalya wasn't so good at her job, she would have dismissed the harridan in a heartbeat!

At least she and Kalvan had settled the problem of what to name the baby. If it was a boy-and she prayed to Yirtta that it would be, because a male heir would solidify their hold over their new subjects-they'd agreed to name him Ptosphes, after her father. That had always been her hope, but she'd graciously offered to name him after Kalvan's father, who had been a priest-although he had never told her of which temple. Kalvan had refused to even discuss it, saying his father's name was clumsy and unpronounceable. She suspected that far more was involved, as he never discussed his childhood. She knew him well enough to leave the topic alone.

Rylla prayed to all the True Gods that their children would have happier memories of their childhood.

There was a knock at the chamber door.

"Come in."

One of her Ladies-in-Waiting, opened the door and stuck her head inside. "There's a Baroness Lysia to see you, Your Majesty."

That was a surprise, since Lysia must have come all the way from Hos-Agrys. It must be important, she thought. I pray nothing's happened to Hestophes!

"Your Majesty, look at you! You're as big as a house!"

Rylla laughed. "The baby's due any day now."

"It'll be a big boy," Lysia pronounced.

Rylla smiled. "We hope it's a boy. A son would go a long way towards bringing our new subjects to the Fireseed Throne."

"I will pray to Yirtta that it is so."

She rose up and attempted to hug her friend. "Lysia, is Hestophes safe?"

"Oh yes, Your Majesty. I left on his orders."

"Whatever it is, it must be important for him to send you away."

Lysia laughed. "Yes, he likes to keep me within arm's reach, especially when there's a battle."

Rylla joined her. "Our men are very much alike."

"It is good that they are on the same side."

"Did you have any difficulties making your way past the Host's sentries?" Rylla asked.

"I had the ship master land in Ulrym, a small fishing village in Gytha, and rode overland. Some of Prince Phrames' men escorted me to the boat from Gytha Town to Thagnor."

"Good. Praise Dralm, the Styphoni don't have any warships on the Sea of Aesklos."

"No, but most of the ships leaving Port Glarth are bringing supplies for the Host. It was fortunate that I only needed a small boat for my party."

"How are things in Hos-Agrys?" Rylla asked. "I heard about the League's defeat in Hestophes' last dispatch. Will the League reform with a new army before the next campaign season?"