John Carr - Siege of Tarr-Hostigos

Kalvan had to repress a shudder. Which of my midnight drunken monologues will come back to haunt me next?

"It was your tales of how you had increased the Royal army by making your free companions into Hostigi citizens that gave him the idea to adopt the tribeless men, women and children into the Clan. Now-" Halgoth paused to open his arms in a huge circle. "-the Tymannes number more than all the other Urgothi clans in the Upper and Lower Sastragath. Truth be told, many warriors have left their true clans to join the Tymannes to partake of our good medicine and war glory.

"Wannax Sargos is much beholden to you, Your Majesty, for the success of this plan. In fact, he was loathe to lay this new burden at your feet and, had there been any other solution, he would not have done so."

Kalvan took a deep drink of Ermut's Best. "High King Sargos is a friend and ally; I am pleased that I have aided him in his plans to establish his suzerainty over the Sastragath. I will take these Ruthani children and make them wards of the Royal Throne-"

"Your Majesty! Sargos will be most pleased and thankful."

"Tell him I will do it for our friendship and for the children. I will do my best to train them in our ways in all things."

Halgoth turned slightly red and looked embarrassed, an emotion Kalvan was sure that crossed Halgoth's countenance no more than once every few decades!

"Sargos would not tell this to his scribe, but he would also like to send with the Ruthani some of our own cubs so that they too will learn the ways of Great King Kalvan and Hostigos."

Kalvan slapped the end table next to his chair. "It is done." Sargos might not realize it, but he was putting the next generation of what would become the Sastragathi officer corps right into Kalvan's hands.

"Thank you, King Kalvan, you have lifted a great burden from my head. It is rare that I ask any man for a boon, much less ask one for another."

"I understand, Halgoth. You are a loyal friend and Sargos is lucky to have you guarding his back."

Halgoth nodded, as though that were his due. "Now that my work is done, I have a request of my own."

"Yes?" Kalvan asked guardedly. What favor might this great warrior ask next?

"When we met at the Spirit Grove and you saved my life, I became in your debt and it is time to settle the account."

Kalvan nodded solemnly.

"I understand that Hostigos is in a great war with the Black Knights and the dung-digging priests of Styphon?"

"This is true."

"Then you are in need of many warriors?"

"This is also true."

Halgoth squirmed in his seat, looking strangely boyish for a man with sun-darkened skin and weathered wrinkles. "I would like to offer my services and those of the Raven Guard to act as your bodyguard."

Kalvan thought quickly. Halgoth was a man of great honor and pride. He was also Sargos' closest confidant and friend. To deny his request would not only dishonor Halgoth, but Sargos as well. Such an insult might well carry a blood price-or vergelt as the Urgothi called it. Kalvan couldn't imagine how he might use such an honor guard of unrepentant Vikings- but the Varangian Guard certainly did well for their Byzantine masters. Nor would it be a bad thing to have such formidable and loyal men as his personal guard. And, who knew how much evil would arise if he refused Vanar Halgoth's request.

"It is done!"

A smile broke out on Halgoth's face like the sun rising over a bank of purple clouds. "You have my oath of fealty." He lifted his golden goblet. "A toast to Great King Kalvan and to the Raven Guard."

Kalvan clinked goblets with the massive Urgothi. Another friend, he thought, I can use all the friends I can get. "Vanar, as your first duty, I want you to return to the Sastragath and bring the Ruthani children back to Hostigos."

"It will be done. I must return anyway to gather the Raven Guard. Not all will be old comrades, since there are many new tribesmen in the Clan, but all will be proven warriors and loyal paladins. I will put them all under an oath-bond to fight to guard Your Majesty's life with their own. You will not regret this day, my King!"

Kalvan wasn't sure of that, but he knew better than to share his doubts with his new captain. He was going to have to put a truss on both his drinking hand and his mouth before he brought himself any more such good fortune!

Captain-General Phidestros watched as the two Knights, in blackened armor and white capes with Styphon's black sun-wheel emblazoned on the back, brought Grand Master Soton's chair in and then waited at attention while the Grand Master strutted in and took his seat. Phidestros was surprised to note how much Soton had aged; there were sharp lines around his eyes and mouth, and his beard had turned mostly gray. He wondered what had caused him the most pain, losing thousands of his beloved Knights or having to explain to the Inner Circle of Styphon's House his 'retreat' from Kalvan's army. Neither could have been easy, but knowing Soton as he did, he suspected the former.

"Grand Master Soton, can I offer you some winter wine?"

Soton excused one of his Knights, but the Sergeant stayed. "Yes, I could use a drink. I have spent far too many hours talking to nobles with more iron between their ears than in their spines." He sounded weary and a little hoarse.

"We could always meet tomorrow, Grand Master."

"No, I can only stay for a moon-quarter more, and then I have to return to Balph before the first big storms. We have much to discuss if the invasion of Hos-Hostigos is to be successful."

"Agreed. Mynoss, will you serve us some wine." After his servant had brought them all, including Sergeant Sarmoth, goblets of red winter wine, Phidestros made a toast. "To Styphon and the fall of the false Kingdom of Hos-Hostigos."

After a long swallow, Soton offered up another toast. "And to Great King Lysandros!"

"To Great King Lysandros."

"Unfortunately, that is about the only good news to come from the Sastragathi debacle."

"That is hardly true, Grand Master. You drove the barbarians into the Trygath, threatening western Hostigos, which prevented Kalvan from invading Hos-Harphax, something he could have done with ease this spring. Instead he spent the campaign season chasing you."

"I am glad to see you believe our sacrifice was not in vain."

"I don't just believe it. I know it, Grand Master. If you had not diverted Kalvan's attention to the west, Hos-Harphax would be no more-and Harphax a princedom of Hos-Hostigos! If you still believe, as you did last year, that Hos-Harphax is the anchor of the Five Kingdoms, then your sacrifice was well made."

"I hope you are right," said Soton. "The entire campaign was a nightmare I'd just as soon forget…"

"We have made great progress here."

"Tell me about it."

"By Styphon's Grace and much of his gold, I have completely rebuilt the Army of Hos-Harphax; it now musters over eighteen thousand men: two thousand Royal Pistoleers, eight hundred of the King's Royal Lancers, four thousand Royal Foot Guard and four thousand Mobile Dragoons- mounted infantry much like Kalvan's Mobile Force, made up of the best of the City Militia-and a dozen mercenary regiments. I've recently hired another six thousand mercenaries, four thousand foot and two thousand horse; all have agreed to join the Royal Army-for a price. I've formed two mobile batteries of four six-pounders and six four-pounders each and one Royal Rifle Company with seventy-six riflemen.

"Excellent!-Captain-General. You have been busy. But how well trained are these troops?"

"Every third man in each company is a veteran, and we've been drilling them six days a moon-quarter since spring. They're not seasoned yet, but they are in good spirits. I'm paying them twice the usual salary and year round-"