John Carr - Siege of Tarr-Hostigos

"So that was how you convinced the mercenaries to join the Royal Army." Soton nodded thoughtfully. "Year round! I can hear Archpriest Dryton, the Temple's Treasurer, screaming all the way from Balph."

"No you won't. I'm not paying them all in gold. Half their salary is paid in iron coin, redeemable in gold only when Kalvan's army has been defeated."

"Brilliant." Soton shook his head as he took out a burl pipe with silver inlay. "By what spell do you convince soldiers to accept iron in place of gold?"

"All soldiers are gamblers and see nothing ahead but the piles of gold they will win when the Army of Hostigos has been vanquished. It has also given them a great incentive to work on their drills. Besides, many of the local merchants, ladies of the evening and wagerers accept the iron coins at a discount."

"If that is true, truly you have brought about Styphon's Own Miracle! Styphon be praised! If the local slatterns and sharpers are willing to take these iron rakmars in trade, then even the scum must believe that we will prevail. I wish the Archpriests of the Inner Circle shared their faith."

"They will, Grand Master. They will. The City Militia is now more than ten thousand strong, and are better armed and better drilled than in living memory. Every moon I have a thousand of them brought to Tarr-Anibra where they are drilled from first light to dark. They do much better away from Tarr-Harphax and the City walls. They will not run as they did at Chothros Heights."

"You have made great progress in the past year-even more than I expected. Yet, this shortage of mercenaries may yet prove our undoing. I had hoped you would have twelve to fifteen thousand Free Companions by this time, but far too many have died in this Ormaz-spawned war against the Usurper-or worse, have taken his colors. Archpriest Anax-thenes put before me an idea that may help solve our problem. Let me present it to you."

Soton explained how Styphon's House had merchants and agents who traveled as distantly as the far-off West Coast settlements of the Ros-Zarthani. One of these agents had been authorized by the Inner Circle to hire an entire army of Ros-Zarthani. Word had recently arrived in Balph that they were almost across the Sea of Grass.

"This is interesting news," Phidestros said, his face trying to hide his disappointment. He needed these western barbarians like he needed another regiment of royal lancers. "How do we know they will not break the first time Kalvan's guns fire?"

Soton shrugged. "They may be sounder troops than you suspect. The agent has informed Archpriest Anaxthenes that the Ros-Zarthani know neither kingdoms nor princedoms as we do. Each city acts as its own kingdom-yes, a chaotic system of rule that leads to much fighting. A highpriest was sent to 'hire' an army from one of the larger cities to aid in our war against the Usurper Kalvan. The army will march from their home, across the Sea of Grass and through Grefftscharr."

"You mean some highpriest, who doesn't know a rake from a ramrod, has hired an unknown army and believes it will pass unmolested through the Sea of Grass? The Grefftscharrers will pulverize it as grindstone mills wheat. Why not bypass Greffa all together, by taking the-"

"Fighting the Greffa Army will be their test, as I understand it. They have never faced fireseed, and it is well that they do so before they meet the Royal Army of Hos-Hostigos in the field. It will take Styphon's Own Miracle for them to arrive as an intact unit. Yet, this Highpriest Prysos believes that these Ros-Zarthani can more than hold their own against the nomads and Grefftscharrers. At least he has convinced Archpriest Anaxthenes that this is so."

"Anaxthenes may know all there is to be known about running temple services and pulling Sesklos' strings, but he knows nothing of war."

"Don't underestimate Archpriest Anaxthenes. Any Archpriest who has survived for twenty winters in the Inner Circle has more understanding of command than you might think. There is even talk that he will become the next Voice of Styphon."

Suddenly all is clear, Phidestros thought. Lysandros might believe the gathering host was his army, but Styphon's House had a different opinion. "Since the Temple pays, we cannot lose. What weapons do they use?"

"They still fight in full armor and on destriers, much as our ancestors did and your Royal Lancers do now."

"Oh no, more iron hats! Kalvan's artillery will harvest them before they have time to set their lances."

"Not all of them. Many use bows or carry heavy throwing darts."

Phidestros shook his head. "Darts and bows! They will probably run when the first shot is fired."

"If half of what this Prysos claims is true, they may surprise both you, me and-most importantly, Kalvan. At worst, they will serve as a screen for our own troops."

"For how long has Styphon's House purchased these soldiers?"

"Styphon's House has paid their city well; they will fight until they are dead or their contract runs out next spring. Scoff if you must, but answer me this: where else do you intend to find more mercenaries to fight under our banners?"

Phidestros shook his head. "There are no more mercenaries to be bought in the Five Kingdoms, not for gold or glory. No, bring these iron hats, and we will find some use for them-if they ever arrive! If nothing else, they will give Kalvan's guns targets while my men do more serious work."

Xentos still felt uncomfortable greeting supplicants in his Chair; it reminded him too much of the old Iron Throne he had seen during his visits to the court at Harphax City. The Primate's Chair could just as well have been called the Golden Throne, since it was gilt covered and jewel-encrusted. In Xentos' mind this pomp was more appropriate to a Styphon's House temple than Allfather Dralm's chief house of worship. Davros, Highpriest of the High Temple of Hos-Agrys, however, had an answer for every question, and Xentos supposed that the chair's opulence lent a certain dignity to the High Temple. Yet, in his heart he still wasn't convinced that such opulence was at all proper.

Xentos was tempted to turn around and ask the towering statue what it thought, but-unlike Styphon's image in Balph-Dralm had never spoken to his flock. Xentos wasn't even sure if it was proper to use the former Great Hall of Dralm for the Primate's Audience Room. Again, Davros had convinced him otherwise. Or had his false pride allowed himself to be convinced? There was no comforting answer to that question so he focused upon the merchant asking his intercession with the Allfather.

"I admit, Patriarch, I bore false witness upon my competitors-even drove some of them out of business. Now the ague strikes almost every night. I awake shivering and lying in my own water. Please, ask Allfather Dralm to forgive me-I beseech you!"

The formerly obese merchant now swam in his robes. "Leave one hundred gold rakmars as an offering and I will intercede on your behalf."

The merchant fawned all over him, even kissing his ring finger- another custom encouraged by Highpriest Davros. He knew the High Temple needed the gold; what he wasn't sure of was how much good health, if any, it would buy for the suffering merchant. Still, tonight he would make a special prayer to Dralm in the supplicant's name.

The fever-ridden merchant was the last of today's penitents. Next was a meeting with the High Council of Dralm. The Highpriests, led by High-priest Davros, approached the throne with far less reverence than the supplicants. Xentos was beginning to resent their presumptuousness.

Davros looked him in the eyes. "Primate, we must come to a firm decision about the Usurper Kalvan. The princes, even Great King Demistophon, wish to know our policy regarding the outlaw realm of Hos-Hostigos."

Xentos sighed. "I have previously warned the Council about the impetuousness of Great Queen Rylla. She is willful and does take matters into her own hands; however, her actions in Phaxos addressed a legitimate grievance upon the traitor Araxes, who had both sworn and un-sworn fealty to the Throne of Hos-Hostigos in the same season. Had it been Great King Kalvan overthrowing Prince Araxes, I do not think we would have need of this conversation."