John Carr - Siege of Tarr-Hostigos

It would have been difficult to explain Sesklos' death, even with the Investigator absent from the Holy City. Now, if the old man would only die before Roxthar returned from the campaign against Hostigos… Well, if he didn't-

Phidestros stood up carefully from his worktable, which was chin-high in requisitions and muster lists, to greet Great King Lysandros and his party. He was spending more time scheduling wagon trains of provisions and fire-seed than he was working out strategy for the coming spring campaign. The last thing he needed was to answer more of Lysandros' interminable questions. Lately, he'd been asking why King Demistophon was refusing to join the Grand Host in the war against the Usurper. Lysandros' greatest fear was that King Demistophon was planning a sneak attack on his vassals while the Harphaxi Army was in Hostigos: it would be just like the cowardly swine!

As long as Lysandros didn't ask him to leave half the Royal Army behind, Phidestros didn't care what either of the Great Kings did. Once the Grand Host defeated Hos-Hostigos, they could easily make hash out of Hos-Agrys, if the sausage who called himself King Demistophon was that stupid.

Lysandros was accompanied by two gray-bearded men with obvious military bearing. Is one of these graybeards my replacement? he thought. Did I say something I shouldn't last night? He thought back to the previous night, the formal celebration of his swift victory and duel with Prince Eltar. It had been well over a moon since his return to Harphax City and there had been rumors in the taverns and wineshops about the long-delayed victory celebration, saying that all was not well between him and the king.

No, he had not done anything obvious to incur Lysandros' displeasure. Unless being given cheers by the King's Lifeguard were grounds for dismissal-?"

He bowed deeply and then Lysandros introduced the other two members of his party. The one with protruding teeth was the newly arrived Lord High Marshal Zythannes, the new commander of the Royal Army of Hos-Ktemnos, The previous one, Leonnestros, had died at Phyrax Field.

The second was Captain-General Anaphon, a broad man with a stubborn tilt to his jaw, who smoked a corncob pipe. Anaphon was a distinguished former Harphaxi mercenary general who had fought in scores of battles but never against Kalvan.

"Captain-General Anaphon is the new commander of the Royal Army of Hos-Harphax and your second in command," King Lysandros said.

"A pleasure to meet you at last, Grand Captain-General."

It was an uncomfortable situation for both of them and Phidestros was pleased that Anaphon was wise enough to know that it wouldn't better his standing to snub his superior commander before the king. It was obvious that Lysandros was not taking any chances regarding the future of his new Kingdom.

Phidestros didn't know whether to be relieved or angry. He had assumed that he would resume command of the Royal Army as soon as Kalvan was vanquished. On the other hand, he would now be able to devote his full energies to the new territories that he had been promised if he defeated Kalvan and conquered Hostigos.

After seeing that everyone had a full goblet of winter wine, Phidestros asked, "What has brought Your Majesty so far from the warmth of the castle hearth?"

"Now that the Lord High Marshal has arrived, I wanted him to be brought up-to-date on your plans for the invasion of the False Kingdom of Hos-Hostigos. If things were more secure in the Kingdom, I would take command of the Grand Host myself."

If Styphon's House wasn't opposed to your being commander, that is, Phidestros thought. He smelled a skunk. He was about to be brought up to a review and he was certain if there were any questions about his campaign plans he would be unceremoniously relieved of his command. Why now, when the hard work was done and everything was going so well? Why not? Now that he had re-organized and re-built the Royal Army there were probably dozens of generals who thought they could do a better job of invading Hostigos. What he needed were some allies.

"If I'm going to explain the invasion thoroughly, I will need my commanders. Do I have Your Majesty's leave to call them?"

King Lysandros made a brushing motion with his slender left hand. "Of course, Captain-General."

Phidestros called in Knight Commander Orocles of the Zarthani Knights, one of Soton's favorites, three of his top generals and General Geblon, commander of his bodyguard the Iron Band. When he introduced his young generals, he could see a sneer of disapproval on Anaphon's face and even Marshal Zythannes looked mortified.

"I do not understand this title of general," the Marshal said. "One is either a Captain-General or a Captain. These new ranks are confusing and smack of Hostigi heresy!"

"Let me explain, Lord High Marshal Zythannes. Before the Usurper Kalvan arrived to snatch western Hostigos from its rightful rulers, armies were not so large and there was no need for ranks other than those of Captain and Captain-General. Yet even so, there was enough confusion that the titles of Grand-Captain and Petty-Captain arose. I now have under my command blocks of men numbering upwards of four thousand, each under a General, ten Grand-Captains and forty Captains. What was I to do: create more Captain-Generals until they become as common as captains?"

Both commanders looked horrified. Lysandros' fox-like face appeared amused.

"No, of course, not. Instead I appointed my ablest commanders, all of them veterans in the war against Kalvan, as Generals." That coven a multitude of sins, thought Phidestros. Now let me hear these men who have never tasted Hostigi steel make an issue of their youth.

Captain-General Anaphon took out his pipe, sputtered, then put it back in his mouth.

"Your words are convincing, Grand Captain-General," Zythannes said. "We no more need a plague of Captain-Generals than we need one of Ormaz's demons!"

King Lysandros nodded his agreement. "What are your invasion plans?"

"This time we will fight as one Host, rather than several armies as was done under the late King Kaiphranos. Grand Master Soton will join us from the south. Knight Commander Orocles will brief you on the Grand Master's plans."

Orocles stood up and began to speak. "Grand Master Soton will be leading seven Lances, four thousand Holy Warriors of Styphon, seven thousand mercenaries, and three thousand light Sastragathi cavalry. Many have already arrived and will be wintering in Hos-Harphax." He went on to break them down by unit and troop type.

Lord High Marshal Zythannes broke in to say he would be commanding eight Sacred Squares, the rebuilt Royal Square, the Royal Cavalry, and almost ten thousand mercenary horse and foot. "With the Ros-Zarthani mercenaries, Grand Master Soton and I will be leading more than sixty-five thousand soldiers to join the Grand Host."

Even Great King Lysandros was impressed by those figures. "By Styphon's Great Beard, this will truly be a Grand Host. With both armies joined we will have more than a hundred thousand men to ravage the false Kingdom of Hostigos. What are your estimates of the Usurper's forces?"

"The False King's army has grown rapidly this past year, but even with all his levy he will be lucky to match our numbers by half."

Captain-General Anaphon looked disappointed; it appeared this meeting was going in every direction but the one he'd envisioned. "We have outnumbered the Daemon Kalvan before, but to no avail. Why should the Grand Host win any successes the Holy Host was unable to garner?"

"Before we were divided, now we are one host," Phidestros answered. "Also, we are more experienced in the Usurper's tactics and strategy."

Phidestros diplomatically restrained from mentioning that they were also rid of several idiotic Captain-Generals, such as Prince Philesteus who had died at Chothros Heights with most of his equally thick-headed Royal Lancers.