L. Modesitt - Mage-Guard of Hamor

"They both strike me as arrogant, particularly Triad Dhoryk. They talk as if the only force that matters is magery."

"Chaos-magery-or your kind of order-magery-can be rather effective."

"As I discovered at Thalye and Selyma, it is far less effective in many situations than large numbers of troops with sharp weapons, ser. It's most effective in limited areas."

"That is so. What do you suggest I do?"

"What you can, ser, without ever exposing yourself to what they might do."

"You do not trust our honored Triads, Senior Mage-Guard?"

"No, ser, but you know I am skeptical of those who hold power as an absolute right."

"You have mentioned that, if not exactly in those words. Now, what are you recommending on the dispatches I gave you?"

Rahl picked up Commander Duchym's dispatch. "Commander Duchym seems even more arrogant than the Triads. I would not wish his regiment to be the one left here to hold Nubyat. You might have to retake the city on your return."

"What else would you do?"

Rahl frowned. "Stipend him off, if possible. He doesn't sound like the kind who would listen to an explanation of how one doesn't sack one's own cities, even after a revolt, if one wants prosperity and the tariffs that come from it."

"He's Dhoryk's cousin."

"Have him lead the first charge in Sastak," Rahl said dryly. "Otherwise, keep him from any position where he has to exercise initiative or control."

"What else?"

"The fire-bladders. I suppose they should be replaced, but there will be more chaos-bolts in Sastak, I would judge, and I wouldn't recommend having them anywhere close to you or to large numbers of troopers."

"I would agree with that. What else?"

When Rahl had finished noting his observations and concerns and returned the sheaf of dispatches to Taryl, the older mage-guard set them on the table desk, and said, "Triad Fieryn wanted me to know that the Mage-Guard Overcommander for Matlana died unexpectedly. He asked if I had any recommendations for a successor. I told him that he was doubtless more aware of those regional commanders who would work best with the current Triad, but that I would give it some thought."

Matlana-that was the eastern region administered from Atla. "I heard him mention the death of someone called Thasylt, but I didn't know who that was. Was the overcommander that old?"

"He didn't die of flux or old age, I'd wager," replied Taryl.

Nor would Rahl.

"You need to spend the rest of today and tomorrow finishing up with all your duties around the city, and letting Chewyrt and the others know that they'll be acting on their own until you return. Don't forget to let them know that you will expect an accounting when you return."

"I won't, ser."

"You're having dinner in the private dining room, with your healer. The Triads and I will eat in the formal salon."

"Thank you."

Taryl smiled for a moment. "You'd better get on with winding matters up."

Rahl nodded, then turned and departed. Outside the study, he glanced down the long corridor but did not see Deybri. So he headed down the steps.

Dinner with Deybri on threeday evening was the most enjoyable Rahl could remember since he had eaten with Deybri seasons before, not so much because of the perfectly seasoned lamb burhka or the cream sylazas that constituted dessert, but because the question that lay between them was no longer one of consorting but of when that would happen. Rahl just enjoyed looking at Deybri and listening to her. Although he would have preferred more than that, he had those pleasures to look forward to, and he could still recall when even seeing Deybri's gold-flecked eyes and the warmth and intelligence behind them would have seemed the most impossible of dreams. Unfortunately, the dinner was too short, and fourday arrived too soon and was far too long, because Rahl had far too many loose ends to tie up-before getting ready to ride out with Third Company on fiveday.

He was up early on fiveday, early enough to catch Deybri in the staff dining room, he thought, but she had already left to make a last round of the wounded she would be leaving behind in Nubyat. So he ate quickly and headed to the stable to ready the gelding.

Even so, the stable was empty except for the gelding, and he had to hurry to saddle his mount and load his gear.

After he mounted outside the small stable, he sat in the saddle for a moment without urging the gelding toward the road to the east of the over-commander's villa, where Third Company was forming up. For several moments, he studied the overcast sky, both with eyes and order-senses. From what he could tell, the clouds were moving northeast, but there wasn't much water in them, and the breeze that caressed him was warm, but dry.

Then he urged the gelding forward, riding slowly to the front of the column and reining up beside Drakeyt.

Shortly, Quelsyn, the senior squad leader, rode up and reported, "All squads, all troopers, present or accounted for."

"Very well. Prepare to ride out."

"Third Company, ready to ride, ser."

"Third Company, forward!"

As the company rode past the Regional Administrator's Residence, Rahl glanced to the left to see if Deybri might be watching from somewhere. He neither saw her nor sensed her presence, and his eyes went back to the stone pavement before him. After riding past the Residence and the northern end of the parklike grounds that surrounded it, Rahl neared the wide turn in the road before it turned almost a full half circle and descended. From there, he could see Nubyat spread out below the promontory, a city of gray and green, although the light gray of the paved streets was almost white.

In the early morning, the loudest sound was the echo of hoofs off the stone and the sheer cliff face to the right of the road.

"Word is that you're going to consort the healer, Majer," Drakeyt said, as he and Rahl followed the outriders and scouts down toward the southern part of Nubyat.

Did the walls have ears? Probably eyes as well, Rahl reflected. "That depends on what happens in Sastak."

"If you return?" Drakeyt laughed. "If anyone is likely to return, I'd wager on you."

"She's with the overcommander's headquarters company as a healer," Rahl said. "Healing in and after battles isn't risk-free."

Drakeyt nodded. "And there may be attacks on the overcommander's position in Sastak. Is it true she came from Recluce?"

"Yes. Some of us have, over the years." Rahl wasn't about to explain how Deybri had come-or why.

"I can't say it makes sense to me," Drakeyt mused. "What you've done here is worth a couple of companies, if not more, and they just threw you out?"

"Not exactly." Even as he began to explain, Rahl had to wonder why he was defending anything about Recluce. "They felt that they couldn't train me without too much risk to Nylan, and Nylan has a few less people than Nubyat, although the harbor and port facilities are larger."

"Did they have to train you in Nylan?"

Rahl checked the paving stones as they rode past where the barricades had been, but the prisoner crews had finally removed all traces of the blackened residues. "I was already banned from the rest of Recluce because magisters in Land's End didn't like the way I'd used order, and Nylan is actually not much larger than Nubyat in size."

"They knew you had that kind of ability and tossed you out?"

"They thought I did, and they didn't want to find out." Rahl glanced ahead as they neared the southern square, his eyes searching for any patrollers who might be around. At least one should be. He saw several people on the covered porch of the larger inn, and he was pleased to see that none of the shops were shuttered.

Then he nodded, as he caught sight of the familiar mage-guard uniform.