S. Farrell - A Magic of Twilight

“U’Teni cu’Kohnle has served me very well thus far, and he understands both my tactics and my army. You don’t, Archigos.”

Orlandi was beginning to fear that the only reason the Hirzg was dragging him along was because of the title he held.

Well, he would show the Hirzg once he was back on the throne. He would demonstrate to the man that Concenzia was separate from Nessantico and the Holdings, that he ruled Concenzia and not the Kraljiki.

The Numetodo would be hanging from the bridges, as thick as pigeons, with the false Archigos among them. And U’Teni cu’Kohnle, with his arrogance, might just find himself serving in the Hellins. “ Phah on the Numetodo,” Orlandi told the man, spitting over the side of his carriage.

“Our war-teni are stronger. We have Cenzi on our side.”

Cu’Kohnle gave the sign of Cenzi at the mention of His name, but his long nose wrinkled at the same time. “My war-teni are half exhausted, Archigos. And we will be entirely so before the day is done, it seems. I get no rest bandying words here. You asked for my report; I’ve given it to you. Now I need to consult with the Hirzg so he can direct the battle. With your leave, Archigos.”

“A moment yet, U’Teni. .” Orlandi began, but cu’Kohnle didn’t wait or listen. He kicked his horse into a gallop, hooves tearing clods from the ruts of the Avi that splattered against the sides of his carriage and tossed muddy droplets on Orlandi’s sleeve and shoulder.

The teni-driver of the carriage chanted, perhaps a bit too loudly.

The e’teni walking along the road beside the carriage looked carefully down at the ground. Orlandi wiped at his soiled robes.

Orlandi sank back into his seat as the carriage jolted over a pothole in the Avi. Through a gap in the trees, he thought he could glimpse the roofs of the taller buildings on the North Bank. He began to imagine his revenge on everything and everyone who had put him in this position.

That revenge, in his imagination, was pleasantly slow, detailed and creative.

Sergei ca’Rudka

The a’offiziers of the Garde Civile were huddled around Sergei. A broken door laid across two boulders served as a table, and a map was spread out on the raw, splintered wood. Sergei gave hurried orders. “Cu’Simone, I need you to take the river fields-keep them from following the A’Sele into the city. Cu’Baria, you will take your men north; the Hirzg may try to send a few battalions around

our main force; if that happens, hold them as well as you can and send a page for reinforcements. Cu’Helfier and cu’Malachi; you will spread out on either side of the Avi. Ahh, Archigos-you’re back already?

Good. Here’s what I want you to do-put your war-teni in position with A’Offizier cu’Helfier’s battalion; that’s where we’re expecting the main thrust to come. Envoy ci’Vliomani and his war-teni will be with A’Offizier cu’Malachi, though I suspect they’re nearly exhausted from the first attack-is that the case, Archigos?”

“It is,” the woman answered. “They won’t be able to hold back many war-spells, Commandant, and those with me. .” She shook her head. “I don’t know how effective they’ll be, either.”

“They’d better be damned effective,” Sergei told her. “We have no choice. If they don’t, their war-teni will destroy our lines before we ever have a chance to draw swords again. They will overrun us.”

“I understand,” she told him. She pointed at the map. “Where are you placing your main defenses, and where would you expect their warteni to be?”

“Here, and here,” Sergei said, pointing. “Which is why I want your war-teni with cu’Helfier.”

But the Archigos was shaking her head. “No,” she said. “Hold the battalions back-here.” She pointed farther west along the Avi, much closer to Nessantico. “And the chevarittai, if they could be close to this bend in the Avi. .”

Sergei could not stop the laugh; his a’offiziers chuckled also. If the battalions were placed where the Archigos suggested, the Firenzcian army would own the Fen Fields, and shortly thereafter, the gates of Nessantico. “With all due respect, Archigos,” he said, interrupting her, “you’ve no experience in battle or with tactics, and you show it.”

“With all due respect,” she answered him, “you would not be here at all, Commandant, with all your grand experience, if I had not healed you. I would think you might give me the courtesy of hearing me out without interruption, in gratitude.”

She glared defiantly at him, and he sighed. “Quickly, then,” he said. “We haven’t much time. And whatever we do, it will be my decision.”

“Agreed,” she said. “Commandant, the Hirzg has more war-teni than we do, and they’re better skilled in their arts than those I have been able to muster. Would you agree with that assessment?”

He shrugged. “Envoy ci’Vliomani did surprisingly well,” he said. “I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. But, yes, I agree.”

“Then, as you’ve already suggested, we lose this battle if we fight them as they expect.”

“What else do you suggest, Archigos?” It was difficult for Sergei to keep the condescension from his voice.

“Their war-teni have already used much of their strength in the first attack, and in that way they’re no better than any other teni-if they use the Ilmodo, they will become exhausted. So I suggest we let them use their spells. . but not on us.”

Sergei’s eyes narrowed, causing the skin to wrinkle around his false nose. A suspicion began to take shape in his mind. “And how do you suggest we can accomplish that?” he asked.

The Archigos shrugged. “You’ve already said it, Commandant: you believe what you see with your own eyes.”

Jan ca’Vorl

The horns sounded “Halt,” and a page came riding wildly down the line to Jan’s carriage. “The Garde Civile holds the road and the fields ahead,” the page said. “They’re drawn up in battle formation, at least three full battalions.”

“This far from the walls?” Jan said. “If I were the commandant, I would have taken them closer to the city. But. .” He shrugged.

“U’Teni cu’Kohnle! You’ll ride forward with the Starkkapitan and me to see this.”

“My Hirzg,” ca’Cellibrecca called from his carriage behind Jan’s. “I will go with you.”

Ca’Cellibrecca was already struggling to rise from his seat, and Jan heard cu’Kohnle sigh. He nearly sighed with him. Jan waved at ca’Cellibrecca to remain. “Stay here, Archigos,” Jan ordered. “You can. . pray for the outcome of the battle.”

“Vatarh, may I come also?” Allesandra asked. “I’d also like to see. How else can I learn, now that Georgi’s gone?”

He nodded indulgently, stroking her hair. “Bring our horses forward,” he called to his attendants. “We’ll ride without banners.”

The sun was heavily westering and the weather had deteriorated, with storm clouds gathering behind Nessantico. The light was dim, and an odd fog clung close to the ground-the Fen Fields were reputed to be haunted and fogs were common here, though generally not in the afternoon. They rode up a small rise toward the front of the Firenzcian column and paused to look down.

The line had halted at a bend in the Avi. There, beyond the long curve, was a field where thick lines of men in blue-and-gold livery waited. Spears hedged their ranks, and the banners of chevarittai fluttered just behind them, moving along the lines as if the chevarittai were impatient for the battle to start, ready to burst through. “There are more of them than before,” Jan said. “The Kraljiki has emptied the city of troops. Good. That will make things easier. Semini, how are your war-teni?”