L. Modesitt - Imager’s Battalion

“I can see that … but … the marshal and others will certainly worry about what will happen … in the future…”

“You need to worry, if I might say so, sir, about your needs and not their desires. What most people, indeed, most rulers do not understand is that there are too few imagers born in any land to be a threat to the people as a whole. They can only be a threat to individuals, and that threat exists because most imagers live in fear. What you can do is to bring those few imagers together to help deal with not only defeating Bovaria, but with keeping it under control. You keep the imagers in Variana, far from Solis.”

“Solis is the capital of Telaryn,” protested Bhayar. “The last thing I want is a group of trained imagers in Variana when I’m back in Solis.”

“How long can you rule Bovaria and Telaryn from Solis?”

“You are assuming…”

“Am I? Besides … do you really want to keep living in Solis?”

Bhayar laughed softly. “Go on.”

“You need a force large enough to be effective and small enough for you to control and strong enough to keep the High Holders in line, but one not requiring a large standing army.”

“You think your imagers could be that force?”

“Only as a quiet last resort, sir. What I would suggest is that you point out, as necessary, after you take Variana, and only then, is that by putting the imagers in one place, you reduce the danger to the people and you train the imagers to be useful to the ruler and the people. In return for safety and a good education, they will serve Telaryn … much as the scholars assured that I would serve you.” Quaeryt smiled wryly. “Even if they did not know it.”

“You are a dangerous man, Quaeryt.” Bhayar paused. “Assuming … just assuming … that I agree to all of this … what happens when Clayar succeeds me and you are gone?”

“That’s why you set up the school and the grounds and the training now … after you take control of Bovaria. You train all the young imagers in their roles as a pillar of the ruler, and you make sure they all know what happened to imagers in the past, and how they are treated in other lands across the world … Perhaps you even give a gold or silvers to parents who send their imager children to the school … you’ve already set a precedent similar to that.”

“How long have you been thinking about this?”

“Some of it for years, and some only for months,” Quaeryt admitted.

“What if we must leave Bovaria? While we are winning now … who knows?”

“Then send Vaelora and me and the imagers back to Extela, and we’ll set up the school and training there. That will still increase your power.”

Bhayar smiled, an expression both warm and calculating. “You have thought this through in great detail.”

“I’ve tried,” Quaeryt admitted. “Also, if we incorporate a scholarly element, with a school and a large library, it will seem more familiar to many.”

“It might also give me greater control over the scholars.”

“In a way that would not seem so.”

“Well … I have to say I’m intrigued, and I like the idea. It would also keep Vaelora busy. But you’d have to be the head of it. It wouldn’t work any other way.”

“For the next years,” Quaeryt said, “but it needs to be set up in a way that it doesn’t depend on who succeeds in power among the imagers.”

“That … that will take some doing.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Now … what do you think awaits us in Variana?”

“The largest army ever assembled in Lydar,” Quaeryt said bluntly. “Kharst will try to crush us so thoroughly that he can do what he will. You must destroy him in a way he does not see coming.”

“How do you propose I do that?”

“You will have to merge both the northern and southern forces so that Kharst faces a united force. That way, he will believe that if he destroys that army, he can march down the River Aluse all the way to Solis.”

“Deucalon won’t like that. He is the marshal.”

“Insist on putting Fifth Battalion in front, backed and flanked by the rest of Commander Skarpa’s forces. That way, you can tell Deucalon that he can maneuver as he pleases after the Bovarians attack. You can also point out, by letting the imagers take the brunt of the attack first, that will assure fewer casualties among his troops.”

“Should we join forces together on the way to Variana?”

“No, sir. We should join somewhere south of Variana, so that Kharst will not know where we might strike.”

“Where would that be, Subcommander Marshal?” asked Bhayar ironically.

“Wherever necessary to make him attack us in full force.”

Bhayar laughed.

When Bhayar’s laugh died away, Quaeryt added, “I’d also suggest not telling Deucalon about massing forces until as late as possible and not before we’re close enough to know where Kharst’s forces are. Suggest that the marshal’s strategy of keeping the southern army small and mobile has worked so far and that you see no reason to alter it until circumstances change.”

“You don’t trust him much.”

“I have far more to gain if you win and everything to lose if you do. Whom would your father have trusted?”

Bhayar nodded.

Quaeryt wasn’t quite so sure what that nod meant.

“Vaelora said I should trust you above all others. Did you tell her to say that?”

“Nameless, no. I’d never tell her what to say to you … or anyone else.”

“You and anyone who knows her well.” Bhayar shook his head. “Is there anything else?”

“Nothing that you don’t already know, if you think about it.”

“You sound like my father, rather than my friend.”

“I only met him that one time, you know?”

Bhayar gave a short barked laugh. “You know what he said?”

“No. I have no idea.”

“He said you were the kind of man to keep as a friend, and never make an enemy. He was right, I’ve learned.” Bhayar smiled. “I almost forgot.” He reached down and picked up an envelope, extending it. “From Vaelora. It was enclosed in a letter to me. She mentioned fearing that her missives to you were experiencing ‘undue delay.’” His eyebrows lifted. “I assume you wrote her about it? Was that necessary? You did mention that to me earlier.”

Quaeryt took the missive. “I did write and tell her that the letter forwarded to me by the new governor of Montagne arrived with her last missive to me, even though the governor’s letter had been dispatched almost two weeks later.”

“I don’t need reminding from both of you, Quaeryt.”

Sometimes you do. “Yes, sir.”

“Keep that in mind.” Bhayar gestured toward the study door. “I need to think, and you need to write a letter.”

Quaeryt smiled, nodded, and bowed slightly, then turned and slipped from the study.

As he walked out from the vaulted entry hall into the hot harvest noon, Quaeryt wondered if another undercaptain would be waiting to accompany him back to the Stone’s Rest.

There wasn’t.

The squad from fourth company formed up, and a ranker rode forward leading the mare.

Although Quaeryt desperately wanted to read Vaelora’s letter, trying to do so while riding wasn’t the best idea, especially given how sore he was. He had to content himself with knowing that it was tucked inside his uniform and that he would have more than enough time to read it once he returned to the Stone’s Rest. As he rode across the bridge to the old southern section of the city, he realized the letter would have to wait.

He turned to the squad leader. “We’ll need to stop at the Traders’ Bowl first.”

“Yes, sir.”