Stan Nicholls - Army of Shadows

The two living tides swept together and melded in a brutal frenzy.

The battle, the latest in a series that had become almost daily, took place in the hub of the city. Centrally enough, in fact, that although it couldn't quite be seen from the fortress of Taress, it could certainly be heard.

For Jennesta and Hacher, ensconced in her quarters at one of the redoubt's loftiest points, it was a near-permanent background noise. Not that they were consciously listening. The events in Jennesta's chambers took precedence over death's raucous clamour.

"Well, I'm waiting," she repeated, arms folded resolutely.

"I'm at a loss to know what you expect of me, ma'am," the general replied.

"Yes, and that's the problem, isn't it? Perhaps you could start by telling me what you intend doing about the anarchy out there." She waved an arm at the window.

"The present situation, with respect, ma'am, has been brought about by the assassination of the female the orcs called their principal. I could almost believe it was an act designed to stir things up even further, and — "

"Are you questioning my methods?"

"I think I am, my lady. Even before the principal's death we made certain moves that only worsened the situation in this province. Actions, I have to say, that you drove."

" Now you find the guts! It's a pity you didn't have the resolve you're now showing towards me when you were supposed to be defending Peczan's interests."

"I've always worked as diligently as I could in service to the empire," he responded irately.

"No. You might think that, but you haven't. Your actions have undermined everything that should have been done here. And would have been done by a competent commander."

Hacher was allowing himself to grow heated. "Before your arrival, my lady, we had a situation here that was manageable. Your… initiatives have turned simple law enforcement into a much graver problem."

"Let me tell you the real problem, Hacher." She counted items off on her bejewelled fingers. "You failed to anticipate the potential for rebellion these animals harboured, or to recognise their capacity for savagery, despite me telling you so. You led your forces in a shambolic way. You weakened the effectiveness of the imperial presence here because of political infighting with the Helix. Above all, you stubbornly refused to accept that the only thing the natives of this godsforsaken land understand is strength. In short, General, you are the problem."

"Look where an excessive show of strength has got us, ma'am. Look at the streets. See what we've bought with our display of strength and brutality."

"Too little brutality, too late! You know, you really do baffle me. Your reputation was of a governor who didn't allow mercy to cloud his judgement. They call you Iron Hand, for the gods' sake! Yet you shy from taking that hand from its silken glove."

"Don't mistake my objections for a taste for leniency, my lady. Mine is not a moral stance. I'd execute the whole population of Acurial if it furthered our purposes. And I would have ordered the death of the principal myself if I thought it would do some good. It's the strategic line we've taken that I argue with. Your measures, not least the elimination of Sylandya, have soured the air and stretched our forces to the breaking point."

"I'm never going to get through to you, am I?"

"I prefer to say that we have an honest disagreement over policy, ma'am."

"I don't tolerate disagreement. I tell subordinates where they've gone wrong and they conform to my will. That's how it works." She threw back her head in a gesture of exasperation. "Oh, why am I wasting my breath on you? And not just you. The whole system in this place is riddled with far too much freethinking, and you're not the only culprit. But that's going to change. Radically."

"Ma'am?"

There was a sound at her chamber door. It wasn't so much a knock as a series of thumps and a coarse scratching. A couple of seconds later the door opened, and a pair of Jennesta's undead bodyguards shuffled in carrying something wrapped in a black winding cloth not unlike a shroud. They dumped their bundle at Jennesta's feet and looked up to her as though they were faithful curs bringing their mistress an outsized bone.

"Ah," she said, "the first fruit of my reforms."

Rather than assign the task to her clumsy servers, she knelt and began to undo the sheet herself. What she revealed when she threw it open shocked Hacher to the core.

"Brother… Grentor?" he murmured, not entirely sure his identification was correct.

His uncertainty arose from the state of the cleric's corpse. It had been horribly mutilated, and to Hacher's disgust some parts of the body bore signs of having been gnawed upon. A perk allowed Jennesta's zombies, he suspected.

"You appear taken aback, General."

"Of… of course I'm shaken. How did he come to this? Was he a victim of the rebels?" He added the latter in desperate hope that it was the explanation, as opposed to the only other alternative.

"No, he fell victim to me," she informed him evenly, confirming his fear. "The leadership of the Order has fallen into as parlous a state as the military. It was time for a change."

"But this is surely too harsh a way to bring it about?"

"It's the only way." She was talking through gritted teeth. "I keep telling you: a demonstration of ruthlessness is the best remedy for keeping underlings in check. Why should I stand by and watch the Helix squabble and deliberate endlessly before they throw up another Grentor to take this weakling's place? Better that I decide the matter swiftly, with a lesson for them as part of the bargain."

There was another rap at the door. But this was a proper knock, brisk and crisp.

"Come!" she called.

Hacher's aide, Frynt, entered, giving Jennesta a slight bow of his head as he came in.

The general was confounded to see him. "Frynt? I thought you were occupied on the west side today." There was no reply. Hacher's gaze flicked to Grentor's remains. "I'm afraid the good brother has met a rather unfortunate — "

"Don't bother," Jennesta said. "He knows."

"I… I don't understand, my lady."

"Meet the new governor of the province of Acurial, and commander-in-chief of its army."

"Am I to understand — "

"You are hereby relieved of all your duties and titles, Hacher. Frynt steps into your clumping boots."

He turned to his erstwhile aide. "Frynt? Is this so?"

"Sorry, sir." He didn't look it. "But a servant of the empire has a patriotic duty to stand up when called."

"Or to further their own selfish interests. I thought you were loyal."

"I am, sir. To the emp — " Jennesta caught his eye. "To our lady Jennesta and the empire. There is no personal dimension involved."

"How could you condone this?" Hacher indicated Grentor's body. "In what warped view can it be considered a positive act?"

"The lady Jennesta has convinced me of the need for change, and for that change to be instigated with a certain… vigour."

"I thought better of you, Frynt. You disappoint me."

"Then you know how I feel about you," Jennesta told him. "There's no point in arguing. Let's save your breath, shall we?"

"Argue I most certainly will, my lady. I'll take this high-handed deed to the ears of the highest in Peczan. If I'm to be sent home in disgrace — "

"Oh no, General; you're not going home. I have a much more useful role for you."

Her zombie slaves had positioned themselves as the living spoke. Now at her signal they moved in with surprising speed and seized the deposed general. He cried out, protested and cursed, but they held him fast.

Jennesta approached the struggling figure, her hands raised preparatory to casting a glamour. "As I said," she intoned, "let's save your breath."