Richard Tuttle - Web of Deceit

“It is because of leaders like you,” smiled Rejji, “that we will succeed. You are here because you care for your people more than your pride. Ghala is more than just a last stand for the free tribes. It is a new start for Fakara. It is not only the place that Grulak will see his death, but a place where the tribes will learn that life is more than just pillaging. This used to be a great country and it will be once again.”

“You have optimism and courage,” grinned Adger. “Those are the makings of a fine leader. We shall see where your dreams lead though. Allow this old man to carry your pessimism. I will point out the failings in your plans as I find them.”

“Then we shall work well together,” chuckled Rejji. “I will show you the plans for the city after you have eaten.”

Adger nodded and followed his men while the trio returned through the gates. Rejji stopped inside the gates and let his eye rove over the city that was springing up before his eyes.

“Another nine thousand people,” Rejji shook his head. “It is like all of Fakara will end up in one spot. Are we doing Grulak’s work for him by gathering the tribes together?”

“Brakas would think so,” answered Mistake. “He is so anxious to get out of Ghala and report to Grulak.”

“Where is he?” quizzed Rejji.

“At the healers again,” chuckled Mistake as she looked at Bakhai. “Seems his horse keeps throwing him whenever he gets on.”

“Make sure he doesn’t get too hurt,” cautioned Rejji. “At some point we will want him to escape. How is Karlo making out with the tyrik armor?”

“Great!” exclaimed Mistake. “Once the armor is coated, it is really hard to penetrate and still quite flexible. I haven’t been able to find a dye that adheres to it though, so it is all black like the carganite. I have him playing with designs for headgear so the head is protected in battle. Right now it looks like a sack on your head, but I think he can improve on that.”

“I don’t care much how it looks,” commented Rejji, “as long as it protects. It shouldn’t block your vision either. That could be dangerous. When we get a good pattern, let me know and I will have some made out of tyrik silk.”

“If anyone can design it, it will be Karlo,” added Mistake. “It is scary how his mind works. He just doesn’t think like most people.”

“That is what makes him so valuable,” responded Rejji. “There is something sticking in the back of my mind, but I can’t get it to come out. Something that Adger said. I feel like it is key to defeating Grulak.”

“You probably have too much on your mind,” reasoned Mistake. “It will come to you when you relax.”

“I guess so,” sighed Rejji. “How many ships are we expecting from Lord Marak?”

“He has every ship he owns on its way to us,” answered Mistake. “He has even started building new ships, but they will not help us much. It takes too long to build them.”

“I wonder if Khadora even has enough food to feed all of the people coming to Ghala,” frowned Rejji. “We must owe Lord Marak a fortune already.”

“Not really,” responded Mistake. “I gave him most of our gold and he is very interested in the armor we are making. He is willing to pay a great deal for it if we are willing to export it. As for the amount of food Khadora has, I wouldn’t worry about it. Just counting the fields at Fardale, they probably have more watula than the whole country of Fakara.”

“That’s it!” exclaimed Rejji. “Food. Where is Grulak getting the food to feed his huge army?”

“He is raiding all of the villages in western Fakara,” responded Bakhai.

“Yes, but he is also destroying the villages,” replied Rejji. “He can only destroy a village once and I am willing to wager that he is running out of villages.”

“So his army is starving as well?” questioned Mistake.

“Of course,” nodded Rejji. “According to his plan, he should already be attacking Khadora and food would not be a problem for him.”

“But the tribes didn’t join with him,” added Mistake. “He has wasted a lot of time trying to track them down.”

“That means he will definitely need to conquer Ghala,” frowned Bakhai. “The food here is as important to him as conquering the tribes. Why does this excite you? I should think it would make you more depressed.”

“Because it is the first weakness we have discovered,” answered Rejji. “He can’t afford to lay siege to us because we have food and he doesn’t. Plus all of the eastern villages between the mountains and us have been abandoned. Everyone has come here so he can’t feed off them while he tries to conquer us.”

“I don’t imagine with the size of his army, that he will have much trouble overpowering us,” responded Bakhai. “I still don’t see how any of this helps.”

“It is a long and hungry march from Vandegar Temple to Ghala,” explained Rejji, “especially if something slows you down along the way. Bakhai, I have a mission for you.”

***

Wyant was feeling good about the task that he had accomplished. For years he had felt that the tribal warfare so indicative of Fakara was destroying the country. For the first time in centuries, the tribes were banding together and he was being a catalyst for it. Every tribe he had spoken to had agreed to join the effort to stop the Jiadin, which was no small accomplishment. Even tribes that had long standing feuds had been willing to shove their disagreements aside. He was so euphoric about the results of his mission that he decided to ride through the night to get to Ghala and tell Rejji the news. The blow that knocked him off his horse came unexpectedly.

Wyant groaned and stared up at the forest canopy. His vision blurred and he berated himself for his laxness. Bad enough that he had been riding at night in unfamiliar territory, but he would have punished one of his men for whistling while he was doing it.

“What have we here?” snickered one of the men. “Look at the fancy green scarf.”

“I thought the Zaldoni had come over to us,” stated the other man.

“He would be wearing red then, wouldn’t he?” crowed the first man as he deftly removed Wyant’s sword. “Let’s drag him back to camp. Maybe Winus will give us something special for capturing him.”

“I can save you some effort,” groaned Wyant. “I can walk.”

“Then you better start doing it,” scowled the second man.

Wyant rose to his feet and one of the men pushed him towards a game trail. He walked along the trail while his two capturers followed. Within a few minutes he smelled the smoke of the campfires and another few minutes brought him to the edge of the camp. The two Jiadin soldiers prodded him towards a large tent and pushed him through the flap before following him in.

“If it isn’t Wyant,” frowned General Winus. “Where did you find him?”

“Not five minutes south of here,” one of the soldiers replied.

“You have done well,” congratulated Winus. “Put his sword in the corner and leave us. Sit, Wyant. I have a lot of questions you need to answer.”

“Are you sure, General?” asked one of the soldiers as he dropped the sword in the corner of the tent.

“I can kill both of you and him before he reaches his sword,” growled the general. “Do I look like I need a minder?”

The soldiers scurried out of the tent and Winus stared coldly at Wyant.

“I heard you were dead,” the general began.

“No, just left for dead,” Wyant replied. “What are you doing so far from Vandegar, General?”

“Searching for the free tribes and some boy that Grulak wants,” answered Winus, “but I am the one asking the questions here. I heard that Brakas and Klavin did you in. Seeing as they botched the job, I have to assume that you are siding with the free tribes against Grulak. Would that be a fair assumption?”