Harry Turtledove: The Thousand Cities

«Aye, I believe that,» Turan agreed, «the same as I thank the God-» He broke off. He'd probably been about to say something like for making me a man, not a woman. Considering how much freedom Roshnani had and how well she used it, that wasn't the wisest thing to say around Abivard. Turan changed the subject: «How will you know, lord, when to leave the Thousand Cities behind and strike out for Videssos?»

«As soon as we get word Maniakes has landed, whether north or south, we go,» Abivard said. «At this season of the year the badlands between the Thousand Cities and Videssos will have some greenery on them, too, which means we won't have to carry quite so much grain and hay for the horses and mules.»

«Every little bit helps,» Turan said. «And you'll want me to keep Maniakes in play for as long as I can, isn't that right?»

«The busier he is with you, the more time I'll have to do all I can against Videssos the city,» Abivard said, and Turan nodded. Abivard added, «You may even beat him-who knows?»

«With an all-infantry army?» Turan rolled his eyes. «If I can slow him down and make his life difficult, I'll be happy.»

Since Abivard had been saying the same thing to Sharbaraz over the course of the previous two campaigning seasons, he found no way to blame Turan for words like those. He said, «The two things you have to remember are not to let Maniakes get behind you and make a run for Mashiz and to make him fight as many long sieges as you can.»

«He hasn't fought many long ones the past couple of years,» Turan said unhappily. «Brick walls like the ones hereabouts don't stand up well to siege engines, and the Videssians are good engineers.»

«I know.» Abivard remembered the capable crew of artisans the elder Maniakes, the Avtokrator's father, had brought with his army when the Videssians had helped put Sharbaraz back on the throne of the King of Kings. He dared not assume that the men the younger Maniakes would have with him would turn out to be any less competent

Romezan said, «I hope Maniakes comes soon. Every day I sit here in Qostabash doing nothing is another debt the Avtokrator owes to me. I intend to collect every one of those debts, and in good Videssian gold.»

«We won't be idle here,» Abivard answered. «Getting an army ready to move at a moment's notice is an art of its own and one where the Videssians are liable to be better man we are.»

Romezan only grunted by way of reply. He was a good man in a fight, none better, but cared less than he might have for the other side of generalship, the side that involved getting men ready for fighting and keeping them that way. He seemed to think that sort of thing happened by itself. Abivard had needed to worry about supplies from his earliest days as a soldier, when he'd fed the dihqans of the Northwest as they looked Sharbaraz over at the outset of his rebellion against Smerdis the usurper. If he hadn't learned then, keeping an eye on the way the Videssians did things would have taught him.

Turan said, «When you go east, I wish I were going with you. I know the job I have to do back here is important, but-»

«You'll do it, which is what counts. That's why you're staying behind,» Abivard told him. Turan nodded but still looked dissatisfied. Abivard understood that and sympathized with it, but only to a certain degree. The Videssians weren't so apt to tack but on after important. If something was important, they did it and then went on to the next important thing.

With a small start, he realized that all the people who'd been calling him Videssian-minded lately had a point. Having spent so much time in the Empire and among imperials, he was-always with exceptions such as Tzikas-as comfortable around them as with his own people. Was feeling that way treason of a sort or simply making the best of what life had proffered? He scratched his head. He'd have to ponder that.

A sentry brought into Abivard's presence a sweat-soaked scout who smelled strongly of horse. Abivard stiffened. Was this the man for whom he'd been waiting? Before he could speak, the scout gasped out, «The Videssians have come! They-»

Abivard waited to hear no more. All the waiting was over at last. He sprang to his feet. No matter how comfortable he had grown among the Videssians, they remained the foe. He thought he could beat them. Soon he would know. He took a deep breath and shouted out the news: «We march on Videssos!»