Cherryh, C J - Fortress 02- Fortress of Eagles by Fortress of Eagles Page A
Authors: Fortress of Eagles
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and Murandys, Guelen in all but name, and even some Ryssandim. I know, I know you see the way clear, you do have a strong argument, and if it were all a soldier’s reasoning, Tristen, I would entirely agree with you. It would save lives, and very precious ones, particularly of Her Grace’s best advisers. But it is not a soldier’s reckoning; it never was. It is a king’s reckoning, and a new king’s at that. I must come Cherryh, C J - Fortress 02- Fortress of Eagles at this war from the north and east for the same reason I ask Efanor to make a staunch Quinaltine out of the least likely man in my kingdom. It is appearances , Tristen, all appearances. For very good reasons the north must win significant victories in this war. Then it will be their victory, not the south’s, and because it is their victory, and their northern glory, they will support the agreements we make and help me forge a peace out of this long war. No. It is not all a soldierly reckoning. But it is the one that will have a peace at the end of it.“
Not if Ilefínian falls first, Tristen thought to himself, seeing a walled city, a towered city as vividly as he saw it in his dreams. And for this instant he dreamed of it in hostile hands, and saw the war dragging on in what might not be easy victories for the Guelenfolk.
He saw blood flowing, and knew that the satisfaction of the northern barons would wait into summer, and into greater and greater hazard.
“Does Her Grace agree with the plan?” he asked Cefwyn pointedly; and Cefwyn frowned darkly.
“No,” Cefwyn said. “She does not agree. But the plain fact is, we simply must not seem to encourage the tainted south. The entire question regards Elwynor’s fate, Elwynor’s freedom, and the treaty.
It’s not a great war, it’s a little war, and we must run the risk to give the north its importance.”
He was entirely appalled. The tainted south , as of Cevulirn, and Sovrag, and Pelumer, even proper and rigidly Quinalt Umanon, who had stood with them at Lewenbrook? The tainted south ? Cefwyn spoke in disparagement of others’ opinions of it, he was sure of that.
Cherryh, C J - Fortress 02- Fortress of Eagles And, a little war? Men would die, and the longer they drew this out, the more men would die.
“The same as the penny,” Cefwyn said, “the same as our agreement with the Quinalt. It is appearances. And, forgive me, I have to command and lead the northern barons in the field. Because of appearances, since the Aswydds, I have appointed no lord in Amefel and left the province vacant. I will elevate none of the Amefin earls to power on that southern border, because I will not have the entire south, with an Amefin duke, playing ducks and drakes with policy by urging their views, meddling with those bridges—or leading armies and forcing a fight. I have a viceroy there, and I keep it so. I will not have help from the south, above all else.”
“Yet you had Cevulirn stay at court. Is he the tainted south?”
“Never! Never in my heart. I trust him. I do trust him. He knows the game. He knows what I have to contend with. As Idrys knows. As you are most surely learning. We cannot always do what is most soldierly. We have to do what is politic. And what is politic is a northern victory, and an advance through these specific villages that will settle appearances for the Guelenmen I lead; gods help me.”
He was not done with questions. Too much was cast in doubt. “You trust Lanfarnesse. And Olmern.”
“Lanfarnesse commits to nothing. Olmern… far too unsubtle.”
Sovrag was only recently a lord, and indeed, would not be at home in the Guelen court. Sovrag had nearly caused a duel in his few days here, except the king had forbidden it. Lanfarnesse, old Duke Cherryh, C J - Fortress 02- Fortress of Eagles Pelumer, would protect his own folk first, but even so, Pelumer would have been a strong support to Cefwyn, stronger by far than Murandys.
“No,” Cefwyn said further.
Not if Ilefínian falls first, Tristen thought to himself, seeing a walled city, a towered city as vividly as he saw it in his dreams. And for this instant he dreamed of it in hostile hands, and saw the war dragging on in what might not be easy victories for the Guelenfolk.
He saw blood flowing, and knew that the satisfaction of the northern barons would wait into summer, and into greater and greater hazard.
“Does Her Grace agree with the plan?” he asked Cefwyn pointedly; and Cefwyn frowned darkly.
“No,” Cefwyn said. “She does not agree. But the plain fact is, we simply must not seem to encourage the tainted south. The entire question regards Elwynor’s fate, Elwynor’s freedom, and the treaty.
It’s not a great war, it’s a little war, and we must run the risk to give the north its importance.”
He was entirely appalled. The tainted south , as of Cevulirn, and Sovrag, and Pelumer, even proper and rigidly Quinalt Umanon, who had stood with them at Lewenbrook? The tainted south ? Cefwyn spoke in disparagement of others’ opinions of it, he was sure of that.
Cherryh, C J - Fortress 02- Fortress of Eagles And, a little war? Men would die, and the longer they drew this out, the more men would die.
“The same as the penny,” Cefwyn said, “the same as our agreement with the Quinalt. It is appearances. And, forgive me, I have to command and lead the northern barons in the field. Because of appearances, since the Aswydds, I have appointed no lord in Amefel and left the province vacant. I will elevate none of the Amefin earls to power on that southern border, because I will not have the entire south, with an Amefin duke, playing ducks and drakes with policy by urging their views, meddling with those bridges—or leading armies and forcing a fight. I have a viceroy there, and I keep it so. I will not have help from the south, above all else.”
“Yet you had Cevulirn stay at court. Is he the tainted south?”
“Never! Never in my heart. I trust him. I do trust him. He knows the game. He knows what I have to contend with. As Idrys knows. As you are most surely learning. We cannot always do what is most soldierly. We have to do what is politic. And what is politic is a northern victory, and an advance through these specific villages that will settle appearances for the Guelenmen I lead; gods help me.”
He was not done with questions. Too much was cast in doubt. “You trust Lanfarnesse. And Olmern.”
“Lanfarnesse commits to nothing. Olmern… far too unsubtle.”
Sovrag was only recently a lord, and indeed, would not be at home in the Guelen court. Sovrag had nearly caused a duel in his few days here, except the king had forbidden it. Lanfarnesse, old Duke Cherryh, C J - Fortress 02- Fortress of Eagles Pelumer, would protect his own folk first, but even so, Pelumer would have been a strong support to Cefwyn, stronger by far than Murandys.
“No,” Cefwyn said further.
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