castilyernov. I’ve army enough to keep the garrison penned down inside, but not enough to overrun it.
“Guard!” Pindradese shouted. A head appeared at the flap. “Summon the generals.”
“Now?”
“Now, you idiot.”
Still chilled, Pindradese paced the multilayered carpets. Minutes seemed like hours. Presently, his generals came in, remaining silent before him.
“We must take Feldrik,” Pindradese said. The generals looked at each other but said nothing. “Tomorrow night, no, tomorrow noon, we want your combined plan, a consensus as to how we are going to take Feldrik Fortress within a week, no later. You may go.”
“But Your Highness,” a general said after looking to the officers on either side of him. “You must know we don’t have the men to overrun the castilyernov. It would be suicide.”
Pindradese turned to the field table and lifted the letter written on some parchment, not of sheepskin. He thrust it at the generals in an arc so each could see the seal clearly. Their eyes swelled bulging at the sight of the blood red dragon.
“We think you have seen this seal before,” the prince said. The generals instinctively drew back. “We think you will have a plan of attack by noon tomorrow. Better to die in battle than to face the consequences of failure.”
The generals rushed out of the tent without another word.
* * *
Saxthor rushed to Botahar ahead of his men that followed overland, due to a lack of boats to transport them. He arrived at the docks, noting the river traffic from Girdane docked there. Boats laden with supplies worked their way up river as well. The lights burned bright in the tower windows of the governor’s palace on the moonless night. The king moved quickly through the town to the palace. On arriving, he asked for an audience with Queen Dagmar, only to learn from the guards, the queen had left the city. No one knew where she’d gone.
“Well, who here is in charge of the city’s defenses?” Saxthor asked.
“The queen’s senior general and Major Count Vicksnak,” the guard replied.
“We will receive them immediately,” Saxthor responded, assuming his royal tone. Bodrin came dashing up to greet Saxthor before the guard could react. He must have sent a courier to notify Bodrin and the general immediately on seeing me approach, Saxthor thought.
“Your Majesty,” Bodrin said, bowing and reaching to grab Saxthor’s hand. The Sengenwhan general was right behind him, bowing deeply to Saxthor, but apparently not daring to speak a greeting before acknowledgement.
“Come this way, Your Majesty,” Bodrin said, leading the king into the palace with the general following. He started to speak, but Saxthor shook his head slightly and Bodrin held his tongue. He led Saxthor to the private situation room in the tower. Behind closed doors, Saxthor hugged his friend and saluted the general, who returned the salute.
“What’s the situation here?” Saxthor asked. He looked at both men in turn.
“We’ve broken Tarquak’s army. They retreated to the slopes above the city, but it’s a stalemate,” the general stepped forward to say. “We’ve not the forces to attack them there and they’ve not enough to overrun us here.”
Bodrin looked at Saxthor, nodded agreement but remained silent.
The general is jealous of the Bodrin’s favor with me. He seeks to demonstrate this is his city and he’s in command. We must both remember the general’s position and be respectful of it.
“Thank you, general,” Saxthor said. “You’ve done an excellent job of defending your city. We’re sure King Calamidese would have appreciated your excellent abilities as we are certain Queen Dagmar does. We trust you found Major Vicksnak helpful.”
“Yes indeed, most helpful,” the general said, beaming. “Thank you, Your Majesty.” He bowed deeply and smiled at Bodrin.
Saxthor felt the tension in the room dissipate. Saxthor took off his cloak and gloves. “Tarquak cannot
“Guard!” Pindradese shouted. A head appeared at the flap. “Summon the generals.”
“Now?”
“Now, you idiot.”
Still chilled, Pindradese paced the multilayered carpets. Minutes seemed like hours. Presently, his generals came in, remaining silent before him.
“We must take Feldrik,” Pindradese said. The generals looked at each other but said nothing. “Tomorrow night, no, tomorrow noon, we want your combined plan, a consensus as to how we are going to take Feldrik Fortress within a week, no later. You may go.”
“But Your Highness,” a general said after looking to the officers on either side of him. “You must know we don’t have the men to overrun the castilyernov. It would be suicide.”
Pindradese turned to the field table and lifted the letter written on some parchment, not of sheepskin. He thrust it at the generals in an arc so each could see the seal clearly. Their eyes swelled bulging at the sight of the blood red dragon.
“We think you have seen this seal before,” the prince said. The generals instinctively drew back. “We think you will have a plan of attack by noon tomorrow. Better to die in battle than to face the consequences of failure.”
The generals rushed out of the tent without another word.
* * *
Saxthor rushed to Botahar ahead of his men that followed overland, due to a lack of boats to transport them. He arrived at the docks, noting the river traffic from Girdane docked there. Boats laden with supplies worked their way up river as well. The lights burned bright in the tower windows of the governor’s palace on the moonless night. The king moved quickly through the town to the palace. On arriving, he asked for an audience with Queen Dagmar, only to learn from the guards, the queen had left the city. No one knew where she’d gone.
“Well, who here is in charge of the city’s defenses?” Saxthor asked.
“The queen’s senior general and Major Count Vicksnak,” the guard replied.
“We will receive them immediately,” Saxthor responded, assuming his royal tone. Bodrin came dashing up to greet Saxthor before the guard could react. He must have sent a courier to notify Bodrin and the general immediately on seeing me approach, Saxthor thought.
“Your Majesty,” Bodrin said, bowing and reaching to grab Saxthor’s hand. The Sengenwhan general was right behind him, bowing deeply to Saxthor, but apparently not daring to speak a greeting before acknowledgement.
“Come this way, Your Majesty,” Bodrin said, leading the king into the palace with the general following. He started to speak, but Saxthor shook his head slightly and Bodrin held his tongue. He led Saxthor to the private situation room in the tower. Behind closed doors, Saxthor hugged his friend and saluted the general, who returned the salute.
“What’s the situation here?” Saxthor asked. He looked at both men in turn.
“We’ve broken Tarquak’s army. They retreated to the slopes above the city, but it’s a stalemate,” the general stepped forward to say. “We’ve not the forces to attack them there and they’ve not enough to overrun us here.”
Bodrin looked at Saxthor, nodded agreement but remained silent.
The general is jealous of the Bodrin’s favor with me. He seeks to demonstrate this is his city and he’s in command. We must both remember the general’s position and be respectful of it.
“Thank you, general,” Saxthor said. “You’ve done an excellent job of defending your city. We’re sure King Calamidese would have appreciated your excellent abilities as we are certain Queen Dagmar does. We trust you found Major Vicksnak helpful.”
“Yes indeed, most helpful,” the general said, beaming. “Thank you, Your Majesty.” He bowed deeply and smiled at Bodrin.
Saxthor felt the tension in the room dissipate. Saxthor took off his cloak and gloves. “Tarquak cannot
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