Part 4 (1/2)
”Meryn was feeling ill, but a.s.solan is watching Ruetha and Anadra.”
”How are you getting along with Meryn?”
”Very well,” answered Jecks. ”We're getting some new dishes, I've noticed.” He inclined his head toward the ca.s.serole. ”Is that one of them?”
”Yes, ser. This is the stew you liked, Regent.”
Anna could feel her mouth water. 'That's wonderful.” She smiled at Jecks.
”You'll like it.”
”I've liked all the new dishes. It was one of the few pleasures left for a time.”
Anna looked at Dalila. ”Are you sure you're doing all right?”
”Oh, yes. Dythya has me teaching letters to some of the smaller children in the liedburg.” The pert brunette offered Anna another smile, then turned and slipped from the dining hall.
”That one... she's another that would lay her life in front of a charger for you.”
Anna didn't argue, only nodded. You took refuge in her home, and after you rejected the forceful advances of her consort, he left her penniless and friendless, and his brother took everything because Dalila was a woman unable to hold property. You made her brother your chief player; and he died fighting the Evult. And now, because you pay her for cooking and teaching, she thinks you're wonderful. Defalk needed more feminism than one sorceress and Regent could ever supply.
Anna poured herself some of the maroon wine, then filled Jecks' goblet.
”Thank you, lady. It is unusual to be served by a ruler.””Just remember that.” Anna broke off a chunk of bread, then served two huge ladlefuls of the stew. ”What was so urgent that you were waiting for me?”
”I would not say it was terribly urgent, and it should wait until you have eaten. You are most pale,” Jecks said.
”It has been a while since I ate. Midday, I think.”
”What if you had to sing a spell?”
”I'd have been in trouble.” Anna took a mouthful of the stew, the spices muting the taste of the strong mutton. The second mouthful she accompanied with a chunk of the dark bread. Dark bread-they had it, and that meant someone was indeed getting mola.s.ses from Dumar-or had recently. Did that mean that Lady Siobion was keeping the agreement? And that all was well with Alvar, the captain Anna had made over-captain and armsmaster of Dumar both to aid Siobion's regency and to ensure Dumar's compliance with the terms of surrender, even if Anna had been careful not to call them precisely that.
”You carry provisions,” he said gently, not quite suggesting that she was a fool not to have eaten them. ”What happens to those who travel with you if you cannot protect them?”
”I know. I should have eaten more.” She continued to eat the stew and bread, also slicing a peach, and thin wedges of white cheese. When she had cleared her plate--twice-she looked up. ”Now...what's the problem?”
”It is not a...difficulty...yet, Not all of them.” Jecks held the wine goblet but did not take a swallow.
”All of them?” Anna's stomach tightened. ”Start with the worst.”
”None is pressing, yet...”
”Go on.”
”All of the Mansuuran lancers in Neserea will soon be sent to Elioch. Those are the reports.”
”How many is that?” You need to get busy with your scrying pool.
”Fiftyscore. And either young Rabyn or Nubara has formed a new force-the Prophet's Lancers. According to Arms Commander Hanfor, the new Prophet can muster at least another two-hundred-score lancers and armsmen.”
A trained Neserean army of more than five thousand men- and she had perhaps three hundred pledged to her, plus the levies of the Defalkan lords-if they heeded the call. Still, she'd destroyed more than that in the war with Dumar.
And look what it did to you and Jecks. ”There's more.”
Jecks shrugged, almost apologetically. ”The SouthWomen have sent arms to Elahwa, and Lord Bertmynn is a.s.sembling men and boats on the River Dol, as if he will be using the river to ferry men there.”
”The Ranuans wouldn't sell us arms, but they'll send them to Elahwa?”
”To the freewomen there. They revolted.”
”That's a good way to get slaughtered.” Especially in this world... and you're supposed to support Hadrenn to pull them out? ”How did we find that out?””Menares received a message from Wei.”
”The last message from Wei led to the problems with Dumar,” Anna said slowly.
”I thought you might see it that way.”
”We can't afford to do much for Hadrenn.”
”If you do not...” Jecks let the silence drag out.
”I know. Then we'll be back to having unfriendly neighbors on both the east and the west borders, with the inscrutable traders of Wei breathing down on us from the north. I suppose the Ranuans will be unhappy if we don't support these...
freewomen.”
”That I could not say.”
”What else?” Anna asked, knowing there had to be more bad news.
”The Rider of Heinene has asked for aid. The wet spring caused the gra.s.s to grow far higher than in past years, and there was a fire that swept half the gra.s.slands.”
”So they have no forage?”
Jecks nodded.
”You bring such cheerful news, my lord. I take ft you've got more of the same?”
”You recall Lord Via.s.sa?”
”He was the Lord of Fussen, the one whose twin sons were fighting over the lands.”
”Ustal and Falar have both raised armsmen, and each has sent a scroll requesting that you recognize him. You did say I should read scrolls....”
”I did. Go on.”
”Falar is the younger by a fraction of a gla.s.s, and he wrote that, should you not support him, and should he prevail, he will consider seeking support for his 'just' claim elsewhere.”