Part 52 (2/2)
Hanfor nodded at a Defalkan lancer Anna did not recognize, and the Defalkan rode forward alone to meet the Mansuuran and to accept the scroll carried by the Mansuuran. After handing over the scroll, the Mansuuran saluted and turned back westward, spurring his mount into a slow trot.
”He's not happy,” observed Kinor. ”I'll get it.”
”We won't be either. Thank you.” Anna waited as the redhead rode to meet the lancer and take the scroll. When he returned, she accepted the scroll, unrolled it immediately, and began to read.
Honored Regent of Defalk, Most Powerful Sorceress, Protector of Lands, Overlord of the East...
The compliments went on for three lines before the message became clear.
Much as I would like to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, I am a loyal Mansuuran overcaptain and the arm of the Liedfuhr. I am not so empowered and cannot accept your request that I use my lancers to support a turncoat or to turn the Prophet's land over to one not of his lineage.
The signature was: ”Relour, Overcaptain and Arm of the Liedfuhr.”
Anna sighed. Here we go again. Another stubborn male who would rather stick to his procedures and beliefs and have his troops killed than use common sense.
Does he really think I'm going to allow lots of Mansuuran troops to stay in Neserea after all this? ”They're not interested.”
”Will you destroy them?” asked Jimbob, who had eased his mount up beside Kinor's.
”I think I have to give them a chance.””They would have given you none, lady,” offered Hanfor.
”It doesn't matter. We'll still have to follow them for a while. at least until they're almost out of Defalk.” She nodded to herself, half-smiling. There was no reason to kill the Mansuuran lancers. Not if she didn't have to, but there was certainly no reason to spare Relour. Loyalty didn't excuse stupidity-or arrogance. ”I wonder what he was really thinking?”
Hanfor laughed. ”I would wager that Relour would be regent and ruler under the arm of the Liedfuhr. Like Nubara.”
”You would attack them now?” asked Himar.
”No. We'll follow for a time. They're inside Defalk. I'm not going to attack all of them, anyway.” Just Overcaptain Relour. ”Not yet. Not until I've tried one other thing.”
Hanfor nodded, and Kinor nodded in return. Jimbob merely looked puzzled.
Anna did not shake her head, although she wanted to do just that.
91.
Ignoring the sounds of conversation and cooking coming from outside the ever- dingier small silk tent, Anna looked from Liende to Hanfor.
”You wished to talk with us?” asked Hanfor.
The walls of the tent rippled in the momentary breeze, and stopped moving. Anna cleared her throat, then took a long swallow from the water bottle. ”Sorry. My throat gets dry with all the road dust.” She cleared her throat a second time.
”Yes, I did. I wanted to talk about the Mansuurans. If we leave the Liedfuhr's lancers in Neserea, we'll have the same problem in another year. Two at the most.”
”You wish to destroy them after all?” asked the veteran, fingering his gray beard as he did when thinking or nervous. ”You destroyed near-on a hundred fifty-score of the Neserean lancers and armsmen Rabyn raised.”
”That leaves almost a hundredscore lancers, and that makes them more powerful than the armsmen left in Neserea.”
”Are they not better trained?” asked the chief player.
”Far better,” Hanfor acknowledged.
'Tonight, we'll try something,” Anna said.
Hanfor raised his eyebrows.
”Do you have two or three lancers who can send a heavy arrow farther than the others?”
”A half-score would be better.”
”We'll get as close as we can, and I'll use the lutar to enchant a few shafts.”
”You would kill the overcaptain? That will not persuade the captains under him,”
Hanfor predicted. ”They would regard that as cowardice.””Then, I'll remove them one by one until some idiot gets the message.”
Liende smiled sadly. ”There will be many you may remove, and before you get that far, one will order the lancers to attack us.”
Anna felt like throwing up her hands. ”What am I supposed to do? I spared the Mansuurans because they didn't start this mess, and because I wanted to make a gesture to the Liedfuhr. But they aren't exactly helping things either.”
”They would regard that as treason... unless they had no choice.”
”Then... maybe, we won't give them any choice,” Anna said.
”If you attempt this, do not essay it too often,” suggested Hanfor. ”Or they will attack, and you will not be prepared to destroy them, for there is every chance that is what you will have to do.”
”Can we try this once?” asked Anna.
Hanfor smiled. ”Once... they will not expect, not after you have let them escape.”
”And then what?”
”They will turn and attack, tomorrow morning.” Anna sighed, then looked at Liende. ”Can you have the players ready with the long flame spell and the arrow spells?” Always the flame spell, and always the innocents die because of the arrogance and stupidity of their superiors. Including you...
”We will be ready. Like you, I would wish otherwise, but I do not see such.”
Liende offered the sad smile that Anna had seen too often.
”Neither do I.” The Regent looked at Hanfor. ”Do you?”
”As I said, Regent, they will not accept aught you offer that does not leave them in control of Neserea, and that you and Defalk cannot accept.”
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