Part 66 (1/2)
Anna and Liende watched as the green company lancers rode up the lane, past the small guest stable, until they reached the armsman with the banner. After a moment, a single rider in purple turned his mount and rode down the lane, finally reining up before Anna and the still-mounted Himar.
”The hold surrenders, but begs mercy,” announced the lancer. ”We will secure it, Regent,” Himar promised. ”I would that you remain here until we have done so.
Captain Falar and his men can guard you.”
Falar's face was blank for a moment, before he nodded.
”If there's anything strange, bring all the lancers back, and I'll use more sorcery,” Anna said.
'That I will, Regent” Himar barked a short and humorless laugh. 'That I will.”
He guided his mount around Anna's guards and uphill, another company of lancers behind him.
”You value your armsmen highly,” Falar observed.”Good armsmen are hard to find and train, she replied. ”It took over a year to build up a force of twentyscore, and I've lost half of them in a season.”
”You destroyed a hundredfold of what you lost, mayhap more,” the redhead countered.
'That still leaves only a few more than tenscore. Not very much for a ruler or a regent. Lord Jimbob will need ten or twenty times that.”
”Because he will not be able to rely on sorcery?”
Anna nodded.
”Players... you may rest, but stand ready to play,” Liende ordered.
She and Anna-and Falar-watched as the two companies of lancers opened the lower doors, and then the double doors to the inner courtyard.
'They did not fight,” Falar said.
”How could they?” asked Liende. ”The sorceress would have slain them all.”
Anna did not comment.
When Himar emerged from Flossbend and remounted, Anna climbed back into Farinelli's saddle, but waited for the arms commander to ride to her.
Himar's face was grave as he reined in his mount, short of Anna. ”We hold the keep. Beltyr had but threescore armsmen. More than half died under your flames.
Beltyr himself is dead, as is his consort. . . their children live.”
”His consort?” Another scheming woman?
”Ah... yes, Lady Anna.”
So much... again. . . for so-called innocent consorts... and more children, another focal point for future dissension. ”The children will be fostered in Dumar. Lady Siobion, I'm certain, will aid in that. So will Alvar.” Should she have spoken so quickly, so openly?
”Dumar?” blurted Falar.
”We'll talk about the details later,” Anna temporized. ”And we will sleep in Flossbend tonight. The men and their mounts deserve some rest before we head back to Falcor.”
”They will appreciate that.”
”They are not to molest any of the women. This is Secca's hold, and she doesn't need that kind of trouble.” Anna's eyes were hard as she glanced from Falar to Himar.
”I will let all the men know what you have said, lady,” Himar said mildly.
”There will be no trouble.”
”Nor from mine,” added Falar.
”Good.” Anna flicked the reins, and Farinelli started up the lane. Rickel and Lejun flanked her, s.h.i.+elds still at the ready. The sorceress-Regent reined up outside the door she had last entered more than a year before. What a differencea year makes... Her thoughts were cribbing from somewhere, but she couldn't recall from where. Abruptly, she turned.
”Falar...?” Anna looked at the redhead. ”Would you see if you could find the saalmeister. Or whatever a.s.sistant is left?”
Falar bowed suavely. ”I will see who I can find.”
”I'll be up on the top level.”
Rickel and Lejun led the way, and Blaz, Bersan, and Fielmir followed.
As she pa.s.sed the first landing, Anna could hear whispers.
”... that's her...”
”...said she'd be back...can't keep secrets from that one..”
”... Lady Anientta... scared of her...”
”Fat lord Beltyr should have been...”
Once she reached the top of the stairs, Anna walked slowly across the tiled roof pavilion where she had once played Vorkoffe with Secca. A long charcoaled form lay sprawled by the wall, surrounded by several smaller forms. Beside the tall blackened corpse was a hand-and-a-half blade, as if it had been drawn and dropped.
The sorceress tried not to breathe deeply. She turned to Rickel. ”Ah... could you have someone... from the hold staff remove those?”
Rickel gestured to Blaz, who headed down the steps.
Anna stepped toward the eastern wall, the one overlooking the entry and facing toward Synope. Does it end like this everywhere? She shook her head. It hadn't ended in death in a lot of holds-not in Dubaria, or even Fussen, nor Abenfel, or Lerona, nor Sudwei... But at times it feels like it has. In the near-twilight sun, the lands to the east of the hold were bathed in a rose glow. Anna just looked. Looked until she heard boots approaching and turned to see Falar nearing, escorting a thin-faced man with graying hair.
Rickel and Fielmir stepped forward to block the two from moving any closer to Anna than about three yards.
Falar smiled and tapped the man on the shoulder. ”This man says he was saalmeister. The other saalmeister died under the fire arrows,” said the red- haired de facto captain.
The older man bowed into a near grovel on the tiles of the floor. ”She is the sorceress! The same one that promised to keep young Secca, sorceress... be merciful. This was against my will. I could do nothing.”
”Secca is safe,” Anna said. ”She is well and safe in Falcor. Who are you?”
”I am Gylun, Regent-sorceress. . . I was saalmeister... before... Lord Beltyr came.” Gylun remained on his knees, but looked up at Anna.
”Why did you let him poison Anientta?” Anna asked bluntly.
”Lord Beltyr... he sent me to the fields... me...””For now... Gylun...your job is to work-if you would not mind,” Anna asked the redhead, ”to put Flossbend back in order, back in a state appropriate for the lady Secca. Falar will get you started.”