Part 43 (2/2)
The last scene, the one on the bottom right of the ancient gla.s.s, showed men working to fill nets with rocks. The thick hemp nets were braced with huge round timbers-rough-smoothed treetrunks-and extended over a rocky escarpment overlooking a road. Several sets of the netted rocks ware visible.
Hanfor sketched and jotted furiously. Jecks' eyes flicked from image to image. Anna just studied the last three images in turn, until the mirror frame began to smoke and steam. Then she released the image, set the lutar on the chest by the wall beside the mirror, and took a deep breath, finally walking to the window and stepping up to the open air, pus.h.i.+ng back a shutter that had swung halfway closed in the light breeze.
The morning air was less fresh, and warmer. After several breaths, she stepped back toward the other two.
”Dencer understands sorcery and its limits.”
”All of those defenses are the kind that have an effect from afar, like Sargol's giant crossbow.” added Hanfor.
”Isn't there a way to get around those?”
”From what I remember,” mused Jecks, ”the town is in a mountain valley, and the keep guards the roads to the valley. The main roads east and west enter the town right under the keep's walls.”
”It all makes sense,” Anna said. ”He could swear allegiance to either Dumar or Ranuak.”
”Not Ranuak,” said the white-haired lord. ”They wouldn't have him. Ehara would. That was a Dumaran lancer Dencer was talking to.”
”So Ehara tries to gain Dencer's allegiance, and Sturinn supports Dumar.” She shook her head and sat at the table, picking up the last of the bread. Had she eaten an entire loaf? She snorted, thinking that she probably should have eaten more.
”The Sea-Priests would add all Liedwahr to Sturinn's rule.” said Jecks, Hanfor nodded.
Not if I can help it ”The big pot?” Anna asked after swallowing a mouthful of the bread.
”To boil oil, and the stone pipes spray it out over the road that leads to the keep,” said Jecks. ”Stromwer is at the foot of the Sudbergs.”
”We'll have to find a way around those defenses,?' Anna offered, ”but that will wait until we deal with Gylaron.”
”Will other sorcerers help him?” asked Hanfor.
In for a copper, in for a gold. Anna stood and re-tuned the lutar.
”Again?” asked Jecks.
”I'd like to see what other sorcerers are working on.” Anna took a deep breath and strummed the strings, then tightened the bottom tuning peg, and restrummed.
”Of those with power of the song seek those who'd do me wrong and show them in this silver cast and make that vision well last.”
She studied the images in the gla.s.s. They were the same as the last time she'd used the spell-the blond seer from Nordwei, the hawk-faced Sea-Priest, and the young black-bearded man.
The Sea-Priest-if he were the same one-sat across a table from Ehara, his eyes bright even through the silver of the gla.s.s. The hatred that burned on the faces of both the Sea-Priest and the unknown young man still disturbed her. Were the Sea-Priests that fanatically against women in power?
The intense young man-he wore nondescript brown clothing, not the colors of a sorcerer and not the livery of any of the neighbors or enemies of Defalk. He stood in what seemed to be some type of storeroom. Yet her sorcery indicated that he had power and was an enemy. But who was he?
”Do you recognize the younger man?” She released the spell and replaced the lutar in its case.
”No.”
'He wears a tradesman's browns,” said Jecks.
She'd have to keep tabs on the unknown young man, but she was tired, and her spells indicated that he wasn't a.s.sociated with any immediate danger. Still... she'd have to remember. Non-immediate dangers left untended usually became immediate at the worst possible time.
”The Sea-Priest schemes with Ehara.”
”Everyone schemes,” Anna snorted.
Jecks cleared his throat, and Anna turned.
”Perhaps it will do no good, but would you not consider sending scrolls to Gylaron and Dencer suggesting, that their defiance of the Regency is unwelcome and requesting their allegiance?”
”And their liedgeld?” Anna asked ironically. ”It can't hurt, and I suppose it would set better with the other lords if at least I asked.”
”That it would.”
”You don't think they'll agree?”
”I would think not,” said Jecks. ”Yet, they had not heard of what befell Suhl.” He shrugged. ”There is a chance.”
”Would you draft what you think we should say?”
”That... that I can do.”
”Thank you. I should have thought of it.” Anna turned to Hanfor. ”How soon will your scouts have their reports on the roads?”
”By nightfall.”
”Can we march on Gylaron by two days after tomorrow?”
”We could march the day after tomorrow, but two days would be better.”
”Let's Plan on it. Unless we get a total downpour.” She paused. ”Or Gylaron decides to return to the fold.”
That got another blank expression from Jecks. ”Rejoin the Regency.” Anna stood. ”I'm going to check a few things around the keep.”
Both men rose.
When she left the chamber, Fhurgen and Rickel stepped from their post at the door. Both marched behind her down the dim corridor.
She eased open the nursery door and stepped inside alone, as quietly as she could. Dinfan sat at a table with her back to the door, and the nurse sat on a stool looking at the girl.
”... your ma, she was from Fussen. That be where your cousins struggle to see who will be lord.” The nurse looked up, her eyes widening.
Anna shook her head, and motioned for the woman to continue.
”Ah. . . she be... the elder Dinfan turned, holding a chunk of bread. Her wide eyes fixed on Anna, those eyes so alike, and so unlike Irenia's. ”Did you know my mother?”
”No, Lady Dinfan. I did not.”
<script>