Part 48 (1/2)

”The keep has three layers of defense,'' observed Han-for. ”None of the others in Defalk have such.”

”Once it was needed,” said Jecks. ”The Suhlmorrans wanted Stromwer. So did the ancient Matriarchs, and so did Lord Ehara's ancestors.”

”And none of them got it, I a.s.sume?” asked Anna. ”No. Uhlan the elder lost an entire army trying to an- nex it to Suhlmorra.”

”Why?” She turned from the window, her eyes on the rosewood antique high bed that had given her a headache to spell for vermin.

”Now, with the fast s.h.i.+ps, it makes less difference. Still, Stromwer stands on the shortest land routes between Dumaria and Sylwa and Encora, and between all of southern Defalk and Dumar.”

”What about Sudwei?” Anna pursued. ”1 thought Geansor held the access to the South Pa.s.s.''

”He does, and that is an easier route from the east and middle of Defalk, but the easiest way to transport goods to Dumar was to use the Falche down to north of Abenfel, and then take the roads through Stromwer.”

Anna tried to summon up her mental map of Liedwahr, concentrating. Finally, she nodded. Her eyes went to Hanfor. ”Any ideas of how we can get close to the keep?”

”The road is the only entrance to the keep,” Hanfor said tiredly. ''Unless one travels through Ranuak or Dumar.”

”We cannot approach within deks of the walls,” added Jecks. ”Not unless we wish to be bathed in oil and buried under boulders.”

Both men looked at Anna, as if she were supposed to find a solution. I'm not the military type. I'm a singer, for heaven's sake, Anna stepped past the low chest at the end of the bed, where the lutar rested, and looked down at the table, at the map Hanfor had sketched from session after session with the gla.s.s.

”I don't want to turn Stromwer into another flaming ma.s.s.” Why not? You did that to Vult, and Suhl wasn't much better. ”That's why,” she muttered to herself. As she saw the puzzled expressions on the faces of Jecks and Hanfor, she added hurriedly. ”Talking to myself....”

Her throat was dry, and she refilled the goblet with orderspelled water, taking a long swallow. ”Would you like some?”

”No, thank you.”

Jecks shook his head.

Anna glanced at the map on the table and then away. Two days of scrying, and sketching, and talking, and they still couldn't figure out how to get close enough to the keep to use sorcery to affect those within. She could bring the walls and town down, but she couldn't find a way .to take Stromwer without ma.s.sive force. The way the valley and keep were set up, any force ma.s.sive enough to destroy Dencer's outer defenses would flatten town and keep. At least, any force she knew how to use.

”We haven't heard any response to our request that he put down his arms, have we?”

”I doubt that we will,” Hanfor answered. ”The scroll was delivered. We know that.”

The lack of response from Dencer brought the question back to force. Is there any other way in Defalk?

She cast in her mind for another approach, then frowned.

”I don't understand how Barjim managed to get Wendella as a hostage.” Anna turned to Jecks. ”He certainly couldn't have taken her by force.”

”Alasia captured her on her way from her brother's.”

Her brother? Anna tightened her lips. Remembering all the names was still hard for her. Mietchel! That was it; he was the Lord of Mona. The sorceress grinned. ”Did she put on finery to do it?”

Jecks' brows knit in momentaly puzzlement. Then he laughed. ”I wager she did, though she talked little of it. She said it needed to be done. Barjim was not wholly pleased.”

Anna bet he hadn't been.

The moment of humor didn't solve the problem. In her mind, she almost saw two images, but not Dark- song images-that of the near-impregnable Stromwer, surrounded on three sides by step cliffs and canyons and the heavily fortified entrance and that of the ripped and sundered hills of Appalachia in her childhood, the results of strip and deep mining.

Why the two images? Was her subconscious trying to tell her something?

Mining? What did that have to do with it? Ditches, holes, tunnels...”Tunnels! That's it.”

Now all she had to do was find somewhere that a short tunnel would reach a cliff or flat spot overlooking Stromwer. Or where she could create one.

All... ? Are you sure you want to do this?

She inhaled slowly, then let her breath out, as she realized both Jecks and Hanfor stood waiting for her to explain.

55.

Anna coughed, then spat clear the mucus and inhaled dust. Farinelli whuffed, with the slightest hint of a head toss, as he carried her along the back trail that headed west away from the main road. Eventually the trail would circle back along the heights of the low mountains on the west side of Dencer's keep.

Eventually.

Farinelli whuffed again.

”I know. It's hot and dusty. There's a stream somewhere ahead.” She felt guilty as she took a drink from her water bottle.

”How far?” asked Jecks.

”According to the gla.s.s, two or three deks, If I remember right.”

”Horses could use the water, lady,” Fhurgen said from behind her.

”I know,” she repeated. ”But I can't bring the water closer.''

Despite the rains she had brought to Defalk, there hadn't been any moisture in nearly a week. Several hundred horses were enough to churn up dust, especially with slow riding up steep and narrow roads. The light wind out of the north was just strong enough to carry the dust of the main body up and around Anna and those in the van.

The first two days out of Lerona hadn't been bad. An almost straight road south, flat, and they'd made good time through the bean fields and meadows. Then they'd reached the low hills that signified the beginning of Dencer's holding.

Of course, she'd received no reply to her scroll-one way or the other. He can't even conceive of dealing with a woman regent...or those lancers from Dumar aren't letting him... or... ? She didn't know. All that was certain was that she had a rebel lord on her hands who, for whatever reason, seemed inclined to respond only to force. So what else is new?

She also had a score of Gylaron's armsmen. She hadn't thought she would need any, but Jecks had pointed out that taking some armsmen would ease matters with Gylaron. His pride, mainly And she could always call for a fewscore more if she needed them.

Anna brushed more dust off her sleeves. The main road had gotten narrower, and even dustier. The trees had gotten shorter, with more low evergreens and less broadleafs, and consequently less shade.

”...wish she'd find a better way...”

”...we took three keeps now... lost maybe a score...”

”...wager 'gainst that if you want ... eat dust all summer....”