Part 77 (2/2)
Then. . . maybe they could head home. Maybe . . . if she could set up some halfway workable and friendly government in Dumar so that she didn't have to repeat the current mess in five or ten years.
”Sorceress?” prompted Jecks.
”The palace had better be ready for our forces, and with plenty of food.”
”All awaits you...everything .”
Anna wanted to shake her head again as they rode through what had to be the royal park, with trimmed topiary displaying a range of game animals, a low boxwood hedge maze, and two marble fountains. To the south. ahead of them, rose the white building she had seen a time or more in her scrying spells.
Anna gestured to Hanfor and reined up on the well-fitted paved road less than two hundred yards from the palace-or one of its buildings.
”Companies . . . halt!” Hanfor stood in his stirrups and raised his voice.
Anna eased Farinelli back toward the players. ”Liende ... we need one spell before you and the players eat. The armsmen-seeking spell.”
”Here, lady?”
”I'm being cautious. I want no treachery within the palace.” Anna smiled grimly, and Liende nodded.
”After we eat, we'll repeat the process, say-a half-dozen times-until I'm convinced we've located every remaining armsman in Dumaria.”
”Yes, Regent.”
”Some will die rather then pledge to you,” murmured Jecks.
”A lot fewer than if we took the city with fire,” Anna answered. She waited as the players dismounted and began to tune. After going over the seeking spell a dozen times in her mind, she finally dismounted and stepped before the players.
”Now, after this spell, you can eat and rest for a time. For a gla.s.s or so. Then we'll have to go to work again.”
Anna faced the palace, waiting for Liende's signal.
”Mark!”
Without preamble, the sorceress sang.
”Find, find, any armsman close to here, who bears his weapons hard and near...”
After she finished Anna watched the gla.s.s, as did Hanfor, as it split into sections.
”Guards in the palace.” Hanfor nodded. ”And some in a barracks.” He looked up. ”Purple Company.
search the palace. Harm none, save those who lift arms against you.”
Anna eased Farinelli back toward the players.
Green Company. Search the grounds,” continued Hanfor. ”There is a guard barracks somewhere near.”
”We'll have to wait. I know you're all tired,” Anna told Liende, ”but I want no treachery within the palace.” Anna smiled grimly, and Liende nodded.
”Yes, Regent.” Liende's tone was formal, not quite resigned.
”Now, after we get settled and eat, you can rest for a time. Later, we'll have to go to work again.”
Anna faced the palace, hands on lutar, watching as her forces swarmed across the grounds and the palace, waiting for Hanfor's signal.
She could see the merchants squirming on their mounts, and she wondered what she could do about them-or if she had to.
Jecks, his blade out, followed her eyes. ”You do not trust them.”
”No.”
”Nor I, but they will acknowledge you, so long as they fear you.”
Anna was afraid that was the way it would always be. She sat on Farinelli, watching, watching others watch her.
Lord, she was tired, and the day was far from over, far from it... far, far from it.
112.
Must you do this, lady?” asked Alvar, as Anna led FarinelIi out of the palace stable into another sunlit, hot, and humid morning.
”How else do I ensure that we hold Dumaria?” asked Anna.
”The armsmen have fled,” suggested Alvar.
”No,” added Jecks, leading his own mount out behind Anna. ”Some have said that they fled. The mirror shows no danger now, but what after we pursue Lord Ehara?”
Anna wanted to nod. No matter what anyone said, she would have to leave some force at the palace, and, that meant there couldn't be any organized opposition remaining in Dumar. Out in the courtyard, in the long early-morning shadow cast by the stable, she banded Farinelli's reins to Kerhor. The sharp-faced, dark-haired guard bowed slightly.
An unfamiliar birdcall wafted on the slight breeze from the palace park, that lay to the north of the stable courtyard.
The players stood outside; their mounts held by some of the armsmen, their instruments ready.
Anna cleared her throat, though she'd already warmed up in her chambers, then looked at the players.
”Today is going to be long, and possibly dangerous. I hope not. What we need to do is to seek out any armsmen left in Dumaria, and either obtain their allegiance to the Regency or kill them,” She could see the lank-haired Delvor wince at her last words. ”It's very simple. The Dumarans have to know that I can find anyone, and that no one bearing arms against Defalk will survive.” Of course, you still can't find that sorcerer in eastern Defalk. ...
Beside her, Jecks laid out the scrying mirror on the stones of the courtyard.
She pushed away the errant thought. ”We probably won't find every single deserter or armsman who hides, but we must create the impression that we can. That's what we've already done in places like Finduma and Hrissar.” She smiled and paused. ”We didn't find too many, but that shouldn't be a problem in Dumaria”
A low laugh echoed from the armsmen reined up and waiting.
Anna nodded to Liende. ”Any time, chief player.”
”The seeking song... on my mark...Mark!” Liende dropped her hand, and lifted her horn, and the clarinet- like woodwind melded with the falk horn and the strings.
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