Part 11 (1/2)
”Both kings want a queen,” Alcuina pointed out ”They want me Soon they shall know that I have returned and will move all the more quickly They will settle with one another after we have been dealt with”
”That is so,” Leovigild concurred ”And I think I knoill happen: Totila will propose to Odoac a temporary alliance Between them the two armies will attack this place Once that is accomplished, they will contest between themselves for Alcuina and her lands and people My uncle, who is a fool as well as a ree
”Totila did not build a kingdo he willand with me exiled or dead, must turn to the only available war-leader Totila” There were nods and
”You speak with great wisdo a man,” said Rerin ”Noe must make our plans How may we avert this disaster?”
”Let's ians will be easier to deal with than the Tormanna We can defeat them, then march back to meet the Tormanna from behind our walls”
”Even should we defeat the Thungians,” Alcuina said, ”ould be severely weakened In any case Totila arth while the warriors were rway”
Conan smiled to himself nobody even proposed the solution that to a southern queen would be the ree to marry the weaker of her two ene- 176
177mies, who could then be murdered at leisure, while he slept In the North a queen would only do such a thing in order to acco personal against either king, she would never even think of it
”I do not feel coild said, ”as h I ah I shall be more than happy to do battle with the Tor us has not been heard froreat warrior, he has served in many armies in far climes I suspect that he can see possibilities that would not occur to us Conan, will you give us your counsel?”
Conan wiped his h standing was as valued for his wise counsel as for his sword arm This was another matter in which the northern war-bands differed froainst either eneree I know of a e may seriously weaken both are It will take skill and daring First you must summon all your huntsmen”
”My huntsmen?” Alcuina said ”Why?”
”Because they know this land far better than any warrior When Odoac and Totila coh the snow We shall have huntsmen stationed near all the forest roads to inforle army we shall divide intowe must strike them on the march, kill a few, then turn and run, to hit theether to make a shi+eld-wall, we return to our camp, to strike one enemy or the other on another day Even if we only kill a few, they will be more than half defeated before they arrive here The bravest of warriors lose their edge when they face unfaeir said doubtfully
”It is certain that Odoac and Totila never have,” Leovigild said ”I think Conan has given us our only chance”
”We can use this tactic ainst Odoac,” Conan cautioned, ”but only once or perhaps twice against Totila”
”Why is that?” Alcuina asked
”Because of those darowled ”Totila will soon understand what is happening, and lil for us Who can hide fro enemy?”
”We could hide beneath the densest trees until it was tiested
”They would see our tracks in the snow,” Conan pointed out
”I think I could help,” Rerin said
”Speak on,” Alcuina urged him ”We need all the help we can find”
”I have never been able to fight lilpie-familiars,” the old man admitted ”His wizardry is too powerful for me However, I have mastered a spell by wbkh, in winter, I can cause a brief but dense snow-fill Once we are in position in wait for theTormanna, this snowfall wills of his ale
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179”Old man,” he said, ”you may have won the war for us”
The queen's huntsmen were short, sturdy h homespun Most of theed that their people had been native to these parts long before the fair-haired folk had wandered hither They had charge of the gauide the aristocratic hunters to the best sport As such, they enjoyed privileges far greater than most commoners and could be expected to be loyal to their queen
”So bands to secure ca this way” His breath stea the thralls ill be bringing fodder for the horses When you elines and other high ground That way the armies will not see your tracks They will stick to the low roads where the going is easiest You'll operate in s watch on the enemy while others coht; that is the task of the warriors Now go to the warrior Siggeir He will assign each of you to your tasks”
The huntsmen left, and Conan turned to a far more difficult task: He had no more than a day, or at thefrorateful that they needed only to learn how to hit and run He would needmore complicated Their swords were too short to be wielded effectively fro the down their shi+elds to make them more wieldy from horseback
Straw duarth, and thewildly with their spears They all laughed uproariously every tied his thrust and top-pled from his horse
”This is not sport!” Conan yelled in exasperation ”This is war! Stop thrusting so hard! All that does is unbalance you You don't need to pin a round; just thrust a few inches of steel into him Thrust too deep, and you lose your spear Sit easy in the saddle, and brace yourself only as you thrust These are not trained warhorses, and you don't want to con-fuse thehter Conan sighed disgustedly
That evening as the arth Alcuina took Conan aside ”Do they have a chance?” she asked bluntly
”They are i,” he answered judiciously, ”and the enemy, have never dealt with horseback raiders of any kind That is a great advantage We mean to weaken them, not defeat them”
”I suppose that is the most I can hope for, then Perhaps with you and Rerin and Leovigild we h this”
”Will the boy be of that much value?” said Conan, nettled at her obvious attraction to the youth
She looked back at hiive their allegiance to hiainst the Tore,” Conan said, ”followed by aof the peoples?”
”Of course,” she said ”That is how it is done a royal families If we slay Totila, the Tor-manna may elect to ally themselves with us as well He has no heir”
”So be it then!” Conan barked He whirled on his heel and stalked away
”Conan!” she called
He turned, his anger draining away Against the hulking stone wall she stood, s-down, but when she spoke, her voice was gentle
”When a queen plans for her future, itthe desires of her heart, but as a ruler who must do what is best for her people I would that it were not so” Saying no more, she turned and started back for the hall Conan stared after
That night in the hall they feasted well, but Alcuina was careful to ration the ale They would be riding out before first light to try their first foray against the ene in their first encaht not be tilad that he had battle to look forward to It took his er men talked nervously of the adventure to coht would be remembered, if only because it would be so unorthodox The older men were less voluble Many of them were extreht properly if they could not feel the ground beneath their feet? At least none of theloomy It was nearly impossible for northerners to be cheerless when battle was in the offing
Conan tore at a joint of veal with his teeth They were not a trained and drilled ar for armies in any case He had led far worse men into battle These were brave and loyal, however unso-phisticated their warfare ht be He felt a touch at his shoulder and looked up to see Leovigild standing beside hian, ”I mink you may have been the salvation of our people Your services will not go unrewarded When this is over, you could be a great earl, ide lands, and peasants and thralls to work it When I corateful king”