"There is only one claimant here," said Olista.
"I've never heard of Hingast traveling to a city free from his rule and not attacking it," said Mikhan. "He sometimes attacks cities that are under his rule."
"Besides," interrupted Marcus, who sensed trouble brewing, "this meeting is to discuss our readiness for siege, no matter what Hingast's intentions are. If he comes in peace, then our preparations will prove unnecessary. But best to be prepared." Marcus very much doubted that Hingast came in peace.
Unimpressed, Maben sniffed. "None of the Emperor's advisors have been allowed to attend the military meetings. Not a one. Yet, you invite the Inner Sanctum."
"The Inner Sanctum represent the people of Marka," countered Zenepha. "It has a right to know what is going on. My advisors exist to advise me, not discuss military tactics." He knew he could not trust this man with any military plans, knowing where they would end up. All his other advisors had warned him about that.
"You don't invite us because you don't trust us," complained Maben. "That is the real reason."
"If you wish to tender your resignation that's fine by us," said Olista. "Not even I'm invited to the military meetings and I'm quite happy with the situation."
Sensing he wouldn't win this argument, Maben spread his hands in surrender. "I still think it most irregular."
"Think what you wish." Marcus forced a smile. "His Majesty has approved the tactics and strategy. That'll have to be enough for you."
"There is one other matter of concern, Majesty," said Captain Crallin. "Although morale in the city is high, it's come to my attention that prices for certain commodities have more than doubled in the past week. I recommend urgent action to prevent this profiteering or we'll have riots in the streets before much longer."
Zenepha nodded his agreement. "Good point, Captain Crallin. Chancellor Lanas, we need an emergency piece of legislation, making profiteering punishable with forfeiture of property and liberty. Ensure prices are monitored and checked for fairness. As far as I am aware, nothing is in short supply yet; wagons still come and go through the city gates every day."
Lanas nodded. "I'll see to it, Majesty."
The knock on the door was so unexpected that everybody jumped. A nervous Markan messenger poked his head around it.
"Marshal Mikhan, Sir," began the boy hesitantly, perhaps overawed by all those in the room, "but Lieutenant Patisk sends his compliments. Hingast has arrived outside the city."
"See?" crowed Maben. "I told you he'd come in peace!"
The messenger shook his head. "The land is black with Hingast's men and we stopped counting the war machines when we reached a hundred."
Zenepha looked up and nodded. "Thank you. We shall join Lieutenant Patisk directly." He looked around the table once more. He sniffed. His earpoints twitched violently. "Gentlemen, I believe the time for talking is over."
***
Chapter 17
First Blood
As Zenepha and his small entourage climbed the steep stone steps onto the city walls, Lieutenant Patisk of the City Guard scrambled to his feet. From beside the Emperor, Mikhan tutted.
"The lad needs someone to keep an eye open for visitors," muttered the Marshal, for Zenepha's ears alone. "I'll have a quiet word later; he can't be caught out like this."
The ripple of bows and murmured greetings from the soldiers should have been warning enough that someone important approached.
Mikhan and Ranallic flanked Zenepha, with Crallin and Mansard immediately behind. Marcus and Verdin Vintner were with a clutch of politicians at the rear of the small entourage.
Composure restored, Patisk inclined his head. "Good evening, Majesty."
"Good evening, Lieutenant Patisk," replied Zenepha.
The man looked surprised that the Emperor knew his name. The sylph saw unasked questions shining in the young Lieutenant's eyes. Mikhan spoke highly of him, so Zenepha could at least take the trouble to meet him.
He looked over the crenelled wall and fought to control the panic that threatened to overwhelm him. He hoped nobody else noticed his wildly twitching earpoints, or at least misinterpreted their meaning. A slave should not have to deal with things like this.
Slowly and with difficulty, he forced his fear away. "That them?" he asked.
"Yes Sir." Patisk nodded.
It was as the messenger said. The enemy had camped just beyond the range of Marka's catapults; this meant the city remained beyond Hingast's catapults, an incidental benefit. But the army covered the land outside the walls.
Row upon row upon row of tents stretched into the distance, with the gold and black war flags of Eldova dotted liberally everywhere. A line of wooden stakes, already driven into the ground, sheltered the war machines.
"I take it they have control of all the roads?" Marcus kept his voice low.
"Yes sir." Patisk made it sound like of course.
Verdin, Mikhan and Ranallic watched the proceedings through their spyglasses. Marcus glanced enviously at them.
Zenepha noticed the envy. Mikhan told him that the spyglass – or magnifier as some called it – had long been a secret weapon used by Ulvic and then Branad Vintner. The lenses for the iron tube of the spyglass were ground in a heavily guarded manufactory in Sandester.
Mikhan also told him that Marcus had tried and failed to match the workmanship of the Sandesteran lenses. Zenepha wondered why Marcus didn't use Kelanus's glass, but then remembered they had impounded it with the rest of the disgraced General's belongings.
"Hmm." Mikhan swung his glass this way and that.
Zenepha waited for his Marshal's conclusions.
"He has enough men to take Marka, but not so many that he will soon run out of supplies. Those men are building new roads for the war machines, so Hingast can move them in and out of range at will. No sign of miners."
"Miners?" Zenepha exchanged confused looks with the politicians.
"Any weak points?" asked Marcus, too proud to borrow a glass.
"None I can see: he has enough men to cover all escapes." Mikhan shook his head. "I hope we have enough soldiers and sylphs outside. We may be able to smuggle more out at night, but the city is surrounded."
Zenepha grimaced.
Marcus turned to one of his men. "Find Aylos and bring him to my rooms."
The soldier briefly touched fist to chest and left.
"Hingast might sit this one out," announced Ranallic. "Let us starve, or wait for us to make the first move."
Marcus smiled. "We might do just that," he said. He turned and nodded to Mikhan before inclining his head to Zenepha. "With your permission, Majesty, I will retire."
Zenepha nodded. "Let me know how your meeting with Aylos goes."
"Of course."
Most of Zenepha's entourage left with Marcus, but Mikhan and Mansard stayed at his side. Patisk escorted them around the walls, answered questions and pointed out everything Zenepha asked to see.
Very aware of Mikhan's presence, Patisk felt flattered that the senior man let him do the talking. Mikhan interrupted only once, as they approached the industrial quarter.
"Most of the manufactories are now spread through the city," said the marshal. "I'm sure that spies have informed Hingast about the industrial quarter, but only time will tell if he knows we've now scattered our industries."
Zenepha nodded and glanced across to the towering pyramid. "I hope the enemy has no way of climbing that to spy on us."
"It would take a brave man to try." Mikhan chuckled. "The sides are like glass. Nobody can get a grip on that."
Zenepha's earpoints tilted forward. "Keep a close eye on it. Humans are capable of surprising things."
Patisk nodded. "I will see to it, Majesty."
"I'm pleased to see you've managed to face every wooden building," said Mikhan. "You've done well. I thought we might have to pull a few down."
"If Hingast is going to wait, there seems little point in the work," said Zenepha.
Mikhan's d
eepset blue eyes twinkled. "So General Ranallic says. I've no idea where he gets his ideas from. It's only a matter of time before Hingast's impatience gets the better of him; I'll be surprised if he decides to just sit this out." He glanced over the walls towards the enemy again. "Very surprised."
***
"Thank you, Tilipha, please repeat all that to my secretary."
Lance Captain Kestan smiled at the wild sylph, waiting for him to leave the tent before turning to Lance Lieutenant Dekran. The other man did the work of a Captain and Kestan wanted to promote him. That he himself did the work of a General was irrelevant for the moment. A battle for another day.
"There's not a single wild sylph in Marka." Dekran had been surprised when they all refused the shelter Marka offered.
"Not their way. We can defend this valley with the men we've got. And we may need all the sylphs."
"There are forty scouts here and Siranva knows how many more scattered about."
"Another forty at least. More when the messengers return." Kestan grimaced. "How did the watchers take the news that reliefs might be less frequent?"
Dekran smiled. "Not well. A demand for double rations of choca on their return. But it's understood they report to us now."
Kestan restrained a laugh. "Even the wild ones have discovered the joy of choca. When we get time, we'll detail off some less experienced scouts to take over from the watchers."
"And other scouts from the caravans that turned back are coming to us."
"I hope the messengers will be received by Marka's allies. Sandester worries me most."
Dekran nodded. "They will learn Marka is under siege. We sent humans there, rather than sylphs. At least they will know in Calcan."
"Many of these scouts are too young."
"Or from the city."
Kestan masked a sigh. The fully trained sylph scouts and the soldiers seemed to regard the Markan sylphs as somehow backward. The city boys were certainly softer than the wild sylphs, but most were shaping up well under the training.
"And there was another row about female sylphs in the corps. City sylphs again."
No need to mention which city. Kestan shook his head. "They'll learn different," he said. "Aelfina is right: every sylph must do what they can for the good of all."
Both men turned as Kestan's secretary banged on the canvas outer wall of the tent. He entered when called.
"Finally managed to get it all down, Sir," he said, grumpily. "That Tilipha's too excitable by far, can hardly get his words out quick enough. Strange for a sylph."
"Thank you, Patol." Kestan smiled and took the single sheet of paper from the secretary. He scanned it quickly before waving the sheet in Dekran's general direction.
Dekran took the report as Patol left the tent and nodded to himself.
"We are to harass Hingast wherever and whenever possible. But no stupid missions, or suicidal attacks." Kestan looked thoughtful.
"Attack the army how?" A scowl furrowed Dekran's brow.
"Hit his supply lines. The sylphs have spotted every enemy scout and messenger so far; if we send men with the scouts, they can run down and kill them before information reaches Hingast."
"Is that why we moved so many men to the rallying points?"
"Partly." Kestan nodded. "Three hundred soldiers doesn't go very far, but if we concentrate where we hit Hingast and use our heads, they'll believe a far larger army is here."
"We can cause a lot of trouble." Now the way had been suggested, Dekran already visualized possibilities Kestan had not thought of. "The first time we'll have surprise on our side, but that'll only work once."
A scratch on the tent wall heralded Aelfina. He strolled in, not waiting to be called. "Groups of men from your enemy are cutting trees in the forest. They are spread out, some a fair way from the army."
Dekran smiled. "At last, good news."
"Why is that good?" Aelfina frowned, earpoints slanting forward. Puzzlement shone in his silvery gray eyes. "Those trees will be used to make timber for more war machines." Although his question had been asked in the human tongue, the sylph still had insufficient grasp of it to continue for long. He quickly lapsed into his native language.
Kestan smiled at the sylph. "Because they're unprotected. Nobody suspects we are here."
"If you attack them they will."
"Then a large number of enemy soldiers will be tied down protecting woodcutters. And, when we get going, even more to protect supply wagons and camps. They will not be very happy." Kestan thought briefly of his wife and children, now trapped in Marka. He hoped and prayed they would be well. Hingast had earned his unsavory reputation. It had fallen to Kestan and his men to help ensure the man never got inside the city.
Aelfina's face cleared. "You will attack the enemy soon?"
"I've no intention of letting them settle and learn their way around."
The sylph regarded Kestan. "There is much risk. We must move our home regularly. Soldiers will hunt us to destroy us."
Dekran nodded. "We'll keep moving about. First, we must discover exactly how many men and war machines are here and tell Marcus."
"Which is why you sylphs are invaluable," added Kestan. "No human can hear your whistles and no sylph in Hingast's camp understands them. With any luck, they'll never learn how information is passed from outside the city and back again."
Aelfina looked from one to the other. "Your scouts tell me of one named Velisar," he said.
Kestan raised an eyebrow. "He is here? I hadn't heard."
The wild sylph's earpoints twitched. "They are unsure. But there have been some odd reports. Who is he?"
"He suggested sylph scouts are possible," replied Kestan.
"His owner got killed a couple of years ago," said Dekran. "Some of the lads think he died from grief and is now a ghost. Others say he's found where trouble is greatest."
"What do humans believe?" Aelfina looked interested.
"That he should have been taken in hand after his owner's death and not allowed to go feral, which is what happened." Kestan sighed. "He is the first and probably the best sylph scout."
"He has chosen freedom over slavery." A happy smile spread across the sylph's face.
"Perhaps." Kestan looked unconvinced. "I doubt if he's heard the argument your tribe has begun."
Aelfina laughed and his earpoints twitched in pleasure. "The argument that must be heard. Wild and enslaved sylphs do not meet often enough."
Dekran stood. "I don't have time to hear Aelfina go over his arguments again. I'm off to brief the lancers. Time to frighten our enemy."
Kestan waited for the Lieutenant to leave before turning back to Aelfina. "There is something I want to ask you."
"Ask."
"The infertile who serves me."
Aelfina nodded.
"She still has not given me her name. You said she would."
The sylph shook his head. "I said she might. She still serves?"
"Yes."
"Then she is still to make up her mind. Give her time; infertiles are strange."
"Will she share her name?" pressed Kestan.
"Sometimes they do. Sometimes they do not. It is their choice." Aelfina shrugged. "She may think you are forward if I ask her again."
Kestan sighed. It wasn't just infertiles who were strange, in his opinion. "I don't want to be as bad as the men I rescued you from."
Aelfina lowered his voice. "We know the difference between you and them," he replied. "I will ask the girl again on your behalf and pass back her answer." He grimaced. "She might think you too pushy."
"Thank you." Kestan smiled again. "Now I must join Dekran."
Aelfina watched the human leave the tent. When should he tell Kestan what all his brothers and sisters had decided? Was it fair to add to his responsibilities? Would he accept the extra duties? Above all, were they sure they wanted this? He sighed. He had heard of enslaved sylphs becoming wild sylphs and he had heard of wild sylphs being sold or abducted into sla
very. But he had never heard of a large number of wild sylphs decide to bond themselves to one human.
A first time for everything.
***
Grayar and Salu strolled along Marka's main thoroughfare. Grayar marveled how much the city had changed since his last visit. Ever since he and Sandev had established Skorin – just shy of six centuries ago – he had all but ignored Marka.
"Why are we out here?" grumbled Salu.
"Because exercise is good for you," retorted her owner. "And overeating is not; you spend far too much time in the kitchens."
After founding Skorin, Sandev had returned here and left him to care for "his" new empire. They had seen little of each other since.
"Not much chance of that," replied Salu. "Our rations have been cut."
An infertile passed and Salu grimaced at the noisy anklet of bells the other sylph wore. Her earpoints lashed.
Grayar glanced at the anklet, and knew he could never make his sylph wear such a thing. Nor would she volunteer for it. He had adapted to the local fashion of billowing shirt and tight breeches, though he much preferred the simple smocks he wore at home.
Markans had long held the reputation of being a drab people, but both men and women wore brighter colors than he remembered. And when he last visited, domestic slaves did not wear bells.
"It's hard to believe the city is besieged," he said.
Salu gave him a quizzical look.
Grayar gestured towards the taynors who worked hard to keep up morale, even if most people ignored them. "Everybody's about their business as if nothing else is happening."
Salu pursed her lips and stared pointedly at the armed soldiers in the streets. Before, most had been camped outside the walls. "The beggars are gone."
Zenepha had resolved to make employment for the beggars and it looked like he had succeeded.
"The male beggars learn to be scouts and messengers, and the females nursing or domestic skills," said Grayar.
"A lot went into the manufactories," pointed out Salu. She shuddered.
"Better than begging,"
"How much further are you going to make me walk?"
Grayar chuckled. "Until I'm sure you're properly exercised. And myself, of course."
"I'd rather be in the kitchens."
Grayar knew Salu rarely mingled with others of her own kind. His cottage stood milas from human habitation and, even though the nearby ilvenhome had a colony of wild sylphs attached to it, the wild ones had little time for domesticated infertiles. So Salu spent most of her time alone, not good for a member of a gregarious species.