asked Raoul van Buren.
“I do. He has
no need to lie. It’s in his interest to have humans on the
continent as a buffer between him and the northern continent.”
“What’s
changed?” asked the Duke of van Buren. “You absolutely sure it is
just the northerly lands he wants, nothing else?”
“Help in times
of famine,” Xavier replied with a smile, “no more. In such times he
has asked for a tithe of meat herds. I have agreed.”
“Only in such
times?” pressed David Smith, “not a yearly tribute?”
“Correct. Now will you agree?” Xavier was growing impatient. “Time is
getting on and we have preparations to make.”
“Agreed,” said
Raoul van Buren. The other two added their agreement although David
Smith still looked doubtful.
“Good. Now you
must call in your levies.”
“In three days
then?” said Pierre Cocteau.
“In three
days,” confirmed Xavier. “I have spoken to Henot. The man is
ambitious.”
“What have you
promised him? A Generalship?”
“I have,” lied
Xavier in a smooth voice. He had promised the man more, the
elevation to Ducal rank in the vacant Duchy of Sahara no less but
he saw no need to impart this information to the three rebel
dukes.
Xavier had no
intention of carrying out his promise to Baron-Captain Henot. Once
the Baron had performed his assigned task Xavier planned to dispose
of his services - permanently. He had already instructed a group of
his closest retainers to deal with the Baron’s family.
* * * * *
The Lord
Marshall, the Crown-Prince and the Prince-Duk e
The Lord
Marshall of Murdoch, Count Peter Duchesne was unaware of Xavier’s
plans, so involved was he with organising the campaign against the
Larg.
Reports had
arrived on his desk containing the information that the Largan had
indeed, as Susyc Julia had warned, split the kohorts up into two
parts. There was a large force running up the eastern edge of the
kingdom and a smaller one running north along the western
borders.
He was not
aware of the Largan’s army to the south.
The Lord
Marshall had given internal security over to one Baron-Captain, an
officer of twenty-eight years military experience. He would take
charge of the Citadel and the safety of the royal family when the
regiments marched out. Alan Henot was, in Peter Duchesne’s opinion,
a solid and dependable officer, if perhaps overage for his rank. He
had little imagination but he was trustworthy.
“The latest
intelligence reports all agree that the kohorts have split in two.
The larger half, the much larger half, is beginning its run north
to Duchesne.”
“The other
half?” enquired the Duke of North Baker.
“Intelligence
indicates they are running north along the western side of the
river.”
“Any ideas as
to where they intend to cross?”
“The river is
deep and fast-flowing up as far as the Brentwood border. They are
unlikely to attempt a crossing until they reach at least the first
of the three fords.”
“I feel in my
bones that your Duchy is safe for the moment,” said Crown-Prince
Paul. “It is my uncle, the Prince-Duke Robert’s levies that will
face the might of the Largan’s western army in Brentwood.”
“In that case,”
said William of North Baker, turning to face the Lord Marshall, “I
can give you say, two companies of foot and one of horse. My
northerly borders abut Brentwood and it’s in my interest to stop
them.”
Peter Duchesne
continued with his briefing. “I will lead the Regiments into
Brentwood. Susyc Julia, who commands the Armies of the North is
sure that the Larg in the west intend to drive east, across
Brentwood and Gardiner to join up with the kohorts who will attack
Duchesne and Graham. The Largan is being very clever here. He has
made us split our forces.”
“Will Graham
and Duchesne be able to hold them without the help of the
Regiments?” asked Duke William.
“No, but they
are expecting help, a lot of help.”
“Where from?”
asked Prince-Duke
“I do. He has
no need to lie. It’s in his interest to have humans on the
continent as a buffer between him and the northern continent.”
“What’s
changed?” asked the Duke of van Buren. “You absolutely sure it is
just the northerly lands he wants, nothing else?”
“Help in times
of famine,” Xavier replied with a smile, “no more. In such times he
has asked for a tithe of meat herds. I have agreed.”
“Only in such
times?” pressed David Smith, “not a yearly tribute?”
“Correct. Now will you agree?” Xavier was growing impatient. “Time is
getting on and we have preparations to make.”
“Agreed,” said
Raoul van Buren. The other two added their agreement although David
Smith still looked doubtful.
“Good. Now you
must call in your levies.”
“In three days
then?” said Pierre Cocteau.
“In three
days,” confirmed Xavier. “I have spoken to Henot. The man is
ambitious.”
“What have you
promised him? A Generalship?”
“I have,” lied
Xavier in a smooth voice. He had promised the man more, the
elevation to Ducal rank in the vacant Duchy of Sahara no less but
he saw no need to impart this information to the three rebel
dukes.
Xavier had no
intention of carrying out his promise to Baron-Captain Henot. Once
the Baron had performed his assigned task Xavier planned to dispose
of his services - permanently. He had already instructed a group of
his closest retainers to deal with the Baron’s family.
* * * * *
The Lord
Marshall, the Crown-Prince and the Prince-Duk e
The Lord
Marshall of Murdoch, Count Peter Duchesne was unaware of Xavier’s
plans, so involved was he with organising the campaign against the
Larg.
Reports had
arrived on his desk containing the information that the Largan had
indeed, as Susyc Julia had warned, split the kohorts up into two
parts. There was a large force running up the eastern edge of the
kingdom and a smaller one running north along the western
borders.
He was not
aware of the Largan’s army to the south.
The Lord
Marshall had given internal security over to one Baron-Captain, an
officer of twenty-eight years military experience. He would take
charge of the Citadel and the safety of the royal family when the
regiments marched out. Alan Henot was, in Peter Duchesne’s opinion,
a solid and dependable officer, if perhaps overage for his rank. He
had little imagination but he was trustworthy.
“The latest
intelligence reports all agree that the kohorts have split in two.
The larger half, the much larger half, is beginning its run north
to Duchesne.”
“The other
half?” enquired the Duke of North Baker.
“Intelligence
indicates they are running north along the western side of the
river.”
“Any ideas as
to where they intend to cross?”
“The river is
deep and fast-flowing up as far as the Brentwood border. They are
unlikely to attempt a crossing until they reach at least the first
of the three fords.”
“I feel in my
bones that your Duchy is safe for the moment,” said Crown-Prince
Paul. “It is my uncle, the Prince-Duke Robert’s levies that will
face the might of the Largan’s western army in Brentwood.”
“In that case,”
said William of North Baker, turning to face the Lord Marshall, “I
can give you say, two companies of foot and one of horse. My
northerly borders abut Brentwood and it’s in my interest to stop
them.”
Peter Duchesne
continued with his briefing. “I will lead the Regiments into
Brentwood. Susyc Julia, who commands the Armies of the North is
sure that the Larg in the west intend to drive east, across
Brentwood and Gardiner to join up with the kohorts who will attack
Duchesne and Graham. The Largan is being very clever here. He has
made us split our forces.”
“Will Graham
and Duchesne be able to hold them without the help of the
Regiments?” asked Duke William.
“No, but they
are expecting help, a lot of help.”
“Where from?”
asked Prince-Duke
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