Prisoner (46 page)

"Of course not," Essie snapped back, "but they can hardly train if they don't trust their teachers—and why should they? Kria has been our enemy for ages, especially the Scarlet. You're going too far, Matthias. I conceded on the point of Dieter, but the entire Scarlet? There could be traitors, soldiers out to settle a grudge! The ministers could declare you unfit without even trying, and your father will probably help them!"

Matthias frowned. "I know what I'm doing Essie, and I have enough people telling me otherwise; I don't need to hear it from you."

"Matthias!"

"Duchess!" Matthias said, and Essie stopped. "I've made my decision."

There was a long pause. "Yes, Highness," Essie finally bit out, then gathered her skirts and stormed from the room.

Matthias sighed. From a seat near a wide window, Iah offered a faint laugh. "If I were you, Matti, I'd check my bed every night for tacks."

"Tacks are the least of my concern at the moment," Matthias said glumly. "Now everyone leave me alone so I can get work done before I'm burned at the stake. Dieter, keep the terrorizing to a minimum for the day, or you might find tacks in your bed too."

"If I can handle Beraht," Dieter replied, "I can handle tacks." Nodding to Matthias, Dieter touched the fingertips of his right hand to the space over his heart before turning sharply around and stalking from the room, shadowed by Reinhard.

The rest of the room, save Beraht, gaped after him. "Bastard."

"Did he just salute you?" Sol asked in disbelief.

Matthias grinned. "Of course he did. Now let me get some work done." He bent to the papers on his desk, not looking up until the room was empty of all but Kalan, with whom he immediately fell into business.

*~*~*

Dieter walked into the training ground as though it belonged to him—which it more or less did. Especially now. He looked with satisfaction at the men filing it, all of them either drilling or barking orders. On the fringes were a few dozen Illussor soldiers, their expressions a mix of hate, distrust, respect—and even awe on those of a few less guarded. More had shown than he'd thought. He wasn't sure if he was relieved or disappointed that fighting hadn't broken out. The Illussor were holding fast to their reticence on learning to fight in the Krian style.

He had spent the better portion of his day yelling at men in Illussor and Krian, listened as his men did the same as they put the Illussor through various basic drills. Though he didn't really care what language he spoke, it felt strange to speak something other than Krian while drilling.

As he entered, the drilling immediately fell off as his men lined up and snapped sharp salutes, right fist touched to left shoulder before they stood tall and unmoving. "Scarlet, your actions commend you." A few grins ghosted briefly through the ranks. "Captains," he said to the three men at the fore of the ranks, "I'll expect your reports by sundown tomorrow. Reinhard, update me."

Briskly Reinhard began to relate all that had transpired since Dieter's departure of the Regenbogen, going into more detail than he had earlier. As soon as he finished, Dieter launched into what they would now be doing, and though confusion rippled back and forth across the men's faces, no one spoke. "Resume practice," Dieter finished.

"Will you be joining us, Lord General?" Reinhard asked then said in an undertone. "It would do much."

Dieter grunted. "Of course. See that as we go, an effort is made to draw in the Illussor." He motioned to the men watching with mixed emotion as the Scarlet took over their space. "The faster we can quell rumors as to your presence here, the less trouble we'll have later. I know at least twelve here can speak Illussor to some degree. See that they do so and teach it to the rest." His tone brooked no argument. Stepping into the middle of the cleared arena, he drew his sword and grinned at Reinhard. "Now come, old man."

Reinhard grimaced. "You shouldn't be throwing old men in the dirt, Lord General." He drew his sword, however, and brought it up just in time to block the blow Dieter swung, jarring his arms and sending Reinhard reeling briefly back. He recovered quickly and soon was doing reasonably well to stay up, even as Dieter was driving him back.

When Reinhard at last signaled defeat from where he had fallen to the ground, Dieter grinned and whirled, barking out a sharp "Next!" and immediately another soldier, dressed in a Scarlet tunic, attacked him. A half dozen soldiers came after that, and Dieter fought them all, distantly making note as Reinhard dispensed orders to his captains, and so on down the line. When he at last called a halt to his own participation and withdrew to the wall to observe, he was pleased to see that several Illussor had been draw in to circle too try—though not nearly enough.

However, progress was progress.

Reinhard appeared at his side. "If even a few men choose to remain here, as I imagine they will given the options left to them now in Kria, you will need a larger practice hall."

"Yes," Dieter said. "How far away are the Krian forces?"

"A week from the Regenbogen, Lord General. The weather could alter that either way. Worst case, they are three days from it, putting them at two weeks or so from here. The army moves slowly under the Kaiser's command. Your scouts report that Lord General Heilwig appears to be doing the bulk of the leading, and that she is even flourishing."

Dieter grunted, but said nothing. He watched the practicing soldiers. "How quickly can our sword smiths be ready to work? The Illussor weapons are not fit for children's games."

Reinhard agreed with a grimace. "Yes, they are enough to make a soldier cry. They await permission, but otherwise it will not take them more than a few hours."

"There is plenty of room behind the palace proper, if I recall correctly. I will speak with his Highness to be sure and send you word. Have them set up immediately once permission is obtained. If there are any problems, bring them to me or ask to speak with the Duke of Ferra. Keep them drilling and make sure the Illussor learn the Krian commands. It will be easier in the long run. Handle whatever problems crop up unless they are bad enough to require my presence."

"I think your men will be smart enough not to cause that much trouble, Lord General. The Illussor are a different matter, but your men won't misbehave—not where you might hear of it, anyway."

Dieter looked at the men on the wall. "I don't think they'll be much trouble, more's the pity. See how far a bit of provocation will get you, but don't let the men go too far. I'll expect a report first thing in the morning."

"Yes, Lord General." Reinhard made to salute, but was halted by Dieter's shaking head. He watched as Dieter saluted him in the Illussor manner, then nodded and mimicked the gesture, fingertips touched to the space over his heart. "So you truly are Illussor now?"

Dieter said nothing, merely turned to go. Reinhard's voice carried over the racket in the arena, calling all men to a halt. He then saluted Dieter again so that all could see. Immediate obedience that had been ruthlessly drilled in by the Wolf of Kria meant the Scarlet did not hesitate to perform the new salute. Around them, the Illussor soldiers rippled in surprise, and a few hesitantly followed suit. Dieter smiled briefly, pleased, and nodded to them all before he swept out.

He'd make real soldiers of them eventually, though he wondered how long things would go as peacefully as they had. Dieter looked up as his name was called and frowned as Kalan came bearing down on him. "Yes?"

"Want to go before the ministers?"

"No."

Kalan laughed. "Too bad. Matthias has requested your presence. The ministers are, I think, mere moments from stringing him up. Come glare at everyone until they do his bidding." Dieter looked at him and shrugged off the hand on his arm. "Perfect, that's exactly the glare we need." Grinning, Kalan turned and led the way to the Hall of Ministry.

Wordlessly Dieter followed, loosening his sword in its scabbard. The noise when he entered was deafening. Tits of the Winter Princess, he'd never known old men to be so noisome. It died off, however, when the ministers realized who had entered behind Kalan.

Dieter glared at them all. Matthias nodded at him in greeting. "Ah, General. Thank you for coming so quickly. Assure the good ministers that you and your Scarlet do not intend to murder us in our sleep."

"That would be the work of cowards," Dieter said in contempt. "If our plan had been to sneak our way inside under guise of truce, you would already be dead. Why go to such trouble when you have nothing we want? Illussor has nothing Kria does not already possess in greater quantities."

"Kria always wants more land."

Dieter looked at the man who had spoken, a spindly older man with gray hair and eyes dressed in blue and green. Eventually the gray eyes broke away. "If you are interested in what Kria wants, ask a politician. I'm merely a soldier; I do as I am told."

"Hardly a mere soldier, Wolf of Kria." A man of about fifty eyed Dieter thoughtfully and with a trace of respect. "Most men of your station are my age. Yet all in three countries know and fear your name. Prince Matthias has been careful to keep us from attacking you before now. I would know why we should believe that the Wolf of Kria has suddenly decided to become a Wolf for Illussor."

Dieter flicked a brief look at Matthias who merely shrugged. He turned back to the ministers who looked like a pack of small, hungry dogs. "Kaiser Benno never held my loyalty. I have opted to give it to Prince Matthias."

"Why?"

"That is my business, not yours."

The Head Minister, a man with wild brown-gray hair and wilder blue eyes, slammed his fist down on the table. "You will answer our questions, General! It is only because we have been indulgent that we have not demanded you be killed or locked away. His Highness might think he's the king, but he has a ways to go yet. If you do not satisfy our questions, then we will have you put down like the beast you are!"

Laughter rippled across the room, full of contemptuous amusement and punctuated by the hiss of steel sliding from leather. Dieter held the edge of his sword to Matthias' neck, ignoring the slight gasp of surprise that escaped the prince, too faint for any, but him to have heard it. He motioned with his free hand for the ministers to resume their seats. He saw Kalan from the corner of his eye, but did not have to motion for him to hold his place. "You speak so dismissively of him, yet if I were to kill him you would find yourselves in quite a quandary. Even if I were the villain you accuse me of being, there is nothing you can do about it. I can kill every man in this room with very little effort, and it would take a great many of your soldiers to kill me." He slid the sword away and sheathed it; there was not a single mark upon Matthias' skin.

"There is a saying in my country," Dieter continued slowly, "that a poor man has no choice, but to make the best of what he finds or is given." He eyed each minister in turn. "Until you obtain someone better, you have no choice, but to endure me lest you want your people to die." He turned, saluted the prince, and left.

Tits of the Winter Princess, he hated politics. The ministers here were as annoying as every slithering noble in Kria. Dieter stifled a sigh and ignored the mixed expressions of the people he passed in the hallway.

"General!"

Dieter grit his teeth and turned to face Kalan. "What now?"

"I need to convince you and Sol both to become ministers."

"Never."

Kalan only grinned. "Matthias reminded me your office is finally ready. Would you like to see it, since he's got you writing all those damnable reports now?"

Dieter frowned, momentarily surprised. "Yes."

"This way," Kalan said and motioned him down the hallway in the direction of Matthias' office. They continued past it for three more doors, and Kalan opened the fourth with a flourish. "The ministers were serious about Matthias' keeping everyone away from you—and Sol and Beraht, of course. He's been attempting to let you settle in, but if you're going to be our general—and we need one now that most of ours have refused to continue without magic—you'll have to join the thick of it, I'm afraid."

Dieter sneered at the mention of the flood of officers who had refused to remain in the army. They'd been joined by no small number of regular army which had only added to his frustration and exhaustion. However, he'd already begun making note of suitable replacements for the lost officers, and now he had the Scarlet to help him.

So Benno had intended for Dieter's own men to kill him before he had them all put to death. Interesting. Almost creative—at least for Benno—but the Kaiser was even more of a fool than Dieter had believed if he thought the Scarlet would side against their Lord General.

He looked around the office that was to be his. It had a massive desk, set out with all manner of tools and implements and rows of shelves specially made to hold carefully rolled maps. The walls were plain, which was good, and the floor was covered with deep red rugs, the color continuing in the chairs near the fireplace and smaller accents scattered across the room. Scarlet, it seemed, would follow him no matter what country he served. Dieter shook his head, briefly amused.

"The war room is there," Kalan said, pointing to a wide oak door on the far side of the room. "It connects to Matthias' office." He grinned. "I'm across the hall, should you need anything. I think Matthias wanted me close to hand, but not here, where I have almost instant access to his office." Dieter grunted, agreeing with the prince. "Everything you might need should be here, though I'm certain that your men can supply better maps."