The Storm's Own Son (Book 2) (9 page)

Talaos thought that complex emotions were playing out, under the steely professional faces of the five generals. Kurvan, on the other hand, beamed at Talaos like a proud father.
Tescani's face was pure cold calculation, like a mask made of iron gears.

He approached the table of the commanders. In the center of the half-ring a circle of decorative geometric tiled floor radiated lines out to the approximate spot of each of the fifteen seats. It looked like the sort of place he'd be expected to stand, but he didn't, stopping instead just ahead of the last row of seats. He saluted, and the commanders returned it.

Sanctari, who seemed the most at peace of the generals, spoke. "Tribune Talaos, you have the thanks of the entire army for taking the gatehouse and opening the city at so little cost. Outside of the works of magi, I doubt any of us here have ever seen anything like what you did yesterday. Many lives were saved, and thanks to you, we have intact walls to defend us.

"We do not, however, have an intact city. It is true that a city that falls by assault has every reason to fear the wrath of the victors, and no reason to expect mercy. However, our army was under orders, for many more reasons, to avoid a general sack.  We had expected to impose
harsh terms on Avrosa, and a tributary wartime council of our choosing, which might have included some of the existing Patricians. Now, however many of those choices are out of our hands. Other choices were made instead, by you, for reasons that we now need to understand."

Talaos surveyed them coolly. Feet slightly apart, he stood at ease. "Did any of you see the smoke rising from the city, constantly, those days before the attack?" he said.

If possible, the expressions on the faces of several of the generals became more complex, thought Talaos. He'd asked an obvious question with only one answer, like asking if they knew there was a thing called the sun, and they quite naturally seemed to be watching for a trap.

Narrowed eyes and a few nods passed around the circle.

"All of you now know where that smoke was coming from. Do you care?"

Nissas spoke, "How Avrosa was governing itself was hardly your concern, Tribune."

Talaos smiled, "Perhaps you have more expertise than I in the laws of Avrosa, but Hunyos and the Republic both use laws based on the code of the old Empire, and almost anyone on the street in either country could answer that there is nothing in there about burning people alive, or handing them over to some unelected philosophical cult."

Uncomfortable looks passed among the generals. Nissas seemed undeterred. "How does any of that grant you, Talaos, the authority to make decisions about that, in battle or..."

Then, to the surprise of Nissas and, Talaos thought, most in the room, General Dromno stood up and interrupted. The simply-dressed general's gruff, earthy voice was thick with sudden emotion, "The Imperial laws were wrong, boy! False laws made by sinful men. People in Avrosa chose higher laws, and it was our job, even as the conquerors, to let them stand by what was right. The House of the..."

Talaos interrupted him in turn, "Leaving aside the very large question of how many of the people of Avrosa actually made or supported that choice, what choice did the people on the pyre have?  Or the prisoners I found in the House of the Prophet? I had a physician of Avrosa look at them last night, and you have the copy of his notes in the report I dispatched at dawn. It is possible some of you have not taken the time to read it..."

Talaos was vaguely aware of Adriko putting his head in his hands.

"...but what crimes, exactly, could a seven year old girl commit that would merit being burned alive?"

Adriko sat back up, with an expression as if stuck with a dagger. There were surprised looks on the faces of nearly every man among the allied officers.

Kurvan stood up, and turned to his fellow commanders. "Hear that, my lads? I didn't read that thing, but that's the sort of news I was already expecting. Now, Nissas here did read it.
And Aro. You too Sanctari. How long are we going to keep this show up before we vote?"

Nissas, still standing, turned to Kurvan, his voice now rising with visible temper, "Again, who the hell told Talaos he could slaughter the entire council based on his moral sensitivities! Are we going to...
"

"Those Councilors were still armed and giving their men orders!" growled Kurvan.

"And you know very well he should have asked for their surrender," snapped  Nissas, "that is what comes of promoting some boy to tribune because he's good at fighting!"

Kurvan made a tremendous growling laugh, "Good at fighting, and at winning battles, and at having whatever crazy storm magic he's got in his blood! The men would follow him into the hells right now, and you all know it!"

Sanctari stood up, and raised his right hand for silence.

After a moment or two, the room quieted.

The senior general spoke, "All of you sitting at the audience seats may leave now."

The room quickly cleared. Adriko shot Talaos an encouraging smile and nod as he left.

When they were all gone, Sanctari spoke again, "We are here to decide whether we consider Tribune Talaos innocent, or guilty of violating his orders, and he has the right to be present at the vote..."

"Innocent!" boomed Kurvan.

Sanctari paused, then continued, "Talaos, as you are a free mercenary, the consequences of guilt are very specific. You are not a citizen in military service to a city or town, or bound by fealty to what we in Hunyos call an acclaimed warlord. Therefore, you would not be subject to any of their particular punishments that might await you.

"However, you would be cast out of this army, and because of our situation, out of the city and all the countryside within our reach. I would hope, for the sake of the many soldier's lives that could be spared, that you wouldn't choose to fight, if pronounced guilty."

Talaos made no answer.

"Now commanders, we will begin," announced Sanctari. "Warlord Kurvan has already cast his vote. By the old laws, you are asked, but not required, to explain your vote. We will proceed from my left to right, and I will vote last."

"Innocent," said Warlord Tescani, without elaboration or change of expression.

General Pelias,
resplendent in his golden breastplate, gave Talaos what seemed to be a sympathetic look. Then he spoke in unconcerned, almost lofty tones, "Talaos, what you can do is very impressive. It is. And as for the councilors of Avrosa, or the Prophet's people, well, war is war. That being said,  you went far, dangerously far, past your orders, and we need to keep discipline together. Particularly now. Your willfulness could be very costly. So therefore, guilty."

Nissas glared, "I've already given my reasons. Guilty."

General Aro gave Talaos an appraising look. His red cloak was thrown back and he held Talaos's report in his hands, when he spoke, his voice was sharp, clear, and decisive. "Tribune, I don't think your orders were so precise as to preclude what you did. And, Talaos, after reading this, I support what you did, strongly. Innocent."

General Dromno looked at his fellow commanders with seeming disbelief, then at Talaos, "You killed patricians doing their duty, boy. You burned down a sacred place of peace. Some people say you called all that lightning at the plaza.
Called it with magic in your blood. If that's true, then your very soul is in danger for your sins. May you burn for it someday. Guilty!"

Several of the others glanced at Dromno with what appeared to be consciously suppressed dismay. Three and three thus far, he thought. If Sanctari had been playing him for a fool, he would find out now.

Sanctari waited for them to settle down, then spoke. "Tribune Talaos, I think you likely violated the spirit of the orders for our army, but their letter was vague enough to debate. This is a city we took by assault, and far worse things have been done under such circumstances. I think, for the sake of our own cohesion and survival, we should avoid further debate on the moral merits, as separate from orders, of your actions around the House of the Prophet."

Dromno looked as if he intended to rise and say something, but Sanctari quieted him with a raised hand,
then continued.

"Tribune Talaos," the old general pronounced, "I believe you innocent."

8. Insights

Up on the wall, the wind was fresh. Talaos and Adriko walked along southward, surveying the situation on either side. Behind them rose the great mass of the gatehouse keep, and it was being extensively cleaned and repaired. To the west, on their right, was the former camp. To the east, and their left, was Avrosa. Hard work went on everywhere.

"Giorvan's got almost everything from the camp cleaned up and inside," said Adriko lightly, looking inland as they walked. "At least what could be
found. It was quite the mess after your friends the wind and rain got done with things."

"I tried to tell them to calm down," answered Talaos, "but they didn't listen."

Adriko looked his way with a skeptical expression. "I highly doubt getting them to calm down was among your priorities. Still, if you'd asked them, I have a strange feeling they might have listened."

Talaos laughed, but did not argue.

They walked on a bit, through the open doors of a tower and out the other side. Talaos looked east, at the city and the sparkling blue sea beyond. Avrosa was shaped roughly like a half circle, with the flat side facing the sea. From that half circle curved and extended a thin, rocky spit of land enclosing the harbor.

The harbor district, much damaged by the storm, ran along the length of the shore. The civic area, with huge monolithic buildings, plazas, and parks, was set a few blocks back, but still close enough to the center to look a bit like a hub to half a wagon wheel - with the walls as the rim and large radiating avenues as spokes.

In neighborhoods near the center were the little walled and towered fortresses of the wealthy. Talaos found them a strange touch. The suspicion represented by the design of those homes made him think of Cratus, and conjured the image of a city of rival gangs.

"I turned my prisoners over to Sanctari," said Talaos, "The Hunyos and
Eastlander merchants and captains. He and the commanders had another vote, and went with keeping them, and commandeering their ships. Then they hired the captains from the Southlands and the Seven Realms. The actual Avrosan navy ships were in bad shape, but they're repairing them."

"I bet Dromno wasn't among the yes votes regarding the
Eastlanders," smiled Adriko. "Still, that's good. It gives us a little navy of our own, just when we'll need it."

Talaos considered that,
then asked, "Any news on the main fleet?"

"Nothing.
No new ships have arrived, I'm sure you know. The enemy army seems to have our scouts blocked off now, except for the long way through the back country, and we won't know what those report until it's too late to help us."

They were approaching another tower, and nearby, a place where stairs rose to the walls from inside. Further off to the left was a tall tower set back from the walls, but connected by a causeway with a drawbridge at the level of the battlements. It was visibly older and of a somewhat different style of construction than the towers along the walls.

"I have to wonder about their logic in Avrosa," said Adriko, "Instead of using something like that as their command headquarters, most cities in Hunyos have a fortified citadel. That tower is tall enough for good reconnaissance, but I'd think General Petani would have found it easier to coordinate their defense from the gatehouse. Well, until you got there. Then sudden death would've made it a bit more difficult for him."

"I've been talking to a certain group among the Avrosan leaders," replied Talaos.

"Have you now?" said Adriko, with an arched brow and wheels turning in his eyes.

"And," continued Talaos in a suddenly light, casual voice, "
they say that tower, the old tower, is built on the foundation of an even older one that stood in pre-Imperial times, when an ancient hero stood atop it defending the city from a pair of flying fire serpents."

"A pair of fire drakes!" laughed Adriko, "I'd think one was enough. That would've been a long time ago for any to be south of Dirion.  Anyway, you were really saying..."

"Ah, that..." added Talaos, drawing the moment out."They also say they'd been unhappy with the Prophet's people taking over their city. Unhappy enough they might have taken up arms, if the war hadn't started."

"How convenient for the Prophet that the war did start, then," replied
Adriko."Also, stop trying to use my own tricks on me."

A pair of soldiers from Megasi, patrolling the walls, saluted them and continued on. They returned the salutes without breaking their leisurely stride.

"Like finds like," answered Talaos with a casual smile. "I may not be the trickster you are, but you did once say I had nerves of steel and a mouth of sparks. I'd say both of them have brought some trouble our way lately, and we should talk about plans."

"Our way is it? I recall keeping my
own nose out of trouble," replied Adriko with a smirk.

"Not so out of it that planning wouldn't help,"
said Talaos.

Adriko looked around him
casually, and then replied, "That sounds like a great topic of conversation for somewhere else, more out of the way."

There were heavy footsteps coming up the stairs ahead of them. The footsteps were shortly matched to the wild black hair, craggy cliff-jawed face, and bearlike grin of Kurvan.

Talaos felt momentarily surprised, but only momentarily. They paused.

"Warlord Kurvan," said Adriko absently, "what a pleasant coincidence. I don't suppose you'd care to join us on our stroll in the sunshine?"

Kurvan gripped their arms in the military handshake."Adriko and Talaos! Surprised to see you up here.  Can't say I'd mind a walk. Maybe talk and catch up on things as we go."

Talaos watched the show the other two were putting on, but decided that instead of guessing their game, he'd do something else.

"Gentlemen, I think we'd have a fine view and a quiet spot on top of the old tower," he said, as they continued down the wall.

Now it was their turn to look momentarily surprised.

"There are usually sentries posted up there, you know, Talaos," said Adriko.

"Usually," he replied.

"Nervous, Adriko?" Said Kurvan with a laughing growl. "I think both you lads ought to remember how much rank we've got between the three of us."

"Oh, I remember," replied Talaos, watchfully.

They passed a few more soldiers from various allied cities and towns, on various tasks. Salutes were exchanged. Most of these gave Talaos the awestruck looks that had been common since the capture of the city.

The sun shined above, and they neared the causeway to the tower. The great iron-reinforced drawbridge was down. Two sentries at the far end of the causeway gave them sharp salutes. They were men from the league of
Mesion Hill, under General Aro's command. Beyond them was a decurion in a red cloak. He saluted them.

"At ease,
decurion," said Talaos, "We're touring the tower, with an eye for use when the enemy arrives."

"My apologies, sir," the man replied, "General Aro is reviewing the readiness of the tower as well. He asked not to be disturbed."

"I'm sure we can avoid getting in each other's way," said Talaos."I take full responsibility."

The soldier looked at the three high ranking officers before him, reflected, and saluted.

Talaos, Adriko, and Kurvan returned the salute, and entered the tower.

"How cheerful," said Adriko, eyeing the grimy stone walls of the central stairwell, covered in centuries of soot from torches, lanterns, and who knew what else.

About once each circuit of the spiraling stairs were even older stones, obviously weathered by time and carved with scenes of plumed warriors slaying enemies.  The plumed warriors were the same each time, but the enemies changed. The style was blocky. Talaos thought it slightly, though only slightly, resembled that of the giant figures atop the mountain.

At each circuit was a door. They were currently open, and revealed rooms with arrow slits, low tables
,  chests, and other accommodations typical of watch towers. The top covered floor was different. On one side, what Talaos recognized as astronomical equipment sat collected together. Some items were covered with thick dust, the rest with moldering, dusty tarps.

On the other side rested a large stone carven with a scene of a man atop a tower, hurling lightning from his open hands at two huge, flying serpents with fire coiling from their mouths.

"Relative of yours?" said Kurvan, looking at the man with the lightning.

"My younger brother, in fact," said Adriko. "Problem child..."

Kurvan growled amusedly. Talaos, however, ignored Adriko and walked closer to the carving. It was fully nine feet wide and three high. Traces of paint and gilt glinted on the stone, weathered with the passing of ages. The lightning stood out, as it looked to have been worked with inlaid silver.

Talaos took a close look at the man on the tower. He was clearly
portrayed  as tall, with broad shoulders and lean flanks. He had braided hair with scratched remnants of gilt in what looked to be an alloy of gold and silver, a silver band or circlet around his head, and instead of paint, two tiny, brilliant blue lapis stones for his eyes.

He stood back, and stared at the scene for a while.

Kurvan walked over and looked the picture up and down. He grew quiet and scratched his craggy chin. Adriko glanced at the scene again, then turned.

"Talaos, I hate to interrupt your moment with long lost family," said Adriko in his easiest manner, "But, didn't they say Aro should be around here somewhere?"

Without comment, Talaos turned and walked to the last flight of steps. The other two followed. They ascended and emerged in a little entry room at the base of a small stone watchtower with a narrow exterior stair to the top. Around the stone floor of the main tower was a weathered battlement, and at the battlement, General Aro stood facing northwest toward the road whence any army could come.

"Talaos," he said. Then he turned around and saw Adriko and Kurvan. His expression was surprised, but pleased. He stepped forward to greet them.

"I thought our conversation might be more interesting with more friends," replied Talaos.

"That it would," smiled the general.

"Well, well, "said Adriko, "Talaos, I'm glad to see you're a quick study."

"He needs to be," said Aro in his sharp voice, "and we all need to be alert."

Then Aro looked around at the others with intense seriousness, and added, "Reports are that the huge storm put the enemy army in a lot of disarray. I think we have a few more days. But, this is still a very bad time for things to start cracking."

"Dromno seems like he's already cracking," said Kurvan.

Aro nodded. Talaos grinned. Adriko made his cat's smile.

Adriko added, "Better that we're learning now, rather than when it would mean some surprise crazy decision from him, or daggers in our backs. No, make that chains and torches. We can thank Talaos for getting Dromno mad enough to take off the mask."

"I seem to have a knack for that," said Talaos.

Adriko mused thoughtfully, "Cracked or not, Dromno isn't alone. The Prophet's people, whether in Avrosa or the army, are going to be trouble sooner or later."

"They've already put in a request to rebuild the House of the Prophet," added Aro.

"Where does Sanctari stand on that?" asked Adriko.

"He's opposed, as is everyone but Dromno and Nissas," replied Aro, "At least, I assume you're opposed, Kurvan."

The warlord grinned,
then added, "The bigger problem here is that Nissas might want Talaos's blood enough to join with the crazies."

Aro nodded, "If he does, or helps Dromno and the Prophet for whatever other
reasons , it will probably cost us Avrosa and a lot of our lives. We need to work together to prevent it from happening. On the other hand, if they do, we'll need to be ready"

Then Aro turned to Talaos, "All this trouble revolves around you, Talaos. You're also key to our success with it, and helpful for the bigger problems coming down the coastal road."

"Which means," added Adriko thoughtfully, if sarcastically, "you need to live, and we'd all better hope you aren't going to be idle."

"I haven't been," replied Talaos. "I've been adding to my Wolves, and quietly seeing who else in the army might be helpful at the right time. My discussions with certain people here in Avrosa have included helping them finish their old arguments with the Prophet's followers."

Talaos thought that Adriko, who'd had some preface to that statement, looked only mildly surprised. Aro seemed as if he'd been talking generally about storms, and had just seen one looming over the horizon. Kurvan grinned his huge bear's grin.

"What was it you did, before you became a mercenary?" the big warlord growled.

"I'll save that for our way out," said Talaos with a wolfish smile, "but I think we have a lot to discuss first, and we should be clear. Are we in this together?"

Nods from all.
The four leaders gripped each other's right forearms in a ring.