The morning sky was gray when they arrived at the temple of Astikar. They were grateful to see four men standing guard at the temple doors. Lengwin met them in the yard and joined them on Lilly’s back as they headed out to the distant towns.
Lengwin was in a dour, melancholy mood, the wounds of the day before still fresh on his heart. They spoke little as they flew in search of the towns. The attack at the temple of Astikar set them back a day and proved the Father Abbot was moving rapidly. They spoke about it briefly and agreed that this was probably a response to Lengwin not replying to his orders. They didn't think the distant mad man knew Gersius was here, but that was only a matter of time. Lengwin suggested they make all efforts to be on the march as soon as possible.
Gersius agreed and drew attention to the fact that they were no longer safe. The longer they stayed in Avashire, the more they played into the Father Abbot’s hands.
Thayle brought up the question about how the Father Abbot moved so quickly. Lengwin added that it seemed impossible the Father Abbot could have realized Lewgwin was not responding and sent men to investigate. The distance they had to travel from Calathen would have them two weeks out still. Yet they were at his door perhaps a day after the messenger returned to Calathen empty-handed.
None of them could answer the question. Gersius pointed out that to lay such an elaborate trap in Whiteford meant the Father Abbot must have been there days before. The chains must have been in construction a week before that. Somehow the man was always two steps ahead and traveling great distances with ease.
That thought hung in their minds as they went about the days work under a gray sky. As they visited the small towns and communities, the rain began to fall. It was a gentle soaking rain that echoed the mood in their hearts. The speeches were far less grand, and the welcomes equally smaller. Everything seemed to have a dark cloud cast over it.
As before the local temples of Astikar and Ulustrah turned out to meet them. In some of the larger towns, the local lords approached once they saw it was safe. Gersius addressed them all and explained the coming conflict. He would take any man or woman who was willing to aid him in putting things right. It was hard to read many of the people's moods, but for the most part, they were warmly received. The local temples promised men and material to help the Dragon Knights as well as agreed not to raise arms against one another. Some of the lords offered aid in the form of men and material for the war effort. However, many of these wanted favors should Gersius become the Dragon Emperor.
In a small town the locals called Hobb the storm suddenly grew fierce. The rain came down in torrents on the gathered men and women who came out to meet them. Lilly impressed them all when she stretched out a wing and sheltered them from the rain. There on a rain-swept hill, the leaders of the town, and the churches met. Even a high priest of Vellis came out to speak with them.
They lingered there longer than they intended, not wanting to risk the rain. When the storm finally broke the local priests parted ways with kind words and promises of aid. The three climbed up on to Lilly’s soaked saddle and flew away.
“This is miserable work,” Thayle said her hair sticking flat to her face even in the wind of Lilly’s flight.
“Many times the work that needs doing is,” Gersius said.
Lilly turned her long neck to look back at them. “I never understood how you could go on so stoically,” she said. “Even when you had no reason to go on or hope of achieving your goal, you still went on.”
Gersius took a breath even as the rain beat his face and ran down his armor.
“I have always had a goal; only the steps to reach it have changed. When you have a goal of your heart, you focus on the destination, not the path. Whatever path you think will lead you there will almost certainly change, and many times not by your own choosing. Sometimes your path will change in ways you do not understand, but can be a great blessing to ease the rest of your journey.”
He squeezed Thayles waist in front of him and continued.
“The farther away your goal is, the easier it is to lose the path. When that happens, you have to remind yourself of where you want to be and walk straight ahead, trusting the path will present itself again.”
“And if the path doesn’t come back?” Lilly asked.
“Then you pick a new path. Remember the path will change; the destination always remains the same.”
“This is why I love you,” Thayle said, putting a hand over his around her waist.
“This is why Gersius is the only man who can take Calathen, unite the empire, and save the order of Astikar,” Lengwin said.
“Don't forget he has to rebuild the faith of Balisha,” Lilly added as she turned her back.
“You have quite a few destinations, Gersius,” Thayle said in a somber tone.
“They are all the same destination. Each one connects to the other. Once one of them falls, the others will fall with it. Besides, I have a great blessing in my life that many will overlook.”
“What blessing is that?” Thayle asked.
“I have two beautiful wives to share the journey with. Two women who are my equal in ability and determination. No matter how the path may twist, I know with you both at my side, we will reach the goal.”
“This is why I love him,” Lilly said.
“Why because he thinks we are his equal?” Thayle asked.
“No,” Lilly laughed. “Because he keeps calling us beautiful.”
“Flattery and dragons,” Thayle said, shaking her head with a laugh of her own.
They visited more towns as the rain made them wet and miserable. They pushed on just as Gersius said, and visited every town they could. When the work was done, they flew home for a well-deserved rest.
Lilly was unhappy to discover her enclosure was now a muddy puddle and had to change form in it.
Thayle helped her dress, and they quickly ran through the mud to the gate to get inside. There were a few more guards outside sent from some of the temples. Thankfully the rain kept the bulk of the people away, and though some came, they were easily managed and moved on.
After they changed, Gersius spent more time with Culver. He sat the man in the lower floor of the guest house and meditated with him. He encouraged him to let his mind relax and raise a feeling of joy in his heart as he tried to hold an image of his divine.
Culver was honestly trying but was never encouraged to develop his mind in the past. Try as he might, he found the process difficult. Gersius was pleased to learn the Priestess of Ulustrah that often acted as their guard overnight was also the one teaching him to write. She began that very morning and Culver could already identify some of the letters used in writing.
When he released Culver to his room, he turned to the woman who stood guard watching them the whole time.
The woman was a hair taller than Thayle with had dark hair that she wore in a tight whip down the back of her head. Her skin was a dark amber that matched her mysterious dark brown eyes. She never seemed to be out of armor or have her helmet off, and unlike a traditional priestess of her order, she favored a long spear as tall as she was for a weapon. She leaned on it as she stood to the side of the room.
“I want to thank you for helping him,” Gersius said.
“It is my pleasure to assist you and your wives,” the woman said in a firm voice.
“I never did get your name?” Gesius asked.
“I am Mingfe,” the woman said.
“Mingfe,” he repeated. “That is an unusual name. Where does it come from?”
“I come from the east, across the sands. In my culture, the fiercest of warriors all have the title ming. My mother was certain I would be a fierce warrior, so she called me Mingfe.”
“So what does fe mean?” he asked.
“It means woman in the old language.”
“So your name translates to a fierce woman?”
“It does,” she said in a firm voice.i
“Is this why you carry a spear?” he dared to ask.
“It is why I carry a spear and a qama,” she said, turning her waist to reveal the short, broad-bladed sword strapped to her waist. “A spear can be a cumbersome weapon in a narrow space such as this. I prefer to use it in the open.”
“A wise decision,” Gersius replied, admiring her understanding of the weapon's limitations.
“I would have preferred to be one of Astikars,” the woman suddenly volunteered.
“One of Astikars what?”
“One of his priests. I do not disfavor combat as the followers of Ulustrah do.”
“You would have preferred to follow a God who is more prone to conflict,” he said understanding.
“Yes, but your order does not accept women,” she said with a frown.
Gersius understood the woman's point of view. He honestly had no idea why his order did not accept women. It was said Astikar himself forbade it, but he didn't understand why.
“But you do love Ulustrah?” he asked.
“I will love Ulustrah so long as she does not demand I become some wife to a farmer or a soap merchant. I need to choose wisely as your wives have done. I need a man who fights.”
Gersius wanted to tell her she would be better off with the farmer, but again. He understood her point of view. She was a strong and committed warrior. She didn’t want to settle down to be a woman who sweeps floors and looks after the children.
“I do not believe Ulustrah orders her Priestesses to marry. She only encourages it.”
“Yes, but she discourages honorable combat. Pah! I respect her desire to bless the harvest and the heart, but I am born to fight.”
“Of course you are, your name in Mingfe,” Gersius said with a nod of his head.
“Of course,” she nodded back.
He left her to her post and went upstairs to find his wives brushing their hair.
“I am so glad to be out of the rain,” Thayle said as she worked.
“My hair didn’t get wet,” Lilly said with a smile.
“That’s because you don’t have any hair in your dragon form,” Gersius said with a smile as he arrived at the top step.
“There was a note on the bed from the cooks. They are concerned that we never eat,” Thayle said with a smile.
“You and Lilly have eaten enough bread in the past few days to feed this entire compound for a week,” Gersius retorted.
She smiled at him and flashed her eyes. “I am just enjoying my dragon gifts. I think they worry we are not eating proper food.”
“Proper food?” Lilly questioned as she sat down next to Thayle on the bed. “Let me do it,” she whispered to Thayle taking the brush from her hands to help her with her hair.
Gersius walked across the room and replied to her question. “We cannot eat whatever we want for as long as we want as dragons can. A human needs a wider range of foods to remain healthy. The cooks must be concerned about the amount of bread and cake you two are consuming.”
“Well they can stop worrying, Culver has thrown it all out,” Lilly said with a pout as she brushed Thayle.
“I will talk to them and explain the dragon gift with food and drink. But we should let them make a meal or two before we leave,” he suggested.
“How soon do we plan to leave?” Thayle asked.
“We are done visiting the nearest towns. The people from both temples that are going to go will assemble in the next two days in Avashire. There should be some volunteers from local militia and the town watches.”
“So two days to gather them up?” Thayle asked.
“Yes, and if my tents and wagons are ready, I intend to march in three or four days.”
“When did you sneak off to arrange tents?” Thayle asked.
“I did it two days ago after I sparred,” he said. “I rode into town with several of the brothers of Astikar and visited the tentmakers. They have an extensive operation here.”
“You wandered away from us and didn’t tell us?” Lilly asked. “What if something happened to you?”
“I had four priests of Astikar with me,” Gersius pointed out. “I was only trying to give you two some peace.”
“I don’t like the idea of you being away from me,” Lilly said. “What if you ran into the Raven Guard on their way to the temple?”
“I had men with me,” Gersius repeated. “If it helps soothe your mind I won’t go off again unless I have spoken to you first.”
Thayle could feel the tension in Lilly’s heart as she thought it over and decided to distract her.
“We need to select the acolytes tomorrow.” Thayle reminded her.
“We should talk about the battle in the temple and about what happened with your sisters in Ulustrah,” Gersius said.
Thayle looked up at him with questioning eyes as Lilly brushed.
“I am fine, I lost my temper is all,” Thayle said.
Gersius walked to her and knelt to hold her hands.
“I know we spoke this morning, but I feel you are still not settled.”
“What is she not settled about?” Lilly asked.
Thayle sighed and played with his hands. “I have never killed anyone before. I am upset that I had to kill that man in the temple.’
Lilly stopped her brushing and was silent a moment. “You never killed anyone before?”
Thayle shook her head. “I never want to kill again, and I am having trouble accepting that I will have to.”
“Is this why you felt so angry in the temple?” Lilly asked.
Thayle nodded gently. “I was upset about what I had done and upset that they questioned my faith in Ulustrah.”
Gersius rubbed her hands. “You killed a man, but the battle raged on. You did what you had to do and kept your wits. You saved Lengwin’s life by keeping a level head and realizing you could draw on Lilly’s strength. But then I heard you shouting in that cold dual voice at others. I was sure you were moments away from adding them to the bodies on the floor.”
“I'm sorry,” Thayle whispered. “I got so angry, and it just happened. I wasn't even trying to reach for Lilly's power. It just came to me.” She shook her head. “I don’t want to talk about this.”
“I am your husband, and Lilly is your wife. We are the only ones you can talk to about it.”
“I am not a soldier. I may be good with a sword, but I don't want to use it. I much prefer the staff and nonlethal combat.”
Gersius nodded his understanding. “Most of your order prefers the staff over the sword from what I have seen.”
“We train for both,” she said. “All members of the order know how to use the spiked staffs. But the military arm adds swords to the list. We don’t live in a perfect world, and we sometimes need to defend the sick, or the weak, or ourselves.”
He rubbed the tops of her hands with his thumbs. “Why do you feel so unsettled about this though? You rose up the ranks and earned a high commission. You should be proud regardless of your preferences.”
“I never did understand your title,” Lilly said. “What does it mean?”
She looked at him with trembling eyes. “I am the Governess commander of the third company. It means that I can call to my aid a force of warriors and lead them into combat.”
“So why is this a problem?” Lilly asked. “Isn’t that what we need?”
Thayle shook her head with embarrassment forcing Lilly to stop brushing again. “There is no third company. It has never been raised.”
“I don't understand?” Lilly said, looking down at Thayle.
“We don’t keep large standing military units like Astikar does. His order has what, fifteen active companies in peacetime?”
“Twenty-one,” Gersius corrected.
“We keep only two, the first and second. My company would only be raised if there was a dire need to field more soldiers, and it would be a very green company.”
Gersius thought about it a moment and rubbed her hands. “Your order is at war with Astikar, maybe the time for that has come,” he said to her soothingly.
She smiled briefly, “Where would I find troops to fill out a company Gersius? Our order maintains tiny temples with one to three priests or priestesses in each. Only in the larger cities do you find more but still not many more. Avashire has what, five priests?”
“I was surprised at how few there were,” he admitted. “But you have many acolytes, what happens to them?”
“Ulustrah does. I told you my order encourages its members to marry and have children. We also like to take women over men. Women tend to have a better heart for the tasks of love and nurturing. Men like Kilgian and Mavin are rare.”
“You lose that many to love and marriage?” he asked.
“Yes, they fall in love, they marry, they settle down and start families,” Thayle replied.
“But you are married, and you have not settled down,” Lilly added.
Thayle laughed. “I married a warrior and a dragon. Neither of you will settle down,” she said with a smile. “But if you did, I would settle down with you and leave the order.”
“Your heart would never leave Ulustrah,” Gersius said.
“No, it never would, but my duties as a priestess would be over. I would still pray to her and be able to call on her powers, but my role as a priestess would end.”
“Wait a minute!” Lilly demanded. “If you have children you will lose your place in your order?
Thayle looked up at her with watery eyes.
“No, Thayle!” Lilly said her voice going thin. “I saw what losing his place did to Gersius! I love you too much to see you do that!” She turned to Gersius who was looking up at her. “Tell her she has to stay in her order!”
“It isn’t my place to tell her that. This is her decision to make. She has greatly honored you with her choice.”
“No!” Lilly protested. “She never told me she would lose her place in her order. I don't want her to do this!”
“I have already made up my mind!” Thayle cried. “Don’t make me question it again!”
Lilly looked shattered, and Gersius decided to move the topic on.
“Do you want to activate your company?” he asked.
Thayle looked away and folded her arms. “I have no company. It is a meaningless title.”
“It isn't meaningless,” he said. “They honored your skill with the sword and your ability to follow orders. Not to mention, you did it without killing. They offered to raise a company to honor you. That alone makes your title valuable.”
She sniffed and looked down at her feel.
Gersius leaned over and put his forehead to hers. “Thayle, there is going to be a lot more killing in the future.”
“I will be fine. I didn't hesitate in the temple,” she said.
He knew she would do her duty, but he wondered what the cost to her soul would be.
“I want to start training you and Lilly tomorrow. I want to make sure you are as ready as you can be for the road ahead.”
“Of course,” she said, wiping her face.
“And we need to talk about raising your company.”
She sighed. “I am prepared to request my commission be activated. All we have to do is contact any of the primes and ask for their blessing.”
“So we can do that when we go into town tomorrow?” he said.
Thayle nodded silently.
Good, because your Captain is already standing by,” Gersius said as he stood up.
“My captain?” Thayle said, looking up at him. “Who?”
Gersius smiled and leaned in close, “Tomorrow, I will show you.”
The next morning the sun returned, and the air became heavy with humidity as the rain began to steam off.
Gersius took Lilly and Thayle to the back yard and began to show Lilly how to make the simple steps of the sword dance. He let her practice a little before switching her out with Thayle and taking a wooden practice sword to use against her.
They danced, causing the ring of wood on wood as Gersius pushed her to defend herself. The commotion drew the attention of many on the estate and a sour expression from Mingfe.
He corrected Thayle’s stance in a few of the moves and showed her how to get inside a sword strike to throw an opponent off guard. They clashed for nearly an hour until Thayle admitted she needed a rest.
“So what did you think?” he called up to the dark-skinned woman who still scowled from the doorway.
“You are teaching her to fight like a man,” she said.
“So?” he replied.
“She is not!” Mingfe said in a commanding tone.
The woman's sudden attitude stunned them all, and Gersius smiled in amusement.
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“Is there a better way to teach her?” he asked.
Mingfe walked down the steps and stuck her spear into the ground. She walked up to Thayle and bowed. “If it is permitted?”
“Of course,” Thayle said, handing the wooden sword to the woman.
Mingfe took a few practice swings and then rapidly went through a series of cuts and slices before entering the yard before Gersius.
“She must learn to use her flexibility to fight. You are teaching her to use her chest and her legs to press the attack. She is not a man. She cannot win by sheer strength.”
“Show me,” Gersius said.
They squared off, and Mingfe held the sword directly before her face splitting her eyes as she glared at him.
In an explosion of movement, Mingfe launched a series of rapid strikes that Gersius parried easily. He returned with a blow of his own, but the woman twisted away and quickly returned with three more. He had to step back to get enough room to recover his position and return to blocking.
She swung in rapid graceful strikes, none with any real power but all with speed and grace. They seemed evenly matched for a few moments, and several of the girls watching even began to cheer.
“You are full of surprises,” Gersius said as the woman spun around parrying his blade and landing a blow with her hand to the back of his head making him stagger Forward.
“You are not compensating for my speed,” she barked at him. “You are trusting in your guard.”
“Your fighting style is Ulodors dance,” he said with a smile. “It is easily exploited with Greggors technique.”
He whirled in, and suddenly it was Mingfe who was on the defensive. Gersius seemed to know where all her sword blows would land even before she began making them. With a sudden twist, he was inside her reach with his sword to her throat.
“As I said, easily exploited.”
“Pah! This sword is unbalanced, and I have not slept in a full day,” the woman said proudly.
“You have a better idea?” he asked.
She threw the sword down and walked to the nearby garden and grabbed hold of a long shaft of wood used for the climbing beans. She tore it out of the ground and gave it a few swings before smashing a tomato with the end to coat it in red.
“This is the point of my spear,” she said, indicating the red tip. “If I hit you with this, you are dead.”
Gersius smiled and nodded his head.
Mingfe stood before him, her body turned sideways, and her eyes focused on him. She exploded in motion again, letting her weapon lead the way. Gersius parried the attack, trying to get inside the much longer weapon's reach, but she danced her legs between his feet and then rolled away, toppling him in the process. He had to scramble to avoid the staff's point as she swung out at him in her roll.
He got up just in time to block a downward swing with a deafening crack of wood on wood. He quickly used the advantage of his strength, putting his legs and upper chest to work. He smiled as he pushed her back with great force. It was exactly what she wanted.
She bent over, and suddenly her staff came up under his arm and hooked him. With another twist of her body, she forced him to follow his momentum. He flew forward, his strength being used against him. With a crash, he landed on his back with Mingfe's spear at his throat.
“You are dead,” she said.
He looked over to see both Lilly and Thayle with looks of absolute shock on their faces.
“This is the woman I think should be your captain,” he said from the ground where she still pinned him.
Mingfe stepped back and looked at him.
“Captain of what?” she asked.
Gersius got off the ground and shook the dirt off his shirt. “We are going to petition Prime Arling to activate the third company of Ulustrahs battle priests. We need a captain.”
“You need a governess commander,” Mingfe said with a scowl. “You cannot form a company at a whim.”
Gersius turned to Thayle who was now smiling.
“I am Thayle of Ulustrah, Arch priestess, and Governess commander of the third company,” she said. “And I want you to be my captain.”
Mingfe looked from Thayle to Gersius and back to Thayle. “You are the commander of the third company?”
“I am,” Thayle said. “I was given the command but never officially raised the company.”
Mingfe looked intently at her as if she was thinking intently. “So you have petitioned the primes to raise the company then?”
Thayle shook her head. “We are going into town to make a formal petition. I will have the scryer relay my request to Prime Arlin in Eastgate. I am sure he will give me his blessing. I want you to be my captain.”
“You have no soldiers,” Mingfe said, turning about to look at the women all around the yard. “These are all girls.”
Thayle nodded. “They need somebody who knows how to toughen them up and train them. I am sure you and I can make them ready.”
“I will train them to fight with spears. I will not lead women who fight with sticks.”
Thayle nodded, “You can train them how you wish if you accept.”
Mingfe threw down her garden pole and replied, “I accept.”
“Then we will begin when we get back from Avashire,” Thayle said.
Mingfe nodded and pulled her proper spear from the ground before going back to the house.
Gersius smiled as he walked up to his wives. “There are a lot of dangerous women in this world.”
“You could have told me who she was. You didn't need to fight her,” Thayle scolded.
“I wanted to make sure she was a fighter. Some people know how to sound strong, but when the test comes, they crumble. Besides people will talk about this, it will help establish her as a captain.”
“Yes but a captain of what?” Thayle said. “Even if Prime Arlin gives me his blessing, there is no third company.”
“There are many priests and priestesses of Ulustrah who are going with us. They will form the beginnings of the third company. She will command them until it gets too large and then we will pick an additional captain, you will have overall command of all the units.”
“We really are marching to war then?” Thayle said.
“We really are,” he assured her.
He hugged her and took off his shirt to see it was covered in dirt. Thayle smiled at the wall of muscle and scars and glanced over at Lilly, who smiled back.
“I know what you both are thinking, remember?” he said as he wadded up his shirt. “I am going upstairs to change. Then we need to go to town and check on our tents. Bring Culver; we need to see about getting him some proper clothes.”
He walked into the building, leaving them alone to laugh at the thoughts they were having.
“He looks good with no shirt on,” Lilly teased.
“He looks good with no clothes on,” Thayle added.
“Excuse me misses,” came a young voice.
Thayle and Lilly turned to see a young acolyte with wavy blond hair and big green eyes.
“What is it, child?” Thayle asked the girl.
“Do you think he would take another?’ the woman asked, struggling to hold her gaze.
“Take another what?” Lilly asked.
“Another wife. Seeing as you two are his wives, I thought maybe you could ask him for me.”
Thayle and Lilly exchanged glances of shock and looked down at the girl again.
“Child how old are you?” Thayle barked, putting her hands on her hips.
“I have seen nineteen summers, miss,” the woman said, holding her head up proudly.
“You're Nineteen, and you want to know if you can marry into our relationship? You're hardly old enough to be out of our mothers reach,” Thayle scolded.
“I may not be as old as you,” the woman said indignantly causing Thayle to huff, “But I can’t much younger than her,” she added, pointing to Lilly.
Lilly looked down at the girl and curled her hands into fists. “Just how old do you think I am?” she demanded to know.
“You must be twenty, twenty one maybe,” The girl replied.
Thayle burst out laughing and had to steady herself with a hand on the wall of the building.
The girl looked at Thayle at a loss for words then looked at Lilly, who shook with anger.
“I am five hundred and seventeen years old!” Lilly yelled. “I am old enough to have eaten your great great grandmother!”
The girl paled at the remarks and stepped back.
“You stay away from our husband, little rodent, or I will end your family line with you!” Lilly bellowed, sending the girl running.
Thayle began to cry as she laughed and feeling Lilly’s rage over the bind only made it funnier.
Gersius wasn't sure what to think as they walked to town. Thayle snickered every time she looked at Lilly, and Lilly looked like she was ready to kill the next person who spoke to her. She kicked a stone in the road and muttered to herself.
Thayle wore her green and gold armor, while Lilly wore her old farm dress. He wore the armor of Astikar Lengwin had given him, freshly cleaned and polished. He hoped they could blend into the city crowds with little notice. Something Thayle assured him would be impossible with Lilly’s hair color. Culver trailed behind in his rags, a situation that Gersius wanted to rectify. The man didn’t even have proper shoes and the leather rags that wrapped his feet needed to be replaced.
They were escorted by Mingfe and two of the priests of Astikar. She insisted on accompanying them and demanded that two of the priests come with. They looked more like a military procession, or perhaps a noble lady and her bodyguard if temple priests ever guarded Nobel ladies. She walked directly behind them with the priests of Astikar directly behind her holding their shields up and marching in perfect sync.
Lilly kicked another stone and muttered the word rodent to a round of renewed snickering from Thayle.
“So do you two want to tell me what is going on?” he asked, unsure if he really wanted to know.
“No!” Lilly roared, causing a renewed bought of laughter from Thayle.
He shook his head and let it go as they approached the city wall. The guards at the gate made no effort to stop them. Instead, they stood tall and saluted as the group entered the town.
“So where is this tentmaker?” Thayle asked as they tried to walk down the streets without attracting any notice.
“They are on the other side of the city outside the wall near the Astikar temple,” Gersius replied.
“Can we go to the bakers again?” Lilly asked her anger, finally starting to subside.
“You two can go do that. I do not need you for the tents. I will take Culver and meet you at the market,” he suggested.
“No!” Mingfe barked. “You will stay together.”
“We are perfectly capable of handling ourselves,” Thayle said to the woman who now glowered at them.
“You are marked targets, and they may know you are here. To split up would be foolish,” Mingfe said bluntly.
“Well she certainly isn’t shy about her opinions,” Thayle said.
“She is right though,” Gersius said. “We may need to consider personal security. If they know we are here. You can bet they will be coming for us.”
“You stay together!” Mingfe demanded.
“Let us go the bakers first then, they are nearby,” he said to Lilly’s delight.
Lilly and Thayle purchased a basket of cakes and bread to share between them. They also bought a couple of cakes for Culver who thanked them profusely. They followed Gersius across the city to the far wall, and out another gate to more salutes. Then they went to a large walled building where great piles of poles, ropes, and colored fabrics littered the yard.
He led them into a building that looked like an old barn that was being reused. Inside were a dozen people working at long tables. Some were sewing the colored fabrics. Some were shaving thick branches to make poles. In one corner were two huge tubs. A man standing on a platform was stirring something in the murky water below with a pole.
“Master Gersius!” came a Jovial call. A short man with a bald head, bushy red beard, and a well-oiled mustache approached with a beaming smile. He wore a red coat with brass buttons over a white shirt. It made Gersius think of Astikar to see the colors together. With this, he had red and white striped pants. He was a large man with a protruding stomach but a kind and almost childlike manner.
“Come to see the progress I assume!” the man boomed as he practically bounced over to them.
“We were wondering how much longer on the tents?” Gersius asked.
“I had to hire more people on to speed things along, but come, come, I want to show you,” the man said waving them to follow him as he went out a large door into a back yard.
“Well, what do you think?” the man said, beaming a smile.
There behind the building stood twelve round tents striped white and sky blue. They were round with a peaked top and tongues that hung over the side of the lower frame. Each one looked to be about double the space Culver had, and each one was finished off with a flag that was black as Thayles hair and featured a silver moon with a dragon head in it that flapped in the breeze.
They were standing in a perfectly straight row in the yard and looked impressive.
“You have all the smaller ones done already?” Gersius asked.
“All of them,” the man said. “We had much of the material you needed on hand. The bigger tent will take more time, however. The color blue you want is hard to make, and you need a lot of it.”
“They look amazing,” Thayle said.
Lilly walked over to the closest tent and looked inside the opening. The space was empty except for the pole in the middle and nine more that held up the walls. Each one had ropes that ran from the posts to pegs hammered into the ground.
“What do you think?” Gersius asked as he joined her.
“They are very pretty. I really like the colors,” she said, looking into his eyes.
“I wanted to pick a color that suited you,” he told her.
“You did very well,” she said with a smile.
“Master Gaines, how long on the big one?” Gersius asked.
“Should be done by nightfall tomorrow,” he replied with a smile.
“Good, now all we need are the wagons.”
“Oh, those are already here,” The jovial man replied. “Those right there are yours,” he said, pointing to three large wagons with massive wooden wheels.
“These are mine?” Gersius said to the man.
“Ah yes, delivered them this morning. Some merchant ordered five but canceled, so the cart maker gave you the ones he had done already.”
“Well that’s a stroke of luck,” Thayle said.
“Yes, let's hope luck is something we don't need much more of,” Gersius replied as he inspected the wagons. They were large with wide beds with a shallow wooden wall all the way around. The fronts had a simple bench seat and double poles to hitch horses. Each wagon had one additional wheel stored on the side. All of the wood was bright and sandy colored having been freshly cut and sanded.
“What was your plan for horses?” Thayle asked.
“Lengwin is taking care of that. They have stables with some horses. He is giving us all of them.”
“Yumm, horses,” Lilly said, biting her lip and drawing a concerned look from Master Gaines.
“You let her eat horses too?” Thayle asked with an accusing tone.
“She did that before I met her. I had nothing to do with it,” Gersius replied.
Gersius turned back to Master Gaines. “Will you pack them on the wagons then when they are ready?”
“Oh yes, we will make sure they are all tucked away nice and neat.”
“And the extra supplies? I want poles, ropes.”
“Yes, yes, I will make sure you have everything you need, and some needle and thread to mend the torn walls.”
“This is a good start to the day,” Gersius said nodding before asking another question. “What about the green ones?”
“We are making those now. The gold work is a little slow, but we will have them ready for tomorrow as well.”
“Green ones?” Lilly asked.
“Those are for Thayle. I ordered two large tents and one smaller one.”
Thayle turned to look at him, “What for?”
“One to house the men, one the women, and the smaller one to be a private quarter for your captain,” he said, giving Mingfe a wink.
Gersius turned to Master Gaines and continued. “The bedrolls and cots should arrive today as well, as will the kitchen supplies. Please put them all in one cart.”
“Don’t you worry. We have packed many a cart for the merchants and militia. It will all be ready as you want it,” the man replied.
“So, where do we sleep then?” Lilly asked.
Gersius smiled and took her hand. “We sleep under your wing while you protect us at night.”
Lilly blushed a little and smiled. “I would protect you ever night if you wanted.”
“I know, but we have a partition in the big tent. We will sleep in the room behind the partition and the larger space will be for training and ceremony, and probably meetings and meals.”
“So we will have a bed then?” she asked.
“Do you honestly believe I would spend the next few months with two beautiful women and no bed?”
“Pah!” Mingfe said with a snort.
They left the tentmakers and visited a bladesmith where Gersius browsed the wares on the walls.
“Mingfe, what do you want for your troops?” he asked her.
She walked up and put her spear down on the counter, then drew her short wide-bladed sword. She added it to the spear and pointed to them both.
“I want these, enough for sixty,” she demanded.
The man behind the counter examined the spear.
“We have maybe fifty spears like this now, but this sword is unusual for this part of the world. We don't have a single one like it. They would have to be crafted,” the man said, holding the weapon up.
“How long,” Gersius asked.
“For sixty blades? A month at least, maybe two,” the man replied.
“Too long, we need to be on the road in the next few days,” he said more to himself than the man behind the counter.
“I am sorry sir, it takes time to craft a proper blade,” the smith said.
Gersius began to wonder how to keep his schedule when one of the priests of Astikar spoke up.
“Sir,” the priest said, stepping forward. “We have such blades in our armory,” He handed his spear to his brother and then reached to his side and drew a very similar sword. It was perhaps an inch longer and had a chiseled tip. Gersius remembered the blades from training. They were favored weapons for shield formations. Suitable for close combat, but not widely used in the order.
“You have more of these blades?” Gersius asked the man.
“Yes, sir. Many years ago we launched several campaigns into the wilds to push back a troll infestation. We had an entire legion stationed outside the city, and much of that equipment is still here. There are dozens of spears as well.”
“I am sure Lengwin would let you use some it,” Thayle said.
“We need weapons, we will visit the armory at the temple, but first.” He turned to the man behind the counter. “I will take fifty of those spears if you have them.”
“Very good, sir,” the man said and busied himself and several of his assistants with gathering them up.
Gersius arranged to have them delivered to the tent maker to be packed on the wagons.
“If could get fifty more we would be in good shape,” he said.
“Why fifty more?” Lilly asked.
“Weapons break, spears in particular. I want to be sure I can keep the soldiers fully equipped. I will not lose a war because I lacked a spear.”
“You are a wise commander,” Mingfe said with a bow of her head.
The weapons were bundled, and men sent to carry them to the tentmakers. They stopped in several other shops to buy various supplies. All of it was sent to the wagons at the tentmakers.
At last, they arrived at a street where several tailors and dressmakers had shops.
“Culver, come with me. It is time we did something about those rags you wear.”
He took them into a shop where a man and two women quickly greeted them, and Gersius explained what he wanted. He wanted a rich blue color, but the dye was rare and expensive. He opted for a more sensible approach. He settled on linen pants and shirts with one shirt dyed blue. To this, he added a simple gray robe with a black cord. He arranged to have an assortment of the shirts and pants made as well as skirts for the women. He ordered more than the man had in his shop, but the outfits were of such simple manufacture the man promised he could have them ready in two days.
They visited another shop and purchased a proper set of boots and a good belt.
As they walked down the street, Gersius began to talk to them.
“Each acolyte is to get two outfits and one robe,” he told Lilly and Thayle as they left. “If we have anybody who requires a special size I need to know right away, so we have time to get it made.”
“I will tell you as soon as we know,” Lilly replied.
“They will be required to care for and mend their own outfits while we are on the march. They will also work in the camp and help with meal preparation and the setup and break down of the tents.”
Thayle nodded,and smiled at his comments. Gersius was already thinking ahead, planning the move of men and material for the long march to Calathen.
“You need to make sure they understand the next six months or more of their lives may be the hardest their lives have ever been, do not just take them because they are strong in spirit, they need to be sturdy people who can work.”
“We understand Gersius, I have selected acolytes before, I will help Lilly make good choices,” Thayle said.
“I trust you both, and I know you will do well. But people sometimes promise to do things they are not capable of doing.”
“We will be careful,” Lilly said.
They marched to the temple of Astikar, and Gersius was pleasantly surprised. There were forty men in full armor, with the red sash of Astikar. Some were swordsmen some carried spears, and a few were good stout men with great two-handed swords that were as tall as they were.
As they approached the men all quickly snapped into lines and saluted with a “Hail the Dragon knights, hail the dragon!”
Gersius stopped and gave the assembled men an approving nod. “You do Astikar proud, and you are his finest men.”
He entered the building, and Lengwin was called. The man was still not himself not since the attack on the temple. Still, he was quick to agree to let them see the armory and look for the swords.
When they got inside the armory, they saw the soldier was correct. There were well over a hundred of the short wide blades.
“Will these do?” Gersius asked Mingfe.
“Yes, these will make do,” she said with a firm nod of her head.
“I want all of them,” Gersius said, turning to Lengwin. “And surplus shields and armor for a third of the men.
“If you think we will need it,” Lengwin replied.
“You have more men than I expected. I want to make sure I can keep them equipped. Spear shafts can be replaced on the road, but swords require a forge and hours of work. We do not have time.”
“I understand, I will have the men load them into our wagons. The horses you need are also ready.”
“Good, then we can be on the move soon,” Gersius replied.
Lengwin looked around as they stood in the armory. “I have to admit to you, Gersius, the thought of marching on Calathen and spilling our orders blood sickens me.”
Gersius understood, and put a hand to Lengwin's shoulder to steady him.
“This is why you need to be Father Abbot, because it should sicken you. It shows you do not care for blood, and you do not like to send men to their deaths. You must do what you must do, but you don't have to like doing it.”
“Sometimes I think you should be Father Abbot,” Lengwin said.
“You know the law. A battle priest cannot hold a position of the high clergy. There must be no blood on his hands, and mine run with rivers of it.”
“I know, but in the days ahead it will be men like you who make the difference, not men like me.”
“You will make your difference when the order needs to heal and recover. You will restore its glory and rebuild its power. I will fight the battle to open the door for you, but you will do the real work.”
They parted ways and left the temple to another round of salutes and hails.
They walked across the city again and this time visited the temple of Ulustrah. Here it was a different story. Less than twenty priests and priestesses were gathered in the yard. They gathered into a clump to one side, and not a single person greeted them. They watched in silence as Gersius and his wives went into the temple.
“Well, I am disappointed,” Thayle said as they entered the main hall.
“I will beat those fools into a company worthy of you,” Mingfe growled.
The hall was deserted except for Mavin who immediately moved to greet them.
“Welcome, my friends. Ulustrah's love on you all,” he said with a broad smile.
“Ulustrah will need to do better than Love when I am through with those fools in the yard,” Mingfe barked.
“I beg your pardon?” Mavin said, looking to Gersius for help.
“Grand Priestess Thayle wishes to use your temple scryer to send a message to the Eastgate temple,” Gersius said firmly.
He didn't react right away then blinked and responded. “Yes, of course, I will fetch Jaylis right away.”
He ran off, leaving them alone in the hall for a moment.
“I am disappointed in how our priests look. They behaved like a crowd of peasants,” Thayle said.
“Your order is not a military order,” Gersius said. “You cannot expect them to behave like the priests of Astikar.”
“Still, to see the discipline of those men. They snapped into formation without anyone giving them a single command, and acknowledged us like they rehearsed it,” Thayle said. “Then we come here, and we are looked at like we are just some farmers coming in for a blessing.”
“I will fix them,” Mingfe said her eye's full of contempt.
Mavin returned with a man that was slightly shorter than Gersius and impossibly thin. He had a bald head and deep-set eyes. He wore the typical robes of green of the order but on his chest was woven a golden eye. In his arms was a silver bowl that he clutched to his chest.
“This is scryer Jaylis. He will relay your message to the temple,” Mavin said.
The man bent low in a bow. “How may I be of service to you?” he said in a clear but soft voice.
Gersius looked at Thayle as she took a deep breath.
“I need you to relay a message to Prime Arlin in Eastgate.
Jaylin's mouth fell open, and he looked to Mavin for direction as if he was confused.
“I do not need Mavin’s permission to send a message,” Thayle snapped at the man.
“Yes, of course, Grand Priestess,” the man apologized. “It’s just that I have been forbidden to contact Eastgate.”
“You what?” Thayle asked.
Jaylis nodded. “High Priestess Rachel forbid me to make contact with Eastgate or any temple over the mountains without her express permission.”
“Why would she do that?” Thayle asked.
Jaylis sputtered to reply. “I do not know. The last contact I received was the message from Prime Arlin about your question.”
“You haven’t spoken to any other temple since then?” Thayle asked.
Jaylin shook his head.
“What if they are trying to make contact with us?” Thayle asked. “We could be in open war, and we would know nothing about it!”
“I am sorry, Grand Priestess but I have orders,” Jaylin apologized.
Thayle looked at Mavin, and the man squirmed. “She felt it was wise to avoid bad news. She said it would lead to panic.”
“Avoid bad news!” Thayle roared. “Our order could be burning while we sit here ignorant of it all! Her job is to the entire body of the order, not her one isolated temple!”
“I understand Grand Priestess,” Mavin said with an evident tremor in his voice.
Thayle sighed and turned back to Jaylin. “I am rescinding her order. I order you to make contact with Eastgate!”
Jaylin nodded and moved to the alter. He sat before it, placing the bowl in his lap. He poured a small ewer of water into the bowl and then stared down directly into it as he began to chant.
Thayle paced angrily as she watched him.
“What message did you want to send?” Jaylin asked.
Thayle stopped her pacing and took a breath. “I, Arch Priestess Thayle, do hereby formally request the activation and formation of the third company of Ulustrah to be deployed under my command for the battle of Calathen.”
“You mean to take us directly into open war?” Mavin gasped.
“We are already at war!” she shouted.
“This is not Ulustrahs way!” Mavin argued. “We don’t fight as the priests of Astikar do.”
“Maybe it’s time we learned how,” Thayle replied.
“Past time,” Mingfe growled.
“This is madness, Grand Priestess Thayle. To call up a formation like this has never been done before, we don’t even keep the two companies we have at full strength!”
“Priest Mavin, I do not need your permission or approval to do what needs to be done. I am putting my petition before the Prime. He will decide what is or isn't madness!”
Gersius and Lilly exchanged looks.
“Why are they arguing?” Lilly whispered.
“Ulustrah’s order preserves life, not takes it. They are about food and family, war and death are not her way,” Gersius replied.
“But they have two companies already.”
“It is a token force, more for parades and formal function. They fight only minor conflicts. I do not believe they have fought in a true war in several hundred years,” he replied.
“There have been some battles in the desert sands,” Mingfe said. “That is why I joined them. They fought honorably against the Jhuanti raiders.”
“Thayle told me about some battles in the desert sands. She was involved in one of them,” Gersius nodded. “But that was just a series of skirmishes as far as I know.”
“The opening battles were to defend temples. There was a much larger confrontation as an army marched on Eastgate. There they fought like an army. I wish we had those troops here,” Mingfe replied.
“Ulustrah will decide what is permissible for her followers!” Thayle yelled, drawing them all back to the argument.
“Grand priestess, I do not mean to offend, but we don't have soldiers like the other orders do. To send us into a formal war will invite disaster,” Mavin replied.
Thayle went to respond but suddenly noticed Jaylis was standing beside them both.
“What are you doing?” Thayle asked.
“I already have your reply,” he said. “They were waiting for us to contact them. Prime Arlin had a message waiting.”
The tension in the room was oppressive as the weight of those words hit home. If it was waiting, then it could only be bad news.
“Well, what did it say?” Mavin asked impatiently.
Jaylis trembled and silently mouthed the words before clearing his throat and beginning.
“You Governess Commander Thayle are to mobilize all available temple priests and priestesses, and you are to march with haste on the city of Calathen. Word will be sent to every possible temple ahead of you to be ready for your arrival. You will commandeer every needed asset and personnel. By vote, we Primes now formally recognized you as the Governess Commander General of the first army. You are hereby granted permission to raise additional companies as you see fit. May Ulustrah love and protect you.”
Mavin's face went white, and Thayle felt sick as Jaylis spoke.
“The first army!” Thayle gasped.
Gersius felt his blood run cold. She wasn't in command of a company. She was now in command of an army! In times of open war, the order of Astikar would form three to five companies into a small army, but that happened rarely. He doubted Ulustrah had raised an army in hundreds of years. Even worse the message ordered her to march directly on Calathen. This was open war. The two religions were going to tear each other apart.
“We have what we came for then,” Gersius said in a solemn tone.
“It has to be bad, Gersius,” Thayle said, shaking her head.
“I know, Thayle. I did not miss the significance of the message.”
“I have been ordered to attack Calathen! It can’t possibly be any worse.”
“Then the Father Abbot has made his second mistake, he has angered you,” Gersius said. “You do not have your rank because you are good at war games, you have it because you can command. It is time to start preparing your army.”
“Yes, these fools are weak!” Mingfe barked.
Thayle took a steadied breath and looked Gersius in the eye with determination and gave him a nod. She turned and took a steady breath.
“Captain Mingfe, I am embarrassed by the state of our forces. I need you to help me fix it,” Thayle said, turning to the woman.
“Fix it? I am going to break it and rebuild it!” the dark-skinned woman said.
“Then let’s begin,” Thayle said as they turned to leave the temple.