Lilly picked up the sword that seemed out of place among the other weapons. Compared to Thayle's, Gersius's, or even Sarah's sword, the fang blade of Balisha looked awkward. She gave it a few practiced swings believing it should be unbalanced, yet it felt perfect in her hand. It was strange to use a sword when her dragon form could tear stone, but this sword saved her life.
Thinking back to that moment, she remembered what her mother said about hiding something. Why had that memory come back at that specific moment? Why hadn't her mother told her she was a priestess of Balisha and had been the dragon of the first dragon knight? It was a dizzying concept especially considering her mother's size. She was much too large for the role, so big she couldn't have fit in the courtyard that contained Balsiha's temple. If she sat on the street of the lowest part of the city, she could level her head with the terrace gardens of the upper palace. How could a dragon of her power have been nearly killed and driven off?
Swinging the sword with practiced steps, she marveled at its small size. One of its many powers seemed to be the ability to change size. It was larger in her dragon form but smaller when she touched it with her human form. The change was so rapid that it was almost impossible to see, and she had tried to study it several times.
She sighed and put the sword back on the table with the others before looking about the secure room. It was a windowless chamber with stone walls several men thick. It had only one door and had been chosen for this very reason. Outside that door, two priests from the order of Astikar, Ulustrah, and Balisha stood guard. The sacred swords of the divines had been given to their champions to carry into battle. They were holy relics, and their enemies had shown an interest in stealing such relics.
In addition to the sword was a suit of armor stripped from the body of Dellain. It was manufactured to resemble the dragon knight armor and was heavily enchanted. Sarah wanted to melt it down along with the wicked sword Dellain carried. Gersius wanted both preserved as evidence of the crimes of the priests of Gorrin, whose leaders Jessivel and Alayse now hunted.
The order of Gorrin was appalled at Gersius's decree that their temples be searched and its members questioned by the order of Ulustrah. Now they were shutting temples down across the empire and hurling insults and curses as they fled to other lands. Gersius let them go though he badly needed them. His army would benefit from the skills of the order of Gorrin and the weapons they crafted. Lilly wanted to condemn them all, but Gersius assured her that only a small number of their order aided the enemy. He said that if he tried to prevent them from leaving, they would hate him more. Lilly didn't care which of them aided the enemy or not. All that mattered to her was they made a weapon specifically to kill her husband.
Lilly glared at the hated armor made by the priests that were leaving. It was a constant reminder of what happened that day and how close she had come to losing it all.
The hated sword was under special protection as demanded by Sarah. It had the terrible power to sever the link with the divine to anyone wounded by it. It had been placed into a stone box before Sarah used her dragon's fire to melt a substance the humans called lead over it. Now it was entombed in a metal block so heavy that it took ten men to lift it. Even this was not enough for Sarah, who had the block placed in a lower vault and then used her dragon power to ward it. She would sense the presence of anyone who entered that room and come to stop them. When the time came to march west, she planned to have fifty priest guards in the lower vault area and an alarm system to summon more. No one would touch that weapon until she was given permission to destroy it.
Lilly hadn't thought to ask about Dellain in the days immediately after the battle. She was so weak from channeling her hoard into Gersius that she had little thought of anything but rest. It was the longest amount of time she had ever spent in bed with her husband. When she finally heard of Dellain, it was to find out he had been thrown into a mass pyre before Sarah burned it to ash. He was gone, nothing but dust, yet she still felt twinges of pain. The mocking voice and the sting of his whip reminded her of the fear he once instilled in her. For a short while, she was sure this man would be her tormentor, and she would be his slave for the rest of her life.
“Stop,” Lilly said to herself as the memories caused her to shake. With one last look at the armor, she turned and headed out the door. The guards snapped to attention as she passed and joined her private escort further down the hall. It was another of Sarah's measures after a report that assassins might be in the city. She couldn't so much as go to her own temple without an escort. Even in the palace, where there were four guards at every door and window, she had to have an escort.
What was more frustrating was how limited their access to the city was. She could stand on the terraces and look down in wonder, but Sarah and Gersius no longer wanted her wandering the streets. The dressmaker was brought to the palace if they needed a dress made. If they wanted a treat, it was made in the kitchens under close scrutiny then delivered by guards. There were always three priestesses of Ulustrah present at every meal just in case somebody managed to poison it. Despite living in the largest building she had ever known humans to build, she was beginning to feel like a prisoner.
The day the guar
ds were introduced had been a special occasion. Sarah was concerned about Lilly and arranged a surprise. That night they went to something called an amphitheater and sat in a special room right in the center. Thousands of other humans also came as the night settled in and the magic began.
Dozens of humans took up musical instruments and began to play songs together. Lilly had heard human songs before, but there had never been more than three or four instruments. Now they worked a kind of magic as they wove their sounds together, creating a moment she would never forget. When she thought it couldn't get any more beautiful voices rose from lines of humans standing in the back. They sang as a group, lending their harmony to the instruments.
Tears clouded her eyes as she marveled at the wonder of it. Once again, humans had proven themselves to be masters of art and beauty while dragons slept away uselessly. The music went on for just over an hour, but it seemed like days for Lilly. When it ended, she was too emotional to think and let Gersius carry her home. He held her all night long as she cried to think of how empty her life had been.
“No wonder I can’t live without him,” she whispered to herself so her guards wouldn’t hear. Gersius was her rescuer, the man who led her by hand out of her isolation and showed her a whole new world. He had even proven how much he loved her when despite how badly he needed her, he let her go. She didn't understand it back then, but now she knew the truth. He had fallen in love with her, but his actions brought her pain. He couldn't face putting her at risk against her will, so he set her free to make her own choices.
“And I nearly ran away,” she said before remembering others were listening. Feeling herself blush, she remained silent and walked down the grand corridors of the palace. Every surface was of polished marble, carved into patterns that repeated down the hall. Pillars flanked the hall and between them stood statues, tapestries, shields, ornate crests, and paintings. The floors were tiled and covered by rugs often woven in intricate patterns or depicting scenes of the past. Enormous vases filled with flowers stood before the pillars giving the room even more color.
Everywhere there was art and beauty, a structure built to house and glorify the achievements of humans. Now it was her home, a grand lair for a relatively young dragon. She had servants, armies, and a faith full of devoted followers that grew every day. She had all she could ever want, and yet despite it, she wanted to go home to the valley. All she really wanted was a little home where she and her loved ones could be at peace. She would trade all this grandeur for a life free from war.
Arriving at the grand hall, she passed through the doors into the vast chamber where they held court. Gersius and Sarah were here as they often were, dealing with the problems of running an empire. Messengers, emissaries, and nobles from across the land streamed in day by day to lay their burdens at their feet.
Lilly was glad to be in the grand hall where her guards would wait by the door. Walking in silence, she approached the steps to the four thrones that dominated the end of the hall. Gersius sat beside Sarah as a man discussed some matter of importance with them. Though this man stood alone, Lilly was sure there were dozens more outside in the antechamber. As she approached the throne reserved for herself, Gersius looked up and smiled at her. She felt her heart begin to beat faster to see the love in his eyes. Taking her place at his side, she waited in silence as Gersius informed the man that his kingdom would not be withholding any soldiers for internal defense.
“The levy has been fairly applied to all the territories,” Gersius said firmly. “You will comply with my edict, or I will send Sarah to collect them.”
Whoever the man was, he wasn't prepared for the glowing eyes of fire that lit Sarah's face. He bowed and affirmed the soldiers would be sent immediately. Gersius dismissed him and waited until he was safely away before turning to address her.
“Where have you been, my love?” he asked as if he had missed her.
Lilly smiled and played with the arm of her throne as she explained wandering the halls and visiting the armory.
“I hope you are not dwelling over that awful armor,” Sarah interjected. “It isn't good for you to keep reopening this wound.”
“I wasn’t dwelling on it,” Lilly said defensively. “I was holding Balisha’s sword and wondering why she made it for dragons to use.”
“Perhaps you could ask your mother,” Gersius said with a smile. “After all, it was her sword.”
“It was, wasn’t it?” Lilly asked as she thought about it. “She hid it there and told me where to find it. Do you think she meant for me to do this?”
“How could she possibly know this was going to happen?” Sarah said as the diplomat left the room. She held up a hand to tell the attendant not to admit the next petitioner before turning to Lilly. “I still find it hard to believe she was the dragon of the first dragon knight.”
“The one that intentionally steered the dragon knight away from Numidels temple,” Gersius said with a faraway look before turning to Sarah. “It’s almost as if she knew you were there.”
Sarah’s face soured as she pondered the thought that Lilly’s mother’s actions had been calculating and deliberate. “I repeat myself then. How could she possibly know?”
“It was just a thought,” Gersius said with a toss of his hand.
“I have been thinking about my mother a lot since the battle,” Lilly volunteered when the two went silent. “Now that the shock has worn off, I have questions I can't answer.” She looked up and met Sarah's blazing eyes as she voiced her next words. “I don't think my mother is cursed.”
The look on Sarah's and Gersius's faces told her all she needed to know about their thoughts on the matter. Over the bind, she could feel the doubt from Gersius and the abject rejection of the idea from Sarah.
“She had to be cursed,” Sarah said flatly.
“You weren’t cursed,” Lilly countered and pointed out that both she and Numidel left the temple before love broke her bonds.
“That is very different,” Sarah said in a tired tone. “You began to restore Balisha, and she has the power to counter Solesta's curse. She was using what little power she had to grant us immunity so we could aid you.”
“And my mother is a priestess of Balisha,” Lilly reminded as she leaned forward on her throne. “The oldest and most powerful one in all the land.”
“And neither your mother nor Balisha thought to tell you about it,” Sarah quipped.
Gersius raised a hand to signal he wished to enter the debate and pointed out that Balisha had indeed told Lilly she had one priestess in the land.
“That hardly counts,” Sarah scolded.
“Well, maybe Balisha wasn't protecting her,” Lilly said. “Maybe she broke her curse as I did. Maybe she was bound to and in love with the dragon knight, and her curse was broken a thousand years ago.”
Sarah had no counterargument except to say that it still seemed impossible that Lilly's mother could have been the dragon from long ago.
“Her statue is in the courtyard,” Gersius said as he nodded. “The plaque that is written in dragon clearly identifies her.”
“Are you suggesting that her mother was in love with this human from the past? You may as well go full circle and say that he is Lilly’s father,” Sarah argued.
“He died a thousand years ago, and I am barely over five hundred,” Lilly reminded.
“Forgive me. It is foolish to suggest she could not have loved a human when I love one,” Sarah said as she put a hand to her forehead. “I have to admit I am distressed by all this. I have debated this with Numidel since he had the chance to speak to her. He says she was younger than me and very dominant. She refused his aid and his council convincing the dragon knight to press on.”
“My mother is not younger than you,” Lilly stated, but Sarah calmly continued.
“I am aware of what you say, and Thayle has assured me your aura shows the truth whenever you say it. This is part of why I question that your mother was the first dragon of the dragon knight. Numidel is certain it was a younger dragon.”
“That is very strange,” Gersius agreed.
“But what about her being a priestess of Balisha?” Lilly asked. “And why did she spend so much time making me learn the human language? She made me learn how to read and write it even though she told me to avoid them at all costs.”
“Child, your mother is a complete mystery to me,” Sarah relented. “If we had the time, I would suggest we travel to her lair and confront her. If she is who we think she is, then we could learn a great deal from her.”
“Where is your mother’s lair?” Gersius asked as he considered doing just what Sarah said.
“Over a week west of the valley. Her lair is hidden in a desolate mountainside facing the sea,” Lilly replied as she longed to be there.
“That puts her two weeks away with me flying us,” Sarah said with a shake of her head. “We haven't the time to go chasing after answers when the Doan are massing on our border.”
“No, we do not,” Gersius agreed.
“Could we visit her in the dream?” Lilly asked with renewed hope.
Gersius turned to Sarah, whose jaw was set firm as stone. She explained that while it was possible to do, especially with Lilly in the bind to guide them, it was still difficult. The odds are if they found her, she would be like other dragons, asleep and unaware of their presence. Unless Lilly's mother was actively waiting to be contacted, the best they could do was see a vague image of her and sense her general direction.
“This is how you find each other to mate,” Gersius said with a sigh.
“Well, it works,” Sarah replied with a toss of her head. “If her mother was willing to travel the dream and go to one of the places of meeting, it would be as if she were standing in the room with us. Of course, we would have to know which one and at exactly what time she was going to be there.”
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“But she has no reason to do such a thing,” Gersius surmised. “And these places you speak of are dangerous, are they not?”
“Very,” Sarah agreed. “To much pain was spilled in the locations they mirror in the real world. They are haunted by wraiths, and there is always the potential our enemy will find us.”
“I do not want you taking such a risk,” Gersius said after a long pause. “I trust you to navigate the dream, but please do nothing to draw the attention of our enemy.”
“After our last encounter, I am in no hurry to repeat my mistake,” Sarah said with a shiver.
“As long as we are speaking of mysteries, what about the ice dragon that attempted to infiltrate the palace?” Gersius reminded.
“We know nothing about her except what we learned from dispatches,” Sarah said. “She hasn’t seen fit to show her face now that we are on the throne.”
Gersius nodded but wondered what she was hoping to accomplish. Further dispatches placed her traveling northeast directly at their advancing army, but somehow their paths never crossed. Sarah reminded him that their enemy was determined that this dragon and the woman known as Carrigara not meet.
“The woman who laid the magical wards that blocked the priestesses of Ulustrah from calling on their power,” Gersius said with a nod. “The same type of magic used on Dellain’s sword.”
“Do not speak of that vile weapon. Why won’t you let me melt it down?” Sarah growled.
“I want to use it as means to condemn the head of the order of Gorrin. I want to cast it at his feet and have him explain to his brothers how it came to be,” Gersius said. “Maybe it will help them understand that even their order was complacent in what happened.”
“There won’t be any of their order left to witness his trial,” Sarah countered. “They are leaving the empire in droves.”
`
Lilly listened to them argue for a moment before steering them back to the question of the strange dragon. She asked why the enemy was so intent on keeping Carrigara and this dragon apart. Gersius had no idea, but he did point out that it meant the enemy knew something of this dragon. Whatever they knew, it gave them cause to move important assets out of her path.
“So they feared her,” Sarah said with a questioning tone.
“Well, they feared her and Carrigara meeting,” Gersius agreed. “They did order the raven guard to try and capture her.”
Sarah shook her head and reminded them that this woman had boldly entered the enemy's capital stronghold and breached nearly to the heart of his defenses. When discovered, she easily escaped not only the palace but an entire city on high alert. She then managed to vanish into the countryside with an army of pursuers searching for her.
“She is very skilled,” Gersius agreed.
“She must be a worshiper of Youthan with luck like that,” Sarah retorted.
“That reminds me,” Lilly said as she thought about the mysteries that circled their lives. “Has Lengwin made any progress on learning how those priests were using divine power?”
Gersius shook his head and explained that thus far, they had no idea. They prayed to the Father Abbot and not Astikar. By all logical explanations, they should have no power, but yet they do.”
“Then the old Father Abbot must be a divine,” Lilly said.
“He isn't divine,” Sarah was quick to say. “Though it would surprise you to know that some of the priests captured in the city also prayed to that mad fool. It doesn't make any sense, but we will see how much power they can channel when we have killed their false idol.”
“We can not be sure he is there,” Gersius reminded, but Sarah looked away as if angry at the very suggestion. “Do not be angry with me. There is also the matter of the reports of large numbers of their infantry being sent away before we attacked the city.”
“What? Why would they do that?” Lilly asked in complete surprise.
Gersius let out a deep sigh before explaining the theory that their enemy wanted them to take the city. If Dellain failed to kill him, the city itself would become a trap as enemies surrounded them.
“I know about what you suspect is going on with Whiteford and the eastern kingdoms, but if we know about it, how is it a trap?” Lilly asked.
It was Sarah who answered with a tone of irritation. “Because despite knowing there is little we can do about it. Rebuilding the empire and trying to restore order has become a stumbling block. We should have marched west weeks ago, sooner if we could have managed it. As it stands, we are forced to remain in place lest our fledgling empire crumbles around us.”
“And Thayle’s order is pressing her to release her armies,” Gersius added. “Many of the lesser primes believe her task is done with the capture of the city. They are calling for her forces to begin returning to their temples.”
“But we need those armies,” Lilly protested as Gersius nodded in agreement.
“She is keeping them at bay for now,” he said. “But they are pressing to elect a new head prime, and whoever that is will have the final say.”
“It's hard to lead, isn't it?” Lilly asked, prompting a laugh from Sarah.
“It is very hard to lead, especially when you care about those who look to you for leadership,” Gersius said and reached over to take one of her hands. “You have to weigh all your decisions by how they will affect the people.”
“I am so glad you two are here to make the decisions,” Lilly said and squeezed his hand. “I don’t know that I would make good ones.”
“Lilly,” Gersius began and leaned closer to look deep into her eyes. “You have made excellent decisions and shown a great capacity to care for others. You lead the faith of Balisha while I am busy with the empire, and your followers love you. You have also shown great compassion for other dragons and the loss of life our mounting problems might incur.”
“But I should never have accepted that duel,” Lilly pointed out.
“No, you shouldn't have,” Sarah replied. “But I agree with our husband. You make sound decisions from the heart.”
“Speaking of the heart,” Gersius began and looked to the far door. “I sense a storm coming.”
Lilly looked up as Thayle’s presence grew in the bind. With it came anger and frustration that was uncharacteristic of her wife. The doors flew open as Thayle stormed in dressed in her robes of Ulustrah.
“I take it her meeting with the emissaries of her order didn’t go well,” Sarah stated as they watched her approach.
“More problems,” Gersius sighed. “The sooner we march on the Doan, the better.”
“What about Whiteford?” Lilly asked, but Sarah told her Whiteford could worry about itself for the time being. Thayle was now close enough that Lilly could read her thoughts, and they were all focused on one word, fools.
“And how did your meeting go?” Sarah asked as Thayle reached the steps.
“We all know full well you sensed my aggravation before I entered the room,” Thayle said in a dry tone. “My order seems to think that not only has the war been won, but that everything can just go right back to normal. They want the army disbanded immediately, and the women sent home.”
“And what did you tell them?” Gersius asked.
“I told them that if they wanted the army back, they could come here and take it by force,” she replied.
“That should go over well,” Sarah laughed. “I hope you have a plan to deal with the outrage.”
Thayle paced before them as she rattled off her plan to write a detailed description of the struggle ahead. As she was Ulustrah's champion and Ulustrah herself put her on the throne of the empire, the war wasn't over until all threats to the empire were eliminated.
“That includes the Doan, the Commonlands, and this new threat from Ostland,” Thayle said. “I am sending this letter back with their emissaries to inform all of the primes. Of course, it will take a month or more to reach the distant ones, but I am sure scryers will be put to use.”
“What if the primes do come to take over?” Lilly asked innocently.
“Or worse, they elect a head prime who immediately orders the army to break up,” Sarah added.
“I am not worried about that at all,” Thayle remarked and stopped her pacing before Lilly. “The truth is, Ulustrah will choose who the new head prime is. If her will is for me to carry on, then she will choose a prime that supports us.”
Sarah stared intently at Thayle as she spoke her next words. “Could she choose you?”
Thayle looked shocked for a moment, then slowly nodded her head. It was a possibility but one she didn't think likely. Sarah then wanted to know how they would select a prime, and Thayle explained the process. First, the existing primes would begin to have visions in dreams where they would see several people. Some of these would be primes, but sometimes it was a regular priest or priestess. Those individuals would be sent to the rose temple where Ulustrah's seal was kept. A great ceremony would then be held where each of the chosen would bless a bottle of water and pour it over the seal. The seal would then be placed into the emerald bowl, and the final choice would appear on the surface of the water. Those chosen but not ultimately selected would receive the title of honored priest or priestess because they have proven they have the heart of a prime.
“So Ulustrah has a seal as well?” Gersius asked.
“I suppose she does,” Thayle admitted. “It is about the size of a dinner plate, and written on its surface are her six laws of love.”
“That’s the same size as the seal of Astikar,” Sarah commented. “I wonder if all the divines have such seals.”
“They all seem to have swords. Why not seals as well?” Lilly pointed out as the others nodded.
Gersius was lost in thought a moment but finally shrugged and sat back on his throne. “Well, I am sure you are right. Ulustrah will choose a prime that is sympathetic to our cause. She will ensure your army stays in the field until the wars are won.”
“I know,” Thayle replied with a sigh. “I just wish the other primes could understand. They are too quick to call an end to the fighting. They even sent me a message suggesting Ulustrah’s sword be sent to the rose temple to be secured with her other relics. It breaks my heart to be so defiant against their wishes. It isn’t good for the order to see its champion standing against the primes.”
“I can see where that would be a problem,” Gersius agreed. “But I suggest you press them to seek a new head prime and give them something else to focus on.” Sarah huffed and suggested that she also remind them that the old prime was killed by the enemy they were still fighting.
“Don’t they need a new prime for Calathen?” Lilly asked as she considered the position vacated by Yarvine.
“I am sure that will be filled as well,” Thayle said as she smiled at Lilly.
“We should get on with it,” Sarah interrupted. “There are more people waiting to tell us their troubles.”
“Can we sit in?” Lilly asked as Thayle stepped up to her. Thayle took her hand and went to sit in her lap when Sarah snapped a finger and shook her head.
“None of that when we are holding court, you little minx,” she scolded as Thayle laughed and went to her throne. “Honestly, you two can't go a few hours without looking at one another like you want to kiss.”
“But I do want to kiss her,” Thayle admitted as Lilly tried not to smile.
“This is why your husband and I sit between you two,” Sarah quipped as Thayle took her place.
Gersius waited to ensure the women were done before calling to admit the next visitor. The doors swung open, and the attendant announced the next diplomat as Lilly sat and watched. Gersius and Sarah listened to his complaints and the plea of his distant lord for aid. They politely explained the empire's situation and reminded him that they were still at war. The diplomat tried to make it sound as if the land he represented should be given special treatment, but Gersius would have none of it. They denied all his requests but assured him that they would reconsider some of them when the wars were over.
He left and was replaced by a delegation of three who more or less held the same position. Somehow, they suffered more than all the other lands and required special consideration. They received the same answer and were sent away to be replaced by more diplomats. And so it went on with Gersius trying to persuade every person who came before him that the war needed to take precedence over local disputes and petty differences. When persuasion failed, he resorted to direct orders and simply denied them. Still, he promised each one that once the war was over and more attention could be focused on the provinces, these smaller issues would be dealt with.
She was surprised how many of them came with the same issues. Some even outright asked for gold as restitution for damages caused infighting. Some even leveled complaints directly at them for looting the land as they passed through it. Sarah often dealt with the more belligerent ones, reminding them that the women of Ulustrah blessed farms, flocks, and homes as they passed through. Of all the territories of the empire, the ones that saw the march of their armies should be the most well off. As for the gold that was taken to break the city's gates, Gersius was willing to offer favorable trading agreements for the fruit of those fields and flocks. He would pay more for their products so as to restore the reserves of gold flowing in the region. For the territories where most people were tenant farmers, this seemed to appease them. However, in the ones where farms were often independent, they did not, as the money would be going to farmers and not directly into the pockets of the nobility.
Over the bind, Gersius told them that he fully expected to discover heavy taxes on farmers in these regions. The nobility would get their money one way or another, but the people would not blame the empire.
When the mass of people was finally through, Gersius took them to another room where a different meeting took place. This was a large room with a table covered in maps around which stood the various military and religious leaders. Lilly was more than familiar with this meeting as she was often required to attend it. Here news about military matters was discussed, and strategy was made. Often there were dispatches from Gams or updates from Jessivel or Ayawa. These were read and discussed among the various leaders so that everyone understood the empire's position.
News about the army marching from Ostland was the first major topic of debate. Some of the leaders proposed digging in on the border with the Doan so they could turn the two armies forming outside the city east. Then they could meet this new threat head-on and with superior numbers. It was here that a message sent by scryer was read to inform them that this army was recruiting from the common lands. It would grow as it got closer, meaning there was no way to be sure they would have superiority of numbers.
Gersius was most concerned with the provinces on the border in the east. When news of the approaching army became widespread, those kings would demand a return of their forces from the front. It was a request he couldn't afford to deny leaving him in a terrible position. They needed to go on the offensive with the Doan as soon as possible, but the armies he was building to do it were required elsewhere. Adding to the strain were the reports from Gams that there was no way he could hold a border this large with the forces he had. All he could do was delay the enemy and buy Gersius time to move his armies up to meet them.
Sarah suggested flying out and burning key bridges and perhaps even launching some raids on the advancing army to slow it down. Gersius was against this idea, saying that any attack inside the common lands would sway opinion in favor of their enemies. Moreover, it might swell the numbers of advancing men and increase the bloodshed when they reached the border.
Sarah reminded him of the missing third army that was rumored to be circling the mountains in the north. If it arrived soon after Ostland did, they could potentially be fighting a war on three fronts with only two armies, assuming the second one ever finished forming. There were shortages of material for armor and weapons thanks to the fleeing of the order of Gorrin. They were going to have to rely on local blacksmiths to do the bulk of the work. It would take vast amounts of time to equip the soldiers they had, let alone the ones still arriving from distant regions.
In addition to this problem was the great disparity in training of the gathering soldiers. A vast amount of the veterans were sent east to reinforce the border. Those who remained made up half of the two armies while the other haves were fresh recruits. Most of these were militias drawn from the provinces by imperial edict and often arrived with farm implements for weapons. They had no training beyond how to stand in lines and when to lower their weapons. A great deal of time would need to be spent drilling these forces before they were combat-ready.
Lilly asked why they were so poorly trained, and Gersius had two answers. First, the provinces were deceiving him and sending conscripted civilians in place of their actual soldiers. Secondly, many eastern provinces had sent their professional soldiers against them. These armies were destroyed in the march on Calathen and left them with nothing to send but untrained militias.
“We didn’t have any choice,” Sarah reminded him. “You did the best you could to get here without bleeding the empire white.”
He nodded his head, but his eyes never looked away from the map at the center of the table. Lilly could feel his regret as he ordered the readied army east to meet the march from Ostland. The one still in the process of forming would have to be his emergency force to deal with both the border and the potential threat from the north.
He turned to Thayle and ordered her to recall her labor forces. As a means of placating the empire, thousands of women of Ulustrah were visiting regions to offer blessings and aid. These would be recalled and assembled to bolster the second army. He also wanted Jessivel, and Alayse recalled so their cavalries could be used as rapid shock troops, racing to any break in the border.
“This is really bad,” Thayle said as she too studied the map.
“We have more enemies than armies to meet them,” Gersius said as he turned to look into her eyes. “It pains me to say this, but you might have to use the weapons and armor we stripped from the dead in the city.”
“I understand,” Thayle said with a nod.
Lilly knew full well what they meant. A sizable force of women of Ulustrah supported their enemy. They were in the city behind the gates when Gersius attacked. Unfortunately for them, Lilly used a weave given terrible power by wagons of gold to shatter the gates. They were caught in a blast that rippled through the courtyard and brought down buildings on the other side. Before anyone could recover, the cavalry was streaming through the hole. There was a terrible one-sided massacre of the scant few who remained. Never one to waste resources, Gersius had all the arms and armor collected for use. Nearly half the women under Thayle's command didn't have basic equipment. Gersius offered them the captured equipment, but many refused. They considered it tainted by traitors to Ulustrah and did not want to wear it.
Thayle would have to order them to use the equipment if she wanted to bolster her numbers. Lilly could see that numbers were all that mattered right now. The empire was too vast to garrison the entire front, and enemies were approaching from every direction.
The discussion that their enemies were behind all these border conflicts came up. The Doan were somehow manipulating the surrounding nations against them. They would tie up the empire in a dozen conflicts, bleeding them dry before finally moving to make a kill.
“If you recall the women of Ulustrah and put those arms to use to bolster her numbers, the second army will be larger than the first,” Sarah pointed out. “You will have the strength you need to reinforce the border and potentially meet this missing army.”
“But not go on the offensive.” Gersius reminded. “We cannot win this war by waiting. Time favors our enemy. We must bring the battle to the Doan.”
“We would need a third army,” Thayle said as she looked about the room. “But even using the captured arms, we can't fully equip my women. Lilly's small force is still waiting for armor, and the militias are in a terrible state. How could we ever manage to raise a third army?”
“We can’t,” Sarah replied with a sour tone. “We will have to make do with what we have.”
“There is another source of manpower we could use,” Lengwin said, drawing all eyes to himself. He waited a moment before continuing and explaining that they could use the captured priests and infantry. Most of them still had little actual faith, but they were already well trained and had combat experience.
This set of a ripple of murmurs around the room as various heads and leaders debated the wisdom of the suggestion.
“It’s a thousand trained knights and nearly two thousand infantry with arms and equipment,” one of the captains said.
“But will they fight for the dragon knight when they have sworn allegiance to the old Father Abbot?” another asked.
Lengwin answered this question and explained that many men had come to understand they had a false faith. They no longer believed the lies and were ready for a second chance. With proper training, the false priests could become acolytes of Astikar in a matter of weeks. The infantry simply needed new officers to take command and guide them on the true path. As it stood, they had a year's worth of drilling and combat training that put them well ahead of most of the provincial militias.
“Nearly three thousand battle-ready soldiers,” Sarah said with a nod. “I will help train the false priests in the true faith. It might do them some good to see the power of a champion of Astikar.”
“Begging your pardon Lady Sarah,” came a man Lilly knew little of. His name was Callen, and he was one of the trainers of the men of Astikar. He suggested it would help the men to see the sword of Astikar as well and asked why she didn't carry it. Sarah glanced at Gersius, who finally looked away from his maps.
“Perhaps you should be the one to carry it,” he said, but Sarah put up a hand.
“No. The sword and the armor were given to you specifically. I have a falcon blade to carry into battle.”
“But I am no longer a priest of Astikar,” he argued.
“You were not a priest of Astikar when the sword was given to you,” she reminded him. “I have heard the tale of this many times. That man was clear that these items were stolen away so you could have them, and, despite your lack of faith, you have been able to channel through the sword. For whatever reason, Astikar want's you to carry his weapon, and I will not allow my pride to interfere with his will.”
Gersius walked up to her and took her hands in his as he stared deep into her eyes.
“How about you carry it just for the purposes of training those men. Show them the power of true faith and that we carry all of Astikar's blessing.” His voice was calm and his tone persuasive causing Sarah to finally nod her head in agreement.
“I will carry it to help them come to their faith, but it is still your sword,” she said firmly.
Gersius shook his head and reminded her that they were one soul through the bind. The sword, like his love, belonged to everyone who shared that soul. Sarah looked taken aback by those words and nodded her head silently, but she was on fire with emotion over the bind.
“So the choice is made,” Gersius said as he turned away from Sarah. “The Doan will have to wait until after we deal with Ostland. In the meantime, we will use these men to bolster the second army. They can train in their faith while waiting for Thayle's women to arrive.”
“That is going to make the second army very large,” Thayle commented as others in the room nodded.
Gersius nodded and explained his hopes. If they could locate the missing army in the north, he would send this second army to meet and destroy it. Then they would turn west to begin the offensive on the Doan. The first army would deal with Ostland and any other threats in the east. He wanted to make the battles decisive to frighten the east into remaining peaceful. He would then wheel the army west to meet up with the second and continue pushing the Doan.
“And if we can’t locate the missing army before it is on us?” Sarah asked.
He looked angry as he considered his answer and spoke with a solemn tone. “Then we split the second army in two. I will lead one half to the north to deal with the invading Doan, and the second half will remain as reserves for Gams to plug holes. If he can hold on long enough, either I or the first army should be able to march to his aid.”
“But by all accounts, the Doan's northern army is massive,” Thayle said. “You won't be able to repel an invasion with half the army.”
“I have no other choice but to try,” he said and leaned on the table to glare at the maps. “Our best chance is in finding that army first. Let us pray Ayawa and the others come through.
The room was silent for a long moment until Sarah spoke up and reminded them that there was another banquet tonight and they needed to get ready soon. Gersius dismissed the gathered leaders as Sarah came to his side and whispered in his ear. He nodded slowly as her arm came around his waist, and she rested her head on his shoulder. Over the bind, Lilly could feel his tension melting away, and she looked at Thayle for some understanding of what was happening.
“Come, Lilly,” Thayle said with a smile and took her hand.
“Why did he suddenly calm?” Lilly whispered.
Thayle smiled and glanced back to the two at the table as she led Lilly from the room. “Sometimes, all a man needs is a loving word and a gentle touch. You have done the same thing for him many times though you didn't know it.”
“I have?” Lilly asked as they passed the guards.
“Sweetheart,” Thayle began softly. “Your touch is one of your greatest gifts, and your lovers crave it. Now come, we have a function to get ready for, and I am sure the guests are waiting.”