place
they stopped, Roderic was so horrified by their plight that he ordered the food and blankets be shared with the villagers.
In a dry voice, Brand remarked that if the Prince intended to distribute goods at every place they passed, they would have
nothing left for themselves for the long march back to Ahga.
Frustrated by the truth of Brand’s observations, feeling helpless, Roderic dictated orders to his scribe for the relief of
the villagers to be sent on to Ahga.
The scribe said nothing as he penned the Prince’s words, though he looked at him with something like pity when Roderic finished.
“What is it?” Roderic picked up the pen the scribe offered.
The man only pushed the paper closer and said nothing.
“You look as if you want to say something. Well, speak, Henrode. Do you think I’m wrong?”
“Lord Prince, it is not for me to question your orders. It is not for me to offer counsel or advice.”
“I’m not asking for either. Just say what you have on your tongue.”
“Do you think there is more misery here, Lord Prince, than elsewhere in Meriga? There are those who live in the shadow of
the walls of Ahga who have not much more than these. Will you order them fed as well? You will bankrupt the treasury and exhaust
our food stores.”
“But what else can I do? These people are my father’s subjects. They look to me for protection. How can I leave them in such
misery, without hope?”
“The Ridenaus never sought to alleviate people’s suffering. That would be impossible. You fulfill your obligation if you preserve
the peace of this land. That is your task, Lord Prince. Not to feed the hungry or clothe the naked. If you could rid these
lands of the Outlaw Harleys, they might some day be able to provide for themselves. But there is no point in you giving them
things which others will only take away.”
In disgust, Roderic tore up the parchment and reached for his cloak. Outside, night had fallen, and in the black sky, countless
stars glittered. Heaven itself is more populated than this lifeless land, he thought as he walked the perimeter of the camp,
watching the fires of his men flicker in the dark.
Beyond the camp, nothing moved. A sentry came to attention and raised his spear. “Who’s there?”
“The Prince Regent.”
“Your pardon, Lord Prince,” the guard answered, but his spear remained high until Roderic came closer and pushed the hood
back from his face.
Roderic stood within the circle of the watchfire and held his hands over the flames. “It’s cold tonight.”
“Indeed it is, Lord Prince.” The sentry lowered the spear and leaned upon it. “What’re you doing out on a night like this,
when you could be warm inside your tent?”
“It’s not so warm inside. Besides, I’ve never seen a land like this.”
“Nor did you ever want to, I bet.”
“It’s so empty.” Roderic raised his hood and tucked the ends firmly around his neck.
“Empty?” The grizzled sentry snorted. “So much blood’s been spilled on these plains, I wonder the old river don’t run red
with it. This is my twenty-seventh year in the army, Lord Prince, and I’ve spent most of them in places much like this.”
“It’s not the place I’d choose to be.”
“This is better than some. Farther south, this turns into swamp, and you’ve no idea of what misery is until you spend a night
breathing the stink from the poison pits. The mists hang in the air, and deeper in the desert, the beastworms hunt at night.
Believe me, Lord Prince, cold and empty is not so bad.”
Roderic nodded and continued on his way. The few shacks which made up the village were almost indistinguishable in the starlight
from the rocks piled along the ancient gorge. From the low black shapes no light shone, no smoke issued, and nothing marked
it as a place of human habitation. As Roderic stood and watched, a cry rose out of the dark, high and wailing, the sound giving
voice to all
they stopped, Roderic was so horrified by their plight that he ordered the food and blankets be shared with the villagers.
In a dry voice, Brand remarked that if the Prince intended to distribute goods at every place they passed, they would have
nothing left for themselves for the long march back to Ahga.
Frustrated by the truth of Brand’s observations, feeling helpless, Roderic dictated orders to his scribe for the relief of
the villagers to be sent on to Ahga.
The scribe said nothing as he penned the Prince’s words, though he looked at him with something like pity when Roderic finished.
“What is it?” Roderic picked up the pen the scribe offered.
The man only pushed the paper closer and said nothing.
“You look as if you want to say something. Well, speak, Henrode. Do you think I’m wrong?”
“Lord Prince, it is not for me to question your orders. It is not for me to offer counsel or advice.”
“I’m not asking for either. Just say what you have on your tongue.”
“Do you think there is more misery here, Lord Prince, than elsewhere in Meriga? There are those who live in the shadow of
the walls of Ahga who have not much more than these. Will you order them fed as well? You will bankrupt the treasury and exhaust
our food stores.”
“But what else can I do? These people are my father’s subjects. They look to me for protection. How can I leave them in such
misery, without hope?”
“The Ridenaus never sought to alleviate people’s suffering. That would be impossible. You fulfill your obligation if you preserve
the peace of this land. That is your task, Lord Prince. Not to feed the hungry or clothe the naked. If you could rid these
lands of the Outlaw Harleys, they might some day be able to provide for themselves. But there is no point in you giving them
things which others will only take away.”
In disgust, Roderic tore up the parchment and reached for his cloak. Outside, night had fallen, and in the black sky, countless
stars glittered. Heaven itself is more populated than this lifeless land, he thought as he walked the perimeter of the camp,
watching the fires of his men flicker in the dark.
Beyond the camp, nothing moved. A sentry came to attention and raised his spear. “Who’s there?”
“The Prince Regent.”
“Your pardon, Lord Prince,” the guard answered, but his spear remained high until Roderic came closer and pushed the hood
back from his face.
Roderic stood within the circle of the watchfire and held his hands over the flames. “It’s cold tonight.”
“Indeed it is, Lord Prince.” The sentry lowered the spear and leaned upon it. “What’re you doing out on a night like this,
when you could be warm inside your tent?”
“It’s not so warm inside. Besides, I’ve never seen a land like this.”
“Nor did you ever want to, I bet.”
“It’s so empty.” Roderic raised his hood and tucked the ends firmly around his neck.
“Empty?” The grizzled sentry snorted. “So much blood’s been spilled on these plains, I wonder the old river don’t run red
with it. This is my twenty-seventh year in the army, Lord Prince, and I’ve spent most of them in places much like this.”
“It’s not the place I’d choose to be.”
“This is better than some. Farther south, this turns into swamp, and you’ve no idea of what misery is until you spend a night
breathing the stink from the poison pits. The mists hang in the air, and deeper in the desert, the beastworms hunt at night.
Believe me, Lord Prince, cold and empty is not so bad.”
Roderic nodded and continued on his way. The few shacks which made up the village were almost indistinguishable in the starlight
from the rocks piled along the ancient gorge. From the low black shapes no light shone, no smoke issued, and nothing marked
it as a place of human habitation. As Roderic stood and watched, a cry rose out of the dark, high and wailing, the sound giving
voice to all
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