fool not to have eaten
them. “What happens to those who travel with you if you cannot protect them?”
“I know. I should have eaten more.” She continued to eat the stew and bread, also slicing a
peach, and thin wedges of white cheese. When she had cleared her plate—-twice—she looked
up. “Now...what’s the problem?”
"It is not a…difficulty…yet, Not all of them." Jecks held the wine goblet but did not take a
swallow.
“All of them?” Anna’s stomach tightened. “Start with the worst.”
“None is pressing, yet..."
“Go on.”
“All of the Mansuuran lancers in Neserea will soon be sent to Elioch. Those are the reports.”
“How many is that?” You need to get busy with your scrying pool.
“Fiftyscore. And either young Rabyn or Nubara has formed a new force—the Prophet’s Lancers.
According to Arms Commander Hanfor, the new Prophet can muster at least another two-
hundred—score lancers and armsmen.”
A trained Neserean army of more than five thousand men— and she had perhaps three hundred
pledged to her, plus the levies of the Defalkan lords—if they heeded the call. Still, she’d
destroyed more than that in the war with Dumar. And look what it did to you and Jecks. “There’s
more.”
Jecks shrugged, almost apologetically. “The SouthWomen have sent arms to Elahwa, and Lord
Bertmynn is assembling men and boats on the River Dol, as if he will be using the river to ferry
men there.”
“The Ranuans wouldn’t sell us arms, but they’ll send them to Elahwa?”
“To the freewomen there. They revolted.”
“That’s a good way to get slaughtered.” Especially in this world... and you‘re supposed to
support Hadrenn to pull them out? “How did we find that out?”
“Menares received a message from Wei.”
“The last message from Wei led to the problems with Dumar,” Anna said slowly.
“I thought you might see it that way.”
“We can’t afford to do much for Hadrenn."
“If you do not…" Jecks let the silence drag out.
“I know. Then we’ll be back to having unfriendly neighbors on both the east and the west
borders, with the inscrutable traders of Wei breathing down on us from the north. I suppose the
Ranuans will be unhappy if we don’t support these... freewomen.”
“That I could not say."
“What else?” Anna asked, knowing there had to be more bad news.
“The Rider of Heinene has asked for aid. The wet spring caused the grass to grow far higher than
in past years, and there was a fire that swept half the grasslands.”
“So they have no forage?"
Jecks nodded.
“You bring such cheerful news, my lord. I take ft you’ve got more of the same?”
“You recall Lord Viassa?”
“He was the Lord of Fussen, the one whose twin sons were fighting over the lands.”
“Ustal and Falar have both raised armsmen, and each has sent a scroll requesting that you
recognize him. You did say I should read scrolls...."
“I did. Go on.”
“Falar is the younger by a fraction of a glass, and he wrote that, should you not support him, and
should he prevail, he will consider seeking support for his ‘just’ claim elsewhere.”
“Let me guess.” Anna hazarded. “Ustal has the... traditional right to the lands, and he’s some sort
of idiot, or wastrel, or something.”
“Ah... why do you suggest such?” Jecks raised his eyebrows.
“Because, for a younger son to go to such lengths would mean he’s either an idiot or he has a just
claim, If he can raise armsmen, that means people are putting themselves on the line for him,
against tradition. Most folks won’t. That suggests that Ustal has more than a few faults—of some
sort” Anna took a bigger sip of wine than she’d intended before asking, “Can Menares or Dythya
or someone find out what Ustal’s faults are? In the meantime, you send back
them. “What happens to those who travel with you if you cannot protect them?”
“I know. I should have eaten more.” She continued to eat the stew and bread, also slicing a
peach, and thin wedges of white cheese. When she had cleared her plate—-twice—she looked
up. “Now...what’s the problem?”
"It is not a…difficulty…yet, Not all of them." Jecks held the wine goblet but did not take a
swallow.
“All of them?” Anna’s stomach tightened. “Start with the worst.”
“None is pressing, yet..."
“Go on.”
“All of the Mansuuran lancers in Neserea will soon be sent to Elioch. Those are the reports.”
“How many is that?” You need to get busy with your scrying pool.
“Fiftyscore. And either young Rabyn or Nubara has formed a new force—the Prophet’s Lancers.
According to Arms Commander Hanfor, the new Prophet can muster at least another two-
hundred—score lancers and armsmen.”
A trained Neserean army of more than five thousand men— and she had perhaps three hundred
pledged to her, plus the levies of the Defalkan lords—if they heeded the call. Still, she’d
destroyed more than that in the war with Dumar. And look what it did to you and Jecks. “There’s
more.”
Jecks shrugged, almost apologetically. “The SouthWomen have sent arms to Elahwa, and Lord
Bertmynn is assembling men and boats on the River Dol, as if he will be using the river to ferry
men there.”
“The Ranuans wouldn’t sell us arms, but they’ll send them to Elahwa?”
“To the freewomen there. They revolted.”
“That’s a good way to get slaughtered.” Especially in this world... and you‘re supposed to
support Hadrenn to pull them out? “How did we find that out?”
“Menares received a message from Wei.”
“The last message from Wei led to the problems with Dumar,” Anna said slowly.
“I thought you might see it that way.”
“We can’t afford to do much for Hadrenn."
“If you do not…" Jecks let the silence drag out.
“I know. Then we’ll be back to having unfriendly neighbors on both the east and the west
borders, with the inscrutable traders of Wei breathing down on us from the north. I suppose the
Ranuans will be unhappy if we don’t support these... freewomen.”
“That I could not say."
“What else?” Anna asked, knowing there had to be more bad news.
“The Rider of Heinene has asked for aid. The wet spring caused the grass to grow far higher than
in past years, and there was a fire that swept half the grasslands.”
“So they have no forage?"
Jecks nodded.
“You bring such cheerful news, my lord. I take ft you’ve got more of the same?”
“You recall Lord Viassa?”
“He was the Lord of Fussen, the one whose twin sons were fighting over the lands.”
“Ustal and Falar have both raised armsmen, and each has sent a scroll requesting that you
recognize him. You did say I should read scrolls...."
“I did. Go on.”
“Falar is the younger by a fraction of a glass, and he wrote that, should you not support him, and
should he prevail, he will consider seeking support for his ‘just’ claim elsewhere.”
“Let me guess.” Anna hazarded. “Ustal has the... traditional right to the lands, and he’s some sort
of idiot, or wastrel, or something.”
“Ah... why do you suggest such?” Jecks raised his eyebrows.
“Because, for a younger son to go to such lengths would mean he’s either an idiot or he has a just
claim, If he can raise armsmen, that means people are putting themselves on the line for him,
against tradition. Most folks won’t. That suggests that Ustal has more than a few faults—of some
sort” Anna took a bigger sip of wine than she’d intended before asking, “Can Menares or Dythya
or someone find out what Ustal’s faults are? In the meantime, you send back
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