Gusor relaxed and only just managed to hold in a sigh of relief. No need for murder today.
***
Kelanus could just make out Shyamon's features in the glow of the dying embers. Curled up with his earpoints tucked away, his knees almost obscured his face. Kelanus wondered how sylphs could sleep deeply while so tightly curled.
Though Tahena had healed the scout's injuries, most of the strength for that had come from the sylph. Kelanus almost felt guilty about waking the scout, and knew Tahena would not approve, but there was work for him. Every sylph scout learned early in training that the job always came first. Leaning down, Kelanus put a finger to his lips, and gently shook the sylph awake with his other hand.
Shyamon's eyes snapped open and his earpoints flicked free. He blinked a couple of times, opened his mouth to protest, then saw Kelanus. He immediately sat up and rubbed sleep from his eyes.
"Come with me," the General whispered, in little more than a breath.
Shyamon slipped free from his blanket and obediently padded after commander. Men slept all around, some in tents, but many not. Before long, they neared one of the carts.
A pair of sylph eyes glowed in the darkness and Tula stepped forward, blinking.
"I need to find out if Mirrin is still in contact," whispered Kelanus.
Shyamon looked around nervously. "There are many in the camp."
"Most won't hear you," said Kelanus. "And the camp sylphs here might not know Mirrin's trick. If they do, Tula here will point them the wrong way."
"Their scouts will hear," countered Shyamon.
Kelanus grimaced in the darkness. He had forgotten about them. "Send the pinger, then move."
Shyamon nodded and puckered his lips. Tula stared at him, some of her earlier fear returning. Her earpoints twitched to the left before she turned her head.
"Ean is out there," said Shyamon.
Kelanus smiled. "Ask him if Mirrin intends continuing to Eldova."
Shyamon nodded again, and complied.
"That is the plan," said the scout, after a brief pause. He ignored the look Tula gave him.
"Good." Kelanus nodded to himself. "Back to your blankets, Shyamon."
"Se bata."
"Looks like you weren't needed." Kelanus smiled at Tula. "You may as well get some sleep as well."
The camp slept on and Kelanus hoped he'd got away with the clandestine communication. At least it seemed that Mirrin stayed loyal to the plan they had concocted together.
They would regroup in Eldova itself.
Smiling to himself, Kelanus settled into his blankets and fell asleep happy.
***
Chapter 20
Marching To Eldova
Helen lay in that comfortable zone somewhere between sleeping and waking. Her husband lay beside her and she smiled to think of her personal triumph. So long neglected, she had again snared Hingast and renewed his passion.
She had won him back.
And yet, something about him was different, though she had no intention of dwelling on that now.
A knock on her door, little more than a gentle tap, brought her fully awake.
"Come, Riccan," she called, as Hingast sat up beside her.
Hingast had presented each of his wives with an infertile sylph as a wedding gift, but Helen preferred to keep company with the sylph her father had given her. Riccan had replaced – and been named after – a pet she had lost.
They had grown up together and, although Hingast's gift – named Eltan – was much loved, Helen kept Riccan closer.
"A messenger for His Majesty, anya," said Riccan, stood in the doorway.
Hingast grunted and threw the bedclothes aside. "You must excuse me, my love," he said, gently stroking her cheek with his fingers.
"Of course, my lord," murmured Helen, before collapsing with a giggling fit. She felt ten years younger again.
She watched Hingast leave her chamber as Riccan pulled the drapes away from the windows.
"Alovak, anya?" the sylph asked.
"Send Eltan for it," she commanded. She beckoned Riccan closer and seized the surprised sylph, hugging her close. "He loves me again," she whispered.
As an infertile, Riccan did not understand such things, but she managed a smile. "Yes, anya," she said, certain this was the proper response.
"Go and send Eltan for the alovak, then return to me."
Riccan wriggled free of her mistress and padded quietly out of the room.
Helen watched her go, wearing a happy smile. Her husband loved her again.
***
The man who called himself Hingast grunted his thanks as a sylph proffered alovak. In the map room, he sipped at the black liquid and nodded to the only other man in the room.
"You have some important news?"
Thur Ran Racken nodded. "Indeed. Several pigeons have returned from our men in the field. General Gusor reports that Eldova bleeds no more sons for now. Every group returning so far has accepted the further duties you offered."
Hingast shrugged. "If any refuse the terms, then they must pay the price. You disagree?"
"Yes," rumbled Thur.
The man who called himself Hingast knew such a blunt answer would have sent the real Hingast into a towering rage, but this Hingast respected such candor. "Explain."
"Sooner or later we will need those men."
"Once a coward, always a coward," responded Hingast.
"Marka will come knocking on our gates soon or late," Thur pointed out. "Talking of Markans, General Lowst has also reported."
Hingast drained his alovak and sat. He thrust the mug towards the sylph hovering beside the door.
"More," he commanded. "And fetch Thur some, too."
Thur grunted. "Lowst has captured Markans. He thinks all the Markans who marched with Mirrin and Janost are now his prisoners, except for their sylphs."
"How many?"
"Three fighting men," replied Thur, "as well as one woman, one sylph scout and one infertile sylph. Though he assures me the infertile is Eldovan."
"Just three soldiers?" Hingast sounded incredulous. "Hardly the invasion you fear so much."
Thur said nothing to that. "The senior Markan is one General Kelanus Arus Butros."
Hingast sat very still. "He's come all this way, almost alone. Why?"
"As Lowst is returning to Marka, we will find out soon enough." Thur smiled. "I would very much like to meet this Kelanus, see if there is anything I can learn from him."
The man who called himself Hingast scowled. "Whatever he might have to offer, you had better learn quickly," he retorted. "I want to see General Kelanus, regicide and mutilator of sylphs, dead. When he arrives, bring him directly to me."
***
Mirrin's day had begun strangely.
Messenger Malan had brought a dusty rider before him. A young man, clearly Eldovan, and unarmed. He had inclined his head to Mirrin.
"Lieutenant Elling," he said, introducing himself.
Mirrin took in the young man's appearance and the fine cut of his clothing. No ordinary soldier this, but a lordling, with his commission purchased, rather than earned.
"General Mirrin," he replied, rubbing a hand across his stubble.
Elling smiled, deep blue eyes lighting. "Pleased to make your acquaintance," he replied. "My father has always spoken highly of you."
Whoever he might be, Mirrin reflected. "What can I do for you?"
General Lowst wishes to meet with you, Sir." Clearly a youngster who liked to come straight to the point. "Today, between the two armies. Just you and him, unarmed. You may bring a sylph scout and an escort with you, as will my General."
"What does he want?"
The other's smile turned wistful. "Ah, he does not share his plans with so junior and inexperienced an officer as myself."
"That I doubt, Lieutenant Elling, unless Lowst has changed the way he runs things a very great deal since we last met."
"Even so, Sir, he has not shared his int
entions with me, on this exact subject. He must have his reasons."
"Return to your commander. I shall meet him at the precise midway between us at noon." Mirrin smiled. "Go in safety, Lieutenant Elling."
The young officer bowed again and left the tent.
"Trap," said Shashi, returning with alovak.
"You've grown very cynical in the past year," Mirrin told her. "And you might be right."
Shashi managed a smile. "You do not intend going?"
"Of course I do. Shashi, rattle up Janost and send him to see me. And if you can find him, send Belaika in too. If you can't find him, any of the Markan scouts will do."
Shashi's mouth firmed. She still could not hide her distaste for sylph scouts, though it seemed Belaika could do no wrong in her eyes. Before leaving, she bobbed her head in acknowledgment, but said nothing.
Janost blustered in almost immediately.
"Why's that upstart asked you and not me?" he demanded.
Somebody's already been asking questions, thought Mirrin. Did the lordling come to see me directly, or did he first speak with you? Aloud, he said: "He probably fears you might try to bully him into something. After all, you are the senior man."
For once flattery failed.
"I should go in your stead," insisted Janost.
Mirrin considered it, but eventually shook his head. "We need someone senior to look after the men, in case this is a trap," he replied.
"Noble of you."
Their conversation came to an end as Belaika scratched on the tent wall before entering. Janost blew out his cheeks and gave the sylph a considering look. The scout glanced once at the marshal, before turning his attention to Mirrin.
"There is something I'd like you to do," said the General. "I'm going to meet the enemy and I want you to come along too."
Janost muttered something under his breath, but was ignored.
"I stand ready," said Belaika. He smiled. "And I get to see one of the Eldovan sylph scouts?"
"Probably." Mirrin smiled back. "Very probably."
***
And so, as the sun climbed to its highest point for the day, neither army had moved. Heat haze shimmered as two horses approached each other. Beyond, two lines of armed men stood quietly in the long grass.
Belaika walked at Mirrin's stirrup and the General felt strangely reassured by the sylph's presence. The Markan scout never looked up and said nothing, but that the scout had come pleased Mirrin. He felt grateful to have met this sylph and he suspected some sort of mutual respect existed between them. Mirrin had left his sword behind, and he trusted Lowst had the good sense to have done likewise.
Either way, he would soon find out.
Mirrin saw another painted sylph, this one walking alongside Lowst's horse.
"There were no sylph scouts in Eldova when I left," Mirrin said to Belaika. "How good will they be?"
Belaika shrugged. "They will be inexperienced," he said.
Both horses halted, the distance far enough to prevent any swordplay. Not that such was possible, Mirrin realized, seeing that Lowst carried no sword.
"So you finally got that generalship you've always craved," said Mirrin, breaking the short silence. Fully aware of the two sylphs staring at each other, he indicated his scout with a gloved hand. "This is Belaika, one of the famed Markan scouts."
"I've already met one. Ah, Shyamon his name is."
Belaika barely blinked at the news, but he eyed the other sylph warily, earpoints slanted slightly backwards. Their camouflage was similar, but Belaika wore his hair very short, while the other sylph had his tied back from his face. The Eldovans had not realized that tammin leaf juice masked a sylph's sinabra; Belaika could smell his opposite number, a distinct disadvantage in the field.
"Shyamon is a prisoner," said Mirrin.
"All the prisoners are being treated well." Lowst gave Belaika a dispassionate glance. "The Markans that is. The Eldovans I captured are not prisoners."
"Magnanimous of you."
"Just following orders." Lowst smiled. "Your men are all offered safe passage to Eldova."
Mirrin returned the smile, if a considerably less friendly one. "And you believe your thousand men can stop us if you wished?"
"We'd give it a good try," replied Lowst. "But fighting is unnecessary."
"Forgive me if I do not trust your word," replied Mirrin. He kept one eye on the sylphs, who now warily circled each other. Their earpoints were still slanted backwards. Mirrin had never heard of violence between sylphs, but they sometimes squabbled.
"As you wish." Lowst shrugged, as if it did not matter. "You want to travel to Eldova, my orders are to escort you and my prisoners to Eldova. Our immediate goals are the same, so why do we need to fight?"
"Dsak," the Eldovan sylph growled at Belaika.
Belaika did not retaliate verbally, but the set of his lips showed his contempt for the other scout.
"Aiten." Lowst pointed to his stirrup and the named scout obediently stepped back into place, though he continued to stare venomously at his opposite number.
"Belaika." Mirrin copied Lowst's gesture. "Please."
The Markan sylph also subsided and stepped back, though his contemptuous sneer stayed in place.
"You suggest we march to Eldova together?" asked Mirrin.
Lowst shook his head. "Keep your independence. I suggest we escort you to Eldova, admittedly from a safe distance. Though I doubt if you will be allowed into the city without permission from Hingast. He seems to think that so many of you are cowards and traitors. His words, not mine."
"If Hingast is who he claims to be," said Mirrin quietly.
Lowst gave no reaction, though Aiten stared.
"You've heard then," continued Mirrin.
"My prisoner has made some wild claims; I am disappointed to see you've fallen for his foolishness."
Mirrin shrugged. "We'll see."
"Your friend squealed in terror when we took him," Aiten told Belaika.
Again, Belaika refused to rise.
"Be silent, boy," growled Lowst. "We treat together; this is no place for insults."
Belaika managed a small smile for the other sylph's public humiliation, but stilled his face almost immediately.
"You offer me a peaceful journey to Eldova?" asked Mirrin.
Lowst nodded. "So long as you return that compliment and for so long as you continue traveling to the city."
"Done." Mirrin moved his horse forward and offered his hand.
"Done." Lowst smiled. "Come, Aiten." He turned his horse and rode away.
Mirrin watched them go before he looked down at the scout stood beside his horse. "Well Belaika, what did you make of that?"
***
"Tell me what you learned about Belaika," said Lowst, keeping his horse to a slow walk for Aiten's benefit. Not even sylphs could comfortably run and talk at the same time.
"Impressive," replied Aiten. "And disciplined. He did not respond to my insults."
"And that makes him impressive?" Lowst cocked an eyebrow.
Aiten shrugged. "He carries himself well. He has confidence and I suspect much experience, despite being so young."
"They start them young in Calcan," said Lowst.
"I think he is calm under pressure. He... intimidated me."
Lowst stared at the sylph in surprise. "You didn't look very intimidated to me."
Aiten shrugged. "He is a seasoned scout and I am not."
"They are not infallible," pointed out Lowst.
"Neither are humans, but they intimidate me too."
Lowst chuckled. "Well I think you sylphs have made an excellent start. Are you no nearer working out how their whistles work?"
Aiten's earpoints wilted. "No. I think a human worked out how the whistles should sound and taught the sylphs. It is hard to unravel that backwards." The sylph looked disgusted with himself at this failure.
"Well keep trying." Lowst gave the sylph a reassuring smile. He hoped Aiten didn't fear pun
ishment. One clear difference between the two sets of sylph scouts was that the Markan sylphs felt easier speaking their mind.
He must try to find a way around the problem of decoding the enemy whistles himself. Sergeant of Signals Raynor and his sylph Unnis might be able to help with that.
***
Mirrin and Janost sat in the shade of Mirrin's tent, while Shashi and Belaika hovered, the latter to pass on any whistled messages.
"We should get a half day's march in," insisted Janost. "Put some distance between us. I cannot trust having that army so close – Lowst has attacked us once; there is nothing to stop him from doing it again."
Mirrin cocked an eyebrow. "You think he is so untrustworthy?" He nodded thanks as Shashi topped up his alovak.
"He might not have shared all his orders," replied Janost. "I know how Hingast thinks. He abandoned us and there is no way he wants anyone to turn up and give their side of the story. I note how we are regarded as cowards and traitors, who abandoned Hingast, rather than the other way around. Nice touch, until people start turning up again. Better if they are silent, and the best way to keep men silent is to kill them."
Mirrin saw shock painting Belaika's face. A young, if experienced scout, the sylph was probably used to the decent behavior always exhibited by Marcus and Branad.
"We were not with Hingast," replied Mirrin. "That offers some protection."
"I was." Janost's voice dropped to little more than a whisper. "So too was Kelanus. And Hingast will know you and I are marching together. You are tainted with the charges as much as I am."
Aware Shashi stared at him in horror, Mirrin gave his sylph a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
"We can stay for today and give the men a short break."
"I expect Lowst has his sylphs spying on us," said Janost. "How many has he got?"
"I'm not sure," admitted Mirrin.
"Ten," said Belaika. "Working in five pairs."
"Are you certain?" Janost still failed to hide his distaste at the scout's forwardness.
"Pretty certain," insisted the male sylph.
"Does Lowst know Shyamon is sending reports to us?" asked Janost.
"If he keeps them discreet, Shyamon might be able to get away with it," said Mirrin. "I'm not even sure that Lowst is using his sylphs to pinpoint whistles."
"Assume that he is," offered Janost, unable to keep admiration out of his eyes. "He is as intelligent as you, despite what people say."
Mirrin smiled before he turned to Belaika. "Your impressions of those scouts are what, exactly?"
"Inexperienced but good," replied the scout. Shashi stared at him, amazed a sylph was allowed to participate in the meeting. "They work in pairs, which reduces their effectiveness, but they can conceal themselves well."