Fire And Ice (Book 1) (52 page)

             
“Ah, that one, but why bring up old memories now?”

             
Stemis’ jaw clenched.  Was Gelarus trying to make him angry?  He refused to be goaded into an argument.  “That was the night you set me on this path.  You said the fire was a sign that the darkness was once again stirring.  You said I should search the prophecies to find clues as to how to stop it.  For sixteen years I have searched, the palace library, the books here, I even sent letters to libraries in other cities to see what could be found.  Sixteen years and all I have found is this.”  He held out the paper for Gelarus to see.  The wizard glanced at it and back to him so quickly he wasn’t sure it had happened.  “Oh, I found the other works of Gratus, what he wrote of the last two wars, but nothing except vague hints as to a third one.  You told me there was something to find.”

             
“And you did,” Gelarus responded by glancing at the paper in his hand.

             
“You eluded that there was more.”

             
“There is always more.  More things to find, more knowledge to gain.”  Gelarus’ tone bordered on mischievous.              

Once again Stemis had to keep his anger in check.  “Lately I have been pondering these words.”  He lifted the paper.  “And I began to wonder if it was enough after all.  At least to tell me what I must do.  Should I read it to you?”

              “I remember what it says.”

             
How could he?  Stemis had showed it to him once after finding it sixteen years ago.

             
“I know you did not ask me here to show me that,” Gelarus stated impatiently.  All signs of mischief gone from his voice.  “I have known you to scheme before, what you did to Coran is proof of that, and I see it in your eyes again.”

             
“Why is it you only tell me things that I already know, and not the things I do not?”

             
“I tell you what you need to know.”

             
Stemis shook his head in frustration.  “Is there no one who can command you?”

             
“The Creator.  We must all bow to His wishes.”

             
“Anyone bound to this earth?” Stemis asked grumpily.

             
“There may be one or two.”  The wizard smiled that infuriating smile of his that said he knew more than you ever would.

             
“Obviously, I am not one of them.”

             
“Obviously,” Gelarus said smugly.  “Now will you tell me what you have deduced from that?” he asked, pointing at the paper.

              “The question I have is about the Voltians,” Roland was saying.  They sat in the council room around the polished wood table, where a map of Midia was spread out for them to see.  “You sent the same information to them?”

             
“Yes,” Katelyn responded.              

“Then why are they not asking for help?  They border the passes where any invasion must take place.  They would be the first ones attacked.”  He looked to the others at the table for an answer.  Loras sat silent as usual; he had contributed little to the conversation. 

              “Do we know where the Voltian forces are right now?” Martin wondered.

             
“As a matter of fact I do.  I ordered a scouting report before I left Holdon.  The result arrived this morning.”  The Lord of Axely tapped at a point on the map with a finger.  “About half of their force is here at Volton at the mouth of the Sone.  The rest are gathered here.”  He moved his finger west along the line that marked the River Sone.  “About a day’s ride from Milaard.”

             
“They left the passes undefended?” Martin exclaimed unbelievingly.

             
“What does that mean?” Katelyn asked confused.  It made no sense to her.  She had been taught tactics, but what Voltia was doing was beyond her.

             
“That is the question,” as Roland started in on his role as strategist.  “If you take it from the point of view of Voltia, acting defensively, then the information would suggest that they are preparing to protect northern Voltia while harrying anyone passing through in the south.  Nothing else fits.”

             
“Passing through to where?”  Martin asked before she could.  “That is what we need to know.”

             
“Our clue is the fleet Coran found.  If you were attacking us and wanted to strike a surprise blow, where would it count the most?”

             
“Summerhall,” she and Martin said at the same time.

             
“Exactly.  Voltia expects them to go straight for here.  How they know is another question.  Unless they are just guessing.”

             
“You indicated there might be another point of view?” she asked.              

“Yes,” he said reluctantly.  She could tell what he was about to say was not going to be pleasant.  “If Voltia is for some reason against us, then their forces can move quickly to block Holdon from crossing into Voltia.  They could force us to have to go over the mountains to send you help.”

              That was a very bleak thought.  They might have to fight Voltia too?

             
“Which, unfortunately, makes more sense,” Roland continued.  “According to the map Coran brought, the invaders do not have enough men right now to take on the combined forces of Midia.  That is, if we all stand together.  What we need to do is find out what other surprises they have in store for us.  To pull off crossing almost all of Midia and reaching Summerhall while maintaining the advantage has to involve more than just Voltia, if they are involved.”

             
That thought was even worse.  It was going to be a long winter.  “Do you have any ideas?” she asked.

             
Roland pondered over the map.  “If it were me, I would not wait for spring, but attack as soon as my army was ready to come through the passes.  Also, I would make as many distractions as possible.  For the best timing I would start those surprises by the time I entered Voltia.”  He stopped and scanned the others and their bleak faces.

             
Katelyn was looking at the map as well.  “Worst case, if we are outnumbered, what would you suggest for a strategy?”

             
Roland touched the map again.  “It depends on what we have to work with, but worst case?  We defend a place where we pick the terrain and they have to get by us.  Someplace as far from here as we can while not overextending ourselves.  Like the bridges at Stockton.  It is the only place to cross the Blood River for most of its length.”

             
“Can’t we just tear them down?” she asked.              

“Not easily.”  It was Martin who answered her.  “The bridge at Stockton is massive, and there is the fact that we want them to come there.  If they do not then we will have no idea where they will try and cross.”

              It was logical.  She studied the map some more.  The real worry was wondering what surprises Elthzidor had in store for them.

             
“What about the North?” questioned Martin.  “Where do they stand?”

             
“We know they are in the Sea of the East hunting down Makkurans, and more ships have been seen heading south to the Sea of Ithan,” Katelyn informed them.

             
“Why are they going there?” Roland asked.

             
“We have been receiving rumors that Ithan is mobilizing its legions, and that a fleet is being built at Mercae,” she told them.  The rivalry between the North and Ithan has existed since the early days of the Ithanian Empire.  Just the rumor of hostilities with Ithan would bring ships from the North.  “Besides that I have not been able to get a straight answer from the Northern kingdoms.  They are acting on their own.”

             
Roland cleared his throat.  “Before I left Holdon I know that Mance was sending representatives to Essendor and Nyess.  Hopefully, we will have some information soon.”  

             
The door opened and Gelarus entered.  He walked towards the head of the table to stand by Katelyn, who sat to the left of her father’s chair.  “Your Highness.”  He scanned the occupants of the room.

             
“Gelarus,” she replied to his greeting.  “Have you seen my father?”

             
“Actually, I was just with him.”

             
“Will he be joining us?”

             
“Not right now, no.”              

“Excuse me,” Roland said to get their attention, “I do not mean to be rude, but I must ask, is the High King well?”

              Katelyn tried to think of a suitable reply.  It would not do for anyone to know that the High King might be ill.  Any sign of weakness would have the nobles of Midia thinking to their own advantage.  Thankfully, she was spared the decision by the quick reply of Gelarus.

             
“He is fine.  Oh, he has not been at his best lately, mainly from working too hard, but he is much better now.  He is looking forward to the feast tonight.”  Gelarus spoke so smoothly that Roland believed him completely.

             
“Feast?”  Katelyn said in surprise.

             
“Yes.  It seems he took your hiring of a bard and expanded it into a feast.  To celebrate Coran’s return.  Everyone here is invited of course.”

             
“I will be happy to attend, of course,”  Roland accepted the invitation.

             
“Now we can discuss the reason the King sent me here.  I am to tell you what I know about those creatures that attacked Coran.”  Gelarus had everyone’s undivided attention.  They were all curious at what those things were.  “Thousand of years ago they were brought forth into the world.  Left alone they spread death and destruction across the land.”  Gelarus was staring straight ahead, as if he could see something they could not.  “Eventually they were defeated and driven from this world.  Or so it was thought.  Apparently, the Dark God must have kept one hidden away.”

             
“The Destroyer!” Roland cried with disgust.  “A name I had hoped would stay long lost in myth.”              

             
“I agree, but we must face what is, not what we would like things to be.”  Gelarus reminded them all.  “Now these creatures are not the same as the ones written of.  They were called Dragorog, but these do not seem as big, and appear more human-like than was described.”

             
“Meaning what?”  Katelyn prompted.

             
“I am not sure yet.  I did find a reference to something called an Orgog.  It was supposed to be smaller than a Dragorog but exactly what they were is not clear.  When referring to the Orgog the writing was more like speculation than fact.”

             
“What I saw in the yard was fact,” Katelyn disagreed.  “Not speculation.”

             
Gelarus conceded the point with a nod of his head.  “Whether what we saw was or was not an Orgog the name will do for now.”

             
“I would like to know if they are as tough to kill as I have heard?” asked Roland.

             
“They are.”  It was Loras who responded to the question.  “We lost eight good men in dealing with the two who attacked Lord Coran, and that was with the help of Master Gelarus.”

             
“How many of them are there?” Roland asked. 

             
“That is difficult to say,” Gelarus stated.  “The Original Dragorog were very difficult to control.  It took a powerful wizard to do it.  So I do not believe there will be too many.”

             
“But you said Dragorog were a lot bigger,” Loras protested.  

             
“True.  If these are anything like Dragorog... well, being smaller I can only guess.  A hundred at most I would say.” 

             
Katelyn shivered slightly and she saw worry on every face.  A hundred of those things out there.  “I think that is enough for today,” she suggested.  “We can continue the discussion tomorrow.”  She was already dreading the meeting.   Things today had already gone as far as she wanted.  Without more information they were just guessing, and just bringing up more fears.  With a little time some of those fears might be proven unnecessary. 

              Coran’s knock was answered by the brown haired Alys.  She still wore the long sleeved red shirt from the yard.  “Is Katelyn here?”

             
“I am afraid not.  She is still in the meeting with Lord Roland,” she answered, then noticed the frown it caused on his face.  “Is something the matter?” 

             
“No.”  Then he shook his head.  “I am not sure.”