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. This is where yourfriend died? Kei asked. I suppose so.Like me, he would have preferred to die fighting. Kei made Arman face him. There is no glory in death.And no shame in surviving. Arman looked at him sadly. I know that now.Jozo would not have done. At the edge of the graveyard, Arman stopped and saluted.So did Tiko and his soldiers,again to Kei s surprise, standing smartly to attention as they did so and it wasn t just theirown men for whom the gesture was intended.Not long after they d restarted their journey, they came upon the main encampment ofDarshianese and Andonese soldiers.Kei had his first glimpse of the sheer numbersstationed to protect the mountain pass, and to act as a base for the many soldiers scatteredacross north Darshian.Tiko presented his bona fides and they were allowed to travel on.Arman was slightly stunned, perhaps realising for the first time that the easy Prijian victoryhad been an illusion.Kei didn t ask he hated discussing soldiers and warfare. Less than a day later, they came to the edge of the high plains that formed the greaterpart of north Darshian.As they started their descent of the Kislik Mountain range, thecoastal plain stretched out before them, with the fields and towns of its large population, thelush vegetation that owed its survival to the temperate maritime climate, and by the coast,by the large defended harbour, the city of Darshek itself. Does my heart good to see this again, Tiko declared as they rested on a convenientlevel area of the long mountain road that would take them a day and a half to descendsafely. I had no idea, Arman murmured. I knew the city was large but I didn t realisethere was all this besides it. There s more people in Darshek plain than in the whole of the rest of north Darshian, Tiko said. There s a good ten thousand in the city, and as many again in the farms aroundthe place.She s a fertile place, and a pretty one.When I retire, if I don t go back to ourfamily farm, I think I ll buy a little one here and grow fruit to support me in my old age.Let the sun do all the hard work, he said winking at Kei, and Kei wondered which sun hemeant.From where they looked out, the sea glittered like a jewel.Kei could see the greatcannons poised on the twin cliffs bracketing the harbour. There are the Prijian ships, Arman murmured. Just out of range. Kei looked where he pointed and yes, he could just make out five or so vesselsmoored just past the mouth of the harbour. The poor bastards must surely want to go homeby now, he muttered. I m sure they do but this is a good sign, you realise.If the siege is still beingmaintained, then the senate haven t convinced Her Serenity to give up the campaign.Which means the hostages still have a value to her, I hope.I d been rather afraid if she dheard nothing from me in all this time, she might have decided to shut things down.Westill need to hurry though.The senate were pressing her to end the war even before I left. Well, then, general, I guess we ll see how fast you work, if at all, Tiko said. We vestill got some travel ahead of us, so let s move. Kei expected they would take Arman all the way to the Ruler s House in the centre ofDarshek, at least half a day s ride from the base of the range.He was therefore shocked tobe met shortly after they d completed their descent, by a squad of twenty soldiers on beasts,led by one of the Rulers himself, a short, slim man in his forties whom Kei dimlyremembered from his previous stay in the capital.Kei s group pulled up and Tiko snapped off the smartest salute Kei had ever seen him make. Lord Meki, I m Captain Tiko, at yourlordship s service. Lord Meki nodded. Thank you, Captain.I m here to collect our prize and take himinto Darshek.General Arman? I hear you speak our language fluently. Yes, my lord, and I ve had a few weeks to improve. Lord Meki smiled at the comment. Good.Tiko, if you and your men would removeany personal effects from this cart, we ll use it to transport the general. The Ruler turnedto Kei. You would be.? Kei swallowed nervously he hadn t expected to have to talk to one of the Rulers. Kei of Ai-Albon, my lord.Healer.I ve been in charge of the general s health since FortTrejk. Ah, yes.And the general s condition? Neki was replaced as driver on the cart, and the other two soldiers took their packs andbedrolls out of the back.Arman wore a blank expression as if this was nothing whatsoeverto do with him. Very good, my lord.He s still recovering from a broken leg, but in the lastday, he s begun to walk without the crutches.I can travel on with you and see to his care [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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. This is where yourfriend died? Kei asked. I suppose so.Like me, he would have preferred to die fighting. Kei made Arman face him. There is no glory in death.And no shame in surviving. Arman looked at him sadly. I know that now.Jozo would not have done. At the edge of the graveyard, Arman stopped and saluted.So did Tiko and his soldiers,again to Kei s surprise, standing smartly to attention as they did so and it wasn t just theirown men for whom the gesture was intended.Not long after they d restarted their journey, they came upon the main encampment ofDarshianese and Andonese soldiers.Kei had his first glimpse of the sheer numbersstationed to protect the mountain pass, and to act as a base for the many soldiers scatteredacross north Darshian.Tiko presented his bona fides and they were allowed to travel on.Arman was slightly stunned, perhaps realising for the first time that the easy Prijian victoryhad been an illusion.Kei didn t ask he hated discussing soldiers and warfare. Less than a day later, they came to the edge of the high plains that formed the greaterpart of north Darshian.As they started their descent of the Kislik Mountain range, thecoastal plain stretched out before them, with the fields and towns of its large population, thelush vegetation that owed its survival to the temperate maritime climate, and by the coast,by the large defended harbour, the city of Darshek itself. Does my heart good to see this again, Tiko declared as they rested on a convenientlevel area of the long mountain road that would take them a day and a half to descendsafely. I had no idea, Arman murmured. I knew the city was large but I didn t realisethere was all this besides it. There s more people in Darshek plain than in the whole of the rest of north Darshian, Tiko said. There s a good ten thousand in the city, and as many again in the farms aroundthe place.She s a fertile place, and a pretty one.When I retire, if I don t go back to ourfamily farm, I think I ll buy a little one here and grow fruit to support me in my old age.Let the sun do all the hard work, he said winking at Kei, and Kei wondered which sun hemeant.From where they looked out, the sea glittered like a jewel.Kei could see the greatcannons poised on the twin cliffs bracketing the harbour. There are the Prijian ships, Arman murmured. Just out of range. Kei looked where he pointed and yes, he could just make out five or so vesselsmoored just past the mouth of the harbour. The poor bastards must surely want to go homeby now, he muttered. I m sure they do but this is a good sign, you realise.If the siege is still beingmaintained, then the senate haven t convinced Her Serenity to give up the campaign.Which means the hostages still have a value to her, I hope.I d been rather afraid if she dheard nothing from me in all this time, she might have decided to shut things down.Westill need to hurry though.The senate were pressing her to end the war even before I left. Well, then, general, I guess we ll see how fast you work, if at all, Tiko said. We vestill got some travel ahead of us, so let s move. Kei expected they would take Arman all the way to the Ruler s House in the centre ofDarshek, at least half a day s ride from the base of the range.He was therefore shocked tobe met shortly after they d completed their descent, by a squad of twenty soldiers on beasts,led by one of the Rulers himself, a short, slim man in his forties whom Kei dimlyremembered from his previous stay in the capital.Kei s group pulled up and Tiko snapped off the smartest salute Kei had ever seen him make. Lord Meki, I m Captain Tiko, at yourlordship s service. Lord Meki nodded. Thank you, Captain.I m here to collect our prize and take himinto Darshek.General Arman? I hear you speak our language fluently. Yes, my lord, and I ve had a few weeks to improve. Lord Meki smiled at the comment. Good.Tiko, if you and your men would removeany personal effects from this cart, we ll use it to transport the general. The Ruler turnedto Kei. You would be.? Kei swallowed nervously he hadn t expected to have to talk to one of the Rulers. Kei of Ai-Albon, my lord.Healer.I ve been in charge of the general s health since FortTrejk. Ah, yes.And the general s condition? Neki was replaced as driver on the cart, and the other two soldiers took their packs andbedrolls out of the back.Arman wore a blank expression as if this was nothing whatsoeverto do with him. Very good, my lord.He s still recovering from a broken leg, but in the lastday, he s begun to walk without the crutches.I can travel on with you and see to his care [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]