you are boundless and beauty with fright in your face
The Troll Gods prove more useful, if unwillingly cooperative, than Stragen had anticipated. Aphrael - not without some regretfulness - wrung from them an agreement that would ultimately be the end of their species. Trolls were from a time past, and their time had passed; at least, now, they might age and die as men do ( Read more... )
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"He received a message, Emban," Sephrenia smiles, "The messenger can be very impressive when he wants to be."
"Oh?" Emban asks.
"An emergency came up, your Grace," Vanion explains, "Zalasta had sent word to his confederates in Eosia, and they were killing the worshippers of the Child-Goddess Aphrael. That put her life in danger as well. We spoke with one of the other Younger Gods--Setras. He agreed that the Younger Gods would lend Aphrael some of their children, and he went to Chyrellos to ask Dolmant to offer sanctuary to Aphrael's surviving worshippers. He was also going to try to persuade Dolmant to send the Church Knights here. Evidently he was a bit more convincing than you and Tynian were."
"Are you saying that a Styric God went into the Basilica?" Emban exclaims.
"He said that's what he was going to do," Sparhawk replies.
"No Styric God has ever gone into the Basilica!"
"I just hope he put trousers on beforehand," Maryani says, and then pauses, contemplatively. "Or maybe I don't."
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Ignoring the whispering between Sparhawk and Danae - and giving Maryani an amused look that takes a sidetrip to her husband - Tynian continues his report. "Count Gerrich's forces have taken Vraden and Agnak in northern Lamorkand, and King Friedahl's been appealing to the other monarchs for assistance."
"We'll be taking care of that shortly, Sir Tynian." In Martel's opinion, Stragen always seems to enjoy being able to tell someone he's already handled something. "I've been in touch with Platime, and he's arranging fatal accidents for Gerrich and the various barons who've been helping him."
The door opens, heralding Berit and Xanetia.
"What did you find out, Anarae?" Sephrenia asks intently.
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"This morning sortie was quite profitable, little mother," Berit says, "Zalasta's friend Ynak showed up at the Cynesgan embassy, and the Anarae was able to probe his mind. I think we've got most of the details of their plan now."
"Is this the lady with the rare gift?" Emban asks.
"I seem to be forgetting my manners," Vanion apologizes, "Anarae Xanetia, this is Sir Tynian of Deira and Patriarch Emban of the Church of Chyrellos. Gentleman, this is Xanetia, Anarae of the People of Delpheaus."
Tynian and Emban bow, but they look awfully curious, in Maryani's mind. She can't blame them. Xanetia hardly looks like a monster of legend--particularly while concealing herself like she is now.
"What have our friends at the embassy been up to, Anarae?" Sarabian asks.
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"Though it was not pleasant to probe so vile a mild, Ynak's thought did reveal much, Majesty. As we had surmised, the outcast Styrics at Verel have long known that the greatest threat to their design would come from Eosia. They wished Anakha to come to Tamuli, but they did not wish for him to bring a hundred thousand Church Knights with him. The turmoil in western Tamuli is in fact intended to block the passage of the knights. All else is extraneous. Moreover, the attacks of the Trolls in Atan are also designed to divert attention. Our peril doth not approach from the west or the north. It is from the south that our enemies plan to make their main assault. Even now do Cynesgan troops filter across the unguarded frontier to join with Scarpa's forces in the jungles of Arjuna, and Elenes from western Tamuli, moreover, to journey by ship to Southern Arjuna to add their weight to Scarpa's growing horde. The distractions in the west and in Atan were to drain away imperial might and to weaken Tamul proper, thus opening a path for Scarpa to ( ... )
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