Then there were the regular soldiers, armed with a wide range of weapons, from the rare enchanted blades hoarded by the generals to the meanest club. In their teeming numbers, like ants buzzing on the plains, the only thing they had uniting them were their black tabards.
With their fortresses firmly sealed, the Halrana occupants of the Ring Forts — Manrith, Penton, Ramrar, Charing and Sark — gazed grimly down at their doom, feeling terribly thin in numbers and exposed up on the heights.
"I can’t believe they killed poor Lord Devon like that," Amber said.
"Did anyone escape?" Ella asked Miro.
Miro took a breath. "They burned the Alturan market house to the ground. Killed everyone inside — soldiers, merchants, women and children. I met many of those people. They were kind people, just bystanders really. That could have been me."
"It’s so awful," said Amber.
"Apparently the Emperor gave Lord Devon a written ultimatum — give up the Alturan Lexicon, or it would be war. The High Lord was given the same message, shortly after we returned from Tingara. They didn’t even wait for High Lord Tessolar’s response before they killed Lord Devon and sent his head back to Sarostar."
Ella shuddered. "Well at least we have the Ring Forts," she said.
"With Prince Leopold leading our forces though."
Ella could tell Miro wasn’t impressed. "Prince Leopold?"
"It was to be Lord Devon’s son, Rorelan, but he hasn’t been himself since the death of his father. There are few lords with both the youth and the political connections to lead our forces. With Rorelan out of the picture, that means Prince Leopold, High Lord Tessolar’s nephew."
"Can he command?" Ella asked.
"The bladesingers say he’s intelligent, but they’re just not sure about his judgement. He is perhaps trying too hard to prove himself."
"To who?"
Miro shrugged. "To his uncle? To people like you and me?"
"Miro, what’s the training like?" Amber asked.
"Hard," Miro said flatly.
He looked into the distance. He was growing up so fast that Ella felt she was losing the brother she knew. He seemed like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.
"It will soon get difficult for you both here," Miro said. "We’ll need a constant supply of weapons and armour. They’ll work you both hard. Lord Marshal Devon was clever. He knew this war was coming, and stockpiled essence illegally, without the knowledge of either the Emperor or the Primate. But it will be a grim fight, most likely decided by the actions of the undeclared houses."
At the mention of essence, Ella fingered the crystal bottle she had been given. Her own essence, to do with as she wanted! She could walk into the Poloplats right now and exchange the tiny amount of liquid she held in her hand for any single product in sight. Not that she would ever do that of course. Still, holding such wealth in her hand was a heady feeling.
"I heard some of the townsfolk say it’s just bluster, that the Emperor doesn’t want an all-out war with the houses," Amber said. "That if we all joined against him we would be more than a match for him, so why would he want war?"
"That’s what they say, yes." He regarded the two girls gravely. "But they’re wrong. I don’t know why, but the Emperor wants war, he’s actively pushing for it. Politically, it makes no sense. If anything, the last war did nothing for the Emperor’s cause. The High Lord believes many of the houses will stand together."
"What of the Primate? Who is he siding with?"
High Lord Tessolar says the Primate is angry with the Emperor, that the Emperor is mocking the Evermen and their legacy by warmongering. The Primate is praying to the Evermen to help him choose a course of action. Likely he will cut off the Emperor’s essence — perhaps the quickest and cleanest way to end the war. I pray to the Lord of the Sky that he does." Miro’s face grew determined. "But if the war continues, I’m ready to fight."
"As am I," Amber said with determination.
A voice called our Amber’s name. A figure drew closer: Igor Samson.
"Amber, there you are," he said. "Ella," he nodded, "and Miro, isn’t it?"
"Igor," the siblings said in greeting. It felt strange to use the master’s first name, but Ella supposed she needed to become used to it.
"Amber, my dear, it is growing late. I wanted to show you that conjugated matrix for steel strength."
"Yes, Igor, just a moment and I’ll say goodbye," Amber said.
Master Samson walked away to give her privacy, taking out a notebook and flicking through the pages.
"I have to go now. I’m sure everything will be fine. Ella, take care will you?" Amber gave Ella a tight hug. "And Miro," she looked back at Igor Samson. He seemed busy with his notes. She quickly gave Miro a soft kiss on the cheek. "Please be safe?"
Then she was gone.
Ella and Miro sat in silence for a moment. Ella only now realised how much she had missed her brother.
"I… I just wanted to say thank you, for coming here today. It can’t have been easy."
"No, it wasn’t. Given the circumstances though, they permitted me to leave, to see you."