Martin took the seat next to Amos Trask, while Charles and Garret remained standing. The former sea captain nodded a greeting to Martin, as Arutha pulled out his own chair, as was his habit, ignoring most formalities when with his councillors. Amos had become an unofficial member of Arutha’s staff since the siege of the castle; he was an enterprising man of many unexpected skills.
Fannon sat to Arutha’s right. Since his wound, he had been content to accept Arutha as commander in Crydee and had sent a personal note to Lord Borric advising him so. The Duke had sent a reply ratifying the transfer of command, and Fannon had returned to his former role as adjutant. The Swordmaster seemed pleased with the situation.
Arutha said, “Martin has just returned from a mission of special importance. Martin, tell us what you’ve seen.”
Martin said, “We climbed the Grey Towers and entered the valley where the Tsurani have their headquarters.”
Fannon and Tully looked at the Huntmaster with surprise, while Amos Trask guffawed. “You toss aside a small saga in one sentence,” said the seaman.
Martin ignored the comment and said, “I think it best to let Charles tell you what we saw.”
The former Tsurani slave’s voice held a note of concern. “From all signs, the Warlord will launch another major offensive next spring.”
Everyone in the room sat speechless, save Fannon. “How can you be sure? Are there new armies in his camp?”
Charles shook his head. “No, the new soldiers will not arrive until just before the first spring thaw. My former countrymen have little liking for your cold climate. They will stage during the winter months on my former homeworld. They’ll move through the rift just before the offensive.”
Even after five years, Fannon still had lingering doubts about Charles’s loyalty, though Longbow held none. “How, then,” said the Swordmaster, “can you be certain there is to be an offensive? We’ve had none since the assault on Elvandar three years ago.”
“There are new banners in the Warlord’s camp, Swordmaster, the banners of the houses who belong to the Blue Wheel Party. They have been absent for six years. It can mean only another major change within the High Council. The Alliance for War is again formed.”
Of those in the room, only Tully seemed to grasp what Charles was saying. He had made a study of the Tsurani, learning all he could from the captured slaves. He said, “You had better explain, Charles.”
Charles took a moment to organize his remarks and said, “You must understand one thing of my former homeland. Above everything except honor and obedience to the Emperor, there is the High Council. To gain in the High Council is worth much, even the risk of life itself. More than one family has been destroyed by plots and intrigues within the council. We of the Empire refer to this as the ‘Game of the Council.”
“My family was well placed within the Hunzan Clan, neither great enough to warrant notice by our clan’s rivals, nor small enough to be relegated to only minor roles. We had the benefit of knowing much of the matters before the High Council without having to worry overly much about what decisions were made. Our clan was active in the Party for Progress, for we numbered many scholars, teachers, healers, priests, and artists in our families.
“Then for a time the Hunzan Clan left the Party for Progress, for reasons not clear to any but the highest family leaders, reasons I can only speculate on. My clan joined with the clans of the Blue Wheel Party, one of the oldest in the High Council. While not so powerful as the Warlord’s War Party, or the traditionalists of the Imperial Party, it still has much honor and influence.
“Six years ago, when I first came here, the Blue Wheel Party had joined with the War Party to form the Alliance for War. Those of us in the lesser families were not told why such a radical change in alignment had come about, but there was no doubt it was a matter of the Game of the Council.
“My personal fall from grace and my enslavement was certainly necessary to ensure that those of my clan would stay above suspicion until the time was right for whatever move was being planned. It is now clear what that move was.
“Since the siege of this castle, I have seen no sign of any soldier who’s a member of the Blue Wheel families. I took it to mean the Alliance for War had been ended.”
Fannon interrupted. “Are you then saying the conduct of this war is but an aspect of some political game in this High Council?”
Charles said, “Swordmaster, I know it is difficult for a man as steadfast in his loyalty to his nation as you are to understand such a thing. But that is exactly what I am saying.