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81
Another three days passedbefore Alucius led his vastly diminished forces out
of the Upper Spine
Mountains and into the dry and dusty plains of eastern Lanachrona, where it
had rained little or not at all in the season that had passed. The heat was
that of full late summer, not harvest, and the dust was fine and pervasive.
While Alucius had hoped to return the bodies to Emal or Dekhron, the heat and
the overly rapid putrification had made burial necessary as soon as they had
cleared the mountains and reached an area where there was actually soil.
There, after looking over the twenty-one graves, Alucius had said a brief
prayer to the One Who Is, wondering, not for the first time, whether his
prayer was more wish than substance.
They had not seen, and Alucius had not sensed, any more Talent-creatures. He
still wondered why they had been attacked. A warning of some sort? Like the
dreams? If he had only had dreams those he could have dismissed but the hidden
chamber and the attacks by wild pteridons made dismissing those concerns
impossible. Did the dream figures exist somewhere? Where? Was it that Alucius
was some sort of obstacle to someone? It seemed as though he was always an
obstacle to someone or something.
Except the soarers. Were the soarers and the alabaster-skinned people enemies?
Or did both want to use him? He shook his head; he still had no answers.
The majority of the scattered steads that they had passed after that were
abandoned, the grass on the rolling rises little more than desiccated stalks,
and the small fields mere patches of sandy dust. The waystations had water and
little else. For the provisions that Alucius had received from the Landarch,
he was more than thankful.
In midafternoon, through haze and dust, Alucius could see a rider ahead,
moving toward the column Waris, who had been one of the two scouts sent
forward.
Waris rode back along the high road and turned his mount to come alongside
Alucius. Sir& there are four Southern Guard messengers, and they say they have
a personal message for you from the
Arms-Commander of Lanachrona.
For me, and not Majer Draspyr? asked Alucius.
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They were quite clear, sir, replied the scout.
Ah& sir& perhaps just the one with the message, Egyl suggested from where he
rode beside Alucius.
Have them all ride to us, but invite the three without the message to join
the vanguard, Alucius said.
Egyl nodded.
When the messenger in the blue and cream of the Southern Guard arrived, he
managed not to show overt surprise at the reduced forces and their tattered
appearance, but Alucius could feel his shock nonetheless.
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We ve been fighting for almost a season, trooper, Alucius said dryly, and
we ve either been outnumbered or fighting Talent-creatures that haven t been
seen since the Cataclysm.
Yes, sir.
Alucius forced a smile.
Sir, we were ordered to deliver this to you personally and asked to have you
open it immediately. The messenger moved his mount toward Alucius.
Egyl intercepted the flat, sealed message, then leaned sideways and handed it
to Alucius.
Alucius took it, broke the seal, and began to read.
Honored Overcaptain Alucius
Word of your triumph in defeating the grassland nomads and turning back their
invasion of Deforya has reached the Lord-Protector. He is most pleased with
your success and would wish to reward you in person, for your leadership, and
for your achievements and for those of the troopers under your command&
Alucius frowned. The last thing he wanted to do was meet the Lord-Protector.
Therefore, you are to return to Salaan, where you will return any Southern
Guards to the commander of
Salaan Post, then to Dekhron. After reporting to Colonel Weslyn, you are to
proceed immediately to
Tempre by the high road, with a full squad of your own choosing from among
those who accompanied you. The guards bearing this missive will remain with
you for the journey. Once in Tempre you are to report to the Southern Guard
headquarters, and to me personally, before you meet with the
Lord-Protector&
The message or orders bore the signature of a Marshal Wyerl, Arms-Commander of
Lanachrona, as well as an elaborate gold seal.
To go to Tempre? Why? If the Lord-Protector had wanted to reward Alucius, he
certainly could have done so with far less effort. And if he had wanted
Alucius killed, that, too, could have been done more easily. By effectively
telling all of the Southern and Northern Guard that Alucius was to be rewarded
in
Tempre, that made his death less likely. Or did it?
What if he were attacked by brigands along the way? Or was he becoming overly
fearful?
Sir? asked Egyl.
The Lord-Protector is pleased with what we have done, and commends everyone.
We are ordered to
Dekhron first. After we report there, he has requested that I bring one
representative squad and travel to
Tempre to receive his congratulations in person&
In person? blurted the messenger. That is a great honor.
Alucius feared it was a far greater honor than he wished to receive.
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82
The high road west was straight,dusty, untraveled, and long. It took Alucius s
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tired force a week more after leaving the Upper Spine Mountains to reach the
road fort at Senelmyr. There he insisted that they rest for two days, much as
he wanted to finish the journey. The small Southern Guard detachment remaining
at the road fort was helpful in repairing an axle on one of the supply
wagons helpful, but withdrawn.
Once Alucius and the remnants of four companies resumed their travels, they
rode for another five days before nearing Salaan. Just before midafternoon,
south of Salaan the high road turned abruptly north, one of the few sharp
curves on any of the high roads, and the only one Alucius could recall that
did not involve a junction.
Heslyn, one of the guards sent as a messenger, was riding with Egyl, behind
Alucius and Feran.
Overcaptain, Salaan Post is just before the bridge over the river.
Alucius turned in the saddle. How far from here?
Five, six vingts, replied Heslyn.
Only when the column was within two vingts of Salaan, the town s low dwellings
visible on the northern horizon, did Alucius begin to see more than scattered
steads and dwellings rising out of the brown-grassed rises. The only trees
were those planted close to dwellings, small orchards of a tree not more than
five or six yards tall.
What are the trees? Alucius finally asked.
Apricots, answered Heslyn. They dry well. We eat many of them.
Alucius couldn t recall seeing dried apricots in Iron Stem.
They don t send them north, Feran said. Wonder why.
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