was thick but had already begun to burn away beneath an unusually warm sun.
Purane-Es sat high in the saddle, curious about the figures he saw coming and going in gray and brown cloaks. They looked like peasants; most had no braids, and none of them was clean shaven. Even the Royal Guardsmen he saw looked a bit ragged, their uniforms not to regulation, their braids casually slung over their shoulders. It was depressing to see.
Kallmer came to greet them; he'd been leading a drill and was drenched in sweat, despite the cold. 'Commander Purane-Es,' he said, his voice guarded. 'Your presence coincides with events both wondrous and fearsome.'
'We need to talk,' said Purane-Es, refusing the offer of cordiality.
'Of course, Commander,' said Kallmer, emphasizing the rank to remind Purane-Es that his was equivalent. 'I've set up a temporary headquarters in a hotel just up the street.'
Purane-Es handed his reins to a groom, and they walked the short distance to the hotel. The streets were quiet, save for the activities of the military in the grove.
'Your message indicated riots,' said Purane-Es. 'If there is rioting here, it's being performed by an exceedingly polite mob.'
'We've… gotten that situation under control since that message was sent. I apologize; there hasn't been time for a follow-up.'
Purane-Es quickened his pace. 'So we only need to concern ourselves with the earthquakes, advancing armies, and columns of flame. Is that correct?'
'More or less,' said Kallmer.
'You've got new orders,' said Purane-Es. 'I want you to gather your men and prepare to pull out of Sylvan. If what you're saying is true-and I do plan to verify every word of it-then we should fall back until reinforcements arrive. We did not think they would cross the border so soon, or so spectacularly.'
'Who gives this order?'
'The order will come from my father once I speak with him.'
'But he has not yet spoken.'
'That does not matter. We are of one mind on this matter.'
'Show me an order from Purane and I'll prepare my men. Until then, I retain command, and I give the orders.'
They reached the hotel, and Kallmer pushed into the lobby, Purane-Es following him. 'I can have you stripped to graveyard walker, Kallmer. You are walking a gossamer thread.'
'Save it, Purane-Es,' said Kallmer. 'Why don't you go back to the City Emerald and write a love song? I have work to do.'
Purane-Es stopped in the lobby, unable to believe what he'd just heard.
'Pardon me?' he said, his hands in fists.
'You heard me,' said Kallmer. 'Run along to your daddy.'
'I'll have your head for this! Do you have any idea who you're speaking to?' said Purane-Es.
'Yes, I do. I know quite a bit about you, in fact. And if you try to get in my way, I'm fully prepared to spread that knowledge around.'
'What do you think…' began Purane-Es, but he was cut off by a tall, aging lord who waved his hands for Kallmer's attention.
'Commander Kallmer!' shouted the man. 'I have been waiting for hours!'
Kallmer bowed stiffly to the man. 'Lord Geracy, we are doing everything we can to locate your daughter. As soon as I know more…'
'I don't have time for your equivocation, Kallmer,' the man shouted. 'I am leaving Sylvan in ten hours and if my daughter isn't with me, I'll speak to the Queen herself about this! I'll see that you and that cursed Mauritane are hanged from the same branch!'
'You're the third person to threaten me with death in the past twentyeight hours,' said Kallmer dryly. 'The threat is losing its edge.'
'Mauritane?' said Purane-Es, his interest piqued.
'Yes!' shouted Geracy. 'Kallmer had that fiend imprisoned at my palace. But he allowed the man to escape from under our very noses, with my only daughter as a hostage.'
Purane-Es looked askance at Kallmer. 'Why, Commander! Your report did not mention anything of the sort. Have you grown forgetful?'
'It's nothing to do with my orders,' said Kallmer, fuming.
'Quite the contrary, I think it has everything to do with your orders.' Purane-Es smiled with mock politeness.
'Forgive my ignorance, but whom do I have the pleasure of addressing?' Geracy said, somewhat calmed by Purane-Es's presence.
'I am Purane-Es, of the City Emerald.' Purane-Es gave a brief bow.
'You're Purane's boy!' the man said. 'I am Geracy. Your father and I hunted together once or twice.'
'Yes, he's spoken of you,' said Purane-Es, although he'd never heard the man's name in his life. 'If you'll pardon me,' he said to Geracy, 'I believe I can straighten this matter out with my fellow officer and have your daughter back in no time.'
'Finally!' said Geracy. 'Perhaps you can convince him not to pursue this dangerous alliance as well!'
'Alliance? Oh, we must speak in private,' said Purane-Es.
Kallmer sat at his makeshift desk, peering across its wide expanse at Purane-Es, who paced furiously before him. A pair of sergeants tended to paperwork at another table, ignored. Otherwise, the room was empty. Kallmer poured drinks and laid out the previous day's events in brief, leaving out anything to do with the escape and kidnapping Geracy had complained about.
'Amazing,' said Purane-Es, when the story was finished. 'But where is Mauritane now, if not here? If you have created an alliance, why do your troops not train together?'
Kallmer nodded. 'Well, Mauritane is at the Temple Aba-e. He's working on some plan of his own devising right now. As to the troops, we thought it would be a bit much to place them side by side. We're going to deploy them separately, under joint orders from me, through Mauritane. He's the only person who both sides will follow. So the rebel troops are assembling in a grove near the City Center, and…'
'Mauritane will lead the troops!' Purane-Es shouted. 'Mauritane is a convicted traitor, a murderer, and a madman. Have you lost your mind?'
Kallmer took a moment to compose his thoughts. 'Do you think me stupid, Purane-Es? All I've done is allow Mauritane to do my job for me. If he fails, there will still be time to evacuate. But if he is successful, then credit goes to us.' He leaned back in his chair, making a steeple with his fingers. 'Again, there is nothing you can do about it.'
Purane-Es drew his sword with a smooth motion. 'Do not be so sure, Kallmer.'
'Don't threaten me, you pompous ass,' said Kallmer. 'I know what happened at Stilbel. I know it was you who gave the order, not Mauritane.'
'That is not a lie you ought to be spreading,' said Purane-Es. 'Such talk could get you hurt.'
'And it could get you hanged,' said Kallmer. 'You lied under oath at the tribunal, and I can prove it. Perjury by a nobleman is a capital offense.'
'You can prove nothing.'
'Oh, but you're wrong,' said Kallmer. 'I was there.'
Kallmer allowed that to sink in. 'I was an aide for the commander at Beleriand, and I was transferred briefly to Mauritane's command while you and your brother were out slaughtering villagers. I know he did not write the order, because I transcribed the order that he did write. I still have a copy.'
'If you are so familiar with the facts, then you know that Mauritane amended his original orders. The order to secure Stilbel was an amendment. What you claim to have proves nothing.'
'I assume you never read the original order, then,' laughed Kallmer. 'It states, and I quote, `whatever means you take to secure the valley east of the river, you will by no means harm any of the civilians along its length.' That would make for quite an amendment.'
'You're lying,' said Purane-Es.
