“Sir king, I think she will do whatever you command. But although I know Immer wants that crown, I don’t think sending it away will keep him from attempting the north. From what Andressat wrote me, I believe he is inhabited—the way some Verrakaien took over others, including that groom at your coronation. And the ambitions of whoever inhabits him seem fixed on the North. Kieri has had warning from Kostandan.”
“I wish you were not leaving the realm this season. If anything happens—if she must leave—I have no experienced military commander for our defense.”
Arcolin bit his tongue. He knew Dorrin had tried to push the peers to do better training—and to improve their own skills in warfare. But not even the king’s uncle had done more than individual weapons practice. The peers with an interest in military matters still studied the battles Kieri had been involved in a generation before without really understanding them. Most thought they were doing well if they led a few hands of yeomen up and down a road twice a year and ended with a mock battle between—at most—eight hands of them.
“I suppose you must go …” the king said.
“I must, yes, but I will be near enough the pass to return quickly if you need me. Having my force there ensures at least a delaying action, with time to send word to you. Dorrin—”
“Will be here in the meantime. Yes. There’s something else. I have a letter from the king of Kostandan, speaking of a relative of his in Aarenis.”
Arcolin frowned. “Kostandanyans … that would be Count Vladiorhynsich? Or Sofi Ganarrion?”
“You know them?”
“Both have mercenary companies; both fought with us against Siniava. Vladi said once they’d both come from Kostandan.”
“It’s Ganarrion he speaks of. A cousin, if I understand the term he uses, and his daughter married down there.”
“Married the Duke of Fall’s son, sir king. This is widely known in the south.” Arcolin saw in memory the rich farmlands of Fallo, north and east of the once-ruined fortress of Cortes Immer that Alured now occupied. If the old rumors about Sofi Ganarrion were true, then of course the Kostandanyan king would be watching events over the mountains.
“He is concerned, the king of Kostandan, that they may fall into the hands of that Alured the Black you told me of, and he asks passage for troops under one of his sagons across Tsaia, to the pass at Valdaire, to go aid his cousin. Where is the Duke of Fall’s domain? I thought all Aarenis was Guild League cities.”
“Not all, sir king.” Arcolin explained. “We should send for maps or go to the library—Alured’s ignored Fallo so far, but if he took it, it would protect his rear as he moved west.”
“Then … the Kostandanyans could get to Fallo by crossing Lyonya or Prealíth and go straight over the mountains there, I’d think. This request must be a ruse, because I have not accepted his suggestion of taking Ganlin as my wife and he would bring force—”
“No, sir king. There are no passes over the Dwarfmounts where an army and supplies might cross other than Valdaire. That’s why Lord Halveric traveled through Tsaia on the South Trade Road to bring new recruits from Lyonya in years past. That was before you were crowned; did your regency council not tell you?” Arcolin saw from Mikeli’s expression that they had not.
“But Kostandanyans are Seafolk,” Mikeli said. “They trade by ship with the Immerhoft ports; surely they could take troops south that way—”
“They could not land an army at the Immer ports,” Arcolin said. “And if they did, they’d be fighting Alured’s forces all the way upriver from the coast; Alured commands all that country. The east coast—they might be able to outface pirates and the scum of Slavers’ Bay, but that’s a dangerous coast even without pirates.” Even as he said it, he wondered … had the Kostandanyans ever traded there? Kieri had written that the Sea-Prince of Prealíth reminded him a little of Alured, but without the cruelty. Yet if they were moving troops by sea, why would they ask permission to bring them to Tsaia?
The idea came to him in a flash: to confuse Alured’s spies, lead him to think it’s safe to attack Fallo—because the Kostandanyans are taking the long road. He explained that quickly to the king.
“So, sir king, a cohort or two of Kostandanyan pikes marching through Tsaia would be enough to prove to spies that they’re allied with you, and rumors about the princess make that even more believable.”
“But I’m not marrying Ganlin. Roth, maybe …”
“And he’s still in the succession, right? As good a reason, or near it. Their king won’t tell you if he’s sending troops by sea, but at the least I would advise agreeing to some coming through here. Or if it’s quicker and King Kieri agrees, it would be simple for them to go through Lyonya to pick up the South Trade Road as Halveric Company did. From Valdaire they could move east along the northern route. And that would help us if Alured moves faster than expected. If they’re anything like Vladi’s pikes … well, I’d be glad of them.”