‘My lord?’ said Patrick.
‘They want it all. We keep everything from where we sit to the East. Kesh claims all lands between the Great Star Lake and the Teeth of the World West of the Calastius Mountains.’
‘Kesh’s historical boundaries, as you know,’ said the General, ‘before the unfortunate war with the rebellious Confederacy to the south forced us to abandon our hereditary lands.’
‘Hereditary lands!’ said Patrick. ‘Not in the worst fever dream of your most deluded monarch. General.’
Arutha said, ‘What of Queg and the Free Cities of Natal?’
The General said, ‘Kesh will deal with her recalcitrant children in time.’
Patrick said, ‘If you will be so kind as to wait, my lord, I will pen a reply to your Imperial Master. And you can tell Digaai for me that the formal declaration of war from my father will arrive shortly.’
Nakor said, ‘Highness?’
‘What!’ snapped Patrick, obviously close to a rage.
‘I think I can help.’
Pug said, ‘What do you have in mind?’
‘Watch!’ Nakor took out the Tsurani transport sphere and vanished.
‘What is that odd little man up to?’ asked the Prince.
Pug said, ‘I don’t know, but he usually manages to come up with unexpected results. I think we can afford to wait a little while.’
Patrick said, ‘Very well.’
A few minutes later, Nakor was back. ‘Look to the south,’ he said.
The entire company of officers from both sides did as Nakor bade, and to the south a vast column of ruby light pierced the sky.
‘What is that?’ asked the Keshian General.
‘That is Stardock,’ said Pug.
‘Stardock!’ said the General. ‘That’s impossible! Stardock is hundreds of miles from here.’
‘Nevertheless,’ said Pug, ‘that light is coming from Stardock.’
Nakor said, ‘It’s a demonstration of power. It’s to let you know there are seven hundred very angry magicians down there who don’t like the way you honor treaties.’
‘Seven hundred?’ said Pug. ‘I thought there were four hundred.’
Nakor grinned. ‘We invited some of your old Tsurani friends to come visit.’
Pug rolled his eyes and said, ‘Three hundred black robes?’
‘Well, maybe a few less.’
The General said, ‘Seven hundred magicians?’
‘Angry magicians,’ said Erik.
‘And one very angry Prince, with the Armies of the East camped ten miles from here!’ added Patrick. ‘Come spring, you can expect a two-front war, General. And from the look of that little demonstration, you don’t even want to consider what that means for the Empire.’
The Keshian General looked around and at last said, ‘What do you propose. Highness?’
Patrick said, ‘We’ll make it simple. You return to the old border, and come spring my father’s diplomats and your Emperor’s can start renegotiating the boundary between our two realms all over again.’
‘The old boundary!’
‘Yes,’ said Patrick. ‘We take back Shamata!’ His yell caused his horse to turn completely around. ‘You think on this as you ride south, and you’d better be moving that way at dawn, else I’ll turn my army south and start marching that way myself, rain or no rain! Do you understand?’
The General glanced over his shoulder and saw the red light in the sky. ‘I understand, Highness.’
‘Good!’
Patrick turned his horse and rode off, Erik and Greylock at his side.
Pug waited as the Keshians returned the way they came, and Patrick rode off. When only the two of them remained in the street, Pug on his horse and Nakor at his side, Pug asked, ‘Nakor, what did you promise Chalmes and the others to get them to pull that stunt?’
Nakor smiled. ‘I gave them Stardock.’
‘You what?’ asked Pug.
Nakor said, ‘Well, you told me to think of something.’
Pug asked softly, ‘You gave away my duchy?’
‘I had to. Independence from both the Kingdom and Kesh was the only thing I could think of that they’d fight for. And the Tsurani like having a neutral way into Midkemia, too. Which is why they helped.
‘Either way, though, you lose Stardock, to the magicians or to the Empire. This way is better, I think.’
‘But you gave away a duchy! What am I going to tell the King?’
Nakor shrugged. ‘You’ll think of something.’ He grinned.