chapter fourteen

They traveled for months. They didn't have enough trucks for everyone so most of them were walking. It was slowing their progress to a crawl, but the extra time had come in handy.

Kiera had gathered the guards together a few days into the trip. She'd explained that she intended to form a resistance; and that the guards would be instructing the civilians in combat. They'd raided several towns along the way in order to practice, and to equip the recruits.

Kiera looked back on those months with pride. She now found herself in command of nearly two hundred trained soldiers. And tomorrow they'd be put to the test.

"Whose castle is that?"
Dame Allistari brought a hand to her brow; inspecting the indicated castle.
"Oh, that castle. Count Marche lives there; fabulously wealthy, throws the best partys on the planet."
"Really? I wonder why I've never heard of him."
"He's not a *real* noble, and he and your father don't get along anyways."
"With a title like 'count' how could he not be a real noble?"
"The county and title are unheredited and he has no control over his succesor. It was a consolation prize from the emperor."

Kiera picked up a pair of binoculars and began surveying the surrounding area. There were several Ga-Vok encampments and it looked like a few hundred of them were entrenched at the base of the path leading up to the castle.

"Consolation prize?"
"When your father was made lord of Anatolia, Count Marche was the other candidate. The competition was pretty heated and he and your father never patched things up."
"He seems to be doing just fine for himself though."
"He's one of the wealthiest men in the empire; he'd been an economic advisor to the emperor. Most people say he invested well; I suspect there was some illegal activity involved. I'm not complaining though; as I said, great parties."

It looked like they were seting up a catapult in the middle of their encampment.
"Tell me, is the count a mage?"
"No, he's smart but nothing special."
"Would he have a mage in his employ?"
"He maintains one of the best private defense forces in the empire. Their captain is a guard dropout. Why do you ask, wondering if he'll need our help?"
"No, I'm certain of it. I just wanted to know why that catapult was being constructed uninterrupted."
Dame Allistari peered at the camp; then muttered an incantation.
"They have a magic-user. Nothing amazing, but he's set up wards. Want me to take them down?"
Kiera put her binoculars away and turned to face the elderly witch.
"No. I'm going to cut them at the source."