Zachania (60 page)

Lord Tanaga was
still not convinced, he had listened to Lord Zalon rant at the
council but he still did not feel that the question had been
answered, showing hesitation he rose and spoke again trying sound
calm.

“what I am
saying is can we take the risk, we have lost contact with one of
our commanders in the field…….a commander who is very young and
ambitious and does not have much experience in leading men into
battle.”

“Choose your
words carefully Tanaga, my son Kraal is also with Lord Talon” Lord
Heikan suddenly interrupted.

Lord Tanaga
paused for a moment as he took in the very tense atmosphere that
was building; he looked at Heikan and Zalon and then lost his own
patience.

“I am just
going to say my thoughts out loud, I do not share the same faith
that he will stop at the coast, through my experience I have
learned that young men can sometimes be too eager to please, we
have no word whatsoever what Talon is doing, if we sit here and do
nothing then this could escalate into a calamitous mistake.”

Lord Zalon
suddenly burst into rage at what Tanaga had just said; he jumped to
his feet and turned threateningly towards the Lord.

“HOW DARE YOU!,
how dare you question my family’s obedience and loyalty to this
council, do not dare and that goes for any man in this room to
question my family’s honour.”

“GENTLEMEN!”
King Arun then snapped as Tanaga also rose from his seat looking as
if he was going to confront Zalon, the tense atmosphere was now at
breaking point as both men looked certain to trade blows but just
as the situation looked like it was going to the point of no return
everyone’s attention was suddenly drawn to the sound of a chair
crashing against a wall, they turned quickly to see that Ganasis
with a fierce scowl upon his face was now standing and was walking
angrily between Tanaga and Zalon.

“BOTH OF YOU BE
SEATED!…….remember you are both Lords of the Kingdom of Zachania,
SILENCE NOW!…. And you Lord Zalon will not throw down challenges to
another member of this council, do you understand me, NEVER AGAIN
make challenges amongst this group of men. while there is still
breath in me I will not stand by and watch two leaders from two
great houses squabble and argue like women and children” the wizard
shouted clearly expressing his rage at what he had been witness
to.

Lord Tanaga and
Lord Zalon composed themselves and then sat down amidst the sighs
and frayed patience from the rest of the council. King Arun waited
a moment before sighing deep at the disbelief at what he had just
seen.

“Thank you
Ganasis, now Lord Tanaga did you challenge the honour of Lord
Zalon’s family.”

“Mine too.”
barked Heikan only for the King to give him a sneering look to be
quiet.

“No sire I did
not, I merely aired my concerns, Lord Talon is young and I was just
pointing this out, his ability as a warrior was not
questioned.”

“Thank you Lord
Tanaga.” King Arun snapped back before turning his attention
Zalon.

“Did you hear
that Lord Zalon, no one is trying to insult your family, do you
understand?”

“Yes sire, and
I apologise to the council, and I apologise especially to you Lord
Tanaga.”

“Thank you, now
can we continue this council meeting” replied the King as the tense
atmosphere suddenly returned to normal.

“Do we have to
my liege, I was enjoying that.” Lord Heikan snapped back clearly
showing everyone his amusement.

King Arun
smiled and shook his head and sighed out loud.

“Please,
Ganasis help, arr get this meeting started again will you.” he
uttered jovially.

Ganasis, nodded
back to his King and then cleared his throat loudly before
speaking

“I will speak
with Lord Heikan later and see if we can get some more information
on his son and Lord Talon, now I want to talk about our proposed
advance to the north, it is time my Lords for us to begin plans for
an attack on Zanlia.”

“Zanlia must be
our priority, the Zanlian’s are our cousins from birth right.”
added the King who’s attention was interrupted by a soldier
entering the room, The King called the soldier over who then leaned
down and whispered in the King’s ear.

“Bring him to
us.” replied the King after hearing what the soldier had to say,
Ganasis leaned into the King and asked him what that was all
about.

“It seems we
have a visitor from Zanlia.” replied the King raising his voice so
all the council could hear.

Moments later a
dark haired man entered accompanied by two Zachanian guards, he was
dressed like a rich merchant with the finest silks and long black
cape and walked with an air of importance.

“The King of
Zachania.” Ganasis said pointing to Arun introducing him.

The stranger
bowed his head elegantly and then lowered himself onto one knee
still managing to look proud and important.

“Who are you?”
asked the King noticing the gentlemen’s decorum at waiting to be
asked a question by the King before speaking.

“My name is
OSLA VANLINE FALKAN, I am a merchant Lord from Zanlia sire.” he
replied rising to his feet.

“Falkan……I know
that name……..you were friends with General Pelkan, you was his
contact in the Zanlian resistance.” added the King where he then
asked Falkan to sit at the table.

“Yes sire,
Pelkan was my friend also.” Falkan replied taking off his cape and
sitting down.

“Why have you
come to us?” Ganasis suddenly asked only for Falkan to swallow hard
before answering.

“Sire I bring
grave news from Zanlia.”

“Go on” Ganasis
said.

“I have come
here to warn you, the Empire have amassed a formidable army
together, I have never seen so many soldiers before, the hills
around Zanlia are swamped with Imperial soldiers….I have also heard
that they are preparing to march south to confront you.”

A silence fell
over the room as the members of the council contemplated just what
they had heard.

“How
formidable” asked the King?

Falkan gazed
amongst the Lords for a moment before answering with his voice that
showed his fear and worries.

“Nearly one
million Imperial guards.”

“One million
soldiers!” Lord Krazmos sighed.

“How did you
know we were here Falkan? How did you know we have attacked
Kratos?” Ganasis then asked changing the subject.

“Everyone
knows! Your victory at Death valley is on everyone’s lips.”

“Then how did
you manage to reach us here? You have just said there a million
soldiers between us and Zanlia.” Ganasis pressed which had the
effect of making Falkan smile.

“Amongst other
things I am a smuggler, I have been slipping past the Empire for
years; I used the secret routes through the Zanlian Mountains.”

“Times must be
difficult in Zanlia.” King Arun then asked.

“Sire, we live
in daily fear for our life’s, every male is under curfew, only the
women may leave our homes and daily we hear of people disappearing,
at night everywhere is silent, occasionally we hear screams from
men being tortured.”

“Do the
Zanlian’s sympathise with your cousins the Zachanian’s?” asked Lord
Tanaga.

“Many of us do
and already did, but as the days pass and the cruelty the Zanlian’s
are experiencing, more and more are looking to your cause.”

“All of Kratos
should know how the Empire is treating the Zanlian’s.” Lord Heikan
snapped clearly showing his anger.

“Falkan you
said earlier that you heard the Empire are preparing to march
south, do you know when?” asked Ganasis.

“Nothing
certain, but their advance looked imminent when I left, they could
have left already for all I know.”

“Then we have
no time to waste sire.” Heikan said sternly which made the King nod
and bite his bottom lip.

“Will you be
staying with us Falkan?”

“No sire, I
must return to my people, besides I can give you more assistance
from Zanlia.”

“Very well, we
have much to discuss, please excuse us but I must ask you leave the
room now.”

“Of course
sire.”

“If you would
Falkan, could you remain in the camp until we finish our meeting;
there is more I wish to discuss with you.”

“Very well”
replied Falkan as he left the room accompanied by the two guards
who had brought him in.

King Arun
waited for Falkan to leave before raising his eyebrows and speaking
to the council.

“Gentleman, it
seems that our hand has been forced, what say you?”

“Our ditch is
now completed Sire, it will not stop the Empire but it will slow
them down.”

“Are you saying
we hold Ganasis, we wait for them to attack?”

“It is an
option sire; we choose the ground and make them fight on our
terms.”

“How many men
do we have?” Arun asked Ganasis.

“You have four
hundred and twenty thousand men on the Kratos side of Death Valley
sire, Lord Zargar has eighty thousand of his men here at Fort Arun
and Lord Heikan has fifty thousand men in Vilsillius and across the
south coast.”

“I can have
more men here within a few days sire.” Heikan added.

“First Lord
Heikan I want your men to return from Vilsillius, I also want you
to send word to Talon and have him return here immediately.”

“Understood my
liege. My men will want to be part of this battle.”

“Now this war
begins.” Ganasis added.

Fear of the
awesome army the Empire was sending travelled quickly amongst the
Zachanian warriors. The initial feeling of enthusiasm quickly
vanished and was replaced with the stark reality of what they were
soon to be up against.

Two days had
now passed since Falkan delivered his message to the council, the
Zachanian armies were now on full alert, and Lord Heikan had sent
envoys to Vilsillius and envoys to find his son and Lord Talon. The
King had also sent scouts north to get information on where the
Empire’s army was, the scouts returned telling the King that the
Empire could be at the Zachanian war front by noon tomorrow.

Ganasis and
King Arun were all that remained at Fort Arun as the rest of the
council Lords had travelled through Death Valley to supervise the
King’s order, to prepare the army’s for battle.

“Heikan’s men
should be here this evening Arun.”

“Yes I read the
note, forty thousand men Ganasis, is there still no word from
Talon?”

“No Arun, we
have still not found him” replied Ganasis before he banged the
table with his large fist showing his frustration.

“Damn it….this
is when we need him most, no one knows the Empire as Talon does.”
added Ganasis saying his thoughts out loud.

King Arun sat
silently at the wizard’s remark; the King looked like he was
focused on something and deep in thought.

“Arun!” Ganasis
snapped.

“Sorry Ganasis,
my thoughts were wandering.”

“I was just
saying where the damn is Talon.”

“I am sure he
will be making haste to return Ganasis.” answered the King though
without conviction.

“I should have
given him a crystal, then we could have reached him.”

“He will be
here Ganasis, try to relax, word will reach him somehow”

Ganasis
stiffened his posture before leaning closer to the King; Arun
looked at the wizard and saw his demeanour change,

“No my King,
relax is the one thing I cannot afford to do, the Empire approaches
us with awesome might and haste. Grarlin is also sure to be with
them, and his cunning and guile matches my own, relaxing is the one
luxury I must not indulge.”

Arun half
smiled and nodded to his friend as he saw his concerns.

“We have taken
every precaution possible Ganasis, we have chosen the best ground,
our ditch has been dug, our soldiers are ready and prepared to
fight to the death, I can’t see anything we have overlooked.”

“What worries
me Arun is we do not know how the Empire will attack; only Talon
with his experience of the Empire will know this.”

“But you have
fought the Empire countless times in the past.”

“Arun that was
centuries ago, shall I make plans on the strategies they used then,
what if they have changed, what if they use a strategy I have not
encountered before, it is my task to know these things and I feel
unsure. I hate feeling unsure, damn it I am too old to feel
unsure.” replied Ganasis surprising the King at his show of
frustration.

“Ganasis, then
we make the best of what we know, what else is there for us to do,
we have a powerful army of strong proud and honourable Zachanian
warriors, ready to use every ounce of strength to prevail, this
battle comes and it comes now, we must do everything we can to
win.”

After
conquering the south-west, Talon had already turned his warriors
around and was heading back to Zachania when he was intercepted by
the King’s envoys who explained to him what was happening at Death
Valley. Talon gave his soldiers the order to march as fast as they
could while he and Kraal would ride on ahead, they had been
galloping since dawn and their horses were now beginning to feel
the strain.

“Talon my horse
grows weary.” shouted Kraal as he galloped next to Talon and the
two envoys that had been sent to find them, Talon looked across and
saw that Kraal’s horse was tiring so he pulled his own horse till
it broke into a trot, Talon then saw a small brook and he pointed
to it.

“Let’s take a
short rest and let the horses drink.” he added as they stopped by
the brook and Talon dismounted.

“My body aches
Lord Talon.” sighed Kraal.

Talon looked
around at the landscape before replying.

“Vilsillius is
to the west of us, we should reach Death Valley by nightfall
Kraal.”