Rebels of Vulvar (Vulvarian Saga Book 2), стр. 31
“You are certain Cooke is dead?” my mother said. “By your account, you fled swiftly after the final encounter.”
“Unless he lives without his head, he is dead,” Emer asserted. “I saw it roll across the ground after my commander separated it from the Dabar’s burly body.”
“Your commander?” my mother mused.
“Yes, your son, Tobias Hart,” Emer said. “He is a fearless and skillful warrior to whom I pledge my sword.”
“What about your former commander, Idril?” my mother said. “It did not please her that you deserted from your unit.”
“Should your son have gone alone against a great army, Anax?” Emer retorted.
“Calm yourself, Emer,” my mother said. “Don’t misunderstand. I’m grateful you accompanied my son. But, you left the city without telling anyone where you were going.”
“And, now I have returned with my victorious commander,” Emer persisted.
My mother sighed and rolled her eyes, realizing she was fighting a losing battle.
“I’m certain the council will not approve sending the entire army and leaving the city undefended,” she said to me.
“That won’t be necessary, mother,” I said. “The rebels fear the bow and have few archers as I told you. We need only archers, two or three hundred if we have them, to attack the rebels along the road.”
“We have that number available,” my mother said. “The two-hundred warriors from Port Abrago are all archers, and we have a cohort of archers among our warriors from which to draw another one hundred.”
“Will you support the plan before the High Council?” I said.
“Yes, I will send messengers now to call the council together for a meeting this afternoon. I agree your plan could succeed.”
“What resulted from the battle against the rebel forces in the forests west of the city?” I said.
“Under Idril’s capable leadership, our warriors routed the rebels, some two-hundred strong,” my mother said. “We took over fifty slaves prisoner after slaying the rest and burned all the siege engines.”
“We must speak with Idril and discuss the plan,” I said.
“I’ll meet with Idril before the council assembles,” my mother said.
“I want to make arrangements for Emer and me to accompany her warriors on the attack,” I said.
“Tobias, you cannot,” my mother said.
“Why not?”
“You have completed the assignment the Goddess Queens gave you by removing Cooke from the board,” my mother said. “The council only tolerated your involvement because it was the will of the Goddess Queens to make use of you. Our laws prohibit males from serving as warriors. You have finished your part in it. Emer can rejoin her unit, but my son, you will remain here in the city.”
“That’s ridiculous,” I said.
“Tobias, you know the ways of this world. We’ve discussed it many times. It is now up to our warriors and allies from Port Abrago to end the rebellion.”
“Do you wish to rejoin your unit, Emer?” I said.
“Not if this city will not allow you to go with the warriors, commander,” Emer said stubbornly.
“Good, you’ve done more than your share for this ungrateful city,” I barked.
Turning to my mother, I said, “Emer will remain here with me. I will not risk her further.”
“Emer, you must stop calling him commander,” my mother scolded. “No good will come from it.”
* * *
About the eleventh hour, my mother returned from the council meeting.
“The council has agreed to the plan,” she said. “Idril is organizing the warriors to march. A cavalry unit will be in the vanguard. The archers will follow.”
“What is Idril’s plan?” I said.
“Once the cavalry locates and contacts the rebels, she will split her force. The Port Abrago commander will lead her warriors to the east of the road, and Idril will lead her archers to the west. Then on a pre-arranged signal, the rebels will meet a wall of arrows.”
“That plan should succeed,” I said. “Did Idril feel confident?”
“Yes, she was pleased with the plan. Once she has stopped the advance, if the rebels retreat south, our warriors will pursue and kill them all the way to Nisa if necessary.”
“I only wish I could be there to see it,” I said.
“You’ve done your portion, my son. It’s time to let our warriors do their part.”
“I wish I could speak with Idril before she marches,” I said.
“There is no time for it as the warriors will march as soon as they have completed the preparations,” my mother said. “You will see Idril when she returns. She was pleased to hear that you returned safely.”
It seemed all Emer and I could now was wait.
17
Revenge
Two days after the archers of Thiva and Port Abrago under the command of Idril had left the city, the first messenger arrived with news of the campaign. The messenger told my mother the warriors had stopped the rebel advance seven legas south of Thiva. She reported that the archers had inflicted heavy casualties. The rebels were retreating south. Idril’s forces were still pursuing and attacking. The messenger had concluded her report with a worrying piece of news my mother related to me later at her home.
“Idril has been wounded during the battle against the rebel army,” my mother said.
“Wounded?” I said. “How serious is it?”
“Serious enough that she passed command of our forces to her deputy Nalia. But, the messenger had no further details.”
“I must go to her,” I said.
“You cannot go to her, my son. In the confusion of battle, our forces might mistake you as a rebel combatant.”
“I will accompany him,” Emer said.
“No, neither of you are leaving the city,” my mother said firmly. “If Idril’s wounds are serious, they will bring her back here.”
I was beside myself with rage, but it was clear I would not persuade my mother to allow me to go to Idril. With growing impatience, I passed the evening in her home until we all retired to bed. Then I belted on my sword and left the house. I walked to the military stables where Emer and I had returned the baacaases when we