Lora of Two Worlds

What Cedric Salt despised about Sheffield was his total lack of ambition. And his mediocre, suspicious nature, Lora had played it perfectly.

The Sheffield residence had barely begun discussing where to deploy troops when uninvited guests arrived:

"Report, the two young Lord Odenheims, here to take their leave."

Take their leave? Fair enough, Roland and the others were back. Time to go.

"Show them in."

The Odenheim brothers entered in full military leather. Four armed guards behind them.

Sheffield and his generals had been drinking and dividing money, they didn't want too many subordinates listening. How could they skim if everyone heard? So the hall held no household guards.

Roland, with the hauteur of a capital officer: "I escort the envoy home today. He came by water with royal gifts. He returns by land, lighter and faster."

The three men snickered: Because all your polemen are dead. Dressed up nicely, aren't we?

Sheffield feigned alarm: "Ah! With Greyhollow March in revolt, the roads aren't safe."

Alvin smiled inwardly: That's exactly what I wanted. He said: "Greyhollow March's rebellion will be put down shortly. Nothing to fear."

"Oh? How so? As I understand it, the domains haven't marched. Deepford has fewer than ten thousand defenders. How do you stop thirty thousand Greyhollow March rebels?"

Cedric Hugo laughed: "Not just thirty thousand. Greyhollow March's Shefford is a stone's throw away. Twenty thousand more can reinforce. Deepford is ironclad. Unless your Lohenheim army... rides to the rescue! Ha ha ha!"

Roland said coldly: "Don't sit in your well and look at the sky. Today, the Yarrowvale and Weybrook armies have both answered the call. They prepare to march. The King hasn't yet granted rewards to his lords since taking the throne. The Duke of Greyhollow March has jumped up to let everyone carve him up..."

He turned to the slack-jawed Cedric Hugo: "General Cedric, don't miss this chance. When merits are tallied, the King might be so pleased he promotes you."

Promotes him? He was already a household general. Promotion, to marcher duke?

Cedric Hugo glanced at Sheffield. Closed his mouth.

Sheffield, his scheme achieved, smiled: "How would Yorvik not answer the crown's call? Before you came in, we were discussing where to deploy. By tonight at the latest, Yorvik moves."

"Ah, our apologies! We were shallow. We'll report to the King: Yorvik's loyalty is beyond question. We wish you swift victory."

"Indeed, indeed. I'll order Yarnford and Mozhou, ten thousand each. Two columns, reinforcing Deepford."

Those two provinces were closest to Deepford, each with twenty thousand garrisoned. The obvious choice.

Alvin smiled: "We've imposed on Yorvik for many days. Before we leave, a small token for the general."

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Aziz brought forward a heavy wooden chest. Not gold or silver, small blocks of gemstone.

Claude Baldwin picked one up. Engraved on it: "Thirty Thousand."

"This is..."

"Tarocchi tiles. A game popular among the capital nobility. In your idle hours, instead of drinking, you might invite friends and decide the empire at a square table."

"Such a treasure?" Sheffield turned a tile in his fingers. Cool, smooth. The tiles themselves were precious.

"The rule book is included. If you'd rather not read, we've taught the guest house innkeeper and his staff. They'll come tomorrow and teach you hands-on."

On his way out, Roland added with a grin: "Don't bet too high!"

Leon had brought out several sets of tarocchi tiles. For domains like Yorvik, Yewin, and Greyhollow March, idle, always scheming against the crown, tarocchi was the perfect sedative.

Horn had been given a set of wooden tiles. Leon had already taught him and his Black Eagle guards.

Lora didn't yet know that her improved tarocchi tiles had become Leon's bloodless weapon.

The brothers took their leave.

"Alvin, they actually agreed to march? Could they be bluffing?"

Alvin shook his head: "If he were faking, he wouldn't have been so specific. He'd have brushed us off. But we've planted the seed. If Sheffield doesn't march, Claude Baldwin and Cedric Hugo will have ideas. Roland, your plan cut off his retreat."

Roland was silent. Something still felt off. I cut off his retreat, but did someone already open his front door?

Back at the guest house, Roland reported the Sheffield residence meeting to Leon. Leon immediately thought of what Lyle had said, the young lady had rushed out, excited, with her men.

Lyle was off delivering a letter, couldn't ask for details. Leon smiled: "Go ask your sister. She may have the answer."

Roland strode out.

"Hey, when you find out, come tell me!" Leon called after him.

Yorvik would march, good news. He wrote to Yewin and Weybrook: requesting troops, and borrowing men from Weybrook.

Command of domain troops stayed with the marcher duke. But borrowed troops answered to Alvin. Naturally, borrowed must be returned. When Lohenheim needed forces, Alvin would repay the debt.

He looked at the map on the table. The battle plan was written in his letters. They'd depart after lunch.

On the map, Lora's smiling face appeared. Leon startled:

Am I losing my mind? Seeing her even here? But... she's known Sheffield no longer than we've. How did she get him to agree?

And... Alvin had fifty guards. She now had three hundred. Where did that come from? A girl, outdoing all of them.

He was still turning this over when Roland came back, grinning:

"It was our lady. Give her a female general's commission, she's earned it."

Leon smiled but didn't answer: Do I lack generals? What I lack is...

"She had Corin find a shaman. He walked up to Sheffield and said: 'Ink black, paper white, gold comes unbidden, the grafted branch buries all that's ahead.' That's it." Roland went on:

"Ink black, paper white, I'd guess that's about Cedric Salt. Gold comes unbidden, the coal? The rest sounds like spooking him. But it worked."

"She did what you did, seized on Sheffield's suspicious nature. Then used her own method to exploit it."

When Leon said "she", his eyes glowed. Roland, however dense, could see it: Oh ho, two people on one horse, and it's gone beyond horsemanship?

He feigned sudden understanding: "Oh... you haven't fallen for my sister, have you?"

"Yes. I admire her. She deserves to be the most exalted woman in the realm. Will you help me keep her, until we've won?"

Leon didn't bother hiding it from Roland. The Odenheims were his allies. Marriage would seal it.

Roland blinked. He hadn't expected Leon to have thought it through, and to offer a queen's crown. When did this happen? I'm the brother-in-law and nobody told me? He laughed:

"Good! I'll help! If Felix had had your courage to admit it, and asked me properly, our treasure wouldn't be yours."

"Felix? I didn't know."

What Leon knew, only that in his former life, Felix had been betrothed to Dorothy Dunbar. And whenever Lora came up, Felix denied everything.

"Nothing. I saw it myself. He never admitted it. And after what happened at the garden party, he'd never approach her now. I wonder how he's doing..."

Roland sighed.

Leon rolled up the map: "We're heading back soon enough."

"Right. Let's go eat lunch. They're packing up. Lora and the others should be eating in their room."

Yes, going home.

Claude Sheffield had gone to Long Gate to find the Frost Ravens, any news?

Arran had gone to find Southland grain, had he succeeded?

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