Read Online Rise of a Hero (The Farsala Trilogy) by Hilari Bell - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Hilari Bell
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clearly what must be done. If the governor doesn’t stand fast—”
“We understand,” said Markhan with exaggerated patience. The tone was rude, but his expression was serious, and Fasal nodded.
It was probably the best Jiaan could expect, and all that he needed, so he nodded in turn and left them. But it was a long time before he slept.
H E WAS AWAKENED BEFORE DAWN by a hand shaking his shoulder. “Forgive me, sir, butCommander Siddas thought you’d be wanting to see. The Hrum are coming.”
The speaker was a kitchen boy, judging by his rough tunic—thin, grubby, and no older than twelve. His voice shook with the same combination of excitement and terror that flooded Jiaan’s veins.
Jiaan summoned a reassuring smile. “I certainly do want to see. And so should you, lad! Mazad’s defeat of the Hrum will become history—you’ll be telling your grandchildren about it.”
The boy’s expression brightened. Jiaan sent him off, and hurried into his clothes and his padded silk armor without stopping to wash.
The sun hadn’t risen when he emerged from the governor’s house into the street, but the sky was gray with its approach.
Word of the Hrum’s arrival was spreading. People poured out of their homes. Some wore only a nightshirt and cloak over their shoes, but all were hastening in the same direction. Jiaan followed.
He wouldn’t have seen the stair that spiraled up to the top of the great wall without them, tucked as it was beneath the walkway’s shadow. Up on the wall, the cold wind tugging at his loosebritches, he struggled through the press for almost a dozen yards before he could elbow through the gawking crowd to look out over the plains.
It was lighter now, light enough to see a distant cloud of dust rising from the road.
“Well, it’s not a cart train,” a man muttered. “Not traveling at this hour.”
“Not even a huge shipment would raise that much dust,” another man agreed. “It’s an army, all right. It’s them.” His voice held the same excited fear as the boy’s, but there was a note of proud determination in it as well. His father would have tried to work with that pride.
“Take a good look,” Jiaan told them clearly. “That’s what Mazad is going to beat!”
There were grins on the faces around him when he left to search for Commander Siddas.
Jiaan found the commander on the wall, not far from the gates. Several men in the tabards of the town guard, with the lean alert look of message runners, lingered nearby, but at the moment the commander stood alone, watching the rising sun strike sparks on the Hrum’s helmets.
“Where’s the governor?” Jiaan asked softly, coming up beside him.
“Probably still dressing. I sent for him just before I sent for you.”
“He’s dressing ?”
“Well, it wouldn’t do for him to show up all rumpled and unkempt-like, now would it?” His expression was sober, but his eyes, taking in Jiaan’s appearance, were alive with amusement. Jiaan wished he’d taken the time to comb his hair.
“How many of them?” he asked, turning back to the approaching army. They were marching five abreast, and the dust obscured the end of their line. Dust . . . or distance? A chill brushed Jiaan’s heart.
“Only two tacti,” said Siddas. “Two thousand men, and assorted officers.”
“How do you . . . oh.”
“Yes, spies again.”
“ Only two thousand? How many men do you have here, sir?”
“Almost eight hundred guardsmen,” said the commander. “Within walls like this that’s plenty, but you’ll be understanding why I don’t want to deal with a split command.”
“Yes,” said Jiaan. “But I know the three I’m leaving you. You can count on them to fight to the end.” You couldn’t count on them for brains, oreven simple common sense, but for courage and honor they could be relied on. It wasn’t such a bad thing. Especially since Jiaan no longer had to deal with them.
“At all events, it’s time you were
“We understand,” said Markhan with exaggerated patience. The tone was rude, but his expression was serious, and Fasal nodded.
It was probably the best Jiaan could expect, and all that he needed, so he nodded in turn and left them. But it was a long time before he slept.
H E WAS AWAKENED BEFORE DAWN by a hand shaking his shoulder. “Forgive me, sir, butCommander Siddas thought you’d be wanting to see. The Hrum are coming.”
The speaker was a kitchen boy, judging by his rough tunic—thin, grubby, and no older than twelve. His voice shook with the same combination of excitement and terror that flooded Jiaan’s veins.
Jiaan summoned a reassuring smile. “I certainly do want to see. And so should you, lad! Mazad’s defeat of the Hrum will become history—you’ll be telling your grandchildren about it.”
The boy’s expression brightened. Jiaan sent him off, and hurried into his clothes and his padded silk armor without stopping to wash.
The sun hadn’t risen when he emerged from the governor’s house into the street, but the sky was gray with its approach.
Word of the Hrum’s arrival was spreading. People poured out of their homes. Some wore only a nightshirt and cloak over their shoes, but all were hastening in the same direction. Jiaan followed.
He wouldn’t have seen the stair that spiraled up to the top of the great wall without them, tucked as it was beneath the walkway’s shadow. Up on the wall, the cold wind tugging at his loosebritches, he struggled through the press for almost a dozen yards before he could elbow through the gawking crowd to look out over the plains.
It was lighter now, light enough to see a distant cloud of dust rising from the road.
“Well, it’s not a cart train,” a man muttered. “Not traveling at this hour.”
“Not even a huge shipment would raise that much dust,” another man agreed. “It’s an army, all right. It’s them.” His voice held the same excited fear as the boy’s, but there was a note of proud determination in it as well. His father would have tried to work with that pride.
“Take a good look,” Jiaan told them clearly. “That’s what Mazad is going to beat!”
There were grins on the faces around him when he left to search for Commander Siddas.
Jiaan found the commander on the wall, not far from the gates. Several men in the tabards of the town guard, with the lean alert look of message runners, lingered nearby, but at the moment the commander stood alone, watching the rising sun strike sparks on the Hrum’s helmets.
“Where’s the governor?” Jiaan asked softly, coming up beside him.
“Probably still dressing. I sent for him just before I sent for you.”
“He’s dressing ?”
“Well, it wouldn’t do for him to show up all rumpled and unkempt-like, now would it?” His expression was sober, but his eyes, taking in Jiaan’s appearance, were alive with amusement. Jiaan wished he’d taken the time to comb his hair.
“How many of them?” he asked, turning back to the approaching army. They were marching five abreast, and the dust obscured the end of their line. Dust . . . or distance? A chill brushed Jiaan’s heart.
“Only two tacti,” said Siddas. “Two thousand men, and assorted officers.”
“How do you . . . oh.”
“Yes, spies again.”
“ Only two thousand? How many men do you have here, sir?”
“Almost eight hundred guardsmen,” said the commander. “Within walls like this that’s plenty, but you’ll be understanding why I don’t want to deal with a split command.”
“Yes,” said Jiaan. “But I know the three I’m leaving you. You can count on them to fight to the end.” You couldn’t count on them for brains, oreven simple common sense, but for courage and honor they could be relied on. It wasn’t such a bad thing. Especially since Jiaan no longer had to deal with them.
“At all events, it’s time you were
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