"Do not 'Mother' me, child!"

The sitting room grows silent, although Ulgar shakes his head minutely.

"You think that, because I do not raise armsmen, I do not care. You think that, because I prefer to work with coins and trade, that I do not understand warfare. Child, you do not think at all."

Veria steps back, turning toward the door. "I did not come for this."

"Sit and listen, my dear one.

Listen 'til my tale is done!"

The raw power of the Matriarch's contralto Voice, like a cascade unloosed after ages, thrusts Veria down into the waiting chair.

Alya shrinks into her own seat. Ulgar's smile is bitter.

"You will listen. And then you will go to Elawha. If you survive what you have created, you may come home." The Matriarch's voice remains almost flat. "The sorceress and I are different, so different that you do not see how we are the same."

Veria's eyes remain doubting.

"The sorceress has ridden to war. Have you noted how she has achieved her success? She moves more quickly than her enemies, and with a force small enough that she can survive without huge supply trains and an endless outpouring of gold. She spends herself more recklessly than her coins. She subjects others to nothing she will not endure.

"After less than a season, Dumar is hers. The Evult took two years and never moved more than a hundred leagues into Defalk. The late Prophet Behlem moved into Defalk in weeks, and could not bold it for much longer than that The sorceress could hold Dumar for all her life, yet she will not keep it. On that you can wager golds... if you have any to wager. Why not, my child? Because possessions possess you, Dumar would end up possessing Defalk, and she feels that, if she does not know it." The Matriarch pauses and sips the hot cider Ulgar has poured for her.

"She is not liked, not all that well, and I doubt that she ever will be. She has gotten harder, and stronger, yet men will die for her." The Matriarch's eyes narrow as they survey Veria "None will die for you, and yet many will die because of what you have done. You have sent blades and gold to others so that they might fight."

"So has the sorceress," protests Veria, her voice small.

"She risks all with every action she takes. You have risked little, or so you thought. Now, my daughter, you will risk what you ask others to hazard." The Matriarch clears her throat.

"Go now, go and fight for all you've said is right..."

When the spellsong ends, the tears stream down Veria's cheeks. "You... my own mother...using Darksong..." She stumbles from the room and down the corridor.

"Matriarchs pay prices as well," Ulgar says quietly to Alya. "They must, you know?"

The Matriarch's face is blank, her eyes black behind their natural darkness. For a time, for a long time, she holds the cooling cider she cannot drink, the cider which she sees through pain and double images.

121.

MANSUUS, MANSUUR.

So...besides destroying two fleets of Sturinnese ships and annihilating every one of their armsmen and SeaPriests in Liedwahr, she has added Dumar to Defalk. Ha! Let the Maitre of Sturinn stew over that!"

Konsstin smiles broadly, leaning forward in his chair, arms half-crossed over the flattened scrolls on his desk.

"That is not all she has done," cautions Ba.s.sil.

"Oh?" Konsstin smiles brightly. "You sound displeased, or cautious, Ba.s.sil. What else has our dear sor- ceress done?"

"Besides reducing Envaryl to lightning-scarred rubble? Or roasting Ehara within its walls?"

"Nasty turn, she has," muses the Liedfuhr, leaning back. "Is there more?"

"She has destroyed every armsman who would oppose her throughout Dumar, and left reminders that failure to be loyal to Defalk is deadly."

"Ha! Everyone promises that, but when it comes to the fact-"

"Have you seen the ruins of Envaryl, sire? Or that ma.s.sive bridge that spans the Falche? Or felt the sorcery that touched the harmonies?"

Konsstin paused. "Are you certain she is that strong?"

"Your seers are, sire. They say her spells are bound with the lyric tone, with anger, and with fire. For a generation, Dumar will find itself bound to destroy any invader and any enemy to Defalk."

For a long moment, Konsstin gazes toward the orange-and-purple of twilight. Then he sighs. "It could be worse."

"Those dispatches?" asked Ba.s.sil.

"We'll have to rewrite them. We can't send troops near Envaryl now that she's removed the threat. And it wouldn't do any good...now." Konsstin fingers his beard. "Perhaps...with all the messages from Rabyn and Nubara...we should tell the sorceress that we are deeply concerned about our grandson's patrimony."

"You'd mention those messages from them?"

"Of course not. We'll just say that the recent example of Sturinnese adventuring has created fears in many that Neserea will be the next target of Sea-Priest expansion...No make that-will be among the next targets of Sea-Priest expansion. Especially since Dumar is clearly now free of the threat of the Sea- Priests." Konsstin smiles, and adds, 'Oh, and make sure to send another five hundred golds to Bertmynn.

And more plate iron. She'll have to deal with Defalk for a time, I suspect, before she can address Ebra.

She's been gone from Falcor for two seasons-and more by the time she returns. That's too long for someone who's held power for such a short time."

"You sound certain of that, sire."

"There are always internal politics, everywhere, and usually they're more deadly than outside enemies.

Look at my dear grandson and Nubara, or the sorceress and Behlem. Or the Council of Wei." Konsstin stands and shrugs. "She will have much to occupy her. Much. With all her power, I would not stand in her boots." He shakes his head and looks to the balcony door, then stands slowly. "Not I."

122.

In the study once used by Lord Ehara, Anna stood at the window and looked out to the south, at the stones of the second rebuilt bridge across the Falche, stones that shimmered in the bright midday light of full summer.

Bridges.... You should be back in Falcor, rebuilding Defalk, building highways and bridges there.

She shook her head. She'd been undoing some of the devastation she had created, and that had meant rebuilding the main bridge in Dumaria and the one in Narial-as well as singing the seeking spell over all of Narial-and publicly incinerating another half7dozen fanatics. She didn't need disloyalty in the main port city of Dumar.

Now... tomorrow, she would be leaving, perhaps in time to reach Falcor by the beginning of harvest season. She turned from the window, walking past the low bookshelves, and seated herself behind the dark wooden writing table. The mantel of the oil lamp was still sooty.

At the rap on the door, she looked up.

"Overcaptain Alvar, Lady Anna," Rickel announced. Anna winced inside. Fhurgen should have been their. Lord how many will die for you before it's all over? Jecks should have been sitting with her, too.

"Lady Anna, you requested my presence?"

"I did." Anna offered a smile to the swarthy and stocky officer and gestured to the chair across the writing table from her. "Have you thought about it? How do you feel about staying? I'd like an honest answer.

You don't have to stay here. I don't want to force you."

Alvar smiled cautiously. "Chief Armsman of Dumar, lady, and you think I would turn that down? Not many's the armsman who gets to be an overcaptain and chief armsman of a land. I'd thought myself lucky to become a captain of lancers." His smile turned to a grin. "Dumar is much like Nesalia, except warmer.

I can't say as I mind that." The grin faded. "I worry about you, lady. You've been good to me, and I'd not wish you thinking I was abandoning you."

Anna shook her head. "I need. . . The Regency needs...a strong and honest man here. Both Lady Siobion and I have to be able to rely on you. I don't need more worries about Dumar. You're honest. You know people, and you're fair."

"I will be doing my best for you."

"We need to tell Lady Siobion." Anna smiled, then raised her voice. "Rickel?"

The door opened.

"The lady Siobion. I told her that I needed to speak to her."

"Yes, Lady Anna." The study door closed.

"I will obey you first, lady," Alvar said quietly. "I am not from Defalk. . . but you are my liege, no matter the t.i.tle here."

"Thank you."

After an awkward silence, the study door opened.

"The lady Siobion," announced Rickel.

Anna and Alvar stood.

"1 have come at your request." The slender brunette bowed. "What would you have of me?"

Anna gestured to the chairs, waiting until everyone was seated. "The same as before, Siobion. This is Overcaptain Alvar. He will be chief armsman of Dumar."

Siobion studied the swarthy armsman, then looked at Anna. "You offer one of your own trusted officers.

You rebuild our bridges. Yet you slaughtered all in Envaryl...my son and my consort."

'I had no choice," Anna said. "You should understand that."

A bitter smile crossed Siobion's lips. "I understand, and I must be loyal. I do not have to like what has happened. I never will like that. You, lady, must understand such."

"I understand and wish I'd never had to come to Dumar," Anna said bluntly.

"1 believe you, lady and my regent. I would that my lord understood that," Siobion shook her head. "For what has happened, you have been more merciful than could have been expected" Her eyes went to Alvar. "Your overcaptain will serve us both well, and, I hope, the people of Dnmar."

"I will, Lady Siobion," Alvar said.

"He will," echoed Anna.

Siobion offered a half-shrug. "Is there aught else you require of me?"

"No. We've gone over everything else. You know when the golds for repayment are due."

"I do. They will arrive. We have no choice, and that may make it easier upon us all.' Siobion bowed.

"You may go." Anna rose.

After Siobion had left the study, the regent turned to Alvar. "Make sure your reports to me are honest Don't try to make me happy. If I know how good or how bad a problem really is, I can work out something."

"Only from you, Lady Anna, would I trust such words. Every word will be the truth as I know it."

"That's all I can ask." Anna nodded. "I'll talk to you later, before we leave."

Anna followed Alvar out, but turned left and walked quickly to the guest suite adjoining hers.

The bandaged Jecks smiled at her from his chair, then stood slowly.

"Sit down. You're still a mess, and you don't need to reinjure yourself out of courtesy." Anna waved the white-haired lord back into his seat.

"Courtesy, my lady, that is much of what remains to me."

"Nonsense. You'll be back in the saddle before long."

"Tomorrow," Jecks promised.

"We'll see. There's a padded seat on one of the wagons, just in case. Or a litter."

"A wagon? I must ride a wagon?"

"We'll see," Anna repeated.

"You are troubled, still." Jecks frowned. "Yet you have won great victories."

"Oh, I've won great victories. I'm the warrior sorceress." Anna walked to the window.

From his chair, Jecks nodded. "A mighty one."

"I hate it, you know." Anna's voice thickened. She couldn't help that, and she turned from Jecks, eyes blank as they saw nothing beyond the open shutters. "At first, it wasn't too bad. It was good to have power, not to always be ordered around by men. To have some say. I still don't want to be ordered around. Or judged." Her voice dropped to almost a whisper. "No one listens to what I say. No one listens to the words. They only do as I say because I have power, not because I'm right."

"You are not the first ruler to discover that." Jecks' voice was warm, if slightly raspy.

"And I won't be the last. I know that. It doesn't help." Her children hadn't listened, not that much. Avery certainly hadn't listened. Brill hadn't listened when she'd wanted him to try harmony, and it might have saved his life. Daffyd hadn't listened to either her or Brill, and he was dead. Behlem hadn't listened.

Ehara hadn't listened. Did.she leave or kill all those who didn't listen? Was she that pig-beaded?

"I hate it. Why don't men listen?" She shook her head. Women didn't listen, either. "Why don't people listen?"

"Anna..." Jecks coughed. "I have done my best to listen. I am old. and I have not always listened...."