He looked down, and there was FreeFall’s wife, EvenSong, to greet him.
EvenSong smiled and kissed him on the cheek. “It has been too long since you have visited our home, Caelum.” She turned, exclaimed over Askam as FreeFall had done, then indicated the chairs about the table.
DareWing FullHeart was already waiting for them, and greeted Caelum and Askam as they sat down.
“I have heard the news from the West,” FreeFall said without preamble. “I can hardly believe that Zared would have gone so far.” He glanced at Askam’s empty sleeve again, and Askam smiled bitterly.
“Another Borneheld has swept down from the north,” he said.
“Hardly Borneheld,” EvenSong put in softly, her eyes steady on Askam.
“What difference?” Askam said. “Did not both seize the throne through vileness and treachery? Does not Zared seek to tear the realm apart as once did Borneheld?”
“No,” EvenSong said, more strongly now. “I will not credit that Zared is another Borneheld, Prince Askam. He has done wrong, surely, and for that he must pay, but he does not have the narrow mind and the cruelty of -”
“You were not there to see Kastaleon torn apart,” Askam cried, scraping his chair back. “You did not have to endure the smell as four and a half thousand screaming men burned in that inferno!”
“Askam,” Caelum said, “be still. EvenSong, Askam makes a good point. You did not have your arm torn off, nor did you have to watch the graves being dug for your command.”
“This is counterproductive,” FreeFall said as EvenSong dropped her eyes. “I care not whether Zared takes after his elder and unlamented brother Borneheld or not. What I do care about is making sure that Tencendor regains peace as soon as possible. I find no joy in contemplating the resurrection of Achar and all that it implies.”
Caelum placed both his hands flat on the table. “Quite. FreeFall, EvenSong, this must be resolved by action, not diplomacy. It has gone too far to be solved with words.”
“No action ever goes so far that it can’t be solved by-”
“Nevertheless,” Caelum snapped, stopping EvenSong dead. “I cannot ignore the fact that Zared is raising an army in the west, and I cannot ignore the fact that he claims he will not relinquish the throne unless he is forced to do so. Dammit! What is it about brothers that they torment the SunSoars so?”
There was silence as Caelum restrained his anger. “This will not be solved with words,” he said again, staring EvenSong in the eye, “but with war. As Zared prepares for war, then so must I. Dare Wing?”
DareWing straightened on his stool. “The Strike Force are within two days of the Rhaetian hills, StarSon. They will arrive well rested, ready for action.”
“You cannot use the Strike Force against humans!” EvenSong cried. “Axis was ever loath to do it.”
“I will do as I must, EvenSong.”
“But that would open the scars of the past as nothing else would, Caelum. You cannot do it!”
“EvenSong makes sense,” FreeFall said. “I did not want to see Zared take the throne of Achar, but using the Strike Force to retake Carlon is… too dreadful to consider.”
Caelum sat silently, remembering his earlier thoughts that this could all too easily disintegrate into another Wars of the Axe.
“What else can I do?” he eventually asked. “What? There is no ground force I can use to defeat him because the majority of the north and west swings behind Zared. FreeFall, even the Strike Force may not be enough. Not to take a city the size of Carlon – or even Arcness, should that also decide to throw in its lot with Zared. And the Strike Force, impressive as it is, cannot patrol the entire realm.”
He looked about the table, then let his gaze rest once again on FreeFall. “I need more, FreeFall. Will the Icarü help me?”
FreeFall’s eyes widened, and he looked at his wife before replying. “Caelum, cannot the Lake Guard help? They are at least six hundred, and as skilled at arms as the Strike Force.”
“I am wary about taking them from Sigholt.” Caelum had begun to wonder if the Lake Guard had some connection with the craft at the foot of the Sacred Lakes. For the moment, he preferred to keep them where they were in case they could provide information about the TimeKeepers or, more importantly, in case they might somehow be able to help against that danger. But he did not want to tell FreeFall that. As yet only himself, WolfStar, SpikeFeather and the Star Gods understood what was threatening from the stars. No-one within that group wanted to spread the knowledge until they understood more clearly the nature of the peril.
“Well, then,” FreeFall said, sharing another, more anxious glance with EvenSong. “What about Nor? Ysgryff brought some nine thousand to Axis’ cause, as I remember.”
“That was forty years ago. Of those nine thousand most are dead, and Yllgaine did not keep up the same level of military preparedness that his father did. After all,” Caelum continued bitterly, “we all thought to have entered a time of peace. Yllgaine can send me perhaps four thousand. No more.
“FreeFall, I need the assistance of the Icarü. Every one of the adults has spent a few years in the Strike Force. There must be thousands among you who could be retrained to fight.”
“No!” FreeFall banged his fist on the table. “Caelum, understand this. I abhor what Zared has done, and I fear it beyond words. But I fear more what would happen if I mobilised the Icarü nation against the Acharites. I think I would prefer to see Achar reborn in the West before I set Icarü against human again. Caelum, we are all children of the Enchantress.”
“So tell me what you will do, Talon of the Icarü,” Askam said, leaning forward over the table, his eyes glittering, “once you see men falling down in worship of the Plough in Zared’s West? What then, Talon?”
“Artor is dead,” said FreeFall. “There is no need to fear the worship of the Plough.”
“But the hatreds that built the Seneschal may only be simmering beneath the surface. What else might they build? What other Seneschals?”
“You must know!” FreeFall snapped. “As you are Acharite yourself! Tell us, Askam, what to fear!”
“Peace!” Caelum cried into the tension. “I do not want us warring against each other! FreeFall, I accept your answer. For now.” His voice hardened. “But know that I may well return and demand your aid if I find myself desperate enough for it. I am StarSon, I sit the Throne of the Stars, and I can damn well order you to provide what you will not willingly give!”
FreeFall blanched and sat back. Caelum leaned forward and stabbed a finger across the table. “You gave your homage and fealty to my parents, and that homage and fealty extends to me. Do not underestimate me, FreeFall. I can and will demand it of you if I have to.”
DareWing, who had been watching and listening in silence, regarded Caelum with speculative eyes. StarSon had been indecisive and unsure in the early weeks of this crisis, but in the past hour DareWing had seen Caelum show more spirit than he had in months. Well, some men needed a crisis to push them into their full potential. Was Axis’ blood finally making its mark on the man? FreeFall nodded stiffly. “As you will, StarSon.” They sat silently, staring, until EvenSong smiled a little too brightly. “And what other news, Caelum?”
Caelum looked away from FreeFall reluctantly. “My other nemesis, Drago. I have reason to believe that he passed through Minstrelsea some weeks ago. Have you any reports of him?”
Both EvenSong and FreeFall shook their heads. “It is strange,” EvenSong said, “that he was not noticed. Many feet walk the paths of Minstrelsea, seen and unseen, and there would be many eyes to mark his passing. But we have heard nothing. If Drago was moving south, then perhaps he took a route other than Minstrelsea.”
Maybe, Caelum thought, then thrust Drago to the back of his mind again. His father would deal with him.
“Is Isfrael within the northern groves?” he asked FreeFall.
FreeFall nodded slowly. “You do not think of asking him for aid? The Avar would hardly -”
“I must,” Caelum said quietly, “since the Icarü refuse.”
This was a journey Askam could not participate in. Caelum used his power – and he had to expend such an effort! – to transfer into the northern groves of the Avarinheim forest where Isfrael had his court.
The forest was silent, watchful. Caelum walked slowly though the outer groves, nodding to the few Avar standing about their edges. They watched him suspiciously, turning to murmur to their companions as he passed.
There were several score Avar in the Earth Tree Grove itself. They stood about in small, silent groups before the stone circle that ringed the massive Earth Tree. As Caelum stepped into the grove, they all turned to stare at him, their dark faces impassive, their hands folding before them.