Cavalry pursuit is a ragged affair, anyway. Against a badly broken enemy, it hardly matters. The same Confederate infantrymen who, in formation and filled with confidence, could have shattered any cavalry attack, were just hunted down by the barbarians. Slaughtered left and right, by arrows in the back and sword slashes to the neck. Or simply trampled under; and, if not killed in the process, murdered later by barbarians picking over the dead and wounded for booty. An already mangled army left a trail of blood and brains and entrails for miles behind it, as it crawled off, harried every step of the way until nightfall.
It was the worst military disaster in the history of the Confederation, suffered by the greatest army it had ever fielded. Five thousand or so dead that day; another five, within a month, from wounds; perhaps a thousand or so captured—the Southrons were not much given to taking prisoners—and several thousand more simply vanished, in the way that defeated soldiers will.
When the six brigades which Tomsien had led out finally returned to the provincial capital of Harrat from whence he’d led them, their effective force was not more than a third what it had been. At best. This was an army which had suffered a terrible defeat as well as massive casualties. It would take months—a year, more like—for its leadership to restore the formations, and the discipline, and bring in the new recruits desperately needed to flesh out horribly thinned ranks.
* * *
Tomsien would not be there to do it. His body was found, late in the day, lying among the corpses of most of his staff and personal troops. With an assegai still clenched in his fist, and his shield beaten into splinters. In this, too, Tomsien had been true to his traditions.
Just as a long-dead general had known he would, and a still-living one had so calculated.
* * *
It would be said later, and grow into legend, that when the news of Ion Jeschonyk’s death and the manner of it was brought to Verice Demansk that he cursed the gods. Each and every one of them, by name, excepting the All-Father and the Gray-Eyed Lady.
And, it would be said, when the news of Tomsien’s death and the manner of it was brought to him, that Verice Demansk cursed those gods as well. Even more bitterly than he had the others. Then, ordered all his men and servants to quit his company, and not return for a day and a night.
When he reemerged from his quarters, so the legend went, he said nothing further on the subject. But the servants found that every piece of furniture in his private rooms had been broken and carved into pieces, as if by ax and sword, even the bed. And it was said that from that day forth Verice Demansk would never speak of any god in private, though he would perform the public rites and ceremonies.
There was no need for printing presses to spread this legend. The servants themselves would do so, making a handsome profit from selling the pieces of shattered furniture and shredded upholstery. For the legend was quite true, in every particular.
* * *
On the evening of the victory itself, however, Helga was not worrying about her father’s possible state of mind. She had an angry lover to deal with.
“Good!” Adrian shouted. “Wish he’d dragged you all around the laager, while he was at it!”
Helga glared at him. Adrian glared back.
* * *
Fortunately for her, Adrian was not one to hold grudges. Within an hour, he had forgiven her. Even gave her a hug and a kiss.
“Ouch! Watch your hands, dammit!”
“Oh. Sorry.” He cocked his head, giving her a sly smile. No Raj Whitehall or Center in that smile. “Well, that’s okay. Just have to make sure you’re on top.”
Helga looked skeptical. “I dunno. Not the way you grab me when you get excited.”
Chapter 26
Adrian made his break five days later, taking advantage of the Reedbottoms’ preoccupation with the pleasures of newly seized Franness. To Prelotta, he explained his unwillingness to enter the city as being due to concern for the loyalty and morale of his men. As Vanberts and Emeralds, he claimed, they would be disturbed by the atrocities committed by barbarians upon civilized folk. Adrian feared he might even lose control of them. And, even if not, unfortunate incidents were certain to occur.