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"Good. Since that is settled, I will tell you more. Harakh, more of the
defense of the kingdom is falling to me. My father is served by fools. I will
not allow such men around me. I want two things in my servants: loyalty and
ability. I will not choose men to serve me because of birth or family
influence. I would rather be served by a loyal and capable third son of a
country squire than some degenerate duke. Those men shall grow great in my
service."
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She looked to the south. The Chiwan galleys were almost ready to join the
fleet. "It grows late. You have my leave to rejoin your command, Captain
Harakh."
He rose and bowed. When he was gone, she called for her box of writing
instruments. A cutter would leave for the capital at first light, and she had
messages she wanted to send on it.
Like some unstoppable force of nature, like an avalanche or a tidal wave, the
Nevan fleet bore down upon the city. There was none of the breakneck speed and
heavy rowing of the earlier action. Ahead of the fleet, wallowing boats laden
with seasick assault troops headed for the breakwater and the nearby shore.
They were to seize these points and keep the enemy from stationing catapults
there to menace the ships
coming behind them. So far, the shore was quiet.
Shazad stood at Moonglow's masthead, above the long, slanting yard. Beside her
stood Sailing Master Saan. She had ordered the ship's carpenter to build this
vantage point from which she could view the battle. A small rack fastened to
the railing held a fine telescope made by one of Neva's best lens craftsmen.
Abruptly a landing craft struck something in the water. Its bow rose as if
pushed up by a giant hand and men tumbled into the water. Across the distance
separating them, she could hear thin screams. Another boat did the same and
the rest dug in their oars, coming to a stop.
"What happened?" she asked Saan, who had snatched up the telescope for a look.
"Underwater obstacles," he said, handing her the glass. "Could be slant-stakes
buried in the sand, maybe spiked logs."
"What happens now?" She studied the scene. Whatever the obstacles were, some
of the men had been impaled upon them. Blood stained the water and drowning
men scrambled over one another while others clung to the wrecked boats. She
took her eye from the glass and Saan pointed to the transport ships. More men
were climbing from them into boats.
"Sappers," the master said. "Military engineers and naval divers. They'll
clear out the obstacles. It's special work they're trained for. It's going to
be a long day."
"It's still early," she said.
The sun was only a little above the shoreward horizon. As the day wore on, she
watched with fascination as the sappers did their work. They
cut through ropes lashing spiked logs together and fastened other ropes around
slant-stakes. While divers dug at the bases of the stakes, rowers backed their
boats away to tug them loose. Some of the most stubborn obstacles were
embedded too deeply for the boats to pull out. Then long lines had to be
passed back to one of the galleys, which would then pull the thing loose,
provided the rope did not break. All this was done under a constant rain of
arrows and yet more boats had to be brought up with mantlets: portable walls
that protected the workers from missiles.
So this, too, was war. Somehow she had never pictured battle as a matter of
labor rather than combat, but she was glad to see that these engineers, at
least, knew their jobs well. She, for one, was not itching for a great,
glorious battle. Perhaps the Nevans could beat the enemy this way. The
barbarians were great warriors, but she had never heard of savages who
relished hard work.
The breakwater and parts of the nearby shore had been occupied without
resistance, but now objects began to leap over the breakwater. At the angle
from which she was viewing them, they seemed to rise vertically. But then they
came crashing down among the sappers' boats, raising large splashes and
occasionally crushing men and watercraft.
"Where did those come from?" she asked.
"They must have brought up catapults on rafts," Saan said. "They're firing
from right there inside the harbor." As he spoke a mantlet was smashed and
arrows began to rain through again, fired from atop the seaward wall.
"Look there, my lady, just to the right of that tower."
She trained the telescope in the direction of his pointing finger. Two people
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lounged on couches atop the wall, watching the spectacle. They were tiny even
as seen through the glass, but she knew it had to be Gasam and his queen. She
stared at the woman until her eye ached, but she could make out no features,
except that she seemed to be wearing very little if anything. The same light
that caught the silver of her husband's steel spear struck brilliant
highlights from the ornaments she wore, but Shazad could tell nothing
otherwise of her appearance.
The long day wore on. Several times Shazad descended from her perch to eat or
refresh herself. Knowing how ridiculous it was, she still lamented what all
this exposure to sun and wind must be doing to her skin. But if that woman
could lounge atop a city wall all but naked, she was not about to adopt a hat
and veil to protect her complexion. During a late afternoon meal, Bloody Ax
came to her.
"My lady, is this a war or a building project? I have never seen so many
working men and slaves pretending to be warriors."
"Would you rather be out there digging up underwater stakes?" Shazad asked.
"No, but . . ."
"Do you not make war like this in the south?"
The woman grinned. "In the south, we fight! The kings and their warriors
assemble on the battlefield and the battle takes place. Blood flows and honor
is won. That is how warriors should fight."
"Then why does your king have those?" she
asked, pointing at the Chiwan galleys, now lying idle in the water.
"There are some island and peninsular strongholds," Bloody Ax said, "held by
rival petty kings, pirates and savages. The big ships are useful in storming
them."
Shazad wondered what on Earth someone like Bloody Ax might consider to be a
savage.
"Patience, my pretty one," Shazad sighed. "Blood will flow in great abundance
soon, as much blood as you could wish for."
The sun went down and the work went on, now illuminated by torchlight.
Fire-baskets on long spikes were jammed into the shallows and filled with
blazing fistnuts. The engineers continued to toil and the divers continued to
dive. Shazad was entranced by the sight. It was unlike anything she had ever
seen. The lighting made it difficult for the missile-casters ashore to judge
distance, so they ceased their bombardment rather than waste ammunition.
Shazad ordered Saan to take Moonglow closer.
Rowing quietly, the master brought the ship close to where the men were
working. She could see their bodies gleaming with sweat and sea-water and
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