Empire of Avarice Read Online Free PDF Page B

warrior.
    “You’re right, Pandris. It’s thanks to the Tybar we find
ourselves in the precarious position we are in today. Ever since they beat us
in that terrible battle ten years ago they’ve been gobbling up our former
territory there piece by piece. We retreat no longer, but we need to be able to
fight them with a chance of winning. So far we’ve lost because we’ve refused to
change the way we fight. We must change now!”
    Teduskis stepped forward. “If I may, your majesty?”
    “Of course, Teduskis. Please speak.”
    “Thank you.” The retainer pointed at the terrain to the
west. Mountains, passes, valleys and winding rivers. “Ambush country. Our
forces stick rigidly to the foot soldier. Non-mounted, slow, and an easy
target. We must find another way of fighting them.”
    Voices vented their disapproval. Astiras slammed a fist
into the tabletop. “Enough! I have decided it. We will train our garrisons –
all of them – in different ways of fighting. I want you to return to your
units, and plan for new ways of fighting. I want your suggestions sent here
within twenty days. Yes, yes, I know, it’s hard to come up with new ways of
fighting when we have a tradition of using foot infantry, but against the Tybar
it has been proved useless. I want units to shoot arrows, be able to withdraw,
reform, return, adapt. How, we have yet to work out, but we must do it. Got
it?”
    “Yes, your majesty,” they answered, some not liking it
one bit, he could see.
    “Good. Now, to the north of Niake, there is Lodria, up
in arms in rebellion. They back one of the traitorous Fokis family that held
the throne a few years ago. They’ll be the first to be forced back under our
rule. My son, Jorqel is on the border here,” he jabbed a stubby finger down on
a spot close to a river that marked the border between the provinces of Lodria
and Bathenia, the province Niake was in. “He has the imperial army with him and
as we speak a message is on the way to him, telling him not only is he now heir
to the throne, but he’s to march his army to the fortress of Slenna and take
it, even if it takes a few years. Starve them out.”
    The Council members nodded. It made sense. One of them
waved a hand at the area not too far from where he was seated, to the other
side of the sea. “And here in the east? How are things in Pelponia and Makenia?
Last I heard they were still loyal.”
    “They still are,” Astiras nodded. “The new governor of
Makenia, Thetos, by now will have taken control of Turslenka there,” he pointed
to the capital of the province of Makenia, “and he happens to be a former army
friend of mine, until he got wounded in Bragal and was retired from active
duty. Now he runs Makenia, and will follow my command. Then to the north, up in
Pelponia, we have the fortress of Kornith. An important place, it has control
of the seas to the north and beyond that to the east. The former governor there
met with an unfortunate end a few sevandays back.” He turned to Teduskis. “Who’s
running the fortress now?”
    “Captain Anthes. He’s a good man. He’ll do what you
command, sire.”
    “Good. Well, apart from far-off Zipria, that island
province far to the west, that’s what we have. We’re surrounded by enemies
either past or present – and maybe future. They’ll all be impatient in
dismembering what’s left of our empire, but I’m damned if their avarice is
going to destroy us. Maybe one day we’ll be strong enough again to stand eye to
eye with them and tell them to run back to their kennels.”
    The men nodded; it was good to have an emperor at last
who talked tough. The previous few had talked a lot before gaining the throne
but once there had clung to power for power’s sake and neglected what lay
outside the palace. There was much more to being an emperor than just being an
emperor.
    “What about the rebellion on Romos?” another asked,
pointing at a small diamond shaped island off the coast of Lodria.