The Patrimony by Robert Adams Read Free Book Online Page A

forced march.
    “Father, we kept at it all through that night—first east, then south, then southwest, then, finally, due west Sacred Sun and our columns both struck Skuhltuhn as one. Few of the tuhns are even stockaded, and none are truly walled. The cats had taken out the sentries, so the first warning the Djahrehtee had were three volleys of the
kahtahfrahktoee’s
arrows, every fifth a firearrow. Then we rode in from all four sides.
    “When we had sabered or lanced or axed everything that moved, we fired every structure not already burning and,” he winked, his dark eyes twinkling mischievously, “my Ahrmehnee boys got in a bit of fast looting. Then
Strahteegos
Gaib positioned us and the
kahtahfrahktoee
behind thick cover on either side of the eastern road, whilst the lancers and barbarian light horse rode, whooping and cavorting, around and about the blazing tuhn.”
    The elder nobleman drew out a pipe and pouch of tobacco and commenced to staff the former with the contents of the latter, as his son continued the tale.
    “Well, as
Strahteegos
Gaib had foreseen they would, the Djahrehtee came boiling up the east road, some of them riding mountain ponies, but most afoot, and in no kind of formation.”
    “No, western barbarians aren’t known for their discipline,” his father remarked drily, speaking around the stem of his pipe between puffs.
    “When their vanguard saw the corpse-littered streets and the burning houses and only about a squadron strength of cavalry opposing them, I think they went a little mad. Anyhow, they forgot their normal guile and threw caution away. It was, a textbook example of a successful ambuscade. When all the arrows and darts were sped, the
strahteegos
led the charge.
    “And then it was all over, all but the butchery. They were thoroughly broken on that road, Father, routed; the only ones that got away were those who took to the wooded slopes—the
strahteegos
refused to allow pursuit of those.”
    The older man nodded. “As one who has fought barbarians in their mountains, I’ll say that Gaib showed good judgment in that, my boy.”
    “The bulk of the survivors, though, clove to the road, fleeing back the way they’d come, so that they—and we, naturally—ran head on into the barbarians retreating from their works which had fallen to the assault of
Sub-strahteegos Vahrohnos
Djak and the infantry.
    “A largish number of them took to the hills then, caught as they were between the pursuing infantry and us, and with all our missiles spent there was damn-all we could do about it. But at least a couple of thousand stayed on that road and fought. And they fought well, Father. Sun and Wind, they’d make firstwater soldiers, if only they could be disciplined!”
    Removing his smelly pipe from between his teeth, the older man smiled. “Oh, they will be disciplined, and they will be soldiers, son, Confederation Army soldiers. Well, maybe their sons will anyway, their grandsons, certainly. The western frontier’s moved near a hundred miles within my lifetime; it’ll do as much or more in yours. And this is how it’s done. It’s the High Lord’s plan, you see. Do you remember living in Kehnooryos Atheenahs as a child?”
    The younger man shook his head slowly. “No, Father, when was that?”
    “For two years after your dear mother died, I couldn’t bear to bide in Morguhn, so I took you and your brother and sister with me to the capital. We lived in the palace while I further developed my farspeak at the academy. I was much the favorite of all four Undying, in those days, and the High Lord spoke long and often with me of his plans for the Confederation and its expansion.
    “Ah, those were exciting days.” The older man’s blue eyes clouded over with memory. “In the wake of the Great Rebellion, the High Lord had dissolved the Ehleen Old Religion throughout the realm—lest it spawn or be the spawning ground for other insurrections. The clergy had been proscribed and all