"Mum is here." Aly asked, once Thom followed her to her workroom.
"Oh yeah." Thom said, wincing slightly as well.
As Thom knew, Alanna was furious. The Rittevons had taken her only daughter, as well as almost, through Josephine destroyed all of Tortall. They had conspired with Roger of Conte and thereby were responsible for the death of Liam, Faithful, and her brother Thom.
"To me, riders, to me!" Alanna yelled, as she disembarked from her ship.
Alanna led a charge directly to the middle of the Rittevon lines, something that was intended to test the strength of the Rittevons.
It was also a test of morale, as George had told Alanna and the other battlefield commanders that morale was running relatively low and a show of strength could crumble the Rittevon lines.
"You ride to your deaths," the head of the Rittevon lancers sneered to the Tortallan army.
"Perfect." Alanna said to herself, satisfied. "And I will make you eat your words."
"Great Mother help me show these Rittevon pigs what Honor and chivalry are, and the might of Tortall." Alanna prayed.
At that moment, Aly opened her eyes wide, thinking what would happen now. She knew her mother would call upon the Great Mother, and especially with her mother in a combat situation, her prayers would reach the Great Goddess. Mithros would also be coming, as this was his purview as god of war.
"Kyprioth!" Aly called.
Kyprioth did not answer.
The days battle ended with Alanna pushing even the Rittevon Lancers into retreat. "Flee, you cowards! Flee!" Alanna yelled.
"Thom!" Alanna called, communicating with her through the gift.
"Yes, mother.' Thom said, answering.
"I wish to speak with the head of the conspiracy."
"I will see what I can arrange." Thom said, knowing it would not be easy to convince the conspiracy to reconvene just to meet their 'luarin' and foreign mother.
"Good." Alanna said. "Thom, connect with me when you are done. In the meantime, I will brief His Majesty."
Thom sighed, and his mind turned to decide how to approach the conspiracy.
Aly walked in just then, her worry over the Great Goddess hidden by her 'playful' mask. She dropped it for her concerned mask when she noticed Thom's anxiety. "Mother wants to meet with the conspiracy." Thom said, without preamble.
Aly rubbed her head, her mother was not noted for her diplomatic skills and relations between the conspiracy and Tortal were volatile as it was. "We have no choice." Aly said, extremely reluctantly. 'Wait here.'
Aly went seeking Ulasim. "What is it." He asked, concerned.
"Sir Lady Alanna would like a word, I am told."
Ulasim cocked an eyebrow. "Ulasim, I don't see how we can not at least see her." Aly sighed, "She is the King of Tortall's champion and an excellent swordsman in her own right."
"Therefore she is too powerful to alienate." Dove said, entering Ulasim's room.
Aly nodded. "That does not mean we have to do as she says, but it does mean we have to at least hear her out-"
"-and pretend."
Aly nodded, and bowed. Dovasary was a smart one. She knew the rules and boundaries.
"I think the wisest thing would be for a few select people to meet with her." Dove said.
"Forgive me, but we are all in this together." Ulasim said, firmly. "We cannot leave people out. They will get strict instructions to be polite, but I will not leave people out."
Dove half-shrugged, but smiled.
"Aly, tell Lord Thom that his mother is welcome. Get a few of yours to escort her to the outer gate. Then you should escort her to the secret entrance where the rest of us will meet her."
Aly sighed, she wanted an excuse to put off seeing her mother, but knew this was a good plan.
Aly first went to inform Thom and then found a few of the pack, including Vitoricine, who could inconspicuously go to the docks. Vitoricine being a lady's maid would not be questioned in this new period of conciliation.
Aly then planned a conversation with her mother. She did not have long to wait with the chaos of war her pack was easily able to bring Alanna of Pirate's Swoop and Olau to the Balitang House. "Sir Lady Alanna." Aly said, curtseying, hoping her mother got the message or Thom had filled her in.
"Mistress Homewood." Alanna said, nodding curtly, putting Aly's initial fears to rest.
"Good work and scat." Aly told her pack.
"Aly, you are doing a good job. I am impressed." Alanna said.
Aly stopped, surprised.
Alanna smiled at her daughter. "The training these…agents received… impressive. It is akin to what your father would have done."
"Thanks." Aly said, touched.
"You are okay?"
But before Aly could answer, they had reached the entrance. "Sir Lady Alanna." Ulasim said, "I am the General, the leader of the resistance. Please, come inside."
'Thank you for your greeting and hospitality, sir." Alanna said, smartly.
"We have driven the Rittevons to three districts." Alanna said, showing them on parchment. "We should be able to drive them further back to points X, Y, and Z."
"Kyprioth!" A voice boomed.
"Sister!" Kyprioth said, Aly hearing panic in his voice for the first time.
As the Great Goddess and Kyprioth bantered, the conspiracy sat, frightened and Alanna looked as though she were weighing information.
"Mother,
Goddess, if I may speak with you."
"Of course, my
daughter." The Great Goddess said, appearing in the form she
often did when speaking to Alanna.
Alanna took the offered arm, and walked away.
"That was close." Kyprioth muttered half-to himself.
"The Great Goddess is my mother's patron." Thom explained to the conspiracy.
Most of the conspiracy looked as though their opinion of the Tortallans had fallen notches. "Not like I blame them," Aly thought, "considering what the Great Ones have subjected them to."
"I wonder what they are discussing." Thom said, aloud, when his mother and the Goddess did not return for half a watch.
"Mother, if I may be so bold-"
"You have earned the right, Alanna." The Great Goddess said, kindly. She had always had a soft spot for Alanna. Alanna who had accomplished so much for her and her daughters. Alanna who was safe-guarding her favorite, the Conte Line of Tortall.
"Why support the Rittevons over the raka conspiracy. The Rittevons who torture your daughters and sons. Children in your care. The Rittevons who subject women to archaic rules that we are slowly eliminating with your grace in Tortall."
"the guile of Kyprioth?" the goddess asked, raising her eyebrow in a gesture that anyone else that Alanna's children would have sworn matched a look Alanna would have given them if she suspected they had misbehaved.
"Punish him for that." Alanna said, "remind him who is boss, but do not reward the Rittevons."
Alanna paused for a moment, then said, "Regicide especially of a child deserves punishment. There can be no worse punishment for rulers like Imajane and Rubinyan than dethronement and the throne going to a group they consider worse than animals."
"Pass the rulership of Copper Isles to my daughters."
"Yes." Alanna kneeled. "You know Dovasary better than I do."
"She would make a
good queen." The Goddess said. "So Mote it Be."
Alanna
bowed deeply and then rejoined the conspiracy as the Goddess
vanished.
"Kyprioth!" Another male voice boomed.
Kyprioth winced and left.
"Do not worry about him." Alanna advised Ulasim. "There can be nothing worse for a General than distractions. Your war strategy is excellent. Implement it!"
"That is great praise coming from the veteran of many battles herself." Duke Nomru said.
"We must discuss post-war arrangements."
"We will pay off the loan the spymaster of Tortall kindly gave." Dovasary said, "With our thanks for its timely deliverance."
"There were no conditions attached to that money." Alanna said, "there is no need for its return."
'Nevertheless, we do not want to begin a new era, indebted." Dovasary said.
Alanna bowed.
"I fear my mother should probably get back to the camp, I am sure the soldiers are worrying." Thom said, jumping in.
Alanna glared at her son. "There is one important matter I would like to discuss with you: the possibility of a massacre. This is an official REQUEST from Their Majesties Jonathan and Thayet of Tortall, please do all you can to prevent a massacre. A massacre will be economically bad for the entire region as it will bring instability, and morally reprehensible."
"Lady Alanna, please convey our assurances to Their Majesties of Tortall that we have done and continue to do everything in our power to prevent such an occurrence." Ulasim said. "Any Raka or Luarin guilty of a massacre will be tried and severely punished."
Alanna nodded, "that is all we can ask. Now, I fear, my son is right. I should go, if only to avoid raising suspicions of collusion. But remember, unless something unforeseen occurs we will be attacking at the pre-determined points."
"Aly, please see her ladyship out than return."
"If you do not mind, I would like that task." Thom asked, eager for a chance to speak with his mother.
Ulasim nodded, this suited his purposes better as well. Aly's expertise would be a great help to him, but he had not thought he could order this of Thom.
"That went well." Ulasim remarked.
"Somehow, it appears her Ladyship managed to convince The Great Goddess not to oppose us." Chenaol said.
"From the tales I have heard in Tortall-the Great Goddess is the Lioness's patron and they have as close a relationship as Gods and mortals can."
"Well we have our own work to do, without worrying about the Gods." Ulasim cut in.
Ulasim updated them all on where to attack in the morning. "We need to push the Rittevons." Aly said. "We need to push them into attacking more Kyprians."
Aly thought the best thing to do was to get them to attack the Balitangs, but she would never say that. She could make it happen though…
"All of you…including the pardoned Duke Nomru have been invited to the Gray Palace tomorrow, right?" Aly asked.
"Yes," Ulasim answered for the Nobles, cautiously, he recognized the look in Aly's eyes. It was the look when they planned to break Nomru out and take down Topabaw.
"Dove, please wear your lavender gown. Lord Obemaek, ask Lady Rosamma Obemaek to compliment her on it. All your ladies should compliment her on it."
Aly knew Imajane could not carry off lavender. Plus, purple was a color of royalty. As Dove was in the royal line, she was allowed to wear it so it could not be seen as direct provocation but Aly knew it would irk Imajane.
Aly would send her pack to needle Imajane, and hopefully provoke her into attacking the Balitangs. This would prevent needless deaths on both fronts of the war.
Dove nodded her assent, looking troubled. This told Aly that Dove had figured out more of the plan than she was comfortable with.
Nevertheless in the morning, Dove wore her purple gown. When Aly finished instructing her pack and came in, Dove said "You do have a plan to safeguard the people once this reaches its inevitable end."
"Trust me." Aly said, taking Dove's hair out of the style Boulaj had put it in and instead making a complicated chignon.
"More people will die if Imajane and Rubinyan hold off until the Tortallans are gone. More people will die because this is a ruse from their part. I can tell you from observing the Tortallan troops, milady, they are good. Any Copper Isles soldier will die if they have to face those troops in battle. One reason I lobbied Ulasim to stop conspiracy members from tangling with them."
"Lastly, about the plan. Its all under control." Aly gave Dove a feral smile. She had back-up plans. If her pack could not contain it Ulasim's soldiers would rush in.
Aly had also requested Thom to stay with the Balitangs. He was an excellent mage, and she knew he would protect them and any civilians that were caught in the crossfire.
"Remember, for this to work it has to look as though you hadn't planned this." Aly cautioned, this trick pricked at her conscience as it was. She had to ignore the similarities between what Kyprioth had done and what she was doing. "At least I am not killing children, and doing what I can to ensure no one or few will get hurt."
Dove simply nodded.
As planned, Aly's pack spread whispers through the entire audience about how stunning and regal Dove looked.
Aly observed Imajane get more and more ruffled as more nobles, even those usually loyal, complimented Dove.
Dove played her part to a hilt, blushing modestly and thanking those who complimented her. "Maybe Saraiyu's charms rubbed off on me." She joked with a young noble, one of Sarai's former crowd.
Aly especially marveled at the use of Saraiyu instead of Sarai, distancing herself slightly from Sarai's disgrace so no one could accuse her of condoning that kind of behavior.
"Excellent milady, Imajane is as wound up as a child's toy."
"Gods, please guard us." Dove murmured.
"Indeed." Aly thought.
The Darking with Imajane reported that she had sent an assassin after Dove.
Aly murmured that to Junai, Boulaj, and other members of the conspiracy. Aly was comforted to see Ochobu and Fesago on the sides of the street, distracted. They would be an excellent help.
"Miladies, please stay extremely close to me." Aly murmured to Winna and Nuritin.
"What is the matter?"
"I think today is when they will send assassins after Dove." Aly said, not sugar-coating it.
Winna was alarmed. "I have it under control." Aly said, to calm her.
"There are assassins from the Gray Palace and all she can say is I have it under control." Nuritin murmured.
The attack started, quite dumbly in Aly's opinion, right as they cleared the Palace.
"Call for help." Aly told Dove, as the men at arms and guards engaged the Palace assassins.
Aly shook her head at Fesago, telling him not to join the attack.
"Members of the Watch, help us!"
But the King's Watch obviously had orders not to interfere and they stayed in their places.
"They are killing her!" Someone shouted, and Aly noticed a rain of pots falling on soldiers.
Then Aly nodded at Fesago. A few minutes into the battle Aly noticed Thom was safeguarding civilians.
"Back to Balitang house!" Aly called.
She helped clear a path and escort Dove home. Ulasim was discreetly waiting inside the door.
"The Tortallans and Carthakis have agreed to leave the Gray palace to us." Aly stated. "But for this, we need to capture it by nightfall tonight else they will attack it."
Ulasim nodded, "In the revised battle plan, that is where the main troops will head."
Aly followed Ulasim into the field then. She had left a note for Dove, which implied that Dove should fly on a Kuadrung above all Rajmaut, inspiring the conspiracy fighters and sending a signal to the foreign fighters.
"Do you want to die for the Rittevons? Do you want to die for regicidal maniacs whom their patron gods have forsaken?" Aly called, when they encountered their first band of soldiers.
"You have already been decimated by the Tortallans. The Rittevons DIRECTLY provoked them into attacking though the army was not ready. They sacrificed you for their own political ambitions."
Ulasim took over then. "Put down your weapons and we will let you free."
At this, most of the troops put down their weapons. One soldier leapt at the commander of the group, but his fellows killed him.
Aly smiled. Most of the fighting went this way, scared by the Tortallans, and the omens they had seen all day that the Goddess and Mithros had revoked support most surrendered.
Those units that didn't were tired and overworked. They suffered few casualties that day-Junai was killed, cut off and defending a group of children who had been caught up in the fighting.
The challenge was the Gray Palace, and Ulasim's nervousness showed as he reached the Palace. But when he got there, the gate was opened by Taybur Sibigat who turned the Palace over to them (AN-read the account of this in Trickster's Queen).
