Chapter 36: Double Double, toil and trouble...

The reports had come in at an alarming rate to Haven and then inside the Collegium. Inside the Palace serious strategic talks were well underway. The Lord Marshal and the Captain of the Guard Jevin Piers were in the Lesser Council Room and they were discussing the appropriate and hasty re-assigning of personnel. They were awaiting the arrival of Rowland to re-affirm their plans and as well to discuss the speeding up of the Herald trainee process. Of course inside the Palace King Theran presented a calm countenance. He was being given the latest alarming turn of events via the King's own Jedin. Herald Gillespie, stationed a ways from the border of Karse, was as well communicating the info he received to them from the scouts and foreseers. Of course Gillespie's Companion was assisting with the relaying of the news too.

"So, they have chosen to use deception and trickery again. They disappear for a little less than a day, then they seemingly appear out of no-where to make a show of force," King Theran said, then sighed. He stood up, looking regal and impressive as always. He stood in front of one of the three lanterns in his chamber, the flickering, sallow light there from served to further sharpen and contrast his features, and to illumine his gray facial hair. "We have troops stationed about at midpoint from here to Karse," he said as he pointed at the map on the massive oak table near-by. Even with our best Companions and Heralds it would take them four to five days to get there where they are all stationed now; and that of course is pushing it considerably."

Jedin patiently listened. He knew the King was theorizing and planning, not necessarily asking for any opinions. "Theran, sir", of course Jedin was one of the very few who could address him without formality, "it would almost seem we have gotten caught with our collective breeches down as it were." Here he paused to smile as he tapped the table with his fingers. "So we'll have to play a little more tough and aggressive as well, perhaps use even a little of our own trickery."

At the word 'trickery' King Theran quickly gazed at Jedin. They had been discussing some things, now it would seem they had no time to waste to get ready and employ these tricks. He turned around facing the wall and said, "If you're thinking like me Jedin," here he turned around to look at his confidant, paused to smile then continued, "and I know you rarely do, but I think this is only a mere show of force. About what they can do and how secretive and quickly they can do it. They effectively blocked our scouting efforts with a more elaborate 'psy-field' that they have used before." He raised his arms and said, "Then they seem to disappear, or go underground then re-appear so it seems, with more numbers and force than before-"

Here Jedin politely interrupted. "Of course some of that may be illusion, they have used magic before to their own arcane ends but-"

King Theran said , "Of course we have to prepare for it now! And it means that we are going to have to pick up the pace with the Herald Trainees..." Here he paused and said with a lower tone to his voice, "And we will of course, have to induct some Trainees before they are truly ready." Actions like this were one of the more difficult things for the King to consider. Despite some tough outward appearances, the King still had it in his heart to consider his people to be more than mere numbers. He once said during one of his monthly speeches, "We are our people, and the people are us. If we treat our subjects and those who serve us callously, only as mere numbers to serve our own selfish purposes, then I am afraid we are doomed as a country. I should not have to explain why this would be. It is simple, I count on you to serve and protect our nation, and you can count on me to govern it with intelligence and authority."

And no one doubted King Theran at all. There was never a reason to do so.

Here Jedin paused in thought, thinking perhaps that-

:Yesterday would have been better Jedin. I have the sense this is their last 'hurrah' as it were, and that they will go all out here. After all it has been a while since we've seen the FireCats.:

:Yes Rolan, it is an issue of us giving it all we have now...or never.:

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Herald Tran couldn't believe what he was seeing from his scouting vantage point a few leagues shy of the Valdemar border with Karse. He knew they would be coming because of the limited intelligence the Foreseers had gathered for them thus far. He hadn't visualized a scene such as this though. So many of them on horseback...with their red tacks on and with members of the elite SunGuard riding them, the whole entourage rapidly advanced towards the borders with frightening speed in clouds of dust and fire. His Companion, Tarae, appeared to be a little alarmed, and for her, it took a lot for her to be in that state. :Now what in the name of the gods is this? Why such a sudden and massive movement when they had been for all intents and purposes invisible before:

:You should be seeing them about now with your abilities.: Mindspeakers and Farseers alike were working together. Herald Gillespie, one of the more talented and adept of the mindspeakers, was working with Tran in this case. He was situated off a little more northeast of Herald Tran and therefore a little closer to Hardorn. Now how did they and why...it has to be only the SunGuard themselves...and there are FireCats too. Now there's something we haven't seen for quite some time. Herald Gillespie's Companion Evalle stood at attention nearby. She was one of the more beautiful Companions with a silky shimmering coat of the purest white. Her water blue eyes were busy watching this event unfold against the horizon of a cold grey sky. She mindspoke with her Herald, :Of course we have reinforcements on the way, hopefully they will come sooner rather than later.:

:All I see is those billowing clouds of dust or smoke, and yes...fire behind that..ah I see them now..: Tran shifted his weight as he addressed Herald Gillespie via mindspeak. He shivered from the cold. He only had a localized secondary talent of Mindspeaking, but it was good enough here. One of his gangly legs had fallen 'asleep'. He was shifting his legs to relieve that as well as trying to get a better view from his position on the grassy ridge. He didn't want to move too far though from the cover of the large rock in front of him. Herald Tran was quite tall, almost seven feet.His elongated limbs combined with his long narrow body made him appear even taller. The troop en masse drew towards the border now, and he watched with an anxious awe as the thundering horses advanced, with their manes and heads appearing now and then through the clouds of smoke and fire. They were trying to cover as much of the southern border as they could, without advancing too far apparently. Without his permission, his mind went back to a particular memory that still made him feel a bit insecure…

His height was the butt of many a joke especially when you consider he was a Farseer as well. One witty inebriate inside the Griffin Eggs Tavern had seen Herald Tran talking to some fellow Heralds. Of course Herald Tran 'stood out' from the rest of the crowd. Said inebriate attempted to saunter gracefully up to where Herald Tran was. He had had way too much Red Griffin Beer and did not succeed at all with being graceful, yet with a drunken sort of elegance, he made his way to the small entourage of Heralds. He wanted to know something and had to find out now, this was an important mission. He tapped Herald Tran on the elbow and as he turned around he was greeted with a considerable amount of exhaled alcohol laden vapors and an apparently important question from this rough looking fellow. "Shaayy, um," the inebriate's eyes attempted to focus on Herald Tran, "How...how did you get so...um…tall?"

Herald Tran laughed out loud. "Well my good fellow I uh-"

"Youuu are a Farsheer I bet. I hear the-they hasta to be veeery tall like you to shee as far as they cannnn..." He said, still swaying on his feet a little.

Not a terribly funny statement in itself but it drew quite the laughter from the surrounding bar-crowd. At that pont Herald Tran's face had turned considerably red. He had wished he really could have shrunken in size as much as he had felt at the time…

Tran shook the memory off physically and mentally. That was a long time ago…stop letting it get to you. There are more important things at hand.

Herald Gillespie awaited further news from his scouts who had dared to go in a little further in flanked to the west of Karse. His Companion edged closer towards him. :I think this might just be a show of force. a considerable one at that.: And then to himself thought grimly, With our numbers at present we could only hold them off for so long...

He turned his wise and grey bearded face towards Evalle. :Let's hope you're right...a show of force with a little more magic thrown in for good measure too, I fear.:

It seems they have stopped now, Herald Tran had thought to himself. He was looking at them from a considerable distance, yet he couldn't shake the nervous feeling that the SunGuard were staring right at him, and through him as well. It was a strong and an unnerving sensation. He felt as if the Karsites were viewing them from a lense, thus focussing their sense of amusement and hatred right at them more intensely than normal. He felt the Karsites were the cat, and that they were the mouse being toyed with. As if to say There! Now what do you think of this! We could annihilate you right now! Tarae was feeling very nervous as well.

:They never give up do they? I think this might be their last attempt, their last hurrah to gain our land. Persistent fellows they are, you think they would have given up by now.: observed Tarae.

:We're thinking about the minds of Karsites, Tarae. The evil some men can do is far worse than any other kind of damage done by any other means, natural or otherwise. It's stupid evil really, a stupid and a persistent evil. A bad combination.:

Apart from them, Herald Gillespie continued his nervous observations.

Tarae could only nod her head in agreement to Herald Tran's observation. She knew that the Karsites thought the same about them.

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KoromielAnd there it is! Another chapter...hopefully we didn't keep y'all waiting too long on that...I should be posting the next chapter tomorrow. Until then!