Post by Seek on Apr 17, 2015 3:52:06 GMT 10
Series: Where the Wind Blows
Title: Mirror
Rating: PG
Event: AU Archery
Competition: Decathlon
Words: 540 words
Summary: AU where Lindhall Reed does something like what Maggur does and becomes a Scanran war-mage during the Immortals War.
-
The council of war was a sombre one. There was no word from Port Legann, and rumours abounded: Port Legann had been cut off, it had been attacked by a mixed flock of hurrocks and Stormwings, a hole in the earth had opened up and swallowed Port Legann entirely, a wave had crumbled the city into the sea…
“I need information,” Jon said, tersely, glancing at each of the few who sat in this private council. He slammed his fist against the table in a rare display of anger. “Gods curse Ozorne—this was too well planned! The Jewel refuses to tell me anything, and I can’t use it all the time without draining the land.”
“Sire,” Harailt of Aili spoke up. “Do we know who is being sent to the negotiating table?”
Jon gestured for Myles to speak. “Mostly,” the shaggy-haired knight said. “The Copper Isles are sending a Rittevon, as usual. No particular military genius.” His mouth was set in a firm line. “Unfortunately, we can’t say the same of the Scanrans.”
“They’ve dug in at Naxen,” Raoul said. He eyed Gary cautiously as he spoke, but the prime minister said nothing. His shoulders, however, were tense. “They don’t seem to be making any moves for now.”
“Hadensra’s at Naxen,” Myles said, picking up from where Raoul had left off. “Which means that Thorkellsra’s going to be at the negotiations.”
“I don’t remember him,” Alanna said, thoughtfully. “I don’t think the dispatches have spoken of him.”
“He was at Frarslund,” Myles offered, darkly. “It’s safe to say that he was involved in the offensive there, as well as tying up the mages at the City of the Gods. They still can’t break the barrier of thorns. They’re bottled in there, for all the good it does us.”
Harailt added, quietly, “Thorkellsra’s the more dangerous of the two. Hadensra’s formidable, but he’s still Scanran-trained. Thorkellsra spent years training in battle magic at the Carthaki university before he returned to Scanra to finish off as a shaman. When it comes to brute force, Hadensra’s unmatchable, but—”
“Cunning counts,” Raoul finished. “And he has that. In spades.”
“I was going to say, knowledge counts,” Harailt corrected, mildly. And then, “My lord has it right. Thorkellsra can’t be beaten in terms of sheer magical flexibility. I think he knows more ways of doing things than our own mages.”
Jon gripped the arms of his chair and breathed. He looked around the room, Conté blue eyes meeting the exhausted gaze of everyone in the private council and spoke; deliberate and commanding. “We cannot survive the loss of Port Legann,” he said, quietly. “Myles—if there’s no word from George, then I need you to put some of your best agents in Port Legann. Harailt—I need you and Duke Gareth to lead the delegation that will be present at the negotiations. See if you can force Yamani neutrality, if not an alliance. Alanna.”
She looked at him.
“Can you take him?”
“Hadensra or Thorkellsra?” she wanted to know.
“Either.”
Alanna exhaled, slowly, and set her shoulders. He recognised the determined look on her face, the way her hand fell to the hilt of her sword. “We’ll see, won’t we?” she asked, wryly.
Title: Mirror
Rating: PG
Event: AU Archery
Competition: Decathlon
Words: 540 words
Summary: AU where Lindhall Reed does something like what Maggur does and becomes a Scanran war-mage during the Immortals War.
-
The council of war was a sombre one. There was no word from Port Legann, and rumours abounded: Port Legann had been cut off, it had been attacked by a mixed flock of hurrocks and Stormwings, a hole in the earth had opened up and swallowed Port Legann entirely, a wave had crumbled the city into the sea…
“I need information,” Jon said, tersely, glancing at each of the few who sat in this private council. He slammed his fist against the table in a rare display of anger. “Gods curse Ozorne—this was too well planned! The Jewel refuses to tell me anything, and I can’t use it all the time without draining the land.”
“Sire,” Harailt of Aili spoke up. “Do we know who is being sent to the negotiating table?”
Jon gestured for Myles to speak. “Mostly,” the shaggy-haired knight said. “The Copper Isles are sending a Rittevon, as usual. No particular military genius.” His mouth was set in a firm line. “Unfortunately, we can’t say the same of the Scanrans.”
“They’ve dug in at Naxen,” Raoul said. He eyed Gary cautiously as he spoke, but the prime minister said nothing. His shoulders, however, were tense. “They don’t seem to be making any moves for now.”
“Hadensra’s at Naxen,” Myles said, picking up from where Raoul had left off. “Which means that Thorkellsra’s going to be at the negotiations.”
“I don’t remember him,” Alanna said, thoughtfully. “I don’t think the dispatches have spoken of him.”
“He was at Frarslund,” Myles offered, darkly. “It’s safe to say that he was involved in the offensive there, as well as tying up the mages at the City of the Gods. They still can’t break the barrier of thorns. They’re bottled in there, for all the good it does us.”
Harailt added, quietly, “Thorkellsra’s the more dangerous of the two. Hadensra’s formidable, but he’s still Scanran-trained. Thorkellsra spent years training in battle magic at the Carthaki university before he returned to Scanra to finish off as a shaman. When it comes to brute force, Hadensra’s unmatchable, but—”
“Cunning counts,” Raoul finished. “And he has that. In spades.”
“I was going to say, knowledge counts,” Harailt corrected, mildly. And then, “My lord has it right. Thorkellsra can’t be beaten in terms of sheer magical flexibility. I think he knows more ways of doing things than our own mages.”
Jon gripped the arms of his chair and breathed. He looked around the room, Conté blue eyes meeting the exhausted gaze of everyone in the private council and spoke; deliberate and commanding. “We cannot survive the loss of Port Legann,” he said, quietly. “Myles—if there’s no word from George, then I need you to put some of your best agents in Port Legann. Harailt—I need you and Duke Gareth to lead the delegation that will be present at the negotiations. See if you can force Yamani neutrality, if not an alliance. Alanna.”
She looked at him.
“Can you take him?”
“Hadensra or Thorkellsra?” she wanted to know.
“Either.”
Alanna exhaled, slowly, and set her shoulders. He recognised the determined look on her face, the way her hand fell to the hilt of her sword. “We’ll see, won’t we?” she asked, wryly.