Cheilin Saga ~ 02

 Cheilin Saga ~ 02 Cheilin Horse Breeder 2

By Len Morgan

"Your grasp of the language is excellent Aldor," Wedex commended  "you will however need to be schooled in the etiquette and customs of my people.   Cheilin people are quite fastidious.   Make a wrong move, in public, and you’ll find yourself involved in a fight to the death."

"Wizomi knows the Cheilin Empire and should have carried out this mission but, he had to travel North on another equally important assignment.   So, the people of Cheilin will have to make do with me" said Aldor.   "I need some background knowledge of these people, in order to make them aware of the dangers they will soon be facing; they need to start preparing, immediately."

"You think the Empire is not aware of developments in other states beyond their borders?"

Aldor went silent, as Shamlei handed him a steaming bowl of soup.   Wedex broke off a hunk of fresh dark bread, handing the remainder of the loaf to Aldor.

'Orden, what makes you think the Empire needs help from us?'

'The Tylywoch are few in number.   The Bluttlanders outnumber them a thousand to one.  They cannot call on support from the twelve, and those living outside the Clan enclaves do not possess weapons nor are they trained in the martial arts.  Who else can they turn to?”

"Wedex, are you aware of what they will be facing?" Aldor asked.

"You have never been across those mountains, so what would you know?" Wedex said defensively.

"I have reliable information from an impeccable source.   There are close to two million trained and seasoned soldiers in Bluttland.   If the Tylywoch could muster 200,000 armed and seasoned troops, to defend their homeland, they would only be outnumbered ten to one."

Wedex's face turned pale.   "Intelligence would of course be dispensed on a need to know basis but I would guess the forces available are more likely to be counted in tens rather than hundreds of thousands, but of course this is all speculation.   I cannot conceive of a force that large being raised and mobilised.   The logistics…"

"They would live off the land, burning and pillaging as they went, like a plague of locusts.   You have been living here in the Kurdik states for a number of years.   You have, I assume, sent back information about us?   Indeed it may well be your principal reason for being here.   What would you estimate is our capability to wage war?   How many men would you say we could muster?" Aldor asked.

It was Wedex's turn to go silent.

"I reveal no secrets by telling you that Corvalen has a standing army of ten thousand men,” Aldor continued.   “But, they can call on twenty times that number in a state of emergency.   One in five men are called to train for this force which is tempered in the conflict, between Corvalen and Bycroft, in the disputed territories.   They train for two years then return to civil life but, if called they would be immediately available and ready to fight.   It is each mans responsibility to keep himself armed and in peak physical condition, ready and able to fight and die for the homeland.   There are twenty states, some larger and some smaller than Corvalen.   If you attack a single state, you attack them all; they would stand together as one.   All petty differences set aside for the duration of the conflict.   Existing disputes would be settled, after the conflict is over, reflecting each state's effectiveness and contribution during the emergency," said Aldor.    "If you do the calculations…"

"Two million," said Shamlei, "you could conquer the world with that many men."

"Should we fear Bluttland or the Kurdik States I wonder,” said Wedex.

"We are a third the size of Bluttland and half that of the Cheilin Empire," said Aldor.

"I always thought the Empire was prepared…" said Wedex.

"To be prepared, they need to increase the number of warriors trained and under arms.   This can only be accomplished from outside the clan system," Aldor said with conviction.

"What you say is true, the Clans will not unite but they will fight, individually, if they are attacked or their space is violated," Wedex confirmed.

"In which case, the Tylywoch are indeed Cheilin's only real hope of survival.   They must, in reality, become the 13^th Clan in order to police the lands that are not being administered by the other twelve.   If they can convince the Emperor there is a genuine threat from without, they will have a legitimate excuse to arm and train the fringe communities of the Empire.   This will absolve the Clans from providing costly defences outside of their own borders" said Aldor.

"But, there are no disputed lands on the Borders of our Empire."

"Neither is there a real dispute between Corvalen and Bycroft.   But, the forces of both states are honed on the lie.   Posturing and playing games could never train our forces for real combat" he said’

"The Tylywoch are the eyes and ears of the Empire.   Though small in number, they do not treat security lightly.   They have intelligence-gathering services in all states inside and outside the Empire.   They have always been highly secretive.   Their force was created by the first Emperor Daidan to ensure his personal safety and that of his subjects.   It is said that if an Emperor dies, from other than natural causes, the Tylywoch will be hunted down and put to the sword, every man woman and child would be put to death.   They do not recruit; membership is by birthright and their training starts with their first steps.   It is rumoured that one in five die training before they reach the age of ten," said Wedex.   "Before they speak with you, they would know what significant skills you bring to them.   What they would gain from your involvement and what you would gain from the association.   Before I commit myself to aiding you I would know how you will answer."

"Bluttland and Bedelacq represent the biggest threat we have ever faced.   If the Cheilin Empire falls, its resources will be utilised against the Huren, Meyam, and Kurdik nations, who could not then hold out long.   All freemen would become slaves.   You know me as a 'beast master' but, I am also a coordinator, I make things happen.   I turn dream into reality" said Aldor.

"You have climbed the mountain." said Wedex, grinning at the surprised look on his guests face.  "Eat and drink, I will tell you more and provide you with a written introduction and maps showing the secret passes through the Sabre Tooth Mountain range.   You will be advised to travel a'foot beyond the slopes of the foothills.   I will take you to that point then return with the horses.   Shamlei more wine for our guest, entertain him whilst I attend to a few pressing matters.   A warning, before we become too drunk to remember.   Never reveal your gift to anybody in the Cheilin Empire.   Heed my warning Aldor, and it will ultimately save your life".

Wedex departed leaving him to explore the large rambling wood and stone-built house.   There were two large glazed windows that distorted everything on the outside.   Exquisite leatherwork and burnished bronze tack hung on every wall, all the fittings handcrafted.   Shamlei entered the room silently, with a large carafe of fine red wine.   By the light of a flickering fire, it seemed that her hair had been spun from the same copper used to furnish the ornate leatherwork, at times it seemed to be aflame.

"We make our tack during the dark winter evenings and when the weather is particularly foul" she explained as though reading his mind.   A quick mind scan revealed otherwise.    However, she did not entirely trust him.   There were walls in place, in her mind, indicating basic mind control techniques, the ability to hide areas of her mind, and thoughts, she did not wish to share with him.   He had never consciously violated the privacy of another mind; so he withdrew before his presence was detected.

"It is very sophisticated work, you should be proud of it," he said with a warm smile.

"More wine?" she countered.

He held out his goblet and she poured, her eyes never leaving his.  

"Is your mother still here?" he asked.

"She remains in Cheilin, though I doubt she would acknowledge either of us.   My father was adjudged to be a vile aberration, because of his gift, and I was adjudged tainted by blood.  We were exiled forever from the lands of the 1^st Clan, under pain of death should we ever go back.   Mother was permitted to remain and the marriage was annulled, it was adjudged to have been flawed, which allowed her to remarry within the year.   We have not seen or heard from her in sixteen years, not since we crossed the range and settled here.   Father buys stock in many places and gathers wild horses from the foothills.   I run things here at the ranch whilst he is away with his men," she explained.

Wedex returned, handing him a sealed document, "What you are to do with this will become apparent when you arrive at your destination" he said.   Then, Spreading a map on the low table between them, he lit and trimmed a lamp, proceeding to explain the intricacies of the higher mountain passes; warning Aldor of the effects of the thin air he would encounter close to the summit.

"Once you are in those passes, your life is in your own hands.   There are some treacherous paths, where heavy rainfall can become a waterfall, or create slippery watercourses, causing the unwary to plunge hundreds of feet to their death.  Then there is always snow and ice on the peaks, each providing its own unique form of danger.   Ice may become thin and give way under your feet.   Just raising your voice can cause an avalanche that will bury you alive in an instant.   Then of course there are bands of brigands who eke out a living by preying on unsuspecting travellers, so be on your guard.

(to be continued)

Copyright Len Morgan