[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] religion, and Arman had long dismissed them as unfit for an intelligent person to pay any attention too. So, apparently, did the Darshianese, who had readily adopted the religion of their masters as self-evidently superior. Arman was only concerned if these myths were to affect morale in any way, but it seemed his soldiers common sense was overruling the fanciful, which was encouraging. However, he knew something they did not. The blocking of Kurlik Pass had not been a simple rockfall. The pass had been mined with powerful explosives and when the Prij had invaded and taken over Urshek, the mines had been triggered by the retreating northerners, sending thousands of tons of rock into the narrow pass, effectively cutting northern Darshian off from contact with the south, save by sea, which traffic the Prij dominated with ease. The loss of the land route had been a blow, but the temporary setback had proved in the end most beneficial to the Prij in closing and defending the border. Nonetheless, it had irritated Her Serenity s father, then sovereign, that the Darshianese had a weapon the Prij did not. He had ordered, as had his daughter after his death, that all efforts be made to discover the nature of the mysterious explosive, one far more powerful than the uko powder the Prij used in small bombs and their ship cannons, but in the twenty years since the pass was blocked, the Prijian armourers had not been able to recreate it. It was thought to be the same explosive which powered the huge cannons which overlooked Darshek s harbour and which, together with the natural mountain barriers to the sides and behind Darshek, made the northern capital impregnable while at the same time allowing it to dominate the trade to the north, especially with Andon. At least until now, Arman thought grimly as he walked back to his tent, keeping to the shadows. The discovery of a previously uncharted route through the southern range had suddenly made Her Serenity s long-held ambitions possible, and a plan had been drawn up by the Lord Commander to choke off Darshek s supply routes from the south and from the sea. Arman s forces were the first phase of the attack, to secure control of the main inland trade route and the seven large villages along it which acted as trading centres for the surrounding farming lands. Rare mineral ores were mined at Albon, Darbin and Vinri which were of apparent importance to Darshek. By controlling these villages and the access through the Kislik range to Darshek plain, the Prij would control both grain and mineral trade, as well as communications between north and south. Once these had been taken into Prijian hands, the supplies diverted south to Urshek and beyond that, to Kuplik, a siege would commence seawards, with the Prij navy creating a blockade outside the range of the mighty cannons, preventing goods and boats from Andon and other ocean trade routes entering the territory. It was a long-term strategy, but a sound one so far as it went, and Arman s qualms were for after the success of the siege and Darshek s capitulation, rather than the possibility of that capitulation. He had his orders and he would obey them. They were to sweep forward through the trade route to Kislik, the last village before the pass through the northern mountain range some hundred miles from Darshek, where a defence fort would be established under Jozo s command as a northern barrier against incursions from Darshek itself. Troops would be left at the villages between there and the southern border, and thus communications and supply lines would be crucial as they would be stretched over thirteen hundred miles. They had a thousand men to command and to control initially. Once defence posts were set up, more would follow, and yet more would sweep across the continent to bring the law of Kuprij, once Darshek fell. Even the first thousand soldiers needed a lot of lem flour, equipment, and pack animals, all of which had to be squeezed through this new pass through the mountains. Arman wondered if it would not have been better to put that manpower to clearing Kurlik pass, even if their engineers were unable to divine a method of doing so at this moment in time, but the army were committed now to the present course of action. Time and the will of the gods would tell if Her Serenity s judgement was correct. He pulled back the hood of his cloak before approaching his tent and got a perfectly ordinary salute from his watch. Inside, all was orderly and quiet, his pallet tidily made and ready for occupancy, his papers stacked neatly on a travelling desk, Loke waiting patiently for him in welcome. He had to admit that despite his misgivings, having his page with him was a wonderful luxury. He felt much more at home in this rough army tent than he ever would in a house run by Mayl, and here he had warm eyes and a welcoming smile to greet him. Here he knew he was wanted for himself. Supper was waiting for him too. Loke took his cloak from him, and gave him a cloth to wipe his hands and face before he sat down to a meat stew, fresh bread and a mug of the local honey beer, which smelled inviting and tasted even better. He noted that Loke, serving himself and sitting cross-legged on the rug to eat, had colour in his cheeks and was falling on the food with a good appetite too, apparently none the worse for the long day on the boat, and his seasickness. At least they would all eat well for the next few days, until the fresh meat and vegetables were replaced by hard rations for however long it took to obtain new supplies from the villages and farms on the other side of the mountains.  So, are the men ready for the march?  They seem in good heart. Some fanciful notions about the Darshianese, which you might expect. Tell me, Loke, if I said I d seen a man throwing fire, would you believe me? Loke grinned and put his chin on his hand to look at him.  No, Arman, but I [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl blacksoulman.xlx.pl