The exit of the three inherited servants left a vacuum in their wake. Rubad made some suggestions among the area’s elite, but Rolly rejected each idea. It was Kodwar who proposed a shocking suggestion. He had heard from pilgrims fleeing the south that the southern King Anjos had appointed his youngest son, a boy only a few years older than Eg, as supreme commander of his defenses. Though he had studied the art of war since he first learned to walk, and displayed the bravery that earned him respect, some suggested he seemed starved to prove it, and so dismissed at will anyone who offered expertise or advice.
Kodwar had heard that when the young general toured the northern defenses, he ordered the commander of the northern border, a man named Hernao to execute an alternate schedule of exercises. Hernao informed him that he had set the schedule to coincide with the area’s visibility, since the fog hung over the mountains until mid-day. The boy promptly dismissed Hernao from his post for exposing his own ignorance.
No longer a member of the army, Hernao felt free to visit his sister’s family in Dofer. The presence of a former Inoil general in the area naturally stirred up some concern, but upon meeting Hernao, his mild manner and affable demeanor put his neighbors’ worries to rest. Moreover, Hernao had earned the respect of those who regularly traveled the border on business as someone of good and rational judgment, which was how Kodwar came to hear of him.
“As a defector of his state, Hernao has no allegiance to the man who banished him, so why not offer such a capable officer a position to put his expertise to use?” Kodwar posed.
Rolly promptly sent Kodwar and Khilso down to their home country to make acquaintance with the former commander, directing them to use their discretion to ascertain his character. His sister led the visitors to the banks of the river, where her brother had taken his nephews fishing. Approaching the bank, neither needed to confirm the identity of the man they sought. A broad chested warrior towered above two small boys in the middle of the footbridge, even as he stooped to help one with his bait.
“Are you the one they call Hernao?” asked Khilso.
The man answered in the affirmative, not looking up from his task but with a calmness of a military man who had sized up his opponent at the approach.
Khilso introduced himself as the local magistrate to the king and then introduced Kodwar as the archbishop, at the mention of which Hernao looked up with reverence.
“Pleased to make your acquaintance,” he said politely, taking both envoys aback by his water blue eyes. He then slowly rose to stand a full head and shoulders above the two. “How can I be of service to you?” he asked in a friendly manner.
“We are here to welcome you to Black Pass,” said Kodwar.
“Forgive me fellows, but I thought Black Pass was half a day north of here,” Hernao caught both of their gaze as he said it in a casual voice that emphasized his innocence.
“The Pass itself yes, but the kingdom of the Black Pass extends to the southern border now. We are a small kingdom true. We have close communities who warmly welcome visitors, but as magistrate, I like to know the difference between the two,” said Khilso.
“So, you have come to ask if I intend to stay?” Hernao said, dropping his line into the river and instructing the boys to do the same.
“We have come to make the introduction and to welcome you,” said Kodwar.
“Yes, no need to make that decision now,” said Khilso.
“Well, you certainly seem to have more fish in this river,” Hernao said, and with that jerked his pole back and up flopped a striped beauty. One of the boys dropped his pole in surprise, which Hernao caught with remarkable reflex, still wrestling in his own catch. Kodwar helped the other boy with the basket, which he found full of fish. He commented on the former commander’s skill. Hernao admitted his sister was beginning to tire of frying fish.
“Then please bring them and your family to my home for dinner. My wife knows hundreds of delicious fish recipes, she would be happy to teach your sister, and we can all get to know one another better,” Kodwar said.
Indeed, both women also welcomed the idea, as Kodwar’s wife loved to cook and entertain, and Hernao’s sister clearly did not. When her brother had half-heartedly repeated Kodwar’s invitation she left the makings of a loaf on the counter and set off to dress for dinner. Her husband, the captain of a fleet of merchant ships who spent every other night in his travels, had returned home by that time and joined the party.
Years later, after serving twenty faithful years at Rolly’s side, Hernao could still describe the meal they ate that night, dish for dish, each employing fish in a novel and tasty way. Hernao had never consumed such delectable fare, certainly not in the military at home, and his sister’s halfhearted attempt at sustenance could never compare to Kodwar’s wife’s skills. During this time Kodwar and Khilso directed friendly questions to their guest regarding his expertise in the field of command, his experience at court and his aspirations for the future, which coming at the end of the meal elicited a poetic response from the former warrior.
“Yes, I miss the front, the weight of hundreds of lives on my shoulders, the earned esteem and recognition, but because I have lived that life I take pleasure in the smaller things, fishing, hunting, growing vegetables, I planted my sister’s garden you see…, and I would like a family. Had I kept my command, I would still be sleeping in the most well-appointed quarters, but barracks, nonetheless. So many of my soldiers consoled me when I was dismissed but I was not angry because I knew that a new life waited for me, one that included family, and since our parents have long passed, I came to see my only living relative, my sister. Perhaps I could become a fisherman.”
“Your experience and expertise has value, though I do not dispute your fishing skills,” said Khilso, we would like to extend an invitation to return to the valley of the Black Pass with us, it is the center of commerce and culture, perhaps you will find your future there.”
The sister, who Kodwar’s wife observed seemed somewhat overtaxed by her visitor’s appetite, encouraged her brother to join the team, and his brother-in-law offered to provide transportation.
In due course, the party made sure to announce their arrival the moment they landed in town. The duo distracted Hernao with a tour of the marketplace to allow the royal family plenty of time to receive the candidate. Hernao’s rapture in the variety and quality of the marketplace stalled the group until almost sundown. Still, Rolly received his magistrate and bishop with the cold criticism of a perceived error. He called the two in privately, leaving Hernao in the hall, and berated them for bringing him along without royal consent, voicing concerns that the mild-manner former commander could be acting as a spy.
This superstition also altered his manner towards his guest. Both courtiers noticed a significant change in the king’s demeanor. He seemed more authoritarian, less like the head of a household and more the head of state. Though Hernao was equally as eloquent and impressive as he had acted in Dorfer and generous in his praise for what Rolly had accomplished in his short reign, his flattery did little to soften the usually benign ruler, who even snapped at Eg when he made a silly comment in attempt to elevate the tension.
Though the entire table recognized the change in their leader, the guest was none the wiser, as Inoil’s ruler Nemar, as well as his son, both commanded a hall with a scowling countenance and few words. In fact, the comradery of the court alone, partially in an effort to compensate for the grumpy king, sealed Hernao’s decision.
Over the course of the next few weeks, Hernao secured himself some pastureland beside a fishing creek and familiarized himself with the townspeople, all of whom were charmed by his good looks and pleasant demeanor. Meanwhile, Rolly subjected him to daily tests of patience. He summoned Hernao to court only to have him sit for hours waiting. Hernao was not troubled. “More comfortable than waiting at the parapet,” he said.
Though he invited him to sit at counsel with his other advisors, Rolly forbid anyone from talking about state affairs during those sessions, so all sat stiffly waiting for Rolly to lead by subject and nodding only when he asked for an opinion. Finally, during one of these silences Hernao said his sister told him that more and more defectors from Inoil have settled in Dofer, specifically young fighters fleeing the rule of Anjos as head of the army. Rolly was suspicious whether these ‘defectors’ were not active occupiers. Hernao said they came to his sister’s door looking for their former commander. She often gave them sustenance and a place to stay during which time they seconded the unhappy state of the army since his departure.
Unable to ignore the report, yet unwilling to acknowledge Hernao’s assessment, Rolly once again sent Khilso and Kodwar back to their home country to “return with a report only,” as he said to them in the sternest of terms.
On their journey south, Khilso and Kodwar noticed many tents set up beside the river, makeshift habitats for the country-less men accustomed to sleeping as so. In front of a few they saw women hanging washing. “This is not the sign of an offensive occupation,” Kodwar observed.
“Both you and I see it with our own eyes, but how do we convince the king who wants to believe otherwise?” mused Khilso. “We would incur wrath if we invited any to argue their case.”
“No, nor should we believe appearances. We must test them,” said Kodwar.
“Still, if there is a threat, I don’t think these men are the leaders,” Khilso said.
As agreed, the two headed directly to the town tavern, where the proprietor, Khilso’s uncle, greeted them more loudly than they wished for this mission. “Why what occasion calls for a visit from my dignitary son!” he shouted across the room.
While Khilso carefully explained the purpose of their visit to his obviously drunken uncle, Kodwar pretended to take in the atmosphere while actually noticing that most patrons shared similar habits of dress. For example, they all wore the same boots. In fact, almost all were identical from the waist down. From the top up he noticed three variances, either a rough black undershirt, secured with a belt to give the appearance of a tunic, or a tunic turned inside out to hide the red stripe of Inoil down the front, or both. The very drabness of their dress attracted his attention. He caught a few glances in his direction, and they all stole away quickly.
“Yes, you know as well as I the border traffic,” said the uncle, “Nothing too unusual. Well, I guess more than you remember, it has been more in the past few years. Good for business. The bare bones is that everyone from the north knows that Anjos only concerns himself with the south, always been that way with Inoil since the beginning of time. The people from the north are ignored and since, thanks to the providence of our illustrious leader, this area has grown prosperous, so they pick up and leave to come here.”
“Most of these defectors appear to be military men,” whispered Kodwar. “On the road here they appeared to be setting up camp.”
The proprietor looked around as if trapped in a corner facing a reality he would rather not acknowledge. “Young men have more freedom of movement, most join the army to flee the farms and this is just another step.”
Khilso expected no more from his uncle, a person who set his convictions beside his convenience, so they decided to visit Hernao’s sister for her perspective. The garden looked as if someone had just lately been there, but nobody answered the door. As they strolled away slowly, discussing their options, they heard a greeting from the road and saw Hernao’s brother-in-law coming towards them. After exchanging formalities, the seaman invited the two in, ensuring them that his wife was indeed inside.
“We have had so many uninvited visitors lately,” he explained, “that we no longer open the door unless we expect someone.” The lady of the house seemed slightly relieved to see the travelers and beckoned the children from the closets to greet them.
“So you have noticed the influx from Inoil,” Kodwar said.
The man appeared nearly offended. “We sent word up to Hernao about it. I assumed that is why you are here.”
Forgiving the man for reminding him of the obvious, Kodwar confirmed the fact and invited his hosts to elaborate.
“It started with a few of Hernao’s old friends, whom we knew because even before they would sometimes come up to visit. We gave them hospitality thinking they came to see him, but when we told them that he had gone they confessed that they had not come merely to see their old friend but to follow in his footsteps. They would not say whether they had met with the same mistreatment but just that they felt he made a good decision and wanted to see what the other side was like.”
“We can lead you to some who have settled if you want to have an interview with them,” said Hernao’s sister. “We helped them at first.”
“What changed?” asked Khilso.
“Well they are all bachelors, they overran the place…” she started.
“We changed,” her husband cut in. “We realized that they were not leaving and we had only so much to give. They had no money to buy land. They were willing enough to work, but we only have so much work for men with all the same skills, and nobody wants to work the jobs that require travel to Inoil.”
“So they have taken over the land,” the lady of the house interrupted. “I know you don’t want to arouse unnecessary fears my darling, and many are good men, but not all. They did not ask, just set up camp and showed up for dinner uninvited.”
“Why do they not head north to the Black Pass?”Khilso asked rhetorically. “We have plenty of opportunity.”
The husband and wife looked surprised at the question, and admitted they never thought to propose that option, but assured they would do so the next time they had a chance.
“Do you think these visitors are a threat to the country?” Kodwar asked bluntly.
The merchant marine did not answer the question at first. Instead, he told a few stories about the visitors to paint the picture of an unorganized, desperate group of vagabonds looking for their way in the world.
“But you invited us down here,” said Khilso, growing impatient. “You must have thought there was some sort of security issue with all this.
“I hoped Hernao would come,” he said. “Only he would be able to sort the true migrants from the opportunists.”
The next day Kodwar and Khilso accepted the couple’s offer to interview some of Hernao’s fellows in arms who followed his lead. They learned that a number of their compatriots left in allegiance to Hernao, and a few trickled over thereafter, but they did not recognize many of the newcomers among those devoted to their former commander, nor did they recognize them from the northern defenses or towns at all.
That evening, Kodwar transcribed the interviews and asked the soldiers to sign their oath in its validity. The next morning they departed.
Rolly mulled over the report for three days, spurning most of his court and interacting only with his immediate family. On the fourth day, he summoned Hernao. On the fifth, Rolly called a congress. He let Hernao speak.
“Anjos is not a cunning strategist,” Hernao told the table. “He is tempted to take advantage of something that appears easy without planning an end. I don’t believe that an organized insurrection is coming any time soon. The occupation is an attempt to test the boundaries.”
“What do you propose to do?” asked Ligau.
“If we present a show of force, that will trigger Anjos to react rashly, and exaggerate the destruction” Hernao predicted. “They will act like the expatriate pirates they are pretending to be. They will also be able to weigh our muscle and end up better equipped to formulate a true attack in the future,” Hernao advised. “If we do nothing, they will gain enough force to strike from within. We need to think ahead, assess our advantages, know how many, who and where, and what resources they have…”
“We’ve decided to react in kind,” Rolly interrupted. “We will slowly populate the area with fighting men, and recruit fighting men among the local area. We will give them employment so they appear to have a purpose, but their main occupation will be to keep our presence stronger than theirs and have the forces on hand to overcome them if needed.”
“That’s a great idea,” said Khilso, “but we learned the area already didn’t have enough work to employ the visitors. How are we going to employ our men and discourage the Inoils from applying for work?”
This is when Rolly said Ligau had that all handled, and the old man nodded gravely.
Ligau advised they disguise their guard as workers in a large canal expansion project. This served two purposes. They improved the shipping transport while spying on the occupiers.
They were to employ three tiers of workers. Soldiers trained in military maneuvers would serve as the supervisors to the actual canal builders who had no knowledge of the ulterior motive. All were overseen by the strategists, Hernao, Rubad, Kodwar, and the region’s best hydro-engineer of his day, a tall dour man named Creni. In as short as a week, Creni had drawn up an elaborate canal system that created a border and shipping advantage, as well as a line of defense and escape as needed.
Meanwhile, Eg begged to enlist but the Rolly forbit it. Since his insistence became unbearable, they offered him the job of recruiter. He approached industrious orphans like himself who hung around the marketplace with nothing better to do. He recovered some industrious workers, and Rolly discovered his poor judge of character.
Khilso trained the workers in Black Pass and Rubad would then transport them down to Dofer where they slowly brought order to the area.