Bahzell 03
(2004)*
David Weber
Contents
Characters
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Six
Alfar Axeblade—Sothōii armsman/horse herder from the holding of Warm Springs.
Balcartha Evahnalfressa—Commander of Five Hundred; the senior officer of the Kalatha town guard.
Brother Relath—an acolyte in the Balthar Temple of Tomanāk.
Cassan Axehammer—Baron Toramos, Lord Warden of the South Riding. Baron Tellian's most powerful political enemy, and someone who does not believe that it is possible or desirable to coexist with hradani.
Cathman the Peddler—an alias of Varnaythus.
Dahlaha Farrier—Triahm Pickaxe's mistress and a worshiper of Shīgū.
Dalthys Hallafressa—the town administrator of Kalatha.
Darhal Pickaxe—previous Lord Warden of Lorham. Trisu Pickaxe's deceased father.
Darnas Warshoe—a trusted spy and agent of Baron Cassan.
Dathgar—Baron Tellian's bonded courser. The name means "Thunder Grass."
Dathian Halberd—Lord Warden of the Fens; one of Baron Tellian's vassals plotting with Duke Cassan against him.
Edinghas Bardiche—One of Baron Tellian's vassals; Lord Warden of Warm Springs.
Eramis Yohlahnafressa—a war maid; one of Maretha's partisans.
Erlis Rahnafressa—Commander of One Hundred; the war maid officer in charge of training at Kalatha.
Ermath Balcarafressa—the head of Housekeeping for Kalatha.
Festian Wrathson—Lord Warden of Glanharrow. Baron Tellian's choice to replace the traitor Mathian Redhelm at Glanharrow.
Forhada Helmcleaver—a wind rider who joins Bahzell's attack on Krahana's servants. His courser is named Konhandro, or
"Mist Born."
Garlahna Lorhanalfressa—a young war maid assigned by Erlis as Leeana's mentor.
Garthan Warbridle—Lord Warden of Hollow Cave. One of Baron Cassan's vassals.
Gayrfressa—the courser filly Bahzell heals at Warm Springs. The name means "Daughter of the Wind" or "Wind Daughter."
Gayrhalan—Hathan's bonded courser. The name means "Storm Souled."
Gharnal Uthmâgson—Bahzell's foster brother; a member of the Order of Tomanāk.
Gurlahn Morakson—the Horse Stealer warrior commanding the guard assigned to Bahzell in Balthar by his father.
Hahnal Bardiche—the eldest son of Lord Warden Edinghas.
Halahk Arrowsmith—one of Baron Cassan's vassals.
Haliku Koharth—a Servant of Krahana, under the orders of Jerghar.
Hanatha Bowmaster—Baroness of Balthar, wife of Tellian.
Hathan Shieldarm—Baron Tellian's wind brother. Rider of courser Gayrhalan.
Jerghar Sholdan—a Servant of Krahana.
Johlana Ermathfressa—the head seamstress of Kalatha.
Jolhanna Evahlafressa—the war maid who serves as Kalatha's official trade representative to Thalar.
Lanitha Sarthayafressa—the Kalatha librarian and senior schoolteacher.
Layantha Peliath—a Servant of Krahana, under the orders of Jerghar.
Leeana Glorana Syliveste Bowmaster—14-year-old daughter (and only child) of Tellian and Hanatha of Balthar.
Luthyr Battlehorn—a wind rider who is not prepared for a hradani champion of Tomanāk or a hradani wind rider.
Maretha Keralinfressa—the leader of the faction of the Kalatha town council most opposed to any sort of appeasement.
Marthya Steelshank—Leeana Bowmaster's personal maid.
Paratha Kharlan—major in the service of the Church of Lillinara.
Ravlahn Thregafressa—Hundred Erlis' senior assistant for weapons training at Kalatha.
Rulth Blackhill—Lord Warden of Transhar. Political ally and vassal of Baron Cassan.
Saeth Pickaxe—deceased father of Triahm Pickaxe.
Salgahn—a dog brother working with Varnaythus and Jerghar.
Salthan Pickaxe—Lord Warden Trisu's cousin, senior magistrate, and librarian.
Saratic Redhelm—Lord Warden of Golden Vale. One of Baron Cassan's vassals who is working with him against Baron Tellian. He is a cousin of Mathian Redhelm, the disgraced Lord Warden of Glanharrow.
Shalsan Warlamp—a wind rider who joins Bahzell's attack on Krahana's servants. His courser is named Shaynhara.
Shardohn—a demon familiar of Krahana.
Sharral Ahnlarfressa—Mayor Yalith's assistant in Kalatha.
Sir Altharn Warblade—captain in the service of Lord Warden Trisu.
Sir Chalthar Ranseur—Saratic Redhelm's military marshal, the commander of his personal troops.
Sir Fahlthu Greavesbiter—commander of Saratic Redhelm's Third Company.
Sir Halnahk Partisan—commander of Saratic Redhelm's Fifth Company.
Sir Jahlahan Swordspinner—Baron Tellian's seneschal at Hill Guard Castle.
Sir Kelthys Lancebearer—Lord of Deep Water, a minor manor of Glan-harrow. He is a wind rider and a cousin of Baron Tellian.
Sir Markhalt Ravencaw—The senior Sothōii member of the Order of Tomanāk in Balthar upon the arrival of Bahzell and Hurthang.
Sir Trianal Bowmaster—Baron Tellian's 19-year-old nephew.
Sir Yarran Battlecrow—Lord Festian's scout commander and marshal.
Sofalla Bardiche—wife of Lord Warden Edinghas.
Soumeta Harlahnnafressa—a war maid commander of fifty from Kalatha who opposes any appeasement of the war maids' opponents.
Taraman Wararrow—the senior priest of Tomanāk in Balthar.
Tarith Shieldarm—Leeana's personal armsman.
Tarlan Swordsmith—Lord Warden of High Tranith. One of Baron Cassan's vassals.
Tellian Bowmaster—Baron of Balthar, Lord Warden of the West Riding.
Thalgahr Rariksonone of the hradani warriors assigned to Bahzell's bodyguard by his father.
Tharnha Garhlanfressa—a war maid; one of Maretha Keralinfressa's partisans.
Theretha Maglahnfressa—a war maid artist (glassblower) from Kalatha.
Trebdor Horsemaster—one of Baron Cassan's vassals.
Treharm Haltharu—a Servant of Krahana, under the orders of Jerghar.
Triahm Pickaxe—Lord Warden Trisu's cousin, a bitter enemy of all war maids.
Trisu Pickaxe—Lord Warden of Lorham.
Varnaythus—Master Varnaythus; a black sorceror and priest of Carnadosa.
Walasfro—Sir Kelthys Lancebearer's courser. The name means Son of Battle.
Walsharno—Gayrfressa's older brother, the courser who bonds with Bahzell. His name means Battle Dawn (it could also be translated Dawn of Battle or Battle Sun).
Welthan Handaxe—Lord Warden of Dronhar, one of Baron Cassan's -vassals.
Yalith Tamalthfressa—Mayor of Kalatha.
Thunder rumbled overhead like a distant battering ram, pounding at the hasp of heaven. The harsh grumble was muted in the stone-walled room, but the waterfall sound of pounding rain came through the single open window on the windy breath of the chilly spring night. Half a dozen richly dressed men sat around the large wooden table's polished surface. Three of them nursed ruby-hearted wineglasses. Two more quaffed beer from elaborately ornamented tankards. The sixth leaned back in the larger, more heavily ornamented chair at the head of the table. A small glass of Dwarvenhame whiskey sat before him, warm amber in the light of the oil lamps, and he squinted through a cloud of fragrant smoke as he used a flaring splinter to relight his pipe from the lamp at his end of the table.
He waved out the flaming splinter and replaced the lamp chimney. His pipe hissed softly as he drew upon it, then exhaled a single, perfectly formed ring of smoke. More thunder rumbled, a little closer this time, and the darkness outside the window flickered to the distant dance of lightning, far away on the edge of the rainy world.
"I agree that the situation is intolerable, Milord," one of the beer-drinking men said into the calm stillness created by the comfort of a fire on a night of storm and wind. His hair was the golden red often seen among the oldest of Sothōii noble families, and his expression was unhappy, to say the least. He took another swallow from his tankard, raised hand flickering with the dance of golden rings and reflecting gems. Then he set the tankard back down and shrugged. "Still, we seem to have no option but to accept it."
"I'm afraid Welthan is right about that, Milord," one of the wine-drinkers agreed sourly. "It's an insult to every Sothōii ever born, but as long as Tellian is prepared to swallow it himself, he can force it down all of our throats, as well."
"And as long as the King is prepared to allow him to," another of the wine-drinkers reminded them all darkly. "Don't forget that, Garthan."
"I'm not forgetting anything, Tarlan," Garthan replied shortly. "But does any man at this table believe that His Majesty hasn't been ... poorly advised in this instance?"
"Ill-advised or well-advised, the King is the King," the pipe-smoking man at the head of the table observed. His voice was well modulated, his tone almost but not quite mild. There was also a faintly dangerous set to his handsome face, and Garthan stiffened slightly in his chair.
"It was not my intent to suggest anything else, Milord." His own voice was deferential, but cored with stubbornness. "Nonetheless, there is a reason His Majesty has a Council, and you are a member of it. Is it not the function of a councilor to counsel? And who is more valuable? A councilor who offers his own wisdom, even when it may not be the most popular advice? Or one who will not disagree when he believes that other, more ... expedient councilors are in error?"
...
Januszek66