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.That the Tasavaltan army also was small by comparison with the Dark King's host was not mentioned at the moment, though everybody knew it.Even should the Silver Queen arrive with her army at the same time, Vilkata would still have the advantage of numbers.-"Does anyone else have anything to say?" the Lord Mayor asked."Anyone else, who has not spoken yet?"Page 114ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlBen spoke briefly, and Barbara after him.They added nothing really new to the discussion, but reminded everyone again of the city's tradition and promised to help arm the defense from their store of weapons.Before she spoke, Barbara faced Mark momentarily, and her lips formed the one word: Doomgiver?Mark shook hishead very slightly.He wanted to keep that news in reserve, to stiffen the council's resolve if they should be swayed toward surrender after all.Right now he judged that was unlikely.Shortly after Barbara spoke, the Mayor called for a show of hands."How many are ready to fight for our city?"Only one hand was not raised.Hyrcanus sent black looks at Ben, and Mark, and Amintor.Before the Chairman of the Blue Temple could make a final statement and a dramatic exit, an aide to the Mayor entered to announce the arrival of a flying courier with a message for the Lord Mayor.The courier and message container were both marked with the black and silver insignia of Queen Yambu herself.The beast-courier-Mark recognized it as one of a hybrid species prevented, in the interests of secrecy, from ever acquiring speech-was brought into the room.The message capsule of light metal was opened and the paper inside unfolded.Okada read through the single sheet alone, in anxious silence; then he raised his head."It is indeed from her most puissant Majesty, the Silver Queen herself, and, as the marking on the capsule indicated, addressed personally to me.I will not read the entire message aloud just now; it contains certain matters I do not need to proclaim in council."There followed a look at Hyrcanus, to say wordlessly file:///G|/rah/Fred%20Saberhagen/Fred%20Sa.20-%20The%20Third%20Book%20Of%20Swords.txt (135 of 171) [2/5/2004 12:22:43 AM]file:///G|/rah/Fred%20Saberhagen/Fred%20Saberhagen%20-%20Swords%2003%20-%20The%20Third%20Book%20Of%20Swords.txt that important military secrets were not going to be announced in front of him, not in view of the attitude he had just taken.The Mayor continued: "But, there are other parts that I think we all should hear at once."The Silver Queen's words that the Mayor read were very firm, and could be called inspiring in terms of fear if not otherwise: there was to be no talk of surrendering the city, under penalty of incurring her severe displeasure.Her message also confirmed that she was already on the march with her army, coming to the relief of this her greatest city-as she put it, indeed the greatest and proudest city in the world.And that she intended to achieve victory by whatever means were necessary.Hyrcanus walked out.He did it.unhurriedly, almost courteously, with considerable dignity, Mark had to admit.The High Priest did not waste time on threats, now that it would have been obviously useless and even dangerous to do so; a behavior somehow, at this stage, thought Mark, more ominous than any threats would be.The Lord Mayor, looking thoughtfully after the High Priest, was evidently of the same opinion.Okada immediately called in an officer of the Watch from just outside the conference room, and calmly gave.the order to arrest the High Priest before he could get out of the Palace; once out, he would easily be able to give some signal to his troops.The BlueTemple Guards in the city, Ben had said, were one of the largest trained fighting forces within the wails.Now it became at least possible for the council to discuss the city's means of defense in more detail, without the virtual certainty that a potential enemy was listening and taking part in the debate.Page 115ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlAmintor immediately put forward a plan to neutralize the Blue Temple troops by meeting any attempt on their part to rescue Hyrcanus with a countermove against the local Temple and its vaults, whipping up a street mob for the purpose if no regular forces could be spared.Barbara whispered to Mark that Denis would probably be a good man to see to the organization of such an effort.In succeeding discussion, it quickly became plain that the key to the regular defense of the city's walls against attack from outside would be the Watch, a small but well-trained body of regular troops loyal to the Lord Mayor.They were only a few hundred strong against Vilkata's thousands, but their numbers could be augmented by calling up the city's militia.Ben whispered to Mark that the quality of the militia was, regrettably, not so high as it might be.But certainly the city's long tradition of defending itself ought to help.Then there were the fragments of Sir Andrew's army to be considered, the survivors who had followed Denis and Mark to Tashigang, along with the ten or a dozen at most of Mark's surviving Tasavaltan escort.Mark could assure the Lord Mayor that file:///G|/rah/Fred%20Saberhagen/Fred%20Sa.20-%20The%20Third%20Book%20Of%20Swords.txt (136 of 171) [2/5/2004 12:22:43 AM]file:///G|/rah/Fred%20Saberhagen/Fred%20Saberhagen%20-%20Swords%2003%20-%20The%20Third%20Book%20Of%20Swords.txtSir Andrew's people were all good, experienced fighters, though at present somewhat demoralized by the sad death of their noble leader.Given the chance, they would be eager to exact revenge
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