Hearts in Zenith (Four Husbands and a Lover)

75. Steadfast Toy Soldiers

The afternoon I chose to inspect Vanozza's cavalry was damp and hot, but the spectacle on the Piazza Divina proved worth the price of admission. She attracted a lot of followers—a testimony to the ennui that gripped the Idezzian nobility during the rainy season. The sight of the gentle-born ladies and their younger brothers trotting through the mud on pretty horses filled me with glee.

Alas, the rain never stopped for long.

Xenophonta strategically hung back, because Idezza's High Scribe hovered over the training grounds. This old buzzard's beady eyes combed the square for the youngsters in need of guidance. Fearlessly, I nudged Breva toward Vanozza.

She stood on the temple's steps, under a large palm-leaf umbrella. Her flaming hair was tied into a high ponytail instead of being piled into a complex hairdo. This concession to her new hobby was too loose, so she blew the sweat-drenched tresses out of her eyes every time she jerked her chin. Which she did a lot while screaming orders at her cohorts. Her ponytail bounced and the stars in her eyes shone. The girl had pluck, I gave her that.

"Greetings, Vanozza!" I didn't shout, but five dozen heads swiveled towards me. Idezza's daughters froze like soggy statues.

Vanozza appeared as dumbstruck as her toy soldiers, so I took it upon myself to assume the command.

"At ease," I said.

They all came alive at the same time. Vanozza swallowed and found her voice. "Vivat Commander Ismar!"

Cheering in unison came far easier to these girls than staying in a formation.

I nodded approvingly at the closest one. "Hard in training, easy in combat."

She blushed all the way to the tip of her ear that should have been covered with her helmet. But, like Vanozza's ponytail, it was too loose. "Yes, Your Grandissima!"

"Show me your spearwork, soldier."

She took a huge breath in, squeezed her eyes shut, swung wildly and grazed the dummy's side with her lance. Marvelous, simply marvelous.

"Excellent!" The woman's strike was better than I expected. Their lances were of the barsha type, with heavier, longer heads than normal. Which, naturally, made the weapon that much harder to master.

"It's going to be effective against the elephants," Vanozza rushed to explain. If they intended to tickle them, then yes, barshas were perfect, because the Tigress covered her praised beasts in mail. Only a woman of unparalleled discipline and bravery could score a precise hit.

Vanozza's eyes shone expectantly at me.

I cleared my throat. "The elephants are quite a bit larger than your practice targets, but it's excellent that you start with an armed infantry dummy. It's... ah... more versatile."

"I studied the battle of Ratne and all the other ancient battles a thousand times over, Commander." Words tumbled out of Vanozza's mouth like glass beads spilled onto a marble floor. "I draw particular inspiration from the example of Princess Mishika! Oh! That time when she had her troops pretend to riot and run and then... then she had a secret reserve battalion strike at the pursuing enemy in the rear."

Fearing she would go on without drawing breath and suffocate, I butted in. "Every tactician since the times immemorial learns Princess Mishika's deceit by heart. We'll need a fresher strategy to defeat the Tigress." I bit my tongue before calling her ′dear child'.

"Of course! Of course! I have thought of that myself. I'm thinking up the innovations every day! If she'd gotten any more fiery, she'd self-combust. "Between us we will decimate the Tigress!"