A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner

Author:Megan Whalen Turner [Turner, Megan Whalen]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9780061986697
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2010-03-23T07:00:00+00:00

“I cannot crush a rebellion with so few men,” Sounis protested.

They had met at last to discuss the army that he would lead back to Sounis. In addition to the kings of Attolia and Sounis and the queens of Attolia and Eddis, there were advisors and ministers and officers of the army. Sounis wanted to say more but was afraid to embarrass himself in front of the men he would be ordering into a war. It seemed a pitifully small number of troops that the king of Attolia was offering, much smaller than Sounis had expected. He looked at the magus to see if he, too, was surprised, but the magus was looking at his hands. Sounis looked at Attolia, and she only stared back. No doubt she had overcome her own rebels with ten men and a penknife.

Eugenides said, “These are the Eddisians who have been exerting a peaceful influence throughout Attolia since I became Attolis. They are Eddis’s best mercenaries, and we will pay Eddis the gold for them. These are the best of our Attolian forces as well. We cannot send any artillery, and you couldn’t use it anyway. It would only slow you down. We are taking it on faith that the Medes will not arrive on our doorstep while you have them with you, and that Baron Erondites won’t rise up inside our dooryard before you return them. We will need them back,” he added.

Eddis watched without speaking. She could see that Sounis was alarmed, but there was little she could say that would help. The numbers were small, and the challenge he faced was enormous.

“It is just as likely that the Medes will arrive on my doorstep,” said Sounis. “What then?”

Attolia explained. “In either case, we have an invasion that the Great Powers of the Continent cannot fail to notice, and we all have to do the best we can. It is most likely that the Medes would land on our shores, rather than sailing around us to land on yours. Moreover, any attack on their part would reveal their plans to conquer Sounis, not ally with it, and strengthen your position as king—if you have convinced your barons that you are king. You cannot risk being seen as the head of an Attolian invasion. We do not have the troops to send in any case, but as a matter of strategy, overwhelming force will make you less king, not more.”

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