Archeron stared coldly at his offspring. Prince Kaliq had promised that the Outlands clan families would not be harmed, and the Coastal King believed the prince. He had not explained further, but Archeron knew that was the way with magic. “Your mother would be so disappointed in you, Arcas,” he said, and gained great satisfaction in seeing his son grow pale. “When this is over I am exiling you from the Coastal Kingdom. You are a traitor to us, and to Hetar. Now leave me!”

Arcas slunk from the chamber seething. His father had been close to death when the damned Shadow Princes had stepped into the situation and spirited Archeron off. He had had everyone convinced that Archeron was pining for his late wife. Well, let his father enjoy his last few days of glory. The emperor had promised an end to the Coastal Kings. Once the Outlands were secure they would be no more, and he, Arcas, would be appointed governor of the new Coastal province. Archeron and his fellow kings would have to accept what was happening or the emperor would have them executed. He walked down to the beach to join some of the Crusader Knights who were leading the invasion. They welcomed him, flattered him and offered him some of their wine. Arcas was an intimate of the emperor, and a man never knew when he would need a favor.

Two days later he rode with them as they entered the Outlands. They rode up from the beaches onto the plain, and it did not take Arcas long to realize he could see no sheep grazing. The land stretched unblemished as far as the eye could see.

“How near is the first village?” the Commander Knight asked him.

“We should already have reached it by now,” Arcas replied slowly. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

They rode on for the next three days, and in that time they saw no herds, no Outlanders, no structures of any kind. The Crusader Knights were becoming confused, and the Mercenaries riding with them restless. They were deep into the Outlands now, and all they could see was the great plain and the Purple Mountains beyond. Where were the people? Where were the villages? It was finally decided that the great army would make an encampment and wait for further instructions. A faeriepost was sent to the emperor in the City.

Jonah read the post before his master, as was his custom. Odd, he thought. Were the Outlanders in hiding, having been warned in advance of Hetar’s invasion? It was not impossible that they had learned of it, and knowing they would not be able to overcome such a large force as Hetar was sending into their territory, had hidden themselves. But if that was so, where were the villages, and the animals? The post clearly stated that there was nothing in the Outlands but a vast expanse of land. Jonah took the post to Gaius Prospero, who read it and then looked to his right hand.

“They must be mistaken.”

“They have ridden for three full days, and Arcas is with them,” Jonah said.

“There is nothing?” Gaius Prospero looked slightly panicked. “No people? No herds? No planted fields of crops? We were told at least two of those clan families farmed great tracts of land, growing all manner of things. I have promised homes and slaves to our people.”

“Do not agitate yourself, my good lord,” Jonah said in his soothing voice. “We know there are folk in the Outlands. Perhaps they have hidden themselves in the mountains with the mining clans. Was not John Swiftsword chosen to lead that force? Before we give into our dismay, let us send him and his Mercenaries into the Purple Mountains. Hetar was there just a few years ago, and we know the villages, the people and the mines exist. I wager we will find the rest of the Outlands clan families there with their flocks and herds.”

“But what of the missing villages?” Gaius Prospero babbled nervously.

“They probably burned them to spite us,” Jonah reasoned.

“Yes, yes! Of course they did!” The emperor sounded relieved.

“And we will put out a bulletin for the people saying the invasion goes well, and we have yet to suffer any casualties due to the skill of our soldiers and the competent leadership of the Crusader Knights. We will say the Outlanders have fled before our armies, and will soon be in custody,” Jonah suggested.

“Yes!” Gaius Prospero said. “Yes, Jonah! Do it all. Dispatch John Swiftsword, and inform our people that all goes well in our campaign to reclaim the Outlands. And do not forget Lara’s Fiacre children. I want them in my custody.”

Jonah bowed. “It shall be as you command, my lord emperor.”

Receiving his marching orders John Swiftsword departed with his Mercenary force, and marched into the foothills of the Purple Mountains. Soon he and his small army were deep in the mountains. There seemed to be no roads, however, and he wondered how the carts of dead had traversed the steep forested sides of these mountains to reach the City several years back. The forest grew thicker and denser as they traveled. They had to hack their way through it at one point. They saw not a village. Not a farmstead. Not a person or domesticated creature. And if there were mines, they were very well hidden from his view. Finally they began to come down from the mountains, and before them stretched a great plain. John Swiftsword had his forces make an encampment on that plain directly below the mountains. Then he sent a faeriepost to the City asking for further instructions. He had not been told of the larger army’s empty trek.

Jonah read the missive from the mountain army. And having read it he realized there was great magic involved. Neither of Hetar’s forces had found signs of disaster, or illness, or aught that would explain the Outlanders’ disappearance. As fantastic as it sounded, as incredible as it was to believe, it must be that that the entire population of the Outlands, their villages, their goods and chattels had been removed to another place. But where? He brought the faeriepost from John Swiftsword to Gaius Prospero to hear what he would say, what he might think of the situation before he offered his own thoughts.

The emperor blanched. “There is nothing? No one? No signs of the mines? But Jonah, we know that they were there. We brought out thousands in gold, silver and gemstones. If there was nothing there, then what was the Winter War all about? I did not imagine those seven stinking carts piled high with our dead.”

“No, you did not, my lord emperor,” Jonah murmured. “There is indeed an explanation, fantastic as it will seem.”

“Magic?” The emperor grew even paler.

“Of course, my lord, ’twas magic,” Jonah agreed. “It could be nothing else, and how clever of you to discern it so quickly.”

“I promised the people so much, Jonah, and now how am I to keep my promises?” Gaius Prospero asked his right hand. “It will be like it was six years ago. They will blame me for what has happened.”

“Nothing has happened, my lord emperor,” Jonah spoke calmly. “Compose yourself, and look at what you have. You convinced the people of Hetar that the Outlands were rightfully ours, and had been stolen from us by the Outlanders, which enabled you to build a large new army of Mercenaries. The Crusader Knights have been idle for years, and welcomed the opportunity you gave them to lead us into war again. You have stemmed the restlessness that plagued us these past years.

“You said there was much fertile land to be had in the Outlands, and there is, my lord emperor. You will be able to expand our borders without the loss of a single Hetarian life. We will take more trees from the Forest Lords, and set the Mercenaries to work building new villages for themselves, and for the sons of the Midlands who would otherwise have no place to go. It is spring, my lord emperor. There is time for those young men to open new fields and plant crops. The markets will be full by autumn, as you had so wisely planned previously.

“If there are some among the people who complain that it is not as easy as they had thought it would be, we will remind them that very little is easy in life. Then we will give them a small tract of land, exhorting them to work hard for the good of Hetar and their fellow citizens. And we will say we are fortunate that our vaunted might has frightened those dark forces that held the Outlands in their thrall these hundreds of years into fleeing before us.”

“But what of the thousands of slaves I promised?” the emperor whined.

Greedy fool, Jonah thought silently. Then he gave the emperor a small cold smile. “We are fortunate, my lord, in avoiding these evil creatures. They would never have made good slaves, I fear. And they would have brought darkness into Hetar.”

“Of course! Of course!” Gaius Prospero agreed. Then his eyes narrowed. “Where have the Outlanders gone, Jonah?” he asked his companion. “Where?”

Jonah shrugged. “Does it really matter, my lord emperor? We have the Outlands, and for now our problems of overcrowding and unrest are behind us. And you will, of course, avail yourself of the best tracts of land. I think the area near the sea might be best, with its mild climate. You can probably harvest two, possibly three crops, yearly. And with your gracious permission I might take some acreage near you, my lord emperor. I have a mind to plant a vineyard there.”

“Naturally, dear Jonah,” Gaius Prospero replied. He was beginning to feel better now. Jonah always made everything clearer to him. “You shall have whatever you desire in the Outlands. A vineyard, you say? What a delightful idea.”

“We have a great deal of work cut out for us, my lord emperor. I would advise that we visit the Outlands once all is secure. Before the winter. You should see what you have gained for Hetar, my lord emperor. I am sure the Shadow Princes will transport us with their magic, so you need not be burdened by the difficulty of travel.”

“Which of the Princes is in the City now?” Gaius Prospero wanted to know.

“I will endeavor to learn that, my lord emperor,” Jonah said.

“Have a faeriepost sent to my Knight Commander with the larger army telling him to remain where he is, but to send a small expeditionary force ahead to ascertain that the Outlands are completely free of those evil barbarians. They are to meet up with John Swiftsword and his group. Then send a faeriepost to Swiftsword as well telling him to stay at his encampment, and expect the smaller force to join him. When we are certain of our facts, Jonah, we shall announce our great victory over the Outlands,” Gaius Prospero declared. “But I should still like to know where the clan families disappeared to, dear Jonah. We should not like them coming back, would we?”

“In time you will explore the possibilities, my lord emperor,” Jonah replied. “For now you must make the Outlands secure and prosperous. It is important that your people be happy. Contented folk never rebel. Give the masses safe shelters, enough food and a purpose in life just difficult enough to keep their attention, and they are usually well gratified. Those who are not you can use to your own purposes, or dispose of, my lord emperor. But you know these things, and it is impertinent of me to remind you of them.” He bowed low. “I beg your forgiveness, my lord emperor.”

“Jonah, Jonah,” Gaius Prospero said, his mood expanding with goodwill. “Of course I forgive you. I know that in your loyalty you but speak to aid me. You could never displease me. Only one thing disappoints me about this easy conquest. I do not have Lara’s Fiacre children in my charge.”

“My lord, first things first,” Jonah advised. “Once you have made Hetar so powerful and so inviolate that no one will dare threaten us, you will learn all we seek to know. Remember there is this place called Terah. You shall find it, and when you do, the faerie woman will be yours. Her children will not matter, my lord emperor.”

“First the Outlands,” Gaius Prospero said. “Then I will make the Coastal Kingdom an Imperial province with my own governor. I had promised the position to Arcas, but he is not to be trusted. And something must be done about the Forest Lords. They have not been particularly cooperative of late. They do not send their young men for our Mercenary forces. When the Outlands situation is settled I will want to see the Head Forester, Jonah. It is past time he paid me a visit, and that I made certain of his loyalty to me. Lord Enda is a wily fellow, but I believe he has more intelligence than his unfortunate brother had.” The emperor’s voice grew low. “Lara killed him, you know. She admitted it to me, Jonah. Said he was her first kill. She sounded as if she had enjoyed it, Jonah.” Gaius Prospero shuddered with the memory of her words.

A small smile touched Jonah’s lips. “Perhaps she did, my lord emperor,” he replied. There! Let the fat coward consider well the woman he coveted so greatly. If I were emperor, Jonah thought, I should imprison the faerie woman, and force her to use her magic for my benefit. Gaius Prospero is guided only by his lust. All women are the same. Soft breasts, and hot, wet holes for pleasuring a man. To become ensorcelled by them is a weakness. Vilia and I understand one another.