Wind Rider's Oath David Weber

Wind Rider's Oath

David Weber

This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.

Copyright © 2004 by David Weber

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form.

A Baen Books Original

Baen Publishing Enterprises
P.O. Box 1403
Riverdale, NY 10471
www.baen.com

ISBN: 0-7434-8821-0

Cover art by Larry Elmore
Maps by Eleanor Kostyk

First printing, May 2004

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Distributed by Simon & Schuster

1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020

Production by Windhaven Press, Auburn, NH

Printed in the United States of America

For Megan, Morgan, and Michael,
who hold my heart in their hands.
And always and especially for Sharon,
the center of us all, for making miracles possible.

Also in this series:

Oath of Swords
The War God's Own

BAEN BOOKS by DAVID WEBER

Honor Harrington:
On Basilisk Station
The Honor of the Queen
The Short Victorious War
Field of Dishonor
Flag in Exile
Honor Among Enemies
In Enemy Hands
Echoes of Honor
Ashes of Victory
War of Hono

edited by David Weber:
More than Honor
Worlds of Honor
Changer of Worlds
The Service of the Sword

Honorverse:
Crown of Slaves (with Eric Flint)

Mutineers' Moon
The Armageddon Inheritance
Heirs of Empire
Empire From the Ashes (MegaBook)

Path of the Fury
The Apocalypse Troll
The Excalibur Alternative

with Steve White:
Insurrection
Crusade
In Death Ground
The Shiva Option

with John Ringo:
March Upcountry
March to the Sea
March to the Stars

with Eric Flint:
1633

Characters

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.