Shadowheart

'But when we make the run for Julatsa, he'll want to break us before we can establish a defence. He can't do that if he's two days behind us. If the TaiGethen are right, we may only be a couple of hours ahead of him when we start to move north.'

'That leaves the allied forces with a dilemma.' Blackthorne stretched out his legs.

'How so?' asked Darrick.

'We are not of one accord regarding our field positions to await Xetesk's expected attack,' said Izack.

'What's not to agree? We're in position aren't we?' Darrick let his shoulders slump. 'You'd better explain.'

'It's another reason the Baron has joined the Lysternan lines,' said Izack. 'We've been in discussions with Dordover's military command for days now and reached an impasse very early on. It all rests on where Xetesk will focus their breakout.'

'The north gate, presumably,' said The Unknown.

'Exactly. And defended by Dordovans, as is the west gate. And so far there has been little activity there by the way – no probing, no attempts to get scouts into the field, Cloaked or otherwise. The Dordovans feel their forces at the north gate are going to be hit hard if not routed when Xetesk tries to break for Julatsa and it's hard to disagree with them.'

'So what are they proposing?' asked Darrick, voice a little weary.

'That the siege is lifted and we make battlefield preparations north of Xetesk. Take them head-on, all of us,' said Izack.

Darrick was shaking his head. 'When?'

'General?' queried Izack, slipping easily back into his old place in the chain of command.

'When are they planning to start dismantling their camps and shifting their forces to wherever this mythical battlefield is? And, might I add, I can think of few places where we could use our possibly – and I repeat, possibly – superior numbers to our advantage.'

Izack shifted on his seat. 'Well, as soon as we apprise them that the elves are going in to raid.'

'Gods burning, they are more stupid than I thought,' said Darrick.

'But they could be slaughtered,' said Izack.

'So what?' snapped Darrick. 'This is a war. Sacrifices have to be made for the greater good. We cannot risk Julatsa's demise. If we lose them, balance is lost forever. Don't they understand that?'

'They understand they are in the front line,' said Blackthorne. 'They are just men.'

'In war, no one is just a man,' said Darrick. 'He can be greater than his dreams or another passive victim of the conflict.' The Unknown felt a slap on his arm. 'You understand.'

'Yes I do,' said The Unknown. 'But we are no longer dealing with soldiers here. Or not just soldiers.'

‘Iappreciate that.'

'Do you, Darrick?' The Unknown raised his eyebrows. ‘Idon't think you do. Many of the men out there have had their spades, rakes and brushes taken from them and swords thrust in their hands. They aren't soldiers. They will fight but they will fear. They aren't like us. We are born to fight. These men will bake your bread tomorrow. Do you see?'

‘Isee they are defending their freedom.'

'But understand they see it through different eyes than ours,' said Blackthorne. 'Heap responsibility on them as high as you like but one man in every two facing both HellFire and Protectors outside that north gate was not a soldier even a season ago.'

Darrick was silent for a while. Beneath his lank curls, his face creased while he fought to get his thoughts into order. It was clear he was struggling.

'It makes no difference,' he said. 'They have a role to fulfil. And that role is stopping Xetesk marching an army north for as long as they can. To the last man if they have to. And before you break in, there are two factors here.

'Firstly, I can't believe the Dordovan command believes it has a better chance of marshalling its bakers' boys out in the open field in a battle line a mile long than it does here – with or without Lysternan assistance.

'Second, the moment they pull back from the walls, they announce their intentions good and loud to Xetesk. They hand the Dark College the initiative and sentence all of us inside at the time to death – let's not fool ourselves. Dystran is clever and well advised. He'll know what we're attempting and all attempt at secrecy will be lost.

'And remember, when the soldiers pull back, they ease pressure at two gates, allowing reinforcement of the others, probable resultant victories east and;south, and therefore a lessening of our strength.'

'Assuming we don't pull back with them,' said Blackthorne.

Darrick ignored him, standing and pacing.

'What are they thinking of? Keeping Dystran's forces split is the only way. The consequences of defeat in open field are staggering. He would march unopposed all the way to Julatsa. And that would be just the start.'

'They are thinking of self-preservation,' said Blackthorne gently.

'By abandoning their most defensible positions? By dismantling siege coordination? They are panicking. If it were Lystern, we would stand and face them, outnumbered or not.'

'But it isn't Lystern,' said Blackthorne. 'And that is the point.'

‘Ishould talk to them,' said Darrick. 'They have to see sense.'

'Sit down, Ry,' said The Unknown. 'You're under sentence of death, remember?'

Darrick paused in his pacing. 'But there's-'

'No,' said The Unknown. 'You are not the man to negotiate. You're Raven now. Sit down.'

Darrick sat reluctantly, unused to taking orders but unwilling to challenge The Unknown's authority.

'We're trying the same arguments,' said Izack. 'All they can see is their north gate forces being overrun and Xetesk still having a clear run north.'

'What can be done?' asked Blackthorne. 'This is no longer purely a military decision. Politics is involved and relative strengths of surviving college forces. No college will leave themselves open to future attack at their own gates. Nor should they.'

'I know, I know,' said Darrick, waving a hand in a resigned gesture. 'Remember when we were all together against the Wes-men? That's the template and it kept us alive. Right.'

Darrick lapsed into thought. Around him, the triumvirate of senior Balaian warriors watched on in silence. He wasn't long in reaching a conclusion.

'All we can do is appease the Dordovans. What we can't do is let Xetesk know we're anticipating a breakout – and that's what a reformation to the north will do. It will also leave them with no doubt in their minds. They will attack and hope to end it there and then. Effectively win the war for Balaia at a stroke.

'Here's what I suggest. And it's a risk worth taking. We strip all the reserves from the south and east gates and move them north, leaving just a skeleton Lysternan fighting force here, supported by Baron Blackthorne's men and the Al-Arynaar now they've had a day's rest. We can do that quietly and over the course of the night. Izack, you know how it's done so I won't lecture.

'Baron, I think it's down to you to talk to the Dordovan command and make our case. They will respect you and, most importantly, if you can take an idea of numbers to them, it'll mean that Lystern and Dordover are truly standing together to counter Xetesk. You have to make it stick, my Lord.'

Blackthorne smiled. ‘Ican be very persuasive.'

'We're all counting on it,' said Darrick. 'Meanwhile, the sooner we can get in and get out of Xetesk, the more chance we have. I suggest we don't waste time.'

'No doubt the TaiGethen will agree with you. Right, are we all set and clear?' The Unknown looked around the fire, saw the nods in response. 'Baron, Izack, do the best you can. Darrick, let's go.'

The quartet stood up and shook hands, wishing each other luck and strength; The Unknown walked over to The Raven, sitting together at the edge of the firelight. All had been watching and listening intently.

Hirad stood up as he approached and strapped his sword belt around his waist. The talking, the resting, the frustrating watch of the day's battle was done.