Ballistar slumped down beside the man. ‘What do you need?’ he asked.
‘These woods here,’ said Ari, pointing to a green section, ‘are they thick and dense, or light and open?’
‘Reasonably light. Firs, mostly. You thought to hide men there?’
‘It was a possibility.’
Ballistar shook his head. ‘Not possible. But there is a gully just beyond the woods where a force could be concealed. There!’ he said, stabbing his index finger on the map. ‘Now I will leave you.’
‘Ah, but we have just begun,’ said Ari, with a smile. ‘Look at this.’ He passed Ballistar a sketch and the dwarf took it. Upon it was an •outline of Duane Pass and a series of rectangles, some blacked in, others in various colours.
‘What are these?’
‘The classic Outland battle formation – infantry at the centre, the heavy black blocks. Two divisions. The blue represents the cavalry, the yellow archers and slingers. The cavalry also may be in two divisions, lightly armoured and heavily armoured. But this we do not yet know. Where would you place our forces?’
‘I’m not a soldier!’ snapped Ballistar.
‘Indeed not, but you are a bright, intelligent man. Skills can be learned. Let me give you an example: Where would cavalry be of limited use?’
‘In a forest,’ answered Ballistar, ‘where the trees and undergrowth would restrict a mounted man.’
‘And what slows down infantry?’
‘Hills, mountains, rivers. Forests again.’
‘There, you see?’ Ari told him. ‘Having established that, then we look for ways to ensure that battles are fought where we desire them -in forests, on hills. So, where in Duane would you position our forces?’
Ballistar gazed at the map. ‘There is only one good defensive point. There is a flat-topped hill at the northern end of the pass – but it would be surrounded swiftly.’
‘Yes,’ said Ari, ‘it would. How many people could gather there?’
‘I don’t know. A thousand?’
‘I would think two thousand,’ said Ari. ‘Which is our entire force.’
‘What would be the point of such an action?’ asked Ballistar. ‘Once surrounded there would be no way to retreat, and even the advantage of occupying a hill would be overcome by an Outland army numbering more than five thousand men.’
‘Yet it remains the only true defensive position,’ insisted Ari. ‘Once the Oudanders are through Duane Pass, diey can spread out and attack isolated hamlets and villages. Nodiing could stop them.’
‘I don’t know die answer,’ Ballistar admitted.
‘Nor I, but we will speak of it again. Tonight at dinner.’ He looked direcdy into Ballistar’s eyes. ‘Or did you have odier plans?’
Ballistar took a deep breath. ‘No, no odier plans.’
‘That is good. I will see you later.’
‘You really believe I can be of help in diis?’ asked Ballistar, struggling to his feet.
‘Of course. Take die sketches with you, and think about diem.’
Ballistar smiled. ‘I will, Ari. Thank you.’
The black man shrugged and returned to his studies.
11
‘BY GOD, SHE’S some woman,’ said Obrin, peeling off his jerkin
and sitting by the fire. ‘They fell just like she said they would. Like skittles! I could scarce believe it, Fell. When I rode up to that Farlain fort my heart was in my mouth. The officer just ordered the gates opened, listened to my report, then turned over command to me and rode out. What a moment! I even told him the best route through the snow, and he rode his men into Grame’s trap.’
‘Grame lost no men in that first encounter, yet more than twenty when the Pallides detachment was ambushed,’ said Fell.
‘That’s nothing compared with the two hundred we slew in those engagements,’ pointed out Obrin. ‘But it’s a damn shame the men from the Loda fort escaped. I still don’t know what went wrong there.’
‘They simply got lost,’ said Fell, ‘and missed the trap. No one’s fault.’
Obrin reached for a pottery jug and pulled the cork. ‘The Baron’s wine,’ he said, with a dry chuckle. ‘There were six jugs in each fort. It’s a good vintage – try some.’
Fell shook his head. ‘I think I’ll take a walk,’ he said.
‘What’s wrong, Fell?’
‘Nothing. I just need to walk.’