Asmidir pulled up a chair and sat down opposite her. ‘Your anger is justified,’ he said. ‘I did not know then that you were the leader the prophecy spoke of. I ask your forgiveness for that. But I also ask that you focus your rage, and do not allow it to swamp your reason. If the prophecy was true – and I believe it to be so – then you must be ready to act. A wise general knows that men can be replaced, weapons can be replenished. But lost time cannot be regained.’
‘And who will follow me, Asmidir?’ she asked. ‘Who will follow the whore, Sigarni?’
Ballistar moved between them and gave a low bow. ‘I will follow you, Sigarni,’ he said. ‘Will you let me be the first?’ Dropping to one knee he gazed up at her.
Sigarni felt her anger drain away. ‘You are my friend,’ she said wearily. ‘Is that not enough?’
‘No. I believe what he says. The wizard said the same. I know I am not built to be a warrior, or to lead men into battle. I can serve you, though. I can cook, and I can think. I am not a fool, Sigarni, though nature has gifted me the appearance of one. Other men will kneel before you, and you will gather an army from among the clans. And if we are all to die, let it be while fighting a vile enemy. For from now until then, at least we will live with pride.’
Sigarni stood and took his arms, helping him to his feet. ‘You shall be the first, Ballistar,’ she said. Seizing her hand he kissed it, then stepped back, blushing.
‘I’ll leave you now,’ he said. ‘I’ll prepare breakfast. Planning should never be attempted on an empty stomach.’
As the dwarf departed Asmidir leaned forward. ‘His words had great wisdom, Sigarni.’
She said nothing, but sat silently for a while staring into the flames, seeing again the sword that crushed the life from Abby, and then the terrible ordeal in the dungeon.
‘What kind of army can we raise?’ she asked.
Asmidir smiled. ‘That is more like it! the Loda number less than two thousand people, of which no more than six hundred could fight, and only then for a short space of time, for the fields would have to be tilled and planted, crops gathered and so on. Realistically we could raise three hundred fighting men. The Pallides number more than six thousand, with approximately two thousand men between the ages of fifteen and sixty. I have no detailed information as yet about the Farlain, but judging by the areas they inhabit, there should be at least four thousand of them. The Wingoras are the smallest clan, but even they could put two hundred fighting men on the field of battle. All in all, perhaps four thousand in total.’
‘Such a total could not be reached,’ she said. ‘You could not assemble all the clan’s fighting men in one place. If the enemy were to avoid a confrontation, or slip by, all the villages and towns would be undefended.’
Asmidir clapped his hands together. ‘Good!’ he said. ‘Now you are thinking! Tell me then, what is the most important matter to be studied first?’
‘The enemy leader,’ she said, without hesitation. Then she faltered, her brow furrowing.
‘What is it?’ he asked. ‘Are you in pain again?’
‘No. I am… remembering. How strange. It is like looking through a window and seeing myself from afar. And he is with me. Talking. Teaching. He is saying, Know the enemy general for he is the heart and mind of the foe. The body may be of great power, and almost invincible, hut if the heart and mind are not sound he will face defeat.’
She saw that Asmidir was surprised. ‘Who is saying this? And when?’
‘The King who was,’ she told him, ‘and he spoke to me while I slept in the cave.’
‘Now you are speaking in riddles.’
‘Not at all, Asmidir, but let us leave it there, as a mystery for you. He also said there were five fundamentals to analyse before war was undertaken: moral influence, weather, terrain, command, and doctrine.’