But we are sworn to one another in the Sisterhood, anyway, I need not that to be her kin. Alderic said it so; kinsmen are born, but friendship is a gift of the Gods….
Maura looked at her meaningfully, and Romilly remembered her work; she went swiftly into rapport with Temperance, who was still flying in widening circles over the great plain. At last she spotted, through the keen eyes of the bird, a darkening cloud of dust on the horizon….
Rakhal’s army, on the move, and riding swiftly toward the forested cover of the hills. As she saw, and as this information was relayed swiftly to Carolin, she caught the thought of the king, So he would hide within the cover of the trees, for he knows I am unwilling to use clingfire, or even ordinary fire-arrows, where there is danger that the resin-trees may bring on wildfire. Somehow we must overtake him before he reaches the forest, and do battle on ground of my choosing, not his. And Romilly sensed the touch of his mind on Sunstar’s; Lead my men, then, great horse….
She saw with a strange widening consciousness, linked to Carolin, to Sunstar, to all the men around her. She knew that Ranald had seized her horse’s rein and was guiding him, so that she could ride safely even while she was in rapport with the sentry-bird, and spared him a quick thought of gratitude. The ram was slowing, and after a time a strange, low, watery sunlight came through the clouds. She flew Temperance lower, over the armies, trying to fly high enough that she could not be seen, yet dipping in and spying…
Rakhal’s armies seemed shrunken in size, and off to the north she saw another body of men and horses. Were they coming to Rakhal’s aid, now that the first battle had thinned his ranks? No; for they were riding away from Rakhal’s main army as swiftly as they could. And Carolin’s thoughts were jubilant.
Rakhal’s men are deserting him, now they know what he is . . . they have no more stomach than I for this kind of warfare. …
But the main body of men was still formidable; they had come to a halt at the brow of a little hill, and Romilly knew, being in communication with the minds of Carolin’s men, that Rakhal had seized the most advantageous terrain, and would make a stand there and defend it.
This, then, would be the decisive battle. Under urging from Carolin, she flew the bird down closer, so that through her eyes, Carolin’s advisers might take stock of the size of the forces arrayed against them. Rakhal had the advantage, it seemed, in numbers, and in terrain.
Somehow we must lure Rakhal from that hill….
Alderic rode toward his father and spoke to Orain urgently for a few moments, and Romilly, what small part of her mind was not with the bird, heard Orain say to Carolin, “By your leave, my lord. My son has put me in mind of an old trick in the mountains, and we have leronyn enough to make it effective. Let me lead a dozen or two of your men, with the leronyn, to cast an illusion as if there were four times as many of us, to force Rakhal to charge down upon us; then you can come and take him on the flank.”
Carolin considered for a moment “It might work,” he said at last, “But I’ll not send your leronyn into danger; most of them do not even wear swords.”
Ranald Ridenow said, “My laran as well as my sword are at your service, my King. Let me lead these men.”
“Pick your men, then – and Aldones ride with you, all of you!” Carolin said, “but pick your moment carefully.”
“Mistress MacAran shall do that for us,” said Ranald, with his hand on Romilly’s bridle.
Orain said, “Would you take a woman into battle?” and Romilly, pulling herself free for a moment of the rapport with the bird-mind, said, “My lord Orain, I am a Swordswoman! Where my brother will go, I shall go with him!”
Ruyven did not speak, but she felt the warmth that said, not in words, Bravely spoken, sister, and with it a touch from Alderic. Somehow it reminded her of the day when they had flown hawks at Falconsward, at Midsummer-festival.