to his brother Porthios provide us an additional primary
source on this campaign, especially as it was seen from an
elven point of view.)
Of course, the context of the meeting is well known:
the dragonarmy known as the Blue Wing had been blunted
(but not destroyed) in the Battle of the High Clerist’s
Tower. These troops, under the command of the Dark
Lady – the Highlord Kitiara – and her general, Bakaris, had
fallen back upon Dargaard Keep, where they represented a
significant threat. The good dragons had arrived here
following that battle, on the day preceding Laurana’s
council of war. These mighty serpents, of gold and silver,
brass, copper and bronze, had at last ended their exile
from the war. Brought to Palanthas by Gilthanas and the
great silver dragon called Silvara, they were anxious to
exact vengeance against their evil cousins.
Though the numbers of dragons and troops in
Laurana’s force equaled a mere fraction of the total evil
forces, she had the advantage of concentration – all of her
forces were here, in the pass, while those of the enemy –
the Red Wing, portions of the Green and White Wings,
and the remnants of the Blue Wing – were scattered over
Solamnia from Vingaard and Caergoth to Kalaman and
Neraka. Also, a huge reserve army under the command of
Emperor Ariakus himself had spent the winter encamped
in Sanction. Recent rumors placed the dragonarmy on the
march, however, though Laurana and her captains had no
idea of its location or destination.
The time was night, a council fire flared high. Mellison
reports that its light was reflected in gold and silver
gleams from the massive dragons crouched just beyond
the human commanders.
“We can hold them here forever!” stated Sir Rose,
opening the council. “With the dragons and the men of
Palanthas to back us up, the knights will form an
unbreakable wall!”
“Hold them, indeed,” agreed Sir Patrick. “If they dare
to attack again, we’ll butcher them to the last scale-faced
draconian! Don’t you agree, general?” Grudgingly he
turned to Laurana for confirmation. Of the Crown
Knights, he had been most reluctant to accept her
leadership – yet the orders of Gunthar Uth Wistan had thus
far proven sufficient to steel him to his duty.
“I have no intention of holding them here, or
anywhere!” declared Laurana, with that shake of her head
that set her golden hair flowing about her shoulders.
“What is your plan?” inquired Markham, with his
easy grin that somewhat lightened the tension.
“We attack.” Laurana spoke the two words, and then
paused to fix her eyes on each of her listeners. She seemed
to grow in stature as the firelight flared across her fair
skin, her almond-shaped eyes. “The Army of Solamnia
will advance under the wings of the good dragons, seek
out the dragonarmies, and destroy them!”
“Leave the pass unguarded?” sputtered Sir Rose.
“After this great victory, you risk throwing everything …
the lives, the – ”
Laurana’s reply was sharp and bitter. “I know very
well the cost in lives!” she snapped with enough force to
shut the mouth of the grizzled veteran. For a moment she
closed her eyes. Mellison saw the sharp pain of memory
etched across Laurana’s face. Gilthanas placed a
comforting hand on his sister’s arm, but she shrugged it
away. She took a breath and continued.
“Nothing could be more wasteful of those lives than
for us to cower here, behind these walls, and give the
dragonarmies time to concentrate their scattered forces.
No, my captains, we won’t wait for them to act. It is time
this war came back against those who began it!”
“Where do we go, then?” inquired Sir Rose. “Do we
advance south, toward Solanthus? Or eastward, to threaten
the occupation forces at Vingaard? Both of these courses
allow us this fortress as a base. Too, they keep the
Vingaard River as a strong barrier between us and the bulk
of the enemy – the option to fall back in the event of . . .”
He did not complete his speculation; something in the
general’s eyes silenced him.
“Vingaard,” Laurana announced. “But not as a threat –