the river, Laurana was determined to maintain the speed
and unpredictability of her advance. (It is ironic to note
that this young elf maid grasped, intuitively, principles of
warfare that veteran knights, too long hidebound by
doctrine, resisted until the proof became too
overwhelming to deny. Thank goodness for Laurana’s
persistence.)
Once again, it is the servant Mellison who provides
our look into the planning of operations, for she served tea
to Laurana and her captains as they planned their next
move.
Present were the same five: Sir Markham, Sir Patrick,
“Sir Rose,” “Lord Sword,” and Gilthanas of Qualinesti.
Laurana announced her intention to move on Kalaman.
Patrick protested. “But we know that Ariakus had ten
thousand troops in Sanction! They could have been on the
march for three weeks – and now you want to leave our
flank unprotected. The river now guards us. If we march
from here, we expose the whole army to an attack from
the rear!”
“Our wagons are left behind,” Laurana pointed out,
coolly. “Therefore, the rear of our army is as easy to
defend as the front – even more so, if the enemy expects to
encounter a defenseless baggage train, but instead meets
the steel of charging knights.”
“True, true,” noted Lord Sword. “But we move so far
from the pass – Palanthas is all but defenseless.”
“I realize that, my lord,” Laurana explained patiently.
“But I’m betting that the Highlords are no longer
concerned with that city. Their attention must be riveted
upon US! This army is a far greater threat than they have
ever faced before. They’ll need to concentrate and destroy
us. Ariakus – and Kitiara too – will assume they have
plenty of time for Palanthas after we’ve been destroyed.”
“Are they wrong?” demanded Patrick.
“Only in the assumption that they’ll FIND us!”
Laurana retorted. “That’s why it’s so important to move
quickly!”
“There will be opposition,” Markham pointed out. “The
Red Wing is out there, and portions of two others – not to
mention the reserve army.”
“Of course. But with speed, we’ll be able to meet
these forces – and defeat them – one at a time. It’s essential
that we bring the Red Wing to battle before Ariakus can
join with his allies!”
“But if you’re wrong, you risk – ”
“I risk WHAT, Sir Patrick?” Laurana snapped. “Would
you go back to the days of cowering behind the stone
walls of your fortress, waiting for the enemy to attack?
And if we win against that attack, then what – we wait for
the next, and the next until our forces are depleted, our
supplies gone? Better to stake this army on the hope of a
REAL victory – one that will do more than protect
Palanthas. We take the war into the heart of the
dragonrealms! Only THEN will our enemies face the
prospect of defeat!”
(Excellency, if Mellison did not exaggerate the words,
I can only assume that the Golden General quite lost her
temper. It is hard to imagine her using a term like “cower”
to the proud knight. However, it seemed to have had the
effect of silencing him, if nothing else.)
“We know that much of the Green Wing remains in
Throtl,” continued the elven princess. “Tomorrow, at first
light, I will lead the dragons against them. If we can
scatter the ogre ground forces, so much the better. The
main body, in the meantime, will continue its march to the
northeast. I want the Highlords to believe that Dargaard is
our next destination.”
“A bold plan, my general,” Sir Rose noted, with a
smile. “As you know, these plains were my home. I
should warn you that the river narrows and deepens north
of here. It presents a formidable obstacle to movement to
our left.”
“Thank you, Sir Knight,” Laurana replied. “I, too,
knew of this river – and, in fact, it will play a role in my
plans.”
If the princess revealed that role on this night, we
don’t learn of it from Mellison. The girl drifted off to
sleep while the warriors discussed tactics into the early
hours of predawn. Perhaps even now the elven princess
foresaw the Battle of Margaard Ford and was drawing up