southeast, advancing steadily toward Dargaard. Heavy
rains accompanied by thick clouds and fog continued to
mask the mountains for much of this time, and shortly
after the marching column was sighted, it disappeared into
the foothills. The Red Wing might as well have vanished,
screened as it was by the weather against further
observation.
That night, Laurana held another council of war – and
again Mellison was present to record the first part of the
discussions.
“We MUST take up a defensive position!” Sir Patrick
urged. “I admit, my general, that your leadership has
carried us to victories beyond my wildest dreams. But now
– we STILL don’t know where the Emperor’s main body is.
The clouds mask our entire right flank while we march in
the open, day after day! The attack could come with barely
an hour’s warning. And if it catches us in line of march,
we will be smashed and broken in detail!”
“Bah!” Gilthanas – undoubtedly nervous himself –
exploded in a rare show of temper. “These dragons are not
DEFENSIVE creatures! If you tie them to one location,
you deprive them of their strength. Can’t you knights force
that fact through your Oath-and-Measure-bound skulls?”
Sir Patrick stiffened, his hand going to the hilt of his
sword, but the Golden General stepped smoothly between
the two. Laurana did not involve herself in the quarrel.
Instead, she turned to Lord Sword. “And you, my lord, do
you have thoughts on this topic?”
That white-whiskered veteran sighed and shook his
head. “I don’t know what to believe any more, general. For
a certainty you have shown us the value of speed and
movement. But Sir Patrick makes a valid point. Without
knowledge of the enemy’s location, how can we know
where to move?”
The elven princess pondered the lord’s words, then
turned to Sir Caerscion and Sir Markham, who had
remained silent up until this point.
“And you, good sirs?” Laurana asked. “Do you
counsel a stand here, on the plain?”
“I do, general,” Sir Caerscion replied. “With a few
days to prepare entrenchments, and a good scouting effort,
we can make a strong position. The Dark Lady will find us
and attack, but we will meet her forces well-rested and
prepared to fight.”
“But if we stop, the Highlord will be able to strike us
with every weapon at her disposal. That includes the Red
Wing – and we still don’t know where the reserve army is.
Whereas, if we keep moving we force the enemy to keep
pursuing. It is far less likely that they will gather the
concentration they could muster if we stopped.”
Markham’s remarks provoked a scowl of angry
disapproval from Sir Patrick.
Laurana smiled, pleasantly surprised by the young
captain’s observations. “EXACTLY! That’s why we resume
the march, tomorrow, but with a change in course.”
“AGAIN!” cried Patrick in exasperation. “If you must
march, let us at least fall back on Palanthas!”
“We will, Sir Patrick. Only not quite that far. Our
destination is the final battleground. And that – I mean to
ensure – will be our own choosing.”
Lord Sword gestured to the flat plains stretching
away on all sides. “One patch of the grass is pretty much
like another.”
“For the most part,” Laurana agreed. “But there are
exceptions.”
The others paused, curious to know what she would
tell them next. Markham had a half-smile on his face.
Lord Sword and Sir Caerscion waited with obvious
apprehension. Gilthanas seemed bored and restless, his
eyes drifting over to the great silver dragon resting
beyond the fringes of the fire.
Sir Patrick, of course, scowled in preliminary
displeasure. Finally he could hold his tongue no longer.
“Exceptions?” he grumbled.
“Exactly,” announced the Golden General.
“Exceptions like rivers. That’s why, as soon as we reach
the near bank, we will again cross the Vingaard.”
The council paused as the captains registered their
surprise in raised eyebrows or shrewd squints. For once,
however, the knights did not greet their general’s plan
with a chorus of objections – the advantages of her plan
were obvious to all of them. Once they had crossed to the
west bank – or the north, actually, for the river had already