Mage-Guard of Hamor

LXX

For the remainder of oneday morning, the rain continued. After doing what he could for the gelding, and a touch of healing for several wounded-all that he could manage-Rahl returned to the small sheep shed. He sat there in the gloom and thought about possible uses of his order-skills against the rebels. Outside, the rain poured down throughout the afternoon and well into the evening.

No matter what Rahl considered, his efforts seemed doomed to failure because he simply couldn't manipulate order on a large enough scale to affect the thousands and thousands of troopers and lancers spread across more than two kays of hillside behind various kinds of fortifications and barricades and earthworks.

That night, sharing the small shed with Drakeyt and a handful of other junior officers, Rahl slept poorly, dreaming of lancers building barricades with intertwined lances, of troopers dying everywhere… and Deybri looking on, clearly horrified at the carnage that Rahl had created. He was almost glad to struggle awake on twoday-except for the fact that he still had no idea how anything he could do would be of much help in defeating the rebels, and might not even be enough to keep him alive, let alone the remaining troopers of Third Company. He also wondered if there was something wrong with him that he felt more guilt when he thought or dreamed of Deybri.

After getting himself ready for the day on twoday morning, in the light just before dawn, he slowly ate some hard cheese that he'd had to scrape the mold off, and a few hard biscuits. Drakeyt was doing the same.

"They won't move," Drakeyt predicted.

"Why not?" asked Alnuyt, a company commander Rahl had only met the afternoon before, although Rahl might have seen him in passing because the young captain looked familiar.

"If they move, we take Selyma and the bridge, and the access to Nubyat. Besides, they're in the best defensive position for kays. They know they have to fight us. Why abandon a good position to fight from one that's worse?"

Rahl had to admit Drakeyt's point.

Thrap!

A trooper wearing a courier's sash eased the shed door open. "Sers? Majer Rahl? Captain Drakeyt?"

"We're both here," Rahl replied.

"The overcommander would like to see you both immediately, sers."

"We'll be there shortly," Rahl answered, "as soon as we can mount up."

"I'll tell him, sers." The courier stepped back and closed the door.

Drakeyt raised his eyebrows as he looked at Rahl.

"He has something in mind," Rahl said.

"I'm certain he does." Although Drakeyt did not say that Taryl's ideas always cost Third Company dearly, from the resigned expression in his eyes he might as well have done so. "We'd best saddle up. It wouldn't do to keep him waiting too long."

Rahl nodded and fastened his riding jacket-still damp in places, but warmer than doing without.

The two hurried through a quick brushing of their mounts, then saddled and mounted, riding down a mud-churned excuse for a lane before turning northward, away from Selyma. While the night had not gotten cold enough for it to frost, with dawn it had not warmed measurably, and Rahl's breath steamed under the gray clouds that continued to blanket the skies around Selyma.

Neither spoke on the short ride to Taryl's headquarters-a stead-holder's weathered yellow-brick dwelling a kay north of the hillside battlefield. As they neared the dwelling, with its outbuildings surrounded by troopers and mounts and the tents and lean-tos-and horse-churned mud-Rahl could see Commander Shuchyl walking out of the front door, followed by several majers. Rahl looked sideways at Drakeyt, but the older officer's face was impassive.

The two tied their mounts to the railing that the commander and his staff had used, then walked up the single step onto a narrow wooden porch. After stamping his boots and scuffing them against the soiled mat to scrape off as much mud as possible, Rahl opened the door gingerly, making sure his personal shields were strong.

"Majer. Come in. The overcommander is expecting you." The undercaptain whom Rahl had seen time after time and whose name he still did not know gestured to his right, where Taryl stood facing the door with his back to the hearth.

Rahl stepped inside, followed by Drakeyt, who closed the door. The warmth issuing from the fire in the old hearth was more than welcome.

"Ser, you requested our presence," offered Rahl.

"I did." Taryl did not speak for a moment, but Rahl could feel Taryl's order-senses scanning him. Then the overcommander nodded slightly to Rahl. "Much better." His eyes went to Drakeyt, then back to Rahl. "Majer, Captain… I have an assignment for Third Company. You are to accompany Commander Shuchyl and his forces. You leave as soon as you can muster your men with their gear. You're not to waste time. The commander is already mustering his regiment. You'll be riding back upstream to a point just south of Bhucyra. The supply barges we sent for have arrived, and the river's narrower there. We've strung cable across, and it shouldn't take more than a day to ferry the entire force over to the south side. You'll take the most direct route possible south along the river. Your job, Majer-with Third Company-is to find that route. The hillside here will be treacherous for at least another day. Tomorrow, if we don't get any more rain, we may have to make what looks like an attack to keep the rebels from suspecting what we actually plan."

"Won't they be expecting something like this, ser?" asked Drakeyt.

"I'm sure they've considered it, but the river is high enough to be impossible to ford anywhere near here, and there are no bridges within forty kays. We assume that they'll be watching the bridges. You should be able to reach the south side of the bridge at Selyma by sunset on fourday. On fiveday, Commander Shuchyl will attack the back side of the position facing Second Army. They have little in the way of earthworks on that side, whereas the position facing the marshal is fortified on all sides." Taryl smiled wryly. "That is the plan." He turned to Rahl. "Majer, you are to use no magery beyond order-sensing and shielding-and especially not the screeing glass-until the Commander commences his attack on fiveday. The one exception is if you are attacked by a far larger force. You are to maintain full shields at all times. Is that clear?"

"Yes, ser."

"Ser… if I might ask…?" Drakeyt asked gently. "The majer's skills have often been all that saved the company from total destruction…"

Taryl's smile was colder than the weather outside the small house. "You may. The majer was knocked unconscious on eightday. Yesterday, an attack was launched directly at Third Company, but as much at the majer as the company. The majer did not and could not use any magery detectable from beyond a few hundred cubits, and a number of your troopers were killed and injured. The majer was seen to go down on eightday, and there has been no magery since then, even when Third Company was threatened. I do not wish the commander's regiment to be detected any earlier than necessary. There are no fast roads along the river, so that if he does not use magery… Need I say more, Captain?"

"No, ser. Thank you, ser."

"I realize that may create difficulties, Captain, but I trust you understand the necessity."

"Yes, ser."

Taryl offered a warmer smile. "You both have done well under trying circumstances. I wish I could offer some reward beyond my thanks, but for now, that will have to do." After the slightest pause, he added, "That's all I have. Report to Commander Shuchyl as soon as you can."

"Yes, ser."

Rahl and Drakeyt both inclined their heads to Taryl, then turned and left the warmth of the small dwelling. Outside, as they untied their mounts, another commander and several majers rode toward the cot.

"There are a few things he didn't say," Drakeyt said as he climbed into the saddle.

"I know." Rahl understood that all too well. "When we do attack, he wants them to think they may be facing mages on all sides."

"And a few others."

Rahl just nodded, because it was certain that more of Drakeyt's troopers would die in order for Taryl to spring his surprise on the rebels.