The Shadow Roads

Forty

The army camped in a broad coomb through which ran a clearstream. The ridges to the north and south were steeply wooded and alive withswift streams that burbled and whispered to each other day and night. Samulgazed down at the army below and felt a shiver course through him. It waslarger than he imagined. Three or four times greater than any force the Rennecould muster.

“Now I understand why my cousins were so desperate,” hewhispered. “Look at Menwyn’s army!”

“It is Hafydd’s army,” Pwyll answered softly, “as Lord Menwynwill learn to his dismay.”

“It was the army of the Prince of Innes,” Prince Michaelsaid, “and will be again.”

“Whoever it is loyal to, this is an army preparing to gointo battle,” Lord Samul offered. “They’re forming ranks and getting ready tomove. Either they are about to cross the Wynnd or they think the Renne areapproaching. They’ll slaughter Fondor’s army if he is foolish enough to crossthe river.”

“He’s not so foolish,” Carl said, glancing at Samul, but hesaid no more.

Prince Michael turned to the others where they crouched,staring out from behind a fallen oak. “What I must do next I must do alone.Against these tens of thousands, even Pwyll’s blade will be of no avail.” Heturned to Carl. “You have fulfilled your part of the bargain-you and Jamm. Youbrought me here. Though we could not have done it without you, Pwyll. You haveall done your parts. Now I must do mine.”

He went back through the wood and found their horses. Fromthe saddlebag of one he took a banner of the House of Innes and fixed it to apole cut from the forest. Nodding once to each of them, he mounted his horse,and, swinging the banner high, set off down the hill.

His feet pushing hard against the stirrups, Prince Michaelfelt the shoulders of his horse working as it went slowly down the path.Emerging from the trees, he angled across the meadow directly for an opening inthe ring of stakes. A dozen men-at-arms stood guard there. They saw him comingfrom a distance, but thought nothing of it, for riders came and went regularlythere.

The Prince wasn’t sure how he would handle this moment. Hedoubted that Menwyn Wills had left orders for how to deal with a suddenappearance of the Prince of Innes, but one could never be sure. If the guardsrecognized him, he would simply ride through, hoping surprise would grant himthat moment’s reprieve. If they didn’t recognize him, he would have toimprovise. He couldn’t let himself be taken quietly to Menwyn Wills-that wouldbe the end of him.

The Prince felt an odd sense of floating as he rode towardthe unsuspecting guards. As though he watched the entire proceedings fromsomewhere else-from up on the ridge with his fugitive companions. The sound ofhis horse seemed to come to him from afar-the creak of his saddle, the bannerfluttering in the wind. The pale, silent faces of the guards seemed to loom upbefore him, staring, as though they had seen a ghost.

“I am Prince Michael of Innes,” he said to them from afar, “remainas you are.”

“Your grace …” one of the men whispered, his face whitewith surprise.

“You cannot pass,” another guard said, stepping forward andreaching for his sword. “We have orders-”

But a third guard restrained him with a firm hand on hisarm. “It is the Prince, you idiot. He does not need papers.”

The guards bowed their heads quickly as he passed, but onewent running ahead. “The Prince!” he called. “Prince Michael has returned.”

The men had been formed into ranks, but then allowed to sitand talk quietly among themselves while they awaited orders to march. Down thelong lane that divided the camp, the Prince rode, lines of infantry to eitherside. He wore the stolen livery of the soldiers of Innes, and over his headfluttered the banner of his House. The calling of the guard who ran before drewthe men’s gaze, and many who knew him rose to their feet. A murmur swept downthe ranks, like a wave, and the men began to rise to have a better view. Toeither side a sea of disbelieving faces. And then he saw a man he knew who hadonce been a house guard.

“Rica,” he said, and nodded.

“Your grace …” the man said, his eyes suddenly gleaming. “Wewere told you were dead.”

“Too many lies have been told in my absence. Find twenty menyou trust and fall in behind me.”

“But, your grace,” the man said, “we have been ordered intoranks-”

“And now you have been ordered out. Do you take orders fromthe Prince of Innes or Menwyn Wills?”

The man drew himself up. “I take orders from the Prince of Innes,”he said, and began calling out names.

Another two hundred feet the Prince rode, his newly formed guardfalling in behind him. There, almost in the encampment’s center, he stopped.The army of Innes was in such a state that the men almost broke ranks to see ifthe rumor were true. Michael stopped a moment, turning his mount in a slowcircle, letting the men get a good look at him. Down the lane he could see officersand men of high rank striding quickly out to see what this fuss could be.Michael knew he had only a moment. He stood up in his stirrups.

“I am Prince Michael of Innes,” he declared loudly, “and Ihave returned to you by a difficult road. I know it was said that I had died,but you were also told that my father was assassinated by his own guard-whichwe all know was a lie. He was murdered by men who claimed to be his allies. Thesame men who thought I had been killed … but I escaped and came back to you.”

A hush had fallen over the army, though far off the rumorstill traveled, like distant surf. The officers and noblemen were all butrunning by then. One of them was shouting, but the sudden roar of the armydrowned him out. The men broke ranks, pouring over the field toward the Prince.Rica and his twenty guards formed a circle around him, trying to hold the menback a few feet at least. Michael could see all the faces gazing up at him inwonder, returned from the dead, as it must have seemed-and was in ways thesemen would never know.

Men he knew began to shout their names to him, and he wavedthese closer, saying, “Let them through.”

The noblemen, once allies of his fathers, and officers, werehopelessly cut off. Michael could see the group of them hemmed in and beingtossed about like a boat on a storm. The Prince knew that if he pointed at themand denounced them now, they would be in great danger, but he hoped there weresome among them who were still loyal to his House, and he didn’t want to risktheir lives. He would need them yet.

Now was the moment to confront Menwyn Wills and his cabal …if he could move this mass of men, for he had earlier picked out the banners ofMenwyn Wills flying at the far end of the encampment. He began pointing withhis banner and moving his horse that way. The men around him quickly understoodand started calling out. “To Lord Menwyn! We go to address Lord Menwyn Wills!”

Progress was almost imperceptible, but inch by inch Michaelmade his way down the length of the camp, the center of a roiling mass of men,all of whom wanted to get a look at him, and who called out his name over andover. Many reached out and he touched their hands as though to prove that hewas not a ghost.

The strangeness of it all was not lost on Michael, who hadnever been so loved when his father was alive. But now these men saw him astheir rescuer-freeing them from the dominion of Menwyn Wills, and maybe thesorcerer Hafydd as well. He was suddenly the good prince who had come to savethem from circumstances they did not understand, come to lead them to victoryand to be sure they got their share of the rewards, which was in question underthe Wills, who would no doubt look to their own first. Perhaps most of all, hehad come to take control of the largest part of the army, making them againpreeminent, and not at the beck and call of Menwyn Wills.

Several large pavilions had been erected near the easternend of the encampment, Menwyn keeping his allies close and separated from theirown armies so that a situation like the one he was about to face could notoccur. Men-at-arms in evening blue had quickly formed up before the tents,though they were vastly outnumbered. The men of Innes divided the men of MenwynWills into two parties, forcing a column through their middle to the tentsbeyond. It took some time for Michael to make his way through, and when he didthe men who jostled there fell silent. Perhaps three thousand men in dark bluewere ranged before the tents. Not nearly as large a force as the men of Innes,but Michael wasn’t sure how many would fight for him if it came to that, and hewas vulnerable there, with so many of Menwyn’s guards nearby, some armed withbows. Of course Menwyn could not be sure of the situation either, which Michaelwas counting on.

An officer emerged from the largest tent-a tent Michael wassure had belonged to his father-and bowed to him. “Prince Michael,” the mansaid, acknowledging Michael’s claim-not that he had much choice. “You have nodoubt traveled far. Lord Men-wyn invites you to dismount and join him.” The mangestured toward the tent, smiling tightly, trying to hide his distress at thisturn of events.

“I will speak with Lord Menwyn here,” Michael said. “Afterwhat befell my father I don’t wish to go anywhere without my guards, who aretoo numerous to fit inside Lord Menwyn’s pavilion.” It was a terrible insult,but Michael heard a growl of approval from his men.

The officer tried to smile. “We are, my Prince, at war. Muchthat should be said is of a sensitive nature.”

“I trust any man wearing purple and black with my life,” Michaelsaid. He was pretty sure that if he stormed the tents at that moment he wouldbe killed by an arrow, but he was equally sure that Menwyn Wills would die aswell. “Please ask Lord Menwyn to do me the honor of attending me here.” He hadchosen his words with care. The Prince would be honored by Menwyn’s presence,but Menwyn would be attending him. He was the Prince of Innes, not some out ofpocket noble with two hundred swords at his command.

The officer stood a moment, uncertain, and then retreated inside.Nothing happened for a moment, and a grumbling began among the men in purpleand black. The situation could quickly spin out of control-Michael could feelit.

The doors to the pavilion were drawn back, and Menwyn Willsstrode out, a dozen minor noblemen at his back-former allies of the House ofInnes, for the most part. Many of Michael’s father’s officers were there aswell. Menwyn was making a statement.

“Prince Michael!” Menwyn said, smiling broadly. “I cannottell you the joy we feel to see you returned! We thought that blackguard, SirEremon, had left you dead.”

“And so he no doubt thought,” Prince Michael answered, “buthe was wrong.”

“It grieves me to tell you, Prince Michael, that yourfather, the Prince of Innes, was not so fortunate. Hafydd had him murdered.”Menwyn paused a moment, his gaze going respectfully down. “But with theassistance of these noble men”-he gestured to those around him-“we drove offthe last remnant of Hafydd’s force and wrested control of the army from them.”

“And for this I thank you,” Prince Michael said. “I have returned,it seems, just in time to resume command.”

“For which we are thankful. We will, my Prince, go to warthis very day. I fear that you will not be able to take up your rightful placeimmediately, for the plans are all laid and the command of each company hasbeen assigned and each officer knows his part. But you should ride with me andour chief allies, for this day we will destroy the armies of the Renne andprepare the way for our victory.”

“I will surrender the command of my army to no one,” thePrince said, and a loud murmur of approval came from the men of Innes. Heprayed the company of the curious that followed him would look enough like aloyal and resentful army that Menwyn would not dare insult them.

Menwyn indeed did look like a man on shifting ground. “Butmy Prince”-he almost stammered-“we will fight a major battle this day uponwhich all of our future success depends. With all due respect, no man could assumecommand of such a large force on such short notice. All of our carefully laidplans would be in danger.”

“Then send my officers to me so that I may be informed ofyour plan. I will be with my men.” He bowed courteously and turned his horse. Apassage opened up before him, the men pressing back all the while nodding andwhispering approvingly among themselves. “Return to ranks!” the Prince ordered,and this call was taken up down the length of the encampment.

Slowly the men returned to their places, officers of lowerrank stepping in to organize. Michael suspected that if he had a loyal following,it would be here, among the men and junior officers. “Rica?

You are now the captain of my guard. Find me fifty loyal menand give them an armband or some kind of insignia so that I will know them.” Hepointed to the center of the army of Innes. “Find a pavilion and pitch itthere, in the center, but leave the walls rolled up so that all may see me.Find four banners and raise them up on poles-nothing ostentatious-I just wantmy presence to be felt. Then bring me the junior officers, five at a time. Doyou know them?”

“Many of them, sir, though not all.”

“I will have you stand by and tell me something of each ofthem …” But he was drowned out then as the men called for three cheers fortheir prince, the valley echoing with their voices. He hoped that Pwyll and theothers heard this, for they would be wondering what had happened.

A small pavilion was quickly erected. Surcoats of the disbandedhouse guards were found, and Rica mustered the men for their master’s review.The Prince walked among them, speaking quietly. “There have been many betrayalsof late,” he said. “Friend and foe are no longer easily recognized. You musttherefore be prepared to follow my orders without question. If I order you tocut down some captain, even one who has served our house for thirty years, youmust do it without hesitation. Is there any man among you who cannot do that?”The men responded quickly, as he’d hoped they would. The Prince of Innes hadbeen murdered-a failure they did not want to repeat.

“Rica,” the Prince said, as they returned to the pavilion, “placeonly a single guard at each tent post. I want the men in ranks to be able tosee me and to see that I trust them utterly.” The Prince looked around at themen sitting in ordered rows, many a curious eye turned his way.

Rica quickly arranged the guards, the bulk of them seated ina square around the pavilion. He came back to the Prince, who stood watchingmen erect a map table beneath the canvas shelter. “Your grace should know thatthe captains of all the companies have been replaced by men loyal to MenwynWills.”

“What happened to my father’s officers?”

“Many were demoted into the ranks, your grace. Others wereejected from the army, some few left in shame, unable to accept this treatment.”

“Bring all of these new officers to me and find as many ofmy father’s company commanders as you can, or their immediate subordinates. Iwill replace all of Menwyn’s officers within the hour.”

“Your grace,” said Rica, “some of these men will not acknowledgeyour authority.”

“Give them one warning. Any insubordination will be punishedby summary execution. If they so much as hesitate after that, you must cut themdown. If we wish to take back control of the army, we cannot falter.”

Rica saluted and gathered a small company to follow him. ThePrince cast his eye back toward the pavilions of Lord Menwyn. No doubt therewas quite a heated debate going on there at this moment. The longer itlasted-to a point-the better. Michael needed some time to reverse the coupMenwyn had staged. Some men would have to die, he feared, but it could not behelped. If the army wasn’t firmly in his control within the hour, then he wouldfail, and the hours of life left him would be few.

The officers appointed by Menwyn came sullenly to the pavilion,grumbling among themselves, looks of apprehension and resentment on theirfaces. Rica had them stand out in the open and placed guards with swords drawnaround them.

“All of you appointed in my absence by Lord Menwyn deservethe gratitude of the House of Innes. But I have, upon the order of Lord MenwynWills, resumed command of the army of Innes. Your services are no longer required.You are hereby dismissed and may return to your former officers-immediately.”The Prince nodded to them in a kindly way, then gestured to Rica, who marshaledthe stunned captains away before they might think of doing something foolish.Another group of men were quickly gathering-these in the purple and black ofInnes. They fell in before the pavilion, and the Prince had each of them givehis name, rank, and former command. The situation was not as bad as it couldhave been, for a number of former commanders still remained. The other positionswere quickly filled by men the commanders recommended. Michael had them swearan oath to him and warned them to take orders from no one but himself or Ricauntil he had filled the ranks of senior commanders-at which time the Princewould make these officers known to them. These men were sent off to organizetheir companies.

He did not yet have in place a structure of command-therewas a broad layer of senior commanders missing-but he was making quickprogress.

“So tell me, Captain Rica, who is left among my father’s formerallies and senior officers who might either be loyal to the House of Innes orhate the Wills enough to side with me?”

The man stood with one hand on the map table. “It isdifficult to say, your grace. So much has changed and so rapidly. After thePrince, your father, was murdered, Hafydd took control of the army, placing hisown men in all but a few key positions. When Hafydd left, Lord Menwyn drove theblack guards off and put his own men in their stead. Everyone was forced toswear an oath of loyalty to the Wills. The few who refused were stripped oftheir positions, thrown into cells, or ‘disappeared.’ Of the noblemen who wereyour father’s allies I think only T’oldor and Quince might side with youagainst Menwyn. Your grace must realize that these men were all promised largeareas of your estates. They will not give up that promise easily. I would letnone of them stand at your back.”

Michael nodded. It was unfortunate that his father did notcommand loyalty. Now his son would pay the price for this shortsightedness.

“Your grace. They are coming.”

The noblemen and officers who had been given control of thearmy of Innes had elected to travel the length of the camp on horseback,banners flying, perhaps hoping this display would give them legitimacy in theeyes of the men. When they reached the army of Innes they spread out, only sixapproaching the pavilion, the rest riding out among the mustered companies.They began calling out orders immediately.

Six minor noblemen reined in their horses. “My Prince,” onesaid with feigned urgency, “the army marches. Come with us, and we will informyou of the design as we go.”

Michael did not answer, praying that the soldiers would notmove without command from their newly appointed officers. He held his breath.Not a man stood or acknowledged the shouted orders of the horsemen. Michael hadto stop himself from smiling.

“This army,” he said, “goes nowhere without my express command.And within the hour I will command it to return to my estates. Now get offyour horses and order your officers back, or you may go tell Menwyn that hemeets the Renne alone.” Michael crossed his arms and stared at the six men.

The noblemen retreated to confer among themselves, whisperingand casting glances toward the prince.

“Captain Rica,” Michael ordered. “Do you see these horsementrying to give orders to my army? Warn them that if they do not desistimmediately and remove themselves from my ranks, I will treat them as enemiestrying to undermine my command.”

Rica seemed to have anticipated this and had several smallcompanies ready. These ran off, each bearing a banner of the House of Innes.They soon reached the shouting officers, some of whom had drawn swords and werethreatening the soldiers. Two or three refused to remove themselves, andswords were drawn, companies of soldiers leaping to their feet at orders fromthe Prince’s captains. One horseman was chased out by armed men, haughty evenin retreat, the rest realized that their lives were in danger and acted appropriately.

The six noblemen still conferred.

“Captain Rica?” Michael said loudly. “Drag these formerallies off my father’s off their horses and bring them to me.”

The six noblemen separated then, two quickly dismounting.

The other four were surrounded by armed men on foot, andthey too dismounted, and all were brought before the Prince.

“Who among you will renounce your claim to the parts of myestate that Menwyn Wills has promised and swear an oath of loyalty to me?” ThePrince regarded the six men, all of whom he had known since childhood.Apparently they still thought him a child. They had not been witness to theevents of the Stillwater, when Prince Michael had been forced to come of age.

“I will take an oath, my Prince,” Lord T’oldor said,dropping to one knee.

“As will I,” responded Quince, whose estates comprised asmall tract of mountains and meadows to the north-far too small for a man ofsuch ability and character, Michael thought.

“I lived beneath the heel of your father’s boot for thirtyyears,” said Lord Farwell, “I will not live beneath yours now.”

“No one need live beneath the heel of my boot, but theestates of the Prince of Innes are not for the taking. This army that my fathercreated is mine to command, and I will not commit it to the field until I amsatisfied that it is not being sent to ruin. If you will not swear loyalty tome, then go back to Lord Menwyn and demand that he pay you what he promisedout of his own purse. It won’t be coming out of mine.”

T’oldor and Quince swore an oath to the Prince, with all ofthe army there to witness. The other noblemen and their officers rode back theway they had come, having failed in their attempt to seize control of the armyof Innes.

T’oldor watched the men go, then turned to Prince Michael. “Itis well that none of them offered to swear an oath to you, my Prince. I shouldnever have trusted them.”

“Nor would I, T’oldor, but the offer had to be made. Theywere the allies of my house for many years.”

Rica had unrolled a map on the table, the corners weigheddown by stones. Michael wondered what had become of the silver weights hisfather had used. In someone’s purse, no doubt.

T’oldor, an elegant ruin of a man, sketched in the design.His white hair hung in carefully arranged ringlets, and the lace of his collarand cuffs was as unblemished as new snow. For all that, he was a brilliant oldscoundrel, as Michael well knew.

“Menwyn’s spies tell him that the Renne intend to landtonight where this valley meets the Wynnd.” T’oldor placed a finger on the map.“He plans to move his army into position surrounding the landing place, thenlet the Renne disembark their army before driving them into the river,preferably at first light, though our presence might not go undiscovered forso long.”

“Show me the disposition of our forces?” Michael asked.

The old man laid a few quick marks on the paper with a stickof charcoal.

“But the army of Innes has all the forward positions!”Michael said, more in anger than surprise. “Menwyn’s army is only the reserve.”

“That is true, my Prince,” Quince agreed, his manner very subdued.

“Then we are to fight this battle against the Renne andsuffer all the casualties?”

The two noblemen nodded.

Michael stared at the map a moment. Of course he didn’t wantto fight the Renne at all, but he was certain that his officers and his menwouldn’t readily accept that. His hold on the army and on the loyalty of thesenoblemen was tenuous.

The prince took the charcoal from T’oldor and redrew thelines. “Menwyn’s forces will array themselves here, to the south, we willarrange our armies here, to the east and the north. That will put him in theforefront of the battle across a third of the area to be contested. He willhave to fight. I will not take all the losses and he all the gains.” He turnedto Lord T’oldor. “Will you go to Lord Menwyn and tell him this?”

“Gladly, but it might be better if I don’t go alone, as I amnow a traitor to the Wills.”

“Take forty men with you-mounted, if you like. Tell Menwyn thatonce his armies have taken up the southern position, I will move mine into thepositions I have indicated. Don’t allow him to argue or prevaricate. I willmarch my army home before I will let him use it so.”

The riders were quickly formed up and they followed Lord T’oldordown the long aisle between the armies. Michael stood looking around the field.He wondered if he would be forced to fight the Renne before he could do awaywith Menwyn Wills. One thing was certain, he would not give up control of hisarmy at any cost. The moment he did that he would be dead.

“Rica?”

“Your grace?”

“Bring me our four most experienced captains. They are aboutto receive promotions.”

“Immediately, your grace,” but despite his promise of immediateaction, he stood there awkwardly a moment.

Michael turned to the man. “You have something more to say,Captain?”

“If I may, your grace. There is one young captain whoseabilities are far beyond his years. He is, perhaps, the strongest of all yoursubordinate officers.”

“Then bring him as well. Rica? You have my permission tospeak your mind whenever you deem it necessary.”

“Your trust is an honor, your grace.”

“And you may call me Prince Michael.”

“My Prince,” the man said, making a quick bow before hurryingoff.

Lord T’oldor returned to find Michael going over the plan ofbattle with his new officers, deciding how the companies would be arranged, howthey would move to their places, and how they would be supplied both with foodand arms. Moving such a large force even a short distance, which was what theyintended, took a great deal of planning. Men who had been fed fought betterthan those who were hungry. And men who believed in the abilities of theirsuperiors fought better still. The army of Innes would have no idea of theabilities of the Prince. He would have to prove himself. They didn’t know hehad fought the servants of Death in the Stillwater and wouldn’t believe it ifthey were told.

“And what said Lord Menwyn?” Prince Michael asked Lord T’oldor.

“He was not pleased and there were accusations of infamy allaround.” The man smiled like the rake he was. “I have seldom more enjoyed beingthe bearer of bad news.”

“Then he will do what I require?”

“You control the superior force, my Prince. If you refuse tofight, Lord Menwyn and his allies will be outnumbered by the Renne. They willbe driven from the field.” The man looked up at the sun. “We will know withinthe hour for he must soon begin moving his army to the river, or retire.”

“It will be a long hour. Captain Rica? What became of Lord A’denne’smen-at-arms?”

“They were distributed among the companies of the Wills andof Innes, your … my Prince.”

“Is it possible to find a man who served in Lord A’denne’spersonal guard?”

“I believe it could be done.”

“Good. When you find such a man send him up that hillsideand have him wait at the crest. The men who aided me in my journey here arehiding in the trees. If he had a banner or some token of the A’denne that hecould display, it would be useful.”

There was a moment’s silence, then Lord T’oldor spoke. “PrinceMichael, Carl A’denne was a traitor to your father’s cause. He is widely blamedfor our failure on the Isle of Battle, for we believe he warned the Renne ofthe invasion.”

“Lord Carl was the enemy of Sir Eremon, who had my fatherunder his sway. He is still the enemy of Sir Eremon, which makes him my ally.Tell this man you send up the hill to bring my companions to join us afterdark. There are some secrets that it would be better Lord Menwyn not know.”

“My Prince,” Rica said hesitantly, “you told me that I mustspeak my mind when I felt it necessary …”

“Yes, Captain. Please say what you will.”

“Your men … they are ready to lay down their lives tofight our enemy, the Renne. Many of your soldiers lost comrades and kin on theIsle of Battle. The lust for revenge is strong. It is true that they resentMenwyn Wills, who they believed supported Sir Eremon in the murder of yourfather, but their real hatred is reserved for the Renne. A change of allianceswould be a dangerous thing right now. You might lose the army.”

“Captain Rica,” Michael said, “I chose well in you.” Heturned to the serious man-at-arms, and all of his other newly appointedofficers. “I traveled far in the company of the man you call Sir Eremon-thoughhis real name is Hafydd and he was once in the service of the Renne. He hasmade alliances with … powers we can’t understand and has become a sorcerer ofgreat skill. Killing him now would be almost impossible. If he comes back …No. When he comes back, he will kill Menwyn and me and take over thisarmy, with which he will overrun the land between the mountains. And thisman-this sorcerer-is loyal to no one and to no thing. Better a hundred yearsunder the rule of the Renne than a year under Hafydd. But we don’t have to warwith the Renne-they will ally themselves with us against Hafydd.” PrinceMichael watched the faces of the men. They looked at him darkly, mouths drawndown, their arms crossed. How to make them understand? “Menwyn Wills, unfortunately,hates the Renne above all things and will never give up his feud, and thisweakness will allow Hafydd to return. We can only hope to defeat Hafydd if wehave strong allies and are prepared for great sacrifice-perhaps our own lives.I believe the Renne are those allies. And Menwyn Wills? He would lick Hafydd’sboots for another ten minutes of life.” He looked from one man to the next,meeting their eyes. “I know Hafydd. A more heartless, cruel man has not beenborn of woman. If this army will not give up its desire for revenge againstthe Renne, and make them our allies, then you will bend a knee to thissorcerer, and he will lop off your heads and the heads of your families, for hewill not suffer any to oppose him.”

“But Prince Michael,” Lord T’oldor said softly. “CaptainRica is right. Your army wants revenge on the Renne. Talk of sorcerers willonly frighten them.”

The man-at-arms who had been a guard of the late Lord A’dennebrought the small company down the hillside and, using the passwords, escortedit into the presence of Prince Michael of Innes. Not long before, the sun hadplunged into the western hills, setting the horizon aflame, and dusk crept outof the east like spreading smoke. The armies had arrayed themselves in a halfcircle around the Renne landing place, and waited in utter silence, the penaltyfor speaking being death.

Dressed in their stolen mail and surcoats, Pwyll, Lord Carl,Samul Renne, and Jamm appeared in the failing light. Michael stood with hissenior officers on a small rise in among a few trees. Around him his runnerscrouched, ready to carry orders to the company captains. His guards were thereas well, though not many in number. Prince Michael felt safe with his armyaround him, and now with Pwyll and the others he breathed a great sigh.

“What goes on?” Pwyll whispered. He had realized immediatelythat the unnatural silence was no accident.

“The Renne are about to land,” Michael whispered.

“Vast …” whispered Carl.

Pwyll leaned close so that none of the officers might here. “Butthey are your allies,” he whispered.

“Yes,” Michael said softly, “but my army desires revenge fortheir losses on the Isle of Battle. I have had no choice but to bring themhere. Pwyll, I don’t know what to do.”

Carl A’denne had leaned close to listen. “You must withdrawyour army,” he said urgently.

“There will be a mutiny if I do.”

“But the Renne will not land here,” Carl said. “They willhave sent false information through Vast, whom they know to be a traitor. TheRenne will land either north or south and fall on your army from behind,driving them into the river.”

Michael put both hands to his forehead. “I wrested controlof my army from the Wills. Now how do I wrest control from the soldiers?”