Erik decided to stop worrying about the weather and concentrate his attention on things over which he had some control. Two riders were heading his way, one from the south, the other from the west.
The rider from the west reached him first, and saluted. He wore the garb of the Krondorian garrison, bloodstained and filthy. He said, ‘Captain. We got jumped by a company of Saaur. The green bastards cut us up before we could get organized.’ He glanced over his shoulder, as if expecting to see the enemy come riding into view any minute. ‘They seem to resent what the Lancers did to them, so they go looking for light cavalry and mounted infantry to punish. Anyway, I got loose. I figure they’re going to regroup with the advance units and be here by sundown tomorrow or dawn the day after.’
Erik said, ‘Good. Go into town and get some food and rest.’ He glanced around. ‘I don’t think we’re going to need any trailing scouts in the future, so report in the morning to my first sergeant, a loud bully named Harper.’ Erik smiled. ‘He’ll find you some work.’
As the first rider left, the second reined in opposite Erik, and saluted. He wore the uniform of the Pathfinders. ‘We’re getting a bit more pressure than anticipated, Captain. I don’t know how much longer we can maintain an orderly withdrawal.’
Erik reviewed the troop disposition to the south. ‘You should be facing moderate pressure. What’s happening?’
‘I don’t know, sir, but the Earl of Landreth is in charge.’
‘What happened to Duke Gregory?’ The Duke of the Southern Marches, a court governor of the Vale of Dreams, had been put in charge of the southern elements of the retreat, coordinating his efforts with Greylock’s defense of the center. He had ample resources, given that the garrisons withdrawn from Shamata and Landreth were under his command.
‘Dead, sir. We thought you knew. Messengers were dispatched last week.’
Erik swore. ‘They never reached General Greylock or myself.’ They had assumed the invaders would keep a significant portion of their army turned toward Kesh, in case the Empire sought to take advantage of the confusion to enlarge their domain, but from what this soldier just said, the southern wing of the defense was collapsing too quickly. Erik said, ‘Ride into town, get a fresh horse, and grab something to eat. I’m sending two companies of archers to give you some help in the withdrawal.’ Erik reviewed the maps he had memorized and said, ‘Suggest to the Earl he let the front to his south collapse, pulling the soldiers on that flank around him, to his left as he withdraws. Then have them dig in at the town of Pottersville. But there he has to hold for another three days; four is better. By then we’ll be fighting here and we can’t have them flanking us. If he can keep them stationary for that long, he can start sliding northward along the line, using the road to the town of Breonton. Once there, he can turn tail and run to Darkmoor, but not before.’
The Pathfinder nodded. With a tired smile, he said, ‘I assume you won’t mind if these suggestions originate with General Greylock?’
Erik smiled and nodded. ‘Of course. I wouldn’t presume to order the Earl to do anything.’ Then he lost his smile. ‘But we don’t have time for you to run to Darkmoor, have Owen tell you exactly the same thing I just did, then run back down to the Earl. So if the Earl asks, tell him those are the General’s orders and I’ll deal with any problems that might arise from that deception down the road.’
The Pathfinder nodded. ‘You know. Captain, when we all get to Darkmoor, we’re going to have a very mixed command; a lot of the nobles aren’t going to enjoy being told what to do.’
Erik smiled. ‘Well, that’s why Prince Patrick plans on being there.’
‘The Prince is in Darkmoor?’
‘That’s the word. Now, get something to eat, then get back down to the Earl of Landreth.’
The Pathfinder saluted and rode off. Erik looked at the trees being dragged over to fortify the barrier across the King’s Highway. Two large ridges overlooked the position, and while Erik watched, crews of muleskinners were hauling catapults up goat trails to emplacements that had been hand-carved out of the rocks. Any congestion along the highway on the enemy’s part would result in high casualties.
Erik nodded in approval. He was going to get more draft animals out in the next hour to drag away the stumps and would turn the men to that task as soon as the last tree was felled. The enemy weren’t going to have any cover as they approached Ravensburg if Erik von Darkmoor had any say in the matter.