“I can’t fault that, but how…?”
“By attacking where they’re not expecting it. That’s all I can say at the moment. Once you finish briefing the senior officers, I’d like to take a squad and study the situation while the Mirror Lancers ready themselves.”
“That might be useful.”
“I’m certain it will be,” Lerial returns. “That way we’ll know where to move and attack when the time comes.” He hopes that reminder that the Mirror Lancers will indeed attack penetrates Dhresyl’s skepticism.
“We might as well move into the mess for the briefing,” says the commander as he rises.
Lerial stands and follows. Subcommander Drusyn is already there, as are several majers that Lerial does not recognize. By the time all the battalion commanders have arrived, in addition to Drusyn, Dhresyl, and Lerial, there are ten majers and one captain around the long table. Lerial recognizes only four—Paelwyr, Knaak, Aerlyt, and Captain Grusart, who is clearly replacing Majer Fhaet, whose loss, so far as Lerial is concerned, is a benefit to the Afritan Guard.
Dhresyl clears his throat loudly. “All of you know the general plan of battle from the orders you’ve received or from what I have informed you of personally. The latest scouting reports indicate that the Heldyans appear to be preparing to attack…” The commander goes on to give more details about what he expects from each battalion and then finishes by saying, “Overcaptain Lerial’s forces will not be part of the initial order of battle, but will act independently and in coordination with the Afritan Guard.”
Lerial notices a momentary frown from Drusyn and a faint smile that quickly vanishes from Paelwyr. Aerlyt nods almost sagely. The other majers offer no immediate reaction, almost as if that is what they have expected.
“Do you have any questions?” asks Dhresyl.
“How long will it take the Heldyans to move once they’re formed up?”
Dhresyl looks to Lerial. “Overcaptain … you’ve seen the Heldyans in that situation. What would you say?”
“I’ve seen them turn an entire battalion with pikes and a shield wall in less than a tenth of a glass, and they can move forward at a trot, holding a shield wall. With the size of their forces, it will likely take them longer to initially form up, but they maneuver quickly.”
“How many mounted battalions do they have?”
“The scouts have reported that they have five, possibly six,” replies Dhresyl.
“What arms do they bear?” asks Lerial. You should have asked that earlier. Much earlier.
“The scouts couldn’t tell, except that they had round shields.”
“Heavy cavalry, most likely, not lancers, then.”
After several more questions, Dhresyl simply stands. “Time to form up and be ready to move out.”
Lerial leaves quickly. Less than a tenth of a glass later, after giving brief and more general instructions than he would have liked to his company commanders, he is riding down the paved road from the Harbor Post toward the shore road with a single squad from Twenty-third Company … and Kusyl. At the last lane short of the shore road, he turns northward because he doesn’t want to interfere with the Afritan battalions and because he wants to determine if the lane is suitable for what he has in mind for his forces. After passing two cots and several sheds, the lane narrows into a wide path that will just hold two mounts comfortably, three if crowded. The ground between the path and the shore is rocky, with intermittent patches of grass, and slopes downward both toward the bay and to the north, although there is a small ridge about a half kay ahead. The ground between where he rides and the ridge rises enough that he can no longer see either the shore road or the Heldyan encampment, and there are two Afritan scouts reined up a hundred yards or so short of the section of the rise toward which Lerial leads the squad.
Farther from the Heldyans than you’d like, but it might do. “This way.” He turns the gelding toward the north end of the low ridge, trying to see and sense the most level way through the rocky pasture.
“If this is as I think it is,” Lerial says to Kusyl, “you’ll be leading the Lancer forces back this way.”
“What if the Heldyans want to take the rise here?” asks Kusyl.
“I’m thinking that they might, especially if there’s only a small force visible.”
“Do you think they’ll expect what we’re going to try?” asks Kusyl.