‘Come.’
Reluctantly, Kyle last, they started away from the beehive-shaped tomb, striking a direction that to all appearances seemed no different from any other across the flat dusty plain dotted by its ancient sepulchres. Overhead, in the slate sky, things flew, looking like nothing more than folded shadows.
CHAPTER VI
It was an act driven by a profoundly inward — and backward — looking movement. Who are we outsiders to judge? It was, after all, also driven by the honest (if we may claim misdirected) desire to improve the condition and prospects of the Wickan people… In this regard it must be seen as completely earnest and not in the least duplicitous. Especially when bracketed with the act it then allowed.
Surrounded by command staff and bodyguard,Ullen stood next to Urko and the Moranth Gold commander atop a modest rise to one side of the marching columns of Talian and Falaran infantry. Toc, together with a troop of some forty, came riding up and reined in. ‘A good day for battle,‘ Urko called and Toc gave his assent. ‘Not too hot.’ Ullen peered at the sky; yes, overcast, though it might rain. He didn't look forward to that. They had left the fort before first light and been marching through dawn. The night had been relatively calm — the beast, Ryllandaras, if indeed it was he, had probed twice but been driven off by the massed ranks of Gold, backed up by a liberal dose of their munitions. Already flights of gulls, crows and kites crowded the skies over the line of march. How many generations of warfare, Ullen wondered, had it taken them to learn what the massing of so many men and women in armour might presage?
‘Commander V'thell,’ Toc greeted the Moranth in his armour hued a deep, rich gold like the very last gleam of sunset. The Moranth inclined his fully enclosed helmed head.
‘Still unmounted, I see,’ Toc said to Urko with something like a nostalgic smile.
Urko shrugged beneath his heavy armour of banded iron. ‘It reassures the soldiers. They don't like their commander being mounted when they ain't. Makes ‘em suspect you're gonna ride off as soon as things get hot.’
Toc's staff, all mounted, shared amused glances. Captain Moss caught Ullen's eye and winked. ‘And the carriage?’ Toc asked, gesturing down the gentle slope to where a huge carriage painted brilliant red and green waited while grooms fought its fractious team of six horses.
Urko rolled his eyes. ‘Bala. She'll be with me at the centre rear. I'll have the reserves. The Falaran cavalry and elements of the Talian and Falaran infantry. Choss is already with the south flank. You'll have the north — and where are those blasted Seti anyway?’
Toc scanned the north horizon. ‘Bands are appearing. They'll be here soon.’
‘Bloody better be.’
‘What of this force in the south? The Kanese?’ Toc asked.
‘Still arrayed around the south side of Pilgrim's Bridge. None too eager to take on the Guard — can't say I blame them. Amaron has some hints that they are to come out for Surl-’ Urko stopped, correcting himself, ‘for the Empress. But he's not sure. They might decide it's worth it, though, at any time.’
‘We'll keep an eye on them.’
‘Aye.’
‘And the Marchland Sentries?’
Urko paused, glanced away, his mouth drawing down even more. ‘Withdrawn to the west. Out of harm's way ‘n’ all. Too bad. Could've used them. But perhaps for the better, all things considered.’
‘Perhaps.’
V'thell bowed to the general. ‘Permission to join my people.’
‘Granted. And V'thell…’ The Moranth Gold turned back. Urko raised a fist. ‘You're the hammer. Break them.’
V'thell bowed again. ‘We shall.’
‘I should track down an ataman,’ Toc said. Urko nodded his assent. The cavalry commander rode off with his troop.
‘And myself?’ Ullen asked.
‘I want you here. If things go to pot I'll have to wade in and I want you to take over.’
Ullen was alarmed but struggled to disguise his unease.
The general waved to the carriage. ‘Now go down and see what Bala has to say.’
Ullen less successfully hid a smile. ‘Yes, sir.’
Toc and his troop combed the rolling hills north-west of the assembly point. From high ground the dust of Laseen's forces was clear to the east. Midday, his instincts told him. They'd finish manoeuvring by midday. Where were Brokeleg and Ortal? It was unthinkable they should let him down. After all the years he'd spent among the Seti; after he'd fought with Kellanved for their interests. He'd even raised his own children among them: Ingen, Leese and little Toc the Younger.
A messenger pointed to the north where a broad cloud, more like an approaching dust storm, was darkening the sky. Soon, a van of horsemen could be seen galloping down a far broad slope. Tall pennants of white fur flew prominently, along with white fur capes.
He waited while the column closed. A standard-bearer led, a tall crosspiece raised above him hung with white pelts and set with what looked like freshly skinned animal skulls. The sight of that grisly standard made Toc profoundly uneasy. Imotan followed directly, together with his bodyguard, which had swelled to some seventy men and women, all sworn to their White Jackal god. Imotan drew his mount up next to Toc's and smiled, inclining his head in what seemed an almost ironic greeting. ‘Well met, Toc the Elder.’
‘Imotan. Where are the atamans? We should discuss the coming engagement.’
‘You will discuss the matter with me. I have direct authority over all warriors.’
Imotan nodded to the standard-bearer who dipped the pennant forward. Blood, Toc noted to his distaste, dripped liberally from the skulls and pelts of the macabre standard, having soaked the shoulders and hair of the bearer. The massed bodyguard burst into howls of enthusiasm. Moments later, in the distance the calls were echoed and a great thunder of hooves kicked to life, shaking the ground. All along the north horizon of hilltops and crests of mounds horsemen advanced. Toc stared, his heart lurching; it was a massing such as he could not have imagined. Where had Imotan gathered such numbers? Seemed the coming of their old foe and totemic animal Ryllandaras might have given Imotan limitless reach. The bodyguard surged ahead and Toc and his troop kicked their mounts to join their numbers.
Forward Seti scouts — the small bands Toc had seen riding the grounds — directed Imotan's column to a rise that offered a prospect of the assembling forces. Toc rested his new horse, a slim grey youngling, next to the shaman's large bay. A heavily overcast sky frowned down on a wide, very shallow basin. To the south-east, the top of the tall promontory that supported the Great Sanctuary of Burn could just be made out as a smear of yellow and umber. After jockeying and scouting through the night, elements of both forces had settled on this front in a mutual, unspoken accord. Small flags could even be made out marking the marshalling points for various units. Forward elements from both armies were already forming up.
Opposite, the skirmishers of whom Toc had been hearing so much were pouring into the basin from the south like a flood.
