“In short, we make it extremely difficult for them to keep their forces in Madoc by whatever means available.” The others nod and Ceadric is actually wearing a grin.
“I like your plan,” he states.
“Our key to success is to stay mobile,” James continues. “Keep their armies on the move while we take out their infrastructure.”
Delia is staring at him in an odd way. “Yes?” he asks.
“You’re doing all this simply to have a temple built in the City of Light?” she asks.
“For the most part, yes,” he replies. “Also to free Madoc from a fate it doesn’t deserve.” He nods at Miko and says, “Not to mention payback for what they’ve already done to us and others. I’d take down the entire place if I could. Slavery is an abomination and I would like nothing better than to see every slaver put to the sword.”
“I’m with you on that one,” says Jiron.
James glances to Miko, expecting some reaction to that as he was only one present to be subjected to the hell of being a slave, but he remains quiet.
“What I’ve said here remains just between us. Agreed?” he asks. When everyone gives their agreement, he says, “We’ve got a hard day ahead of us. I suggest you get what rest you can before morning.” To Illan he says, “We better get the meeting with Lord Pytherian over with so we can get a few hours of sleep.”
Standing up, Illan nods his head. To Ceadric he says, “Get the men bedded down. We’re up with the dawn.”
“Yes, sir,” he says and then leaves the tent. From outside they can hear his voice shouting orders as he does Illan’s bidding.
“We’ll be back soon,” James says as he gets to his feet. To Delia he says, “Have Devin hit the sack too. I won’t need him when I return.”
“Okay,” she tells him.
He glances over to Jiron and says, “Get everyone to sleep. I want everyone up by dawn.”
“You got it,” he says.
Illan moves to leave his tent and James follows. Outside they find an exhausted Devin and James nods to him as he and Illan head for the castle.
Despite the lateness of the hour, the streets are still full of people. All are simply agog with the latest rumors about the events that transpired earlier in the evening. Few recognize them as they move through the dark streets and they arrive at the castle in short order.
At the gate, a page is waiting for them and takes them to the same conference room they met in earlier. Surprisingly, only Lord Pytherian is there, the other leaders are absent.
“Where’s everyone else?” James asks as the page closes the door behind him. Moving to the table, he sits down in a chair across from Lord Pytherian, Illan takes a seat the chair next to his.
“Thought it would be best to meet here in private,” he explains.
“There’s no trouble is there?” Illan asks.
“I don’t know,” he replies. “There’s been rumors going around of an agent for the Empire within the walls, but so far nothing definite has been uncovered.”
“Could just be rumors,” says Illan. “Such always happens during a siege.”
“Possibly,” Lord Pytherian replies, though his expression tells he doesn’t believe that.
James then begins to relate the layout of the enemy forces as had been seen by himself and Delia’s group. He also tells him of the warrior priest he encountered during his parley. When he tells of the subsequent battle and the killing of the mage, Lord Pytherian strikes the table and with a grin exclaims, “Good!”
“But the warrior priest is still out there,” he explains. “Not sure how that will affect tomorrow’s battle.”
“What do you plan to do?” he asks.
James then gives a brief rundown on what he plans. When he’s done, he asks, “Will you and your men be willing to back us up?”
“Plans are already being set in motion to do just that,” he answers.
“Excellent,” says Illan.
“Once the battle is over,” James tells him, “we’re going to push into Madoc.”
“With any luck we’ll draw elements of the various armies currently occupying Madoc into following,” Illan says. “If they do, you must be prepared to take advantage of that and press those that remain hard.” James and Illan then begin to give him a rundown of their plan once they begin moving into the Empire.
Throughout their narration Lord Pytherian sits and listens occasionally nodding his head at one point or another. When they’re finished laying it down, he says, “I may be able to help you with what you plan.”
“How?” James asks.
“By the time you’re ready to leave, I’ll give you a map detailing where various weapon storehouses and other vital complexes to their war effort are located.”
“That would prove most beneficial milord,” Illan says.
“Any mines located in their northern territory would be helpful too,” adds James. When Lord Pytherian glances at him questioningly, he explains. “May be able to collapse them and render them useless for years.”
“I’ll see what we can do,” he says.
“Whatever happened with Councilman Rillian?” asks James.
“He stepped down from the council,” Lord Pytherian replies. “Seems those he represents felt that with all the controversy surrounding him it would be best for another to lead.” He gives them a grin, “He wasn’t too happy about the situation let me tell you. The man who replaced him has so far conducted himself properly. We do have agents on him just in case though.”
“That would be a reasonable precaution,” agrees James.
“You needn’t worry about the former Councilman Rillian,” he tells them. “He left when most of the population fled Lythylla some time ago, as did the Council. It would be bad enough to lose Lythylla, but to lose the Council would be disastrous. The people need something to rally around in times such as these.”
“So the civilians who are left…?” prompts James.
“Are here to take care of the military,” he explains. “Or those just too stubborn to leave despite what may happen. Others are family members of the soldiers who chose to stay rather than be separated.”
“I see,” James says.
For the next hour they work out the finer points of the battle plan for the morning. Once all is in readiness, Illan and James take their leave. With only a few hours before dawn, they’re not going to get much sleep.
On the way back, they find the streets much more deserted than they were before, the people having finally returned to their homes. At the plaza which currently houses their people, James and Illan say their goodnights and each head to their tents. There are a couple of Ceadric’s men on guard duty stationed about the area and they nod or salute when they take notice of James or Illan.
His tent stands dark and lonely, Devin having long since turned in as he told Delia to have him do. Opening the tent flap, he enters and lets the flap swing closed behind him. Exhausted beyond measure, he doesn’t even undress just collapses on his cot. No sooner does his head hit the pillow than he falls asleep.
Chapter Ten
“Sir?” When no answer is forthcoming, Devin pokes his head in the tent and finds James lying there on his cot sound asleep. “Sir?” he says again, this time a little louder hoping to wake him without startling him. It’s said that to startle a mage out of sleep is fraught with perils.
When he still doesn’t respond, Devin moves inside and comes over next to his cot. Placing his hand on James’ chest, he says softly while giving a small shake, “James, wake up.”
James sits up abruptly and Devin jumps backward in shock at the unexpected movement.
Bloodshot eyes opening, he glances around the tent and sees Devin off to one side, staring at him. “What?” he asks in a voice still sluggish from sleep.
“Illan says sunrise is approaching,” he tells him.
Groaning, James lies back down on his cot and places an arm across his face. “Go away,” he says. It feels
