'What then?' asked Noran. 'We can't stay in Nalanor. Head duskwards into Anrair, or Ersua?'
'Enair,' said Ullsaard.
'You just want to go home,' Noran said. 'There's barely anything up there.'
'Exactly,' said Aalun, smiling at Ullsaard. 'We need a sanctuary over the winter. Nemtun won't be able to chase us too far into Enair before the weather turns really bad. And the king won't want to pay the Nemurians for the whole winter. If we go to Enair, what do you think Nemtun will do?'
Ullsaard looked at the map, and located a small town on the intersection of the borders of Nalanor, Ersua and Anrair.
'He'll make winter quarters at Parmia,' the general decided. 'There's enough forage, not too far from supplies along the Greenwater, and he's placed to move in any direction come the spring.'
'You know Enair better than any of us,' said Aalun. 'Where would you stay out the winter?'
'As far duskwards and hotwards as possible without being too close to Parmia. Somewhere near the coast.'
Aalun pored over the map, his finger tracing the duskward coastline of Enair down to the Ersuan Mountains. 'What about this place? Luurastin?'
Ullsaard shrugged.
'As good as any. Fishing town. No problem with food, woods in the nearby foothills for timber. Not a lot of livestock around there, we'd have to slaughter the kolubrids; can't feed them grass or grain.'
'Anything else?' asked Noran. 'You seem rather pleased.'
'I raised most of the Thirteenth from that area. A lot of them still have family there. We can disband the legion over the winter and muster them again just before spring breaks. We could probably do the same with some of the Fifth and Tenth, as long as they don't go too far dawnwards.'
Aalun straightened, his face serious.
'I have to ask you this again, Ullsaard: will your legions follow us? It is one thing for them to abandon Mekha, another for them to march into exile.'
'Well, I won't tell them we're marching into exile, will I?' Ullsaard replied. 'I'll tell them we're going to Enair to raise another legion ready for the Salphorian campaign.'
'You would lie to your men like that?' said Aalun. 'What will happen when they find out the truth?'
'Winter is a long time, Prince,' Ullsaard replied as he stood up. 'A lot can happen. Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. For the moment we have two things to plan for. First, getting past the Wall. Secondly, the march to Enair. I suggest that we spend tomorrow preparing for the first. Then set out the day after. The quicker we can be on our way, the less chance of running into trouble with Nemtun.'
'I'm sure I can leave it in your capable hands,' said Aalun, also standing. He shook Ullsaard's hand, and Noran's. 'I think it is time we all got some sleep.'
VII
As Noran and Ullsaard walked back across the camp, the herald was agitated.
'What's bothering you?' asked Ullsaard.
'Apart from the obvious? What are you going to do if the Wall is held against you? Will your men attack?'
Ullsaard smiled.
'You didn't see them with that mob earlier today. Soldiers love fighting. They don't care if it's some Mekhani red-faces, Salphor mud-eaters or other legionnaires. They spend their lives marching around, making camps and eating shitty food. Any opportunity for a fight is a relief from the boredom. Don't worry about that. They'll be more than happy to deal with anyone that tried to get in our way, including Nemtun's legions.'
The sentry at Ullsaard's tent informed them that Noran's wives had gone to Jutiil's pavilion. Ullsaard and Noran parted company without another word spoken and Ullsaard entered with a long yawn and a stretch. Only a single lamp lit the inside of the tent, and he cracked his knee against a chair as he headed towards the sleeping quarters that had been erected at the back.
A curtain ruffled and Meliu's pretty face appeared in the candlelight.
'I am afraid,' she said softly. 'And lonely.'
Ullsaard allowed her to take his hand and pull him into her bed area. She disrobed him quickly and threw off her dress. Her hands found his stiffening member and massaged him to a full erection. The tiredness he had felt disappeared as he cupped an ample breast in one hand and plunged the fingers of his other between her legs. She continued to work her hand along his shaft, nipping the hairs on his chest with her teeth.
Though he longed to extend the anticipation, her moistness on his fingertips unleashed his full lust. He pushed her back onto the bed, she giving a girlish shriek as she landed amongst the blankets, legs splayed. He fell on top of her and grabbed an ankle, opening her legs even wider.
'Fuck me,' she whispered, and he did as he was told, pushing himself down on top of her, one hand around her throat.
Ullsaard watched her face reddening as he pounded inside her. She gasped between gritted teeth and he placed a hand on her cheek. She pursed her lips for a kiss, but he pushed her face sideways into the pillow so that she was not looking at him.
Adjusting his grip on Meliu's leg, he pushed himself into her as far as he could, his climax exploding through his body. Her nails dragged down his chest as she bit the pillow, muffling a whimper, whether of pain or delight he did not care. Ullsaard pulled himself out and squeezed out the last few drops of his seed onto her belly.
Meliu reached an arm around his neck but Ullsaard pulled away, pushing her back to the bed. He looked down at her heaving chest and the glistening between her thighs. He saw desperation in her eyes and suddenly he felt sickened by what he had done. He turned away. Meliu scrambled across the bed and grabbed his wrist. 'Get some sleep,' he said, wrenching from her grip.
He pushed out of the curtain and turned into the next compartment. Allenya lay in bed pretending to sleep; he had watched and listened to her enough times to know when she was truly asleep. He mentally thanked Allenya for the kindness of her silence and slipped under the covers beside her.
He rolled over towards Allenya, ignoring the soft whimpers coming through the canvas screen from Meliu.
VIII
'What do you reckon?' asked Noran.
The former herald sat on his ailur with Aalun and Ullsaard beside him — the prince's followers had smuggled the war beasts out of the city the previous night, along with several chests containing Aalun's belongings, including a large amount of gold askharins. The three of them looked at the distant Askhor Wall trying to discern if the gates were closed. It was impossible to tell in the morning haze.
'I think we have to assume the worst,' said Aalun.
'I agree,' said Ullsaard. 'I cannot see Lutaar going to the trouble of giving Nemtun his generalship back and hiring mercenaries if we could just walk out.'
'We need to detail companies to the forests to collect timber for machines and ladders,' said Noran. 'That is going to take some time.'
Both Aalun and Ullsaard laughed.
'What is so funny?' demanded Noran.
'You,' said Ullsaard. 'Trying to think like a military commander.'
'You'd be right about the siege engines and ladders except for one small thing,' said Aalun.
Noran thought for a moment, wondering what he was missing. He had read enough about the sieges of Parmia, Leruin, Geehd and other towns to consider himself fairly knowledgeable on the subject.
'I do not know,' he admitted. 'What do your keen military minds know that I do not?' Aalun and Ullsaard
