He had been saying that to his own people for so long.
“The King leads his people-”
“The King should have more sense. You're not young any more. If you are in the front line you'll die. Leave that for younger men who can defend themselves. Getting killed will not help Anthor. You'll not have Althak by your side this time, Menish.”
“Vorish, you're not often wrong but this time you are. You want me to announce that Drinagish will lead them. If I do that I'll no longer be King. Yet Drinagish will not be King either, there'll be confusion and division. People will not know whether to follow him, or go home. Many will go home.
“I think I'll die in this battle. It's something I'm ready for. I'd rather die in battle than grow old and toothless around the fire. You don't know what pain this leg gives me at times.”
Vorish grasped him by the shoulders.
“But I don't want you to die!” Vorish’s eyes rolled white and his face paled alarmingly, even in the ruddy glow of the fire. Menish had not seen him so disturbed since he was a child and used to have fits of rage. He could feel the grip on his shoulders tighten and Vorish’s mouth jerked oddly, but it only lasted a moment. He clamped his jaw shut and closed his eyes, bowing his head and steadying himself against Menish. “At least accept some of my Ammorl guards as a bodyguard,” he said hoarsely. “They'll guard you with their lives.”
Menish shook his head, though he was afraid of the reaction he might provoke.
“My people would be offended. You know they don't want to share the glory.”
“Then Drinagish must guard you, he and his own guard. If they let anything happen to you I will tear their skin from their backs. I wish Althak were here!
“Very well, since you're determined. But they need to all charge together and to the rest of your people the trumpet means nothing.”
“I told you I can manage my own people, Vorish.”
Drinagish and his guard had all but completed their dance. Another trumpet blast from Neathy and they broke their circle and galloped back behind the bonfire amid cheers and the settling of bets.
As the noise died down Menish moved his horse forward into the roped off area, Bolythak moved up beside him with the standard.
“Did you like that?” Menish shouted. There were cries of ‘yes’ and cheers. “Can Anthorians ride horses?” A unanimous ‘yes’ chorused out. “Can Anthorians fight Gashans?” A loud cheer. “Poor, stupid Gashans! If only they knew what slaughter we will make of them, they'd run back to their stinking forests and hide.” Another cheer. They were in a good mood, and Menish had had years of practice at speaking to them. “Some of you have asked me what all these Relanese soldiers are here for. I'll tell you.” They went suddenly silent. “You may have noticed there are a lot of them. They've come to watch how Anthor fights. Are we going to show them?” Cries of ‘yes’ and ‘we’ll show them’ roared back.
“Now, tomorrow we travel north to the battle plain where we beat these stupid Gashans last time. We'll wait for them there. When we see them I'll place my standard at the end of the valley, and you'll assemble by it. People have been telling me I am getting old-” There were cries of ‘no’ from the crowd. “Well I'm not as quick as I used to be. That's why I want you to wait until I signal before we charge, just to give the old fellow a chance.” There were hoots of laughter. “So when you see my standard dip, dip it Bolythak, like that, then we all charge together. We meet them head on-” He clapped his hands together. “And those Gashans that live will talk of Anthorian swords for generations. But wait for the signal. I want to have first cut at this Gashan filth, and I'll take it as a personal insult if anyone charges before my signal,” there were murmurs of assent. “Remember that signal.” Bolythak dipped the standard again. “And slaughter Gashans when you see it. Stupid Gashans!” He was answered with hearty laughter.
“Someone reminded me yesterday that the Gashans can throw fire. Oh yes, it's true, they can. We're going to give them the fright of their short lives! Drinagish has found a way to throw fire back at them, and some of the Emperor’s men are going to try it out. So when you see fire erupting in the Gashan ranks you'll know what it is. It's Drinagish blasting the front ranks and frightening the rest half to death. Don't kill too many Drinagish, leave some for us!”
They burst into cheering and laughter, someone started a chant of ‘Menish, Menish’, but it faded when Menish raised his hand for silence.
“So remember two things, the signal,” Bolythak dipped the standard again, “and Drinagish’s fire.
“What will you do when you see the signal?”
Cries of ‘charge’ and ‘kill’ were shouted back.
“I'm getting old, I can't hear you. What will you do?”
“Charge!”
He put his finger to his ear and nodded at Bolythak who dipped the standard again.
“Charge!” The cry roared back. They drew swords and waved them above their heads, they stamped the ground until it shook. It took some time for them to settle down again.
“Stupid Gashans!” said Menish. “Fancy wanting to fight you lot!” He climbed down from the horse amid more cheers and laughter. Their response had heartened him, even his leg felt better. He had noticed several people he would have counted as enemies, people like Marayhir, cheering along with the rest. He felt he had got Vorish’s message through.
It took them only four days to reach the battleground. Vorish’s scouts met them halfway through the mountain pass with news that the Gashans had been sighted on barges crossing the lake. From that point on they marched day and night until they reached the wide valley where the battle had been fought forty years before. The mound of dead, where Telish IV and Menish’s father lay, was still there, so was the river. But a grey haze obscured the far end of the valley. Somewhere in that haze lay the Gashan camp, but they could not see it. Even the scouts could bring them no information, which incensed Vorish. Those who entered the haze did not return.
By evening the Anthorians had set up a camp near the river. Menish made another encouraging speech to his folk while they ate, reminding them about waiting for the banner to dip and about Drinagish’s fire. They still thought they were on a cattle raid, though, and so many of them were so young. But they were tired too. They had slept little the last few nights.
Vorish’s light cavalry ate cold food and used the cover of night to move onto the forested slopes overlooking the battlefield. It was important that the Gashans not realise they were there until after they engaged Anthor. They could light no fires to warm themselves that night.
The heavy cavalry assembled behind the Anthorian forces. There had been arguments about that, but Menish knew that the heavy horses needed flat country to be effective. They ought to have been arrayed in front of Menish’s light cavalry but he knew the Anthorians would not accept that.
Vorish set up his command post above the tree line, where he could see the battlefield clearly. It too was fireless. Menish and Adhara walked up there after they had eaten. It was a cold night and they hugged their cloaks around themselves, but they both wanted to escape the pressure of people in the camp more than they wanted to be warmed by the fire. A silence enfolded them like the cold as they climbed the hill. The forest dwellers of the day were asleep, and the night creatures were silent. Vorish’s men were away over to their right, not in this part of the forest. Adhara had deliberately chosen a path that would avoid them.
There was little undergrowth and they followed a rough path threading between straight trunks that glistened where the moonlight touched them. In a little while the trees thinned and they were able to see across the valley. The moon was just past full. It shone on a white mist that rose from the river and spread in wisps across the plain. Away down the valley they could see pinpricks of light, the camp fires of Gashan. Menish knew Vorish’s scouts would be down there, learning what they could under cover of darkness. He remembered the dreadful scene he had witnessed in Gashan and wondered what such people did to prepare for battle.