And if the situation got really bad, he could always flee with his wives later.
IX
Ullsaard and Aalun had gathered the First Captains in the main pavilion and were discussing how to assault the Wall when Noran returned. The nobleman's serious expression told Ullsaard all he needed to know about the situation at the Wall.
"The gate was closed two nights ago," Noran said, helping himself to a cup of water that had been holding down one corner of the map. "The merchants bribed the gate captain to let them in at dusk yesterday, but all other traffic was sent back to Narun."
"Are we really going to attack?" asked Anasind. "Up to now, all we've done is kill a few peasants. Some would say this was treason."
There were discontented mutterings from the other First Captains.
"Leave us," Ullsaard said sharply, flicking a hand at his subordinates. "Don't go far though."
The First Captains withdrew and as soon as they were gone, Aalun spoke up.
"They have a point," said the prince. "Perhaps there is no need for this to become a physical confrontation. If we attack the Wall, we are attacking the legionnaires of the Crown; we will be waging war against our rightful king. I am not sure that is a step I want to take."
"And the alternative?" asked Ullsaard.
"We relinquish command of the legions, send word to my father that we accept exile and bide our time. In a few years' time, sooner probably, my father's death will create a new platform to challenge Kalmud's suitability for the Crown."
"And if Kalmud recovers?" asked Noran.
Aalun spread his hands on the table and his tone was earnest.
"I know that you think this is my personal ambition, but I assure you it is not. I genuinely worry for the future of Greater Askhor should my brother become an infirm ruler; worse still if Kalmud dies and the Crown passes to Erlaan, who is far too inexperienced."
"He has a point," said Ullsaard, looking at Noran.
"For himself, maybe," Noran replied. He directed his attention towards the prince. "I have no doubt what you say is true. I agree with you for the most part, even if your methods up to now have been faulty."
Aalun opened his mouth to speak but Noran raised hand.
"Let me finish, Prince, if I may. I think that if you were to dissolve the army and retreat for a while, you would be all right. The king exiled you personally." Noran turned again to Ullsaard. "But you, my friend… You have been declared a traitor to the empire by the Brotherhood. Seizure of all your lands, your family, and a gruesome death come with that. Aalun may walk away from this intact, but you will not. Lutaar will want your head on a platter for what he thinks you have done."
Noran began to pace, but kept his eyes on Ullsaard.
"No comfortable exile for you, General." Noran jabbed a pointed finger towards Ullsaard. "You would have to leave not only Askhor, but flee the empire entirely. Your reputation is already in tatters; your sons will be ruined and made paupers. People will spit in the dirt when your name is mentioned, and should you ever be caught, your flayed remains will be paraded around the empire as a warning to anyone who thinks they can defy the king of Askhor."
Ullsaard's expression grew grimmer as he listened to Noran, until a deep scowl creased his brow.
"I'll not let that happen," said the general. His hard stare moved between Noran and Aalun. "You can both leave now if you want no part of this, but I will be ordering my men to break through the Wall, and they will obey my order."
"I'm with you, friend," Noran said immediately. Aalun did not answer for some time, and when he did it was with a heartfelt sigh.
"If this is the way it must be, then so be it," the prince said eventually. "We must force this issue to a conclusion."
"Good," said Ullsaard. "Noran, I have another favour to ask of you."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Ride down to the Wall with a message for the gate captain. Warn him that if he refuses to open the gate for me, I will have no choice but to attack. He can avoid the deaths of his men if he does not interfere with our leaving Askhor."
"Is it wise to forewarn them?" Noran asked.
"I have thirty thousand men camped five miles away from the Wall. I think the gate captain already has a good idea of what we intend to do. Let's give him a chance to do the sensible thing."
Noran headed for the tent flap.
"And could you send my captains in again?" Ullsaard called after him. Noran raised a hand in acknowledgement without turning around and left the pavilion.
The First Captains stood around a fire not far away, deep in conversation. Noran passed on Ullsaard's message and stood looking into the flames when the legion commanders were gone.
This is it, he thought. A few days ago he would never have imagined he'd be in a legion camp, about to start a war with his own king.
"Bollocks," he muttered. "Shit and bollocks."
X
Outnumbered by three to one, the commander of the Wall had chosen not to meet Ullsaard's army on the hills around the Wall, but had drawn in his entire garrison to the rampart and towers around that massive gatehouse. Though the majority of the war engines defending the Askhor Gap were pointed outwards, a few of the spear throwers had been dismounted from their positions and turned around to face inward. Kolubrid scouts had returned to report that only skeleton garrisons had been left to defend a few towers to coldwards and hotwards, no more than a thousand men out of the Wall captain's force.
Armed with this information, Ullsaard sent Donar coldwards with his Fifth Legion. They were to take possession of the Wall three miles coldwards and march along the rampart to the gatehouse. From the back of Blackfang, Ullsaard watched carefully as the Fifth's trumpets rang out signalling the advance and Donar's companies wheeled off to the right.
There was no movement in the gatehouse. Clearly Ullsaard's opponent was not willing to weaken his defence of the gate. Ullsaard wondered what he would do if he had been in his enemy's boots. It was not an enviable position. I'd probably have opened the gates and waved goodbye and good riddance, Ullsaard decided.
The air was filled with a fine drizzle of rain, the clouds low over the hills. Droplets dappled Ullsaard's armour and the bronze mask of his ailur. The wind was low, the company standards of his army hanging lank on their poles. With each passing hour, the footing was getting muddier, but the road was too narrow for all of the legions to attack along. All things considered, it was a miserable day for a battle, but things would get worse if they waited. Noran had reported no sightings of Nemtun or the Nemurians, but the lack of news did not comfort Ullsaard.
He despatched kolubrid messengers to his First Captains, telling them to prepare for the advance. Companies trotted into position around the general, their armour clinking dully in the rain, the shouts of the third captains distant and muffled.
The left wing was held by Jutiil and his Twelfth. Their orders were to swing left and draw some of the defenders towards the closest hotwards guard tower. To their right Ullsaard had positioned the Tenth under Rondin, their companies organised into broad phalanxes six men deep. On the far right of the line, now that Donar had departed on his mission, the Sixteenth held the flank. Ullsaard had saved the prestigious centre position for his own Thirteenth, standing in tight, square formations beside their general.
Ahead of them, a little under a mile away, stood the Wall. Ullsaard knew that it had not been designed to withstand attacks from the Askhor side, and the advantage of numbers was his, but nonetheless it would not be an easy task. The enemy had the advantage of their elevated positions and doubtlessly would have barricaded the tower stairs with whatever they could find to hold back Ullsaard's assault while they poured arrows and spears into their foes. Ullsaard had neither the equipment nor the inclination to force the gate itself. He had to take control of the gate mechanism and open the gate, and all his attention was focussed on that goal.