Raymond E. Feist - The Complete Legends of the Riftwar Trilogy - Honoured Enemy, Murder in Lamut, Jimmy the Hand

He could see more than one of his men relaxing with the announcement. Tasemu was right: the men, physically, were at their limit. Fighting was the last thing they wanted at this moment. If there was to be a fight, they wanted to save their strength, and as many as their comrades as possible, for the encounter with the Dark Brothers.

Sugama looked up at him, and fortunately had the good sense to keep his mouth shut and offer no challenge to what was a direct order.

‘Captain.’

Asayaga looked over his shoulder, to see that it was the Natalese scout, who had spoken to Dennis. Neither he or Hartraft had seen the scout and his young companion return to the stockade, so intent had been their conversation.

‘They’re coming,’ Dennis said quietly and Gregory nodded agreement.

Gregory started to explain, but Asayaga held up his hand, letting him know that he already understood.

‘We have about an hour, maybe two,’ Gregory said. ‘They’re slow forming up, but their flankers are already starting to climb the rocks to get above us. Tinuva is keeping an eye on them. We’ve killed a couple of their pickets on the way back, so the moredhel will be cautious on the advance, fearing a trap. We’ve got a little time, but we better pack up and get out of here now if it’s going to do us any good.’

Dennis snapped a command to Alwin Barry, still standing behind Sugama, and instantly the room was bustling with activity as Kingdom troops started to don equipment. The order was passed outside, and within seconds more Kingdom troops streamed in, gathering around the fire to soak up a few minutes, warmth and wolf down the last of the stew.

Asayaga, shouting orders, began to gather his own men as well.

‘I understand there is an arrangement,’ Gregory asked, coming up to Asayaga’s side and speaking in Tsurani.

Asayaga simply nodded.

‘Smart move by both of you.’

‘It doesn’t mean the fight between us is over, Natalese.’

Gregory grinned. ‘I never said it was. But I’m happy to see it postponed.’

Asayaga went over to where his four wounded laid. Two of them were putting on their gear and standing up; but the third, Ulgani, was barely conscious. Several of his comrades had gathered around him, heads bowed, hands placed upon his chest, whispering the prayer for the dying.

With all the bustle and turmoil in the room there seemed to be a ring of silence around this small group. Even the Kingdom soldiers, standing but a few feet away were silent. Ulgani’s Patrol Leader placed a hand over his comrade’s eyes, then drew his dagger.

It was over in seconds and the three stepped back, one of them draping a blanket over their dead comrade.

Asayaga looked down at Osami who had watched the ceremony, wide-eyed. He went to kneel by the boy’s side. ‘The march ahead, it is hard. Hard even on old veterans who are healthy. Remember, the chain is only as strong as the weakest link.’

The boy looked up at him, nodded, and then looked back at Ulgani. Blood was soaking through the blanket.

‘I can run,’ Osami whispered. He started to reach for his trousers, but they had been cut away and laid by his side, shredded and blood-soaked.

Panicked the boy looked around.

Someone tossed the boy a pair of trousers, tanned leather, most likely from a dead moredhel. It was the Kingdom priest.

‘I’ll keep an eye on him,’ Brother Corwin said.

‘Stay out of this, dark robe.’

‘No. I put a lot of effort into that boy. He’ll keep up, same as that other boy,’ and the priest nodded to the Kingdom soldier with the broken leg. Grimacing, the boy was on his feet, supporting himself with a makeshift crutch.

‘If it comes to running they’re both dead.’

Dennis had come up to join the debate and was looking over coldly at Corwin.

Corwin grinned. ‘We’ll see when it comes time to run, won’t we? For now, let them be my concern.’

‘Be it on your head then, priest, but we slow for no one.’

Corwin waved him aside and bent over to help the Tsurani get dressed. Osami rejected the offer, even though it was obvious that he was in agony getting the trousers on.

‘Everyone out!’ Dennis shouted. ‘Form up by unit!’

Asayaga, not wanting to let even the implication form that he was following Dennis shouted out his orders for his men to be outside first and ready to march.

There was a final frenzy of activity: men cutting off steaming slices from the haunch of stag still roasting in the fire, dipping earthen mugs into the bottom of the kettle for the last of the stew, snatching blankets from bunks to use as capes; while others filled skins with water, and tucked the skins under their tunics so they wouldn’t freeze.

Asayaga headed for the door, Sugama falling in by his side.

‘You know what will be said back home of this arrangement,’ Sugama whispered.

‘Why, what would you say of it?’ Asayaga fixed him with his gaze. Sugama backed down.

‘They are enemies, but we have a truce; that is sufficient for now,’ Asayaga explained patiently. ‘We are, as the Natalese Ranger puts it, only postponing our fight.’

The bitter wind cut off his words as he stepped out into the open ground in front of the barracks. His men were rapidly falling in. The last of those coming in from guarding the flank stumbled into line, grateful when a comrade offered them a warm piece of meat, or a dry blanket to throw over their shoulders.

He almost felt as if it was a race to see who could form up first, thus demonstrating their discipline. The last of the Kingdom troops came out of the barracks as Tasemu walked down the line and barked a command, the men snapping to attention.

Asayaga looked over at Hartraft’s men who were standing in lines, half a dozen feet away. They did not come to attention as their captain passed. He paused with several of the men, checking their packs, slapping one of them on the shoulder, trading a comment with another that triggered a gruff laugh. Several of the men looked over at Asayaga and he wondered if they had made a joke about him.

‘Order of march,’ Gregory announced, stepping between the two groups.

‘The trail is wide enough for the next few leagues that we move in twin lines. I’ll bring up the rear, laying traps to slow them. I’d like several of the Tsurani to help.’ He looked over at Asayaga and saw Dennis had crossed to stand next to him. Asayaga’s eyebrow lifted in an unspoken question. ‘I estimate an hour, two at most before they try to storm this place. By that time we’ve got to be three miles or more away, then we’re off the trail and into the woods. You have more men, and they’re fresher if we need to run like hell to catch up. If that is acceptable to you, Force Commander,’ Gregory added, grinning.

Asayaga was surprised by the Natalese. He had given an order but offered it as a suggestion. His diplomacy was good. Asayaga nodded and repeated the suggestion of the scout, making it an order, and detailing off four of his best runners to bring up the rear.

Dennis looked over at Asayaga. ‘Keep your men separate from mine. No weapons drawn except bows. If we hit an ambush you break to the left of the trail, I’ll take the right. Make sure your men keep up.’

‘Make sure yours keep up,’ Asayaga snapped.

‘We’ll see.’

‘All right, you bastards, let’s get out of here!’

For a second Asayaga flared, ready to explode at the insult to his lineage, then realized that Hartraft was addressing his own men.

Strange, these Kingdom men , he thought. The informality, the casualness of how they speak to each other, even the way they march .

Asayaga started to move towards the head of the column. There was an explosion of curses behind him. Turning, he saw one of the Kingdom soldiers stepping out of the ranks, shouting, charging into his line of men, shoving a Patrol Leader, Fukizama, to the ground.