“We meet them in the open with the fort at our backs.”
I nodded agreement. The numbers of the enemy had been increasing all day as the interrogations continued, as the refugees slowed to a trickle and stopped and the scouts came in. The engineers had been given orders at my insistence and were working their butts off raising towers and putting small siege engines on them. Nasty little pieces of work that could take down three men at a time. How many barbarians there were wasn't the only thing that changed as the day progressed. Who they were and where they were also fluctuated wildly. Not good signs.
I worried at it for a while but it had to be said so it could be considered. “We should get out of here.” I had picked a moment when we were definitely not going to be overheard. He gave me a stern look and I kept my face impassive. “Listen. The reports are conflicting. What if they refer to more than one group; one of twelve thousand, the others of roughly six and four respectively.”
“Impossible.”
“Not impossible. Twenty two thousand if it's true.”
He looked angry. “They said you might be a coward, cousin. Tell me you are not, please.”
I flushed up. “No, at least I think not. What I am is a rational man with a head full of everything ever written on the subject of war. Break enemy plans, avoid the joining of enemy forces…”
“Then we should pick one direction rumored and strike out against them.”
“It's too late for that. They are too close, hours away. If we hit one and I'm right we could have an enemy at our back or flanks when still engaged. Our only advantage is that they may not know we are here, yet. In which case,” I continued, thinking as I went along, “they will head for the nearest town…” I stormed away, heading for the tent, Tul a step after me. I knew where the nearest town was, what I wanted to do was look at the terrain and make sure the map was right.
“Yebratt!” I needed scouts to report on the terrain, to check against the map.
“You think they will hit Undralt without knowing we are here?”
“Maybe! It would give us an interesting situation. If we let them take it before acting we can destroy half their army while the other half is trapped inside.”
“Battle of Yerprathin! The siege after the siege! I read too, you know.”
I laughed. “Of course you do. We don't send out more scouts, agreed?”
“We don't want to risk one captured. Break the camp?”
Bugger. My lovely towers and siege engines. “Let's think about it.”
When Yebratt arrived we kept him busy.