"Cilarnen," Kellen said doubtfully, "I don't think we have time to build something like that."
"Did you have to build my last work area?" Cilarnen demanded scornfully. "I admit I'd need help if it were going to have wheels, and axles, but it's going to be on sledges, like the heavy wagons which is why I'd need six horses instead of four, if I were going to use horses at all. I'll be fine. Artenel won't even have to cut any more planks; I can just take apart my sanctum and re-use the wood from that."
"Well, I'll look forward to seeing it," Kellen had answered.
"Don't forget the oxen."
Making the war-wagon had taken Cilarnen a little longer than constructing his round house, but three days later, after Kardus had led a yoke of oxen up to him, Cilarnen had driven it down into camp. It looked, Kellen had to admit, very much like the picture Cilarnen had shown him. And by then it was time to leave.
* * * * *
JOINING up with an army on the march especially such a comparatively large army was a complex logistical problem, especially in an area like the Avribalzar Forest, where both forces must move along the War Road in long narrow columns, hemmed in by the trees.
In the end, Kellen simply distributed his forces along the line of march reformed into their traditional units or what was left of them after Halacira. His own command was one of the hardest hit: Only six of his Twelve survived, and almost half of them had been new after the Second Battle of the Caverns.
Then, as their places appeared in the line of march Healers, Knights, supply-wagons each element of the army moved fluidly into the gaps Redhelwar left for them. Cilarnen and Vestakia rode with the Healers.
And once more Kellen and his command became a part of the main army.
Unfortunately from Kellen's point of view this maneuver was all-too-easy to accomplish, even after all his warnings to Redhelwar. Even after a thousand years and, for all he knew, after five thousand years the elements of the Elven Army marched and fought in exactly the same position and order.
And that meant that when the Allies finally met the Enemy on the battlefield for the first time in a thousand years, the Enemy would know exactly where to strike for greatest effect.
Chapter Fifteen
The Road to Armethalieh
AT THE END of the day, when the army made camp, Kellen was at last reunited with Idalia and Jermayan.
He had seen Ancaladar flying back and forth above the trees several times that day, of course, but though the sight did much to reassure him that Jermayan was indeed alive, it did nothing to answer Kellen's many questions.
But that night, after camp had been pitched and the simple housekeeping chores of life upon the road attended to, the five of them gathered together in Idalia's tent.
Kellen was instantly struck by how changed Jermayan seemed. While both Cilarnen and Vestakia looked as if they were being consumed from within by different but equally catastrophic fires and so glowed far too brightly, Jermayan looked as if some natural illumination that he should properly possess had been extinguished.
The explanations both Jennayan's and Idalia's took several hours, starting with Idalia's realization that the imminent arrival of He Who Is back in the world from which he had been banished uncounted millennia before was keeping the Wildmage magic from working properly, to the discovery of the ancient Tokens hanging in the Council Chamber of Sentarshadeen, to the summoning of the Starry Hunt.
At least now Kellen had a name for their new ally, though from the explanation he received, it was actually a very old one.
From there it became Jermayan's story: his realization that the appearance of the Hunt in this world meant a period of unsureness and confusion for Them; his realization that by expending all of his and Ancaladar's magic to open a door to Ondoladeshiron he could gain the army precious time so that they might meet the Enemy while it was still disorganized; their rescue by the Starry Hunt as they lay dying.
But at a price.
Happy and grateful as he was to have his friends restored to them especially for Idalia's sake Kellen privately lamented the loss of Jermayan's powers as an Elven Mage. Cilarnen's abilities were not nearly as great, and the sort of things that Kellen, or Idalia or any of the other Wildmages, for that matter could do were entirely different than what he had seen Jermayan accomplish.
The loss of Jermayan's magic might cost them dearly.
For one thing, Kellen had been counting on Jermayan to break the wards around Armethalieh or at least bend them a little so that they could get Cilarnen into the City to talk to the High Council. Assuming, of course, that they could get to Armethalieh in the first place.
He said as much to Cilarnen, much later that night.
They were alone. He had walked Cilarnen back to his fancy cart Cilarnen didn't actually sleep in it, but he pitched his tent beside it. In a camp on the move, there was no possibility of the privacy Cilarnen preferred, but the young High Mage had placed his tent and wagon at the edge of the camp, near the horse-lines.
Cilarnen made a small sound of amused surprise.
"I know Jermayan's power is was vast, but I do not know if he could have broken the wards, Kellen, without destroying the City down to its foundation stones. Remember what they were designed to keep out in the first place. I've been thinking about the problem, though, and I think I have another solution to it. One They would never think of, because They couldn't use it without destroying Themselves. But we can if Redhelwar will give me the proper tools to work with."
"I'm sure he will, if he can," Kellen said cautiously. He already knew from experience that Cilarnen's idea of "the proper tools" could be eccentric, to put it charitably.
"If he gives me the Unicorn Knights, I can breech the walls of Armethalieh," Cilarnen said, with absolute certainty.
But would they reach the walls of Armethalieh?
* * * * *
FOUR days after Kellen's force had rejoined the main army, the Allied Army Men, Centaurs, Elves gathered in the fields and orchards beyond the Unicorn Meadow at Sentarshadeen.
It had snowed every day since Kellen had returned from his last visit to Sentarshadeen, but Jermayan assured him that there was usually a break in the weather just after Midwinter, and it had finally come. The day of their arrival had dawned bright and clear and cold, and the Wildmages had assured Redhelwar that the clear weather should hold for at least the next fortnight.
Kellen had spoken extensively to Redhelwar, both about Vestakia's "visions" there was really no other good word to describe the information she relayed to him and Idalia and also of what Cilarnen saw when he looked into Armethalieh. Though Redhelwar was just as dismayed as Morusil had been by the prospect of taking the Allied Army outside the Elven Lands, he agreed that there might be no better chance to deny Them something They seemed to want very much.
And it was not simply the fact that Armethalieh might be the key to defeating Them. By taking the army outside the borders of the Elven Lands, they would draw the Enemy's attention to themselves and away from everything else.
And at the moment, that was vital, too.
Not all the Wildmages were with the army. Some of them had remained with their families in the High Reaches, and were in frequent communication with their partners who had joined the army. They passed news of Demonic raids of increasing ferocity, of spreading plague and blight, of the encroachment of monstrous creatures beyond the experience of any but the Lostlanders.
If the army could occupy the Enemy's full attention, perhaps it could gain the non-combatants a breathing space.
* * * * *
THE army reached the edge of the Unicorn Meadow at noon.
Kellen and his troop were escorting Redhelwar, riding at the front of the column. Cilarnen, Idalia, and Vestakia rode with Redhelwar as well; Cilarnen had pointed out cheerfully that there was no point in having a destrier if you weren't going to ride him, and it was perfectly true that Anganil sulked if he didn't get what the black stallion believed was his proper due.
Behind them, the army was spread in a wide column. They'd left the forest that morning and changed formation to one more suited to open country; the unicorns moving off to the left and ahead; the Knights organizing in ranks behind their Commanders and Sub-Commanders; the Centaurs and Mountainfolk behind them behind their own commanders; then the Healers and Wildmages, the supply wagons, the herds, and the rear guard.
All very impressive.
When they reached the edge of the Unicorn Meadow it still managed to look manicured, even covered in well-trampled snow Kellen could see there was a pavilion set up in the middle of the meadow.
It looked very much like the one he'd been greeted by when he'd returned from the Black Cairn, except for the fact that this one was green and silver instead of yellow and red.
Redhelwar gave the order for the army to halt.