Clan and Crown

"I don't know, but you got a better idea? If we pull out-" He pointed to the low sunshade awnings the priests had erected to give shelter to the wounded.

"Yeah, I got that picture," Murphy said.

"Besides-"

"Yeah?"

"Hell, Ben, I don't think we can pull out." He. pointed to the north. "A mess of 'em disappeared in that direction. More went east. Not enough to worry about, if that was all of 'em, but enough to ambush us good while we're trying to hold off pursuit."

"Well, we gotta do something."

"Yeah, maybe I'll think of it," Mason said. "Crap, Ben, you know I'm no mucking officer."

"Maybe not, buddy, but you're all we got now," Murphy said. He took a flask from his pocket. "Shot?"

"Yeah-no. Not just now." He lifted the binoculars again.

Arrows fell around Ganton, but none got through his armor. Three knights held shields around him as he stood at the very tip of the ridge. From here he could see almost all of the battlefield.

The three 'groups of the Alliance formed a right isosceles triangle with the Romans at its apex. Across the valley, on the other side of the river, stood the Captain-General's ba

I am the only one who sees all this, now that the balloon is gone, he thought. Knowledge is power, Lord Rick says. To know what the enemy does not know- what is it I know that they do not?

I know where all the Westmen are, and none of them can know this, for they are separated from each other by the low hills in the river valley. Even those on the tops of the knolls see only to the next hill.

And they are divided. The two largest groups face Lord Mason and the Romans, and those two groups are separated by the river. While below facing us Below were perhaps five thousand Westmen. A formidable number, but nothing for the host of Drantos to fear. Small groups of Westmen rode up and down their line, shouting to their comrades, and from time to time riders went toward the enormous bands facing the Romans.

If the Alliance forces were out of-supporting distance, as the starmen called it-so were the Westmen. And the Westmen had no wanax, no single commander.

"Stay here. They must believe that I will return," Ganton ordered the shieldmen. He moved back along the ridge to Morrone. "Send messengers," he said. "Water the horses. The host is to make ready to mount. I want no trumpets to sound until we are ready to ride. The squires and walking wounded will stay to protect the wounded and priests. The rest will prepare to charge. Go quickly now."

Morrone gri

Ganton looked up at the vault of the sky. Father Yatar, give me clear sight. Is this right action?

There was no answer. Or was there? Far away he thought he saw an eagle circling above the valley. Almost he raised the binoculars, but then he let them dangle.

It is an eagle. It is an answer, he told himself. It is enough.

Morrone came up. "All is done as you ordered. Now let me aid you with your armor."

"Aye. Stay with my ba

"Where, Majesty?"

"There." Ganton pointed southeast. "Through yonder band of Westmen. Ignore all the others. You and I will be at the left of the host. The others will form to our right. We break through that line, and ride eastward along the valley to there." He pointed again to where the finger of ridge and trees separating them from the Romans jutted down into the valley. "As soon as we have rounded that small hill, then charge northeast."

Morrone frowned. "Away from the Lord Mason?"

"Yes." He raised his voice to a shout. "Is all in readiness?"

A shout rippled down the line. "LONG LIVE WANAX GANTON!"

"MOUNT!" he ordered. He swung onto his charger. "Morrone, stay with me. I want nothing save my armor closer to my back than you!"

"With my life, Majesty!"

"Sound the trumpets!"

The wild notes of the comets blared up the line. Kettledrums added to the din. The Westmen down below looked up, startled. Ganton whirled the ax above his head. "FOR DRANTOS. FOR CAMITHON AND DRANTOS!"

The line of heavy cavalry moved ponderously forward, until there was no sound but the thunder of hooves and the call of trumpets.

32

Mad Bear had once seen the side of a hill fall when the earth shook. Boulders the size of men had rolled toward him faster than a horse could trot, and dust went up until it seemed it must reach the Father's feet.

He remembered that now. There was dust in plenty, and it was as if the hill had fallen upon him-but now, each boulder was a man dressed all in iron, mounted on a horse so tall it seemed that a Horse People's stallion could pass under its belly, and those great horses wore iron!

The hill was alive with ba

Mad Bear had fought Ironshirts before, but always on an open plain. He had never imagined such a host, of them coming directly toward him. He knew that he saw his death, his and all the Horse People who had stood with him. Somewhere downriver were more of the Horse People, but not enough had come, and now Now there was nothing save honor. The Warrior would see that Mad Bear could die as a man, and that was all he could hope for.

He wasted no time with words. The thunder of the charging Ironshirts was too much. No one would have heard him'. Instead, he counted his arrows. A hand and one more. Not enough, not nearly enough. Well, that would have to do also. He would shoot his arrows and ride away. Perhaps the Ironshirts would scatter as they followed. He nocked an arrow to his bow and tried to aim at flesh, not iron.

"For this was I born!" Ganton spurred his charger ahead. The line of Westmen had turned to face him, and they shot arrows as swiftly as they could. Here and there they struck home and a horse went down, causing others in the lines behind to swerve and stumble; but the host swept on inexorably.

"For this was I born!" he shouted again.

His lance took the first Westman in the throat, spitting him like a boar. Ganton let the lance dip and sweep behind so that his motion pulled it from the fallen enemy. He barely had time to raise it again before it struck home in a Westman pony. Ganton let it go and took the axe which hung by its thong from the saddle horn. As he swept past another enemy the ax swung to crash through a bear-tooth and leather helmet and split the skull below it.

"Sire, let us pass!" Two Guards rode alongside. "We have lances. Let us lead."

Almost he cursed them; then he thought again. If I fall, the day is lost. Morrone ca

If my father could have lived to see, he thought. And I live through this day, the throne is safe. Throne? Dynasty! Our children, mine and Octavia's will hold this land forever!

Wanax and followers rode on until they were through the lines of Westmen.

"Trumpets," Ganton called. "Sound the rally. Bring the host toward me."

The trumpets sang as his ba