I'd guess perhaps the locals, knowing this terrain better.” He removed the grass stem, and spat. “I'll tell you this—there's not much room for massed cavalry down there on the lakeside. It's not a walled town, but they've got archers. It might not matter.”
Kessligh pursed his lips as he considered. “You're right, old friend,” he said. “That's a narrow lakeside bank, just a few fields and farm walls. Vassyl blocks the way around the lake entirely for cavalry. Attacking Hadryn might try to sneak some infantry around along the high slope, but that'll leave them isolated against Taneryn cavalry between Vassyl and the pass yonder.”
His finger drew across to the right, where Sasha's eyes followed the lake's distant shore beneath the mountains. There was the back route to Halleryn. It ended beneath the tallest peak opposite—Mount Halleryn. Directly below, she could clearly make out the dark cluster that was Halleryn town. And if she was not imagining things, she thought she could make out a dark smudge within that open, green valley. Those would be soldiers. An army, encamped before Halleryn's walls.
“The Hadryn have no business even being in Taneryn,” Sasha muttered. “It's an invasion.”
“Usyn Telgar may claim good cause,” said Damon. Sasha stared at him. “His father was murdered. He may claim justice.”
“This,” Sasha retorted, “is not justice.”
“We don't know what this is, just yet,” Damon replied, his expression dark. There was greater force and certainty in his manner than Sasha had expected. “We shall go down and find out. We shall enforce a truce and interrogate the commanders.”
“We are but eighty men, Highness,” Captain Tyrun reminded him.
“Not once the other companies arrive.”
“They may be days.” Tyrun's manner was calm, merely reminding his prince of the facts, not advocating or arguing.
“Then we shan't tell them that,” Damon said simply. “Shall we?”
He looked around, seeking disagreement, and appeared mildly surprised when he did not find any.
The descent through the forested lower slopes was guarded, for the column heard many strange calls echoing off the hills as they descended. But with the banners prominently displayed, there came no attack. Finally the trail emerged from the thick trees above the town of Vassyl. The surrounding grassy fields were thick with the last of the summer flowers and the town's shingled roofs and decorative trimmings looked pretty indeed before the vast, flat span of the lake.
Spoiling the tranquil scene were the dark, motionless forms lying on the fields closer to the town. Here at the treeline, Sasha knew, they were already within range of high if inaccurate longbow fire.
Guardsmen were pointing westward along the lakeshore, just beyond arrowshot from the town. A cluster of soldiers and horses was visible there, encamped within the narrow space of open land between the lake and the steep rise of the forested slope. One rider was now galloping forth, bearing a banner on which there flapped a white flag.
“I advise we come closer before he arrives, my Prince,” Kessligh called to Damon. “I should like a look at the town.”
Damon nodded and they continued forward, the rear sections of the column galloping to draw up the flanks as they cleared the treeline. Sasha saw an arrow protruding from the ground nearby, half-buried at a steep angle. Then, from the town, there came a second rider, also bearing a pole with a white flag. He jumped the low surrounding wall and spurred toward them.
Sasha could see now that the tight cluster of buildings was no accident of planning—the narrow streets would weave between such buildings, providing no easy avenues for galloping horsemen and plenty of cover for defending archers. There were men standing on some of the roofs, leaning on railings that seemed designed for the purpose, while others stood along the low stone wall that ringed the town. Lenay soldiers did not typically favour archery, but for the defence of Vassyl, it seemed the logical method—northern cavalry armour was rarely more than leather-on-chain, which would blunt longbow fire, but not stop it. And horses, of course, were not armoured at all. And now, as the column drew closer, they passed the first fallen body—a horse, sprawled upon its side, an arrow shaft through its neck. Sasha noted its side continued to rise and fall.
“Damn,” she muttered and swung in her saddle to call to the nearest man behind…but he had already spotted the animal's plight, and swung off from the column whilst drawing his sword. Sasha averted her eyes from what followed—she'd seen enough killing of late.