to Jacintha for replacements, if need be, once the battle is won. ?Perhaps you should put out the call now, Yatol," Wan Atenn offered.
"Reinforce Dharyan before ordering the garrison out on the hunt."
"Dharyan is secure."
"There are goblins in the mountains to the north."
Carwan Pestle looked at the Chezhou-Lei warrior curiously after that re-mark. There had been no recent reports of any goblins forming in the mountains - not in any real numbers, anyway.
"You wished to poison the rebels, and so we tried, and so we failed," Ya-tol Grysh countered. ?How many embarrassments must I suffer at the hands of the dog Ashwarawu? No more, I say. He is said to be near Dancala Grysh, and so there you will go with my soldiers. And there he will die, and I will be bothered in hearing his name no more!"
Wan Atenn stiffened again, noticeably. ?I will not, Yatol," he said calmly. ?I am bound to remain by your side whenever I perceive that you are vul-nerable. And so you shall be if..." He paused and stared at the Yatol, then nodded hesitantly. ?When," he corrected, ?the garrison marches to Dan-cala Grysh. They will defeat Ashwarawu without me, I am sure."
Yatol Grysh stared coldly at the Chezhou-Lei warrior for a few moments, then gave a tension-breaking laugh.
"Press a hundred men into service to accompany the garrison," he said. ?It will take at least that many to make up for the absence of Wan Atenn in the battle for Dancala Grysh. And se-lect another hundred civilians to bolster our walls. The Shepherds can spare a couple of weeks away from their flocks, and this business should be promptly concluded. It saddens me that you will not be there as my per-sonal representative when Ashwarawu is killed, but I will not force you to abandon your vows to protect me."
with a click of his heels and a curt bow, Wan Atenn spun about and strode powerfully out of the room.
i do not think..." Carwan Pestle started to ask, but the Yatol cut him short.
I am weary and will retire now," he said. ?Come with me to my private quarters, that we might speak of these new decisions. Perhaps I will send you as my emissary to Dancala Grysh."
That remark certainly widened Carwan Pestle's eyes, but he held his tongue, obediently following his master from the audience hall, back to the lavish private quarters.
"Speak openly," Grysh said as he fell into a comfortable chair in a small and cozy room.
Carwan Pestle stammered over a couple of words.
"Speak, young Shepherd," the Yatol demanded. ?This is a glorious time Do you not understand?"
"You mean to chase Ashwarawu across the steppes, Yatol?" Pestle asked nervously. ?I thought that our policy of bolstering the defenses of the settle-ments slowly and deliberately, of encouraging walls to be built around every village, and of sending soldiers out to oversee the construction of proper defenses was becoming effective. Over the whole of the winter, Ashwarawu has not struck at a single village. Only caravans."
"Of course it has been effective," Grysh replied. ?Ashwarawu cannot risk defeat at a minor settlement when so little gain is to be found and so great is the possible loss. He will attack Dancala Grysh only if he perceives that there is little risk."
"The town is not the best defended of the settlements, at last assessment, but - " Carwan Pestle was stopped short by Grysh's renewed laughter.
"Wan Atenn understands," the Yatol explained. ?That is why the glory-hungry Chezhou-Lei refused to leave Dharyan."
Carwan Pestle's face screwed up with confusion, then his eyes gradually widened as he began to catch on.
"You believe that Ashwarawu will bypass Dancala Grysh and strike at Dharyan?" he asked incredulously.
"All signs are that his force has grown stronger," the Yatol reasoned. ?Ashwarawu's reputation lends courage to all the Ru, and each of his vic-tories sends more warriors flocking to join him. A great and significant vic-tory could mobilize the entire region of To-gai behind him. Ashwarawu is no fool. If he thinks we are weakened here, he will desire that significant victory - one that will carry him to greater glory over the course of the sum-mer. He knows that he cannot continue striking and running, that soon enough we will grow tired of him and send an army powerful enough to hunt him down and utterly destroy him - I am sure that he was a bit wor-ried when two twenty-squares marched into Dharyan at the beginning of the winter, fearing just that