Her sarcasm was not lost on the mystic, but he remained too perplexed and unsure to comment on it. With Pagonel still looking down at the dis-tant settlement, Brynn turned her attention back to Ashwarawu.
"Yatol Grysh brings his forces here, out in the open, as a challenge to us and to all To-gai," Ashwarawu reasoned. ?He believes that this paltry force can defeat us!"
"No!" came the cries from many corners of the camp.
"Are we to accept this challenge?" Ashwarawu asked.
"Death to the Wraps!" one man cried, and another and then another echoed his sentiment.
Ashwarawu put on a wicked grin. ?Death to Yatol Grysh," he said. ?In his arrogance and frustration, he has erred, for his forces cannot match our pace as we ride to the east!"
"I think he just said that we are to attack Dharyan," Brynn remarked to Pagonel dryly.
That got the mystic's attention, and he looked to her, then turned to the distant Ashwarawu.
"Let us take the battle to Yatol Grysh's home, and see how strong his re-solve remains," Ashwarawu cried.
"Our enemy thinks so little of us that he empties his city in the hunt. He insults us and taunts us. How loud will his taunts resound when Dharyan is in flames?"
Tlr t last question elicited thunderous cheers from the gathering, as fierce tv as Brynn Dharielle had ever heard, and the woman joined in. p.gonel did not. He was looking back at the settlement, then, think- that this was all a bit too convenient. Certainly the rebels had discussed g king Dharyan before; they had even made arrangements, through Ya V Deng, to build some support within the city if a battle should be joined. 3gut no'W) so suddenly, Dharyan seemed ripe for the plucking.
Obviously so.
The raider band set out almost immediately, breaking down their camp with stunning efficiency and riding hard to the east. Dharyan was five days wav but Ashwarawu hoped to knock a full day off the journey, so that the city could be struck, perhaps even sacked, before the garrison now settled into the outposter village could hope to get back and help.
The rebel band eagerly accepted Ashwarawu's desired pace, even ex-ceeding it, so that the white walls of Dharyan and the great temple within were visible to them as they set their camp on the third night.
"Tomorrow will bring triumph or disaster," Brynn said to Pagonel.
"A resigned tone is not the voice of a warrior," the mystic observed. ?What do you fear?"
Brynn spent a long while sorting through her feelings, then answered quietly, ?It seems as if our enemy, Grysh, has erred in failing to understand the strength of our forces. Could he have been so foolish as to strip his walls of trained soldiers?"
"Or?" The mystic's prompting told Brynn that he knew everything she was thinking, that he had likely already sorted these confusing issues out in his own mind.
"Or he wanted us here," Brynn admitted. She gave a great sigh. ?But does not every leader faced with such a seemingly wondrous opportunity question it? And are not blunders, exactly like this one that Yatol Grysh has apparently made, often the turning point in a prolonged battle?"
'He does, and they are," the mystic answered.
"Then where does that leave us?"
In response, Pagonel nodded toward Ashwarawu, who was sitting near a small fire, chatting and laughing with some of the newer raiders. Whatever his faults, Brynn could not deny the love the raider band held for this man.
jhe saw them staring, awestricken, at him, looking up to him for guidance.
Looking up to Ashwarawu for hope.
I he next dawn came shrouded in a heavy overcast, and the To-gai-ru ?amp settled in quietly, drawing up their plans, readying their horses and weapons.
Various warriors were selected for various duties: strong riders to carry the torches to the base of the wall; the stealthiest of the group to lead the way in, scaling Dharyan's low wall and quickly and quietly finishing off the sentries.
Ashwarawu wasted no time in approaching Pagonel for this second task The Jhesta Tu were noted for the ability to follow the path of shadows, and with no more sound than a shadow might make!
The mystic stared up at the large and imposing man. This was not an easy moment for Pagonel, for if he accepted the duty, he would be thrust into combat. But this was a crucial moment for the raiders and for all of To-gai If Ashwarawu could win a victory here, in the