arrow struck the pony's foreleg, digging a deep gash and making him rear, nearly dislodging the woman.
The Behrenese merchants were in a full run, then, fleeing in terror from their own countrymen. Brynn's soldiers pulled them in roughly, herding them to a central point, while Brynn, with Runtly back under control, marched de-fiantly back to her previous position.
"Despite your insolence, I offer you a similar chance to surrender," she yelled out to the castle.
"Go away!" came a curt reply. ?You cannot defeat our thick walls, fool, and we'll not run out to do battle with you. Water your horses if you choose, for we cannot stop you, but your victory here has reached its end! Go away!"
Brynn held her sword aloft and sent a burst of fire running the length of its blade. ?I am the Dragon of To-gai!"
she cried. ?Dharyan has fallen. Pruda has fallen. There is no escape for you. I will knock the walls of your fortress down around you!"
The answer came in the form of another volley of arrows, but Brynn already moving her precious mount out of harm's way.
"Water the horses and resupply on the far side of the lake," she in structed her commanders as she crossed by them. ?But keep a perimeter of scouts up and ready. If they try to flee the castle, chase them into the open desert."
"What of them?" one tall and stern To-gai-ru warrior asked, pointing out the twenty merchant prisoners and their slaves, which included some To-gai-ru.
"Our countrymen will join with us - find them mounts from among the captured," Brynn instructed. ?Allow the Behrenese servants to go. Give them mounts and supplies enough to get them to the next town in line. And the merchants..."
Brynn paused, considering what value might be gleaned from the unex-pected prisoners. ?Send them south with the next group bearing wealth in the hopes of employing mercenaries. Tell our leaders in that action to use them for ransom."
The warrior, and many others, looked at her skeptically, an expression that Brynn returned with one of inquisition.
"We agreed long ago that we would take no prisoners," the man explained.
Brynn looked to the groveling merchants, men and women grown soft from living most of their lives in almost decadent luxury, from having oth-ers do all of their menial tasks for them.
"They will hardly hinder us," she decided. ?As we take this war more fully into Behren, employing greedy pirates and mercenaries, we will need even greater wealth, and I suspect that this group will offer anything to save their soft skins, whatever the cost to Behren."
"Yes, my Dragon," the warrior agreed with a brisk bow.
The title hit Brynn like a slap. She knew that many had taken to referring to her in that manner, but given what she knew of Agradeleous' true, destructive nature, she wasn't sure that the title was quite the compliment intended.
The warrior woman, ranger and trained in Jhesta Tu, steeled herself against those twangs of guilt. She had told the impudent Behrenese that she would topple their walls around them, and she meant to do just that.
The fortress at Garou had been built to withstand the fastest spears thrown by ballistae, the heaviest shot of catapults, and the thunder of magical gem-stones, the greatest engines of war ever devised by man.
But Brynn had a greater weapon than that at her disposal.
Juraviel and Cazzira turned their heads in unison to see the approach of Brynn, the woman walking and not astride Runtly. The elves, along with Agradeleous, had put up behind the shelter of a high dune, a half mile from the besieged oasis, and as with the victory at Pruda, and despite the night of devastation he had rained upon the outposters in To-gai, insatiable Agradeleous did not seemed pleased to be left out of the fighting.
The dragon's lip curled up over his fangs and he gave a low grumble and moved away as Brynn neared the elves.
"You did not try to lure them out," Cazzira remarked. ?I was surprised to see the whole of your force charging to battle."
"Not the whole of her force," came Agradeleous' sarcastic remark.
"Different tactics for a different battleground," Brynn explained. ?I wanted them forced within the casde, and so they are, and now I mean to tear it down."
All three heads turned on that cue, to regard the suddenly interested dragon, and Agradeleous' lip curled again, this time with apparent delight.
Brynn walked between the elves, approaching the dragon directly. ?This will be your most difficult challenge