'What was it that Stolicus wrote, General Kroy? "Never fear your enemy, but always respect him." I suppose that would be my advice, if I gave any.' Burr frowned across the table. 'But I don't give advice. I give orders.'

Kroy twitched with displeasure at the reprimand, but at least he shut up. For the time being. West knew that he wouldn't stay quiet for long. He never did.

'We must be cautious,' continued Burr, now addressing the room at large, 'but we still have the advantage. We have twelve regiments of the King's Own, at least as many men in levies from the noblemen, and a few Anglanders who avoided the carnage at Black Well. Judging from such reports as we have, we outnumber our enemy by five to one, or more. We have the advantage in equipment, in tactics, in organisation. The Northmen, it seems, are not ignorant of this. Despite their successes, they are remaining north of the Cumnur, content to forage and mount the odd raid. They do not seem keen to come across the river and risk an open battle with us.'

'One can hardly blame 'em, the dirty cowards,' chuckled Poulder, to mutterings of agreement from his own staff. 'Probably regretting they ever crossed the border now!'

'Perhaps,' murmured Burr. 'In any case, they are not coming to us, so we must cross the river and hunt them down. The main body of our army will therefore be split into two parts, the left wing under General Kroy, the right under General Poulder.' The two men eyed each other across the table with the deepest hostility. 'We will push up the eastern road from our camps here at Ostenhorm, spread out beyond the river Cumnur, hoping to locate Bethod's army and bring him to a decisive battle.'

'With the greatest respect,' interrupted General Kroy, in a tone that implied he had none, 'would it not be better to send one half of the army up the western road?'

'The west has little to offer aside from iron, the one thing with which the Northmen are already well supplied. The coast road offers richer pickings, and is closer to their own lines of supply and retreat. Besides, I do not wish our forces to be too thinly spread. We are still guessing at Bethod's strength. If we can bring him to battle, I want to be able to concentrate our forces quickly, and overwhelm him.'

'But, Lord Marshal!' Kroy had the air of a man addressing a senile parent who still, alas, retains the management of their own affairs. 'Surely the western road should not be left unguarded?'