'Unless there are any further questions then, gentlemen, we have a great deal of work to do.' Burr looked round the half-circle of sulky faces. No one spoke. 'Dismissed.'

Kroy's staff and Poulder's exchanged frosty glances as they hurried to be first out of the room. The two great generals themselves jostled each other in the doorway, which was more than wide enough for both of them, neither wanting to turn his back on the other, or to follow behind him. They turned, bristling, once they had pushed their way out into the corridor.

'General Kroy,' sneered Poulder, with a haughty toss of his head.

'General Poulder,' hissed Kroy, tugging his impeccable uniform smooth.

Then they stalked off in opposite directions.

As the last of Prince Ladisla's staff ambled out, holding forth to each other noisily about who had the most expensive armour, West got up to leave himself. He had a hundred tasks to be getting on with, and there was nothing to be gained by waiting. Before he got to the door, though, Lord Marshal Burr began to speak.

'So there's our army, eh, West? I swear, I sometimes feel like a father with a set of squabbling sons, and no wife to help me. Poulder, Kroy, and Ladisla.' He shook his head. 'My three commanders! Every man of them seems to think the purpose of this whole business is his personal aggrandisement. There aren't three bigger heads in the whole Union. It's a wonder we can fit them all in one room.' He gave a sudden burp. 'Damn this indigestion!'

West racked his brains for something positive. 'General Poulder seems obedient, at least, sir.'

Burr snorted. 'Seems, yes, but I trust him even less than Kroy, if that's possible. Kroy, at least, is predictable. He can be depended on to frustrate and oppose me at every turn. Poulder can't be depended on at all. He'll smirk, and flatter, and obey to the tiniest detail, until he sees some advantage to himself, and then he'll turn on me with double the ferocity, you'll see. To keep 'em both happy is impossible.' He squinted and swallowed, rubbing at his gut. 'But as long as we can keep them equally unhappy, we've a chance. The one thing to be thankful for is that they hate each other even more than they do me.'