The chances were high that General Mitterick and the rest were just as big a set of idiots as Calder was himself. Which meant they were big ones. ‘Have you seen those bloody flags?’ he called down.

Pale-as-Snow shrugged. ‘It’s the Union.’

‘Where’s White-Eye?’

‘Touring the fires, trying to keep mens’ spirits up.’

‘Not buoyed by having me in charge, then?’

Pale-as-Snow shrugged again. ‘They don’t all know you like I do. Probably Hansul’s busy singing the song of how you punched Brodd Tenways in the face. That’ll do their love for you no harm.’

Maybe not, but punching men on his own side wasn’t going to be enough. Calder’s men were beaten and demoralised. They’d lost a leader they loved and gained one nobody did. If he did any more nothing, the chances were high they’d fall apart in battle tomorrow morning, if they were even there when the sun rose.

Scale had said it. This is the North. Sometimes you have to fight.

He pressed his tongue into his teeth, the glimmers of an idea starting to take shape from the darkness. ‘Mitterick, is it, across the way?’

‘The Union Chief? Aye, Mitterick, I think.’

‘Sharp, Dow told me, but reckless.’

‘He was reckless enough today.’

‘Worked for him, in the end. Men tend to stick to what works. He loves horses, I heard.’

‘What? Loves ’em?’ Pale-as-Snow mimed a grabbing action and gave a couple of thrusts of his hips.

‘Maybe that too. But I think fighting on them was more the point.’

‘That’s good ground for horses.’ Pale-as-Snow nodded at the sweep of dark crops to the south. ‘Nice and flat. Maybe he thinks he’ll ride all over us tomorrow.’

‘Maybe he will.’ Calder pursed his lips, thinking about it. Thinking about the order crumpled in his shirt pocket. My men and I are giving our all. ‘Reckless. Arrogant. Vain.’ Roughly what men said about Calder, as it went. Which maybe gave him a little insight into his opponent. His eyes shifted back to those idiot flags, thrust out front, lit up like a dance on midsummer eve. His mouth found that familiar smirk, and stayed there. ‘I want you to get your best men together. No more than a few score. Enough to keep together and work quickly at night.’

‘What for?’

‘We’re not going to beat the Union moping back here.’ He kicked the bit of loose stone from the top of the wall. ‘And I don’t think some farmer’s boundary mark is going to keep them out either, do you?’

Pale-as-Snow showed his teeth. ‘Now you’re reminding me of your father again. What about the rest of the lads?’

Calder hopped down from the wall. ‘Get White-Eye to round them up. They’ve got some digging to do.’

‘I’m not sure how much violence and

butchery the readers will stand’

Robert E. Howard