“Less of a surprise,” said Olivenko, “because Haddamander will know that there have been fifty raids. But we’ll still choose the time and place of battle. It’ll still be the first time we came with ten thousand men instead of fifty or a hundred. And we’ll have a core of a thousand veterans. I think our odds are four out of five.”

“Four out of five isn’t that much better than two out of three,” said Param, sounding a little outraged.

“It’s war,” said Olivenko. “Nothing is certain.”

“Besides,” said Loaf, “Olivenko’s making up those numbers anyway.”

Olivenko chuckled. “Yes. I’m putting numbers on my gut feelings. And even though so much depends on what the individual soldiers do, it also depends on how they’re led. On how much they love the Rebel King and the Young Queen. On how much they trust Captain Toad, who led them on all those miraculous raids. On how much Captain Loaf shouted at them and terrified them during training. And on how well we plan the battle itself.”

“Which is where you’ll come into it,” said Rigg.

“I’m a scholar of war now,” said Olivenko. “Not a commander.”

“But the key adviser in our councils of war,” said Rigg.

“None of us can match your knowledge of past wars,” said Umbo. “Just as none of us can match Loaf’s experience in battle.”

“After a few dozen raids,” said Loaf, “you’ll pass me right up. It’s not as if I took part in any great war. I’ve done some bloody fighting, but there were never more than a few hundred on each side. And I never commanded more than a few score of men, and even that was only after the real commander died and I took over in the field. The logistics of a truly massive army—”

“Another reason to learn from raiding,” said Olivenko.

“And something else we’ll have to learn,” said Rigg. “I seem to have been nominated to lead troops in combat, and I don’t know if I can do it. I’m not a fighter. Father raised me to be a diplomat. Or maybe just a bureaucrat.”

Loaf barked out a laugh. “What do you think the commander of an army is? It’s ninety percent bureaucracy—babysitting petulant commanders and dealing with their rivalries, planning where everybody will go and how and when they’ll march to get there, making sure their weapons and their food all arrive where they’re supposed to go. We’ll find men and train them to help you, but then you’ll have to manage them and their ambition and their fear.”

“Do you imagine that you’re encouraging me?” asked Rigg.

“I’m telling you that it’s the job that Ramex trained you for,” said Loaf.