A Time of Tigers - From Peasant to Emperor-Chapter 1098 Movements of the Battle Board - Part 1
1098: Movements of the Battle Board – Part 1
1098: Movements of the Battle Board – Part 1
“…Then I suppose you have left a different impression of heroism on me, Ser Patrick,” she said, smiling her terribly honest smile.
She put some more strength into the hand that gripped his shoulder.
“Whilst we are here, I would ask that you rely on me a little more,” she said.
“Even if I am only a tool, if I can be of assistance when Oliver Patrick makes his next steps of progress, I could not be happier.”
He grasped that hand.
“You are no mere tool, Lady Blackthorn,” Oliver said.
“As far as I see it, soon enough, you could surpass even me.
If you aim for progress as I do, then it seems just as likely.
You have a Tiger in you.
Minister Hod would say the same.” He waggled his finger.
“You’re a dangerous woman, and you’ll only grow more dangerous.
I delight in the thought.”
Chapter 4 – Movements of the Battle Board
Days passed, and Karstly once more made an announcement to his officers.
“Khan’s army continues to move.
Our defenses here are finished, for the most part.
The stocks shall last us as much time as we will it, and we have a holding ground for our wagons.
As far as I can tell, we have accomplished our mission, and we have done so with the greatest degree of flare, you should all be proud of yourself,” Karstly said, to his gathering of Colonels, Captains, and their attendants.
As always, a wry smile sat on Karstly’s lips, as if even his complimenting of them was part of a joke only he was privy to.
The men, however, were beginning to get used to this side of Karstly.
With each day that passed, he let more of it loose.
Rarely did he play the character of uprightness to the degree that he had when he’d first introduced himself to his men.
Somehow, though, the more unhinged he grew, the more fiercesome of a General he seemed in their eyes.
He was an unpredictable weapon aimed both at them and at their enemies.
“So, with no further orders having arrived from General Blackwell, we ought to begin our own movements,” Karstly said.
“Ought we not wait?” Gordry said.
“If we move before Blackwell wills it, we might upset his plans.”
“Of course, there is that to consider, but with an army of tens of thousands of angry Verna rolling across the plains, the chances of a crow reaching up without an arrow sticking out of it is quite slim,” Karstly said.
“Blackwell knew this might occur, and so he left it to my discretion when we might begin to move out, after securing the position that we have.”
“A word, General?” Captain Hawthorn said, sticking up his hand.
“Yes, Captain?
You have something to add?” Karstly said.
“Do go on.
I am sure you are quite knowledgeable of my battle plans.”
“Oh, no, nothing to add, General.
Nothing but a question,” Hawthorn said.
Making his impatience obvious, Karstly waved for the man to proceed.
“Ask away.”
“What was the point in capturing this position, if we are only now readying to abandon it, in favour of supporting Lord Blackwell?” Captain Hawthorn asked.
“Ah,” Karstly said.
“A better question than I had expected.
Not because it is overly complicated, but I suppose, with that question in mind, the explanations for the rest of you might proceed more quickly.
This mountain top and its fortifications serve as a defensive position, preventing the enemy from chasing us.
It allows us to move light, and continually attack from the rear, without fear of retribution – unless we commit too deeply.”
“But the distance of the march…” Captain Hawthorn said.
“It seems as if we’ll be too far away from it to make good use.”
“Travelling light, we could make it from here to the castles that Lord Blackwell defends within the span of two days.
A day and a half, if we rushed it,” General Karstly said.
“To me, that does not sound like a great distance.
Do you have other thoughts, Captain?”
“No, it’s just…” Now Captain Hawthorn was growing flustered.
Evidently, the asking of his question wasn’t proceeding quite as he thought it would.
“It’s just… Well, how many men do we intend to leave behind?
And can we make use of them, if there is always going to be such a distance between us and the battle that is going on?”
“Oh,” Karstly said, nodding to himself.
“I finally understand your question, and the thought process behind it,” Karstly said.
“Is the same degree of confusion evident for the rest of you?”
He looked around the broad tent, evaluating each of the faces, and seeing more than a few were written with lines of confusion.
“You all seem to be thinking in the simplest turns,” Karstly said.
“You seem to think that, when we arrive behind General Khan’s army, our only use will be attacking it from the rear in a single charge.
Is that right?”
“Well… Something along those lines,” Captain Hawthorn admitted when General Karstly turned to him.
“So, I thought it would be better if we’d bring all our troops for that reason… There seemed to be little point in defending this fortress… Can we not just leave it empty?”
“How very short-sighted,” Karstly said, shaking his head as if offended.
“And if more Verna men appear from behind this mountain of ours, and simply settle into it?
And then they choose to attack us from behind, just as we intend to attack General Khan?”
“Well… I don’t know—”
“Then we are finished,” Karstly said, ending his sentence for him.
“The Verna have numbers beyond which we contend with.
The reality is that more reinforcements can be sent their way whenever they wish it.
We do not have a proper grasp on the limits of the troops that they are able to summon.
We only know that they have no hit that limit yet.”
That brought some murmuring from the other men in the tent. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
Murmurings of alarm, Oliver thought.
