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‘Even better,’ Ulath said ‘We work on our fortifications here very quietly, andin barrels of pitch and naphtha Bevier builds siege-engines Then, just before the sun goes doe arrison inside the castle The h the halls of all those irounds They won’t encounter any resistance – until they come here They’ll try to storm our walls, and they’ll be over-confident because nobody will have tried to fight thes They won’t really be expecting a hail-stor pitch dumped in their faces Add to that the fact that their crossboon’t work because Khalad’s been breaking the triggers in that Dacite warehouse for the last two nights, and you’ve got a large group of people with a serious problerin, and then, probably about ht, the Atans will enter the city, corind the whole lot of theessa exclaimed enthusiastically

‘It’s a brilliant plan, Sir Ulath,’ Sarabian told the big Thalesian ‘Why are you so dissatisfied with it?’

‘Because I don’t like sieges, your Majesty’

‘Ulath,’ Tynian said, wincing slightly as he shifted his broken shoulder, ‘don’t you think it’s tiest fortingup as any of the rest of us when the situation calls for it’

‘Thalesians are supposed to hate sieges, Tynian It’s a part of our national character We’re supposed to be impetuous, impatient and more inclined toward brute force than toell-considered endurance’

‘Sir Ulath,’ Bevier said, se at Heid that lasted for seventeen years He eed from it none the worse for wear’

‘Yes, but he didn’t enjoy it, Bevier That’s my point’

‘I think we’re overlooking an opportunity,to couessed their intentions correctly, yes,’ Tynian agreed

‘So to be all afire with political fervour – but not really veryto bethe various palaces’

Sarabian’s face blanched ‘Hell and night!’ he swore ‘I hadn’t even thought of that!’

‘Don’t be too concerned, friend Ereed that brings therounds The walls around the co Why don’t we let them come in – but then ate-house After the ates That should keep thereet the Atans when they arrive The loot will bring theht enough, but loot isn’t really yours until you’ve escaped with it We’ll catch the any of theot real possibilities, you know that, Kring?’ Kalten said adly