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“I think some already have their grandkids with them,” Uther observes from behind.

“Well if you think about it,” Jorry begins, “that wouldn’t make them all that old even if they did. Suppose they had their first child when they were sixteen and then…”

All the way into town, they hear Uther and Jorry argue the possibilities and circumstances about age, grandkids and the men’s worthiness in battle. Finally, Illan turns on them and tells them to stop, that it was getting on his nerves. They actually had the temerity to look offended that he said what he did. In any event, it got them to stop.

Once they reach town, James thought they would have taken the road back the way they had come. But Illan instead takes them to the southeast, cross country. “Why are we going this way?” he asks him.

“The road adds another couple hours,” he explains. “This way we should reach the walls of Lythylla before night.”

Their column stretches back half a mile. At the fore ride Illan and James. Behind them rides Ceadric with a score of men as well as Jiron and Miko. The man who brought the Black Hawk banner rides within that group, the flag proudly flapping in the breeze.

Next comes Delia with the rest who set out from The Ranch as well as all their pack horses. James didn’t want them trailing along at the end, felt what they were carrying was too important to take the risk.

At the end ride the men who flocked to Illan’s call.

The mood of the various groups is for the most part expectant and hopeful. The group from The Ranch feels better now that they have a band of battle hardened men accompanying them.

As they ride, more men from Illan’s old force come and join their ranks. At one point after they stop briefly for the noon meal, they encounter a patrol out of Lythylla.

When the officer in charge of the patrol sees the banner bearing the Black Hawk he breaks into a gallop and races toward them, his men following close behind.

Before he has a chance to make any sort of declaration, Illan hollers, “What’s the news from Lythylla?” He then brings his horse to a halt which signals the column behind him to stop as well.

The officer hesitates a moment before replying, his eyes moving from the banner, to Illan in his Black Hawk attire and then the column of men stretching behind him. His men come to a stop behind him, murmurs are heard as they come to understand who it is before them. “The Empire has yet to attack,” he explains. “So far they’ve been satisfied with probing attacks.”

“What strength do they have?”

“Last word was close to ten thousand,” he replies. “Looks like they’ve committed most of their reserves in taking Lythylla.” When Illan doesn’t reply, he asks, “Do you mean to go there then?”

“I do,” he says.

At that an excited murmur again comes from the officer’s men.

“From here to the city is clear of enemy patrols and agents,” the officer tells him.

“Thank you,” he says and then gets his horse moving again. As they leave the patrol behind, James hears “Black Hawk!” and other exclamations as the officer’s men can no longer control themselves in their jubilation. If anyone can save Madoc in its time of need, it’s him.

James had come to the decision before this all began to leave the interaction with other military people to Illan. He understands the subtle nuances to get what needs done far better than he does. In those instances, he stays back and lets him have his way, confident he will do nothing to compromise their objective.

They reach the walls of Lythylla two hours after leaving the patrol behind. During that time, they encounter another three patrols, all telling them the same. Each time they continue on, leaving behind men whose hope for the future has been rekindled.

When the walls appear ahead of them, so does the river. They’re able to take in the defenses of the enemy which have sprung up over the winter. Nothing major, simply a wooden palisade stretching to the horizon several hundred feet from the river’s edge. Enemy patrols are seen in the area between the palisade and the water. From their vantage point,