If we arrange the troops in three overlapping sixteen hour shifts, we'll have two thirds of our warriors fighting all the time," suggested Dillard, turning away from the map of the city.

"I agree with Sir Dillard," said Gisoni. "But I'm afraid we minotaurs start to tire easily after ten hours of fighting, sixteen hour shifts will not work for us," he explained.

"Well, then, we can arrange sixteen hour shifts for us humans and eight hour, twice a day shifts for your minotaurs," decided King Willium, sitting down in a hard Arthian Oak chair. He groaned and rubbed his sore back. "I'm getting too old for this!" he grumbled.

"Not old, Sire," said Gith, pouring the King a goblet of mulled wine. "Over experienced is more like it," he said, handing Willium the goblet.

"Same thing," muttered Willium as he downed the liquid.

"I think we'll have another problem," said General Gisoni thoughtfully.

"What?" Redhawk asked.

"I once tutored a soldier named Mathex, he's a brigadier now. He's a gifted strategist and is fond of inventing and designing new styles of weaponry," he explained.

"So?" Victoria asked, impatiently.

"What Gisoni means is that since Mathex has invented several unique weapons, including the Goban-sword Gisoni's wearing," explained Lieutenant-General Pollex, pointing at the harpoon/longsword his master wore on his belt. "He's likely to design an even deadlier weapon," he explained.

King Willium downed another goblet full of wine. "Could we find a counter attack or perhaps design a better weapon?"

"Not likely," said Pollex bluntly. "Mathex's weapons designs are usually very powerful and to the point."

"But we could develop a better weapon then?" asked Victoria hopefully.

"A thousand scholars couldn't think up more good inventions as Mathex could," snorted Gisoni with a bit of pride in his pupil.

"You trained him too well," noted Wynic, quiet until now. "It seems to me you taught him everything, but he's devising new tricks and now they're working against," he said, finding it ironic.

Pothax glanced at Wynic and realized why the assassin had been so successful; Taught too well. Victoria and Redhawk also noticed this, but neither showed it.

"Whatever," grumbled Willium, the alcohol starting to take effect. "I'll contact the University, it's our best shot."

"Anything else we need to discuss," Lord Redhawk asked, looking around at everyone's blank faces.

"Sir Dillard, General Gisoni and I, will work out the details," said Jacog, standing up to take a second look at the map of the city.

"Is King Willium in there?" asked a hoarse voice out in the hall.

"Yes, but you can't disrupt the meeting," replied one of the guards posted out in the hall to guard the proceedings.

"It's urgent," repeated the voice, a stern tone edged with steel accompanying it.

"Identify yourself and I'll think about it," said the guard.

The voice grew irritated. "I am Lieutenant Rades of the Royal Stornium Army. I've been given an order to take a message to King Willium himself, even if I have to fight my way to him!" he spat and there was the tell-tale sound of a sword sliding from a sheath.

Redhawk opened the door and two guards that had been leaning on the door tumbled to the floor at Redhawk's feet. "Come in Lieutenant. Guards, you are relieved of duty and have been reassigned to latrine scrubbing duty at the soldier's barracks," he ordered. The guards obeyed immediately, cursing themselves for their foolishness.

Rades smirked and sheathed his sword. He was somewhat short, barely over five feet tall. Barrel-chested and extremely muscular compared to some of the northerner's present. His skin was darkly tanned and scarred from past battles. He had brown eyes and dark blond, almost brown hair as was typical of a Stornium. He seemed to have a grin permanently stuck to his face. His armour was simply polished steel, slightly battered and rusted around the edges. There was a huge dent in his breastplate, which he actually seemed proud of.

"Come in Lieutenant," yelled Sir Dillard, sitting down with a mug of Colnician coffee.

Gith rushed over and motioned Rades into a chair. "Would you care for some Kinian Red, Colnician coffee, or perhaps something more like home? I believe we have some ale and Stornium wine down in the wine cellar," he offered the Lieutenant.

"Uh, thank you! Um, I'll try your Kinian Red," said Rades somewhat confused.

"So what is your message, Lieutenant?" asked Gisoni, leaning forward.

"Uh, messages actually," corrected Rades, shifting nervously and staring at the assembled Minotaurs.

"And what are they?" demanded Willium, slightly drunk.

"The Lady of Castle Deltex sent me to tell you that the Minotaur Army has arrived at Deltex, I fear they have besieged the castle and that the village has been burned to rubble," explained Rades, studying the Kinian Red Gith was pouring into a goblet for him.

"How big is Deltex," asked Pollex, glancing at Gisoni.

"About fifty foot walls, four acres by six acres," said Rades, taking a sip of the wine. "Whoah! Vat's in this stuff?"

"Fermented appleblossoms and grapes, Sire," replied Gith.

"I've tasted wine before, but what did you put in it to make it like that?" Rades asked, looking at Lord Redhawk, having previously noticed the Kinian's accent.

"We ferment the wine at a certain temperature, it brings out a different texture in the wine," explained the knight and poured himself a goblet full.

Rades wondered briefly if that would work on ale.

"Whatever," said Pollex, interrupting Rades' thoughts. "Rades, from your description of Castle Deltex, I believe the minotaur army has slaughtered your town's people."

"What? Why?" protested Rades, jumping up and spilling his wine in Jacog's lap. "Sorry about that," he quickly apologized.

"It's been practically a military law for the past four thousand years," explained Dillard, toying with the silver medallion he wore. "Never leave enemies behind you, let alone enemy posts, or you'll end up dead."

"But-"

"This is war. A war has no room for 'buts'," interrupted Dillard. "The best we can do is put a stop to this war as soon as possibly."

"That has something to do with my other message," grumbled Rades, still not understanding his whole life had been left behind and slaughtered. "Lord Blackaxe's men say that Queen Helen will only be sending half of her army, none of her knights, and Blackaxe's army is defending his own interests," he said, sitting back down.

"There's thirty thousand knights down in Stornium and the about half of the Stornium Army is fifty-five thousand!" protested Jacog, rising to his feet.

"There's two hundred thousand soldiers in Blackaxe's army! Why can't he help?" demanded King Willium, slamming his goblet on the table.

"Gentlemen," shouted Nebonex, finally speaking up. "I'm sure Rades doesn't care much for politics. Do you, Rades?" he asked, looking at the Lieutenant.

"No, sir."

"So he doesn't have the answers. I propose we send someone to Glist to persuade Queen Helen to send more men. In the mean time I ask that we adjourn this discussion until tomorrow morning," he shouted.

Rades stared at the Minotaur Prince, it was hard for him to believe he was sitting less than ten paces from the future Emporer. It was hard for him to believe he was really here, within the Great Walls of Athex. It was extremely hard for him to believe all his friends, his kin and everyone else he knew was dead.

"Did you notice it, Wynic?" asked Redhawk that evening at Wynic's estate.

"Notice what?" questioned the usually extra-observant assassin, turning away from the study window.

"Nebonex has lost, or at least forgotten his prejudice against Stornium's, he's also grown quite more mature since his father died," Redhawk explained, setting down his wine goblet.

"I think he was kind of spoiled and naive. His father's death has made him a bit shrewd and more commanding. Those will be useful leadership qualities when he gets older, and will probably prove useful now," replied Wynic thoughtfully. He felt almost jealous, he'd always been more in the shadows so to speak, rarely showing his face in the crowd, which is the way he preferred it.

"If only we could find a way to use them," murmured Redhawk.

"The big problem is how do we prove Arthian isn't guilty and Kobalix is the real threat," said Wynic, frustrated. "Nebonex told me Kobalix serves as an advisor to the Empress, so convincing her will be difficult if we try to send messages. Kobalix would probably intercept them in the first place. So more than likely, Nebonex would have to speak to her in person," he mumbled, turning back to the window.

"Master, a servant from the palace delivered an uniform for you and a message from King Willium for all of you," said Devid, pushing the door open a bit more and setting an orange and blue uniform on the desk along with a scroll. "I also sent a servant to find Pothax and I'll find Lady Victoria personally," he said and closed the door behind him.

"I don't know about you, Wynic, but an orange and blue uniform isn't exactly a fashion statement," grinned Redhawk. "They clash horribly!"

"From what Gith told me about painting, clashing colors stand out more, this is probably a military trick to make it seem like there's more soldiers."

"What do you think? Do I look like I've joined the army?" asked Wynic, turning around in his new uniform. He fasten the accompanying four-starred insignia to his tunic. He was dressed in shiny black leather riding boots that reached up to his knees, an embroidered orange tunic, with a short silver spear embroidered on the front, which in addition to the insignia proclaimed him to be a general of the Royal Arthian Army, or at least the same rank as one. He had blue dyed leather pants and a large black leather belt around his waist. He had never liked plate armour so he wore his leather armour under his uniform which made him look bigger than he actually was.

"I take it back, Wynic, you look almost dashing," complimented Redhawk. "If not stupid looking."

"You want him to look dashing? Go find a black cape," suggested Pothax, leaning his elbow an the diner table. Pothax had acquired a somewhat lost expression from wandering Wynic's estate.

"I won't look dashing if I trip on the stupid thing, I'll look like a klutz!"

"Well, lets see what old Willium has to say?" suggested Redhawk, breaking the wax seal and unrolling the parchment.

"Well? What's it say?" asked Victoria, leaning forward and straining to see.

"Willium obviously took several hours composing this so I'll make it short. Victoria has been promoted to Brigadier-General from Second-Lieutenant," said Redhawk. "Congratulations Victoria, that's one heck of a jump from Second-Lieutenant!"

"You're kidding me?" blushed Victoria.

"Actually, Willium wants to abdicate and crown you Queen," grinned Redhawk. "Now, I'm kidding!"

"What else does it say?" asked Wynic.

"Um, he wants to know if Pothax would consider working as a military spy so we can keep track of this Mathex guy," the knight said, glancing at the cutthroat.

"There's not much difference between spying and assassinating except you don't kill 'em, you just search their belongings and watch them carefully," replied Pothax. "As long as I don't have to dress up in some stupid uniform."

"He also wants to know if Wynic and I would go to Glist to talk to Queen Helen and Lord Blackaxe."

"What?" cried Wynic. "I'm not a damned politician!"

"Nebonex, Jacog and Willium insist."