"All right", Elayne said to the assembly. "We must fight. But how? Where?"
"Large forces of Shadowspawn have invaded three locations", Bryne said. "Caemlyn, Kandor and Tarwin’s Gap. The Gap should not be abandoned, assuming our armies are enough to help Lord Mandragoran stabilize there. The likely result of our push there today will be the Shadowspawn pulling back into the pass. Keeping the enemy plugged up there is an unsuitable task for the Malkieri heavy cavalry alone. Perhaps we would best send him some pike companies? If he continues to plug that breach, we can devote the majority of our forces to combat in Andor and Kandor".
Agelmar nodded. "Yes. That should be viable if we give Dai Shan the proper support. But we cannot risk letting Shienar become overrun as Kandor was. If they push out of the Gap . . ".
"We are prepared for an extended battle", Lord Easar said. "Kandor’s resistance and Lan’s fight at the Gap have given us the time we need. Our people are pulling into our fortresses. We can hold, even if we lose the Gap".
"Brave words, Your Majesty", Gareth Bryne said, "but it would be best if we did not have to test the Shienarans in that way. Let us plan to hold the Gap with whatever force it takes to do so".
"And Caemlyn?" Elayne asked.
Ituralde nodded. "An enemy force that deep behind our lines, with a Waygate to use for reinforcements . . . that is trouble".
"Early reports from this morning", Elayne said, "indicate they’re staying put for the time being. They burned large quarters of the city, but left other sections alone—and now that they have the city, the Trollocs have been set to work smothering the flames".
"They will have to leave eventually", Bryne said. "But it will be better if we can flush them out sooner, rather than later".
"Why not consider a siege?" Agelmar asked. "I think the bulk of our armies should go to Kandor. I would not let the Throne of Clouds and the Three Halls of Trade fall as did the Seven Towers".
"Kandor already has fallen", Prince Antol said softly.
The great captains looked at the eldest son of the Kandori queen. A tall man, he had a silent way about him. Now he spoke boldly. "My mother fights for our country", he said, "but it is a fight of vengeance and redemption. Kandor burns, and it rips my heart to know it, but we cannot stop that. Give Andor your greatest attention; it is too tactically important to ignore, and I would not see another land fall as mine has".
The others nodded. "Wise advice, Highness", Bashere said. "Thank you".
Also, do not forget Shayol Ghul", Rhuarc said from the periphery, where he stood alongside Perrin, some Aes Sedai and several other Aiel chiefs. The great captains turned toward Rhuarc, as if having forgotten he was there.
"The Car’a’carn soon will assault Shayol Ghul", Rhuarc said. "He will need spears at his back when he does so".
"He will have them", Elayne said. "Though that means four battle-fronts. Shayol Ghul, Tarwin’s Gap, Kandor and Caemlyn".
"Let us focus on Caemlyn first", Ituralde said. "I don’t like the idea of a siege there. We need to flush the Trollocs out. If we simply besiege them, it gives them more time to reinforce their numbers through that Waygate. We have to take them out now, on our terms".
Agelmar nodded with a grunt, looking at the map of Caemlyn an aide had put on the table. "Can we stanch that flow? Retake the Waygate?"
"I’ve tried", Elayne said. "This morning, we sent three separate forces through a gateway into the basement with the Waygate, but the Shadow is prepared and entrenched. None of the forces returned. I don’t know if we can take the Waygate back, or even destroy it".
"What if we tried from the other side?" Agelmar asked.
"The other side?" Elayne asked. "You mean from inside the Ways?" Agelmar nodded.
"Nobody travels the Ways", Ituralde said, aghast.
"The Trollocs do", Agelmar said.
"I’ve been through them", Perrin said, approaching the table. "And I’m sorry, my Lords, but I don’t think that taking the Waygate from the other side would work. From what I understand, we couldn’t destroy it—even with the One Power. And we couldn’t hold it inside, not with the Black Wind in there. Our best choice is to somehow get those Trollocs out of Caemlyn and then hold this side of the Waygate. If it is properly guarded, the Shadow would never be able to use it against us".
"Very well", Elayne said. "We will consider other options. Though, it occurs to me that we should send to the Black Tower for their Asha’man also. How many are there?"
Perrin cleared his throat. "I think you might want to be careful about that place, Your Majesty. Something’s going on there".
Elayne frowned. " ‘Something’?"
"I don’t know", Perrin said. "I spoke to Rand about it, and he was worried, and said he was going to investigate. Anyway . . . just be careful".
"I’m always careful", Elayne said absently. "So how do we get those Trollocs out of Caemlyn?"
"Perhaps we can hide a large assault force in Braem Wood; it’s here, almost fifty leagues north of Caemlyn". Bryne pointed at the map. "If a smaller company of soldiers were to go up to the city gates and get the Trollocs to chase them back to the Wood as bait in the trap . . . I always worried that an invading army would use the Wood for cover as a base for attacking the city. I never thought I’d be considering the same option myself".
"Interesting", Agelmar said, studying a map of the terrain around Caemlyn. "That seems like a solid prospect".
"But what of Kandor?" Bashere asked. "The Prince is right that the country is beyond rescue, but we cannot simply let the Trollocs pour out into other lands".
Ituralde scratched at his chin. "This entire matter is going to be difficult. Three Trolloc armies, with us forced to divide our attention between them. Yes, more and more, I realize that the right move is to focus on one of them and set delaying forces against the other two".
"The Shadow’s army at Caemlyn is likely the smallest", Agelmar said, "as the size of the Waygate has restricted their entry into the city".
"Yes", Bashere agreed. "Our chance for a quick victory on one of the battlefronts is best at Caemlyn. We should strike hard there with the largest of our assault forces. If we can win in Andor, it will reduce the number of fronts we have to fight on—and that will be extremely advantageous".
"Yes", Elayne said. "We reinforce Lan, but tell him that his job will be to hold there as long as he can. We place a second force at the border of Kandor, with the purpose of delaying there as well—perhaps a slow withdrawal, as conditions dictate. While those two fronts are held, we can focus our true attention—and our largest army—at breaking the Trollocs in Caemlyn".
"Good", Agelmar said. "I like it. But what force do we place in Kandor? What army can slow the Trollocs, but won’t require a large commitment of troops?"
"The White Tower?" Elayne asked. "If we send the Aes Sedai to Kandor, they can slow the Trollocs’ advance across the border. That will let the rest of us concentrate on Caemlyn".
"Yes", Bryne said. "I like it".
"And what of the fourth battlefront?" Ituralde asked. "Shayol Ghul? Does anyone know what the Lord Dragon plans there?"
Nobody spoke.
"The Aiel will see to his needs", Amys said from beside the clan chiefs. "You needn’t worry about us. Make your battle plans, and we will make ours".
"No", Elayne said.
"Elayne?" Aviendha said. "We—"
"This is precisely what Rand wished to avoid", Elayne said forcefully. "The Aiel will work with the rest of us. The battle at Shayol Ghul could be the most important of all. I won’t have one group presuming to keep to themselves and fight alone. You’ll accept our help".
And, she added to herself, our direction. The Aiel were excellent warriors, but there were some things they just wouldn’t admit. The usefulness of cavalry, for one.
The Aiel obviously did not like the prospect of wetlander command. They bristled, eyes narrowing.
"The Aiel are excellent irregulars", Bryne said, looking to them. "I faced you on the Blood Snow, and I know how deadly you can be. However, if the Lord Dragon attacks Shayol Ghul, we will likely need to seize the valley and then hold it for as long as it takes him to battle with the Dark One. I don’t know how long that will take, but it could take hours. Days. Tell me, have you ever had to entrench and fight a protracted, defensive war?"
"We will do what needs to be done", Rhuarc said.
"Rhuarc", Elayne said. "You yourselves insisted on signing the Dragon’s Peace. You yourselves insisted that you be part of our coalition. I expect you to live up to your word. You will do as you are told".
Bryne’s and Ituralde’s questions had set them off, but being told directly what to do made them back down. Rhuarc nodded. "Of course", he said. "I have toh".
"Meet it by listening", Elayne said, "and offering your opinion. If we’re going to fight on four different fronts at once, we’ll need a lot of coordination". She looked at the gathered generals. "It occurs to me. We have four battlefronts, and four great captains . . ".
Bashere nodded. "No coincidence, that".
"Well, it might be one".
"There are no coincidences, Highness", Bashere said. "If I’ve learned one thing traveling with the Lord Dragon, that is it. Four of us, four battlefronts.
"We each take one, with Queen Elayne coordinating among us and overseeing the war effort as a whole".
"I will go to the Malkieri", Agelmar said. "Most of the Borderlanders fight there now".
"What of Kandor?" Elayne said.
"If the Aes Sedai are to fight there", Bryne said, "so will I. My place is with the White Tower".
He doesn’t want to fight in Andor, Elayne thought. He doesn't want to fight alongside me. He wishes the break to be clean. "Who comes to Andor with me, then?"
"I’ll go", Bashere said.
"And I to Shayol Ghul, then", Ituralde said, nodding. "To fight alongside Aiel. A day I never thought I’d see, in truth".
"Good", Elayne said, pulling over a chair. "Then let’s dig into the thick of it and get to details. We need a central location for me to work from, and Caemlyn is lost. For now, I will use Merrilor. It is central, and has plenty of room to move troops and supplies around in. Perrin, do you think you could take charge of the logistics of this camp? Set up a Traveling ground, and organize the channelers to help with communications and supply operations?"
Perrin nodded.
"The rest of you", she said, "let’s get to dividing the forces in detail and fleshing out the plans. We need a firm idea of how we are going to push those Trollocs out of Caemlyn so we can fight them on even ground".