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Kahlan nodded； as if impressed。 ‘Well stated。’ He beamed。 The men around him grinned with pride in their knowledge of their business。 ‘I have seen some of the most experienced armies of the Midlands use those very same tactics when the D’Harans first came over； last spring； when the boundary went down。’
‘Well； there you have it；’ the man said。 ‘They lose their charge against the archers and on the point of our pikes。’
She gave him a small smile。 The D’Haran van； those men I told you about； the biggest； the fiercest； the ones who won the right to be the first at you？ Well； they’ve developed special tactics of their own； for use against your plans。 First of all； they have arrow shields； so as they run in； they’re protected from the brunt of the archers’ work。
‘And I guess I forgot to tell you one other thing about those argons of theirs。 These spears have iron…sheathed shafts for most of their length； and a unique purpose。 As the enemy is charging in； mostly unaffected by your archers； they heave their argons at you。’
‘We have shields；’ the man pointed out。 ‘Their argons expended； they will be on the point of our pikes。’
She folded her arms； nodding to him。 ‘The van； the men who won the right to be the first wave； are big men。 I doubt the smallest has arms less than twice the average of yours。
The argons are needle sharp。 Thrown by those powerful arms； they penetrate and stick in your shields。 The long barbs prevent them from being withdrawn。’
The confident smiles were fading as she looked from face to face as she went on。 ‘You now have argons stuck solidly in your shields。 You drop your pikes； drawing swords to hack the heavy spears away。 But the shafts are covered in iron； and don’t yield。 The spears are heavy； and the butts drag the ground。 D’Harans can run almost as fast as their spears fly。 As they reach you now； they jump on the shafts of the spears stuck in your shields； dragging them to the ground； leaving you on your knees； and naked to their heavy axes。’
Arms still folded； she leaned toward them。 ‘I have seen men split from scalp to navel by those axes。’
Men glanced sideways at one another； their confidence shaken。
She nodded mockingly as she unfolded her arms。 ‘I am not giving you conjecture。 I’ve seen a D’Haran force take down an experienced army nearly ten times their size in just this fashion。 In the space of an hour； the battle turned from a rout of the D’Harans to a rout of their foes。
‘A D’Haran charge of the argon is almost as devastating as a classic cavalry charge； except they have far greater numbers than any cavalry。 And their own cavalry is anything but typical。 You don’t even want to know about them。
‘They lost half their number in the slaughter of Ebinissia； and they are in camp； now； singing and drinking。 Would you； if you lost every other one of you； be of good cheer？ ‘I know you believe you can win a battle against a force ten times your size； and I know also that such a thing can be done。 But it is those experienced D’Haran troops who； on a battlefield； fighting by the tactics of mon war； could bring about such a feat。
‘Please believe me； I mean no disrespect to your bravery； but in the field of war； you are not their equal。 Not yet。 You could not defeat an army half their size were the battle fought the way your enemy would fight。
‘That does not mean you cannot win。 It means only that you must do it in another way。 I believe you can win； and I’m going to tell you what you must do； and lead you in the first strike； to start you in this。 The Imperial Order is not invincible。 They can be defeated。
‘From this day forward； I shall never again call you ‘boys。’ From this day forward； you are men。
‘You think of yourselves as soldiers of your homeland； Galea。 But you are not。 In this； you are not。 You are soldiers； men； of the Midlands。 For it is not just Galea who will be conquered； but all of the Midlands； if these men are not stopped。 I call upon you to stop them。’
The tightly packed crowd of soldiers； tempered by what they had heard； shouted that they would do the job。 She watched from under her eyebrows as they confidently pledged to fight to the end。 There were angry whispers from some in the crowd； to her right。 Men were jostling each other and arguing。 Some men wanted to speak； and others were seeking to prevent it。
‘If you should choose to join in this battle； you will follow orders without question；’ she said。 ‘But for this time only； you may speak your mind freely； without retribution。 If you have something to say； then let all hear it now； or else hold it to your grave。’
One man pulled his arm free of another。 He glowered up at her。 ‘We’re men。 We don’t follow women into battle。’
Kahlan blinked at him。 ‘You follow Queen Cyrilla。’
‘She is our queen； we fight on her behalf。 She doesn’t lead us in battle。 That’s left to men to do。’
Kahlan narrowed her eyes。 ‘What is your name？’
He glanced around at his fellows； and then held his chin up。 ‘I’m William Mosle。 And we’ve been trained by Prince Harold himself。’
‘And I；’ Kahlan said； ‘was trained by his father； King Wyborn。 King Wyborn was my father； too。 I am half sister to Queen Cyrilla and Prince Harold。’
There were astonished murmurs throughout the crowd。 Without taking her eyes from Mosle； she lifted a hand to silence them。 ‘But that does not count for mand。 You are soldiers。 Your duty is to follow the orders of your manders； and they the queen； and she must follow mands of the Central Council of the Midlands。 The council of the Midlands follows the orders of the Mother Confessor。
‘For now； I fill that office。 My family name is； like your queen’s； Amnell； but I’m of Confessor blood； first； and last。 I am the Mother Confessor of the Midlands； and as such； if I say you’re to march into a lake； then it’s your duty to march until you’re breathing water and seeing fishes。 Does that make it clear enough for you； soldier？’
A few other men were shoving at Mosle； urging him to go on with their grievances。 ‘It means you can order us； it doesn’t mean you know what you’re doing。’
Kahlan let out a sigh and pulled some blood…stiffened hair back； hooking it behind an ear。 ‘I don’t have the time； today； to tell you of all the training I’ve had； or of all the fighting against impossible odds I’ve been through； or the men I’ve had to kill in that fighting。
‘I would tell you only that last night； I went alone to the camp of the Imperial Order to save your life。 The men of the Order； D’Harans； fear the things of the night； spirits； and for protection from that and to assist them； they had a wizard in their pany。 Had you； in your confidence of battle knowledge； tried to attack those men； that wizard would have known what you were doing； and probably used magic to kill you all。’
Mosle’s defiant expression didn’t diminish； but some of the others broke into worried whispers。 Fighting against steel was one thing； fighting against magic quite another。
Captain Ryan stepped forward。 ‘The Mother Confessor killed the wizard；’ he said with pride。 There were relieved sighs among the men。 ‘If it hadn’t been for her experience； we would have marched to our deaths without even having the chance to lay steel to steel。 I； for one； intend to follow those I’ve sworn my life to serve： my land； my queen； the Midlands； and the Mother Confessor。
‘We’re going to stop this threat against the Midlands； and we’re going to do it by following those we are sworn to follow。 We go into battle under the mand of the Mother Confessor。’
‘I’m a soldier in the Galean army！’ Mosle seemed only to get more defiant。 ‘Not a soldier in any Midlands army！ I fight for Galea； not to protect lands like Kelton！’ Kahlan watched as other men shouted their agreement。 ‘This army； the Imperial Order； or whatever they call themselves； is marching toward the border。 Cellion is a border city； and most of it’s on the other side of the river； in Kelton！ Most of its citizens are Keltish！ Why should