345 - Orchard Knights

Not all of those who came did so eagerly; there were two days of 'collecting' knights, of killing horses their owners said were lame, of burning entire homesteads of those who either could not or would not come.

Most only needed the actual appearance of the army.

"It's like press gangs that seafaring vessels use." I said.

"If it's stupid and it works, then how stupid is it?" Uma asked.

I wondered how a land-bound mutiny would work. <1 >

It wasn't like we were paying them...

"Uma, I'm an idiot."

"You're male; it's given that you're an idiot." she replied.

"No, I mean over half of their army are mercenaries from the Khanate."

"Yes, we've known that for a good long while, now." Uma said.

"We don't need to kill them all." I said. "We just need to take their pay from the supply caravan."

She sighed, spoke to me as though to an idiot child. "They will have that well guarded."