Will he come?

We just reached New Lhazar and I can already see that the city of tents is smaller than what it was before and replacing them are the rows of newly, neatly built houses.

It's so efficient when you have thousands of people at your disposal working almost every single moment of the day without complaining or protesting about the working law.

The only thing we need to take care of is to have the materials gathered and prepared or delivered on time, but that's the job of my people from the building company that were brought here from the Fort.

The return from our little expedition was faster than I expected since we didn't have to pay attention to anything like before when we were tracking.

I jumped down from my Red horse and already saw my sworn shields and some Elite commanders walking up.

"I know you're angry guys, but to my defense the Dothraki simply don't like you." I said laughing before I get scolded and looking at Ser Arthur this was his plan for me for sneaking out.

"That was unwise My Lord. You could at least take Bryce. He looks the barbarian part." he said and we both turned to look and yep.

"Ser Bryce... why are you wearing Dothraki clothes?" Now that's not something I expected.

"Some girl gave them to me after we had some very nice time My Lord! If you know what I mean!" Bryce winked at me.

What the heck is going on here.

"It means that he is hers my Khal as she claimed him, now they just have to marry." Oro said in Dothraki and I almost burst out laughing!

"What happened My Lord?" Arthur the rest and even Bryce himself didn't know.

"Congratulations on getting engaged Ser Bryce!" I needed to spell it to him so that he would understand, he's not the brightest one when it comes to thinking, but a better fighter there is almost none.

Everyone burst out laughing when we saw the man panic and the colors on his face changing not knowing what to do.

"Now is not the time my dear Sers." I waived at my two other Blood rides that were leading the rest of my screamers.

They split apart and a blond woman with Northern features and few tens of prisoners were reviled. "We have defensive battle to prepare and enemies to kill!" I left to the house that I used before, followed by the rest.

"Is it done?" I asked in Dothraki after taking a quick bath and eating.

"Yes my Khal, the Kos went back with the prisoners and the rest is with the Andals." Vorsakko reply was short yet he told me all I wanted to know.

"How many are we talking about?" Noya looked up from the table with a big map as I came in closer still drying my long hair.

"30 000-40 000, maybe more." The room got quiet.

"My Lord... we have 8000 Dothraki, 500 heavy cavalry, 2500 light cavalry, 1 Legion of 6000 infantry and archers with the 120 cavalry detachment attached to them including your Elites. In numbers we have a chance, but most of the Legion are green boys and the enemies... There is no comparison." Gerold and the rest looked at me, but I just smiled.

"We have higher chances than you imagined Ser Gerold." he didn't look convinced so I had to explain my thoughts.

I smiled lightly and said. "Look here from the North we have a river with three separate, new bridges right, west is the same. South is impossible and to attack from the east is too far especially while provoked." They nodded. "Ser Arthur what is the distance between the bridges?" I asked just to be sure.

"The first is the west of the city in the mountains direction 5 leagues to where the crossing is and the river splits to the east, south and west. Next 5 leagues is the largest center bridge directly to the north of the city and east of it is the last one about 10 leagues, but it's still not finished as we wait for the city to expand My Lord." Arthur pointed at three places on the map.

"That's alright. My plan is to lure them to the center bridge. We will send a small, fast party and let them get discover maybe even challenge the Khal. They will lure the opponents here." I pointed about 5-7 kilometers to the north of the central bridge as the leagues calculation system was totally unreliable for me so I had to recalculate everything in my head. "We will set some calltraps and small holes on the grass route that will hopefully make their horses break their legs when they charge and should further dwindle their numbers." My finger slides back south. "Half a league to the bridge we will dig about 2 men size deep ditch and 4 men wide with a steep mound just behind it from the earth from what we dig out. First, about 1 floor high is where our Elites with spears will be stationed with the rest of the 1st Legion Infantry behind their large shields. Their target is to make sure no one will climb out from it. Again one floor higher we will have the archers behind some short wooden wall preferably up to their belt. They will shoot at the incoming screamer and lastly they will have the non-combatants with them." up till now it was alright, but my last sentence made some people gathered here cringe.

"Great Shepherd... we... most of us don't know how to use bows." Riqizi was afraid for my people.

"And I don't expect you too." I correct myself. "Ser Arthur did you bring the new repeated crossbows with the equipment?" I smiled evilly and all the soldiers at the table knew what I wanted to do.

"Yes my Lord. 4000 of them. All the reserves from the Winter Fort." Arthur puffed his chest out. "I'll organize the civilians and start the training. 2 crossbows per team?" he asked just to be sure.

"Correct, just in case involve as many people as you need in the training and the preparation, you can even stop the building of houses for now. Make sure it's done." we nodded at each other he has thousands at his disposal so it should be relatively easy. "Now our heavy and light Andal cavalry will hide on west bridge waiting for the signal. Ser Bryce will be with them leading the charge. You are forbidden from stopping to fight, just push through like we did here. Ride pass the Dothraki and return via east bridge, finish it to the point where you can cross and if you're followed destroy it after crossing and fall back to the center. We will leave you some space between the traps and the ditch. Finally 100 Dothraki and I will first lure them in and the rest will stay behind to the east hidden to counterattack if needed. Vorsakko will be leading them until I join them. Ser Gerold will be the commanding the battle from the mound with Ser Arthur. Understood?" I looked around.

"My Khal I understand why you have to be there personally as a Khal, but what if he doesn't attack like you want him too? I heard he's not the smartest, but he will know it's a trap." Maya has a valid argument.

"I will take Noya with me and I can guarantee you that he will attack." I crossed my arms on my chest. They all waited. "Wouldn't you if I slit your son throat in front of you?" They were surprised and that's understandable as only me, my blood riders and the girls I found in the tent knew about him. In our night rade we've gain more than just the goods and slaves. The Khal's son and one of his blood riders were there with the scouts as the young teen wanted to prove himself. "Just as you think. We caught him and one blood rider while they were "educating" some children they captured from their previous raid."

No one had any questions or problems after we explained them the circumstances of their capture.

"Let's get to work. We have about the fortnight before they come."