“That can’t be true.” Swordsinger’s heel tapped staccato beats on the dirt ground hard enough for Hammerleaf to place a discrete calming hand on her thigh under the rough-hewn table. She stopped, but it took concentrated effort.

 

The scout shrugged. “That’s what we thought but I swear it is. We circled the city at least half a dozen times and Lurching put on civvies and walked right on in through the front gate.”

 

Swordsinger shook her head. “Morthal is the fourth largest city in Skyrim, the largest city in Hjaalmarch, and, more to the point, it is the only major city between us and Solitude. We’re in the middle of a war. How can it possibly be undefended?”

 

The scout shrugged again, clearly as lost as she. “Not completely. It has guards. But just the locals. There’s no sign of a garrison.”

 

Hammerleaf rubbed his head. “My guess is their forces are concentrated on the front line to the east. Although I would not have guessed their numbers so thin that they had no one left to guard their cities.”

 

Swordsinger’s heel began to tap again as she dismissed the scout and rubbed her eyes. “I don’t like it. This has trap inscribed all over it.”

 

“What do you mean? What kind of trap?”
 

“The kind where a spy in our midst has forewarned our enemies of our presence.”

 

“Ah. An Imperial spy or a Jaunty spy?”

 

“While I have no doubt Jaunty has spies among us, it is hard to imagine even that buffoon tipping off the Imperials about us.”

 

“Not that hard.”

 

“Valid point. It doesn’t matter which, right now – just that we likely have some.”

 

“In a group this size, it is inevitable. So how do you want to find them?”

 

“Oh, we’ll go the tried and true method of telling each of our squad leaders a different plan then see which one the enemy attempts to counter. That will at least narrow it down to one company.”

 

“Or more, if the enemy tries more than one counter.”

 

“Another valid point. Look at you, Mister Strategy today!” Swordsinger pursed her lips in thought, then a slow smile crossed her lips as her heel slowed to a stop.

 

Hammerleaf eyes turned wary and he leaned away. “I know that look. What insanity have you cooked up now?”

 

“I’m certain I have no idea what you mean.” Swordsinger stood and stretched. “In fact, I think it’s a good idea to take a break – we’ve been running ragged for a long time. Why don’t you and Company A take a nice Leave? You’ve all earned it.”

 

Hammerleaf frowned. “Leave? We’re in the middle of enemy territory. Where could they…oh no.” His eyes widened. “That’s your plan? If things go wrong, that’s tantamount to suicide.”

 

Swordsinger snorted. “Nonsense. If the trap is really in the city and they carry a typical garrison, it will be sixteen of you against a hundred-fifty-ish of them. I like your odds. Besides, my guess is that the trap isn’t in the city.”

 

“Mm hm. Is there anything you’d like us to get you while we’re there?”

 

Swordsinger smiled. “Yes – the Jarl’s abdication.”

 

“Have I mentioned how much I dislike your plans?”

 

She gave him an innocent stare. “Don’t you trust me?”

 

He didn’t respond but she grinned when she noticed his heel tapping as she passed by on the way out of the tent.

***************************

“…then we’ll move here,” Swordsinger set a pink rock on the map, “and take Stone Hills first. I don’t want anything coming at our backs while we’re laying siege to Morthal.”

 

The squad leaders nodded their understanding but Wooly asked, “We’re doing this tomorrow? Is that enough time?”

 

Swordsinger shook her head. “We’re starting tomorrow. It will be another three days before we are in place. Also, congratulations! You have just volunteered your squad to do the initial scouting!” 

 

She grinned and the rest of the room chuckled as he winced, but all he said was, “Sure enough! We’ll leave tonight.”

 

“Very well. Go ahead and get your squad together. We’re about done here, anyway.”

 

“Aye.”

 

Wooly saluted, fist on heart, and left the tent. Swordsinger waited another dozen heartbeats before she spoke again.

 

“Okay, now that the traitor has the bait, here is the real plan.”

 

It caused Swordsinger physical pain to say the words out loud, but the truth could not be denied. Enemy movement had been reported on only one of their many decoy gambits. And that one had been told, in the strictest of confidence, only to Wooly.

 

She wanted to lay her head on her arms and just weep, but now was not the time. Indeed, never would there be a time for such a selfish act while the war raged on. But when it was over…well, that day, a reckoning would come. Provided they all survived, of course.

 

Pride frowned at the map. “Do we have a plan for the dragons? I saw at least a half-dozen today.”

 

“Close by?”

 

Pride shrugged. “Not close enough to raise an alarm. But still…”

 

“Aye. All we can do is keep an eye on the sky and prepare to adapt on the run should one decide to pay us a visit during a fight.”

 

“Aye.”

 

“Right. Get your squads up to speed. We’ll give Wooly a day then move into position.” Plenty of time for Wooly to unwittingly bait their trap.

 

*********************

 

Frustrating. It was frustrating when plans didn’t come together.

 

“It is difficult to spring a trap when the intended trapee does not show up.”

 

Pride laughed. “It’s good there was no enemy waiting for us, right? Even though we weren’t where they would have expected. Perhaps Wooly is not a spy after all?”

 

“I considered that but he’s the only one who knew about our fake plan in Drajkmyr.” Swordsinger sighed as her leg went back to tapping. “I guess I have no choice. I was hoping I could use him to spread disinformation but I’m going to have to burn that bridge. Send him here, please.”

 

“Aye.”

 

When Wooly arrived in the command tent five minutes later, Swordsinger looked up from the map table and glared.

 

“Whoa! What’s that look for?”
 

“How could you?”

 

“What? What did I…”

 

“Don’t play dumb with me!” Swordsinger jumped to her feet as her hands turned to fists, crumpling the report between her fingers. She waved it at Wooly. “Would you care to explain how the Imperials knew of our plan to build a ballista in Drajkmyr?”

 

Wooly went white but sputtered to his own defense. “What? They weren’t Imperials, they were just locals! And I don’t know how they found out! Maybe one of the other squad leaders…”

 

“Enough!” The crack of her voice shut him up and he took another step back as Swordsinger leaned forward. “Morthal is in the hands of the Imperials which makes the locals the same. More to the point, you were the only person I told about that plan. The ONLY ONE!” She struggled not to sweep out her swords and remove his head on the spot. She also struggled not to collapse to the ground weeping. “I TRUSTED YOU! You’re an IMPERIAL SPY! WHY?!”

 

Wooly blanched still further and waved his hands in front of him. “What?! No! I’m not, I swear! I just…I sent the information to my uncle.”

 

Swordsinger paused at this unanticipated direction. “Your uncle? Who is your uncle?"

 

A moment of abashed silence, then Wooly mumbled something.

 

“Speak up, I can’t…”

 

“Dragonscorcher. My name…my real name is Francis Gray-Mane.”

 

It took a solid five seconds for Swordsinger’s brain to process what it had heard. “Gray…you’re a spy for JAUNTY?!”

 

“It’s not spying! He’s our commanding officer! We’re going against his direct orders!” Wooly’s tone had begun to turn sanctimonious and set Swordsinger’s teeth on edge.

 

“He’s the reason we were stuck in the Reach running in circles for a year and a half!”

 

“He must have had his reasons!”

 

“He DID have his reasons – his family – YOUR family now has control of all the mines in that area!”

 

“I…that’s not why…”

 

“Of course it is! All his…YOUR relatives are in the squads that were assigned to them. Did you fail to notice that?”

 

“I…um, now that you mention…”

 

“Tell me this, Mister Jaunty-lover – if you only told that incompetent fop about the ballista, how did the Imperials know about it?”

 

Wooly opened his mouth to speak but no sound came out.

 

“Here’s the truth about your uncle – he sent us to the Reach to procure wealth for his family and to get rid of us because we were the only ones making any progress on this war. Since we didn’t stay there to die, he is making new plans to get us killed here.”

 

“But…but that would mean HE is an Imperial spy! That makes no sense! There must have been some other reason!”

 

Swordsinger shook her head. “Must there? What is it, then? What is Jaunty’s fabulous plan that is so amazing, we’ve been running in circles slowly dying for two years while the rest of the army sits in a stalemate three-hundred miles away from Solitude?”

 

A long silence, then Swordsinger sighed and sat down. “Since in the most technical sense, you didn’t do anything for which I could court-martial you, I’ll have to go with what is in my power. You are stripped of your rank and position. You are the lowest of the low members of the company. Your new name is Dogshit. Go report to the privy-digging squad – that’s where you’ll spend the rest of this war. Gods help you if I ever see you again after the war.”

 

Dogshit looked poleaxed and his face had turned sheet white. It took a long few seconds of a staredown before he ducked his head, turned, and left the tent. Swordsinger waited for the flap to close before she collapsed on a chair, buried her head in her hands, and, for the first time since she could remember, wept.

 

***************************************

 

“You look good in that chair.”

 

“I know. ‘Jarl Hammerleaf.’ Has a ring to it, doesn’t it?”

 

Swordsinger laughed as she looked around Highmoon Hall. “Speaking of, where is the former Jarl? Did you kill him?”

 

“Her. The Jarl was Idgrod Ravencrone. She’s in a nice cell with some rats for company.”

 

“Good enough.”

 

Hammerleaf quirked an eyebrow. “Any signs of actual Imperial activity?”

 

“No. I guess they really are all engaged at the front.”

 

“Probably split between that and Solitude – it’s hard to imagine they might have left it as empty as here. How do you think Jaunty was able to tell them about the fake plan so quickly?”

 

Swordsinger shrugged. “Either there are some really fast pigeons of one of the battlemages somehow sent the message for him.”

 

“Ah. I hadn’t thought of that. Do you think we should expect some actual Imperials soon?”

 

“I assume so. We’ll have to make preparations. Once we’ve eliminated them, we can move on to Solitude.”

 

Hammerleaf frowned. “Solitude? Not the front?”

 

“Why would we go there? Either there is a massive Imperial force between our forces and us, or…I don’t know what. But whatever it is, we don’t want to waste our forces fighting unnecessary battles and we definitely don’t want to have someone like Jaunty commandeering our troops.” Swordsinger shook her head. “No. We’re going to Solitude and we’re going to win this bloody war. Hopefully it won’t be too late to deal with the dragons by then.”

 

As if on cue, a rush and boom sounded from outside, followed by screaming.

 

“Gods, I hate those things. Let’s go. Maybe after we show we can kill the damn things, the people in this city will feel more favorable to us.”
 

Hammerleaf laughed as he stood and reached for his namesake. “Can’t hurt! Let’s show them the mettle of Stormcloaks.”

 

Swordsinger snorted as they rushed toward the door. “Most of them, anyway.”

 

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