Guardians of the West

build very good walls. I've pulled down some pretty stout-looking houses in my time -for one reason or another."
    "I think, though, that we don't want to yank down the walls too soon," Barak cautioned. "The people inside out-number us just now, and we don't want to give them any reason to come swarming out of that place -and if you pull a man's walls down, it usually makes him very grouchy." The siege of Rheon continued for two more days before Javelin returned astride an exhausted horse. "Haldar's put his own people in most of the positions of authority in the army," he reported, once they had all gathered in the large, dun-colored tent that served as the headquarters of the besieging army. "They're all going around making speeches about Belgarion taking Queen Porenn prisoner. They've about halfway persuaded the troops that they're coming to her rescue."
    "Was there any sign of Brendig and the Sendars yet?" Garion asked him.
    "I didn't see them personally, but Haldar has his troops moving at a forced march, and he's got a lot of scouts out behind him. I think he believes that Brendig's right on his heels. On the way back, I ran into Lady Polgara and the sorcerer Beldin. They seem to be planning something, but I didn't have time to get any details." He slumped in his chair with a look of exhaustion on his face.
    "You're tired, Khendon," Queen Porenn said. "Why don't you get a few hours' sleep, and we'll gather here again this evening."
    "I'm all right, your Majesty." he said quickly.
    "Go to bed, Javelin," she said firmly. "Your contributions to our discussions won't be very coherent if you keep falling asleep in your chair."
    "You might as well do as she says, Javelin," Silk advised. "She's going to mother you whether you like it or not."
    "That will do, Silk," Porenn said.
    "But you will, Auntie. You're known far and wide as the little mother of Drasnia."
    "I said, that will do."
    Yes, mother."
    "I think you're walking on very thin ice, Silk," Yarblek said.
    "I always walk on thin ice. It gives my life a certain zest."
    The gloomy days were slowly settling into an even gloomier evening as Garion and his friends gathered once more in the large tent near the center of the encampment. Yarblek had brought a number of rolled-up rugs with him and several iron braziers, and these contributions to their headquarters added certain garish, even barbaric, touches to the interior of the tent.
    "Where's Silk?" Garion asked, looking around as they all seated themselves around the glowing braziers.
    "I think he's out snooping," Barak replied.
    Garion made a face. "I wish that just once he'd be where he's supposed to be."
    Javelin looked much more alert after his few hours' sleep.
    His expression, however, was grave. "We're starting to run out of time," he told them. "We've got three armies converging on this place. Lord Hettar is coming up from the south, and General Brendig is coming in from the west. Unfortunately, the Drasnian pikemen are very likely to get here first."
    "Unless Pol and Beldin can slow them down," Durnik added.
    "I have every confidence in Lady Polgara and Master Beldin," Javelin said, "but I think we should decide what we're going to do in the event that they aren't successful. It's always best to prepare for the worst."
    "Wisely spoken, my Lord," Mandorallen murmured.
    "Now " the Chief of Drasnian Intelligence continued, "we don't truly want to fight the pikemen. First of all, they aren't really our enemies; secondly, a battle with them is going to weaken our forces to the point that a sortie in force from the city could conceivably defeat us."
    "What are you leading up to, Javelin?" Porenn asked him.
    "I think we're going to have to get into the city."
    "We haven't got enough men," Barak said flatly.
    "And it will take several more days to reduce the walls," Mandorallen added.
    Javelin held up one hand. "If we concentrate the siege engines on one section of wall, we should be able to bring it down within one day." he declared.
    "But that just announces which quarter we'll attack from," Lelldorin protested. "The forces in the city will be concentrated there to repel us."
    "Not if the rest of the city's on fire," Javelin replied.
    "Absolutely out of the question," Garion said flatly. "My son could be in that town, and I'm not going to risk his life setting the whole place on fire."
    "I still say that we haven't got enough men to take the city." Barak maintained.
    "We don't have to take the whole city, my Lord