King of The Murgos

the map with one finger.
    "A few score thousand. But by the time they had received the order to march south, the Malloreans would already be halfway to Rak Cthaka."
    Urgit stared in consternation at the map. Then he suddenly smashed his fist against it. "He's outsmarted me again!" he raged. He returned to his chair and collapsed in it.
    "I think I'd better go get Kradak," Oskatat said. "The General Staff will need to know about this."
    "Whatever you think best, Oskatat," Urgit replied in a defeated tone.
    As the seneschal strode from the room, Garion crossed to look at the map. After only the briefest of glances, he saw a solution to Urgit's problem, but he was reluctant to speak. He did not want to become involved in this. There were a dozen good reasons why he should keep his mouth shut— the most important being the fact that should he offer his solution to the Murgo King, he would in a sense be committed, and he firmly desired to avoid any commitment to the man, no matter how slight. An unresolved problem, however, nagged at his sense of responsibility; to turn his back on one—even one that was not his own—violated something deep within him. He muttered a curse under his breath, then turned to the stricken Urgit. "Excuse me, your Majesty," he said, approaching the matter obliquely, "but how well fortified is Rak Cthaka?"
    "It's like every Murgo city," Urgit replied abstractedly. "The walls are seventy feet high and thirty feet thick. What difference does it make?"
    "The city could withstand a siege, then—if you had enough men there?"
    "That's the whole problem—I don't."
    "Then you need to get reinforcements there before the Malloreans can reach the city."
    "What a brilliant observation. But if I can't get relief columns there in time, how could I possibly get reinforcements there before the streets are filled with Malloreans?"
    Garion shrugged. "Send them by sea."
    "By sea?" Urgit suddenly looked stunned.
    "Your harbor is full of ships, and your city's bulging with troops. Load enough men on the ships to reinforce the garrison at Rak Cthaka and sail them around to the city. Even if Rak Gorut fell tomorrow, it's still going to take the Malloreans ten days to march overland. Your ships could be there in less than a week. Your reinforced garrison will be able to hold until the relief columns arrive."
    Urgit shook his head. "Murgo armies do not move by ship," he said. "My generals wouldn't hear of it."
    "You're the king, aren't you? Make them hear of it."
    Urgit's face grew apprehensive. "They never listen to me."
    Garion had a sudden urge to shake him. With some effort he got his irritation under control. "There's nothing holy about walking," he said, "particularly if marching your men to Rak Cthaka is going to cost you the city. Tell your generals to load the men on those ships and also tell them that the matter isn't open to discussion."
    "They'll refuse."
    "Then dismiss them from their posts and promote a few colonels."
    Urgit stared at him, aghast. "I couldn't do that."
    "You're the king. You can do anything you want to."
    Urgit wrestled with it indecisively.
    "Do as he says, Urgit," Lady Tamazin commanded abruptly. "It's the only way to save Rak Cthaka."
    He looked at her, a lost expression on his face. "Do you really think I should, mother?" he asked in a small voice.
    "Just do it. As the young man said, you're the king—and I think it's about time that you started acting like one."
    "There's something else we need to consider, your Majesty," Sadi said, his face grave. "If the Malloreans lay siege to Rak Cthaka, I won't be able to land there. I'm going to have to get past that vicinity before any fighting breaks out. Slavers can move around with very little interference, unless there's an actual battle going on, but once the fighting starts, the Malloreans are sure to detain us. If we don't move very quickly, your Dagashi won't reach Rak Hagga until sometime next summer."
    Urgit's face grew even more disconsolate. "I hadn't considered that," he admitted. "I think you and your people had better get ready to leave here immediately. I'll send word to the Temple and tell Agachak that the plans have changed."
    The door opened. Oskatat entered, and at his side was the Murgo officer who had so rudely demanded Urgit's signature the previous day.
    "Ah, General Kradak," Urgit greeted the officer with an obviously feigned joviality, "so good of you to join us. You've heard about what's going on in the