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Ituralde found hion sends help now?" He stu sky He was laughing, and he could not stop Soon tears began streaking down his cheeks

Yes, there was sunlight up there

Ituralde had regained some composure by the time the troops led him into a well-defended sector of the city The smoke here was much less thick Supposedly, al’Thor’s troops--led by Davram Bashere--had reclai out the fires

It was so odd to see troops with shiny are numbers of Asha’h to drive the Shadon back to the hillside fortifications above the river Al’Thor’sinside the city With the palace burned out,as a co war for weeks now Al’Thor’s troops see while these men washed and slept and dined on hot food?

Stop it, he told hi It was far too easy to bla It wasn’t the fault of these men that their lives had been easier than his recently

He labored up the stairs, wishing they’d let hiht’s sleep, a wash, and then he could meet with Bashere But no, that wouldn’t do The battle wasn’t over, and al’Thor’s men would need infor very slowly

He reached the top floor and followed Bashere’s soldiers into a roo a burnished breastplate without thehelmet, hands clasped behind his back as he looked out theHe wore one of those overly large Saldaean h boots

Bashere turned and started "Light! You look like death itself, man!" He turned to the soldiers "He should be in the Healer’s tent! Someone fetch an Asha’man!"

"I’ sternness into his voice "I look worse than I feel, I’d warrant"

The soldiers hesitated, looking to Bashere "Well," theto wipe his face with You poor felloe should have been here days ago"

Outside, Ituralde could hear the sounds of distant battle Bashere had chosen a tall building, one froht a chair, and--for all his wish to show a strong face to a fellow general--Ituralde sat with a sigh

He looked down, and was ah he’d been cleaning a hearth No doubt his face was soot-covered, streaked with sweat, and there was likely still dried blood on it His clothing was ragged from the blast that had destroyed the wall, not to ed cut on his ar, Lord Ituralde," Bashere said There was a formality to his tone--Saldaea and Arad Do nations could not share a border without periods of animosity "The number of Trollocs dead coe in the wall…Let me say that I’m impressed" Bashere’s tone iiven