Casca 34: Devil's Horseman by Tony Roberts

Batu didn’t speak very much which surprised Casca, and when he did it was hesitant and self-conscious. He attracted scornful looks from some of the princes, particularly from Kuyuk and Buri.
    Unlike Mongol generals in the past, Subedei preferred to hang back and direct matters from a vantage point and use flags as signals to his Noyans. Batu and Casca remained close to his side but the other princes scornfully made comments about being too scared to face the enemy and demanded they be sent out on raiding parties.
    Subedei readily agreed; it would serve two purposes. Firstly they would be out of the way and Batu in particular hated them being around. He was fed up with being treated like the runt of a litter. Secondly Subedei wanted to spread terror and fear and the princes would do that without needing specific orders. They were only ordered to avoid clashes with any sizeable enemy force and report any such formations to him immediately.
    The line of trees that marked the end of the steppes and the beginning of the great forests that covered northern Russia loomed closer. They were making their way slowly north westwards towards the city of Riazan, sited well inside the forest, and this would be their first target.
    One evening they sat around a large camp fire within Batu’s huge yurt, the slave girls dancing to Mongol folk songs, and Subedei leaned towards Casca. “Tell me, Old Young One, what would you do if we besieged a city and learned that another enemy force was approaching to relieve it? Would you risk raising the siege and do battle with the new army? Would you retreat?”
    “Retreat!” Buri snapped, his eyes burning with indignation. “Only cowards retreat!” Some of the others sat there nodded in agreement.
    Batu looked at Casca, his eyes wide. He obviously was waiting to hear wisdom from the legendary teacher of Genghis Khan.
    “Retreat is not something you would wish for, am I right, Batu Khan?” Casca said slowly.
    “That – is correct,” Batu said, hesitation in his voice. He looked briefly at the scowling faces lit by the flames of the fire. He had no wish to be called a coward in front of everyone, and he also knew retreat was not in the plans. Riazan was to be destroyed, both to wipe out any chance of leaving an enemy in the rear as they moved on further west, and to demonstrate to all the folly of resisting them.
    “Hmmm,” Casca mused, rocking back and forth on his buttocks. He recalled a story told to him in his childhood about the great Julius Caesar.
    “Do you have a tactic, Old Young One?” Kuyuk challenged him, a sneer on his face. “Or have you left your wisdom in the tomb of my grandfather?”
    Casca glared at the prince. “Sometimes a quick decision is a poor decision. Much has to be considered before making the right one. If you leave a city then they may sally out to attack your rear. I would build a wall to surround the city and put yourself inside this palisade so that the city defenders cannot come out, yet the arriving enemy cannot get in. You would be safe within the space in between the city walls and your barrier.”
    The Mongols stared in surprise, then turned to each other, muttering and arguing. Subedei looked thoughtful and slowly nodded. Batu saw this and smiled. His faith in Casca-Badahur was proved and it had also given his Chief of Staff an additional tactic to use. Even the younger Mongols seemed to like it and a few looked at Casca with renewed respect. Truly he must be as the legend said if he could devise such plans. Casca for his part thanked his parents for telling him of Caesar’s siege of Alesia when he’d finally defeated the Gauls and their last great warlord, Vercingetorix.
    Kuyuk for his part looked surprised, then nodded without smiling. This round-eye was clever. Only Buri remained scowling, but this was because Casca had avoided being humiliated.
    Later Casca sank into his bed and lay with his hands behind his head, staring up at the felt lining