"Yes. Your mother and father are raising an army, leaving us here to defend the city. The good news is that the roads will carry us quickly to the battles, allowing us to reenforce and resupply them. The bad news is that those same roads will allow them to quickly advance." I sighed... realizing the upcoming days would be hard.

"We have a good treasury; the growth in knowledge and trade has made our kingdom wealthy. There will be plenty to pay a good army. You and I will need to work on the defense of the capitol city." I had already started a few of the guards filling the moat around the building, and removing all the bridges and paths over it but one. Another group was taking oil to the tops of the walls, and had drafted the city to building defenses, making arrows, and building traps. We had learned of "tiger traps" and "pungee sticks" from the heathens far to the south, and many of those were built and installed in the moat and in streams around the city. Children could do those, after the sticks were cut by adults. It was a game.

"This army will be unusual; many of the soldiers and some of the leaders are women. Perhaps you can assist with the psychology of defeating them. We must turn to the teachings of Sun Tsu to assist us in victory. I have sent word to the Emperor's closest kingdoms, and they will send help, but we know not how soon. I am worried, my Queen... we will lose many people."