"Learnèd," he murmurs. "This was necessary. We could not take the chance you would not come immediately. Wait, and take this day as you find it." I recognise that tone. It’s the one professional soldiers use to one another when the bullshit’s over and the barbarians are all but in the fort. I recognise it because I was actually in a fort, not so many years ago, that came under siege. We won, of course.