While his people were not accustomed to mass migration or forced marches, Aldred knew they could move faster than they currently were. Not through any fault of their own, of course. The crack of the whips told him that, clear as the daylight above them.

"Faster, slave!" *CRACK* "Faster! The war-leader has no patience!"

The task of hauling their supply sleds had originally been determined by lots, but such menial work was a sure way to brew strife among the clans. Those who pulled the food and water would be exempt from battle and it's glories. The Draumdra clan, bearlings, had been the unlucky ones and still resented missing the attack on Gralhold. With the burning of the hold, the Nords had hundreds of slaves at their disposal- trophies of war they would be able to bring back to the Mountain as was their right of conquest. The slaves were closely watched for escape attempts, but the few who tried were quickly shot down.

"Half a thousand slaves," Aldred murmured to his war council, "And they cannot pull the loads between the,. If we do not leave the forests before tomorrow, the plan will need to change."

The plan would fail if they did not make the borders of the forest before tomorrow, undoubtedly. Even if that foppish oaf the king delivered reinforcements as promised. The fact of the matter was the war had been at a stalemate for decades, and the kings of Grapholo had likely fallen behind on their military prowess. The Kingsguard was probably at full strength, as they only ever received the cushy assignments. And the Nords COULD accomplish their next objective on their own- if the timing was right. But to finish the war would require an army from the King at their side.

"It's the trees," one of the chieftains, a great bearish man with an iron axe, intoned. "The war sleds cannot be turned by humans except on a road. The thralls will be slowed without smooth ground. If we left the forest for the road-"

"We stay here," Aldred said, cutting off that line of thought. "If we went to the road we would be spotted within hours. Finrick's gates would be closed, barred and barricaded. And the enemy would begin assembling conscriptions to meet us in the field. We must take Finrick. Our enemy has lost forts and towns before, but a city has never been lost by either side in this war. If we take Finrick, we control the momentum of the conflict. And while the nobility of our foe's court dither and hoard their knights for their own protection, the road to the Capitol will be open to us. If our dearest allies will deliver what was promised..."