But Hakem Rafi still resisted the idea. “What if we pull in the rest of our army and surround them, lay siege to their land? We have so many men they can’t attack us all. We could pen them in until they’re forced to surrender—”
“The boundaries of their circle extend for many parasangs. Within their protection are rivers, fields, forests, wells, whole cities. They could survive for months, perhaps years, without contact from the outside. You cannot just waste your men by letting them sit around watching the enemy. The men will rot away, and so will your empire. Not only that, Hugheri will again stand as a symbol of resistance, a rallying point for the other nations. You cannot allow that to happen. You must take decisive action.”
Hakem Rafi stood up and paced about his room. “The point is
