The battle on the beachhead continued as Maren watched. In the darkness of night, she struggled to judge the tide of battle, but as the screams and cries of men drifted across the marshy ground Maren could tell the Karsusians were breaking under the orcish assault. Riders rode hard through the scattering lines of mercenaries, driving them into the fire-fens. The fires were spreading slowly through the camp and even one of the partially constructed siege catapults had caught fire. Through the flicker of the flames, Maren glimpsed an odd thing-a royal standard. A human banner. Maren could not make out the design of the crest in the darkness, but she found it odd an orc would carry such a thing into battle. 

[I]a trick perhaps? Why would the orcs raid this far south? And into an armed camp? [/i] Her mind turned the possibilities over and over, but she could not make sense of the situation. Either way, the immediate threat of siege was momentarily broken.

"I cannot make sense of it Cassius," said Maren. "Do you see that banner there?" she pointed to the royal banner. "It is of human design. Why would the orcs carry that?" 

The night air turned warm, and the smell of smoke drifted over the wall. Nearly an hour had passed since the battle began. Maren suddenly felt tired, her mind racing to understand the new developments.