He smiled, a smile that was almost fey, the smile of a man with one foot in the grave, and dancing for all he was worth to get a little more time. "Just now figuring that out? Wow, I was asking that since I got here. Both sides are professionals, which is odd in an of itself. Forces like these should only have a small core force like that. That an entire force is that means they aren't here to fight a border war of posturing, but something more definite. That BOTH are means this is a trap. These troops are elite, they should be back behind a screen of common foot soldiers, with fakes dressed similar. That they are both here, in the open, nothing screening them, has been screaming trap at me since you told me. No amateurs to throw a hint to the prey, that even now is settling into the nicely provided nest. However, withdrawing now means the entire force comes at us immediately, and I can't do that since that means losing a couple of the diplomats. The centaur could get clear, but the other two would go down to the swarm.<br/><br/>The other thing, why now? Your mother's records indicated that while the two nations weren't close, they did have a fairly binding border treaty between them, that shouldn't be up for renewal now. And I just met the Winter Knight a month ago in the dwarven fortress. She was getting supplies of some kind, but I am betting that she is likely still out here, likely with a couple friends, just for me."