Late at night on May 19.
When the news reached central headquarters, Vitus was dealing with documents sent from Constantinople.
Learning that a large enemy force had landed upstream along the Sava River, he walked to the map table and placed several black troop markers at the crossing point.
The enemy's crossing lay more than eighty kilometers from the central camp. Mustering troops and marching there to intercept them would take at least four days. There was no chance of stopping them from getting across.
"The enemy spent more than half a month building boats upstream?"
Soon, footsteps sounded outside, and Constantine, Damien, and the others rushed into headquarters. Seeing Vitus deep in concentration, they all remained silent rather than interrupt his thoughts.
The light cavalry's report gave no precise numbers, only that there were more than ten thousand troops on the riverbank.
Once the pontoon bridge was completed, the enemy's light cavalry began crossing. They could drive off the Roman light cavalry, leaving the Romans unable to determine how many troops followed.
In other words, the enemy force upstream along the Sava River might be a feint intended to draw Vitus's main force away from the Šumadija Hills. The army in Belgrade could then break through the blockade and cut off his main force's eastward retreat.
Alternatively, the enemy could land directly from the Danube to the east, severing Vitus's supply route to the Great Morava River.
"The enemy's control of the rivers gives them more tactical options. It's an unpleasant feeling."
Vitus studied the purple troop markers on the map, picked up the mountain troop and cavalry markers, and placed them to the west.
The aim was to delay the enemy on the western front, buying time for Boranov and the other units to withdraw.
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