"I wonder if the defenses against physical attacks are partly redundant, additive, or multiplicative? It might be that by the time you're third circle you're as hard to injure as an elder dragon." Iskandar refused her earlier request to do durability tests but maybe she can change Kybele's mind for science.

"Wouldn't that be fun? I wouldn't bet that way but I suppose that's an empty statement, isn't it, since I don't mean to hold still for a controlled test. Now shoo, I'm going to bed."

Nenio can reluctantly be shooed. 

One feature of army life she might not have appreciated yet is that getting a lot of people up in the mornings in a timely manner - especially new recruits - requires quite a lot of noise. There's some effort to ensure it doesn't awaken wizards or people on night watches, and the knight commander's tent is far enough away from the troops to also evade the worst of it, but even aside from the instruments used to wake them there's no way to quietly get ten thousand people up and moving. Is she already awake, or will this come as an unpleasant surprise?

She went to bed at a responsible hour! It's unpleasant but it's not catching her after too little sleep.

Then she won't be too bleary eyed when they set out in earnest! It takes about two hours for the troops to get up, eat, and then finish packing and policing the camp, which gives plenty of time for all the spellcasters to finish preparing their magic and for her to get any morning tasks on her to-do list finished. The standard distance a soldier can be expected to march in a day without burning themselves out is 15 miles in a 4 day on 1 day off pattern; given the greenness of their troops and the terrible terrain at the wound, they'll be aiming for 11 miles, which should also ensure everyone isn't helpless from exhaustion if they have to fight at the end of it. 

Does she plan to borrow a ride or go on foot?

She'll go on foot. She's not faster than a horse that's trying to go fast but she's certainly able to be faster than a marching army and not tired after.

(Iskander would like a horse.)

Rank hath its privileges, and perhaps more importantly for Iskander being closely related to someone important is nearly as good as far as Mendev is concerned. Despite not having any formal position in the crusade, Iskander doesn't even need to lean on his sister's authority or otherwise push to get himself a mount and a position near the heart of the formation.

Where he can be joined by a rather familiar face, also mounted on horseback. 

"Iskander! I see at least one of you is setting a good example."

"G'morning. The example of sitting down instead of striding across the landscape in delight at my own physical capabilities? Yeah, she's awful that way, all, lookit me, I can go so fast."

"It makes my feet hurt just thinking about it." 

"She usedta ride more, not because her feet hurt but because she'd trip. Not any more though."