Thank you,
Rexpennae Kansas
Chapter 12
A single horse issued from the gates of El Intrivo, one horse, and it swiftly bore its rider south.
"Fool," Jack muttered to himself, "Unless they attack our score is not settled."
He swept from the throne room and descended the long curving stair that encircled the keep tower. When the keep tower met the main building of four stories Jack burst through the first door he passed. The soldiers in the barrack room jumped to their feet, and fell across the floor.
"Get up you lazy swine!" Jack roared, "To the walls, all of you, do you wish to hand your fortress to the rebels?"
The troops scrambled out of the room and ran to the wall top, fairly satisfied, Jack descended another floor and burst into the barracks, much to the same effect as last time.
"You all, Ready your weapons, throw the gates open, and dig trenches in the courtyard!" he ordered.
"You are not our king. You dare command his troops." Said the captain as he walked up to challenge Jack.
He received a ringed hand across his face, he picked himself up from the floor, bleeding from a long gash across his cheek, only to be knocked down again.
"In the absence of your king, you will obey my command." Jack glared at the captain, who quietly rose and ordered his men to do as Jack instructed.
**************************************************************************************
Clouds veiled the sun's rising that day, and the wind bit deep, cutting through the bodies of the standing troops at the outlet of the Salas River. They were waiting for their captains, and leaders, who were in a debate that could have cleared the sky.
The Rebels of the north had arrived in Salas, with their many machines of war, ballistae, catapults, towers, and the like. They were ready for war, but had long owed fealty to Princess Rose, and would not go without her consent. And consent was just what she was withholding.
"A rider left the castle last night, this rider matched well the description of Eravar, from what my scouts could see, and he bore away hard and fast. If Eravar has left the castle then there is no reason to attack." She said to the council of 6.
"And why not, Princess? Seize his throne, and put an end to him." Said Krethos.
"Because, Krethos, I cannot allow him to walk abroad. I cannot allow him to move and gather more support." She replied, and Krethos could see clearly her concern, and anger.
"And you, Commander of the northerners, will you not come?" Krethos asked.
"Lacking the Princess' consent I will do nothing, and were it not so, I see much better her view than yours. Eravar is a master orator, and to let him free would be a grave error on our part." Replied the commander.
"Supposing we forgo the castle, and capture the mystery rider, will you feel yourself a fool to find your cousin in his tower, Princess?"
"No." She answered, "And if we attack the castle to find the rider was my cursed cousin, will you feel yourself a fool?"
"My business is not with Eravar, but his guest, Princess, and You would do well to remember that."
The princess leaned back in her chair, her admiration for this man was great, near boundless. But she could not risk a victory, only to find herself in a trap, and finally defeated.
"Krethos," she said, " I cannot risk it, there are too many variables. I will bend all my forces to take the rider, and guard the cities he could be aiming for, from his arrival."
Krethos' mind turned, furiously his mind worked, gears turned and pieces were brought together. He was angry, angry at the withdrawal of promised aid, no matter the sanity and reason behind it. Princess Rose could see him thinking, she knew he was disappointed, but she didn't know to what extent.
"You break a promise, do you expect me to believe you will return to keep it?" Krethos asked, holding, just barely, his anger back.
"I will return to aid you, dear Krethos, I promise you that, and I cannot expect you to trust me." She answered.
"Then, how would an alternative arrangement sound to you?" Krethos asked.
Princess Rose tread lightly from then on, warily she had to proceed, Krethos was a good man, but dangerous.
"What do you propose, Krethos?"
"Send out riders, a dozen or so, leave them to catch your mystery rider, while the rest of us, take the castle." Krethos said.
"Krethos' idea has merit." Glaxon said.
His comment was met with agreement by the northern commander and the Princess' personal commander. The Princess thought hard for a moment, anxiousness could be seen in her eyes.
"Your idea does indeed hold merit, Krethos," she said, thoughtfully, "And I will agree to it, holding you responsible if we must fight again to out Eravar."
Krethos smiled, "Yes indeed, Princess."
**************************************************************************************
Stones flew at the first light of dawn, thick in the air. As they fell they laid waste to the walls of El Intrivo. But the men inside were not asleep, Jack Von Bondahar had roused them, and they returned fire.
Arrows rained down from the heavens, the dark fletched shafts buried themselves in the ground, and a few in their targets. Stones rose from the courtyard and flew high into the sky, rolling over men as they struck the ground. One caught a northerner trebuchet and the splinters flew far.
Krethos watched from a distance, as the walls crumbled. The tower keep's walls fell away, leaving the curving stair exposed, and the throne room at the pinnacle was laid open by a chance shot.
The Northern commander ordered his troops forward, and they obeyed swiftly. Sheilds held high they advanced, moving closer to the wall. They guarded ballistae of great strength, and when effective range was reached several deep cutting steel bolts were fired, and they sunk into the wall, and the Northerners pulled on the ropes attached to the bolts. The walls came crashing down.
At once a great cry went up from Krethos' allies, and they rushed forward, headlong into the castle, and Krethos was at their lead.
"Fool," Jack muttered to himself, "Unless they attack our score is not settled."
He swept from the throne room and descended the long curving stair that encircled the keep tower. When the keep tower met the main building of four stories Jack burst through the first door he passed. The soldiers in the barrack room jumped to their feet, and fell across the floor.
"Get up you lazy swine!" Jack roared, "To the walls, all of you, do you wish to hand your fortress to the rebels?"
The troops scrambled out of the room and ran to the wall top, fairly satisfied, Jack descended another floor and burst into the barracks, much to the same effect as last time.
"You all, Ready your weapons, throw the gates open, and dig trenches in the courtyard!" he ordered.
"You are not our king. You dare command his troops." Said the captain as he walked up to challenge Jack.
He received a ringed hand across his face, he picked himself up from the floor, bleeding from a long gash across his cheek, only to be knocked down again.
"In the absence of your king, you will obey my command." Jack glared at the captain, who quietly rose and ordered his men to do as Jack instructed.
**************************************************************************************
Clouds veiled the sun's rising that day, and the wind bit deep, cutting through the bodies of the standing troops at the outlet of the Salas River. They were waiting for their captains, and leaders, who were in a debate that could have cleared the sky.
The Rebels of the north had arrived in Salas, with their many machines of war, ballistae, catapults, towers, and the like. They were ready for war, but had long owed fealty to Princess Rose, and would not go without her consent. And consent was just what she was withholding.
"A rider left the castle last night, this rider matched well the description of Eravar, from what my scouts could see, and he bore away hard and fast. If Eravar has left the castle then there is no reason to attack." She said to the council of 6.
"And why not, Princess? Seize his throne, and put an end to him." Said Krethos.
"Because, Krethos, I cannot allow him to walk abroad. I cannot allow him to move and gather more support." She replied, and Krethos could see clearly her concern, and anger.
"And you, Commander of the northerners, will you not come?" Krethos asked.
"Lacking the Princess' consent I will do nothing, and were it not so, I see much better her view than yours. Eravar is a master orator, and to let him free would be a grave error on our part." Replied the commander.
"Supposing we forgo the castle, and capture the mystery rider, will you feel yourself a fool to find your cousin in his tower, Princess?"
"No." She answered, "And if we attack the castle to find the rider was my cursed cousin, will you feel yourself a fool?"
"My business is not with Eravar, but his guest, Princess, and You would do well to remember that."
The princess leaned back in her chair, her admiration for this man was great, near boundless. But she could not risk a victory, only to find herself in a trap, and finally defeated.
"Krethos," she said, " I cannot risk it, there are too many variables. I will bend all my forces to take the rider, and guard the cities he could be aiming for, from his arrival."
Krethos' mind turned, furiously his mind worked, gears turned and pieces were brought together. He was angry, angry at the withdrawal of promised aid, no matter the sanity and reason behind it. Princess Rose could see him thinking, she knew he was disappointed, but she didn't know to what extent.
"You break a promise, do you expect me to believe you will return to keep it?" Krethos asked, holding, just barely, his anger back.
"I will return to aid you, dear Krethos, I promise you that, and I cannot expect you to trust me." She answered.
"Then, how would an alternative arrangement sound to you?" Krethos asked.
Princess Rose tread lightly from then on, warily she had to proceed, Krethos was a good man, but dangerous.
"What do you propose, Krethos?"
"Send out riders, a dozen or so, leave them to catch your mystery rider, while the rest of us, take the castle." Krethos said.
"Krethos' idea has merit." Glaxon said.
His comment was met with agreement by the northern commander and the Princess' personal commander. The Princess thought hard for a moment, anxiousness could be seen in her eyes.
"Your idea does indeed hold merit, Krethos," she said, thoughtfully, "And I will agree to it, holding you responsible if we must fight again to out Eravar."
Krethos smiled, "Yes indeed, Princess."
**************************************************************************************
Stones flew at the first light of dawn, thick in the air. As they fell they laid waste to the walls of El Intrivo. But the men inside were not asleep, Jack Von Bondahar had roused them, and they returned fire.
Arrows rained down from the heavens, the dark fletched shafts buried themselves in the ground, and a few in their targets. Stones rose from the courtyard and flew high into the sky, rolling over men as they struck the ground. One caught a northerner trebuchet and the splinters flew far.
Krethos watched from a distance, as the walls crumbled. The tower keep's walls fell away, leaving the curving stair exposed, and the throne room at the pinnacle was laid open by a chance shot.
The Northern commander ordered his troops forward, and they obeyed swiftly. Sheilds held high they advanced, moving closer to the wall. They guarded ballistae of great strength, and when effective range was reached several deep cutting steel bolts were fired, and they sunk into the wall, and the Northerners pulled on the ropes attached to the bolts. The walls came crashing down.
At once a great cry went up from Krethos' allies, and they rushed forward, headlong into the castle, and Krethos was at their lead.
Copyright © 2008-2009 Robert W. A. Nance
All rights reserved
1 comment:
Exciting!
Natalie
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