The Eagle's Flight

Chapter 216: Let Them Come

Weeks after the battle in Ingmond, patrols from Middanhal caught sight of the outlander vanguard. They moved swiftly up the Kingsroad, plundering the area for food on their march. Their speed suggested good knowledge of the land, whether through maps or spies set in advance.

Rather than risk a skirmish, the Order patrols kept their distance. Experienced troops were few in Middanhal compared to the need, and the lord marshal had given strict orders to avoid fighting. Instead, the soldiers of the Star simply shadowed their red-robed counterparts, retreating before them back to the city, bearing the news. The enemy had arrived.

~~~~

The tidings had been expected, yet they still sent waves of panic through the city. Until then, some had held out hope that the rumours were exaggerated, or perhaps the outlanders would turn another way. To others, it had seemed an intangible threat, vague in comparison to the relief that the civil war had ended without further bloodshed. Now, such thoughts proved to be folly.

To the leaders, little had changed. They continued training soldiers, both levies from the fiefdoms of Adalrik and new conscripts to the Order. All the food that could be salvaged from southern Adalrik had already been brought inside the walls. On the towers, engineers from Fontaine laboured to build stone throwers and other defences.

Buildings were cleared throughout Lowtown, either to create passageways for reinforcements to reach the walls from their lodgings, or to lessen the risk of fires being set by flaming projectiles. Weapon stores were distributed throughout the fortifications, above all large quantities of arrows in every tower; barely a bird had any feathers left in the city with every fletcher working all waking hours.

These and many other preparations continued, day after day and sometimes into the night; time was running out.

~~~~

The king walked along the southern fortifications with Sir Richard of Alwood by his side; besides strong armour made of Nordsteel, ten kingthanes provided protection. Other than that, only the occasional sentinel could be found, keeping sharp eyes towards the south.

"This will be your tower," Brand explained. He pointed at the nearest turret. "It may serve as your command post. You will be furthest from reinforcement, so your garrison will be larger than the other towers."

"Excellent." Richards voice and smile gave no impression that the responsibility weighed on him.

"You must expect hard fighting. The outlanders have spies, and they may well be aware that this stretch of wall is more vulnerable."

"Let them come!"

"They have certainly been aware of our other plans," Brand muttered darkly. He stopped to stand between crenellations, placing his hands on the stonework as he gazed south. "They knew to advance swiftly before we were ready. Had I been king one month earlier, I could have led our armies to Ingmond and held the Sureste. Thirty days, and we would not be under threat of siege."

"You should have been king years ago," Richard argued. "I told those bastards as much, but they would not listen. Too busy squabbling among themselves."

Brand gave a vague smile. "You were always fearless, Sir Richard, whether on the battlefield or in marbled halls."

"Truth be told, I am too simple-minded to be afraid."

His words elicited laughter from the king. "You have done for more this kingdom than most lords I know, however cunning they might be."

"Not a hard measure to reach."

Brand turned to look at the knight. "You gave me my first command. I will never forget that."

"And now my king returns the favour." Richard grinned. "Do not worry, sire. We will be ready for those scum when they get here."

"Tell the men. They will need your courage in the coming days."

~~~~

Three days later, sentinels atop the towers could spot the outlanders in the distance. They did not approach, but began making their own preparations. All trees had been felled in the vicinity, and they brought their own timber from afar to build small watch posts as the first priority. Immediately manning them to keep a sharp eye on the gate of Middanhal, the remaining outlanders set aside spears to wield shovels, digging ditches. In this manner, soon several thousand of the Anausa occupied themselves.

As the remainder of their first army arrived, they set up camp southwest of the city, near the Mihtea. Given their numbers, especially with the second army expected, only a river like that could supply enough freshwater for them all. More timber was brought to build palisades, and more trenches were dug, turning their camp into a primitive fortress. As for their engineers, they began constructing siege engines.

~~~~

Atop the gatehouse, the lord marshal stood with Athelstan. They gazed into the distance, trying to discern what they might concerning the outlanders. "Too soon for a sortie," Athelstan considered. "Nothing of value to destroy."

"At least we have the numbers for it when the time comes. What siege machinery do you expect them to use?" asked William.

"I suspect ladders," the other knight replied. "If they breach the gate with a ram, we can defend it with ease given our strong garrison. They would have to breach the walls in several locations, which would take weeks. Their best way to take this city is to gain a foothold on the walls and flood their soldiers in."

William glanced at the catapult positioned next to them, placing a hand on the wooden frame. "I suppose this will be less useful against storm ladders as compared to rams, but better to have and not need."

Meanwhile, Athelstan had walked to the edge of the parapet. He narrowed his eyes, using one hand to shield them from the sun. "Is there something strange about how they are digging?"

The lord marshal joined him, likewise straining his sight. "They are not making trenches anymore, at least not for defensive purposes. They are moving closer towards the city."

Athelstans eyes opened wide. "They are making the ground even."

"What for?"

The older knight gestured towards the area beyond the walls. "The land has been made rough to make it harder for siege machinery on wheels. You can get rams through, perhaps, but not siege towers. Unless you are willing to spend countless hours, risking your mens lives, to make it even."

"But we are uphill," William argued. "Moving siege towers to the walls seems a near preposterous task. They would need draught animals, which causes a new host of difficulties for them."

"It does," Athelstan conceded, "but I can see no other explanation." He took a deep breath. "It will not be ladders. It will be towers." He glanced over his shoulder at the catapult. "We are going to need those stone throwers after all."