As he topped the shattered palisade, half crumbled and littered with rubble, he saw a hooded ram being propelled by a company of riders. It was tented, providing the men inside with protection from arrow fire and burning oil.
Calis said, ‘I can’t see anyone inside it.’
The elf’s eyesight was superior to Martin’s own, for at this distance he couldn’t tell. Soon, the ram picked up enough speed he knew no man could run and push that fast. Instead the riders were pulling it with ropes and were starting to pick up speed. Suddenly Martin had an idea what was happening and shouted, ‘Off the walls! Everyone off!’
They didn’t need to be told twice. Martin he ran down the stairs, crying, ‘Archers to the square! Man the barricade! Runners to me!’
Two boys, almost comical in oversized helmets and huge quilted vests appeared, stern expressions on their faces. ‘You,’ he pointed to one, ‘find Sergeant Ruther. You,’ he said to the other, ‘find Sergeant Magwin. Tell them to pull back out of sight and wait until the Keshians are into the square, then hit them from behind.’ He jabbed his two fists together for emphasis. ‘Like the horns of a bull! At their discretion they are to pull back, circle around the side streets and get behind the barricade if needs be. Do you understand?’
Both boys nodded and ran off. Men flooded past the city’s youthful commander as he watched the now- empty wall. He hated sending boys on errands of war, but he had no one else.
Nakor appeared at his side. ‘What are you thinking?’
‘Where have you been?’
‘Looking around. Trying to think of some tricks.’
‘Did you think of any?’
‘Not yet but they’re not here yet.’
‘Where’s Miranda?’
‘She is making sure there are more no magicians with the Keshians. That would be bad.’ Nakor watched the retreating bowmen and asked, ‘And, again, what are you thinking with all this running away from the wall?’
‘I’m thinking that ram isn’t a ram, but a tented wagon with some barrels of Quegan Oil.’
With a grin Nakor said, ‘I didn’t think of that. That’s a very good trick.’ Then the grin faded, ‘But you know what I am thinking?’
‘What?’
‘If you’re right, we’re standing too close to the gate!’
Martin’s eyes widened and without another word the two of them turn and ran up the street as the sound of the rumbling wagon became audible. They were halfway down the street to the first intersection when the wagon slammed into the remains of the gate.
The explosion stuck with the force of a thousand battering rams. The gust of air knocked both Martin and Nakor flat to the ground as a wave of heat washed over them. Both had their backs to the gate so neither was blinded, but when they turned over both saw a monstrous fireball rising into the sky. Waves of heat rolled over them as the wooden gates were now ablaze and even the stones seem to burn as the flaming liquid ran down the blackening stones.
Helping Nakor to his feet Martin said, ‘How long do you think it will burn?’
Nakor said, ‘That’s a lot of oil. Hour, maybe longer. That sticky oil takes a while to consume itself.’
Martin glanced at the low sun in the east and said, ‘They’ll hit us after sundown.’
‘That gives you an hour or more to think up a new strategy.’
‘Nothing new. We stand and we fight. If Kesh takes this city, the Kingdom will never regain the Far Coast and will lose Yabon into the bargain.’
‘Well, I’ve seen a lot of fights, with worse odds than you’re facing.’
Martin’s brow furrowed. ‘Really?’
Nakor grinned. ‘Well, maybe not many. Say, just a few.’ He began walking to the barricade and said, ‘All right, not a few, but there was this one time …’
Martin said, ‘What?’
‘I’m trying to make you feel more confident.’
‘You’re not very good at this are you?’
Nakor sighed. ‘Out of practice, I think.’
Martin found and fought an urge to laugh. He had a sick feeling in his stomach that if he started laughing, he might not be able to stop.
The defenders readied themselves and after the sun set, they waited through the twilight. Again the two elven archers, the eledhel prince and the moredhel chieftain were given responsibility on either flank to keep the young archers calm.
When full darkness was on the city, the Keshian trumpets sounded. Sergeant Ruther had taken a few moments to speak with Martin after he had changed the city’s defensive plans. Now Martin told his brother, ‘They’ll hit with the heavy horse first, trying to clear out any resistance along the main street. Foot will follow in the traditional Keshian fashion. They’ll try to seize this square and establish a defensible position with pikes and shields to defend against counter-attack. Bowmen will be last. Light cavalry will be held in reserve and loosed to pick off anyone on the edge of battle or chase those who are fleeing to prevent a rally. If they leave their light horse out of the city for an hour or more, we have a chance.’
‘What do you propose? asked his brother.
‘If we can halt the heavy cavalry between the entrance to the square and this barricade, the heavy foot will pile up behind, and they will get jammed together. Pikes will be useless and shields will gain them no benefit. The archers at the rear will then pile up against the heavy foot. Ruther and Magwin will hit the archers first, and should make short work of them hand-to-hand, and then they’ll be carving up the footmen from behind. Swords and knives against pikes in close combat; jammed together, the Keshians number advantage will mean little.’
‘You sound as if you think we can survive,’ observed Brendan.
Martin said, ‘I think we can
‘As long as the Keshians behave like you expect.’
‘They’ll behave like Keshians.’
‘Where are Miranda and Nakor? Some magic right now would be very useful, I think.’
‘Miranda is ensuring no Keshian magic-users are moving against us. Nakor has run off to make merry with the Keshians in his own fashion,’ said Martin. ‘I wasn’t in a position to tell them how best to use their craft.’
‘Nor were they likely to listen, anyway,’ said Brendan.
Horns sounded and there was a rumble as a company of heavy horse began their advance down the boulevard. Two single columns rode side by side, but closer than was customary for protection from possible attacks from side streets. The litter of rubble on the cobbles forced them to advance slower than they would have liked. Even so, Martin knew they could easily overrun his defences if they were not slowed.
‘Archers!’ shouted Martin. ‘Ready!’
The first horses came into view and Martin reached over the barricade and said, ‘Now!’
The two soldiers managing the old ballista from LaMut fired and the bolt flew true into the first pair of horses, cutting through them to slice into the pair behind, and the third pair, before losing energy and landing with a heavy thud on the ground before the fourth pair of riders. The vanguard was disrupted as horses shrieked and riders were tossed as the first six animals struck went down, thrashing and shrieking in pain.
As Martin had hoped, the assault faltered before it was begun and riders cursed as those still alive before them fought to free themselves from thrashing or dead mounts.
The two men in the wagon quickly reloaded the ballista and fired a second shot which took down another pair of riders. ‘I don’t think you can do more!’ shouted Martin. ‘Break that thing and get back over the wall.’ One man leaped onto the barricade and was hauled over by those waiting to help, while the other soldier took a heavy blacksmith’s mallet to the ballista, breaking the firing mechanism so that it could not be used against the defenders. He leapt and was also hauled over the barricade.
Martin shouted, ‘Archers! Volley fire! Fire!’
A flight of arrows arched up from the barricade, and descended against the horsemen. Screaming men and animals signalled its effectiveness, and the battle for Ylith was fully joined.
Martin’s plan worked for the first two hours of the night. Three flights of arrows broke the Keshian heavy
