The Ninth Prophecy

The next rainy morning lord Yon had summoned his council once again. “This is the meeting on which the destiny of Baan Senicore will be decided. We have multiple paths. Possibly, one of them leads to glory. We must be wise enough to choose this middle path. I ask you all to put aside all emotion and to help make this joint decision for the well-being of the south and of the kingdom as a whole. We have to be bold and we have to be smarter than our enemies. If we can’t outnumber them, then we ought to outwit them. Who wants to speak his thoughts first?”

Sure enough, it was Aegor who spoke after the king of the southland: “My lord, if I may…” Yon waved with his hand over the table, granting Aegor’s wish to speak.

- “I still think we should attack them out in the open. They wouldn’t expect it. If not that, then it is my opinion that what we must do is reinforce our walls. Key to our victory is in holding them back as long as we can. We must wear them out, so to speak. I would like the Sciprians to be at the gates and at the exposed eastern wall. Our weapons do the greatest damage. I would have our archers lined up along the wall and soldiers at the gates. If the enemy is to come close, they could charge out and keep the enemy at least at a distance at which our heavy weaponry, catapults and such, could do damage before they come too close to be fired at.”

- “But that would mean practically sacrificing your on-foot soldiers and your cavalry who are our best. If the alliance soldiers don’t cut them down, the catapults will for sure. Our catapults,” Yon replied as he didn’t sound too comfortable with this proposal.

- “My lord, we are willing to do what we must. It would be a worthy death if it would mean salvation of the south. I would be leading the Sciprian attack. If it happens that they come close to the gates, our charge could surprise them. The rest of the work would then be up to Hadera’s siegers.”

- “My siegers will do their work. They are altering some catapults at the watchtowers as we speak. We are also making some dispersible charges…It basically means firing sacks filled with sharp pieces of metal such as nails, along with common rocks that we’re to use to smash their front. The sack gets ripped up in the air after it is fired and does great damage to the forces on the ground when a rain of metal pours on them. This is why we call these charges ‘heavy rain’“, Hadera responded without referring to the issue of probable loss of Sciprians to friendly fire of the Senicore defense. All seemed impressed by the idea and the innovations introduced by Hadera. Only Faris seemed to be unenthusiastic.

- “I understand that Aegor favors the open attack. What Hadera is doing also sounds great, but, regarding our defensive strategy, I would rather hear some other proposals too,” Yon continued searching for non-sacrificial solutions.

- “We either strike them out in the open or we stay in. There is no third option, I’m afraid,” Hadera continued.

- “Well, there just may be one,” Faris said, attracting the attention of all others.

- “Go on,” Yon said.

- “Aegor mentioned that we should use the land as we best know how God laid it in the south. Of course, we must defend the city too. So, this is what I propose: I think we should combine the two. The only way they can come is to march straight at the front gate. They can’t use ships because we have the strongest fleet. Now, when you stand at the front gate what do you see? Why can’t they come from any other side?”

- “Because there are two steep hills on the sides. The only way to charge is through the middle. That’s why our forefathers built the city here. What’s your point,” Yon said, impatient to hear what Faris was hinting at.

- “Exactly, my brother. Our forefathers built the city here because of the advantage earth provided them with. Why then charge out or attack them out in the open in any way? What I suggest is that we place archers on each side, on each of the hills. The alliance troops are coming in confidently, sure of themselves. We should exploit that. They will come charging straight forward, as they surely are aware that they outnumber us at least by three to one. When they come pouring through the throat between the two hills, we should attack them just then, just before they arrange themselves on the open plain before the gates, when they are within the reach of the archers at the city gates too,” Faris elaborated.

- “That doesn’t seem very sound. Our catapults can start doing damage as soon as we spot them coming from the fields before they walk between the two hills. And the throat between the hills is not all that narrow. The army can still spread between the hills comfortably. Why wait,” Hadera objected.

- “We should wait because we can do more damage. Look: if you start firing while they are still far, they will scatter, and the damage will be minimal. They will regroup and then probably try to come over the hills as well as through the middle. Besides, it is much better to do it this way because we don’t sacrifice our soldiers. Chance that our men will fall under our fire is none! If we wait, they will come through the middle. Just when they spread, we, the archers from the hills and those from within the city will strike. Remember, they are not all that much functioning as an organized army when you think about it. They are more of a horde, with Koprites hopping along. I have experience with Koprites. The Fraternity has been training villagers to organize defense against Koprite raids and other intruders for years.”

However, Hadera continued to doubt Faris’s plan. “With due respect, we are not facing a raid by few Koprites. This is a war of thousands of soldiers. What makes you think you are a strategy expert all of a sudden?”

- “I may not be an expert of strategy, but I am an expert of the mind. I know how people…and Koprites, think. Whether it is two against six or two thousand against six thousand, the odds are the same, the advantages and disadvantages are the same. You just have to exploit them. They will be overconfident. If the archers from the hills and the archers on the city walls strike at the same time, the Koprites will run to the center of the field. The Septors and other soldiers of the alliance will follow by nature. When they gather up so densely, then the catapults will strike, causing five-ten times greater damage. Instead of three-four enemy soldiers, one catapult projectile will kill up to twenty or thirty of them.”

- “I think this might actually work,” Aegor spoke supportively of the plan. “If we do this, this horseshoe layout of our forces will have the enemy bundle up in the middle. I suggest that the Sciprians take positions on the hills. It is the only reasonable choice. The Galian arrowheads will do the job. We should take all the arrows from the stocks to our positions.”

- “I disagree,” Hadera interrupted. “I do think that Sciprians should be the hammer from the hills, but you shouldn’t take all the arrows. We need some for the city archers, too.”

Yon, after giving a short thought about what had been said, gave his verdict. - “I agree with Hadera. All the arrows but those you can carry on your backs should stay inside. Oh, yes. I must commend you for your thinking Faris. I am impressed.” Darion then spoke: “My lord, the archers will only be able to fire twice or three times before the enemy realizes what is happening and regroups. What happens to the Sciprians then?”

- “Yes, I am aware of that Darion,” Faris spoke. “We will give them horses.”

- “What?! You want the Sciprians to run away from the battle? That’s out of the question!” Aegor said, sounding very upset by this last proposal. Before Faris could respond, Yon intervened. “No. You will not run away. You will charge down the hill, causing the enemy to fall back to the middle again and stay in a dense formation for a while longer.”

- “Precisely,” Faris added, pleased that his brother had taken up his logic. Aegor nodded his head in approval.

- “After you charge from the hills on horses, the foot soldiers will charge from the city. Meanwhile, the siegers and the archers from the city will continue firing right into the center and killing as many enemies as they can. This is why we need more Galian arrows in the city,” Yon continued to describe the desired course of the battle.

- “But what if things occur differently, what if it all doesn’t play out as we see it,” Hiraq asked something that all knew should be addresses, but none willing to give it too much thought.

- “If we organize ourselves as we have agreed, I don’t see why that would happen. In this case, at least their withdrawal, if not complete defeat, is sure. They might return the next day, but then we will have the upper hand. They will stand even less chance all beat up and discouraged,” Faris replied calmly.

Yon however decided to give Hiraq’s words a thought. “I think Hiraq is thinking soundly. A good commander rallies his troops with belief and promise of a victory. An outstanding commander does that too, but he also accepts the chance of failure as an option and prepares for it equally. What we must do is prepare our fleet for a possibility of retreat and extraction. I order Darion to make all necessary arrangements. Work closely with Rhyius and Dokal in order to organize the commoners. First the women and children are to be boarded, then the youth and so on… Those who stay without a place on a ship are to take part in the battle. The elders stay last as the future is not their ally anyways. On the day of the battle as many commoners as possible should be aboard our vessels which are to be ready to sail off from the harbor. They can bring only the immediate necessities with them. Dokal is to load one ship with the valuables from the treasury. If the fall of the city becomes imminent, the fleet is to leave towards Nox. One ship should stay vacant in case some of the commanders and soldiers manage to pull back. The absolute priority is to preserve the blood of the Kulins. So, at least one between Faris, Aegor or, lastly, me, must survive.”

Darion then decided to offer his service where he thought it was needed the most. “Having this in mind, I suggest you let me command over the Sciprians who are to be outside these walls on the hills. We shouldn’t risk Aegor’s life. He’s a Kulin after all. His blood is more precious than mine. It is reason!” Faris responded, examining Darion from head to toe: “Is it reason or treason?”

Darion now appeared extremely agitated, gripping the handle of his sword, wanting to interrupt Faris who continued speaking. “I disagree with general Darion. It is Aegor’s army and he knows how to take care of himself. Maybe he’s better off out there than we are inside.” Aegor agreed with Faris, stating that only he can command his forces. Yon spoke, putting an end to the dispute. “What do you mean ‘reason or treason’?” As Faris was preparing to answer, Yon steeped in again. “Wait! Don’t answer! I don’t even want to hear it. I specifically told you all that I don’t want you settling your intimate arguments by calling each other traitors before this council!”

- “But…”

- “Don’t speak my brother, I am warning you,” Yon concluded the argument in a threatening voice, getting up from his chair, which was now a throne, and leaning towards his brother. Faris remained indifferent to his brother’s warning and said nothing.

“However, you and Aegor are right about Aegor commanding the forces on the hills. He will lead them. Sciprians listen to him the best and they need a strong leader whom they trust. Just try not to get yourself killed Aegor, all right? You have the prettiest uniform and armor and it would be a shame to have you ruin it with your blood!” Councilors laughed as Yon skillfully turned the discussion away from Faris’s talk of treason.

It was Hiraq who continued the dialogue with king Yon: “Having arranged all this, I must ask one more question…”At first, he seemed hesitant to ask, but he eventually uttered the question in one breath: “Are we really going to give up on the rest of the south? Are we just going to let them march through our land as if they are on some kind of a pilgrimage? What will become of your loyal subjects when the alliance marches on their homes? Are we just going to give it to them without a fight and stay locked behind the city gates?”

Aegor was the first to support the argument: “That was my point exactly. That is why I wanted us to face them out there, at the border.” Yon grabbed Aegor’s hand, signaling him to stop talking. “Have no such worries Hiraq…Aegor. Daors still sees our people as his subjects. He will do them no harm. It would be of no benefit to him. Turning the commoners against him might result in his army losing many soldiers even before they reach Baan Senicore. He is smart enough not to risk that. Besides, commoners as commoners, they are the same everywhere. They will wave with the flags of whatever army passes by their homes. Justly so! They will do it in order to preserve their lives and their property and that’s the best way of saving it. They will offer Daors’s army some food and he will leave.” Aegor leaned forward and pulled out his dagger. “But that’s treason, my lord. Helping the enemy should imply death by the blade!”

- “It is not treason, my cousin. It is life. Besides, if you were to come out with a proclamation that death is the verdict for all those who help the enemy, you would just make more enemies. Commoners will not decide the war. Soldiers will.”

Darion asked the last question of the meeting: “My lord, how are we to dispatch the men to the hills without enemy scouts or probable spies from within finding out about it?”

- “Hmmm. Well, the best we can do is by executing the move one night early and Sciprians spending the night in hiding behind the slopes. If the absence of Sciprians and Aegor would be noticed in the city prior to the battle, with the help of Rhyius, a ‘rumor’ will be spread in the city that Aegor has abandoned us.”

All agreed that the plan proposed by Yon was good. After delegating responsibilities in preparations for the battle to each of the councilors, Yon dismissed them. Walking out, Faris helped Aegor who was still limping from his wound. Aegor silently addressed Faris, expressing his concerns: “I don’t know about you and Darion, but I think Hadera is the one to watch out for. Where is her father? Is he maybe going to be leading the charge against us? I haven’t heard that Daors declared him a traitor! Maybe we should deal with her before the battlefield. What do you say Faris?”

- “No. It is too late to do anything. Yon trusts her and I trust Yon. It is true that we have no news of lord Spero. Likewise, it is true that our informants are not reporting of seeing any soldiers of Nox in the alliance army marching against us. I do have doubts, just like you do, but there is nothing we can do, nothing honorable at least, and I won’t agree to anything else. Sit back and focus on what is ahead of us, my friend. Let go of your doubts. They will do you no good.”

- “Be it as it may, but if that bitch does as much as fire the first catapult barrage late, I will come riding to the walls and I will strangle her with my bare hands before I charge on the Koprites and the Septors.”

- “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,” Faris said, tapping Aegor on the shoulder as the two parted.