Chapter 38

Year 163 – Fall – Quintus Mensis – 5th day

Avem, town of House Valmai, land of the Vale

The Kalator soldiers were on standby, awaiting orders. Some of them were sleeping, yet all of them had their equipment and were ready to fight at any sign of hostility.

Under the northeast gate, the Kalator had installed a tent to protect them from the rain. The council had reunited early in the morning to prepare for the day. They were tired and dirty after their night in the mud and the rain.

Trygve – “Our men need to sleep. If House Valmai sends a riposte, our men will be helpless.”

Atilos – “I agree. While it’s still raining, the mud won’t allow them to charge. It’s the best time to sleep.”

Egmond – “That’s the exact reason why we must dismantle the wall now. We can’t wait for the rain to stop. We’ll be exposed if we do.”

Amund – “Before all, we must take care of our wounded. If we let them under the rain, they’ll get a fever, and half of them will die in 10 days.”

Ludger joined the council.

Ludger – “I agree with Amund.”

Egmond – “How bad is it?”

Ludger – “We have around 800 casualties and a little more than a hundred losses. Most of them are lightly wounded, but I’d rather make sure their wounds don’t get infected.

Egmond – “Lanaya, can your sorcerer join our healers?”

Lanaya – “Once he’s done healing our own, I’ll tell him to join yours.”

Ludger – “No, her heresies would corrupt the wounded.”

Egmond – “Ludger, even those who don’t pray to Aya are still able to heal their wounded. Will you put your pride on the side for once?”

Ludger – “He’ll have to follow my principles of healing.”

Lanaya – “I’ll tell him to do so.”

Egmond – “We need to bring all of our wounded in the camp at the north of the wall, and for this to happen, we’ll need a bridge. We’ll dismantle the two gates and temporarily use them as bridges to cross the moat. For the rest, I want each of you to separate your men in three groups. You’ll allow one of them to sleep, the second will stay on the lookout, and the last one will help dismantle the wall. We need that wood to build multiple counterweight trebuchets if we intend to ever take their fort down.”

Lanaya – “They left their own trebuchet on the battlefield to the east. We can use it as well.”

Egmong – “Good, you’ll be in charge of it. I’m expecting results within a few days.”

A little less than a mile to the south of the battlefield, the Vale were preparing their defence.

The Eagle – “We need to build a roof above our wall.”

Thorkel – “If they take the fort, the town will fall in a few days.”

The Eagle – “We’ll hold it.”

Thorkel – “If that warrior you fought yesterday brings a ladder, they’ll breach no matter what.

The Eagle – “Morgan will be there this time.”

Thorkel – “We should use your boat and retreat.”

The Eagle – “The town hasn’t fallen yet!”

Thorkel – “If the town falls, it will be too late. Think about your people.”

The rain stopped during the middle of the following night. When the sun rose, the ground was still muddy for the entire day. Three more days passed without any conflicts, while the Kalator were dismantling the wall and building three more counterweight trebuchet using their newly acquired wood.