John Carr - Siege of Tarr-Hostigos

They had just crossed the Ulthor border and were now following the Nyklos Trail across the Princedom of Ulthor. The Ulthori border guards had glared at them sullenly as the endless train of soldiers and refugees passed into their Princedom, probably thinking about the Grand Host following behind. Prince Kestophes, his head heavily bandaged from a sword blow, was leading the van with Rylla and Prince Sarrask. The border guards had joined the column reluctantly after Kalvan had reminded Kestophes of his duty.

Only Sarrask was in good humor. Kestophes acted as if he'd already lost his Princedom and was only waiting for an audience with Investigator Roxthar. Rylla was stiff as a board, rejecting everyone's sympathy and concern. Kalvan had wisely left her to herself and to Lady Eutare, worried sick over Prince Phrames who had taken a gunshot wound to the shoulder. Brother Mytron was hovering over all of them all like a mother hen with her chicks.

As his party made its way around a tall stand of trees, mostly first stand walnuts and hemlock, they ran into another Hostigi party bearing Baron Hestophes' banner, a black boar's head on a yellow field. Kalvan gave orders to halt and waited for the Captain-General to appear. What was Hestophes doing here when he was supposed to be with the rearguard holding back the Grand Host's pursuers?

Hestophes, riding a huge black destrier and wearing armor that appeared to have been beaten by baseball bats, pulled up short when he saw the Great King's banner. "Your Majesty!"

"Captain-General, where is my army?"

Hestophes turned and looked over his shoulder. "Behind the rearguard. The Styphoni have broken off, but not without heavy casualties. But I fear it was not our stout defense that caused them to turn back. A captured mercenary captain told us that the Great Host is preparing for the final attack on Tarr-Hostigos and have recalled their advance army to join the attack."

Kalvan shook his head and pulled out his pipe. Ptosphes had bought them breathing room; he just hoped he could capitalize on his father-in-law's dearly purchased gift. His biggest problem was where to go. He knew that as soon as Tarr-Hostigos fell the entire Grand Host would be on his trail, and without an endless stream of refugees to slow them down. It was fortunate for all involved on the Hostigi side that the Grand Host had taken the bait of Tarr-Hostigos and stubbed their toes on it. He suspected the siege was more a priestly decision than a military one, which meant Archpriest Roxthar was running the show and not just the Investigation.

"The Agrysi captain brought us more news. The High Temple of Galzar in Agrys City has proclaimed a Ban on the Grand Host because of their mistreatment of Hostigi prisoners. Great King Lysandros, who is now in Hostigos Town, has tried to circumvent their Ban by enlisting most of the Host's mercenaries into his Princely armies. Some of the more devout followers among the mercenaries, like our Agrysi captain, have deserted their posts in protest."

Kalvan snorted. "Or, not wanting to be regulars, are bugging out. There must be a way we can use the Ban to our advantage." Kalvan suspected Roxthar was more interested in killing heretics than in winning battles. What he needed was a good diversion to buy him more time. Then it hit him in the face. It was time the League did something useful, even if it were only acting as a ruse.

"Hestophes, what do you think Captain-General Phidestros would do if word arrived that an invasion force from Hos-Agrys was imminent?"

"Hos-Agrys!" Hestophes grinned, and shook off his fatigue like a dog ridding itself of fleas. "Has the League of Dralm finally moved off its rump and come to our aid?"

Kalvan paused to light his pipe with his tinderbox. "No. But rumors know no boundaries. And, with the Grand Host now under the Ban of Galzar, anything is possible. What if Phidestros and Soton learned of a large Agrysi force coming south through Thebra and into Nyklos?"

"They would have to answer it, of course, Your Majesty." Hestophes smiled. "Are you thinking of what I'm thinking?"

Kalvan exhaled a small cloud of smoke and smiled. "Yes. We'll dress up our own League Army and send them against the Great Host. Maybe that will buy us some time." It was unfortunate that Duke Mnestros had lost the better part of his army at Ardros Field; the Duke's force had taken over fifty percent casualties when the left wing had collapsed. At that point, he had agreed there was little more the Duke could do and had sent him back to Hos-Agrys. He hadn't missed the extra mouths during the retreat, but the Duke would have been the perfect foil for this gambit.

"Your Majesty, I would like the honor of leading the League forces of Dralm against the Unholy Host."

"The honor is all yours, Captain-General Hestophes." All the other commanders Kalvan might trust for such a perilous and important mission were wounded, dead or missing in action. "Now, round up General Klestreus-you should be able to find him at the nearest chuck wagon. Tell him I want a list of every Agrysi prince, duke and baron he can think of that's in sympathy with the League of Dralm. I will also need a list of all their colors, devices and banners. If we're going to make this invasion real, we are going to need the right window dressing."

To impress his guest, Captain-General Kyblannos fired off the entire big siege battery, six giant bombards lugged all the way from Tarr-Harphax and four of Kalvan's thirty-two pound brass guns from Ardros Field and Tarr-Sashta. The resulting whumph shook the valley like one of Endrath's earthquakes. Even the Holy Investigator was impressed by the cloud of gray smoke and noise, although not so impressed with the results. The smaller iron cannonballs just bounced off the stone outerworks of the castle, and slammed back down into the defensive breastworks.

One spectacular ricochet bounced back from the wall and into a clump of sentries and guards, sending body parts flying, killing half a dozen men and wounding even more.

Kyblannos shook his head in dismay. If that continued, he'd have the Grand Host's own sentries storming his batteries before long!

The huge granite balls smashed into the outer wall of Tarr-Hostigos and exploded into thousands of deadly fragments that didn't appear to do much damage to the breach, but would have been devastating to any Hostigi standing nearby-had there been any quite that foolish.

Roxthar gave Kyblannos one of his 'there'd better be a good explanation for this' looks, which made his skin crawl. "Your Holiness, the walls of Hostigos are not only strong, but thick as well-almost the twice the height of a man at the base. Our guns are penalized by having to shoot uphill against Endrath's grasp."

Roxthar frowned at the mention of the god of the earth and Kyblannos wondered if it was now heresy just to speak of any god other than Styphon. How was a simple soldier supposed to do his job with priests and Arch-priests underfoot? And why did Galzar continue to let this Styphoni foolishness continue?

"See that big crack there next to the watchtower?" Kyblannos asked, using his finger to point out the fissure in the outerworks. "That's the breach that we're trying to open up for tomorrow's sortie. And, over there, the facing is splintered and beginning to crumble. We are making progress, but it is slow. Magal, our biggest siege gun, can hurl a stone ball the weight of two men!"

Roxthar didn't appear impressed. He was watching the men swabbing out the barrels of the big siege guns. "How long before you shoot again?"

A band of litter carriers and priests of Galzar pushed past them, running to where the cannonball had struck the sentries.

"Half a candle." Sometimes it took longer, but with Investigator Roxthar watching over their shoulders the artillerymen were working like madmen.