Argurios approached them. Priam looked up. ‘Have the dogs fled?’ he asked, sober now, though his eyes were bloodshot and weary.
‘No, Priam King. They are gathering ladders. They will come soon. We need archers on the outer balcony above the doors. Thirty should suffice. I will order the men on the walls to pull back to the megaron once the attack begins in earnest.’
‘Who are you to give orders?’ snapped Dios, his eyes angry.
‘He is Argurios,’ said Priam calmly. ‘He is fighting at my side.’
‘We should put every man we have on the outer walls,’ raged Dios. ‘We can hold them.’
‘What say you to that, Argurios?’ asked Priam.
‘With three hundred men I would agree with Prince Dios. However, with so few the risk is encirclement. If they get behind us we will be cut to pieces. We must keep a line of withdrawal secure for as long as possible. My plan is to hold the wall for the first attack, then quietly pull back. When they come again we will hit them with volley after volley of arrows from the balcony.’
‘And then we bar the doors?’ asked Priam.
‘No, king. We leave them open.’
Priam was surprised. ‘Explain that strategy,’ he said.
‘There are many ways for an enemy to come at us. There is the door to the palace gardens. They could bring their ladders and climb to the balcony. They can come through the rear. We want them attacking where we are strongest. The open doors will be an invitation they will not resist. They will be drawn to us like flies to horse shit, and we will hold them there. At least until the Mykene arrive.’
‘By the fates, father,’ said Dios, ‘how can we trust this man? He too is Mykene.’
Argurios took a deep, calming breath. ‘Indeed I am, prince. Believe me when I tell you I would rather be anywhere than here at this moment. If the Mykene succeed here I will be killed along with all of you. Now, we have little time to prepare, and no time at all to vent personal feuds.’ He turned to the king. ‘If you have a better man than I to command this defence appoint him, and I will stand and fight wherever called upon to do so.’
‘I am the king,’ said Priam coldly. ‘I will command my own defence. You think I am a weakling, some ancient unable to wield a sword?’
‘It is not a question of your strength or your abilities,’ answered Argurios.
‘If I were commanding the attackers I would pray to all the gods that you would do exactly that. They win when you die. Every man among them will be seeking to kill you. Your armour shines like the sun, and every attack will home in on you.
Every arrow, every spear, every sword will seek you. Your men will fight valiantly – but only so long as there is a king to fight for.’
At that moment Helikaon came through to the megaron and stood alongside Dios.
‘We have blocked the rear entrances,’ he said, ‘but they will not hold long.
What are your orders?’
Priam sat quietly for a moment. ‘Argurios advises that I withdraw myself from the fighting. What say you?’
‘Sound advice. This fight will not just be about holding the palace, but about defending you.’
‘Let me take command in your stead, father,’ urged Dios.
Priam shook his head. ‘You have too little experience, and, as Argurios says, there is no time for debate. The men will follow you, Aeneas. This I know.
Equally, Argurios is known across the Great Green as a strategos and a fighting man. What is your opinion?’
‘I have little experience of siege warfare, and less of Mykene battle tactics,’
said Helikaon. ‘I would follow the lead of Argurios.’
‘Then let it be so.’ Priam suddenly laughed. ‘A renegade Mykene in charge of the defence of my citadel? I like it. When we win, you can ask me anything. I will grant it. We are yours to command, Argurios.’
Argurios swung to Dios. ‘You will command the defence of the upper balconies.
Take thirty good archers, and also the men with the least armour. They will be protected from arrows by the balcony walls. The enemy will bring ladders. Hold them off as long as you can, then retreat to the tnegaron and we will pull back to the upper buildings at the rear.’
Dios, his face pale, his expression furious, was struggling to hold his temper.
‘Do as he says,’ snapped Priam.
‘This is madness,’ responded Dios. ‘But I will obey you, father. As always.’
With that he stalked away.
‘Let us survey the battleground,’ said Argurios, striding away through the megaron. Priam and Helikaon followed him. Argurios reached the foot of the stairs. They were wide enough for two warriors to fight side by side. Then he glanced up at the gallery above and to the right of the stairway. ‘We will have archers placed there. They will have a good view of the megaron itself. We need as many shafts as possible placed there. Spears and javelins too, if we have enough. What is beyond the gallery?’
‘The queen’s apartments,’ said Priam. ‘They are large and spacious.’
Argurios strode up the stairs, Helikaon and Priam following him. In the queen’s apartments he saw Laodike upon her bloodstained couch, Andromache sitting on the floor beside her. All thoughts of the defence fled his mind. Pulling off his helmet he moved to Laodike and took her hand. Her eyes opened, and she gave a wide smile. ‘What happened?’ he asked her.
‘I was wounded,’ Laodike told him. ‘Do not concern yourself. It is nothing.’
Reaching up she stroked his face. ‘I am glad you are here. Have you spoken to father?’
‘Not yet. I cannot stay with you. There is much to be done. I will come back when I can. You rest now.’ Kissing her hand he rose and walked back to where the king and Helikaon waited. Only then did he see the shock on Priam’s face.
Argurios moved past them and walked through to the rear stairs. Then he turned back and strode through the many apartments. ‘The balconies are largely inaccessible,’ he said. ‘Therefore the enemy will be forced to come at us through the megaron. I believe we can hold the Thrakians at the doors. The Mykene will be another matter.’
‘We could retreat to the stairs,’ said Helikaon.
‘We will do that, but the timing is crucial,’ answered Argurios, walking back to the gallery above the stairs. ‘We must keep their blood up, forcing them to come at us. We must not allow them time to stop and think. For, if they do, they will realize that this gallery is the key to victory. Once inside the megaron all they need to do is bring in ladders and scale it. That way they would bypass the stairs and surround us.’
‘And how do we keep their blood up?’ demanded Priam.
‘They will see me, and come at me. I will be their target, and the focus of their attack. We will pull back to the stairs. They will surge after us. Then their hearts will be full of pride and battle lust. Will you stand beside me, Helikaon?’
‘I will.’
‘Good, for however much they will desire to bring me down it is you they hate.
Seeing us together will blind them to better strategies. And now I must return to the wall.’
‘A moment more,’ said Priam. ‘How is it my daughter greets you with a kiss?’
Argurios could see the anger in the king’s eyes. ‘You said if we survived the night you would grant any wish I had. My wish is to marry Laodike. I love her.
But is this truly the time to discuss it?’
Priam relaxed, then gave a cold smile. ‘If I am still king tomorrow we will discuss it at length.’
Argurios stood quietly for a moment. Then he turned to Helikaon. ‘Organize the defenders within the megaron. Then watch the walls. We need to turn back the first attack with heavy losses. It will dismay the mercenaries. When the moment is right come to our aid.’
‘Rely on it,’ said Helikaon.
‘Judge it finely, Golden One.’
And with that he moved off, striding towards the double doors and the courtyard beyond.
ii
Now he felt as if he were part of some grim jest being played out by the gods. Polydorus was no fool. There were not enough men to defend the palace against the Thrakians, let alone the Mykene. Once the Thrakians gathered enough ladders to storm the walls the battle would be all but over. The fighting would be fierce and bloody, and the Eagles would take a terrible toll on the enemy, but the end was certain. Casilla would mourn for him, of course, but she was young, and her father would find another suitor.
Argurios climbed to the ramparts alongside him. ‘Any movement?’
‘They are gathering. I have not seen any Mykene yet.’
‘They will come once the gates are open.’
‘What is the battle plan?’ asked Polydorus.
‘Hold here for a while, then back to the palace itself.’
‘The palace doors are sturdy,’ observed Polydorus, ‘but they’ll not hold for long.’
‘They won’t have to,’ said Argurios. ‘I don’t intend to close them. I want the enemy funnelled towards those doors. We’ll hit them from above, and hold them in the doorway.’
‘Surely barring the palace doors would give us more time?’
‘It would,’ agreed Argurios. ‘It would also leech away the spirit of those inside, listening to the hacking of axes upon the timber. Better to face your enemy eye to eye. My father used to say a wall of men was stronger than a wall of stone. I have seen it to be true in many battles.’
Polydorus raised his head, and peered through the darkness. An arrow struck the ramparts close to his head, then ricocheted past him.
‘You are all going to die tonight!’ came a shout from the shadows. It was immediately followed by the trilling battle cry of the Thrakians.
Then came another voice. ‘Are you there, Argurios Traitor?’
‘I am here, puppy dog!’ Argurios shouted back.
‘That gladdens my heart! I will see you soon.’
‘Not while I have a sword in my hand, you gutless worm. I know you, Kolanos.
You’ll slink in the shadows while braver men die for you.’ He leaned towards Polydorus. ‘Get ready! They are coming!’
Polydorus hefted his Phrygian bow, notching a shaft to the string. All along the wall the Eagles followed his lead.
Suddenly there came the sound of pounding feet, and once more the Thrakian battle cry filled the air.
The Eagles stood and sent a volley into the charging men. Polydorus shot again, and saw a man dragging a ladder go tumbling to the ground. The ladder was swept up by the fallen man’s comrades. Volley after volley slashed into the Thrakians, but there were too few archers to turn the charge. Scores of ladders clattered against the walls. An enemy shaft bounced from Polydorus’ breastplate. Another hissed past his face.
Then the Thrakians began to storm the walls. Dropping his bow Polydorus drew his leaf-shaped short sword, and took up his shield. Beside him Argurios waited, sword in hand. ‘Move along a little,’ he said calmly. ‘Give me some fighting room.’
Polydorus edged to his right.
The first of the Thrakians appeared. Polydorus leapt forward, thrusting his sword into the man’s face. Desperately the Thrakian tried to haul himself over the ramparts, but Polydorus struck him again and he fell. Now the night was full of the sounds of battle, men screaming in pain or fury, swords ringing, shields clashing. Several warriors clambered over the battlement wall to Polydorus’
right. He rushed them, plunging his sword into the chest of the first. The blade went deep and lodged there. Unable to drag it clear Polydorus threw the man from the wall, down into the courtyard below, then hammered his shield into the face of the second. Argurios appeared alongside him, stabbing and cutting. Picking up a fallen sword Argurios tossed it to Polydorus, then swung to face a fresh attack.
All along the wall the Thrakians were gaining a foothold. The Eagles did not break, but fought on with relentless courage. Glancing along the line Polydorus saw that around a third of his men were down. Then he saw Helikaon and some thirty Eagles running across the courtyard. They surged up the battlement steps to join the fighting. The lightly armoured Thrakians fell back. Some even jumped from the walls to the street below. Others already on ladders leapt clear.
Letting his shield fall Polydorus swept up his bow and shot into the fleeing men.
A feeling of exultation swept over him. He was alive, and he had conquered.
Argurios approached him. ‘Get our wounded back into the megaron,’ he said. ‘And strip our dead of all weapons and armour. Also gather the swords and spears of the enemy. Do it swiftly, for we will not have long before the next attack.’
‘We will beat them again,’ said Polydorus. ‘We are the Eagles and we are invincible.’
The older man looked at him closely. ‘That was merely the first attack. They will come harder and faster now. Look around you. We lost fourteen men, with six others wounded. Half of the fighting men on the wall. Next time we would be overrun. That is why we will not be here next time. Now do as I say.’
All the excitement drained out of the young soldier. He ran down the rampart steps, calling out orders. Other men raced from the megaron to assist in the collection of weapons. Argurios strode along the ramparts, occasional arrows flashing by him.
iii
Argurios moved among the defenders left on the rampart walls. Like Polydorus, they were exultant now, for they had met the enemy and vanquished him. Their spirits were high, and Argurios had no wish to douse them with cold reality. The first attack had been rushed and ill conceived, attempting to sweep over the ramparts in a wide front. Better to have come at both ends of the wall, drawing the defenders out of position, then assaulting the centre. The next charge would be better planned.
Even so, Argurios was content. This first action had lifted the hearts of the defenders, and dispirited the enemy. The confidence of the Thrakians was dented. The enemy leaders would know it was vital for them to score a swift victory, in order to repair the damage. Even now the officers would be gathered, with Agathon seeking to inspire them, building their confidence for the next assault.
He would be assuring them of victory, promising them riches. Argurios called a soldier to him. ‘Go to Prince Dios on the balcony. Tell him we will be pulling back from the wall before the next attack. Ask that he holds back his archers until the enemy reaches the courtyard. They will be massed there, and easy targets. Then go to the lord Helikaon. Fifty men with shields are to be ready to defend the palace doorway.’
Swinging his shield to his back the soldier ran down the rampart steps and across the stone courtyard.
Argurios raised his head above the ramparts. The moon was rising, silver light bathing the streets and houses. He could see the Thrakians standing ready, officers moving among them. There was still no sign of the Mykene.
This was to be expected. They were an elite force, and would not be used early in the battle. They will come when we are weary, he thought, striking like a hammer at the heart of the defence. Arrows and spears would be largely useless against them. Well-armoured and carrying tall, curved tower shields of bronze-reinforced ox hide, and armed with both heavy spears and stabbing swords, they would advance in formation, forcing the defenders back. The spears would give them a reach advantage over the sword-wielding Eagles. The only hope of success against such a force would be to break their formation. This could be done on the open field of battle, but not inside the confines of a palace megaron. Argur
ios knew that the Eagles were well disciplined, and fine fighters.
Could they hold, though, against the finest of the Mykene? He doubted it.
Time wore on, and still the Thrakians did not attack.
Polydorus returned to the battlements, and then Helikaon emerged from the palace and joined them. ‘When will the Mykene come?’ he asked.
‘When the gates are open.’ Argurios turned to Polydorus. ‘Go back into the palace and gather the tallest and the strongest of the Eagles. No more than thirty of them. Hold them back from the initial fighting. When the Mykene come we will need the best we have. See if you can arm them with heavy spears, as well as their swords.’
‘Yes, Argurios.’
After Polydorus had gone Argurios raised his head above the battlements. ‘Not long now, I would think.’
‘This must be hard for you,’ said Helikaon, as Argurios sat back down.
Argurios felt his anger surge, but swallowed it down. He looked at the young man beside him. ‘In a little while I will be slaying my comrades. I will be fighting alongside a man I have sworn to kill. Hard does not begin to describe this night.’
‘There are times,’ said Helikaon softly, ‘when you can almost hear the gods laugh. I am truly sorry, Argurios. I wish I had never asked you to accompany me on that walk to Kygones’ palace. Had I known the heartache it would bring you I never would have.’
Argurios’ anger ebbed away. ‘I do not regret my actions that day,’ he said. ‘As a result I met Laodike. I had not realized until then that my life had been lived in the darkness of a perpetual winter night. When I saw her it was as if the sun had risen.’ He fell silent for a moment, embarrassed at this display of emotion. ‘I sound like a doting fool, I expect.’
‘No. You sound like a man in love. Did you feel as if some invisible fist had struck your chest? Did your tongue cleave to the roof of your mouth?’
Lord of the Silver Bow t-1 Page 42
