by N. C. Reed
Whenever a trooper went down, the phalanx closed around him, reformed, and continued forward. Several of the 8th Mounted saw them and fell onto their flanks, trying to support the wedge of steel now slicing into the Nor.
Parno, meanwhile, dispatched his opponent with ease, the Nor soldier being no match for the young Prince. Turning, he saw his men moving forward without orders, forcing the Nor line to give ground by simply taking it from them. Parno hurried to join them.
“Well done, Sergeant!” Parno shouted over the din, as Sergeant Berry, the commander of Parno’s escort troop, dispatched another Nor warrior.
“Thank you, milord,” Berry replied calmly. “All in a day’s work.”
“So it is,” Parno laughed and joined the phalanx, his men making room for him in the center, near Berry’s point position.
Together they continued to move forward slowly, but steadily. Seeing them forcing the Nor back in one area gave new life to the 8th Mounted and the men rallied around their Major, striking savagely at the Nor troops still pouring over the barricade.
Suddenly a line of explosions erupted from behind the Nor as Lars landed his first salvo. The artillery Captain had sweated profusely, laying in the catapults himself, worried about the proximity to his own men…and to the Prince.
Sighing in relief as the rounds landed in close as his liege had ordered, Lars ordered another round.
As the rolling explosions boomed across the field, the Nor began to break. The pressure of the follow on troops eased, as oncoming Nor hesitated in the face of this new threat. Those Nor soldiers already inside fought on, knowing they had to either win or die. Some of those closest to the line joined them, trying to push the Soulan troopers back.
But the 12th Tinsee Cavalry had arrived by then and hurriedly went into the line, swords drawn and shields ready. Another string of explosions rocked the ground, a bit further back from the line this time, and the Nor outside began to break. The rest of the Soulan line was still intact and flight after flight of arrows and crossbow bolts were decimating their ranks.
In the end the ferocity of the Soulan counter-attack was too much. The Nor still outside the line turned and ran for their own lines, leaving their brethren inside to whatever fate found them.
Those inside, unaware that their fellows had deserted them, continued to fight desperately until there were so few left they could not continue. As they threw down their arms, attempting to surrender, Parno stepped forward.
“There’s no surrender here,” he told them quietly. “Go back to you own lines and tell your comrades. We won’t take prisoners. You’re lucky, since I need someone to deliver that message for me. Now go, and take your dead with you.”
Several of the Nor hesitated, not relishing returning to their own lines. One tried to approach Parno directly, only to be cut down with a crossbow bolt to the throat.
“GO!” Parno yelled, and the Nor went, some grabbing their injured comrades as ordered, others simply hurrying over the lines. Parno eyed the carnage with a jaundiced eye.
“My God,” he breathed.
“Milord?” Parno turned to see Major Leman standing next to him.
“Major, we need to get this breach repaired right away. Get some of your men on that at once. Major Strong,” Parno addressed the 12th Cavalry’s commander, “I want your men to take over this section of line. Have half of them assist with the rebuilding and cleanup, the others to stand watch. I suspect that today isn’t over quite yet.”
“What do we do with them, milord?” Strong nodded to the Nor bodies, not all of which were dead.
“Toss them over,” Parno replied coldly. “We haven’t the strength to guard them or the personnel to aide them. Allow the Nor to come and get them if they want. Place them fifty or so yards away from the line.”
“Aye, milord,” Strong nodded and began bellowing orders.
“Milord?” Sprigs spoke, and Parno turned to look at his Lieutenant.
“Colonel Nidiad requests your presence on the tower, milord.”
Parno took one last look at the carnage before him, and nodded.
“Tell him I’m on my way.”
*****
Parno glanced at the sun overhead as he made his way back to the command post. He sighed, realizing that it was hardly past nine, if that. This would be a long day. He trudged up the stairs to where Darvo and Feng waited. Darvo looked at Sprigs.
“You can wait below, Lieutenant.” Sprigs cast a look at Parno, who nodded, then hurried back the way he had come.
“Go ahead and say it,” Parno sighed, removing his helmet and laying on the table. “Get it out of the way.”
“Of all the headstrong, stupid, idiotic things I have seen in my long and storied career, that had to be the dumbest!” Darvo almost exploded. “You could have been killed! If not by the Nor, then by your own orders to lay those exploding. . .things…of Finn’s right in on top of your position!”
“Had to be done,” Parno shrugged. “We were going to lose the line.”
“You aren’t supposed to be on the line!” Darvo shot back. “Your place is here, in command.”
“Darvo, I’m not even half as qualified as you are to lead these men,” Parno spoke reasonably, “but I am a fair hand with a sword and I can’t ask these men to do things I won’t do myself.”
“That’s what command means, lad!” Darvo parried. “You send men into battle. They may live or die, but you remain in command.”
“I had to do it,” Parno said quietly, his eyes drifting over the battlefield. “You’ve seen combat, Darvo. You know what it is to ask men to do horrible things. I don’t…or at least I didn’t.” He turned to look at his mentor.
“I can’t stand here asking men to do something I can’t, won’t, or haven’t done. Maybe someone else can, but I can’t. Understand? These men followed me here and trusted me to make this work. They deserve to know that I’ll fight with them or for them.”
Darvo’s frown softened at that. Intellectually he knew that Parno was right but seeing the man he had come to love as a son risking his life had rattled the older man…rattled him in a way that nothing else ever had. He had been about to reply, but instead held his tongue.
“You did well, my Prince,” Cho Feng spoke softly. “Do not mistake the Colonel’s words for rebuke. He is proud of you as well. He speaks as a father would. Not as a subordinate.”
Parno nodded, understanding. He knew that Darvo thought of him as a son. The old soldier had practically raised him.
“Darvo, you taught me all I know about being a man,” Parno’s words were soft, but firm. “You raised me when no one else would. I did exactly what you would have done, because that’s the man you raised me, taught me, to be…and I’ll likely do it again before this battle ends.”
“I know, boy,” Darvo nodded, his eyes also wandering over the battlefield. “I know.” He didn’t turn to face the younger man, lest Parno see his eyes water.
“I’m sorry if I worried you,” Parno went on, “but we all know this battle can only have one outcome. Today, or tomorrow, or the day after if we’re uncommonly fortunate, all of us will be dead. There’s no point in my not helping my men when I can.”
“Just remember that these men are inspired by you,” Darvo replied, voice strained. “If you fall early in the battle, then they may lose heart. Fall earlier than if you were still here, encouraging them. There’s more to leading men than leading them into battle.”
Parno thought about that for a moment. “I’ll remember,” he promised. He hadn’t considered that. All he had thought of was that the wall was falling and that he could help. He had to start thinking more like a commander and less like a knight errant.
“In any case,” Cho Feng smiled, “I think your men are sufficiently aware of your willingness to engage the enemy in combat. Already your men are talking about your actions and word is spreading across the Fort. They have, indeed, taken heart from your stand.”
“Good,” Parno n
odded. “It may be all I have to give them.”
“We shall see,” Cho replied. “We shall see.”
“Any word on our casualties?” Parno asked, hoping to get off the current subject.
“One hundred and seven dead, two hundred eighty-six wounded. One ballista lost.” Darvo recited the words tonelessly. Almost four hundred men. Nearly ten percent of their force.
“Who was hit hardest?” Parno asked, dreading the answer.
“11th Cavalry was holding the line where the ballista round exploded,” Darvo told him. “Their casualties are the highest, followed by the 8th Mounted. Our men fared better, with eleven dead and sixteen wounded.”
“Not bad, I suppose,” Parno sighed. “I can’t even fathom how bad we’ve hurt the Nor. Their bodies seem endless out on the field.”
“Estimates are between two thousand and twenty-two hundred dead,” Darvo informed him. “They’re estimates, mind you, but they seem fairly accurate. Conservative, if anything, and those are only the dead left on the field. Throw in the wounded who made it back and the number will be higher.”
“Good Lord,” Parno breathed. “I had no idea.”
“You’ve stung them hard, lad,” Darvo smiled for the first time since Parno had returned to the tower. “Hurt them badly.”
“I can’t believe we managed to turn them back,” Parno shook his head. “They had the numbers to overwhelm us. Why didn’t they?”
“Two things,” Darvo used his lecture voice. “One—Finn’s exploding weapons. The shock value alone was worth another regiment of men, not to mention the actual damage. Two—the ferocity of your counter-attack. The two combined shook their confidence. They lost their edge and broke. Simple as that.”
“Let us not forget the value of a strong position,” Cho put in. “You have such a position and have planned your defense well. The enemy has to pass you in order to continue. You have placed him in a position where he must either fight or withdraw. He has no other option.”
“I’d be glad to see him withdraw,” Parno admitted, “but I don’t think that’s going to happen.”
“Not likely,” Darvo agreed. “They’ve bled too much trying to take this place to leave it standing. The only thing saving us so far is the terrain. They simply can’t cram enough men into this pass at one time to batter us down.”
“They came damn close,” Parno objected.
“Only due to the damage caused by the ballista exploding,” Darvo corrected him. “If not for that we would have seen some hard fighting, yes, but I don’t believe, with all other things being the same, they could have breached the line.”
“Then maybe we can hold for a while longer than I thought.” Parno’s voice was tinged with hope.
“Perhaps,” Darvo agreed cautiously. “Were I in his shoes,” he pointed across the battlefield to the Nor position, “my next attack would be my last. One wave after another, after another, until my men were either broken in defeat or this place was a smoking ruin…and I wouldn’t put it past whoever is in charge over there to do just that, either. So far, their General has shown a decided lack of caring where the lives of his men are concerned.”
“He is in an untenable position,” Cho remarked. “As I said, he must go through this pass in order to fulfill his objective, whatever that is. You are blocking his way. He must either defeat you or withdraw. I believe, based on what I have seen so far, that failure must carry a very heavy penalty among these Nor.”
“I should imagine it does,” Parno nodded thoughtfully. “Their regime is known for cruelty. Their people live in great fear of the government, I’m told.”
“Their Emperor has gone to great lengths to stage this war,” he continued, remembering the events leading up to the war. “He has spent a great deal of time, money, and resources to bring this about. I suspect that he would not be pleased if it were to fail.”
“Just so,” Darvo agreed, “and that means our opponent will likely become desperate as the battle goes on. Which leads me back to my original statement; expect him to throw his men into this grinder until he breaks us or we break them.”
“With their numbers I fear it will be us that breaks,” Parno murmured. “If we had more men we could probably hold this place indefinitely. Even one division of infantry, even light infantry, would make this place nearly impregnable.”
“Might as well ask for two divisions, so long as you’re wishing,” Darvo chuckled mirthlessly, “but we’ll make do…at least for a while.”
“I’m going to walk the line,” Parno said abruptly. “I want to see the men, gauge their condition for myself. Let them know I’m not just sitting up here, watching them die.”
“They already know that, lad,” Darvo patted the younger man’s shoulder fondly, “but it will likely do them good to see you among them.”
“I’ll be back,” Parno promised, “and I’ll come straight back if another attack comes,” he added. Darvo nodded.
“I’d appreciate that very much.”
*****
When Parno reached the bottom of the stairs Sergeant Berry and the remaining fourteen men of his detail stood, but Parno waved them back.
“Stay here, and rest,” he ordered. “I’m going to walk the line, that’s all. If fighting breaks out I’ll return here at once. Tend to your wounds.”
“I’d rather we accompanied you, milord,” Berry objected. “It’s our duty to see you safe.”
“I’ll be fine, so long as I don’t rush headlong into another fight, Sergeant,” Parno smiled, “and I promise I won’t without you at my side.”
“Very well, milord,” Berry reluctantly agreed.
Parno motioned for Sprigs to follow, along with two runners. As he walked, Sprigs risked speaking.
“Are you all right, milord?”
“I’m fine, Sprigs. I just want to see the line and talk to the men.”
“Of course, sir,” Sprigs nodded. “I. . .milord, I owe you an apology for earlier,” he stammered. “I didn’t intend to question your orders. I was concerned about your proximity to the salvo you ordered. I allowed that concern to interfere with my duty.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Parno waved the apology aside. “I know you meant well and I appreciate it.”
“Sir,” Sprigs nodded, clearly relieved. They made the rest of the walk in silence. Parno started on the right flank, where Landers’ men were still clearing away debris from the battle.
“Milord,” Landers smiled as he saw Parno. “A rather hot morning, yes?”
“A bit warm, certainly,” Parno managed to say with a straight face before grinning.
“Your men did very well, Colonel.”
“All of the men did well, sir,” Landers agreed. “I thought at one point that we would surely be overwhelmed. I cannot say enough about the bravery of these men.”
“Nor can I, Colonel,” Parno replied. “I am proud to be among them.” The troopers near enough to overhear their conversation straightened a bit at that. Parno pretended not to notice.
“Anything you need, Colonel?” he asked. Landers pondered that for a moment before replying.
“Not that I can think of, milord. I did wonder, are you going to leave the 12th in place on the line?”
“I am,” Parno nodded. “I think the line needs to be strengthened. I’ll leave the 8th in reserve, and Colonel Chad’s men are now on the interior line, along with the Provisional Battalion.”
“Very good, milord,” Landers nodded. “I asked only to see if I needed to reorient my unit.”
“I’ll leave that to you, Colonel,” Parno ordered. “You have command of the 12th in any case. Place them as you see fit.”
“Thank you, milord,” Landers beamed at the implied confidence. The two men shook hands and Parno started up the line, offering an occasional comment to the men as he went. He liked what he saw, he decided, as he made his tour. Morale was high for the moment. Every soldier on the front knew how close they had come to losing the first line and
that they had managed to hold it against staggering odds.
That knowledge gave them renewed confidence, not only in themselves, but each other and in Parno himself. Everyone knew, by now, how the young Prince had led his own escort into the fray, fighting to hold the line until reinforcements could arrive. The soldiers took pride in knowing that they were following a fighting member of the Royal Family and that made them want to fight harder, so as not to disappoint their scion.
Parno paused at the Hole, seeing that the work was progressing nicely. Major Strong noticed him and walked over.
