“What of the men we sent to infiltrate the Sordoans?” inquired the king. “Have they had any success in turning those men towards service to Alcea?”
“Some,” answered the general. “They are dealing with the lesser officers and small groups of soldiers. They have not approached the higher officers yet for fear of being evicted from the city, but some of the Sordoans would welcome a chance to join with Alcea.”
“That mission may be in vain, though,” interrupted Larc. “I have reports that say that Trekum has been sealed off by the Lanoirians. Even if we managed to recruit the Sordoans, it is too late now. If General Mobami’s men can hold the city, they will run out of food before too long. Trekum is doomed to fall in the coming days.”
“Where is Emperor Hanchi getting his food from?” asked King Arik.
“Caravans are regularly supplying the Lanoirians from Lanoir,” answered the general. “We were discussing a strategy of having the gypsies interrupt those caravans. Without proper food supplies, the Lanoirian army will begin to slow down and falter. The emperor cannot feed that many men from the land of Sordoa. He needs those supplies.”
“How much of an army does he have guarding the supply routes?” questioned King Arik.
“Not much,” replied the general. “He does not have much of an army left in Lanoir. Just about ever able-bodied man is with his main army. I am sure that the gypsies can handle disrupting the flow of food somewhat.”
“Somewhat,” King Arik repeated distractedly.
“What are you thinking about?” inquired Prince Oscar as he sensed that that his son was deep in thought.
“We were hoping that the Sordoans would delay the Lanoirians,” posed King Arik. “Every day that they delay Emperor Hanchi is one more day for us to get ready here in Tagaret. What would happen if we were able to cut off the Lanoirian supplies completely? How would his army survive?”
“That would depend upon how fast the army could move,” answered the general. “They would be able to get some food locally as they progress northward, but a starving army is neither efficient nor happy. If we were able to cut off his supply caravans completely, the emperor would be forced to address the problem. There are two ways that he could address it. He could move the army faster towards Tagaret in hopes of a speedy victory here, or he could turn around and secure his supply lines.”
“If he turns around and is unable to secure his supply lines,” Colonel Nolan pointed out, “his army dies. It is a long march from Trekum to Tagaret. I think this might be the answer that we have been looking for. No army can fight for long without food.”
“He would still be able to get enough food locally to feed his men,” argued Larc. “While they may not be fully fed, they are still a massive army. The emperor can afford to lose many men before he is down to a size that we could beat.”
“Unless there was no food between him and us,” countered King Arik.
“His generals would recognize the problem quickly,” interjected General Gregor. “The first burnt field that they came across, they would send men south to open those supply lines. Lanoir is rich in farmland, unlike Sordoa.”
“What would you do in their place, general?” quizzed King Arik. “If you found the fields burned and discovered that the gypsies were disrupting your caravans. What would you do?”
“The information that I have is that their cavalry is larger than our entire army,” answered the general. “I would send them south to secure the supply lines while the infantry continued northward. Infantry is all he needs to sack Tagaret.”
“Why not cut off his supplies at the source?” asked Prince Oscar.
“What do you mean?” asked the general.
“What if,” posed Prince Oscar, “while the gypsies are stopping the caravans, we go into Lanoir and seize the food?”
“Do you suggest that we burn the Lanoirian fields?” asked the general. “While he may not have left much of an army behind, the people of Lanoir would not allow that. They would fight you with their rakes and hoes. Besides, Lanoir is a very large country. You cannot send a dozen men down there and expect them to destroy the food supply.”
“No,” smiled Prince Oscar, “but we could send five to ten thousand men down there and make sure that all of the food is diverted to the ships of our shipping companies. That food could then be shipped up here.”
“I see where you are going, Father,” grinned King Arik. “We could send the Army of the West out of Dalek. They could seize control of Lanoir while the gypsies halt the supplies. When Emperor Hanchi puts enough pressure on the gypsies to halt their activities, there will no longer be caravans heading north. The caravans will be heading west to load our ships at Marchek.”
“I would say that that is a brilliant maneuver,” frowned General Gregor, “except for a few important points. We cannot afford to send the Army of the West to Lanoir, and send our own men south to destroy the Sordoan fields. We would leave Alcea totally defenseless. Add to that the threat of the Castle of Man falling to Sarac’s forces and you will have given up your kingdom. Remember that Sarac’s forces are as large as Emperor Hanchi’s and the ogres and yaki will eat their own dead before they starve.”
“One army at a time,” sighed King Arik. “Right now there is something that we can do to halt the advance of Emperor Hanchi. Let’s concentrate on that. I was not thinking of sending our forces south to burn the Sordoan fields. I was planning on using the Sordoans to do that themselves. With the exception of the Army of the West, our defenses would remain the same.”
“Even if you could find Sordoans willing to burn the fields,” the general shook his head, “they are now trapped in Trekum. It is impossible to think of using them for the task.”
“Nothing is impossible,” grinned King Arik. “If we can use ships to move the Army of the West, we can do the same in Trekum. Emperor Hanchi cannot block Trekum from the sea.”
“He can sink the ships as soon as he discovers that they are escaping,” warned Larc. “I am sure that he has catapults that can reach the harbor.”
“Then the exodus must be accomplished in secret,” shrugged King Arik. “As long as we know it is possible, it becomes a starting point for a plan. The main problem that I see is with the Lanoirian cavalry. The gypsies cannot be expected to stand against such a large force. Even the Army of the West will not be able to hold them off for long. If we could think of some way to divide their cavalry, we might stand a chance of pulling this off.”
“The Lanoirian cavalry would have to get back through the Southern Mountains to reach their homeland,” posed Prince Darok. “That area is well known to my people, and there are no better mountain fighters than the dwarves. If you want to divide their cavalry, let my people handle it. We will divide them in half for sure. If they are lucky, that is, because when we divide them, they won’t ever be regrouping.”
“I like it,” declared Prince Oscar. “If we can pull this off, the Lanoirian threat will disappear.”
“The threat won’t disappear,” the general shook his head. “I will not imagine that the Lanoirian generals are fools. You will succeed in causing them great hardships and ensure that there numbers dwindle, but he will still have a massive army when he reaches Melbin. Have you decided whether or not we will attempt to hold Melbin?”
“Depending on the status of the Castle of Man,” King Arik answered thoughtfully, “I would like to engage the Lanoirians at Melbin. It is a chance to whittle away at them before they reach Tagaret. I was thinking of evacuating by ship when the situation became hopeless. However, if we use that ploy in Trekum, it may not work twice.”
“I agree,” nodded Zackary. “They will make the harbor a very unfriendly place when they arrive outside Melbin. I would not plan on using ships to evacuate.”
“Melbin is still a problem for the future,” declared King Arik. “Let’s start acting on our plan for Lanoir. Prince Darok, you need to compose a message for the fairies to deliver to your people. Make
sure that they understand everything that we discussed here today. How they handle the expected Lanoirian cavalry is entirely up to them, but we need to be kept informed here.”
“It shall be as you desire, Garala,” grinned the dwarf prince. “My people will make you proud.”
“I will take care of organizing the flotilla from Dalek,” offered Prince Oscar. “I am sure that the Army of the West will look forward to this mission. I will also set up wagon trains to ferry the Lanoirian food from Dalek to Tagaret. I was running out of places to buy food anyway.”
“Good,” nodded the king. “Make sure that they do not abuse the Lanoirian citizens. In fact, they are to be treated as being part of Alcea.”
“If we are going to confront Emperor Hanchi and declare war upon him,” suggested Prince Oscar, “we should formally declare Lanoir as part of Alcea. If we can win the hearts of the population, Emperor Hanchi will indeed be isolated. He will have his army and nothing more.”
“Then that is what we shall do,” agreed the king. “There is little doubt of Emperor Hanchi’s destination. He has already declared war on us by marching on Tagaret.”
“What about the Sordoans?” asked General Gregor. “I doubt that General Mobami will take orders from one of the Rangers that I sent down there.”
“I doubt that as well,” conceded the king. “That is why I am going to Trekum.”
“Going to Trekum?” echoed the general. “You can’t be serious. There will be no Trekum by the time you arrive. Besides, I do not think it would be safe for you. Emperor Hanchi would love to get his hands on you. General Mobami might even turn you over to him for some boon for his own people.”
“General Mobami will have to go through us to get to Valon,” promised Prince Garong.
“Actually,” sighed King Arik, “I am going alone on this trip.”
“Inconceivable,” argued the elf prince. “We are sworn to protect you, and we shall.”
“Not unless you can fly,” countered King Arik. “General Gregor is correct when he talks about the demise of Trekum. I must get there quickly if this plan is to succeed. I will fly Chaco over the Sordoan Sea. It is the only way to get there swiftly.”
“I don’t like it,” frowned General Gregor. “You risk too much just to slow down the Lanoirians.”
“Slowing them down is key to our survival,” retorted the king. “Notify the Rangers in Trekum that I am coming. They will have to suffice as my bodyguard.”
“I only have four men down there,” protested the general.
“Then notify those four,” interjected Prince Oscar. “I don’t care for this anymore than the rest of you, but the responsibility is King Arik’s. He is the only person that can do this task. General Mobami will not listen to a mere messenger. I have faith in King Arik’s judgment. Let us get to work on the portions of the plan that we can control.”
“Tell the Rangers to meet me at Continental Shipping,” ordered the king. “You need to get a fairy off to them immediately. I am going to nap, grab a meal, and then depart.”
Chapter 12
In Harm’s Way
Chaco glided cautiously through the dark sky as the fires from land led him towards Trekum. He banked slightly to the left, and then to the right, as if he was unsure of which part of the coast to land on. King Arik peered into the darkness, trying to make sense of his location. There were fires everywhere along the coast, and Arik knew that landing in the wrong spot could cost him his life. Finally, he saw the outline of one of the towers of the Royal Palace of Sordoa. He tapped gently on Chaco’s right shoulder, and the unicorn banked without question.
As they got closer to land, they were able to see the shadows of buildings. Chaco altered course and headed towards the docks, where they had boarded a ship the last time they had been to Trekum. Chaco landed lightly upon the wooden planks, while King Arik scanned the dark for anyone who might be in a position to observe the landing. With several hours to go before the first lightening of the sky, King Arik made his clandestine entry into Trekum without being detected. He smiled inwardly as Chaco headed for the Continental Shipping Company.
The door opened immediately when he knocked on it. An involuntary shudder coursed through his body when he saw the figures draped in black with their swords drawn. The black figures bowed upon recognition of their king, and Arik let out a sigh of relief. He entered the building with Chaco.
“Welcome to Trekum, Your Highness,” greeted Randi Witzak.
“Thank you,” King Arik replied to the Ranger. “I am glad to see that word of my coming was delivered promptly.”
“We only received notice a short while ago,” responded Steffan, one of the other Rangers. “This is not a safe place for you to be, Sire. There are only four of us here, and this city is in the midst of war.”
“Alexander Tork once said that four Rangers are as good as an army,” King Arik grinned. “I guess we will find out if he is right. What is the situation with the Lanoirians?”
“The new day is bound to bring conflict,” frowned Eddie as he handed the king a cup of tea. “The time for General Mobami’s decision is at hand.”
“What decision is that?” inquired the king.
“He was given three days to surrender,” replied Ranger Harod. “Last night ended the three days.”
“This is not a good time for your visit,” stressed Ranger Caan. “The Lanoirian army is massive. If Trekum was not surrounded, thousands would be fleeing.”
“Is the Sordoan moral that bad?” asked King Arik.
“These men came to fight for Sordoa,” answered Randi. “They are not cowards in any sense of the word, but the situation is rather grim. These men are used to fighting on horseback with the option of retreating if things do not go well. Instead, they are reduced to manning the walls of this ancient city against overwhelming odds. They will fight to the death, but many a man here would choose a different battlefield if they had the option.”
“Perhaps I have something to offer them then,” stated King Arik. “Eddie, how long would it take you to evacuate Trekum by ship?”
“By ship?” echoed Eddie. “The whole city?” Eddie rubbed his chin in thought when the king nodded. “If I used all of our ships,” he continued, “I suspect we could do it in several days. That is assuming that the ships have short runs to make. If you mean to Tagaret, it would take months.”
“Short runs would not accomplish much,” interjected Caan. “Hanchi has the city surrounded. If we transported General Mobami’s men up the coast a bit, the Lanoirian cavalry would be on them as soon as they landed.”
“They might not notice if it is done by night,” explained King Arik. “My plan is to deceive the Lanoirians by day and escape by night. We will ship the men up the coast just beyond the Lanoirian patrols. When Emperor Hanchi finally figures out what is going on, Trekum will be empty.”
“That might work,” mused Eddie. “If we ran only at night, I would estimate three days at the minimum. That is if everything goes well.”
“This would have worked better three days ago,” frowned Steffan. “What could make Emperor Hanchi stop the attacks for another three days?”
“I am not sure,” admitted the king. That is something that I will have to discuss with General Mobami.”
“Is it wise for you to speak with him?” questioned Harod. “He is not exactly a vassal of Alcea.”
“You men were sent down to entice the Sordoans to fight for Alcea,” retorted King Arik. “How has your task gone?”
“Fair, I would say,” responded Randi. “Actually, a bit better than I would have suspected. There has always been animosity between Sordoa and Targa in the past. Still, a lot of these fighters are young enough not to have known the wars between the two countries.”
“I think many of the men are tired of being roving pirates,” interjected Caan. “Some would welcome the regimen that comes with a true army.”
“What do we know about the general himself?” inquired the king
.
“Mobami is well respected,” replied Harod, “even among his old enemies. He has been left alone in Trekum for some years now. The other armies tended to avoid conflict with him.”
“He has changed a lot since arriving in Trekum,” added Eddie. “He used to be a firebrand like the others in the days after the Collapse, but the last few years have been different. I think he grew to enjoy living in Trekum and ruling it like a fiefdom. When he organized the defense of the city, few challenged his right to lead it. The other armies put aside their grievances and came to help.”
“What kind of ruler has he been?” asked King Arik.
“Not a bad one,” answered Eddie. “He can be very strict with his men, but they do not seem to mind. I hear that when he does administer punishment, it is usually fair. He has not molested the citizens of Trekum, nor does he allow the men under him to do so. In different times, he would have made a good ruler for the people of Trekum.”
“He has been known to be ruthless on the battlefield,” added Randi. “There are stories of his younger years right after the Collapse that would cause you to question if he is the same man. It is because of those early years that his opponents gave him a wide berth.”
“Keep your ships handy, Eddie,” ordered the king. “I need to speak to this general. Can I get into the palace?”
“You won’t need to,” replied Randi. “The general is an early riser. He will walk the walls of the city starting before the first lightening. That is the best place to approach him without a lot of fuss.”
“Then that is what I shall do,” decided the king. “I want the four of you to protect me as best you can, but at a distance. I do not want to appear as a lord with his bodyguard. If things go poorly, buy me the time to escape and then get yourselves out of the city.”
“Begging your pardon, Your Highness,” Randi shook his head, “but we will protect you until you are out of the city. If we can do that from a distance, we shall, but we are not going to just buy you time to get off the wall and then look to our own needs.”
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