The King replied to Anton, “Very good. Continue with the report.”
Lord Volsung mumbled, almost under his breath, saying, “I thought the Elf story was a childhood fantasy!”
Gedron, Gwynnalyn’s twin brother, blurted out, “Told you, father; and my Elf Norn was Shlomael.”
“Silence, Gedron, and let Anton finish his report!” growled the mighty Volsung. Gedron fell silent, but was grinning from ear to ear.
Anton continued, “My Lords, the Army of Gorkan-Mar has driven through to Thorstadt and Lord Randver has been fighting them all the way. The Queen heard you had defeated Korgan-Tal and thinks that we can attack the Ogres and Sarmatians because they are trapped between our two armies.”
The King knew that his beloved Soul-Mate and Queen was right and so he said, “This is how it shall be: if you, my brother, King Togrobeg, concur. We must turn back on Gorkan-Mar, but yet leave enough reserves to cover our own rear against the reappearance of either the Scythians or the Goblins.”
King Togrobeg replied, “King Sigurd, I will cover the rear from attack. You must move in all due haste before Korgan-Tal realises what is happening. In the meantime, we’ll make good use of our Goblin prisoner. He may offer more insights as to whether the Goblins will re-form for another attack, but I don’t think that they will. They would seem to be in a civil war now.”
“Good,” replied King Sigurd. “Lord Snaevar, since the departure of King Osrik to Valhalla, you speak for the Gepids; what say you?”
“I say it is the best option, My Lord King,” replied the Gepid Ealdorman. “But I might add, Sire, we were all here when King Osrik bid you lead the Gepids if he died. We Gepids are united under you. You are King of all Tervingia now. So say we all!”
Everyone there began to chant, “So say we all! So say we all! So say we all!”
Then Snaevar declared, “All hail, Sigurd, King of Tervingia! Long live the King!” King Sigurd was quite surprised by this sudden acclaimation, for he had not sought it.
This declaration was soon noised through the ranks of the entire united Tervingian Armies and there were thousands upon thousands of warriors chanting and shaking their spears and beating their shields with the flat sides of their swords, shouting, “Long live the King! God save the King! Long live the King!”
Now that the thunderous applause was dying down, Sigurd replied, “I accept this crown of our United Kingdom, and pledge my service to all our tribes. But for now we must continue making our plans.”
Later on in the meeting were the Ealdormen, Genersarik, and last High Councillor of the Massagetae. Also there was and Lord Radagaisus and Sinfjotli, of the Thyssagetae tribe, and lastly was Lord Hodbrodd, last of the Issedones Ealdormen of the slain King Grunewald. King Sigurd looked at them and said, “What say you, men? Let us stand as one in this plan.”
“We accept you as our new King and protector,” replied Genersarik.
They nodded, all in the affirmative, and Lord Sinfjotli said, “My Lord King, we are all as one nation now. My people stand with you.”
“So say we all!” declared Lord Hodbrodd, with a scowl (for secretly in his heart he opposed making Sigurd their King) and he continued to say it until the whole council in unison, including King Sigurd, was chanting as well and stomping, each man his left foot on the ground, saying, “So say we all! So say we all! So say we all! Long live the King!”
Volsung motioned and the King’s horse was brought up and the officers lifted him up on it. Sigurd drew the Tyrfingr and held it high in the air as thousands and thousands of warriors cheered, beating their shields and shaking their pole-axes and spears. It was then that the men of the Army lifted King Sigurd high upon a large shield, and carried him all through the camp in a mighty, thunderous and tumaultous acclaimation of their King. The Army had raised him to the throne of a United Kingdom.
The Dwarves remained in position while the rest of the Army turned and began marching east towards the River Rha and home. The King and the nobles were in the forefront, for King Sigurd had told all the troops, “We now turn around and will force-march to save our country and destroy the Ogres! I take the lead, brothers! I believe that all men are born free! A freedom given to us by the Creator God and that no King or Ealdorman is above the law! Those that wish to burn down our city and seize our women and children are those which deny that life is a sacred gift! They will kill a baby, even while it is inside the mother, in sacrifice to their evil god Loki and call it a free choice! Hister would even have taken control of the minds of all our Priestess-Healers and bid them cast spells and demons and even kill the unborn babies, cutting them from their mothers and casting them into a sacrifice pyre! This you all know and we must not let this happen! We can trap this Ogre Army and destroy it! I am going to fight Gorkan-Mar! Who will join me?” The King then once more drew his sacred sword, The Tyrfingr, and held it high in the air above his head!
Lord Volsung smiled with deep satisfaction and approval, and, drawing his sword, he shouted, “I will join the King of Tervingia today! So say we all! So say we all! So say we all!”
It was not long before the entire Tervingian Army, weapons in hand, were shouting the chant, “So say we all! So say we all! So say we all!”
“My Queen!” stated Captain Gauron. “Randver’s Army has been pushed back to the very ramparts of the city and Gorkan-Mar has begun preparation for a siege!”
She replied, “Make sure that all of the women and children of the city keep under cover. The Ogres are bound to launch flaming oil tars at us and we must make ready people with shovels and dirt. Do not throw water on the fires because it will cause the oil to spread and the flames to get worse.”
“Yes, my Queen, it shall be done!” replied Gauron.
The Ogres and their human allies could not understand where all these butterflies kept coming from! They were everywhere! Troops tried to swat them and shoo them away, but it was to no avail!
The White Wizard sat high in a new watchtower which had been hastily constructed for him above the Mead Hall. It became known as Wizard’s Tower. From it he could see clearly across the half-mile-wide River Rha to the east, and well-nigh west of the city where he could see the Imperial Army taking up positions all around them, and setting up siege engines. Byock closed his eyes, though, and could see even more. Through the eyes of all the monarch butterflies he could see every move the enemy made and hear all conversations. He blinked and shifted his focus to the butterflies above King Sigurd’s Army, and saw that there were no more crows or ravens, at least none in use by Hister at any rate. He saw that the Good King was en route at that moment to save Thorstadt.
The sound of the horns echoed through Thorstadt, giving the alarm! War had finally come to the great Tervingian city and the last of the people made their way from the crops into the city and the safety of its log and earthen ramparts. Around the outside of the wall there was a moat, studded with sharpened poles to prevent the Sarmatian Cavalry from riding up and over. The city was four miles in circumference and straddled the bank of the great River Rha, and was considered one of the greatest Ring Fortresses in all of Midgard.
Krosis, the Sarmatian General serving under Gorkan-Mar, received reports from his scouts and officers and then spoke to the Ogre Commander. “We are moving into position rapidly, sir, and the Gomerian scum have been forced behind their walls.”
“Ah ha haaa!” laughed the ugly Ogre in chain-mail armour. “Alas, the war is almost over! I am sure by now that Korgan-Tal has destroyed the Armies sent against him and that the Goblin Storm Troopers will soon be here. At least, according to the dispatches you gave me. Set up the trebuchets and I want the city pounded with Hellene fire until it lights the sky this very night.” He swatted at the butterflies and asked mournfully and with a sad look on his face, “Is there no way to drive these remorseless insects away from here? They’re pretty and I… I hate pretty!”
Meanwhile, a lone Massagetae warrior was in the woods, changing back into his own uni
form and out of the Sarmatian garb. Randver had been fortunate two days ago, when his patrols intercepted Sarmatian dispatch riders bringing news of the destruction of the Goblin Army and the retreat of Korgan-Tal back to the Oarus River. Using his skill on parchment, Lord Randver wrote new dispatches in runic script, and sent one brave man on a mission, which had been highly successful. He delivered them and calmly made his way out of the enemy camp. Now back near home, Hjalprek, last of the Massagetae Ealdormen, changed out of the Sarmatian garb and returned to report to Lord Randver. Randver was very pleased, and so was the Queen when she heard about it and was determined that his selfless bravery be rewarded.
Lilia was terrified and refused for even one moment to leave Siggy’s side unless forced to do so. Greta confronted her and said, “You, little fraulein, are now a part of the house of King Sigurd and Queen Gwynnalyn and are a little Princess. Sigmund cannot give you a bath, so you’re coming with me now!”
Sigmund looked at Lilia and said, “Greta is right. Go with her as the water she made is nice and hot.”
“OK, Big Brother, I will go − but I’m afraid.”
“What are you afraid of, Baby Sister?” asked the Mammoth Rider.
The little girl’s eyes filled with tears and she could hardly talk because of her sobbing. “I am afraid that if I go away from you then the Ogres will take you away like they did Mommy and Pappa and my other Big Brother!”
“We will be fine, Lilia. The Ogres and Slaughter-Wolves can’t get past my Father or the King or past the walls of our city and they aren’t getting in here to get us, Lilia. You can go have a nice hot bath right in the Queen’s chamber with Greta and Momma, and I think they have new dresses and shoes for you. I will be here when you get back, Lilia.”
She hugged him and then allowed Princess Greta to lead her away. Across the room, the main audience chamber, which was empty of people for the most part, stood Princess Eileza near the hearth in the centre of the room. She had witnessed the entire thing and was once again highly impressed with young Lord Sigmund. She just smiled and nodded her head, while under her breath she said, “Way to go, Siggy! Good way to go!” A tear fell from her eye over it all.
By the evening the Tervingians set themselves in battle array in front of the city and a horde of Ogres both on foot and on black boars charged the line! Lord Randver gave a signal via red flags and his trebuchets began hurling their own Hellene fire into the oncoming horde! The first ranks of the horde fell headlong into a trap! The defences of Thorstadt included deep ditches which had been covered over with netting and straw and which contained thousands of spike barriers made from lodge-pole pines! The Ogres fell into it and thousands were impaled! The horrid death squeals of their boar mounts could be heard above that of the Ogres and the din of battle booming! The bottom of the trench was also filled with pitch, which was ignited by the flaming balls of Hellene fire being hurled into it by a battery of trebuchets! Upon seeing this, the Sarmatians held back and refused to attack and Gorkan-Mar was furious with rage!
The Ogre trebuchets were now hurling their own flaming balls into the city and soon fires were raging! People rallied and formed dirt bucket and shovel brigades in order to counter-act the looming disaster! The Dwarf Quarter, being so new, was of less solid construction and was suffering the worst damage. There were also water buckets standing by in case fire spread into areas without the flaming oil driving it. The Queen’s Royal Thanes surrounded the Mead Hall and a reserve of women and children stood by to fight any fire that might light up the great wooden Long House. The Queen was beside herself, wanting to go out and join the fight, but could not because of the dear child growing within her.
Momma Gerda, Greta, Siggy and Lilia were in the royal dining hall, and Tanman was serving up dinner and brew. This time little Lord Sigmund was determined to do something. “Lilia, you must stay here with the Queen! I mean it!”
“No, Big Brother, I want go with you!” shouted the child. She was in fresh clean clothing and Greta had braided her freshly washed hair into a long blonde ponytail.
Her loud voice had given up the game and Greta said, “Sigmund! What are you planning?”
“Greta, I have to go and join the warriors at the gate! I will not stay here and do nothing, Greta!”
Princess Eileza, sitting near her mother Rutia at a different table built especially to accommodate the stature of the Dwarves, overheard the conversation. She stood up and Rutia said, “Just where do you think you’re going, Little Princess?”
Eileza replied, “Momma, I’m not a little princess any more and I am joining the fight beside Siggy!”
“Oh no, you’re not going away to fight beside Sigmund!” replied Dowager Queen Rutia. Everyone could overhear her rude comments.
Spirit Maid Zakarah, who had stepped into the room, said, “Prince Sigmund and Princess Eileza, you mustn’t go. Your destinies are tied to one another and when one dies the other will surely follow.”
Upon hearing that remark, Eileza’s face lit up like a torch, but her mother scowled and snorted, “We’ll just see about that, Prophecy Elf! I and I alone decide the destiny of my daughter!”
Zakarah, ignoring the obvious provocation, continued to speak to Siggy. “If you go now, you will be able to help the Warriors in some small measure, but I foresee that you both will do more harm than good and for you. Siggy, something will happen to you that will scar your mind and give you nightmares. You must be able to join the gathering to help the Queen. Sigmund, you are to be mentor to the child which your sister will bear and unless you are there he’ll be turned away to the dark side. You and Eileza must live today and your mind must not be scarred.”
Queen Mother Gerda walked over and took her son in her arms and said, “Please, sweet baby, don’t go. I love you so much. You are my last child and I will not lose you to the Slaughter-Wolves! I need your sword to guard us here. If you must fight, do so only if they get through the walls, my Siggy, please?”
Sigmund sighed and all his resolve melted like snow in the spring and he hugged his beloved mother and replied, “Yes, Momma.”
Lilia jumped up and down for joy as Rutia pulled Eileza into her arms and sat her in her lap. This was odd behaviour for the Dowager Queen, to say the least, and everyone was surprised, especially Eileza. The Dwarf Princess soaked up her mother’s affection like dry earth soaking up water and said nothing, but laid her head on Rutia’s chest and closed her eyes. While all this was going on, the Queen stood looking out of her window at the buildings which were beginning to burn, with Galorfilinde at her side.
The warriors on the walls noticed Gargoyles flying overhead and began shooting at them with their longbows. Three Teufels fell wounded into the streets of the city, where a mob of terrified civilians hacked them to death with axes!
Meanwhile, back in the Queen’s Chamber, Gwynnalyn turned and said, “Galorfilinde, I need to go up into the new tower with Byock. Please help me?”
The Queen took her sword and the Elves walked her out of her bed chamber, followed by Priestess Byrnhilda.
Darkness overtook the land as the sun set across Midgard. Lord Randver and his officers were on the walls above the log gatehouse over the main city exit. Suddenly, a flaming bolt from an Ogre ballista flew across the battlefield and embedded itself into the front of the gatehouse, setting it aflame! Tervingian troops, disobeying the Queen’s order, attempted to pour water on it! But the water scattered the burning oil and spread the flame! “Let’s get out of this hell before it burns down around us, men!” ordered Lord Randver.
They quickly made their exit and set up a command post in the stable immediately behind the gatehouse along the main street. Randver began barking more orders. “OK, men, you see what Gorkan-Mar has planned. He wants to weaken all the gates with fire, and then crash them! If the Ogres and Slaughter-Wolves do this, we must fight from house to house and fall back on the palace. If the walls are breached, Thane Captain Gauron will evacuate the Queen and the royal family across
the river. We have enough rafts for maybe half of our people at once, and then we will have to come back for the rest. In the event this happens, only the women and the children will go, then afterwards the men, and lastly the Army!”
“Aye, sir,” replied the Officers.
Then he said, “See if we can drop buckets of dirt down onto the fire before the gate burns down! Water only spreads the fire! You men should know this by now!”
The Queen and Galorfilinde and her ladies-in-waiting made their way slowly into the tower, where sat Byock and Min Tze in deep meditation. They were joined a moment or two later by the Matrona Zakarah, who had been down in the dining hall, knowing that she had to make the attempt to stop Siggy and Eileza from going out to the fighting. With that situation well in hand by protective mothers, Zakarah ascended into the tower and joined the circle of meditation. They seemed oblivious to the raging battle and fires around them as Galorfilinde and Eowythane entered what was being called the Star Chamber, which was the six-pointed, star-shaped room on top of the tower. From this vantage point the Queen could see out over the city that had become hers. She felt deep sorrow and pain for the women and children suffering through the horror, but her determination did not waver. She would stand firm here in the tower so that all the Tervingian people could draw inspiration from her as she overlooked her city from Wizard’s Tower, as it came to be called. The moon rose that night full and red in the sky; a blood moon. Galorfilinde joined the circle and closed her eyes.
King Sigurd and his men saw the red moon rising and the King said, “My brothers, we must keep marching until the moon is high in the sky and only then shall we stop and rest.”
Everyone could see the red glow in the sky off to the east in the great valley where their city sat, and knew that the city was in flames!
“For the love of Asgard, I wish we could get there faster!” declared the worried King to Volsung.
Visigothic_The Barbarians Of Midgard Page 20
