by Candy Rae
The sixth of the original ‘Children of the Wolves’ was dead.
The Larg commander appeared to think that, if he threw enough kohorts up the path, the press of Larg would swarm the defenders under. By now they were concentrating their attack up the path; their trial climbs up the cliff faces had proved fruitless and expensive.
Francis positioned his strongest and unhurt fighters at the most vulnerable points but they were getting tired now. Not even the stalwart Lind could fight effectively for hours at a time with no rest.
Francis’s eyes were bloodshot and his body felt like lead.
Still the Larg came, even through the night.
By the morning, the Larg now knew that some Lindar reinforcements were on the way but that they were making slow time. There were long-ranging Larg raiding parties throughout the countryside and the Lindars were being forced to fight their way past them.
The relief force was also taking pains not to expose their real numbers, revealing just enough and no more. The plan was that the Larg would not know how many Lindars Susyc Jim had mustered. The Larg must believe that their invasion had been a surprise and that only a few Lindars and Vada were near enough to come and help therein lay the north’s hope.
The Lindars of Lind were homing in from the west, gathering together into one large army as they came. Francis knew the Vada Ryzcks and the duty Lindar were running as fast as they could from Argyll. He and Larya were leading the Vadathian pack Lindars from the north with the Tenth Ryzck now that Aoalvaldr had been dealt with.
At least thought Francis as he hacked at yet another slavering face, the inhabitants from the stronghold were safe; the pirates had retreated and were rowing back downriver, their mission aborted. To his relief the human regiments of Murdoch had not ventured beyond their barricaded beachhead.
When would the relief come? They had held the Larg at the Keep. How much longer could they?
He watched as yet another fighting pair went down, luckily they managed to scramble away as Louis and Ustinya fell on the vicious brute that had managed to get over the wall and despatched him. He watched as the duo scrambled out of the way, Duguld and Ganya he noted, recognising them by the glint of the trumpet attached as usual to Duguld’s belt, he hoped the young man would make it out of this alive.
“All right lad?” he called over.
“Yes sir,” Duguld yelled back, “just winded a bit. We’re both fine.”
But they were close to being overrun and Francis and Asya knew it.
By this time, out of the two hundred and thirty-two vadeln-pairs who had begun the defence, a full forty were dead and there was hardly a fighter left who was not wounded.
They still had food and water thanks to Geraldine’s foresight but that was not the problem. The Larg would not let up. Eventually, enough would get over the walls and swarm them under.
It was with despair, at the end of the second day, that they watched another kohort arrive at the foot of the path, a fresh kohort, newly landed and eager to overrun them.
“If we get out of this,” said Louis Randall to Cherry, “I’m going to marry you at once and to hang with anything else.”
“Deal,” said Cherry with a brave smile, but she was not feeling very brave. Tamsin and Aclei were dead and she and Tamsin had been friends since their first days as junior cadets.
“The sun’s going down,” shouted Geraldine to Francis at the other side of the Keep, “perhaps they’ll wait until morning.”
“I wouldn’t count on it. That kohort is fresh, raring to go, they’ll not wait,” he answered.
“We’ve managed to hold out two days,” said Geraldine, “given the others a chance and at least the children at the stronghold are safe.”
The two remained quiet, thinking about their families, convinced that neither would be alive to see their own children growing up.
The Larg began to move up the hill.
“It has been an honour serving with you Francis,” said Geraldine, taking a firm grip of her sword.
“The honour is all mine Geraldine,” Francis answered as he readied himself for what was to come.
* * * * *
Jim and Larya, riding hell for leather, heard Asya’s desperate plea.
: They cannot hold out much longer :
: Don’t think I don’t know it :
: We will be with them before sun sets. We cannot wait for those from Argyll and Lind. If we wait Asya and the others will be dead :
: Ask the Susas when they will reach the Keep :
Larya kept on running as she tried to make contact. Jim rode on her back praying that the news would be as he hoped, for all their sakes.
: The Lindars, at sun high tomorrow :
: And those from Argyll? :
: Moon height :
: So be it :
: So be what? :
: Tell Ryzcka Kim to get in position on the east bank of the river, to rest the night and to attack at dawn tomorrow, no point before, it’ll be confused enough without the added problems of darkness :
: Lindars? :
: They know what to do without me telling them :
: Us? :
: As you have been at pains to point out, Francis, Asya and the rest will be dead if we wait until morning so we will rest for a short while and attack at sunset, the sun will be setting behind us and we’ll come at them downhill out of Mackie’s Ridge :
He called for a halt.
He sensed the tension among his miniature army. He could hear faint sounds of a trumpet blaring out from the Keep. Jim did not think the Larg had spotted them. The Larg were not expecting an attack from the north. After all, was not Aoalvaldr supposed to be dealing with any stray Lind or vadeln-pair approaching from the stronghold?
: Jalkei Lindar approaches, we wait for them? :
Larya was well aware that Jim wanted a co-ordinated attack from east and west. The yellow striped Jalkei’s Lindar had set out before other rtaths and was ready and waiting, hidden from sight in the woods some miles distant from David’s Keep.
: We cannot, we have to hit them now before it is too late. Tell Lindar Malkei to drop Duchesne’s men on the ridge head. They can form up and move downhill behind us. Vada in front and Lindars on either side. Cadet vadeln-pairs to the rear as arranged. We shall attack on a wide front :
“That’s it,” said Jim aloud, tightening his helm, “time to go, no point waiting.”
Tara’s fingers fumbled with her own helm. Her hands felt sweaty and her stomach was in knots.
: Stay calm : advised Kolyei.
: Calm? : Tara’s mind-voice was a panic-stricken squeak. She knew as well as Jim that they were outnumbered, impossibly so.
: What will be will be : was his philosophical comment : Radya sends good luck :
: Thank the Lai they aren’t at the Keep : was Tara’s heartfelt response : but what chance have we got? :
: We have hope : he answered.
The northern army did not know of the hatred that existed between Aoalvaldr and Bvdmaldr. Aoalvaldr, before his death, had not seen fit to warn Bvdmaldr of the empty stronghold. Even when the Vadathian Lindars had surrounded him and he knew he was about to die, Aoalvaldr had not considered warning his archenemy.
Bvdmaldr erroneously believed Aoalvaldr was running south to join him, had assumed that all was well and that his hated rival was successfully dealing with any enemies coming from the north.
So the first Bvdmaldr knew of the danger was when Cmvldr reported enemy movement north of the ridge and even then he was not worried. He ordered Cmvldr to lead his kohorts forward to deal with it. It could not be the Lindars from Lind, it must, he decided, be a small group accompanied by some of the hated Vada. He relaxed.
His shock at what Cmvldr reported was tremendous. With dismay he ordered all but one kohort of those surrounding the Keep to go to Cmvldr’s assistance.
Jim’s small army was ready. In the middle were Jim and Larya, surrounded by the Tenth Ryzck, two ranks dee
p. Behind them were Wilhelm and Mislya, the cadets and some vadeln-pairs not of the Tenth Ryzck gathered in during the run south. It was their job to defend the rear with the infantry.
The Avuzdel and the un-partnered Lind who had accompanied them ranged round the Lindars on the left and right wings, ready to fight off any Larg who decided to try and outflank them.
Jim was thankful the ridge was so long and high. To call it a ridge was a misnomer; rather it was a long low cliff-face, flat on top and made of shale, the self-same shale that formed the surface of the hill at the Keep.
Kolyei warned Tara a heartbeat before the order was issued.
: Halt :
: Prepare :
There was a jingle of weapons and equipment as they took their final positions.
Tara looked over at Jim and Larya and took a deep breath, trying to stave off the panic at the thought that she was taking part in yet another battle. This time she and Kolyei would be right in the middle of it.
Tara tried not to think about the cadets behind her with Weaponsmaster Wilhelm and Mislya. They were not much older than she had been nine years before when age thirteen she had been the youngest soldier in the northern army.
Kolyei sensed her unease.
: Steady Tara. This is not your first battle. We came through last time and it will be so this :
: I’m scared :
: Only the foolhardy are not scared :
: There are so many of them :
: And the four best and most experienced Lindars are with us. We will come through this together. I promise :
Tara and Kolyei waited as Tarmsei led the Afanasei Lindar forward four paces. The Larg bounded uphill towards them.
“Hold positions,” shouted Jim, “keep together.”
Kolyei moved sideways to stand behind Richard and Dahlya. The man spared Tara a wry glance.
“Dahlya says the attack on the Keep has eased off. They know we are here and send greetings.”
“Thank the Lai,” was Tara’s fervent reply. They were not too late; their friends were still alive. She swallowed, gripping her sword with resolve.
There was a deep-throated growl of defiance from the Lind and their human compatriots.
“For Freedom.”
Larya gave the order and they began a measured trot down the hill, strides lengthening as they surged forward. Tara rode with them, murder in her heart. She and Kolyei were in the back ryz of the Tenth with some of the more unpractised and every other vadeln-pair who could fight. Left behind were Duchesne’s infantry and Wilhelm Dahlstrom’s cadets. The Lindars to her and Kolyei’s right and left were already engaged with the front ranks of the kohorts.
* * * * *
Wilhelm watched the fight on the slope beneath him.
“Afanasei Lindar is holding,” he shouted out then glanced to his right.
“There’s a kohort moving round,” he yelled out.
Mislya passed the order and Duchesne’s infantry drew closer together, edged to the right and braced themselves. The cadets stood firm.
The sound of battle eddied below them, then the Afanasei Lindar began to back up the slope. The ridge was defensible, the jagged rocks and boulders at the top would make it difficult for the Larg to get enough warriors high enough to use their weight and strength to most advantage.
: Larya says Jim has decided that we must regroup up the hill. We have drawn the Larg from the Keep. All but one of the kohorts have moved away from there and are in the gulley between us : Mislya told Wilhelm.
: What does Asya say? : asked Wilhelm.
: There are only enough Larg remaining to make sure they do not come out :
: Good :
: Mission accomplished? :
: Indeed. We have baited the trap. Now comes the difficult bit. We have to hold them off until Vada and Lindars arrive from Argyll and rtathlians :
: Can we? Hold them off? :
: We must : insisted the Weaponsmaster.
* * * * *
: Tara? : queried Peter of Radya as the Eighth Ryzck galloped west from Argyll towards the river.
: Kolyei’s mind is closed to me :
: Are they? :
: Fighting? Yes. I sense that much :
* * * * *
Francis wondered if the Larg waiting at the bottom of the path to David’s Keep expected the defenders to come out but nothing was further from his mind. They were all exhausted.
Duguld looked down at the battered trumpet at his side. Unfastening it he raised it to his lips and blew a scale in a vocal display of relief and thanksgiving.
* * * * *
At Mackie’s Ridge more kohorts had flung themselves into the attack and Jim’s little army were hard pressed to hold their position. They began to be forced back paw by bloody paw.
Tara and Kolyei retreated with them.
Although it was growing dark and there was no let up until the sun began to set behind the trees. At last the Larg retreated to the base of the hill. The four Lindars and the Vada had watched in disbelief as first one kohort and then another disengaged and fell back.
“Stand firm,” Jim ordered, “don’t follow,” a necessary precaution as some Lind had begun edging towards them, “they’ll be back.”
The defenders waited but to their surprise the kohorts formed up in rank and edged away another ten metres.
“What’s happening?” asked Tara in panic.
: Jim and Larya say they think they will wait for dawn :
: Why? If they all attacked now we wouldn’t have a hope of holding them off. We barely got back to the ridge-top alive :
: He does not know why but Fernei says that they must have orders to wait. We must get some rest :
The reason why was that, during that evening’s battle when the kohorts had attacked no less than six times, Bvdmaldr had learned that it was Jim and Larya who were leading these Lindars and Vada.
Now, Aoalvaldr had hated the Vada for his personal defeat and disgrace. He had wanted revenge, pure and simple. Bvdmaldr hated Jim and Larya. One of the more astute and clever Larg within the Largan’s inner circle, he had analysed the Great Defeat, as the Larg called the Battle of the Alliance, in considerable depth and had come to the conclusion that it was Jim who had won the day for the north. It was he and none other who had caused the rout. It was Jim who was the greatest impediment to the ascendancy of the Larg. It was Jim who was the driving force behind the cohesiveness of the armies of the north.
He had come to a decision. He wanted to capture Jim and Larya alive. What an entry he would make on his return home with the Larg’s greatest enemy a prisoner! He, not Aoalvaldr would become the great hero. The Largan would have no choice but to name him his successor.
Accordingly, as night fell and to the complete mystification of the northerners, he ordered Cmvldr to retire and to wait until dawn.
Jim, Tara and the others could hardly believe their eyes.
: We have a chance now :
: The Ryzcks are waiting : Larya answered Jim.
: Where? :
: Other side of river :
: Tell them to attack at dawn as we agreed but they must wait for my signal :
Afanasei limped towards them. “You think Jim, they will be back this night?”
“Not until sun rises,” answered Larya. “Fernei tells us they have been ordered to wait. He knows not why.”
“The Lindars,” added Afanasei with satisfaction, “are closing.”
“Remind them to run as quietly as they can,” said Jim, “I don’t want the Larg to realise how many and how close they really are.”
“They will hear them,” worried Larya.
“Not if we make enough noise they won’t,” said Jim.
So to the waiting Larg’s immense surprise, their enemies on Mackie’s Ridge and at David’s Keep did not quietly sit out the night.
They could hear a lot of laughter and singing, not that their enemies let their guard drop.
The scouts Cmvldr s
ent up to the ridge to investigate did not return.
The sound of Duguld’s trumpet rang out in the night air.
* * * * *
The Eighth Ryzck, with Kim Douglas in command, had led the other Ryzcks west towards the battlefield at their best pace. With them ran Lindar Hlindya, the duty Lindar in southern Argyll this season. Theirs was not one of the larger Lindars, being only some two hundred strong, but Kim thought as they galloped that another two hundred fighters might make all the difference.
She had not waited for orders, as ranking Ryzcka she had decided to go, overriding all objections with implacable resolve. They had been halfway to the battlefield when the word came about the location of the southern fleet and the orders to ride west. Kim had made the right decision.
She knew that Francis, Asya, Geraldine and the others were being attacked at the Keep. She knew Jim, Larya, the Tenth and the home Lindars were in dire straights on Mackie’s Ridge. She also knew the Lindars from Lind were fast approaching from the west and would swing round once inside Vadath’s borders, to approach the battlefield from the north.
“The Larg will have scouts patrolling the western side of the riverbank,” she informed the Ryzckas and the Susa during one of their infrequent rest stops, “we will camp this side and cross with the dawn, else we might miss the ford.”
As her scouts approached the riverbank careful not to be seen or heard, Larya informed Kim’s Slei of Jim’s plan for the morrow.
The Keep had held out. For two days they had repulsed kohort after kohort of Larg, the defenders were exhausted, bone-weary and many were dead or hurt.
It was Jim’s little army on the ridge that was in danger of annihilation.
