Book 5, Chapter 34: Deliberations
“Thank you, Brin.” I took the damp facecloth she’d given me, rubbing it generously all over. It didn’t really get the grime off, but was a refreshing reprieve from the morning. We were in the command tent, Carlisele, Morry, Tread, the master smith and one of Carlisele’s generals. His other one and his majors were out directing our troops. “Updates, please. And options.”
Morry began, “They’ve pulled back for now. But they almost made it up. They’ll be adjusting their tactics. We should expect their next assault to make it to our phalanx.”
“You don’t think we can hold them off any longer?”
“We expended virtually all of our resources to drive them off.”
“But,” Carlisele said, “they don’t know that.”
The big man crossed his arms, “I’m not sure that matters.”
“I really need to be fixing the ballistae, ma’am. I don’t have much to add to our tactics.”
“Of course, I won’t keep you. How many do we have left? And catapults? Can you build anymore?”
“On the left flank, where you were today, we lost eleven. Thirteen on the right. I’m sorry. The force generated by the metal is simply greater than what the wooden frames can take. If we’d tested them before . . .”
“No need to apologize. Have you recovered any of the tension bands?”
“Most. Eighteen, at last tally. Where they go when they break is random. They can bury themselves in the soil. A few land near our troops. These are easiest to recover. One killed a soldier, unfortunately. And with the enemy’s withdrawal, we’re sending out men to recover those they can. We shall see.”
“Catapults?”
“Two remaining. With probably not much lifespan left. Perhaps another ten, twenty loosings.”
“I see and thank you.” I stood, nodding, “Get apprentices building catapults. Do what you can with the ballistae.”
When he left, I sat back down, stared at the table. “What’s next?”
“The hospital is up and running, but we don’t have magical healers. We’ve people cutting more shafts for the ballistae and bringing wood in. We’re down to twenty percent of our whiskey stocks.”
“Damn.”
“Ma’am,” said Tread, “I, uh, have an idea.”
“Let’s hear it.”
“If we can bring large tree trunks, we can roll them down the hill. And boulders, if we can manage.”
“Trees will be easier,” said Morry. “And we’ve already got crews out there.”
“Those are great ideas, Tread. Add more crews. Take them from . . . the phalanx, I guess. Those guys mostly just stood around today.”
“We’re going to need a full phalanx line when the enemy comes,” said the general.
“Cavalry then?”
“That’ll work.”
“Tread, go make this happen. Brin, can you help him coordinate these? We’ll need a lot of trunks as quickly as possible.”
Brin stood and touched my arm, “Off I go.”
Tread bowed from the head, “Your Highness.”
“Oh! Brin,” I went after her, outside the tent, “hurry back. I think I’ll need you later.”
“Need me?”
“Yeah.”
“What for? Oh!”
“Yeah.”
“You’re not serious. Cayce! You can’t!” She put her hands on her hips. “He doesn’t want a bride, that much is obvious now.”
“I don’t know. Just let me think, ok.”
“You’re not asking about thinking.”
“I’m getting back to the meeting.”
“Sure. Sure! But I won’t turn you into a bride!”
“That’s all you tried to do a few months ago.”
“This is different.”
“Please hurry back when you’re done.”
“Cayce . . . gods . . . alright.” And off she and Tread went. They held hands. I guess that’ll also be an open secret soon.
I went back to the war council, stood behind my chair. “What about losses? Troop losses?”
Carlisele answered. “Our heaviest casualties are among the crossbowmen. The peasantry. Perhaps one third wounded or dead. A tenth of our archers, more from the peltasts. The phalanx is largely intact and our cavalry.”
“We can,” said Morry, “replenish the crossbow forces with skirmishers. They have armor and aren’t doing much right now aside from being used as shields and throwing, what did you call the whiskey?”
“Molotov cocktails. Yeah, let’s do that. We’re nearly out of the stuff anyways. Gentlemen, will we hold? Can we?”
“I don’t . . . I don’t know.” Carlisele shook his head, then picked up his mug without drinking and mostly stared at the table.
“Princess, the losses will be higher in the next wave. Especially as the ballistae wear out. They managed to clear most of the traps. If I were Otholos, I’d consider sending a rhino charge in, followed by cavalry. He’ll take heavy losses, but they’d break our lines.”
“General,” I said to Carlisele’s man, “I need to talk to the duke and Morry alone.”
He stood. “I understand. I’ll see to the troops.”
Softly, I said, “Duke Carlisele, please don’t take this the wrong way. I’m thinking to give General Morrentz command of the army.”
“It’s my army.”
“I know, but-”
“No, I don’t think so.”
“Damnit, Carlisele! Morry’s the one who organized the army today!” I pulled my chair out and sat down, hands on the table, “Look, it’s not a slight. Morry knows battle.”
“Perhaps when your army arrives, you can give him it, but I’m not about to give mine over to someone I don’t know. And who’s not even a noble.”
I sighed. “General Morrentz, I exalt you to Duke. You’re a duke now. Do you promise to uphold the laws of the land-”
“No, I won’t. Princess, what are you doing?”
I slammed my hand on the table, “What do you think I’m doing! I have to go down there. I have to.”
“I won’t let you throw your life away like this.”
“I agree with your general. You’re not going to change his mind.”
“I have to try. My presence here is useless anyway and if they break our lines . . .” I didn’t say it, couldn’t, didn’t want to imagine it, but what I left unsaid was ‘all my friends are going to die.’
“We’ll deal with it. We’ll rally the troops.”
“Morry, no. Duke Carlisele, if you won’t allow Morry – sorry, Duke Morrentz – here to lead the army, will you at least, uh, let him guide you?”
“General . . . apologies. Duke,” with a resigned look, Carlisele said, “Morrentz, will you relay my orders?”
“I’m a duke now?”
“So it seems. Princess Cayce?”
“Yes. Your new rank. Where, I don’t know. My castle and surrounding lands. Does that work for you?”
“I don’t want you going down there.”
“I don’t want me going down there.”
“I’m coming with you.”
“He’ll just kill you. Probably castration first.”
“Good motivation to kill him first then.”
“Morry, just lead the damn army. It was hard enough for Carlisele to offer.”
“I will lead the army.”
“And you’re a duke now.”
“A duke.”
“Yes!”
“That’s the only thing I like about today.”
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