The Fireseed Wars

Some of the shots missed the Great Gates, gouging great scoops of stone out of the walls, spraying stone fragments as the huge stone balls shattered on impact! The Great Gates shuddered and one gate slowly slumped down at one end as an iron hinge collapsed. When the gray-streaked smoke cleared, she could see some of the gate timbers were crushed and broken. Another volley, maybe two, and the Great Gates would fall.

Rylla prayed to Allfather Dralm that the city dwellers inside had enough sense to surrender.

As Kalvan had reminded her, these Great Gates had held firm against the assaults of nomad hordes and barbarian armies, but they'd never experienced mass cannonading. "It will shatter their morale as well as the gates," he'd predicted. She prayed to the True Gods that he was right.

Chartiphon leaned out of his saddle, saying, "My ears are still screeching! What a sight. They must surrender, Your Majesty."

Rylla waved away the fireseed smoke so she could see. She could imagine them not surrendering quite easily. Mobs were fools, and at the moment, it was the mob who held the City in thrall; not Great King Nestros.

Once her hearing returned, she turned to Chartiphon and began to describe the rebuilding of the Great Gates and city walls. "Once we hold the City, I want to have the gates extended in stone. Then, we'll put a metal portcullis, thick enough that it will resist anything the Grand Host can hurl at it, at the first entry gate.

She got off her horse and began to make a drawing in the dirt. First, she drew an oblong circle, saying, "This is the outer wall."Then she drew a five-pointed star over it. "I want to extend the city walls to these points with a battery at the ends."

"Like the starfort that the Great King designed at Tarr-Locra?"

"Yes, Chartiphon. With guns set at the ends of the star, the Styphoni artillery will not be able to enfilade the Great Gate or any other section of the city walls with their artillery. Plus, our guns will be in a position to shoot at any of their siege towers or catapults. Then I want you to build great earthworks almost up to the top of the walls. However, leave a small area at the top where you can put a metal facing with murder holes for the rifles. That way the riflemen will be free to shoot at the attackers while protected from return fire."

Chartiphon nodded. "There is great wisdom in this. You have learned your husband's ways of war. I am proud of you."

Rylla felt tears well up, but forced them down. With her father and Harmakros dead and Xentos estranged from his people, Chartiphon was the only one of her original family she had left. "Thank you, Duke."

"No, it is I that should ask for your forgiveness. For my pride's sake, I opposed your husband in things both small and large. I was afraid of the change he dragged in his wake. Instead, I should have welcomed it. It broke Styphon's House's shackles and he saved our people… for a time. I know now he will do it again, in this gods-forsaken land."

"If any man can, he will do it," she said. "What is that noise?"

There was a great creaking and groaning, as if one of the Great Gates was about to fall from its moorings. Then the gates slowly opened and a mob of men stormed out. For a moment, she was about to order the guns to fire again, fearing a sortie. Then she saw their helmets-and other things: heads-raised on sword points. Her Beefeaters, headed by Grand-Captain Xykos, formed a wedge around her and Captain-General Chartiphon.

"Xykos! Raise me upon your shoulders and give me your farseer. I want to see what's going on over there!"

Two huge hands lifted her up onto Xykos' shoulders, as easily as she would have hoisted Princess Demia. Through the farseer she could see the men from the City again. They were bowing and the leaders were making themselves prostrate on the ground, crying out: "Down Styphon! Down Nestros! Down Styphon!"

One of the heads still had its crown, while several of the others had the shaved pates of Styphon's highpriests. She watched as one of the soldiers in Hostigos colors removed the crown with the point of his sword blade. The City is ours!

A few moments later, a delegation led by Prince Sarrask approached her horse, where Xykos had promptly seated her once she'd finished her initial observations. Sarrask held Nestros' crown at sword point. He let it slip down into his hands and wiped the blood off with his cape before presenting it to his Queen. "Here, Your Majesty. Taken from the Dralm-blasted traitor's head, whose name I shall not mention! I fear there'll be no more fighting today."

"Thank you, Sarrask."