Down styphon, p.30
Down Styphon!, page 30
part #8 of Kalvan Series
“They wont try that again, Your Majesty,” Chief Skranga noted.
“No, that was the closest tower to our target area.”
A round of explosions, just behind the batteries went off, resulting in loud bangs and geysers of smoke pouring out of the buildings crouched behind the wall.
“What in Galzar’s Name was that?” Skranga asked.
“The two mortar batteries I convinced Alkides to bring along. We’ve got them firing shells over the wall. A couple of days of firing and they’ll knock down every building and structure within three blocks to their foundations.”
The battery of thirty-two pounders fired, shaking the ground as far away as Kalvan’s position. The thick wall shuddered, as stones splattered and cracked along a wide front about twenty yards wide.
“How thick is the wall at the base?” Skranga asked.
“Alkides estimates that the wall here is two to three rods deep,” or twelve to eighteen feet thick by otherwhen measurements, Kalvan reckoned. “It’s about a third of the width at the wall walk. A hundred and fifty years ago, Balph was the heaviest fortified city in the Five Kingdoms. We’re fortunate that they never got around to upgrading it.”
The guns fired again, shaking the earth and splattering the wall with loose stones. Several of the cannonballs fractured upon impact, ricocheting shards of hot iron.
“I wouldn’t want to be too close to that Dralm-damned wall,” Skranga noted.
Kalvan read his lips more than heard him; he’d stuffed his ears with cotton to protect them from the gun blasts. He noted that Skranga, Captain-General Alkides and most of the other artillery men had adopted his idea.
“What are we going to do when the wall comes down?” Skranga asked as the smoke was clearing.
“Achoo!” Kalvan sneezed. The stench of brimstone this close to the artillery batteries was overpowering. When he’d recovered, he said, “We’re going to work our way into the city and take it a block at a time, if that’s what it takes.”
III
“What are they doing to my city?” Styphon’s Voice cried. He was half mad from the artillery blasts that had kept him up for the past three nights.
“Tearing it down, a block at a time,” Grand Commander Grythos answered. “When their breach is big enough, the Daemon Kalvan’s Army will enter Balph and fight us for each and every block.”
“Can we stop them?” Anaxthenes implored.
Grythos shrugged. “I have an idea, Your Divinity. One of our couriers just brought a message from Harphax City. It may be the last one.”
“What does it say?”
“Upon the approach of Great Queen Rylla and the Army of Hostigos, the Harphax City fathers had Queen Lavena’s head chopped off, then surrendered her head and the city to the Hostigi. The Usurper Rylla is already inside Harphax City sacking our temples and killing our priests.”
“What good is this news?” Anaxthenes asked.
“No one knows of this disaster, but the two of us.”
“What about the courier?”
“I strangled him myself. Dead men carry no tales.”
“Good,” Anaxthenes said, removing his tobacco pouch from his belt and filling the bowl of his pipe. “What do you plan to do with this news?”
“The last thing we want is King Geblon learning about his wife’s death. He’s a corroded enough tool as it is.”
“And what do you suggest?” Anaxthenes asked, as he fired up his pipe.
“As his commander,” Grythos said, “I am going to order him to attack the Hostigi when their breach is wide enough to allow passage of his army.”
“What will that accomplish?” he asked.
“It might catch the Hostigi off guard and allow us to break out of this death trap.”
“Hmm. That would be a miracle, and I don’t believe in them.”
Grythos shrugged. “In warfare, an unexpected move can created chaos as well as opportunity. Besides, what do we have to lose?”
Anaxthenes laughed. “What if Geblon refuses? Such a counterattack would be suicidal.”
Grythos leaned in. “He will have no choice. Behind him I will muster several bands of Styphon’s Own Guard. He will either go forward or die.”
“What’s to keep him from retreating?”
“The guardsmen will form up behind the Harphaxi Army. If they recoil or falter, they will die where they stand.”
IV
After five days of artillery barrages, Kalvan’s ears were numb and he had to take the cotton out of them before he could understand what Captain-General Halmoth was trying to tell him.
“It looks like the Styphoni are preparing a counterattack.”
“Against our artillery? That’s sheer madness!”
“The lead units are wearing the red and yellow colors of Hos-Harphax, Your Majesty.”
“What would cause the Harphaxi such distress that they would make a frontal assault upon our big guns?”
Halmoth shook his head.
“Colonel Leukestros, tell Captain-General Alkides to load his guns with case shot and to hold his fire until the attackers reach the gap.”
After the Colonel rode off, Kalvan said, “Maybe I’ll talk to him myself; I want to see this up-close.”
“It could be a trap, Your Majesty,” Chief Skranga said worriedly. “It would be best if you waited here in safety.”
“What kind of a ruse could it possibly be, Skranga? I’m tired of sitting here, twiddling my thumbs and doing nothing. Let’s go talk with Alkides and see what he thinks.”
Vanar Halgoth and the Great King’s Bodyguard, with their black and white raven banner held high, followed Kalvan to the battlefront. Halmoth shrugged impotently to Skranga, then followed.
“What do you think they’re doing, Alkides?” Kalvan asked.
The brown-bearded Captain-General said, “Maybe they’re running low on food in Balph and Styphon’s Voice decided to decimate their numbers. A full frontal attack on our guns and riflemen is pure death.”
Kalvan watched as the Harphaxi force began to move forward. They were still a good thirty feet or so from the breach, but he could make out their red and yellow colors.
“Let them reach the gap before you fire,” he ordered.
“Are you sure, Your Majesty? That will barely give us time to reload.”
“I’m sure. After your batteries fire, their entire front will be in such a state of shock that they’ll be picking themselves up off the ground. I swear by Galzar’s Mace, I doubt the few still alive’ll have the courage to advance again.”
The Harphaxi army was in full movement, cavalry at the fore and the infantry massed behind. Great King Geblon, wearing black armor chased with silver and gold, led the pack with his bannerman beside him. When they were about ten feet from the opening, the Harphaxi banner bearer lowered his flag of Hos-Harphax and the lead horsemen removed their helmets, hoisting them on their swords.
“Are they giving up, or covering up a surprise attack?” Skranga asked.
Kalvan shrugged, shaking his head. “I don’t know?”
Captain-General Alkides looked at him questioningly.
“Hold your fire!” Kalvan ordered. Even if it was a ruse, there was little to be gained. A few salvos of the Hostigi guns would clear the field.
The artillery men stood stock-still.
Suddenly, from the rear of the Harphaxi Army, a volley of shots rang out.
“The Styphoni curs in the rear have finally figured out what they’re up against,” Baron Halmoth noted.
As the Harphax moved across the broken wall, they dropped their pistols and knives, continuing to hold up their helmets. The Hostigi cavalry had moved up to the gap and were busy leading the Harphaxi cavalrymen away from the walls. Great King Geblon and several of his commanders dismounted and advanced, ignoring the gunfire from behind their position. The rest of the Harphaxi followed their lead.
“I think its time for a parley,” Kalvan said.
Chief Skranga was too busy shaking his head in amazement to say anything.
V
They met in Kalvan’s temporary headquarters, a hastily built one-room shack with pyrographed deerskin maps of Hos-Ktemnos and Balph covering all four walls. In the middle sat a trestle table with six chairs and candles at both ends, lighting the room. Kalvan sat at the head of the table, with Chief Skranga and Captain-General Halmoth on either side; Great King Geblon sat at the foot by himself.
Kalvan sat silently, waiting for the Harphaxi ruler to explain what had just happened.
Geblon splayed his hands on the table. “First, Your Majesty, I want to apologize for being in the Styphoni camp. I had my reasons, but they are not good ones. I foolishly borrowed a great deal of gold from Styphon’s House; in the end, I fear I have sold them my kingdom and good name for next to nothing in return. I am not a worshipper of Styphon, nor have I ever been.” He spat on the floor. “In truth, I despise Styphon’s House and their false god. I’m just a fool who took their crowns without thinking about what they were buying. After your attack on the gates, I realized that to Styphon's Voice we represented nothing more than cannon fodder and that we would all die inside the city, whether you took it or not.
“At that time, I promised myself I would find a way to save my men; even if it cost me my life. So, here I am beseeching Your Majesty for terms; not for myself, but for my soldiers.”
Kalvan nodded. “What you have done in surrendering your men is honorable. Although I doubt Styphon’s Voice will see it that way.”
They all laughed but Great King Geblon.
“What would you have me do, Your Majesty?”
“First, I would like to have your word of honor that you have renounced Styphon’s Voice and will honor your parole and that of your men.”
“By Galzar’s Great Mace, you have my word of honor, Great King Kalvan. I not only renounce my former allegiance to Styphon’s House, but promise to obey your commands until we are released at your will.”
He nodded. “I will send Highpriest Kythamos and his Uncle Wolfs to take oaths from all of your soldiers. For now, we’ll relocate you and your men to the small town of Dytha.”
Kalvan rose and went to the map showing the environs of Balph. He pointed to the circle, south of Balph, representing Dytha. “You will stay there until the siege is ended.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty. We were badly treated by the Styphoni, Great King Kalvan. My men would be happy to join yours in an attack upon the ungodly priests of Styphon’s House.”
Kalvan shrugged. “I believe we have more than enough men to finish the job. However, I will keep your offer in mind.”
He turned to Halmoth, saying, “Escort Great King Geblon and Highpriest Kythamos to Dytha Town and take along a proper escort. Return when they are settled in.”
“Chief Skranga, you will accompany them. I want you to question them and find out everything you can about what’s going on inside Balph: morale, food stocks, gossip—anything that might help.”
“With all dispatch, Your Majesty,” Skranga said.
Captain-General Hestophes and Chief Skranga led the Harphaxi Great King out the door.
THIRTY-SIX
I
Chief Skranga returned to Hostigi HQ several hours later. He looked thoroughly wrung out. “Sire, I thought I’d give you a preliminary report. I have my agents questioning all the Harphaxi commanders and petty officers. We’ll have a complete report ready at first light.”
“Good,” Kalvan replied. He knew from past experience the report would be thorough and inclusive.
After the headquarters door closed, Chief Skranga asked, “Do you think that’s wise to leave them with so few guards, Your Majesty? I thought you would send two or three regiments to guarantee the Harphaxi Army’s parole.”
“I’m not worried, Skranga. DythaTown is south of Balph; so there’s no place for them to escape. If they go any farther south, they’ll run into the Great Pox. Any that survive the pox will have to fight their way through Great King Valthros and the Blethan Army. They have no boats so they can’t go east and use the Mythros River to reach the Great Ocean. If they go west, they’ll have to face Great King Lukthos and the Ktemnoi Army. Truly, there is no haven for the Harphaxi here. Besides, I believe that Great King Geblon is a man of his word.”
“I agree, a foolish man, but one who takes his oaths seriously. This brings me to another matter, Your Majesty.”
“Yes?” Kalvan said, sensing Skranga’s reluctance.
“I just received a dispatch from my head operative in Harphax City. It appears that the city has capitulated.”
“How do you mean?”
“Before Great Queen Rylla reached the walls of Harphax City, the city elders took matters into their own hands and surrendered the city to Rylla without Queen Lavena’s permission.”
“Well, that’s a good thing, Right?”
“Usually, I’d say, yes. However, the elders may have overreached themselves. To placate your wife, they had both the Great Queen and her infant daughter beheaded.”
Kalvan’s face blanched. “What? I can almost understand why, in view of her arrogant and asinine behavior, they had Great Queen Lavena beheaded. But why her baby daughter?” His voice rose, “Dralm-damnit, was this one of Rylla’s terms?”
“No, absolutely not. From what those around her had to say, she was appalled by baby Sirna’s beheading. It appears the elders were mistakenly trying to appease your wife.”
“I can’t understand why they would have thought that killing that infant would help gain her favor.”
“From what my agent gathered, they didn’t think she would want a child, be it a baby boy or girl with the birthright to the Iron Throne to stay alive, causing future problems. Either by herself, or by those who would use the baby for their own advancement.”
Kalvan nodded. Otherwhen history was replete with stories of claimants with royal blood seeking to overthrow the current ruler and regain their thrones. Or manipulated by others using their bloodline to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the current ruler. In this light, he could understand why the Harphaxi representatives may have thought they were doing Rylla and him a good turn. Plus, it kept the blood off their gowns. Still, there must be more to it.... “Is that all?”
“Well, the Harphaxi were well-acquainted with your wife’s action in Phaxos, when she removed the ruling prince’s entire bloodline, so in their minds there was a precedent.” Skranga’s face scrunched up. “Not a very good reason, but one can see why they might have come to that conclusion....”
“Ah, Rylla—what have you done?”
“Please, Your Majesty, do not blame your wife. By all accounts, Rylla was as horrified by baby Sirnas execution as yourself. It took a lot of persuasion by Prince Sarrask, Captain-General Hestophes and King Chartiphon to keep her from sacking the city.”
“Oh, that would have been a real disaster!”
“I agree. Cooler heads prevailed; a tragedy was averted.”
Kalvan still felt as if he were about to lose his lunch. “As you point out, it could have been worse. Poor Rylla. Anything more?”
Skranga’s face twisted. “Well, she appointed a new Great King to rule over Hos-Harphax.”
“How? Who? Why? By what right?”
Skranga threw his hands out. “She had her reasons, Your Majesty. It appears that every Harphaxi prince who supported either Hos-Hostigos or the League of Dralm either died in battle or was murdered by Styphon’s House, leaving only a few Styphoni-supported princes and those Styphon’s House elevated to replace those princes who died. A real mare’s nest. After all, it’s not like Your Majesty is going to allow Geblon to return to Harphax City and remount the Iron Throne.”
“True. That’s not going to happen.”
“In the face of such a power void and not trusting any of the surviving Harphaxi princes, the Great Queen took it upon herself to advance one of her own.”
“Her own? Do you mean King Chartiphon?”
“No, he would not want to leave Rathon and his family. Instead she elevated Prince Sarrask of Sask as the new Great King of Hos-Harphax.”
“PRINCE SARRASK!!!” Kalvan shouted.
“Please, Your Majesty, think this through,” Skranga cried out. “While true, that after your arrival, Prince Sarrask was one of Hostigos’ most implacable foes. It is also true that once you defeated his army, he became a valued ally. In fact, there are few among your princes who are more loyal and trustworthy. Is that not the case?”
“Well, there’s Chartiphon and Prince Phrames, but Sarrask does dote on Rylla and he’s proven his loyalty many times over. But my dog Whiskers is as loyal as the day is long, but that doesn’t mean I’d enthrone him as great king.”
“Of course, not. Still, Sarrask has done a good job in Ragyath. Is this not true, Your Majesty?”
“Well, Sarrask has followed most of my policies. And his subjects appear to be content under his hand. He seems to have built-up a lot of goodwill, but then the prince he replaced was a thoroughgoing scoundrel. Still, you re right, Sarrask has changed his ways.”
“Sarrask greatly admires Your Majesty, and strives to follow in your footsteps. He’s not always temperate with his drink nor his tongue, but he does mean well.”
“I would have never thought of elevating him to such a lofty position, but he is a completely different person than the Sarrask who ruled over Sask when I first arrived in Hostigos. But ruling a great kingdom is a big job. Do you believe he’s up for it?”
Skranga shrugged. “I don’t know, but then I don’t know anyone else whom Your Majesties would approve of that is more worthy than Sarrask, or could do a better job.”
That stumped Kalvan for a moment. “How about yourself?”
“Oh, no! I’m too much of a gadfly to want those shackles around my ankles, Your Majesty. I would be a very poor choice indeed.”
