The Ninth Prophecy
The stage is set

The scouts of Baan Senicore approached the city gates. Yon was waiting for them eagerly in the judgment chamber, along with his councilors and the rest of the court. As they passed the busy siegers at the gates who were working on setting up the last of catapults, they approached the lord’s chamber in no hurry. As they walked in and bowed before their lord, Yon just said: “Speak up!” The oldest of the scouts answered:

“My lord, the enemy is only a day’s walk away. They come in great numbers, some ten thousand maybe. However, the camp they set yesterday is undisturbed, as if they don’t intend to strike just yet. So far, they have passed through many of our towns and villages. Words of their atrocities spread. As the king’s army loots as expected, it is the Koprites who harm many of the commoners. Many have been killed.”

- “Just as I thought. Daors can’t control the Koprites as he wishes. This is going to affect his campaign badly. Some ten thousand you say? That’s not too bad, us being on the defensive side.”

- “Yes, my lord,” the scout continued, “but many are also asking where the army of their lord protector is. So, the atrocities are not doing us much benefit either.”

- “I don’t recall asking for your opinion, just the information,” Yon snapped back at him.

- “Sorry sir, you are right. They come riding in on some eight hundred horses and some four hundred argorites…the Koprites, of course. The rest are men on foot. We have seen some of their siege weapons – several catapults, ladders, pontoons…They come prepared.”

- “And we await them prepared,” Yon spoke silencing the murmur and comforting the present, as he continued: “Thank you, you may leave. The councilors will stay.”

As all but the councilors left, Yon first turned to Aegor: “Aegor, you and the Sciprians leave tonight at late hour. Your shelters have been prepared. Hadera, are the siegers ready?”

- “Yes, my lord, they are making some final preparations and fixing the weapons as we speak. We have catapults, ladder-breakers, tar, nets, fire cloaks…”

- “What are all these things,” Aegor asked.

- “The lord is familiar with these terms,” Hadera replied, not giving away much, as Yon smiled discretely and continued to check if all others had fulfilled their tasks: “Darion, the fleet?”

- “Yes, my lord. The fleet is ready. Our sailors are already on board the ships in high alert, waiting for the commoners. We will start boarding first groups as soon as today. The treasury has already been relocated to one of the ships.”

- “Very good. Hopefully, this will be a needless effort. You did a great job nevertheless, Darion,” Yon commended his general. He turned to Faris whose presence was almost unnoticed: “My brother, just make sure you stay by my side during the battle.”

– “Whatever you say.”

Yon paused, nervously tapping the handle of his sword. “The stage is set,” were his last words at the meeting.

* * *

As the sun was setting on the valley, in the opposing camp, Tibor, Daors’s older son and commander of the troops of the alliance was growing more and more nervous. He had just assembled his commanders in his tent, as one of his informants had just left. “We shouldn’t wait any more. The enemy isn’t yet fully prepared for our attack, but if we wait any longer, they will be. We attack tomorrow at dawn!”

- “But, my lord, your father’s instructions are that we wait for him,” argued Malak, the commander of the horsemen.

- “I am aware of my father’s instructions, Malak. Likewise, I don’t think that father, being still some four days away, is aware of the simple truth that our chances are in speed. The more we wait the better will the enemy prepare. We have made all the arrangements. We will march on the city tomorrow morning. Father will be pleased once he hears that the conquest of the south is successful and that we have Baan Senicore in our hands. Our losses will be minimal if we charge tomorrow, as we will.”

- “If this is your final word, then it will be so,” Malak retreated.

- “It is.”

- “Shall we go over our plan once again?” general Ler of the spearmen asked.

- “Yes. As it has been agreed, we charge straight through the middle with our forces. The spearmen and the on-foot Koprites go first. Your men will be carrying pontoons for the ditches. We move at a steady pace forward as you will be properly protected. The enemy is not capable of throwing any surprises at this point, so it will be as we have said. Behind them will be the archers and horsemen. Koprites on argorites will be mixed with your horsemen Malak. Once the riders come into the range of their siege weaponry you will ride out from your shield and you will charge at the main gate with torches. Hopefully, it will fall and we will come charging through. If not, you will regroup in the back of our lines where our siegers will be, and you will charge again. By this time, if the gate doesn’t fall under your first strike, our infantry should be at the walls with ladders and nets. They will be more than a proper distraction which will allow you to charge at the gates almost uninterrupted. The wall and the gate should then fall at about the same time under the attacks of both our infantry and the horsemen. Of course, our catapults from the back will provide proper support as long as it is safe to strike the walls. As soon as our first soldier sets his foot on the wall, the siegers will stop firing. Then, we will send out the horions to the walls when they won’t be in the focus of the guards. They will wipe out the defenses. Let’s not forget that we are more numerous than they think and that they are weaker than they think. I expect the battle to last no longer than some two hours.”

- “That’s a bold assumption my lord,” Malak stepped in. “However, don’t you think we should save some reserves in the back in case we would need to reorganize? Maybe it would be wise to have a backup plan just in case, especially now that we know that their siege arsenal might carry some surprises.”

- “No, Malak. Retreat is not an option. Defeat is not an option. There is no reason to worry about their siege weapons. We have done all there is to be done. Tomorrow, Baan Senicore falls.” The Koprite commander just groaned. It was interpreted as a sign of approval.