[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

the men near its top. He drew, tucking his head under his right arm, right hand at the back of his neck, shot
almost straight down. Four arrows, two men hit, before someone below noticed him and bolts started
flying up. He leaned back into cover.
"Aunt Cara taught me the trick; lets you shoot down from a rampart without leaning over. Never been on a
rampart, but this is close. If you wave the flag again, will they think it means anything?"
"Nope. One signal for starting up, one for getting to the blocked part."
"Do it, other end of the ledge. Distraction. Stay down don t need to get shot again."
Kolskegg waved the flag; bolts rattled off the cliff behind him. Asbjorn snapped off two fast shots, back
into cover.
"Wish big  Bjorn and his people were back; dozen of us up here it would be easy."
"Dozen cats wouldn t fit here; tight enough for three of us."
"Can t be the only ledge."
"Only one we can get to in the dark. Hard to climb with people shooting at you."
Thorvald s voice from behind him. "My last rock; are they still climbing?"
"One ladder. Turtle s down to six men."
"Use this one." Asbjorn pulled a rock from the wall, rolled it back to Thorvald. A moment later they saw it
bounce down the slope, barely missing the ladder.
Trumpet calls from below. What was left of the lead formation stopped clearing rocks, started back down
the path. The man halfway up the remaining ladder looked down, abruptly reversed direction. Two more
rocks bounced down the slope from the men above; both missed. The attack was over.
Kiron stepped back from the stretcher party, looked away from what they were carrying, turned to
Giorgios.
"Why did he stop?"
169
"Wasn t going to make it. Turtle runs out of men before it gets to the top of the path. Could send another
one up, but things were getting pretty crowded, bodies, rocks coming down. One ladder was down, the
other getting men picked off from the cliff. Getting two or three men to the top isn t going to do it."
"So what now?"
"Cleared a good deal of the path; doubt they have the manpower to fill it up again with bolts flying around
their ears. We ll build more ladders, maybe some long enough to get all the way up from the bottom. More
rocks for our throwers. Patch the wounded best we can. If nothing changes, should take it tomorrow."
"Who s the Commander talking with?"
"Has a horse; probably word from Niko. Hope nothing s gone wrong."
When they reached Artos he was standing still, eyes closed. He opened them, saw Kiron.
"Harald wants a parley."
"Why?"
"One way to find out. Second can get ready for the next attack without me. Come along; he s worth
meeting."
Before dark they reached the encampment by the ford; the commander of the fifth legion met them.
"There s a tent at the halfway point, out of range of both sides. He s waiting; two men with him."
"Giorgios, Kiron, gives us even numbers."
Niko hesitated, spoke:
"Sure you want . . . ? I could lend you Konstin."
Artos shook his head.
"No need. Not Harald s kind of trick."
"What do you think . . . ?"
"Tell you when I get back."
The three men rode out to the tent a roof, no walls where Harald was waiting. At the sight of the man
sitting behind him, the commander s eyes widened.
Harald stood up.
"News for you. Brought Danio along to tell it."
170
The cavalry officer hesitated, looked down, up.
"We surrendered. I m one of the hostages."
"Everyone?"
"Ravens cut out west; don t know if they made it. Everyone else."
"Tell him where you surrendered; it s the important part."
"The Oasis. Outside."
He looked up at the commander.
"They were inside. With the water."
"You re holding the Oasis?"
"Took it a week ago. Get your whole army there you can have it back; my men have orders to leave if
anything big shows up. Don t see how you ll do it. I ve got more than half your water wagons, all the
collection points along the cliff edge. Prince knows by now; sent a courier to tell him your cavalry would
be walking home, needed food, water. How long for him to put together an army when most everything
he has this end of the province is here supply train, get them to the Oasis, take the Oasis, get supplies to
you? Doubt he can do it damn sure he can t do it before you run out of food."
The commander remained silent.
"Lower vale, nothing to eat but grass. We re still holding the upper vale; I m guessing you tried today,
didn t make it. Might tomorrow, might not. Get through in force, they torch the grain stores. Flocks have
been leaving since you took the ford, goat paths up into the mountains. Start early tomorrow, everything
goes well, might get a good dinner for your boys from what s left. Not two weeks worth. Don t believe [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]