Chapter 2
Dismemberment
AN 1215 (AZ 1452) - Late Spring
Outside Maximilion, Notos
Garm's decision to join the Promethean Alliance was not well received. There was plenty of grumbling. Grumbling he could handle, but that grumbling took a rebellious turn. There were three challenges to Garm's rule. All three of them were put down, but he may not have survived a fourth.
Then Rowland took the eastern port of Girondin. It showed the Dwerkhar that the Promethean Alliance could actually fight the Zephyrians. Not even the combined armies of Arkh Vinun and Arkh Deltun could take a single city in their war. It was enough to quiet most of the voices of opposition. The rest would be silenced once his people got their chance to be blooded and taste victory for the first time in nearly twenty years.
When the opportunity came, what an opportunity it was. The full strength of the Alliance was being thrown at the capital itself. It would have seemed madness, but the Zephyrians had divided their strength to counter the rebels' moves and they were now more vulnerable than ever.
They still stood to lose if the Zephyrians knew they were coming, but the plan was to catch them unawares, strike from all sides, cut them off from their arms, kill as many as they could and drive out the rest.
Garm and his men thirsted for first blood, but they were put in reserve, entering the city after the attack began to provide support with their siege engines if needs be. They were promised the van for the push westward if all went well, which Garm grudgingly accepted.
The way into the city was relatively undefended. One of Rowland's conditions was that they make no move against the common citizens to kill or plunder. There would not have been much sport in it anyway.
Once inside the palace grounds, Rowland gave them a new task to do. He meant to hold the grounds and wanted the Dwerkhar to fortify the walls. Garm sent teams of engineers with warriors to support them to survey the walls. It was a lot of ground to cover and the fighting was still going on. As much as Garm wanted to be in the thick of it, he needed to stay where he was until he got a report on the survey.
Rather than hearing from each survey team individually, Garm was approached by Gielguld, his chief of engineers. Garm tended to hold the Sharshuner in low esteem, but Gielguld had the best mind of them all and Garm would be a fool not to recognize that just because he was born under the wrong mountain.
"What've ye found?" he asked Gielguld.
"Ye told us to look for posterns," Gielguld replied. "We foun' two. It'll take longer to fine any tunnels unner the wall." He walked over to the wall and patted it, saying, "Speakin' o' the wall, it looks thicker'n 'tis. Rock's only 'bout a span thick front an' back wi' five paces o' space 'tween."
"How can we make it sturdier?" Garm asked. "Fill it wi' mortar?"
"It'd take a lotta mortar."
"Then ye make a lotta mortar. That way they won't be breakin' through the damn wall."
Gielguld laughed.
"If they're gonna break through, it'll be at one o' the gates. An' there're six o' 'em, by the by."
Garm looked at the nearest gate and said, "Rowland said 'e wanted 'tleast two ballistae up on each gate."
Gielguld turned to look up at the gate as well, saying, "I could put 'em on rails so they can move 'tween the towers."
"Whatever," Garm said. "Jus' be sure the mount lets 'em turn an' tilt."
"Swivel mount, aye."
"Take six o' our ballistae an' get 'em on the gates fer now, then make six more fer the gates an' six to replace the ones ye put on the walls."
Gielguld scratched his beard as he was making the calculations in his head.
"It's all gonna take time."
"Don't take too long," Garm told him.
"Aye, milord."
"We'll show 'em it ain't so easy gettin' back in once they've gotten out."
"That we will, milord," Gielguld replied, "that we will."