Chapter 6
They had managed to get a great number of people together, men and women, young and old. A good number of refugees from the ransacked cities had joined the ranks of the people from this city. The elation they felt with the opportunity for revenge was strong among them. Once word was out that defences needed to be build to stop the marauders, excitement ran through the city and nearly everyone wanted to be part in it.
Crais divided the forces in groups of expertise first. The metal-smiths he wanted to stay in the city to manufacture arrows and other weaponry, including a long sword for himself. Almost all of the arrows made were to be brought to the defences outside the City. The archers were to be their first line of defence after the trench and also the last in the City. A contingency of archers was left to guard the battlements of the City.
He asked the weavers and dyers in the city to make him a piece of cloth the length and breath of the trench and in the colours of sand and another one as thin as possible of the same length but not as wide. He had seen their woven cloths and was certain they could do it. It had to be ready in two days.
The rest of the people were to come with him, with axes, picks and shovels. They had found carts to transport all the people and the materials as fast as possible but it was a little before nightfall before they arrived at the designated place.
Crais set them to work immediately. He placed a four men guard under the command of a former Captain of Shang'ar, named Tavek, to watch the entrance of the corridor. No one was allowed to pass. If any person was caught they were to be brought to his attention immediately.
The majority were to dig a wide and reasonable deep trench, deep enough to grind the wheels of the machine to a halt. A second detail was to dig another trench, less wide than the first trench, nearly a man's height, just around the bend of the road, out of immediate sight. The excavated earth was to be piled man high on the city's side of the second trench. The third detail was to chop wood to make spikes to be hammered upright in the second trench once that was finished and wood to make provisional planks to be placed over the first trench. They were also to make crude shields with which the men in the second trench could protect themselves from arrows, which Crais was sure would be employed by the Marauders. He advised them not to chop the wood near the edge of the slope. Only low lights were to be used during the night, so it wouldn't be seen for miles around.
When everything was in hand, Crais first surveyed the layout of the defences once they would be in place. He worked out where to place the archers who were to be their first defence and where they had to be to act as a second defence.
Once that was done he went down to the trenches, took his shirt and weapons off and helped dig the trenches. Not a man wasted. When the others saw with the fervour their own leader was digging they tried to match him and work progressed swiftly.
By the time the sun was rising, everyone was tired but a great sense of satisfaction went through them when they saw how much work had been accomplished in such a short space of time.
Crais now divided the work forces in half, according to age. The older ones were to rest now, while the others who could still stand on their feet continued, in order to take over when the others were rested.
With the aid of the drinks of the healer, he was able to work a great part of the morning himself but had to take a rest in the shade of a tree (lest he'd be too drained to help in the evening), when the sun was reaching its zenith.
When the sun was rising for the third time the work was done. The trenches were dug to the required depths. The first trench had planks laid over it, so they were able to let foot soldiers pass over them and the spikes were secured in place in the second trench. A great cheer went up. As if on cue, the carts from the City came in with the cloths and the weapons.
The dyers had done their work beautifully. Once the cloths were in place, lightly secured on the edges and sprinkled with sand it was difficult to distinguish them from the road. The cloth that was to be over the first trench was sturdy enough for feet to walk over but would not withstand the wheels of the machine. The material for the second trench was thin enough to be of no support once set foot on. Crais complimented them on their work and when he saw their beaming faces he knew he had done right to do so.
The carts also brought more food and water, enough for three days, it would be a long wait and nobody knew how long it would take before the Marauders arrived.
Crais picked the men he needed to defend the second trench and the archers to be posted on the slopes, the rest he sent home to defend the city if the Marauders were able to slip past the defences. A quick tally gave him the number of a little over a thousand men.
He told the remaining men to get their rest now. In the morning he would explain what was to be expected from them.
Only one incident marred the proceedings of that day. It had been after the carts had left for the City and everyone had moved off to get their rest and evening was falling. One of the guards came over to him and whispered something in his ear. Crais had been surprised that the man had left his post but after he had listened to him he immediately went with him, Janek followed them.
When they got to the entrance of the corridor Crais saw that the one of the guards was standing with a man huddled at his feet. Crais moved over and turned the man his way. It was the Elder who had spoken out against him in the council-room.
"Sorek?" Janek was surprised to see him here, even though Crais wasn't, "Why?"
Sorek stayed silent. Crais looked at him, "We are done Council-man. You have been able to see that the defences are in place, why would you still want to warn the Marauders? Is it fear or money?"
Sorek kept his silence.
Crais contemplated what to do, he really couldn't lose anybody from the defences but he couldn't let Sorek stay either. He thought of killing the man on the spot for treachery but had a feeling that it might not work out for the better if he did. Sorek saved him the trouble.
"The defences will never work! The Marauders will get through and ransack the City. I wanted to warn them, so they would know that not everyone was against them and would spare most of our people. Who are you anyway? I don't believe you want to safe our city. I bet you are one of the Band yourself and this is just an easy way to split the men and leave the City defenceless."
Crais felt his anger rise the longer he went on, it was with an effort that he didn't step forward and break his neck. That option was taken away from him when Captain Tavek stepped forward and slapped him so hard in the face that his neck twisted and Sorek lay quietly, his neck broken. Tavek breathed hard, "I am sorry, Commander, I couldn't help myself. I come from Shang'ar and I have seen my family die. I know the defences will work and to hear this man say…" He couldn't continue.
Crais laid a hand on his shoulder, "If you hadn't broken his neck, I might have done it. We can not allow the Marauders to know what we are doing. You did well." He turned to one of the guards, "Take the body out of sight and don't let the others see it."
Janek had stood quietly, watching the proceeding and had felt bile rise when he saw the dead body of Sorek. He knew it had to be done but he had never seen anyone killed before it made him uncomfortable. Crais looked over at him and understood his feelings. There wasn't much to be said.
They had managed to get a great number of people together, men and women, young and old. A good number of refugees from the ransacked cities had joined the ranks of the people from this city. The elation they felt with the opportunity for revenge was strong among them. Once word was out that defences needed to be build to stop the marauders, excitement ran through the city and nearly everyone wanted to be part in it.
Crais divided the forces in groups of expertise first. The metal-smiths he wanted to stay in the city to manufacture arrows and other weaponry, including a long sword for himself. Almost all of the arrows made were to be brought to the defences outside the City. The archers were to be their first line of defence after the trench and also the last in the City. A contingency of archers was left to guard the battlements of the City.
He asked the weavers and dyers in the city to make him a piece of cloth the length and breath of the trench and in the colours of sand and another one as thin as possible of the same length but not as wide. He had seen their woven cloths and was certain they could do it. It had to be ready in two days.
The rest of the people were to come with him, with axes, picks and shovels. They had found carts to transport all the people and the materials as fast as possible but it was a little before nightfall before they arrived at the designated place.
Crais set them to work immediately. He placed a four men guard under the command of a former Captain of Shang'ar, named Tavek, to watch the entrance of the corridor. No one was allowed to pass. If any person was caught they were to be brought to his attention immediately.
The majority were to dig a wide and reasonable deep trench, deep enough to grind the wheels of the machine to a halt. A second detail was to dig another trench, less wide than the first trench, nearly a man's height, just around the bend of the road, out of immediate sight. The excavated earth was to be piled man high on the city's side of the second trench. The third detail was to chop wood to make spikes to be hammered upright in the second trench once that was finished and wood to make provisional planks to be placed over the first trench. They were also to make crude shields with which the men in the second trench could protect themselves from arrows, which Crais was sure would be employed by the Marauders. He advised them not to chop the wood near the edge of the slope. Only low lights were to be used during the night, so it wouldn't be seen for miles around.
When everything was in hand, Crais first surveyed the layout of the defences once they would be in place. He worked out where to place the archers who were to be their first defence and where they had to be to act as a second defence.
Once that was done he went down to the trenches, took his shirt and weapons off and helped dig the trenches. Not a man wasted. When the others saw with the fervour their own leader was digging they tried to match him and work progressed swiftly.
By the time the sun was rising, everyone was tired but a great sense of satisfaction went through them when they saw how much work had been accomplished in such a short space of time.
Crais now divided the work forces in half, according to age. The older ones were to rest now, while the others who could still stand on their feet continued, in order to take over when the others were rested.
With the aid of the drinks of the healer, he was able to work a great part of the morning himself but had to take a rest in the shade of a tree (lest he'd be too drained to help in the evening), when the sun was reaching its zenith.
When the sun was rising for the third time the work was done. The trenches were dug to the required depths. The first trench had planks laid over it, so they were able to let foot soldiers pass over them and the spikes were secured in place in the second trench. A great cheer went up. As if on cue, the carts from the City came in with the cloths and the weapons.
The dyers had done their work beautifully. Once the cloths were in place, lightly secured on the edges and sprinkled with sand it was difficult to distinguish them from the road. The cloth that was to be over the first trench was sturdy enough for feet to walk over but would not withstand the wheels of the machine. The material for the second trench was thin enough to be of no support once set foot on. Crais complimented them on their work and when he saw their beaming faces he knew he had done right to do so.
The carts also brought more food and water, enough for three days, it would be a long wait and nobody knew how long it would take before the Marauders arrived.
Crais picked the men he needed to defend the second trench and the archers to be posted on the slopes, the rest he sent home to defend the city if the Marauders were able to slip past the defences. A quick tally gave him the number of a little over a thousand men.
He told the remaining men to get their rest now. In the morning he would explain what was to be expected from them.
Only one incident marred the proceedings of that day. It had been after the carts had left for the City and everyone had moved off to get their rest and evening was falling. One of the guards came over to him and whispered something in his ear. Crais had been surprised that the man had left his post but after he had listened to him he immediately went with him, Janek followed them.
When they got to the entrance of the corridor Crais saw that the one of the guards was standing with a man huddled at his feet. Crais moved over and turned the man his way. It was the Elder who had spoken out against him in the council-room.
"Sorek?" Janek was surprised to see him here, even though Crais wasn't, "Why?"
Sorek stayed silent. Crais looked at him, "We are done Council-man. You have been able to see that the defences are in place, why would you still want to warn the Marauders? Is it fear or money?"
Sorek kept his silence.
Crais contemplated what to do, he really couldn't lose anybody from the defences but he couldn't let Sorek stay either. He thought of killing the man on the spot for treachery but had a feeling that it might not work out for the better if he did. Sorek saved him the trouble.
"The defences will never work! The Marauders will get through and ransack the City. I wanted to warn them, so they would know that not everyone was against them and would spare most of our people. Who are you anyway? I don't believe you want to safe our city. I bet you are one of the Band yourself and this is just an easy way to split the men and leave the City defenceless."
Crais felt his anger rise the longer he went on, it was with an effort that he didn't step forward and break his neck. That option was taken away from him when Captain Tavek stepped forward and slapped him so hard in the face that his neck twisted and Sorek lay quietly, his neck broken. Tavek breathed hard, "I am sorry, Commander, I couldn't help myself. I come from Shang'ar and I have seen my family die. I know the defences will work and to hear this man say…" He couldn't continue.
Crais laid a hand on his shoulder, "If you hadn't broken his neck, I might have done it. We can not allow the Marauders to know what we are doing. You did well." He turned to one of the guards, "Take the body out of sight and don't let the others see it."
Janek had stood quietly, watching the proceeding and had felt bile rise when he saw the dead body of Sorek. He knew it had to be done but he had never seen anyone killed before it made him uncomfortable. Crais looked over at him and understood his feelings. There wasn't much to be said.