In An Age Before – Part 122
Now upon the road south of Minas Anor, the assault upon the barricade continued unresolved through the months of Cerveth, Urui, and Ivanneth, (July, August and September), and summer turned to autumn. By then all deemed that the invasion had stalemated, for reinforcements had come to Eldacar from Anórien and the count of Rangers had also grown, so that by early Narbeleth, (October), the count of defenders stood 'nigh parity with the invaders from Umbar. To the north, the harvest season of 1432 had come in with plenty, and the king's troops enjoyed fair rations.
Not so the soldiers of Castamir, whose army had burnt much land to the sides of the road during their march north, and thereby estranged well 'nigh all the common folk living north of Pelargir. Far afield they went in search of provision, finding only emptied hamlets, abandoned homesteads, and unharvested fields. The collecting of foods consumed much time and manpower, and finally the Lord-Captain was forced to order sustenance delivered by wagon trains from the port of Pelargir. These became subject to the predations of the Rangers as they passed through the eastern precincts of Lebennin and Lossarnach, for though Castamir held the lands south of the barricade, he did so in name only, having not the strength of troops to patrol and hold secure all the lands bordering the road. More than once did the Rangers deliver to the displaced of Lebennin the rations intended for the invaders, token recompense for the loss of their crops.
Ere Narbeleth had passed, the growing chill of winter could be felt in the nights, and with the opening of Hithui, (November), mornings greeted the soldiers with the frost of their breath and a thin skin of ice upon the watering troughs. Now it seemed a constant chill wind flowed down from the Ered Nimrais, e'er within sight to the north and west. Men huddled in their cloaks 'round campfires, oft hungry, tired, and unwashed. Healing came more slowly to the wounded and rest was difficult for all. As the conditions worsened, the morale of the Men fell, and having already grown distrustful of their leader, some began to whisper that the campaign was for no gain to them and that they would die for the sake of the feuding of the nobles, not as warriors in battle, but as peasants starved and frozen after a drought year.
Still Castamir's nights brought little sleep, and the taunting of Sauron continued without respite. In pride thou hast spurned my aid, and so thou hast wrought thy failure. About thee Men die of hunger and cold, and rightly do they curse thy name. A poor king thou would have made, who cannot preserve the lives of his soldiers long enough to lose a proper war. Get thee back to Umbar, úsaelon¹, ere thy own Men hang thee to free themselves from thy stupidity! ¹(úsaelon, idiot (lit trans, unwise one) = ú-(not) + sael(wise) + -on(agent suff, n on adj) Sindarin)
Finally, upon 7 Hithui (November 7th), the Lord Castamir succumbed to the combination of nightly taunting and the daily failure of his troops to o'ercome the defenders, and he ordered his army to retreat south, not to Umbar, but to winter quarters in Pelargir. Thither they would repair, and come spring, renew their assault.
"My Lord Eldacar, the enemy has withdrawn and marches south," Pengthír reported, "and Rangers shalt harry them every step of the way. In addition, some reports have come from Pelargir, whereat many inns and hostels and warehouses have been commandeered, whilst provisions have not been loaded aboard the ships. We deem that Castamir plans to billet his army in Pelargir through the winter."
Though glad of the enemy's retreat, the king received the news with mixed reactions, saying, "alas, the season favors us no more than they for a siege, nor have we the ships with which to assail them in port."
"Aye, my lord, and so we have not the means to blockade Anduin and deprive Castamir of supplies and reinforcements from Umbar," Captain-General Borgil said.
Beside them, Helluin remained silent. Had I a company of Laiquendi, I could bring much hurt to the enemy within Pelargir, yet so suspicious and unstable has Castamir become that I fear such actions would but bring reprisals upon the common folk of the port. Still…
"Perhaps we need not besiege Pelargir, O king," she began, "yet come spring, we might beleaguer the foe in port, and by constraining them thither, buy months of peace ere they can win free to press their assault."
For some moments all regarded her surprising counsel in silence.
"Take the fight to the enemy…" the king mused.
"I find I favor this course," Anræd declared with a grin.
"Unlike Castamir, we could support and supply our troops in the south," Celegúr of Lossarnach said, "for the folk Lossarnach and Lebennin would aid thee."
"Yet t'would require that we split our own forces," Borgil reasoned, "for come spring, Castamir could as easily march north through Ithilien as through Lebennin, and so we must beleaguer Pelargir from both west and east. I fear we have not the count of troops."
"Summon hither all the Northern Army from Minas Ithil, Cirith Ungol, Durthang, Rhovanion, Orthanc, and the west marches of Anórien, save for a custodial force to guard the palantíri and the border," King Eldacar ordered. "We should have then 'nigh another eight thousands to deploy come spring."
"To that we can add perhaps another three thousand Rangers of the cest e-mbarian," Pengthír said after a moment's calculation.
"So, perhaps eleven thousands to hold the east," Eldacar said. "I fear t'will not be enough."
"And already we know he hath reinforcements coming to him from Umbar by way of Harondor," Prince Ornendil added. "To these, no doubt, Castamir shalt send word, to meet him in Pelargir rather than continue their march north through Ithilien to a winter siege of Osgiliath that exists not."
"These we should allow to join him," Thavron of Emyn Arnen advised, "thereby bringing more mouths to consume his supplies."
His words brought dark chuckles from Anræd and Hæleþ, and a grin from Helluin.
With them too now sat Prince Aldamir, the second son of Eldacar, who had come in haste from the lands of his grandmother in the north, arriving in the last week of Cerveth, accompanied by his son Prince Vinyarion, and another two hundred horsemen.
"T'would be a great help to know aforehand whether by east or west Castamir shalt march in the spring," said the king's younger son, "for then we would know better how to order our own forces."
"We have seen already that he chose to march up the west bank of Anduin," Helluin said "for he would liken his coming to the triumphant return of Hyarmendacil from the conquest of Umbar, or Eärnil ere him, or perhaps even the coming of Isildur and Anárion from the wreck of Númenórë, for they too landed first at Pelargir. Of this, his self-regard shalt leave him little choice."
"Thou art sure of this?" Prince Aldamir asked Helluin directly.
"Ere spring, I shalt be sure of it," Helluin replied with a dark gleam in her eye.
Then the younger prince nodded and turned to his father, saying, "I would be honored to hold the east road and constrain Castamir's forces from passage through Ithilien."
The king nodded his agreement in assigning the command, adding, "take with thee Lord Thavron as thy captain, for Ithilien is home to his house. And when thou hast come thither, seek for word of Beinvír Laiquende and the Rangers of Lebennin 'neath her command. An interesting tale thou shalt hear, I wager."
So 'twas decided that when Nínui passed to Gwaeron, (March), in 1433, the armies of the north would beleaguer Pelargir by east and west and waylay the roads against the passage of Castamir's forces, hoping to buy thus some further months ere any siege could be laid against Osgiliath. And it came to pass that this plan worked better than any could have hoped, for thither the army of Umbar was constrained, not only through all of 1433, but through 1434 and 1435 as well.
During those years, the king's engineers built many engines of war, not to rain shot upon the occupied port, for Eldacar still reckoned its citizens his people and worried for their welfare, but rather to bring damage to such transports and supply ships as came to Pelargir from Umbar. Many of these were damaged and indeed some were sunk, both depriving Castamir's troops of comfort and making more hazardous the navigation of the port. Yet due to the breadth of Anduin, 'twas impossible to assail all, and so with each ship that reached the docks, the count of Castamir's troops grew and their cargos were stockpiled in preparation for war. During that time too, Castamir's soldiers were not idle, for they fabricated many a ladder and a great wheeled ram.
Also during those years, the construction of the first Pelennor Wall was completed, and stout masonry replaced the original wood barricade. In those days the wall stretched from the west bank of Anduin to the feet of Mindolluin, roughly a league in length and with a strong gate astride the road facing threats from the south. T'would in later years by turns fall into disrepair and be rebuilt, attaining e'er greater strength 'til, after the fall of Minas Ithil in the days of Eärnil II, its course was amended to encircle fully the Pelennor Fields. Thereafter 'twas called the Rammas Echor, the Great Encircling Wall.
In Pelargir the Lord Castamir continued to be plagued well 'nigh every night, and the comfort of his fine bed chamber in a commandeered mansion gifted him neither peace nor rest. Through the throbbing pain in his head came his nightly draught of taunts. Thou fancied thyself a conqueror, yet now thou art but a prisoner. Ne'er shalt thou stride the west road to Osgiliath, for thou art unworthy to follow in the footsteps of Ciryaher. Rather shalt thou scurry back to Umbar, as a beaten cur with tail tucked tight 'twixt thy legs, should the king offer thee his grace to do so.
Wild-eyed and holding his head in both hands, Castamir jerked upright from his repose and shrieked, "I shalt take Osgiliath and throw down the pretender! Thou shalt see! Even as Ciryaher shalt I come in triumph by the west road!"
Outside his door the guards cringed at the madness of their lord. Yet such was heard upon most nights and all knew of it, for by now it seemed to have been going on fore'er.
Now maintaining the leaguer of Pelargir for o'er three years was a hardship for the king's soldiers too, for though they were amply equipped and provisioned, still through the winter's cold they were forced to maintain their posts. So 'twas that when Gwaeron, (March), came in the year 1436, Castamir's forces, now o'er sixty thousands strong, succeeded in breaking the western leaguer and fighting their way out of Pelargir, and they drove Eldacar's Men before them in a slow but steady retreat.
Through Gwaeron and Gwirith the retreat continued northward, forty-three leagues pace by pace, for the soldiers of the Northern Army and the Rangers of Lebennin forced the invaders from Umbar to win every mile with their blood. In the early days of Nórui, (June), the retreat finally reached the Pelennor Wall, and the defenders were joined by those who had beleaguered Pelargir from the east. Thither through the remainder of the year the invasion again stalled, and a prolonged battle was fought that decided 'naught ere the weather again turned cold. Yet now Castamir and his allies had strength of numbers to safeguard the passage of their supply trains upon the road from Pelargir, and their Men were better prepared for winter with heavy clothing and blankets, and well-made tents. So as 1436 turned to 1437 they did not withdraw, but dug in and remained encamped through the months of Hithui, Girithron, Narwain, and Nínui, (November through February).
Behind the wall the king's soldiers kept watch and maintained their readiness, for even during the months of winter occasional sorties were made by both sides. Yet much time was also passed in camaraderie and the recounting of tales, especially at the reunion of many long sundered by the war. Such reunions included Lieutenant Brógthínen, the Sergeants Gilhuor, Celebthá, Langeleg, and their surviving company with their fellow Rangers from Linhir, and it included the reunion of Helluin and Beinvír. That last came to pass on 12 Nórui of 1436, when Helluin, with King Eldacar, Prince Ornendil, and all their Men, returned to the Pelennor Wall to find Prince Aldamir and Beinvír with all the forces from the east leaguer awaiting them. For the two ellith 'twas a day of pure joy amidst the fighting. 'Twas four years to the day since they had parted in Osgiliath, and once only in 3,444 years together had they been separated longer, the seven years they had spent apart during the War of the Last Alliance.
The feelings during their first embrace birthed a ril of silver and gold that surrounded them as their fëar communed, and grew well 'nigh blinding for the duration of their first kiss. For some time afterwards both seemed to host a subtle glow as each rejoiced in the safety of the other and being together again at last. 'Twas the outward expression of their ancient love, and it brought wonder and hope to those in the host, for many felt great thanks and joy at meeting friends and comrades who had been spared by the fighting to meet again that day.
Close by the gate and amidst the many tents of the encamped host stood the first roadhouse, and thither the king held his board. Attending him on the night of 12 Nórui were the many captains and allies who served in the defense, the Princes Ornendil and Aldamir, Captain-General Borgil, the Northmen Anræd and Hæleþ, Thavronof Emyn Arnen and Celegúrof Lossarnach, the Rangers Pengthír and Brógthínen, and the two ellith. At the king's request, Beinvír spoke of the Ithilien campaign, from the defense of the Ford of the Poros to the beleaguering of the east road to Pelargir.
"Somewhat of thy defense we have seen in the palantíri," the king told her, "and some reports have come from Prince Aldamir and Lord Thavron commanding the eastern army, yet these were glimpses only and much detail we have no doubt missed. I pray thee share with us an account of thy success, for much thanks is due thee and thy forces."
The Green Elf nodded to the king and began her report.
"We came to the ford upon the eve of 16 Nórui with but a day to spare, and deeply submerged the crossing upon the 17th," the Green Elf reported. "The enemy first came against us upon 18 Nórui, and many attempts did they make to cross thither. Five times during the latter half of Nórui 1432 did we foil those attempts, and another dozen times during the following month of Cerveth.
During that time, and continuing long thereafter, we were joined by loyal subjects from the settlements of South Ithilien. Many aided us as fighters, others offered provisions and knowledge of the land, and later, some even acted as spies. Of great value were the retired soldiers, and of the tradesmen came great store of options. Carpenters and blacksmiths built two small catapults, three ballistae, and many traps. Potters and merchants provided us a supply of ceramic fire bombs filled with oil, whilst fishermen wove for us great nets to entangle the foe. Farmers and masons dug pits and trenches and stacked pavers into walls, making the road well 'nigh impassable to the cavalry and wains of the enemy should they win the ford. Very proud thou may be, O King, of the loyalty and industry of thy subjects."
"Indeed I am very proud and thankful to my people," the king said, "and in days to come, I swear to administer my rule so as to maintain their faith and trust."
The Green Elf honored the king's words with a dip of her head ere she continued.
"Many gambits did the enemy essay to force the crossing during the following months; shield formations, mass charges, swimming by a stealthy few in the dead of night, the construction of rafts, and even a sectional bridge, but all these were repelled with loss. They posted a multitude of archers upon the southern cliffs to rain arrows upon us, but we answered with greater accuracy, and later, bombarded them with our hastily constructed artillery. In this we had much benefit from the retired Corporal Úcúnon who had served thy father as a bombardier. Great ingenuity he showed in the creation of shot. Not boulders only, but crockery filled with mixtures of oil, flowers of sulfur and nitre, or containing strong lye and tin…even vines of poison ivy, all bound in oiled straw and lit for the torment of the vapors produced. We flung into their camp jars containing nests of hornets, polecats, venomous serpents, macerated fish, butchered carcasses, rotten eggs, and the contents of chamber pots."
All laughed at her recitation, imagining the demoralizing effects of receiving such shot, the impotent fury of their enemies in response, and the dark humor behind it.
"Winter brought much hardship to our foes. One small settlement only was there for many leagues south of the ford, for most folk thereabouts lived north of Poros in towns and villages predating the ford, and those to the south fled the army. Little local support did the Men of Umbar find that winter save what they had brought, and what they could hunt or find. Towards the end of Nínui, (February), they had reached their last hope.
On 25 Nínui of 1433 they made one final attempt to win the crossing, a sustained and desperate mass charge of some two thousands all told. From the moment they set foot in the southern cutting we were shooting. Some chanced the crossing afoot, others upon rafts. We shot them in the water with bow and ballista, set rafts of Men aflame with fire bombs, and those who staggered at last onto the northern bank found the cutting blocked with netting, rigged with much dead wood and oiled tinder, and this we set afire. Boulders we flung down upon them from atop the walls of the cutting, and arrows we shot 'til none lived upon the northern side. Yet e'er more of the foe came 'til we had scarcely an arrow left amongst us. Finally in our last need we broke the dam we had built at our first coming. Then the jam of logs and the pent waters of Poros washed away all, rising in flood even to a height of two fathoms above the bed of the ford. By day's end Poros ran red as bodies floated downstream to Anduin."
'Nigh on three and one-half years later, the horror of that massacre was to be seen in the Green Elf's haunted eyes. Now rather than laughter, silence reigned.
'Neath the table Helluin interlaced their fingers and gently squeezed the Green Elf's hand, then looking into her eyes silently said, thou was't outnumbered o'er twenty to one, meldanya, and though I deem that upon a time I have shown thee horrors even worse, yet for what thou was't forced to do, I am sorry.
Many battles and many horrors I have seen, Beinvír replied, yet this horror was mine alone to bear, for sadness and regret came ere the first battle. Great harm was done to Yavanna's folk, and I would swear that even the water and stone shed tears. 'Naught of this sorrow could I share, nor even give voice to, for of these things, mortals understand 'naught. Great now shalt be my shame when next meeting the Onodrim.
We can speak more of this alone, meldis meldwain nín.
All this had passed during the moment of silence 'round the table, and King Eldacar broke that silence as it seemed his place to do.
"Great sorrow comes in any long campaign," the king said, "but at least such was not suffered in vain. Say on then, Cónhal Beinvír, I pray thee. What came to pass after the foe conceded their failure at the ford?"
"With the opening of Gwaeron 1433, the Men of Umbar broke camp and marched south. 20 leagues and more they were forced to retreat down the Harad Road, and then another 11 leagues 'cross unpaved land ere reapproaching the river whither the cliffs embanking Poros failed and the lands lay relatively flat as the river broadened. They chose a spot some two leagues south of the cliffs to make their crossing, for thereat the current was much reduced, yet the full breadth of the river had not yet been reached.
No great roads cross that land and no fords offer crossing. The full army crossed at once, beasts swimming whilst Men moved stores upon hastily constructed rafts. So numerous were they that we were powerless to halt them, and though we inflicted loss we could not engage them, counting ourselves one and one-half hundreds facing 'nigh a score of thousands. For almost two days, back and forth the rafts went, bringing e'er more troops, yet in only hours they were sufficiently numerous to drive us back and secure their landing. This we could but watch whilst preparing to offer such resistance as we could muster. 'Twas then 7 Gwaeron, (March 7th).
After spending a day to dry their gear and reload their wagons, the army began marching cross-country, heading due north. Twenty leagues to the road they made in three days, reaching it in the evening of the 11th. They were then but ten leagues from Anduin so they sent word to the port and were recalled thither at once. Now they had a good road before them and they made Pelargir upon the 13th, but a day ere thy army came to beleaguer them from the east."
Beinvír fell silent and shook her head, still amazed by the timing. She, the fifty-two surviving Rangers, and some hundred villagers had retreated down the road from Pelargir to a small town called Lárlág¹ whenan alarm was raised. At first they had feared that a second force from Umbar had caught them in a vise 'twixt an advancing army and a port held by the enemy, but that force had turned out to be the king's Men. They had all breathed a sigh of relief. ¹(Lárlág, Green Meadow = laer(meadow) + laeg(green) In proper names the diphthong –ae simplifies to -á Sindarin)
"Indeed we feared for our lives and the lives of the villagers, our only choice being to disappear into the countryside and wait for the enemy to pass. Yet soon scouts reported that rather than more foes, coming down the road, intensely irritated by the state of its disrepair, was an army from Osgiliath with orders to waylay the road to Pelargir from the east. By the time they reached us they had heard much tell of the defense of Ithilien during the previous year. We reported to them all that we had seen and done, and then we joined them in their mission. My lord, thereafter our actions art but a portion of the account thy officers can provide," Beinvír said to end her tale, and then fell silent.
The lords of Gondor were duly impressed with the Green Elf's account. But for the valor and resourcefulness of her Rangers, and the loyalty of the locals, Osgiliath would have been besieged from both east and west four years aforetime. The approach of such an army would have required the king to fall back from the barricade, ceding the Pelennor to Castamir and ensuring a siege. Already Prince Aldamir and Thavron of Emyn Arnen had commended Beinvír and the Rangers, but now many words of praise and thanks were spoken by the king.
Thereafter much else was said concerning the breaking of the leaguer in the west, and of the retreat of the king. When this had become known in the east, Prince Aldamir had withdrawn his troops from Pelargir, marching thence to Osgiliath and finally to man the Pelennor Wall, coming thither but a week ere the retreating troops of his father had reached them.
For the next four and one-half months the combined host had defended the wall, and then both sides had hunkered down for the winter. But Gwaeron 1437 came in and then the battle was rejoined in earnest, and finally, upon 9 Gwaeron there came a mass assault by Castamir's host. By then much land to either side of the road had been cleared, and the front of the attack stretched well 'nigh from the banks of Anduin to the feet of Mindolluin. The hundreds of ladders that Castamir's soldiers had built during their years in Pelargir were raised and the invaders swarmed o'er the wall. Then, despite all the valor of the allied host and the prowess of the king, the wall was taken and the defenders forced back.
Finally Castamir's numbers had graced him with a clear advantage, and 'cross a front of 'nigh a league the Northern Army, the Rangers, the Northmen, and all their allies were driven hence in rapid retreat 'cross the Pelennor Fields. Far too broad was the battle line for any rear guard action to stem the tide, and save for the artillery upon the battlements of Minas Anor and Osgiliath, the defenders would have been o'errun by the cavalry of Umbar. Upon the day after the fall of the Pelennor, the king's host passed through the gate upon the west bank of Anduin, sealing the walls of Osgiliath behind them, and the siege of the City of Kings began at last.
To Be Continued