The Lord and Lady in the White Tower
By
UCSBdad
Disclaimer: I own none of this. No, really. Rating: K Time: This is a sequel to the Lady in the White Tower and begins some months after that story ended.
Cipangu was actually five large islands that were very close together, rather than just one island. It was obvious from the fine dwellings, the well-dressed people in the streets and the mass of cheap food on sale that Cipangu was very wealthy indeed. However, the Grand Council of CIpangu, the ruling body, was wary of the Imperials. While they recognized that there was money to be made in trading with the Golden Coast, they wondered what a new, wealthy and powerful competitor might do to their own wealth and power. So, the members of the Grand Council were polite but very evasive about future trade contacts. After two weeks of getting nowhere, the fleet left, heading back to Aurum.
As they approached Aurum, Castle stood on the bow of the flagship, looking for some sign of Kate. And, as soon as the main dock came into view, there, standing on the end, was Kate.
It seemed to take forever for the flagship to anchor and then tie up to the dock. Bit as soon as it did, Castle was the first one off. He ran to Kate, picked her up in his arms and kissed her thoroughly.
"Now, you having showed me all the reasons why I should have stayed, let me show you all the reasons I have returned." And with that, they headed for the White Tower and their bedroom.
It was late in the afternoon of the next day before Rick and Kate stirred. Over a late lunch, Kate told him of what had happened in the city since he'd left.
"The crops are almost all in and we've had a very good harvest. The people will eat well this winter and the horses will have fodder. We've been smoking hams and salting beef and the fishing fleet has done very well. We have enough fish packed in brine to last us until next year easily. There will be some fishing over the winter, but the books that Princess Arran has say that the fish move far offshore in winter and there are also great storms in the winter."
"Any sign of Nikodimas or any other enemy?" Castle asked.
"None. Our patrols have run across a few small bands of nomads moving their herds from the north and they've seen no sign of Nikodimas. We have patrols in troop strength out. Their patrol areas overlap a bit so no one can slip past them, not that either Prince Polito's troops or Sandrall's would ever let any enemy slip past them. Each troop has two riders on the very fastest horses we have. If they spot an enemy, those two will ride to a relay station closer to Aurum. There a half a dozen other riders will spread the word of danger. We should be able to get all of the people who live outside of Aurum inside before any enemy comes."
"You've done an excellent job, Kate. Leaving you here, while painful for me, was the right decision."
"Oh, I can't take all the credit. Duchess Ann and Princess Arran are very intelligent and knowledgeable women. They deserve credit as well."
"When I brief everyone on what we found on our expedition, I'll mention that."
"Oh, there's more you have to see, and I mean you'll have to go see it."
Once they were through eating, Kate took Rick to the main gate of the city.
"The gate's been blocked off?" He said,
"Not at all. As soon as you get past the portcullis you'll find yourself in a tunnel running parallel to the city wall. The tunnel itself is even thicker than the city wall. There are murder holes on the inner side of the tunnel for archers to fire through and holes in the tunnel roof. We can pour hot sand, boiling water, hot oil, and anything else on people in the tunnels. Each of the city gates has been modified like this."
"That's amazing." Rick said.
"But there's more. Come up on the battlements with me."
Kate took his hand and led him to the top of the wall.
"A ballista." He said and examined the artillery piece. It looked like an oversized bow, but one that was parallel to the ground. And instead of the bow being in once piece, each arm of the bow was held in a section of twisted rope, providing torsion when the bowstring was drawn back.
"It'll fire either iron arrows or wooden ones. Much bigger than those used by an archer, of course. We've also experiment with shooting rocks and even lead balls. These are quite deadly."
Castle walked along the ramparts to the next war machine.
"This is a catapult." He said.
He examined the catapult, noting that it operated on the same principle as the ballista. However, in this case, a long wooden arm had been inserted into a strand of very thick rope. When the arm was pulled down so that it was parallel to the ground, the ropes provided torsion. The end of the arm held a depression into which could be put a rock, many rocks, metal and if the crew were careful, a barrel of flaming pitch. When the arm was released, it shot upright, throwing its ammunition at the enemy.
"What's its range?" He asked.
"Over five hundred yards. Of course, the heavier the weight it throws, the lesser the range. But look behind you."
There below them and on a small tower of its own was a counterweight trebuchet. The trebuchet was the heavy artillery of the Empire.
They rushed down from the battlements so that Castle could examine the trebuchet.
There was a wooden frame made of thick timbers which held up a long wooden arm. Attached to the short end of the arm was a large wooden box filled with heavy stones. The long end of the arm could be pulled down using a heavy windlass. The ammunition was loaded in a sling at the end of the arm and the weight released, and the long arm shot upwards, releasing its load towards the enemy at the top of its arc.
"What the range of this? What can it throw?"
"The range is a bit less than the catapult at about four hundred yards, but we can throw far heavier stones."
"Amazing. Who designed these?"
"Prince Karl. It seems he's studied military engineering. Oddly enough, Princess Arran was helpful as well. She's studied mathematics."
"I might need to call on their expertise. I understand that some soothsayer convinced Nikodimas that he should never try to attack an enemy across a body of water. I don't know how large a body of water that might be, but the more we have between him and us, the better."
The winter was quite mild, being so far to the south. The farmers decided to try to grow two crops a year and were pleased at their success. The fishermen didn't have as much luck as the farmers, but they found some fishing grounds some miles offshore and to the north and brought in more fish.
In addition, they were able to trade with some nearby cities, especially those on islands off the coast that were in no danger of being attacked by Nikodimas. Some of the foods were unknown to the Empire.
"They make some kind of a soup out of these beans?" Rick asked.
"Not a soup, more like tea. A drink."
Castle tasted a tiny sip.
"It's rather bitter. What's it called again?"
"Coff-ee." Kate pronounced the word very carefully.
"I'm not sure I like it."
"Try it with some honey and milk, or sugar and cream." Kate suggested. "It's supposed to be good for keeping you awake and alert."
Castle poured a bit of honey and cream into the drink and took another sip.
"I suppose it's an acquired taste." He said. "I much prefer these orange things. Logically, they're called oranges."
"I like them too, but I think I like the coff-ee better."
It was early spring when the first problem arose.
"Rider coming in fast." Alana said to Rick and Kate as they were eating breakfast one spring day.
"Must be trouble." Rick said.
"I hope not, but I think you're right." Kate replied.
The rider, minus his exhausted horse was led straight to the White Tower. Castle's officers as well as Princess Arran and Prince Karl arrived as well.
"There are soldiers coming." Said the tired rider. "We counted one hundred and nine men, but each man has at least three horses with him. They are armored and carry lances and swords. We saw no bows. They're headed straight here. At their current pace, they should be here in six hours."
Castle thought for a moment.
"Sir Dominic, please take your regiment out to scout them. Don't be threatening and don't attack them unless they attack you, or any of our people. I just want to let them know we outnumber them."
Sir Dominic nodded and rushed off.
"Send riders out to the other patrols." Castle said. "I want to make sure we have only this group to worry about."
"Should we bring in our people from their farms?" Prince Karl asked.
"Not unless there are more soldiers out there. But make sure everyone knows we have visitors. We're assuming that they're from this Nikodmas, but they could be some other group."
Small groups of the elderly, women and children were sent into the city for safety, although a force of a bit more than one hundred men hardly seemed a risk.
Castle ordered the rest of his soldiers to take their positions on the city wall. The city militia, which had been formed while he was gone were also called out. They had minimal armor, usually just an iron cap and a thick hide or cloth coat. Their armament were javelins and swords, but a few were proficient enough with bows to use them and there were also slingers.
They waited on the walls.
A few hours after noon the other soldiers arrived at the main city gates. Watched from a distance by Sir Dominic's regiment. Castle noticed that a few of Prince Polito's men and Sandrall's men had managed to attach themselves to Sir Dominic's regiment.
The others rode right up to the city gates and one man called up to those on the wall.
"I am called Bran. I represent the Great Lord Nikodimas, who rules everywhere. I demand you open your city gates so that I may apprise your wealth and report the value of this city to its new master."
Castle called back.
"I rule this city under His Imperial Majesty Paulus. If this Nikodimas wants the city, he'll have to come and get it."
"You are a fool then." Bran replied. "I will make sure your head is presented to the Great Lord Nikodimas. He'll also appreciate the women I see with you as new additions to his harem."
"As with the city," Kate replied, "the women may need to be taken. And you'll find both the city and the women are hard to take."
Bran smiled.
"I like spirited women. But tell me, do you intend to cower behind your city walls like cowards, or will you fight us like men."
"We'll fight you like soldiers. That means we'll fight you as best suits us." Castle replied.
"Farewell then." Bran said. "We'll meet again and soon."
And with that, the men rode off.
Once they were sure that there were no more of Nikodimas' men around, Castle dismissed his troops. Then he, his officers, Kate, Duchess Ann and Princess Arran and Prince Karl, went back to the palace. Admiral Deese met them there.
"I should like to send some fast ships to the towns friendly to us to purchase food and weapons. I want more patrols out and further out than they have been. We should tell the farmers and ranchers to be prepared to move to the city at a moment's notice. Prince Karl, how is the work going on widening the moat?"
"It goes well, but the water for the moat comes from the ocean. When the tide is low, the water in the moat is lower than I'd like. But we could build a dam at each end of the moat to hold the water in at low tide. It would have to be a fortified dam, of course. Perhaps we could make some sort of pumps to increase the amount of water in the moat."
"Get to work on it."
TBC
