Blande's cavalry unit gallops back to the camp, returning with heavy hearts and a sense of defeat. They moved slowly and quietly as it was difficult to see in a single-file line, each one following the captain ahead. As they rode back, the sound of their horses' hooves was muffled by the soft ground.
The night was pitch black, with only the sound of the wind whistling through the trees can be heard. The soldiers had to rely on their senses of hearing to navigate their way back to camp.
A few minutes after going through the darkness, they can see a faint glow coming from their camp in the distance. As they approached the camp, the flickering light of torches and the dim glow of lanterns become clearer. A sense of relief washes all the fatigue and weariness.
Silence and melancholy hung over the camp. The sign of attack was evident everywhere in the camp. Burnt-out tents and other supplies littered the area. Their faces were grim as they took in the destruction that had been wrought upon their camp.
As they dismounted their horses, they quickly made their way to meet the general. Braun could sense the disappointment and frustration in their eyes.
The first thing they do is to get their comrade the medical attention he needed. Although the injuries are not severe, they were still concerned about the bleeding that persisted despite their efforts to staunch it.
"Captain, how did the battle go?" Braun come up to them and asked.
"At the time we almost catch up with them, they manage to escape into the city. We can't get close to them because of their archers on the top of the wall, covering for the cavalry." reported the captain while shaking his head. There is a tinge of frustration in his voice. "Even one of us was shot by them."
Braun listened intently to the captain's report and remained silent for a moment. "Okay," He said with a sigh, "We lost this battle but it doesn't mean we have lost the war. It was simply because their attack was too sudden. The real battle starts tomorrow."
In the first place, Braun never expects them to succeed. He merely wants to scare Tetherwest's cavalry off and try his luck. The general then said to the captain, "Now, go and rest for the night."
Braun turned his attention to his second-in-command, Kurt. He asked Kurt about the damage and losses caused by the night's attack. "How much we lost on our side?"
"We've lost 1,521 of our men in the surprise night attack, sir. All of our supplies were burned and so does ammunition such as arrows. We completely lost a way to deal with damage from a distance. Luckily, the components of the trebuchet were unscathed." Kurt reported.
The news caused Braun's countenance to become graver. Archer is a crucial unit in war as they provide support, softening up the enemy forces before melee engagement happens. "What about the casualties on the enemy's side? He inquired.
"We anticipate they only suffered 400 to 500 casualties."
"Tsk, that's lower than my expectation," Braun clicked his tongue. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "We have to act immediately. Scavenge for any usable supplies and ammunition. Also, send a group to Harlington for more supplies." He ordered.
With such considerably low casualties, Tetherswest can conduct a raid for a second time or maybe even a third time. And without archers on their side to defend against the cavalry charge, it'll cause devastating damage to their infantry units.
His second-in-command nodded. Before he leaves to execute Braun's instructions, he turns around and asks a question. "Sir, should I order the craftsmen to assemble the trebuchets?"
The general sighed, "Of course! What else should we spend the rest of the day on? Admiring the city wall?" replied Braun, irritated with a seemingly unnecessary question. "Assemble the trebuchets and get them up and running as soon as possible. Time is of the essence."
Kurt promptly fled the scene to inform the craftsmen. The crew quickly get to work the moment they received the order, measuring the area and ensuring it was level. Every single one of them is aware that even a small inclination could compromise the trebuchet's accuracy.
Due to the overall flat terrain, there are many spots suitable to set up the trebuchet which gives Braun a wide range of options to choose from. The crew began with constructing sturdy triangular-shaped wooden beams for the frame. They worked meticulously with precise measurement tools, which ironically enough came from Ryntum.
Once they finished with the frame, the crew attached the counterweight to the arm and the sling. With both secured in place, they moved on to the release mechanism.
"Sir general, we've finished assembling the trebuchet."
"I can see that. Hurry up and load it with ammunition."
The dedicated group of soldiers who were trained in using the trebuchet take over. They begin loading the siege machine with a round-shaped stone weight approximately fifteen kilograms.
After the ammunition has been loaded, the sling was adjusted to ensure it'll be released at the desired angle and trajectory. The rope was pulled, causing the counterweight to be lifted. The trebuchet creak under the strain.
The trigger was removed as soon as they receive the signal. The arm swings forward with tremendous force, hurling the stone from the sling toward the direction of the target.
Swoosh—
The ammunition spins and whines as it soars through the air as it gains momentum. Before long, a deafening crash was heard by everyone. The stone slammed onto the wall with a force that caused a massive dent and crack. Dust and debris flew everywhere. Some of the wall's stones were dislodged and fell to the ground below.
....
Boom!
Inside the city, Theodore stood in the open space of his mansion. His eyes fixed on the trebuchet in the distance. He observed as the trebuchet continuously fired its deadly projectiles. The thunderous sound of rock crashing into the wall reverberated throughout the city, sending nearby residents into a panic.
The duke remained calm and collected. His trust in the sturdiness of the city wall is unparalleled. A mere stone couldn't possibly penetrate an average thickness of four meters of the wall even if they bombard it hundreds of times.
Standing close to the duke is the captain of the assault cavalry, Leif Horsemann. His face drained of all colour and sweat trickled down on his back. The reason couldn't be more obvious, he failed to complete the mission.
"Didn't you say you've set their equipment on fire?" questioned the duke to the captain.
"This..." Leif stammered. His mind replayed the attack conducted last night. The opposition they received exceeded their initial expectation. He had no excuse for the duke as he's the one who's suggested bringing four thousand cavalries.
In the end, only words of apologies came out of his mouth. "I've failed you, Your Grace."
Theodore let out a long sigh before walking inside the mansion, to the council chamber where his trusted advisors are anxiously waiting. "Forget it. One defeat doesn't mean we lost the war. We still have two months' worth of food. I'm sure we can turn the table around."
One of his advisors spoke up, "Your Grace, perhaps we could request military aid from Ryntum."
Remembering the conversation he had with Riz, the duke shook his head. "That's out of the question," replied Theodore.
In the beginning, Ryntum had offered to help extract his son from Tetherswest unnoticed. However, he rejected the offer because the action of abandoning his people sounds unhonourable to him.
Theodore firmly states that he'll exchange places with his son and face Blande's force alone.
Hearing the duke's selfless and heroic reason, Riz rolled his eyes. He, after all, despises this kind of person. Not only such a personality is quite the opposite of him but also weird in his opinion. He's a staunch believer of 'Every human is selfish and only acts for their own sake.'
Nevertheless, he wasn't that cruel to send Theodore off empty-handed. Ryntum gives them ample supplies of food, ammunition and raw materials for their use.
However, he also warned his future father-in-law to not expect any military help. It may sound heartless but he has his own kingdom to take care too.
There was heavy silence in the room, only the sound of bombardment was heard.
After a few moments, Theodore spoke up. "Ryntum has given us tons of cement to use. Have our craftsmen mastered the way to use it?"
One of his advisors who was responsible for internal management stood up. "Yes, Your Grace. They mastered it in no time."
"Excellent! We shall use it to repair the city wall tonight. This is a contest between destruction and restoration. Let's see if you had the patience to take this city, Blande." Theodore said with a firm voice, his eyes gleaming with determination.
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