[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
brigades holding the Beklavac narrows. In an effort to solidify the Alliance
further, he marched on eastward and relieved the capital of Gudermuth, adding
his own Imperial troops to those of Honsa Eldracher and Katich's native
defenders. He believed further successes there would seal the remaining
vacillators into the pact.
Nieroda challenged Hildreth and Eldracher as soon as she reached Gudermuth."
"They've seen a hell of a fight," Eldracher observed. He was a tall, lean,
weathered man of middle years. In manner and bearing he resembled his friend,
Yedon Hildreth. He and the Count were of a class that had become inbred. "What
do you think?" he asked Hildreth.
Nieroda's vanguard did look ragged and panicky, as if in a hurry to escape.
Her main force, a hill farther away, seemed to swirl and surge, as if hurrying
along in disarray.
"The rumor is true." Hildreth scowled ferociously. "The boy made big talk, but
he's gone over to the Min-dak. He's no better than Aarant was."
"Stopping Nieroda seems a sound enough reason."
Hildreth's scowl deepened. He was a black or white man, this Count. His
viewpoint held little room for compromise. "They'll hit the city," he guessed.
"They'll want our food stores. It's just possible they don't know I'm here.
I'll go out and hit them first. See if your spook pushers can find out how
close Ahlert is."
"Of course."
Neither Hildreth nor Eldracher was a man easily misled, yet each, attaching
too much weight to Gathrid's shift of allegiance, leapt to the conclusion that
Nieroda was fleeing in defeat.
Page 105
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Hildreth first suspected the truth three hours later. Nieroda's arrival and
shift to combat order was too smoothly and confidently executed. Her renegade
wizards came into play easily, with their strongest and subtlest spells
prepared. He realized he had been sucked in. He would have refused battle had
Nieroda come up in good order.
Easy disengagement was impossible. Nieroda and the Toal were applying pressure
all along his line, which he had thrown across their path a mile from the
city.
Eldracher became ever more puzzled as he searched for the Mindak. He could not
locate the man. Nieroda appeared to be fleeing ghosts. He tried searching her
far flanks.
"My god!" He called for his weapons and armor and bodyguard.
He had discovered the truth too late.
A mounted brigade had circled the city. It erupted from the hills southwest of
Katich, thundered into Hildreth's rear. A strong, Toal-backed force attacked
and screened the city gates. Hildreth then had nowhere to retreat.
Eldracher reached the wall in time to watch the disaster unfold.
Hildreth had brought half the Alliance's strength out of Bilgoraj. Already
half that had fallen here. The survivors were being crushed against Katich's
walls. They were fighting bravely, but would be dead before nightfall.
Three times Hildreth tried to clear the enemy away from the gate. Three times
the Toal hurled him back. Eldracher did what he could from above, with
covering fire, and hauling the wounded up by rope. His efforts were fruitless.
Come midafternoon Hildreth himself ascended to confer.
"Nieroda's won this one," he said. "It's all over but the slaughter."
"I could sortie."
"That's what she wants. You'd lose the gate. And the city. I'm going to break
out to the south. If I get through, I'll run for Bilgoraj."
Eldracher nodded. "All right." It was the only real hope for Hildreth's men.
"I can hang on here."
"Did you find Ahlert?"
"No. He's nowhere near here."
"Wonder where he is. What do you think he's planning? I won't bring another
column out just to get torn up."
"Maybe she finished him."
"He had the Swordbearer with him."
"The Nirgenaus are closed for the winter. Maybe he never left Ventimiglia."
"Maybe. If it looks that way, I'll relieve you again. Maybe we can get this
settled before the season shifts. If we could smash Nieroda... that'd pull the
Alliance together. They'd give me what I need to make sure Ahlert stays home.
I'd best get back."
Page 106
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
His absence had begun to tell. Some units were dissolving.
"Until we meet," Eldracher said. They clasped hands. They had been friends a
long time, just as their masters were friends. Neither expected to meet the
other again.
Eldracher supported Hildreth's breakout in every way possible. Count Cuneo
managed to escape with two thousand men. Ten times as many did not win free.
Eldracher salvaged those he could with his hoisting ropes.
Eldracher's group consisted entirely of Blue Brothers. None of the other
Orders were represented.
That night a Red Brother visited Nevenka Nieroda.
The siege lasted four days. The first three involved exchanges of messengers.
Eldracher feigned an interest in negotiating in order to buy time for Count
Cuneo.
Nieroda lost patience. She attacked. Her thrust lacked intensity. It puzzled
Eldracher.
The mystery cleared during the night. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl akte20.pev.pl
brigades holding the Beklavac narrows. In an effort to solidify the Alliance
further, he marched on eastward and relieved the capital of Gudermuth, adding
his own Imperial troops to those of Honsa Eldracher and Katich's native
defenders. He believed further successes there would seal the remaining
vacillators into the pact.
Nieroda challenged Hildreth and Eldracher as soon as she reached Gudermuth."
"They've seen a hell of a fight," Eldracher observed. He was a tall, lean,
weathered man of middle years. In manner and bearing he resembled his friend,
Yedon Hildreth. He and the Count were of a class that had become inbred. "What
do you think?" he asked Hildreth.
Nieroda's vanguard did look ragged and panicky, as if in a hurry to escape.
Her main force, a hill farther away, seemed to swirl and surge, as if hurrying
along in disarray.
"The rumor is true." Hildreth scowled ferociously. "The boy made big talk, but
he's gone over to the Min-dak. He's no better than Aarant was."
"Stopping Nieroda seems a sound enough reason."
Hildreth's scowl deepened. He was a black or white man, this Count. His
viewpoint held little room for compromise. "They'll hit the city," he guessed.
"They'll want our food stores. It's just possible they don't know I'm here.
I'll go out and hit them first. See if your spook pushers can find out how
close Ahlert is."
"Of course."
Neither Hildreth nor Eldracher was a man easily misled, yet each, attaching
too much weight to Gathrid's shift of allegiance, leapt to the conclusion that
Nieroda was fleeing in defeat.
Page 105
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Hildreth first suspected the truth three hours later. Nieroda's arrival and
shift to combat order was too smoothly and confidently executed. Her renegade
wizards came into play easily, with their strongest and subtlest spells
prepared. He realized he had been sucked in. He would have refused battle had
Nieroda come up in good order.
Easy disengagement was impossible. Nieroda and the Toal were applying pressure
all along his line, which he had thrown across their path a mile from the
city.
Eldracher became ever more puzzled as he searched for the Mindak. He could not
locate the man. Nieroda appeared to be fleeing ghosts. He tried searching her
far flanks.
"My god!" He called for his weapons and armor and bodyguard.
He had discovered the truth too late.
A mounted brigade had circled the city. It erupted from the hills southwest of
Katich, thundered into Hildreth's rear. A strong, Toal-backed force attacked
and screened the city gates. Hildreth then had nowhere to retreat.
Eldracher reached the wall in time to watch the disaster unfold.
Hildreth had brought half the Alliance's strength out of Bilgoraj. Already
half that had fallen here. The survivors were being crushed against Katich's
walls. They were fighting bravely, but would be dead before nightfall.
Three times Hildreth tried to clear the enemy away from the gate. Three times
the Toal hurled him back. Eldracher did what he could from above, with
covering fire, and hauling the wounded up by rope. His efforts were fruitless.
Come midafternoon Hildreth himself ascended to confer.
"Nieroda's won this one," he said. "It's all over but the slaughter."
"I could sortie."
"That's what she wants. You'd lose the gate. And the city. I'm going to break
out to the south. If I get through, I'll run for Bilgoraj."
Eldracher nodded. "All right." It was the only real hope for Hildreth's men.
"I can hang on here."
"Did you find Ahlert?"
"No. He's nowhere near here."
"Wonder where he is. What do you think he's planning? I won't bring another
column out just to get torn up."
"Maybe she finished him."
"He had the Swordbearer with him."
"The Nirgenaus are closed for the winter. Maybe he never left Ventimiglia."
"Maybe. If it looks that way, I'll relieve you again. Maybe we can get this
settled before the season shifts. If we could smash Nieroda... that'd pull the
Alliance together. They'd give me what I need to make sure Ahlert stays home.
I'd best get back."
Page 106
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
His absence had begun to tell. Some units were dissolving.
"Until we meet," Eldracher said. They clasped hands. They had been friends a
long time, just as their masters were friends. Neither expected to meet the
other again.
Eldracher supported Hildreth's breakout in every way possible. Count Cuneo
managed to escape with two thousand men. Ten times as many did not win free.
Eldracher salvaged those he could with his hoisting ropes.
Eldracher's group consisted entirely of Blue Brothers. None of the other
Orders were represented.
That night a Red Brother visited Nevenka Nieroda.
The siege lasted four days. The first three involved exchanges of messengers.
Eldracher feigned an interest in negotiating in order to buy time for Count
Cuneo.
Nieroda lost patience. She attacked. Her thrust lacked intensity. It puzzled
Eldracher.
The mystery cleared during the night. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]