Moving quickly, the half-qhal started to circle the Marmarkan army, trying to remain within visual range.
Soon, however, groups of Marmarkan troops were sweeping the woods looking for them, and after some close calls they were forced to withdraw further.
At dawn, the Marmarkans gave up hunting for them, and broke camp ready for the day's march. As they did so, Percinious caught sight of a woman warrior with the distinctive half-Qhal features; long, angular face and pale grey eyes. Her hair was a lush dark red, but this was probably dye. Laughing and talking with other soldiers in the midst of the host, she was unreachable at the moment, but the pair noted her for possible future recruitment.
A decision now faced them. Should they return to Heldorn, and rejoin Dorall's Company in the defence of the city, or harry the Marmarkans from outside the walls, or simply abandon the whole scene as not their problem? Defending a siege didn't really appeal, although Percinions still wanted to secure the Crimson Cloth and felt the fall of the city a good moment to try for it. They decided to go in and report, then return to their embryonic Company and see if they could do some damage to the Marmarkan army from behind.
The men were unwilling to be left outside at first, fearing they'd done something wrong, but Mehmet skilfully convinced them that this wasn't true, and that the best chance of taking out Silverweave would be from behind the enemy after the siege had started. This reassured them, and they headed off to go to ground on the east of the city while Mehmet and Percinious rode for the south gate.
It was obvious that the city was aware of the nearness of the invaders. The whole place was as tense as a bowstring, poised, ready for the attack.
Locating Captain Dorall, they reported their progress so far and their plans for the battle, and gained his approval to carry on skirmishing. On the way back, they took a look at the palace, and concluded that there was no realistic way they could get in as things stood.
Back outside the city, they made their way to the meeting point, and discovered no sign of their followers. This was bad news, and they began to search worriedly. After an hour, they picked up a trail, and finally located their men at least two miles from the planned rezendvous. Skaven explained that they had been comfortably settled but had considered it a good idea to move when three Archen had showed up and started heading in their direction. Mehmet and Percinious looked at each other in alarm. They'd beaten one Archen by luck and trickery; three would mean serious trouble.
They turned their attention to the enemy camp. The plan that emerged was for Percinious and Mehmet to attack from the south-east, and get into Silverweave's tent, while Skaven led the rest to do as much damage to the kitchens and supplies as possible.
Moving cautiously closer, the two came in sight of the Marmarkan camp. Silverweave's tent was clearly visible, as were the siege engines constructed during the night. Two rams and four catapults stood ready, though no ladders seemed to have been built for some reason. A dozen cavalry were patrolling the edges in pairs.
Just beyond bowshot the main force waited, in three big blocks flanking the rams. Silverweave was in the centre block, four ranks from the front, instantly distinguishable. With a rumble and squeak, the rams creaked forwards, arrows, rocks and boiling oil began to rain down to meet them, and the siege of Heldorn was begun.
For
nearly an hour, the rams pounded the gates while men died to swing them and
the catapults raked the ramparts to discourage the archers from attacking them.
Then there was a splintering crunch and a deep-throated cheer from the Marmarkans
as the gates were broken. With a rumble of feet and a ringing of armour, the
Marmarkan force charged at the gate - and Mehmet and Percinious moved.
Fast, low and hard they came, bounding over the 3' ditch around the camp and dodging through the stakes lining the perimeter. The two guards at the southeast corner were inattentive, craning their necks to see what was happening at the gate, and never knew their danger until the pair arrived.
Hadraes flashed in the sun and sheared completely through the arm of the man Percinious faced, spinning him around and hurling him to his knees. Without pause, Percinious sent his backstroke into the side of the other man, delivering a deep cut to his belly at the same time as Mehmet slashed him across the throat. The disarmed guard opened his mouth to scream and bring the whole camp around their ears - and was inaudible.
A blinding actinic flash threw stark shadows everywere, and left lines of colour across Mehmet's eyes which had been turned towards the gate at the time. Almost immediately afterwards, all three combatants were staggered by the loudest noise any of them had ever heard.
Recovering, Mehmet drew one of the Archen scimitars with his off-hand - marvelling
at how natural it felt wearing the bracers - and cut the guard down with one
stroke.
As the pair loped across the camp, they could see a huge plume of smoke trailing into the sky from the direction of the city. When the wall came into view, both were staggered at the change.
The gate and its' gatehouses was almost entirely gone. A smoking crater had replaced them, and bodies were scattered around it - almost all Cormaran. The Marmarkan army was pouring in through the breach, and heavy fighting was audible beyond. Wasting no time, they slipped under the back of Silverweave's tent, and looked around.
Arranged around a central pole, the tent contained a simple camp bed, two heavy chests, a table with several documents on it, and a curtained segment into which they could not see. Most immediately of interest, however, were the two guards standing just inside the tent flaps, their gaze for the moment rivetted on the battle outside.
Percinious had a straight line to his target, so he arrived first, and for the second time in five minutes opened a battle by carving his opponent's weapon arm clean off, beating down a feeble parry to do so, this time topping it off by killing the other man. A second later, Mehmet came flying over the map-table, an Archen scimitar in each hand, and finished the wounded guard off.
Swiftly
they dragged the bodies further into the tent and out of view, before exploring
the contents. Mehmet scooped the maps hastily and stuffed them into his armour,
while Percinious explored the chests.
Prudently, he'd snagged one of the dead guards' spears, and used that to tip the lid up. Only by swift movement did he manage to dodge a massive spark of electrical energy designed to roast anyone incautiously lifting the lid. Inside, the glitter of gold attracted his attention like a magnet, but it was instantly apparent to him as a trained thief that there was far more than they could ever carry. He started to load a bag as Mehmet reached him.
At that moment, the curtains parted and a face appeared. It was a young girl's face, obviously half-Qhal, and drawing a breath ready to emit a scream that would have the remaining guards in on top of them. She had to be silenced! Mehmet grabbed from the chest at random, and hurled without checking. A massive golden inkwell smashed into the unfortunate leman's face with a hideous crunch and she disappeared from view.
While Percinious finished loading his bag, Mehmet parted the curtains and checked; sure enough, the unfortunate woman was stone dead. Shaking his head in mild regret, he gathered some valuable-looking jewelry and ducked back out, as Nutbolter opened the second chest. It, too, was defended, and contained books. Percinious swiped a handful on general principles, and stuffed them into his bag as well.
Mehmet went to the front of the tent to see if he could see Silverweave. From where he stood, he couldn't see the gate area directly, just the dwindling plume of smoke.
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