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Horus Mirpur
‘Gale of the Steppe’
Setback at Even Fork
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Scrap at Hunter’s Cot road.
Part of the Battle of ‘Even Fork’ fought some twenty kilometers away on the same day.
The fork’s legs were about ten to fifteen kilometers from Castalor, Boar’s Bridge and Hunter’s Cot and while not accurate the locals name had stuck.
29th of Alter 194 NC
[https://i.postimg.cc/kGPBCGtc/Even-Fork.jpg]
“Whoa!” Horus shouted, raising his left arm to stop their column. The ground opening up suddenly, the flat ground extending on both sides of the road that split ahead of them cutting through the forest. One route heading directly east, the other continuing north. The grass rich before the damp trees, the foliage holding its color having survived the winter.
“Maluph wants the road cleared for his chariots to pass,” Kera-Raad reported riding next to him, Togo nervously bumping on the warhorse to push it away.
“Easy now,” Horus murmured patting the rich white mane of the young stallion. “We’ll stop here and wait for the wagons to approach.”
“He insists my lord,” Kera informed him.
By ancestors spirits!
“Api get the men moving towards the fork of the road, the area is cleared there. Find a good spot to rest the horses,” Horus ordered and turned Togo around to lead him by the side of the paved road.
“My lord,” Kera insisted.
“Damn it Kera, I can’t lead with the chariots afore talking with Dumar!” Horus snapped and removed his helm to wipe the mask with a cloth.
“Maluph believes he has the lead my lord,” Kera replied evenly and Horus hissed in frustration.
“Not from the back of the column he doesn’t,” he grunted.
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Maluph’s chariot came to stop next to their horses, the ground shaking from the many vehicles following after him, the encased in metal wheels rattling on the paved road. The Chariots needed way more space to park so they headed further up the opening after discovering the fork taken over by Horus’ Cataphracts and their animals.
There isn’t enough grass around to feed so many horses, Horus thought worried. Despite the lush fertile ground, the exposed area wasn’t as big. Thick woods dominated the terrain and while a horse could graze inside a forest, it would be irresponsible to enter them.
Unless you’re fixing to prepare an ambush, but no enemy will rush here at this point.
Horus had twenty wagons following after them. Half with supplies for the men but no animal fodder, the rest led by a couple of engineers laden mostly with tools, oil and spare ammunition or weapons.
“This is unacceptable!” Maluph snapped jumping from his Chariot and walking towards them. Horus had made three large groupings of the animals, so it would be easier for their assistants to work on them. The Cataphracts had gathered at the center. “I have been showered with mud and shit for hours!”
“It’s a paved road Maluph, nothing you can’t handle,” Horus retorted. “Chariots always follow a column.”
“Eh,” Maluph griped and used a large towel one of his charioteers brought him to clean his armour. He wasn’t wearing his helm. No one was. It made breathing difficult. “We should rest and continue towards the bridge.”
“We’ll hear Dumar first,” Horus reminded him.
“Why would I… there,” Maluph blinked but then sighed. “That’s Perku’s Lancers. Dark spirits! Someone needs to clear out these blasted woods!”
Perku waved at them and then led his riders further away looking for a good spot to rest his horses.
The Fork is getting crowded.
“Neku, saddle Midnight. Togo is in a bad mood again.” Horus ordered his servant walking away from the Chariot officer that kept staring at the northern road for the scouts to appear. “Where is Gero?” He asked.
“Rode to the wagons for some food my lord,” Neku replied. The Cofol had worked at Lord Mirpur’s stables for two decades and was now in his thirties.
“How far back is Ressif?”
The engineer was with the supply train.
“A couple of kilometers.”
“We need to build a camp here,” Horus murmured thoughtfully. “Look for game to hunt. Food will be a problem soon.”
“Yes my lord,” Neku replied pensively and Horus waved him away.
Dumar’s scouts were approaching. The scout leader jumped from the saddle nimbly and immediately went to report to the eager Maluph. Horus returned near them walking briskly.
“The bridge? Did you reach it?” He asked anxiously. “Any sign of the Khan?”
Dumar was from Shao Na-Lan like Muvelo, the Khan’s chief scout. A desert Horselord with sharp black eyes, he still wore a dark turban over his head. Dumar shook said head negatively.
“No sign of them Lord Horus. But we reached the bridge. They are soldiers guarding it.”
“Tell him how many you saw!” Maluph snapped and Perku who had approached as well furrowed his brows at the Que Ki-La noble scion’s tone.
“A score. Infantry mostly,” Dumar replied stiffly.
“How big is the bridge?” Horus asked trying to determine whether this was a sign of the Issirs reacting to them or just soldiers guarding against the rebel forces. According to their spies Castalor had backed Radin’s wife for the throne. It is highly unlikely Elsanne backs her husband though seeing as she has fought him once already, Horus decided.
“Two Chariots can cross it easily, maybe a third. Big stone bridge with an arch in the middle,” Dumar replied. “The river is pregnant but no more than two hundred meters from bank to bank.”
“Why didn’t you take it?” Maluph asked accusingly.
“I don’t know what’s on the other side Lord Sol,” Dumar retorted. “And I had my orders.”
“I can be across in two minutes,” Maluph declared angrily. “I’ll just sweep those soldiers aside.”
“They’ll hear you approach from miles away,” Horus said reproachfully.
“And piss down their pants,” Maluph agreed with a sneer.
Horus grimaced and eyed the scout leader. “I need men to scout the east path Dumar.”
“Nabil could do it,” Dumar replied and turned to bark an order to his men that were resting their horses while sipping at their water. “Nabil! Take Umar and Madaki, check the east path again.”
“How far?” Nabil queried spitting a mouthful of water on an open palm, he then used to clean his weathered face. “Hunter’s Cot?”
“Is it on the road?” Horus asked him interested.
“Sort of. There’s a turn that cuts into the woods,” Nabil replied hoarsely. “Heading for the mountain. Locals might spot us and Rusted is twenty kilometers further east from there.”
“How do you know the turn leads to Hunter’s Cot?” Horus asked.
“There’s a bench and a pavilion by the main road, a sign explaining it.”
“What does the sign say?”
“Travelers rest hither. Fools searching for trouble just follow the path,” Nabil quoted what was written on it. Horus frowned and the scout smirked. “It’s a hunter’s joke sir.”
“We might have to take the village,” Horus mused aloud.
“Might,” Nabil agreed.
“Right,” Maluph decided having heard enough. “You do that. Dumar you lead the way. We are going for that bridge.”
“Better to wait for dusk,” Horus argued. “Let me check on the east road again.”
“Lord Horus,” Maluph snapped. “There are no Issirs coming! We’re here for weeks and no one came to challenge us. Do you hear hooves approaching other than ours?”
“Sound doesn’t carry with so many trees all about us!” Horus countered not liking his tone.
A frustrated Maluph made a dismissive gesture. “Bah, just stay here and hunt for deer Horus! I’m securing that bridge and then I’ll send a rider to the Khan!”
“We’re not supposed to cross Boar Horn River Maluph!”
Maluph clenched his jaw. “Don’t you see what’s going on here? This is a fucking sideshow! The Khan won’t come south at all damn it! Are you that thick?”
Horus moved against him with Perku jumping between them alarmed to prevent the start of a scuffle that could turn bloody. “My lords,” he pleaded. “We’ll fight amongst ourselves?”
“Horus doesn’t want to fight anyone,” Maluph spat with a nasty grimace. “He has an Issir girl sleeping in his tent!”
The Cataphract pursed his mouth and glared at the faces of those present. “Who amongst you hasn’t taken a Jelin slave already? I wager those of you that haven’t are feeling cheated!”
“Word is the girl is a noblewoman,” Maluph hissed.
“Maybe you should ride to the bridge,” Horus retorted grinding his teeth. “It’ll stop you from gossiping with the women Lord Maluph!”
Maluph glared his way thinking of violence but most men present were close to Horus so he decided to leave it be. With a last look of frustration the Chariot leader returned to his men. Half an hour later the scouts and most of the chariots had departed. Nine remained behind as they had been damaged and the arriving Ressif was immediately tackled with requests for repairs.
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“Lord Horus,” Ressif greeted him, the engineer was overseeing the work done on a cracked wheel by a couple of slaves. The Charioteers watching from the sides miffed. “I grew suspicious seeing the road cleared of rocks. Yet the answer was obvious all along. These fools had broken all of them!”
“They tossed debris by the sides Ressif,” a charioteer retorted.
“You expected them to carry the leftover material back? They were paid for the whole load son.” The engineer grunted. “Why not stay on the darn road anyway?”
“Lord Horus’ men had blocked the path is why,” the man protested and then nodded seeing Horus eyeing him. “Not trying to offend my lord. Was merely stating a fact for our carpenter.”
“I’ll carpenter your arse. How about it?”
“That’s enough Ressif.” Horus warned him.
“I told your man a sack per tent. We’ll be out of supplies in two days at this rate,” Ressif said gruffly turning to him. “I can do no favors lord Mirpur. I was given the task unwillingly.”
A charioteer snorted.
“Not looking for food Ressif,” Horus replied with a scowl. “I was thinking you might need to start cutting down trees. We need a proper camp here.”
“With forty slaves?”
“They look like muscled lads.”
“Stripped Tibia clean from beefy boys,” Ressif replied with a smug grin.
“Hah,” a young charioteer chuckled. “You have them warming your bed Ressif?”
“Nah, but I can loan them out Kim-Fur. I can see yer interested,” Ressif deadpanned much to the charioteer’s ire.
Horus shook his head and then turned around as he heard a large horse approaching. It was Kera-Raad. The Cataphract had his mask on.
“Nabil?” Horus asked with a frown, caressing the nervous horse’s snout to calm it down. “Easy boy. Take a breather now,” he murmured soothingly.
“He’s back,” Kera-Raad replied and his firm tone made even Ressif to turn and stare his way.
Ah. The wind changed already.
“Enemies on the road?” Horus asked maintaining his composure and signed for Neku to bring the saddled Midnight close.
“Aye my lord. Near Hunter’s Cot,” Kera-Raad replied.
“Shit,” one of the charioteers left behind said and got up as well.
Horus climbed on the saddle and took the helm from Neku who immediately returned to his mare. Horus used both hands to place the helm over his head after covering the top with a scarf. He then lowered the visor, the ‘mirthful mask’ covering his face.
“Horses?” The gem-adorned silver mask asked Kera-Raad in a sober muffled voice and the almost identical sculpted face –but for the fancy decorations- answered back in the same tone.
“Big host my lord.”
So a bit of everything, a tensed Horus thought and clicked his tongue to get Midnight going towards the returned scouts resting near his Cataphracts.
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“Rangers were there when we arrived,” Nabil explained.
“How close to the village?” Horus asked.
“Never reached it. They were occupying the turn. We came as close to a hundred meters on foot but had to turn back as there are local hunters roaming the woods.”
“The scouts were coming this way?”
“They were waiting, but for a couple that headed for Hunter’s Cot,” Madaki replied.
“Waiting for what?” Horus probed hoarsely.
“We stayed for half an hour. Cavalry came next from the direction of Rusted. Two large groups, I reckon forty riders. Shields and good armour.” Nabil took over from the other scout.
“Spotted any banners?” Api-Nofre asked.
“Grey heater shields with a black bird on them,” Madaki replied and Nabil nodded.
There’s Scaldingport Maluph, Horus thought.
-
> Mitch De Jaeger of fort Tongue had sent two groups of rangers ahead of the main army. He was Lode De Jagger’s distant cousin (Lode was with Sir Gust on Eplas) though the two Issir families had acerbic relations for years, with Jagger’s grandfather getting exiled to Tail Peninsula and the border with Castalor taking Mitch’s grandmother with him. To distance themselves from the Jaggers of Tail, Mitch’s family had changed their last name.
>
> Old family feuds aside, Mitch was commanding Lord Ruud’s rangers. Sir Stefan De Braal (Scaldingport’s old Castellan) had given command of the Old Spears to their Captain Giel Kugel –a fifty year old veteran of the King’s Foots, with overall command of the army handed to the prominent Ard De Moss of Rusted -Captain Gel serving with Sir Gust was his son. Ard had campaigned for a minor title from Lord Ruud for years given the town’s growth and the Old Crow had promised him ‘half-a-county after I’m over eighty winters’ thinking he wouldn’t ever reach that age. When Ruud did, Ard had started referring to himself as ‘Viscount De Moss’ of Rusted. A thoroughly displeased from been ‘shoved into a corner’ Ruud who was notoriously stingy in giving out titles to non-family or family members ‘too soon’ had told De Moss that ‘a screw up here might cost him more than half-a-county.’
>
> The large force of Castalor’s crossbowmen were under Desmond Boss –Castalor’s rich family owned half of Struder & Boss workshops that produced crossbows and various tools- who had marched to Hunter’s Cot to get supplies of mainly salted pork ‘in bulk’ for the armies. They were to meet with Lord Ruud at Traveler’s Rest afterwards. The latter a small pavilion at the turn towards the village.
>
> If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.
>
> Horus Mirpur’s scouts spotted the rangers first and after a brief debate on how to proceed –Maluph Erul-Sol had moved with his chariots towards the bridge at Boar’s Horn- Horus opted to make a probing attack to catch them unawares.
>
> Perku’s Lancers promptly smashed on the rangers and men-at-arms loitering near the turn and they forced them to retreat with some casualties. The Lancers attempted to give chase but Kugel’s Old Spears blocked their path and the attempt to brush them aside proved a costly failure. Perku retreated towards the Fork and reported to Horus that Scaldingport had brought both Cavalry and heavy infantry, the initial assessment giving their number around a thousand five hundred which was very conservative.
>
> While Horus spent the rest of the morning trying to prepare for a second attack while building a more fortified camp to house their animals and supplies, fifteen kilometers away Maluph’s grand assault on the bridge was stopped dead in its tracks when thousands of bolts devastated his leading chariots killing men and horses in droves. Maluph retreated in panic losing forty of his war-machines, over a hundred men and ninety horses. He reached the Fork near the afternoon followed by some of Dumar’s rangers –the majority had remained near the bridge to report on the enemy’s advance.
>
> The presence of an enemy force between them and the Khan was shocking to the Khanate leaders. Horus reported the matter to Lord Putra, the latter was at Castalor trying to get a proper siege going with little success and then met with a distraught at his failure Maluph to decide on their next action. Both the roads leading away from the Fork appeared to be blocked by Issirs.
Perku’s drawing of the area was rudimentary at best. Horus pressed a finger on his forehead to help refocus his tired eyes while Perku explained what he had faced once more.
“They blocked the road and both its sides to the woods,” Perku said. “That’s eight meters for the road and at least twenty for the south side and about forty for the north. Shields and spears every meter, tight as bricks, five rows deep.”
“That’s a lot of infantry to break with Cavalry waiting at the rear,” Horus murmured.
“Better than to face those crossbows again,” Maluph said hoarsely.
“Are you sure about the numbers?”
“A wall of bolts,” Maluph replied. “Some fired beyond the bridge. A fish-man with claws for hands as banners.”
The sea-monster Phorcys.
Castalor.
“That’s impossible,” Api-Nofre grunted.
“How soon between volleys?” Horus asked.
“Eh, a minute? Maybe less. We turned around but they nailed us at least two more times afore we could distance ourselves sufficiently,” Maluph said with a glare at those disbelieving him.
“There is such a crossbow,” Ressif intervened. “We know it for many years. Some adventurers carry it. Call themselves snipers, marksmen or such baloney. Very expensive. Very heavy. Unwieldy to use on a horse. I didn’t know armies used it in such numbers. Most generals opt to go for the Scorpio for it can be used in sieges also.”
Hmm.
“Right. So Castalor is eccentric like that or very rich. What’s the other alternative?” Horus asked.
“They make them on the cheap?” Kera-Raad suggested with a shrug, then added suddenly full of ideas. “Mayhap they’re progressive?”
Horus thought of Marleen wrapped in the woolen cloak.
Nah, he decided and rejected the progressive part.
The alternative discouraging.
Brilliantly.
“We’ll fortify the northern approach from the bridge,” Horus explained looking at the map held over a table. Half their camp was still under construction. “If the crossbow infantry march here we’ll see to catch them in the open. Now, there’s an army moving our way for sure and I want to push it back else we’ll have to retreat towards Castalor.”
A setback.
“We can’t abandon the Fork, they could march against the Khan’s rear,” Perku noted.
“Obviously there is that possibility,” Horus agreed. “But they could as easily come against us and then we might find ourselves cornered in the Peninsula. We need to deal with the Crows. At least the crossbows are at the bridge.”
“With trees on both sides this road is a trap,” Perku insisted still rattled from his failed attempt.
“How is the ground?” Maluph asked.
Horus looked at the low-spirited officer.
“What about bows? The ground is passable.”
“We can use shields at the front. They stop arrows more times than not,” Maluph replied standing up straighter.
“If you rattle the spears or scatter them a bit, I’ll come right behind you,” Horus said. “You just have to veer out of our way Maluph. I’ll fire once and then charge at them.”
“You’ll get hit by cavalry,” Perku argued.
“Ressif, how much oil do you have?” Horus asked turning to the engineer.
“Nowhere near enough to throw away. It’s for cooking,” Ressif grunted. “But say you make use of it, those trees are soaked from winter. Way I see it, we’ll suffocate from the fumes afore you lit a single spark Lord Horus.”
“That’s fine then, for smoke is what I want,” Horus replied sternly. “Not flames.”
-
> Horus Mirpur waited for the night to reposition his men on the road and ordered his engineers under Ressif to create a smoke screen to hide the approach of the Chariots. Archers lobbed flaming arrows on prearranged spots in the trees trying to start fires on piles of broken branches, hay, twigs, sticks and rotten leaves doused with plant oil. The thick white smoke mixed with the natural mist plaguing the coastal forest road every morning and part of Horus’ plan succeeded theoretically.
>
> While the Khanate mobile units took positions to attack east following the flat road towards the Traveler’s Pavilion, three kilometers from Hunter’s Cot, the Crows and their allies were also preparing for an attack of their own.
>
> A series of bloopers ensued due to poor Intel in quick succession. Viscount De Moss, having received reinforcements during the night from the returning Castalor men of Desmond Boss, decided to strike towards the Fork and split the Khan’s armies in two. Kugel was ordered to march his Old Spears straight ahead in two blocks with the men-at-arms covering his right flank. Mitch De Jaeger’s rangers were to leap ahead of them and scout the opening for enemies, while the Marines under Joris Trut were to follow with Sir Braal and Lord Ruud bringing up the small supply train.
>
> Ard De Moss brought his proposal in writing –using a velum he’d sealed with wax and his title’s sigil- to Lord Ruud’s tent. The old Duke had rejected sleeping in the pavilion since ‘it is such an obvious place to attack even for fools’ and wouldn’t ‘travel up the turd-woods or troll-mountains afore the weather clears.’ Ruud had Braal read him the Viscount’s scrawling’s under an oil lamp, then got up from his cot and stepped outside his tent. He stared at the road west for a long moment, several crows coming to rest at his feet and then returned inside.
>
> ‘My lord Duke,’ the stiff Castellan probed after a couple of minutes of silent contemplation from the standing in his parted at the front robes elder lord. ‘What about the Viscount’s proposal?’
>
> ‘I’m feeling an auspicious bowel movement,’ Ruud had replied all serious. ‘Caused by watching my birds shit all over themselves outside and our provincial road cuisine. So I’m in the mind of using this fine velum to wipe my arse with it Stefan.’
>
> ‘Lord Ruud,’ Ard had protested. ‘We have the men to advance.’
>
> ‘I don’t give a shit about Colle at this point,’ Ruud had cut him off. ‘Give even less shit and not for the lack of it, about the capital or Lord Anker’s plight. I care about my road and my lands. Castalor of course since someone in here is going to open his fucking hole and talk all about it!’
>
> ‘What does the Duke wish us to do?’ De Braal asked calmly since Ard was too stunned to utter a single word.
>
> ‘These motherfuckers are dangerous obviously, but at this point they are stumbling about like drunken whores. You wish to attack against the Fork Ard and sure it’s a nice idea but then what? We’ll be caught between two forces and might even get them to rethink their priorities, bring their elephants and what not here. Tall as a house and as wide as four or five horses. Could you imagine the size of turds that animal can drop? Good fucking grief!’
>
> ‘Lord Ruud,’ De Braal tried again finding his voice. ‘We’ve almost five thousand troops parked on the road!’
>
> ‘Keep the cavalry back. Let them come to us,’ Ruud replied. ‘Don’t advance more than a hundred meters. I wager there are enemy eyes not much further than that. Peeking behind them bushes! Get out now, I can barely hold the turd in. Ah, let me speak with that Boss & Struder representative after I finish.’
>
> ‘He’s the owner milord,’ a grim-faced De Braal informed the looking for his ‘night bowl’ Duke but Lord Ruud thought he wasn’t really, ‘what with another name on the label and all. Fine, I’ll just call him Desmond! Will you stiff fools get out of here afore I call on the guards?’
-
Morning, 1st of Tertius, 194 NC
The turn for Hunter’s Cot
“Get them out of the way!” Horus growled at his lieutenants seeing the deployed Chariots rolling past them one after the other. The scythed wheels bouncing on the soft ground, creaking and banging, the many animals neighing disturbed of the ungodly ruckus. And the smoke. He coughed trying to clear his throat, Midnight turning this way and that snorting, his mane dancing.
A scout burst out of the misty haze and signaled with his arm nervously.
Soldiers.
From left to right.
“Maluph will charge at the north flank,” Horus reminded Kera-Raad and waved Neku to stand further back with his other horses. “We’ll angle for the other, Perku will follow after him. If they veer on our path we will change course and head after the lancers unless it turns too crowded. Lob shots over our own! Don’t commit unless you’re certain!” He bellowed to be heard over the tremendous roar coming from the Chariots and hundreds of horses moving at the same time.
The mist cleared some and he realized there was not that much smoke created after all. And the little that had was wafted away from the strong breeze coming from the sea. Horus saw the Chariots heading for the rows of shields, spears and harpoons. Grey and black for the painted crows on shields and raised banners. Just black for the many real birds flying over the battlefield. Hundreds of them, sometimes their hoarse cries penetrated the pandemonium.
CAW.
CAW.
Horus slapped the top of his closed helm to stabilize it when the last chariot went past him, the two members of the crew readying arrows, bolts and javelins to hurl at the soldiers. He waited for a minute to pass, heart-beat slowing down and Midnight shaking his armoured head nervously sensing the wait was over.
One brave stallion.
Two brave stallions.
Then galloped towards the enemy lines, his squadron coming after him with Neku, Gero and all the other servants trotting right after.
-
>
>
> Maluph’s chariots appeared out of the dissolving mist and headed for the Issir lines. Smoke was present but didn’t really cover the whole front. The aged Castellan Stefan De Braal who wrote an account of the event immediately after the war at the Queen’s request, describes the sight of sixty war-machines rushing against their lines as ‘unforgettable.’
>
> ‘The ground shook violently, thrice as much as it did during a cavalry charge. A brash repeated creaking and clanging of the turning scythed wheels that made your teeth rattle. The 2nd Battalion of Captain Kugel’s men standing at the south and center of the battlefield angled away but the chariots headed straight for Joris Trut’s 3rd Marines Battalion that had come with us. Some tried to get at the horses, some ran towards the woods but most stood frozen from fear.’
>
> Maluph shattered three rows of Marines and soldiers, some chariots crashing into the nearby woods after losing control of their horses. At least twenty chariots cut through Captain Trut’s battalion scattering the Issirs and killing a large number of them. The manner of death horrendous. The Chariots immediately swung away, trying to disengage and Horus’ Cataphracts came right behind them, split in two or three squadrons.
>
> The first flying wedge smashed on Kugel’s rattled infantry knocking shields and men away whilst the second stalled as they had chariots at their front. The third poured out of the opening caused in the north flank and reached behind Viscount De Moss’ lines were they were hit by the reacting cavalry led by the second of the brothers Koel, Sir Gers Koel. (Sir Lowel had been killed on Eplas.) Perku’s charge in the center delivered the fourth consecutive punch of the day and Kugel’s frontline disintegrated. Perku and Api-Nofre leading the center and south formations regrouped to charge at De Moss’ ‘presumed’ rear lines.
>
> Lord Ruud who had come to the battlefield clad in a well-oiled old armour, lowered his field-glasses –used despite not being that far from the action, pushed back on the saddle and ordered Kugel to send his 1st Battalion of Old Spears forward going over the hard-pressed busy De Moss who had moved the 3rd already worrying about Horus’ deep penetration. (The Cataphract had come within forty meters from the Issir headquarters allegedly -according to eye-witnesses- but this is probably inaccurate.)
>
> At the same time Desmond Boss’ over two thousand Castalor crossbowmen got out of their positions in the woods at the rear of Lord Ruud’s army and marched slowly towards the frontline. They started setting up their wooden stands down – resembling an upturned ‘T’ letter, then their crossbows, with crews bringing up a few carts with extra ammunition forward.
>
> Such were their numbers there was a weapon for every two meters, covering the width of the road up to the mirroring tree-lines. A distance ranging (as measured after the battle) from a hundred and twenty meters, to a hundred and sixty. With a front of at least sixty men Desmond went twenty rows deep at least afore deciding to keep a small reserve.
>
> Over a thousand two hundred bolts were about to fire on the frontline, depending on which side the battle turned.
>
> ‘It would take callous men to give such an order,’ De Braal writes. ‘But we had plenty of them present.’
-
Horus went to grab his lance, the standing upright shaft was a meter away from him with the blade part still buried in a soldier’s chest, but a knight hacked at Midnight’s sides with a longsword and he had to jerk the warhorse away. The blade caught the back of the saddle and split the blanket’s rings in a deep gouge that rattled the animal.
The Cataphract went for his flail and whipped at the returning blade breaking a part off but failing to deflect it fully. A good piece of rugged steel smacked Horus on the chest and all but knocked him off of the saddle. The masked Cataphract hissed and swung at the unprotected enemy horse’s head with a silent apology, the cranium caving in on the right side and a white eye splattering.
Midnight reared on his hind legs trying to get away from the fatally wounded and whining animal, with a cursing Horus going back and forth in the attempt to stay on the saddle. The enemy knight let go of the reins to jump down and Horus moved a protesting with loud neighs Midnight forward again. He managed to shove the man on the ground using the large horse’s body. A snarling Horus let go of the flail next, looping it around the horn and unsheathed his scimitar. He slashed at the knight immediately but a soldier got in the way, a spear catching his armour’s skirt and mauling the flesh on his left hip as it slid over it.
The soldier yanked the spear back with both arms but Horus hacked at his head that had come within range due to momentum. He split the conned helm almost in half, blade wedging in wrapped metal and bone. Rich red blood leaked down the Issir’s stunned face and the Cataphract turned his mount hard right to get away from him. Midnight jumped over a dead horse and got about five meters deeper into the Issir lines –now mostly cavalry- that were engaged with his Cataphracts.
Swords and maces clanged on shields or armour. Warhammers drumming and spears thudding on flesh. Bones shattering and limbs twisting the wrong way. Misshapen pieces of armour or shields clattering down between horses kicking hooves, smiling masks cracked and bloody next to the sculpted Crows smashed helmets.
Horus parried a longsword away, but another man-at-arms rushed him, a horse’s snout biting at his elbow breaking some of its front teeth away. The Cataphract was pushed two meters back, body angling towards the ground but he grabbed at the horn to bring himself back up again. The Issir saw him return on the saddle and cursed but didn’t have the reach so he turned the horse around in a small circle. Horus lost him after that.
He reached for his crossbow realizing the scrap had brought him behind the Issir lines. The opening giving a clearer view of the chaotic battlefield. The width of the frontline to his right (facing south) was fully engaged, hundreds of soldiers and riders duking it out. Maybe more than that. Some of the front had collapsed, dead and injured littering the ground and even parts of the paved road dug out where chariots had ruined it. Many vehicles broken down amidst the ranks of fighting or fleeing combatants.
The Issirs had brought more spear infantry there to plug the gaps and Api-Nofre’s attack had stalled. They had used their riders to stop Horus’ advance, but they had taken huge casualties from the close combat struggle due to the Cataphracts bigger variety in weapons. Maluph had pulled his chariots back and was firing at exposed enemies but given the brouhaha his men weren’t really participating anymore.
A rugged Kera-Raad approached him, as a large part of the newly arrived Crows had been cut down and some Cataphracts managed to come out from their thinning lines like Horus had done. He raised his weapon and fired a bolt into the chest of an approaching Issir, the bolt punching through metal and dropping him. Fired from less than ten meters away it was lethal.
“Regroup!” He yelled to be heard over the pandemonium. “We’ll roll them up towards the woods and then loop around their center!”
Head for their rear next to prevent more reinforcements from forming up.
A grimacing Horus placed the crossbow’s mouth on the saddle and used a steel hook secured on his saddle to pull the bowstring back over the lock that snapped into place. He reached for another bolt next but noticed Kera-Raad pointing with an arm towards the east and twisted that way nervously, the bolt slipping from his fingers.
Reinforcements were already in the field, not even fifty meters away but instead of marching towards them and their friends, they just stood there still like cones. Their lines extending from the forest edges in front of Horus’ all the way to the other side over the road. The Cataphract blinked, the sweat running down his brows making his eyes hurt and raised the mask to better see the tardy Issir reserves.
“I see more infantry marching to the front!” Kera-Raad warned but Horus’ slanted black eyes stared at the mostly standing still bulky soldiers, then at the banners billowing over their square chainmail-covered helms.
Black and grey.
And scores of Crows flying over their heads.
For there were Scaldingport officers with this new group.
Grey and white for the scaled monstrous figure with the crab claws for arms depicted on their banners.
Abrakas’ family tree was a twisted one for it birthed monsters.
Like Phorcys.
Castalor.
The sound of battle subsiding all about him.
A ruse.
The Crows weren’t surprised in the least after all. They had just laid a merciless ambush at plain sight. Casualties be damned.
They are going to fire.
“BACK!” Horus bellowed and slapped his visor shut. “TURN THE MEN AROUND KERA FOR ALL SPIRITS SAKE!”
Neku who had managed at last to approach Lord Mirpur’s son heard the Cataphract Leader's order and grabbed his war horn immediately. He brought it to his tensed mouth and blew at it as hard as he could to order a general retreat.
Half a minute later he was dead.
-
> Desmond Boss, who had an eye on the closely inspecting the events Lord Ruud’s entourage, saw a grim-faced De Braal raising his arm after the Duke’s curt nod and ordered his patiently aiming men to ‘fire whether they had visible targets or not.’
>
> While a controversial moment of the battle, the bolts cut down at least twenty men-at-arms and forty Marines at the most conservative count, the Castalor massive detachment of ranged troops punched the winning the scrap Cataphracts so hard, Mirpur lost almost seventy men in that first volley alone. With half his force wiped out, Horus retreated as fast as he could with Maluph doing the same for a second time. Twenty or thirty meters away the Castalor crossbows second volley caught them again killing another twenty Cataphracts and stopping nine Chariots.
>
> Almost two hundred horses perished at the same time.
>
> Api-Nofre disengaged and galloped after Horus, but Perku’s Lancers who were at the center of the field received a devastating volley from Desmond’s men as every crossbow had turned against them next. Perku was injured on his right leg but stayed on the saddle, whilst forty of his men didn’t.
>
> It was a demoralizing setback.
>
> While Horus had inflicted terrible casualties to Scaldingport’s infantry and riders, the Khan’s South Group couldn’t sustain this level of attrition and a troubled Horus Mirpur knew it. Upon arriving at the Fork Kera-Raad, one of his closest friends, collapsed from the saddle having been struck with five bolts, one lodged at the back of his neck and coming out of his mouth. The Cataphract was dead on the saddle for a while but his horse had brought him back. Midnight, Lord Horus’ favorite mount perished during the retreat and the Cataphract leader himself had been injured seriously when a bolt pierced his back, missing the spleen for a ‘horse’s hair’.
>
> Despite the disaster and his personal injury a resolute Horus quickly worked to galvanize moral and ordered the supply train to return to Castalor. Maluph who had lost seventy percent of his chariots within days was ordered back as well. Horus kept the remaining Cataphracts, less than two hundred, near the fork but hid them inside the woods abandoning the camp. Dumar who had sent runners to be informed of the result was ordered to retreat as well but leave men on the paths to harass the advancing enemy army.
>
> Lord Ruud had allowed De Moss to go after the retreating Horselords and the Viscount used his rangers (around five hundred) for that along with a detachment (about three hundred) of Castalor’s crossbowmen. Their mission was to reach the Fork in the next days and reconnect with Sir Walter’s force that was slowly returning from the bridge at Boar’s Horn. When the Issirs reached the abandoned half-built camp they reported to Lord Ruud smugly that ‘the Horselords are running sire.’ They had discovered horse trails, chariot tracks and signs of many wagons seemingly in full retreat.
-
> The Horselords couldn’t run without the Khan’s order or routed so easily without purpose and they didn’t. An injured Horus Mirpur would remind the Issirs of this nasty fact winning a brutal scrap three days later at the Fork. Not a single crossbowman survived the Cataphracts wrath with the scouts scattering and abandoning them to their fate.
>
> Horus stunning success given his condition and recent disaster earned him the moniker Ermin Suru, translated the ‘Gale of the Steppe’ by his compatriots.
>
> Lord Ruud who was approaching the Fork with the regrouped Scaldingport army, addressed a furious Desmond’s complaints about the Crows ‘vile behavior’ dispassionately but with a touch of his usual flair.
>
> ‘Good grief dear Desmond. Yer boys killed a bunch of me Crows not even half a week ago! Did I make a big fucking deal about it? I didn’t. Just snap out of it and rejoice, we got them cornered at Castalor.’
>
> Which while seemingly acceptable for the Old Crow, wasn’t as pleasant an outcome for the Castalor businessman and general given that his family was inside the besieged city.