Westrons Pt. 11

- "Satisfied?" asked Tallia.

- "For now." I said.

Langoret was right; the tactics I'd introduced had been proved a success. Now, though, we had a chance at something even better. If Berandot and Vis answered our call, we could inflict a serious defeat on the enemy.

If they didn't, our two regiments would take heavy casualties, and we would probably have to abandon our guns.

But I intended to make the Crolians pay a heavy price while I could. And I had one more ace up my sleeve.

On the enemy side of the field, there was a slight rise which would be irresistible to gunners and artillery officers. I was betting heavily that they would position their heavy guns there.

Because a little further south, some 250 yards away, was a rocky outcropping, with a sprinkling of stunted pine trees. Langoret's 1st company were there.

The Crolians arrived in force, and they put on quite a show. Six regiments - four of them new, marched towards us. Oshide had very sharp eyes, and was busily calling out uniform colours and distinctive lapels or shoulder patches to Tallia, who wrote them all down.

Behind them came a mass of artillery. Most of the Crolians were about to find out that they couldn't quite see our ranks; they were going to be firing blind, or aiming for the roof of the barn.

The heaviest guns went to the little rise, just as I'd hoped.

Langoret's riflewomen opened fire, with immediate effect. They inflicted considerable losses on the ox-teams and drivers, the gun crews and the officers. The Crolians tried bravely to set up a gun, and fire back, but they finally had to give up the attempt.

A regiment of infantry was sent to drive these annoying sharpshooters away; they discovered that there was no easy way to climb the rocky outcrop.

Meanwhile, the rest of their artillery opened fire. Most of our troops were farther back than they knew. Cannonballs did strike the houses, and the barn took several direct hits. We suffered casualties.

Several soldiers were wounded by flying splinters, something I hadn't expected. But most were protected by the stone walls.

After a lengthy barrage, the Crolian infantry began to form ranks, preparing to advance.

That was when Tallia caught my sleeve. The runners I'd sent to Berandot were back.

- "They aren't coming, Colonel." said a dark-haired trooper. She looked disconsolate.

I bit back a curse. Swearing my head off wasn't going to help anything. "What did Berandot say - exactly? Can you remember?"

- "She read the message. Then she called her Colonels - Avette and Seriba. She told them what the note said. Then she said that she would continue to obey General Vis' orders, until instructed otherwise."

My heart sank a bit. I don't know if I'd really expected Berandot to come, but I must have been holding out some hope, because the messenger's report felt like a kick in the balls.

- "That's all?"

- "That's it, Colonel."

- "You made good time ... Aylen, is it?" (I have a good memory for names)

- "Thank you, Sir."

- "Stay nearby, will you, Aylen? I may need you again."

I immediately told Langoret.

- "Not good."

- "No."

- "My regiment could cover your retreat." she suggested.

- "When it's time, we'll retreat together." I said.

We couldn't withdraw now - not with five enemy regiments advancing on us. They couldn't run as fast as Westrons, but to retreat now would mean abandoning our wounded.

I remembered what I'd seen at the bastion outside Tonol. I wasn't about to leave my soldiers behind, to be raped, or ... eaten ... not if I could help it.

When the Crolians crested the hill, they immediately came under fire. It wasn't a concentrated volley, but there were muskets firing from the woods, on their flanks. There were also troopers firing from the loop-holed buildings.

The enemy continued to come forward - what else could they do? They flowed between and around the houses, and around the barn.

The doorways of the houses had been barricaded: a couple of Crolian musket butts had no impact on them whatsoever - especially when the men closest to the doorway were immediately shot down.

The Crolians who swept around both sides of the barn got the biggest surprise: our artillery opened fire at 200 yards' range - with canister. They went down like ninepins.

That first attack faltered, because the Crolians hadn't been prepared for what they had to face. They tumbled back down the slope, pursued by our skirmishers.

- "Amazing." said Trooper Aylen, behind me.

- "Tallia - ammunition for the barn." I called out.

- "On the way."

- "Major Chardeia - put three of the 3-pounders to the right of the barn."

No, it wasn't an AFOTA TacSim. I knew that. People were dying out there. People that I liked, and cared about.

But if I handled this correctly, fewer of them would die. And their sacrifice would mean something, if I could turn this into a significant victory.

Langoret appeared at my elbow.

- "They've done well." she said.

- "They certainly have."

- "Time to go?" She didn't look afraid. It was a fair question.

- "Not yet."

- "Are you sure?" said Langoret.

- "General Vis may be moving. Berandot may come."

- "She said that she would not."

- "That was yesterday. They must have heard the guns, later that afternoon." I reminded my colleague of Napoleon's maxim: march to the sound of the guns. If Berandot did that, she'd be late, but we could still win.

Langoret gave me a long look.

- "Alright." she said. "I trust you."

The second Crolian attack was no more successful than the first. Our troopers almost welcomed it, because the enemy artillery stopped firing as their soldiers climbed the hill.

They hadn't brought any special tools with them; they still could only hammer on barricaded doorways with musket butts. When they pushed past the buildings, they met massed artillery fire and concentrated volleys.

There was a long bombardment, thereafter. The Crolians were withdrawing three of the regiments who'd attacked us; their losses had been heavy.

Hours passed, as the Crolians brought up more ammunition for their artillery, and moved fresh regiments into the front line. I moved 6th Company out of the barn, and let 9th Company take their place. Major Chardeia asked if she could command them.

- "That's a good idea." I let her go.

The next attack was led by fresh, enthusiastic troops - and it failed again, as they ran into point-blank artillery fire where they didn't expect it.

Langoret came to consult with me again.

- "We're running a bit low on ammunition." she said.

- "I can send you some." said Tallia.

The next attack was the most serious.

Some of the Crolian troopers had brought along stacks of dry brush, which they piled outside the door of the houses, and then tried to set alight. They took appalling losses doing so, but once some of the buildings were on fire, a few of our troops panicked, and tried to sortie.

They emerged into the midst of enemy regiments, and were immediately engaged at close quarters. Bayonet work, hand to hand - that was not to our advantage.

The enemy also seemed to have learned from their previous experience. A dozen or so Crolians emerged from behind the barn, and ran towards our main line.

Our artillery belched fire, and those attackers disappeared.

But their sacrifice had been deliberate. The moment our guns had fired, a mass of Crolians appeared, and charged us in a mob.

There were several hundred of them - not quite a full regiment. But I didn't have nearly so many soldiers to hand. 1st Company were sharpshooting, 9th were in the barn, 7th were in the woods ...

- "Tallia - get back. Captain Faregil!" I called.

- "Here!"

- "2nd Company to counterattack - on my command."

I heard the trio of 3-pounders fire. Then the two companies nearest us fired a volley. The enemy charge seemed to stagger, for a moment - then they came on, and at twenty paces, they fired a devastating volley of their own.

My first instinct was to look for Tallia. I couldn't see her. Then Oshide sprang at me, and shoved me with both her arms.

I was falling, looking back at her, when I saw the spurt of blood and shattered bone from the side of her head. She stumbled, and fell.

Faregil didn't wait for my order. She launched her elite company at precisely the right moment.

The Crolians weren't expecting a countercharge - not after their close-range volley. Faregil smashed into them, with almost 100 of the best troopers in Aneli's regiment.

Oshide was dead. I knew it right away. I leapt to my feet, and drew my sword. Half of 6th Company rallied to me. Faregil and the 2nd had gone to the right of the barn.

I went left, and gathered the 5th and 8th. With some 200 bayonets, I led a charge around the left flank.

The barn was on fire; Major Chardeia and the 9th had sortied, and were fighting hand to hand. There were still women inside, still shooting, to judge by the musket flashes at the loopholes.

We hit the enemy from a direction they hadn't anticipated.

It was like the fight at Vanova's hotel bar all over again. I was outnumbered, but I had position and surprise on my side. They just didn't have the space to re-deploy, to take advantage of their numbers.

We overran the first group we encountered, quite easily. The second bunch fired a few shots, and then broke and ran.

The next enemies we encountered had their backs to us - they were more concerned with 2nd Company's counterattack.

I fired my pistol at one, and slashed at another, taking most of his forearm off. Tallia wasn't there, to reload my pistols (as Themis had done at Tonol) - but Yehla was beside me, and she was as enraged by Oshide's death as I was.

Aylen, the messenger, came up on my left, and shot a Crolian. Then she took a bayonet in the guts, and went down. I slashed her attacker across the face.

They were running.

- "Sound the recall!" I ordered.

There were still masses of enemies down below; we couldn't afford to mix it up with them.

- "Sir!" Yehla was pointing, to the north.

Fresh troops, coming down the road.

Ours?

- "Avette's regiment!" shouted Yehla.

- "Find me Major Chardeia. And Faregil!"

Chardeia was dead, but Faregil was fine.

- "Take your company. Open order. Pursue and harass. Keep going until you meet solid resistance. I'll send you support as soon as I can." Faregil was a solid officer; she knew what I wanted her to do.

Our soldiers were brave - but they weren't suicidal. Most of them knew better than to charge after the Crolians with an unloaded musket. They'd also had a year and more to absorb my teaching, and their training held.

I was able to re-form half a dozen companies in a matter of minutes. Two of them I sent after Faregil, to join in harassing the retreating enemy.

Langoret was re-organizing her regiment when I found her. The two of us could see the Crolians streaming away. Many of them, it seemed, weren't stopping to rally.

- "What next?" she asked. "Back to open order?"

- "Yes. Pursue and harass." I said. "Avette's regiment is coming. We'll use the 3-pounders to break up formations."

- "I can handle that." she said. "You should go to meet Colonel Avette. You don't want to trust this to a messenger."

That made sense. I took Yehla, and half a dozen troopers. Tallia looked like she wanted to come, but I sent her back to collect whatever ammunition we had left, and move it forward.

The rifles were still cracking, firing from the woods, and the 2nd were shooting at any Crolians who didn't run fast enough.

Avette's regiment came marching up to the crossroads.

I'd met the Colonel before; we'd been introduced, and then attended several command conferences together. But as a junior member of Berandot's brigade, I hadn't paid her much attention at the time. It was hard to notice other people when the imperious, charismatic Berandot was in the tent.

Avette had copper-coloured hair, pale blue eyes, and small mouth. Her olive complexion made for an unusual contrast; for some reason, she made me think of a Renaissance painting.

I didn't stand on ceremony.

- "We're very glad to see you and yours, Colonel!"

- "I apologize, Colonel Cook." she said, very formally. She spoke slowly, carefully, and enunciated every word. "We should have left at once, but I hesitated far too long."

"Colonel Seriba and I were ordered not to march towards you. I regret that I wasted so much time before realizing that this command was dishonourable as well as unmilitary."

Avette was an Inhaber; she owned her regiment outright. Still, disobeying a superior officer's order was a serious matter.

- "You arrival presents us with an excellent opportunity." I said. I wanted to shake my head - this was the first time I'd ever spoken to Avette, and I was already sounding just like her.

- "Consider my regiment a part of your brigade. I will accept your orders."

- "That's ... a very noble gesture." I said. On impulse, I bowed to her.

- "No more than my conscience demands." she said, proudly. But she curtsied to me in return.

I filled her in on the situation as we directed her troops to the battlefield. Even though they hadn't been trained in open order fighting, they were relatively fresh, and could tackle smaller enemy formations while my skirmishers flowed around and past them.

The Crolians were in full withdrawal. Five or six regiments were retreating from two. Well, three now. We had to keep them off balance.

Langoret had most of our brigade on their way down the slope from Limset. I sent more messengers, to General Vis, and to Berandot, just for the hell of it.

The pursuit from Limset had a sort of unreal quality to it. We were pushing a force twice our size. The rifles kept picking off officers, or the oxen pulling artillery or supply wagons.

The skirmishers fired at any target that presented itself. And when we ran into large groups that looked like they might be on the verge of rallying, my soldiers concentrated on them, and then Avette's regiment advanced on them.

Only one group stayed for more than one volley.

And that encounter was enormously significant. Several colourfully-dressed officers were trying to gather more troops around them. Two were picked off by sharpshooters, and another was wounded.

Several men immediately clustered around the stricken officer, as if shielding him with their bodies. Hello, I thought - who's this?

Avette's troopers fired a volley into them. While the survivors fled, Faregil's 2nd company overran the remnants of the little group.

We didn't know it, but we'd just won the war.

***

- "You should see this prisoner, Sir." said Faregil.

The Crolian officer had the typical heavy jaw and beady eyes of his people, but he was rather short, and a bit chubby. His uniform was bright red, and loaded down with so much gold braid that I wasn't surprised he'd chosen to surrender rather than run.

He'd been hit in the hand, and seemed to have lost a finger. He was grimacing with the pain.

- "This is Colonel Cook, Commander of Aneli's regiment." said Faregil.

- "You're ... not a Westron?" said the chubby Crolian.

- "Pylosian." I said.

- "And male?" He didn't seem sure whether that made matters better or worse. He clumsily detached his sword and scabbard from his belt. Then he awkwardly turned it around - almost dropping it in the process - before presenting it to me, hilt first.

"I offer you my sword." he said.

- "I accept your surrender." I answered. "You ... fought bravely. Ah ...?"

- "I am Crown Prince Ellem Anry of Crolia."

***

The fat little bugger we'd captured was the heir to the Crolian throne.

I had no way of knowing if his removal from the field had any immediate effect, but the Crolian army continued to come apart at the seams.

As it turned out, the war was over, even if the Battle of Limset was still going on.

It was much like a snowball rolling downhill. As the Crolians withdrew, their retreat picked up speed. Regiments which hadn't even been involved in the fighting were swept away along with the beaten.

We pursued them for the rest of that day. Avette's regiment joined in, of course, but her greatest contribution might have been sending three companies back to her supply train, at a run, to bring back extra ammunition for Langoret and me.

The rifles ran out of bullets long before dark.

The Crolian infantry fled as fast as they could: that meant abandoning ox-teams and artillery, supply wagons, tents ... there were oxen everywhere. That was one of my most vivid memories of the aftermath of the battle.

***

Our troops were exhausted. Avette volunteered two of her companies to act as pickets.

I was too keyed up to sleep. The magnitude of our victory was enormous. If I was right, the capture of the Crown Prince, even without the destruction of his army, meant that the war was effectively over.

Oshide was dead. My tantalizing, clever bodyguard, who'd already been looking forward to her next hemmer. Major Chardeia, as well, and probably far too many of our soldiers.

Tallia tried to stay awake with me, but she was worn out, too. I let her sleep.

In the early hours of the morning, Langoret found me. She came to stand beside me, but remained silent for a while, which I was grateful for.

*****