Winter.
"That's more of them going" quietly says commander Tracklen from his position towards the eastern end of the south wall of the city of Kuradum.
"Heading for the bridge no doubt" adds the commander of the army loyal to the ruling council of Kuradum.
Towards this end of the wall, the attacks by the enemy have been pretty much nonexistent of late.
As most of the action is towards the middle of the south wall of the capital city.
Definitely to the west of the first bridge that was destroyed earlier in the morning.
For the last little bit, the loyalist army commander has been watching a number of the enemy moving off.
Heading east, to the bridge about a mile away from the city. As more of the rebels attempt to cross the river that runs along the south side of the city.
The commander in the army still loyal to the ruling council of the city-state of Kuradum, spots more of the enemy breaking off their attack upon this side of the city, and is just about to mention this to his assistant.
When the adjunctant Morris says to him "Another runner coming this way".
The more junior of the two officers continues with "Another one of their's".
Referring to the mercenary army from the lands Farque that has been hired by the ruling council in their war against the self styled duke of Kuradum, councilman Hirrye.
Tracklen, the senior most officer in the loyalist army looks away to the right along the top of the wall.
And he spots the young black clad mercenary soldier hurrying along the top of the wall in this direction.
"Commander Tracklen" says the messenger in the armies of Farque when he gets to the two loyalist army officers.
"Field commander Drubine says you're to go to the east wall as planned" continues the runner in the scouts and rangers division of the armies of Farque.
"Very well" says commander Tracklen who was expecting that order, though it's a little earlier than he expected.
"We'll be off immediately" adds the senior most officer in the army loyal to the ruling council of the city-state of Kuradum.
The young teenager in the light black armour and uniform, nods then turns, and heads back along the top of the wall in the direction he came from.
"Let's go" says commander Tracklen to the adjunctant Morris, and the two of them set off in the other direction.
And make their way to the east wall of the capital city of Kuradum.
There's no guardhouse or tower where the south wall of the city meets the east wall.
And true, there's a large platform where the two walls meet. As if a guardhouse would normally be on city walls like this.
Not here, where the south and east walls of the city of Kuradum meet. Even though two sets of steps make their way up to the stone platform.
One along the south wall, and the other along the inside of the east wall of the capital city.
"Two of you archers with us" orders commander Tracklen as he and his adjunctant hurry across the wide platform to the east wall of the city.
Then the loyalist army commander, who has a quick look at the growing number of enemy soldiers who have made their way around to the east side of the city.
Calls out as he hurries along the top of the east wall of the capital city "Target their archers and crossbowmen!".
There's only a small number of defenders upon this wall of the city, but quite a lot of them are either archers or crossbowmen.
And commander Tracklen who has seen that the enemy don't have any battering rams as yet on this side of the city.
Or very little in the way of scaling ladders, he's only seen two so far. And no way can they get any of their siege towers across the bridge to the east of the city, as it's too narrow for them to cross without difficulty.
So the main threat for now, are the enemy with bows and crossbows.
The commander in the army loyal to the ruling council of the city-state of Kuradum.
Has one of the archers take position about twenty five yards from where the east and south walls connect.
And the other about another twenty five yards further along the top of the east wall from the first.
While he and his adjunctant continue along the top of the city's east wall, in the direction of the gates.
Moving along the top of the east wall is easy, as there's few defenders on it.
And the commander and his adjunctant are soon above the set of gates in the east wall of the capital city of Kuradum.
The gates aren't in the middle or center of the wall. They're definitely in the half closest to the south wall of the city.
And commander Tracklen who picks up one of the crossbows leaning against the parapet, and the quiver next to it.
Sees that the majority of the enemy who have made it around to this side of the city.
Are either at the gates, or are back from it. Though roughly in line with it.
After the loyalist army commander loads the crossbow, and once again calls out the order to shoot at the enemy crossbowmen and archers.
He nods his head, and says "Yeah i noticed that too".
In response to his adjunctant, say "Those mercs of their's are standing back letting the rebel soldiers attack for the moment".
As there's at least one fairly large mercenary company who have made it around to this side of the city.
Who are standing back, a good seventy to eighty yards from the wall.
While local enemy soldiers, are predominantly those at the base of the wall, and at the gates in the east wall of the city of Kuradum.
The loyalist army commander, rests the crossbow upon the crenalation he and his adjunctant are behind, and he takes aim.
While next to him, Morris who has put an arrow to his bow, draws the weapon back.
The commander and the adjunctant must of been going for the same target.
A crossbow bolt slams into the side of an enemy soldier, standing next to an enemy archer about thirty yards back from the east wall of the city.
While the archer is dropped, when an arrow slams into his gut, going through his leather armour fairly easily.
"Close sir" says the adjunctant Morris with a slight grin upon his face as he takes another arrow from his quiver.
Commander Tracklen sourly smiles, for though he's absolutely useless with a bow. He's an okay shot with a crossbow.
Though not an expert of any kind, he's just glad he got that shot as close to his intended target as he did.
After the adjunctant Morris lets another arrow fly from his bow, which takes an enemy crossbowmen in the side of the neck. Definitely a fatal shot.
The loyalist army commander says to his adjunctant, who is a subaltern in the Kuradian army loyal to the ruling council of the city-state of Kuradum "Come along Morris".
The senior of the two officers points over to a few of the defenders who are directly above the middle of the gates on this side of the city.
There's no small catapults on top of the east wall of the capital city.
And there's just two trebuchets on this side of the city to help protect it.
And though those massive war machines are manned by engineers in the mercenary army from the lands Farque.
Not so the top of the east wall of the city of Kuradum, as it's predominantly loyalist local soldiers who are on top of this particular wall. As well as a number of city guardsmen.
The two officers join the trio of local soldiers, who are lifting up a basket full of rocks.
One of many scattered along the top of the east wall of the capital city of Kuradum.
They lift it up to the lower gap between two of the crenalations, here above the gates.
And tip the contents of the large basket off the top of the city's east wall.
Sharp, jagged rocks, predominantly off cuts and pieces from the road making process.
Rain down upon the enemy gathered infront of the gates here in the east wall of the city of Kuradum.
Dropping a number of the rebel soldiers, wounding some, a few quite badly, and killing a number of others who weren't wearing helms.
"Hold off from doing that again" orders commander Tracklen, who then looks at the gathering enemy on this side of the city.
He looks to the southeast, in the direction of the bridge that's about a mile to the east of the city.
"Save it for that" says the loyalist army commander, who points to the bridge.
There the enemy are using a number of horses and riders to bring over a battering ram.
Commander Tracklen points again, this time, closer to the city, as he adds "And that".
The senior most officer in the army loyal to the ruling council of the city-state of Kuradum.
Has just pointed to some of the enemy carrying a scaling ladder towards the city.
They should be here fairly shortly, as they're only about a quarter of a mile from the east wall of the city of Kuradum.
On this cold, but sunny and clear winter's day in this part of the city-state.
The trio of soldiers in the loyalist army nod to their commander that they will.
Then one takes up his crossbow again, and reloads it. While the other two wait for the enemy scaling ladder to get here.
The senior officer and his adjunctant step out of the way, and move a bit to the left of the trio of soldiers, here above the set of gates, here on the city's east wall.
As the adjunctant Morris takes an arrow from his quiver, and puts it to his bow.
Commander Tracklen looks along the top of the wall. And though he's seen it a number of times before the battle commenced first thing this morning.
It's reassuring to look at them again. As what's up here, might very well help stop the enemy's attempt to take the capital city of Kuradum.
Along with crossbows, bundles of spears, as well as polearms. Placed along the top of the wall, more or less evenly spaced out.
There's also a large number of baskets full of rocks and stones to drop down upon the enemy.
As well as barrels full of pitch, and even a number of barrels of naphtha. Though not too many of them.
And there's covered firepots every so often, behind the crenalations. Away from the barrels of naphtha.
All these things outnumber the defenders upon the top of the east wall of the capital city of Kuradum.
The loyalist army commander sees a couple of the defenders who are not in his army.
They're black clad soldiers in the mercenary army from the lands Farque.
One's a spotter, and the other is a signalman, who has just given a number of signals as he looks into the city.
Commander Tracklen, along with his adjunctant Morris, who has just let the arrow to his bow fly.
Taking an enemy crossbowman in the leg, the right thigh to be exact.
Look back into the city, and they see the nearest trebuchet. Well they see the top of it.
As it's behind one of the houses, across the street, behind part of the east wall of the city of Kuradum.
The trebuchet must of already been loaded. As from the time the signalman signaled to the trebuchet crew.
It's just mere moments, before the massive war machine, sends it's load flying.
Up and over the house it's behind, and up and over the east wall of the city, not to mention over the loyalist army commander, his adjunctant, and the other defenders along this section of the wall.
They watch the load, a loose netting full of large rocks, and big bits of broken masonry.
They watch as the netting breaks apart in flight, and scatter it's load down upon the enemy.
To be exact, those rebels nearly five hundred yards away, carrying a scaling ladder towards the east wall of the capital of the city-state of Kuradum.
"Shot" says the adjunctant Morris as they watch the enemy drop to the ground, killing a number of them instantly. Badly wounding others.
As well as shattering apart the scaling ladder they were intending to use on this side of the city. Hoping to gain the top of the wall.
Which isn't going to happen now. Well not those rebels, and that particular scaling ladder.
"They're going to need more soldiers" says the adjunctant Morris, who follows that with "And ladders".
The loyalist army commander nods in agreement, then he points, then says "There you go".
The more junior of the two officers in the army to the loyal to the ruling council to the city-state of Kuradum.
Grunts when he sees what his commander has just pointed to.
The enemy carrying the battering ram have made it across the bridge to the east, and are now heading back this way.
While more of them have reached the bridge, and those rebels are carrying a couple of scaling ladders to help them gain the top of the city's east wall.
"Well, things are going to get interesting along this side of the city fairly soon" says the adjunctant Morris.
"As lord Farque planned" quietly says commander Tracklen of the loyalist army.
And though he wasn't told all of the plans to defend the city of Kuradum against the enemy.
The local army commander does know far more than the ruling council of the city-state.
And he, along with his adjunctant are expecting this build up by the enemy, and attack upon the east wall.
Just as the lord and ruler of the lands Farque has planned it to go. On what's been a cold, but sunny winter's morning so far . . . . . .
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