The Thick Of It 54.

Winter.

They roll it forward, and though a number of them go down. Shot by arrows and bolts from the defenders up on the south wall of the city of Kuradum.
Others take their place, so by the time they get to the water's edge, there's more than enough of them to keep moving it forward.
Infact there's so many, that momentum gives it a fair chance of going some distance as it's pushed into the water.
Just to the right of where the bridge once stood. The bridge that went to the middle of the three gates in the south wall of the city.
Even in the water, they keep pushing it. Some up to their waists in the water, and others up to their necks.
And though even with the momentum, it soon starts to slow down, and fairly quickly too.
As it does, the inevitable happens. It starts to tip forward, as they were hoping it would.
And once again momentum takes over. And it soon falls forward into the water.
Creating a large splash, and a fairly decent wave. That goes in both directions along the river.
Even before it settles, they're jumping up onto it. Many getting shot as they do so. But that doesn't stop them.
As those on it, help others to climb up onto it. Including those with scaling ladders.
While others, are hurrying along the length of it. Using it as a bridge towards the south wall of the city of Kuradum.
Some tumble off the sides when they're hit by arrows and bolts shot by the defenders up on the top of the wall.
But they doesn't stop the others, as they hurry along it, trying to get to the end of it, and the wall.
Then the inevitable happens again. This time from those who are defending the city of Kuradum.
The front section of it, or to be exact, the top of it. Shatters apart in a violent explosion as it's hit by a blast spell.
Some of them are directly caught up in the spell, and they're torn apart as well.
While others further back along the length of it, are hit by flying pieces of wood.
Which goes through the predominantly leather armour that many of them are wearing.
Even so, others continue to hurry forward along the length of it. And true a good ten foot of it's missing. They're still hoping to use it to help get them to the top of the south wall of the capital city of Kuradum.
Then once again it's hit by another spell. This one a shaft of white light that shoots down out of the clear, blue sky this winter's morning.
The column of white light slams into the base of it, where many of them are attempting to climb up it.
Some carrying scaling ladders as they do so.
They're flung in all directions as the white light from the sky tears apart the base of it.
So a good quarter of the entire length of it from both ends of it is missing now.
Then with less of them on it, infact just a handful of them are still on the length of it.
The current in the river, though fairly docile, is enough to get it moving, slow at first, but it picks up and it starts rolling and tumbling.
With more than a few of them trying to hold onto it as it tumbles along through the river.
Up on the south wall of the city of Kuradum, Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit. Watches an enemy siege tower.
That's missing both the top of it, as well as the base. As it tumbles and rolls down the river.
With some of the enemy soldiers in councilman Hirrye's southern army, holding onto it for dear life.
As the inevitable happens once again. The river has the wrecked siege tower slam into another that's been put into the water.
That the rebel army are attempting to use as a bridge to get to the south wall of the city.
"Fuck that" mutters Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit with a shake of his head as the second enemy siege tower breaks apart when the first one smashes into it.
The hobbit, who hails from the Sultanate of Dreese, which lies on the far east coast of the continent.
Faintly smiles as away to the right here above the middle gates in the city's south wall, a chuckling Dorc da Orc shouts out to the enemy with "Get wet ya fucken cunts!".
As to the large ork, ending up getting wet and in the river. Is a fate worse than death in the opinion of the ork warleader.
To the immediate right of the hobbit, who isn't entirely what he appears to be.
Crouches the newest member of the group. A Kuradian himself, who grew up here in the poor quarter of the capital city.
Zam the ex mercenary, who says "That didn't work out too well for them".
The  teenager from the south side of the city, then nods across the river at enemy army, and adds "Another one coming our way".
The halfling, who is a former air sailor in the fleet of the Sultan of Dreese, nods then says "I see it".
The hobbit, who isn't what he appears to be. He's actually a hordes outrider from the southern tundra, by the name of Zubutai Timaginson.
Who just happens to find himself inhabiting the body of the halfling who is originally from the otherside of the world.
Nods his head in agreement with the newest member of the group. As he first looks away to the east, then to the west, the direction the river is flowing.
Jarjin aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman, who is a member of the personal council to lord Farque.
Sees that though a fair few of the enemy army have taken off to the east.
Going for the bridge about a mile to the east of the capital city of Kuradum.
Most of them are still here to the south of the city, attempting to cross the river, and get to the wall that runs along this side of the city of Kuradum.
Next to councilor Littlefoot, Zam the ex mercenary loudly mutters "Hell". After hearing the loud thrung like sound of the closest trebuchet to them, launching another load.
While at the same time to his left, he hears Lisell Maera the scout say "Fuck".
Jarjin aka Zubutai Timaginson looks directly up above them, and grimaces as he sees a netting full of burning barrels fly overhead.
On a high arc over the south wall of the capital of the city-state of Kuradum.
The halfling who is former air sailor who served in the fleet of the Sultan of Dreese nods his head in agreement with the scout Maera who says "I think that might hit".
And sure enough it does. As the loose netting breaks apart. And the burning barrels of a mix of pitch and naphtha.
Rain down, on and around another of the enemy siege towers that's just been pushed to the water's edge.
Opposite to the middle gates in the south wall of the city of Kuradum.
And though the tower itself catches on fire when a couple of the burning barrels hit it.
Most of the damage is done to those who were pushing the sixty foot tall siege tower.
The hobbit who is a member of the personal council to the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, slightly nods his head when young Zam quietly says "Hell, what a way to go".
As rebel soldiers on fire across the river opposite them. Jump into the water, trying to put the flames out.
All to no avail, as the mix of pitch and naphtha is near impossible to be put out by water.
More than a few of them go running back in the direction they've come from.
Setting others in the following ranks, they come into contact with, on fire too.
As the siege tower goes up with a whoosh, and flames shoot up into the sky from the intense heat.
Many of the enemy who were directly opposite the second of the three gates in the city's south wall.
Decide it's safer to be somewhere else. Even though officers and sergeant at arms yell at them to keep trying to cross the river at this point.
A lot of them take off to the east. Or they'll try their luck elsewhere along the riverbank, where others are trying to cross to the south wall of the capital city.
"Heads down!" calls out a familiar voice to their left, it's Beldane the cleric.
Councilor Littlefoot, who is looking around the side of a crenalation, pulls his head back, and ducks down.
While to his right, at the next crenalation along, Zam the ex mercenary drops down behind it.
While to the left, right next to the halfling former air sailor, Lisell Maera the scout ducks down too.
While to the left of the two of them, at the next crenalation in that direction.
Shur Kee the monk still sits there with his back to it. Sitting there in a meditative state, as he's done pretty much since the battle began just after dawn.
Jarjin aka Zubutai the son of Timagin, along with the Kuradian ex mercenary Zam, and the Brattonburian born scout Lisell.
Look quickly away to their right, as the second catapult along. The one beyond the one that Tamric Drubine the field commander, Dorc da Orc and sir Percavelle Lé Dic are standing near, catches on fire.
Instantly going up in flames as it's hit by some kind of spell cast by one of the enemy practitioners of magic.
The halfling, who has naturally enhanced hearing, clearly hears Saanea the witch, who is further away to the left along the wall, say "There, you've got him".
That's followed by a fairly loud bang, somewhere to the south of the city, that can clearly be heard over the sound of the battle.
Jarjin Littlefoot looks quickly around the side of the crenalation he's behind.
And looking around at the rebel army across on the otherside of the river. He spots a fairly large hole in the ground about two hundred and fifty yards back from the river, that wasn't there just a few moments ago.
A hole about twenty yards wide, with scorch marks in and around it. Along with a number of dead bodies lying in and around it too.
The member of lord Farque's personal council looks away to his left along the top of the wall, as does Lisell and Zam.
Seeing the three of term look his way, Beldane the cleric who is with Saanea the witch, says to them "Got one of their wizards who was hiding".
The hobbit, who is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra, who finds himself inhabiting the halfling named Jarjin Littlefoot, faintly smiles when he hears Zam the ex mercenary dryly mutter under his breath "Glad the cleric's on our side".
Then as soldiers, both those from the city garrison, as well as black clad ones in the army of Farque.
Push and kick burning bits of the destroyed catapult off the back edge of the wall.
Jarjin aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman nods his head in agreement when Tamric Drubine the field commander calls out "Keep an eye out!".
The young noble who hails from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, who is now a senior officer in the armies of Farque follows that with "Even though it looks like they've given up for now, they'll try for this gate again!".
Councilor Littlefoot is definitely in agreement with that. For the middle, or the second of the three gates.
Is the weakest point, along the weakest wall of the city of Kuradum.
And without a doubt, the southern army of the self styled duke of the city-state of Kuradum, councilman Hirrye.
Will definitely try to attack the middle gates in the city's south wall again. Sometime this cold, but sunny and clear winter's morning in this part of the city-state of Kuradum . . . . . .

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