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Hardinian had an ill name. When Chaldin raised his revolt, Coerl held in Hardinian, his capital, until it was clear the local people were rather on the side of the rebels. He withdrew to the tiny village of Fwil Don and was given the time he needed for the reorganization of his forces by the fact that Chaldin’s men, against orders, paused to loot and burn the city. This act turned many against Chaldin, which he felt sorely at the final battle by Jarth Cliff.
But although Hardinian was rebuilt, and indeed regained much of its old glory, Coerl declared Don to be his new capital, and its name became, through popular use, the City of Coerl.
-History of Asbaln
Horagon
The garrison within Hardinian was little more than five hundred, but the force to the south numbered almost three thousand. Another three thousand had gone northward to meet Phedron, so Conel could expect little help from him immediately. Phedron must almost certainly withdraw back into his hills, being outnumbered by about two to one, and Conel must retreat as well. The force to the south was, by all reports, expected to be at Hardinian within three days.
“How,” asked Rorick, “did the two thousand Hygerians between Phedron’s Hold and Hardinian become upwards of six thousand?”
“Perhaps someone miscounted.” replied Conel, “But the question we must ask is this: Do we attack Hardinian or retreat?”
“I would ordinarily say retreat,” said Rorick thoughtfully.
“Except,” interrupted Conel, “that if we go up the main road, we finish by being caught between two forces, each of which outnumbers us greatly, and if we go up the old track, they will be striking at our rear-guard all the way, while they can easily send word to the other force to cut off our retreat.”
“My thoughts precisely,” said Rorick. “It seems there is one choice; we must take Hardinian and hold it until Phedron can relieve us. I would say it will be fairly certain when the word goes out that we have captured the city, the Hygerians will most certainly gather against us, leaving Phedron with an almost free hand in the north.”
“Two thousand of us against six thousand? You believe it is possible?”
“I believe we can make it possible. Look, we have driven them from across the Mountains so swiftly that they are still surprised. We have come over the Mountains ourselves by a pass they knew nothing of. We are now in the midst of the territory they still hold, and that fact will make them think and wonder what our plan is. That in itself may give us a day or two.”
“A message must go to Phedron at once, then, informing him of what we intend, and what we wish him to do.”
“Of course.”
“And one more thing. Do we take this city before the army to the south of us comes up? Beating on the walls with our fists will not suffice.”
“No, that is true. Let us speak to the Old One; he produced the ideas of the stone-throwing engines, and perhaps he will have an idea here. Perhaps I ought to have brought back some of that stuff from the pass, the liquid which melts away rock.”
When the Old One heard what the problem was, he said, “I think perhaps an engine larger than those we have already built would suffice, if there are any weak points in the walls of the city. Gather some work-crews if you will, and I will take a few of my colleagues to see to the rest.”
By evening, the new catapult was ready. It was enormous, and it was powered by a giant box at the end of the throwing beam which, when it was to be set up, would be filled with rocks and earth. The throwing arm, when this box was hoisted into the air, would lie on the ground, where a large rock was loaded onto it. The loaded box was let fall, and swung the throwing arm up to where it contacted a cross-beam, and released its missile.
The weight of that missile and its range depended mostly on the weight of material in the box. It was a matter of finding the strongest wood, then making the machine strong enough to throw heavy rocks a long distance, but not so strong as to beat itself to pieces in the first few casts.
The Old One took Rorick and Conel out in order to show them where it should attack the wall. “It cannot be seen from here, unaided, but if you mark that patch where the stonework is a little paler? In that area, the wall is badly cracked inside. It has nothing to do with the colour, save it will make a decent aiming point for the catapults. I would be more happy if we had time and materials to produce two or more catapults for this task, but even for one, we shall find ourselves hauling large stones from quite a distance before we are done. I have taken the authority to set men and horses to hauling up such stones already.”
“What sort of gap do you expect to make?” asked Rorick.
The Old One shrugged. “Milord, I could throw two dice, add the numbers on their faces, and be as close as would be by any method. It depends on so many things. How long will we have to work? What weight of stones will we find? How many times will we find ourselves deceived by the weight of a stone so it goes too far or too short and does not hit the proper place?
“Let us say that, with good fortune, we will make a gap of fifty feet. With less luck, we may have only five feet. Does that help you?”
Conel chuckled. “So, Old One, we have shown we do not know your business any better than you know ours. We will trust you, then. Will you have a gap of any sort by midmorning tomorrow?”
“If the Powers smile, we will have a fair by then. You will not want too large a breach, since you be defending the city yourself for some days.”
“That is true. When you have achieved this task for us, you must put your mind to methods whereby we can lessen the effect of the breach once we are inside.”
“As to that, have already given some thought to the matter, and will consider it even more. We shall have answers for you.”
It was evening, and around several hundred campfires the men of Asbaln ate, rested, gossiped, and sang. and Conel stood with the Old One near the large catapult, watching as several men strained at the winch which hauled the throwing-arm of the catapult downward. At the same time, some others were manhandling a huge rock toward it.
Then, when the sling at the end of the arm was spread on the ground, the rock was levered onto it, and everyone stood back. A man heaved on a light line attached to the hook and eye mechanism which held the arm down, and it came free. The arm blurred as it whipped upward, and a moment later, they saw where the stone struck on the edge of the light patch. The men cheered and prepared for another shot.
The Old One looked at the Prince and the Guardian. “We have begun. We can continue at this the whole night, end expect to have some results by morning.”
“In the darkness?”
“Our stones are generally of a similar weight, so they will, for the most part, strike in the same general area. So long as we keep the machine in its position, we need not fear missing the general area. And it may serve to keep the Hygerians awake and alert all night, to the detriment of their battle-skill tomorrow.”
They continued to discuss this and other matters, and suddenly the catapult launched its second stone. This one struck just a few feet above the previous one. “There is no sign of damage,” said Conel, “only a few chips of stone and a handful of dust.”
“It is too soon to hope for visible results. Come again at dawn, and we can mere you happier.”
Later, as the Prince and the Guardian strolled away, Rorick said, “I will take the warriors through the gap to open the gate.”
Conel shook his head. “Not this time, my friend. Your Warriors opened the gates of Orden, and those of Avantir. Shall a King hold back while others risk all danger to give him back his kingdom? I will take two hundred men through the gap, and do you have others ready to come through front? The gate is opened.”
“So shall it be, then. A good night to you, Conel, and we shall meet in the morning.” Rorick walked away to find Beran.
Beran was with the armourer, seeing to the patching of his war-shirt There the rings had worn dangerously smooth. “Beran, the Prince will lead the attack into the city tomorrow. Find Artir and see to it that ten good men are sent along to stay beside him at all times. We can afford to lose battle, but we cannot afford to lose the Prince.”
“I would send Dolon to lead them. He is among the best of our young ones, and I have marked him to take my place when the time comes.”
Smiling, Rorick shook his head. “I fear this task is not for us, Beran. Conel is too likely to recognize any of the Warriors, and I fear what his pride might lead him to if he felt that he were being guarded as a child.”
Beran nodded. “It shall be done, Milord.”
As Rorick walked away, he heard a song coming from one of the many campfires, a song which brought to him thoughts and memories of Carill Don.
“The blackbird sings on the broken branch,
The Wind of the night is chill;
I rest alone, but for my sword, Alone on the side of the hill.
Thumill’s famed rings, were they mine to give,
I would give, with Andrythn’s stone,
Or catch the moon with silver cords To be with my love, alone.”