01 Warlord by Anthony Litton

Author:Anthony Litton [Litton, Anthony]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Endeavour Press
Published: 2013-12-06T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

“Mohammed! Watch your back!” Mohammed whirled round at Daoud's shout, just as the scimitar was slashing down to slice into his skull. His own sword desperately deflecting the blade, Mohammed lunged forward, his dagger flashing out and across, ripping open his assailant's stomach, leaving the man screaming, while desperately trying to hold in his entrails. But Mohammed's left flank was left dangerously exposed and another assailant, his sword already running with blood, lunged forward, aiming to plunge it deep into the young warrior's side. Only a rapid side-step, saved him; even so, the weapon slashed savagely and deeply across his stomach.

Daoud cursed the idiot who'd panicked and rushed up to Mohammed with news of Zahirah's plight. Should they survive, he vowed he'd have the man flogged. Such a distraction, at such a time, could kill a man; the messenger's act was made even worse by it being unnecessary.

“Don't worry, my friend,” he gasped, breathing heavily, as he fought to get near Mohammed. “She's near and the Lady Firyal has already sent vessels to her aid.” Anticipating Mohammed's urgent question, he added, “Some, a few only, from the forts and more from Suleiman Ilahi, the merchant.”

Mohammed's nodded, huge relief giving way to anger at the danger to his wife and children. His fury made him oblivious to his wound and carried him forward, nearer, yet nearer, to the gates. Whilst his and Daoud's men, desperately fended off the attackers, yet more poured in from outside. These pushed even more desperately to get inside as they saw the opening momentum of the huge gates first start to slow, and then almost stop. Those already inside, seeing their plan in danger of collapsing, and themselves being cut off from reinforcements, turned with even more savagery on the still small defending force.

Men fell all around both Mohammed and Daoud, but, slowly, their two forces won through right back to the gates themselves. There, combining their strength with the few defenders still holding out near to the huge double structure, they pushed desperately against the heavy wooden surfaces. Taking quick advantage of a sudden lessening of the pressure from the attackers, they slowly, very slowly, began to force them back. At the same time, the rest of their men, reinforced by others running to their aid from the town, held off those opponents inside. These grew ever more desperate as they saw their attack was at risk of failing with the gates closing, slowly, but very surely. They then faced the horror of the dawning realisation that, with the gates closed, they themselves would be isolated and trapped inside the town – and in the power of its vengeful inhabitants.

*

Zahirah paced the deck of the ghanjah, feeling more powerless than she'd ever felt since the very earliest days following her arrival in Narash. Outwardly impassive, inwardly she raged as she paced the deck, watching the boatloads of warriors race to the dockside; their short journey made against the raw sounds of guns firing and men screaming.

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