The Castilians: A story of the siege of St Andrews Castle by VEH Masters

Author:VEH Masters [Masters, VEH]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Nydie Books
Published: 2020-11-26T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Whiffle-Whaffle

Will works away clearing rubble but puzzling over what they’re doing.

‘Why do we not wait for our attackers to break through and then pick them off as they emerge? Then we would not have to expend effort digging, and surely it is better than both attackers and defenders meeting underground,’ he whispers to an equally baffled Nydie.

‘It would not,’ sighs Lee who has overheard them. He stops to speak and Will suspects it’s preferable, even for Richard Lee, to stand outside by their rubble pile than inside in the creeping dark, coughing on the soot from the smoking torches and watching a bunch of incompetents.

‘Arran’s intent is not to gain entry; the purpose of a siege tunnel is to undermine the castle defences and that is why we call it a mine. Our attackers will begin at a safe distance from the castle so they cannot be seen or fired upon, which is how we cannot yet be sure they are digging.’

‘How will it cause the castle walls to collapse, unless they mine close beneath the surface?’ Nydie asks.

‘No, that would not be wise – else they would find themselves buried alive if the wall collapsed unexpectedly. Once they believe themselves to be underneath the castle walls they’ll hollow out an area, which is supported by timber props to keep those digging safe, until all is ready. Then explosives will be laid and fires set below each prop and, when the miners are confident the fire has taken hold, they’ll flee out of the mine to safety. The conflagration will cause the tunnel to cave in and, if they’ve done their work well, the defensive wall above the tunnel will tumble down and the besiegers can take the castle.’

Will ponders Lee’s explanation. ‘But …,’ he says and stops as Nydie gives him a nudge.

‘What is unclear for you, young Seton?’ Lee asks rubbing his forehead. ‘Spit it out, for I would not have someone as important as you confused.’

He ignores the slight, for he very much wants to understand. ‘How will us tunnelling out stop them from tunnelling in? We will simply create a route for all to access the castle.’

‘Ah, not such a stupid question. It is down to the skill of the siege engineer, and you are fortunate in having a greatly experienced one before you.’ Lee makes Will a courtly bow. ‘It is vital that we countermine with all possible speed for we must reach them before they are beneath our walls, which means we must go to work – harder and faster. Though I could wish it was not rock we had to dig through, for I do not know how successful we can be,’ he mutters to himself as he turns, swerving to avoid Balnaves who has come to listen.

‘We must remember,’ Balnaves says, his voice booming around the courtyard, ‘that Arran is a whiffle-whaffle. I never saw a man who has so much difficulty in making up his mind; if he agrees with you at dinner, he’ll be agin you by nightfall.

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