The Last Thane (dw-1) by Douglas Niles

Author:Douglas Niles [Niles, Douglas]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: sf_fantasy

*****

"How is your ammunition holding out?" Belicia had located Fortus Silkseller on the rampart over the southern stairway and now she shouted over the din of howling dark dwarves. Just below them-despite having suffered hundreds of casualties-the Daergar still pressed against Farran's shield wall. In several hours of battle the doughty Hylar had given up no more than six or eight steps on the wide stairway.

"We've used half our arrows," replied the grim merchant. "A while ago I told 'em to start taking their time, to make each shot count."

"It looks like they paid attention."

Looking over the mass of bodies sprawled across the dockside below, Belicia saw that many of the dark dwarves had been felled by the missiles sent down by the Hylar archers. Just below the wall several ladders lay scattered and broken, and the dead Daergar bristled with so many arrows that they looked like pincushions.

"They thought they could bypass the stairs," Fortus said with a loud spit, followed by a hearty chuckle. "Wanted to take us by surprise with a sudden rush and a few ladders. Guess we made 'em think otherwise."

"Good job," Belicia said. She pointed toward the center of the line where a dozen or so Daergar carried on with an attack that seemed to finally be losing some of its relentless ferocity. "Good timing, too."

Farran shouted hoarsely, and his shield wall pressed forward. In a few seconds they had regained all the steps they had lost since the attack began. Fortus laughed with real pleasure, and Belicia nodded in satisfaction. "It seems like the attack on the stairs is starting to slacken a little bit."

"About time." Despite his gruff manner, the merchant-turned-warrior looked immensely pleased. "What about the other three sides?"

"Every one of them has held. It seems like none of them got hit as hard as you did here. We're all grateful. I know you've paid the price."

"Your boy there… Farran…" Fortus cleared his throat, "he's doing a yeoman's job, by Reorx. I was in the Lance War you know, and I've never seen a shield wall hold against such a press. The fellow looks young, but I'm here to tell you that he fights like a seasoned veteran."

"Yes… he does well," Belicia replied softly, her eyes misting at the memory of her young sergeant mere weeks earlier, stumbling over each foot as he was among the rawest of recruits. "I guess war has a way of maturing you quickly." A thought jarred her, as she recalled one of the hundreds of reports she had received today. "Is there any word on your friend?"

"Hoist Backwrench, you mean?"

"Yes. I know he was standing in the forefront of the shield wall. I heard he went down in the fight. How does he fare?"

"He'll live," Fortus said, trying unsuccessfully to contain his emotions. "I don't think they'll be able to save his eyes, though."

"I'm sorry." Belicia said no more, but she was touched by the obvious depth of the grizzled dwarf's feeling, and by the heavy toll this day was taking on the brave Hylar all along the waterfront.

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