Clash Of Empires (The Eskkar Saga) by Barone Sam

Author:Barone, Sam [Barone, Sam]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: Eskkar Enterprises
Published: 2013-10-13T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 26

The next day, just before midafternoon, a weary Eskkar slid down from his horse, and this time even he could not avoid a sigh of relief. Days of arduous riding had worn him down. Once he would have shrugged off the effort, but as each year passed, Eskkar had to struggle ever harder to maintain his stamina. He knew the time had already passed for campaigns such as these. But war made no provision for the old or the young, or those whose bones ached from incessant traveling.

Awake well before dawn, he’d left Alexar and the infantry behind and started for the Pass with just his twenty Hawk Clan guards. It had taken most of the day to cover the thirty miles over the hilly slopes that led deeper into the Dellen Pass and reach Muta’s position, despite using an extra horse.

Eskkar turned over A-tuku and the other nearly exhausted horse to his guards. At least A-tuku remained fresh. Eskkar had ridden the second mount most of the way, wanting to keep the powerful bay as rested as possible. If there were going to be any fighting on horseback, he wanted to be on his best warhorse. Eskkar had time for one quick glance around before Muta and Drakis strode over to join him.

“Any sign of the Elamites?”

Muta laughed. “Oh, yes, Captain. Late yesterday afternoon about five hundred of their cavalry came down the trail. I swear, you could see the shock on their faces. They had no idea anyone would be in the Pass, waiting for them.”

“For awhile I thought they were going to attack us,” Drakis said, “but they hesitated when they saw our numbers. We even killed a few fools who rode too close to our line.”

If the Elamites had been surprised, then Trella’s spies had spread their false information well, Eskkar decided. “If they were the vanguard, then the rest of their army isn’t far behind. Alexar and the infantry won’t be here until midday tomorrow, with the rest of the men straggling in after that. The damned rain slowed everyone down.”

“I think we have time, Captain.” Muta grinned at Eskkar’s questioning look. “We captured one of their scouts. His horse took an arrow and he knocked himself unconscious when he went down.”

At this stage of the campaign, even the lowliest captured enemy soldier could provide plenty of valuable and up to date details about the Elamite army. Trella’s agents had gleaned much information about Lord Modran’s forces, but now Eskkar would have a current source of news. Eskkar nodded approval.

“Have you questioned him yet?”

“Not really. We roughed him up a bit,” Muta said, “just to find out how far away their army was. He says his cavalry troop was about twenty-five miles ahead of their main column. So even if they pick up the pace, they won’t be here before noon tomorrow, at least not in force. The Elamite army travels slowly, it seems. Still, Captain, you’ll want to talk to him. He did say it’s the largest army he’d ever seen.

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