"You can read a million books on how to conduct a siege and also how to repel one. Mighty tomes on forgotten sieges, text that tell how they succeeded, and also failed. But then, the first time it happens to you, all that knowledge suddenly becomes pointless as you lack either the materials, equipment or skill to pull it off. Instead of a perfectly cut and clean plan as the books always show you realize the truth of all the sieges in history: that they were not usually well planned but more a last minute effort by one side or the other after realizing they could not gain an easy victory, a wild eyed event with frayed hair being pulled out in a deadly contest of wills to see who could out last whom."
-Warlord-

Asha sat nervously between her husband and Nuru, both of whom were staring so far into the distance despite there being nowhere to look that it made her stomach clench even harder. Looking back and forth between the two as they waited for Tendaji and Sefu to return she fidgeted constantly, fingers working back and forth against each other while her tail twitched now and then before tugging in tighter. Verik had been truthful that his path would bring immense danger but this was not the same, it was more than just some small tribal conflict or an act of war. Something bigger was happening that had nothing to do with either Verik's plans or Tendaji's desire to protect the village.

"What happen now?" Asha patted Verik on his leg, the lump in her stomach having worked its way up and into her throat as the stress became too much to bear.

"I dont know, my plans are unchanged but I wont allow Tendaji to send you out into the fields anymore. Not now. All I can tell you is that I intend to keep you out of harms way, that is the reason why I brought you back with me."

"Yes but... No want Sibi to be caught in field, know that plants need care still and not want her there if they come. When come."

Verik glanced at Asha who was still twiddling her fingers, ears flat and staring at the burned out fire pit. "Sibi works in the fields, as do you. I can force an exception for you quite easily but the work that is about to take place requires strong backs and that rules out a mare who has a very young ba- Foal, to care for while she works."

"Death is coming Asha, it can not be stopped in any way unless I had a tank, which I dont. People are going to die soon be it this week or the next, whenever it happens, it will happen. Blood is going to flow off the hill of Wete and I dont want to upset you but... You need to accept that. We cant run from this, maybe friends will die, maybe not, I dont know. But you, you I can try to save above all others because I can."

"Look at it this way, following my own plans... Well, someone would come after me or you anyway. Consider this "practice" for the future."

"Not going anywhere, not want to be in field when they come but... Not want others to be there either no?"

"Practice, practice, practice. Besides, I know you have a warning system for calling in the workers so that will help, and another thing." Asha stared at him as he smiled. "Your smart enough to know to stay out of the fields because you know the danger but still care for those being stuck with probably the most dangerous job of all right now. You have a good heart Asha, dont let anyone say otherwise."

Verik pulled her over quickly and patted her shoulder. "No, but it is still true."

Tendaji walked into the hut quickly and raising an eyebrow at Ashas' presence shook his head quickly and beckoned his entourage inside. "Everyone here now? Good, need good plan if survive this... What you call it? Siege? Yes, siege. But why Asha here?"

Nuru thumped her staff quickly. "She stay and help Subira and me, she dream to. Need many to help bandage wounds and this one helpful, learn things quick."

Asha looked at Verik quickly who nodded. "Yes... Stay with Nuru and help wounded."

"You sacrifice parts of village?!" One of the work crew leaders began arguing with Tendaji almost immediately until he was quieted with a loud shout from the chief.

"Yes, we not able to defend all, so we protect parts instead, move all inside safe place."

"Lets go for a walk then shall we?" Verik stood and did not wait on them as he walked from the hut.

Passing through the village and to the edge of the first wall that had been completed they stopped and stared out over the irrigation canal and fields before finally at the distant wall of scrub trees. Everyone was quiet as they soaked in the immensity of the problems they had in defending so much with so little, but as they stared Sefu pointed.

"They come from south and that way. You want wall of earth, it needed here on roads first." He turned towards the river. "That side of village very steep, make it too hard to climb if build even small wall so it no as important. These sides had gentle slope, easy to attack. South easiest, west next. North rough but enemy still able."

"Alright." Verik looked at the south road. "So that gets sealed up first, but do we leave the bridge or make them fight across it before swimming the canal?"

Jelani shook her head quickly. "No, too far to run... Maybe if they not so many, yes. But if come in large number it suicide."

"Fair enough... We need those bricks though, we need them placed all along this wall here at chest height, no less. Preferably higher. Close to the edge but not on the edge, if they climb the wall or use ladders it will make it much easier to stab them off."

"Towers." Everyone stopped and looked at Verik a moment as he pointed. "Towers? We can build up great heaps of earth and-"

"We know what towers is." Jelani let out an insulted huff. "No long timber though."

"No, but I have an idea about that, we dont need lumber just earth and those worn out baskets. If they are going to charge the road anyway because its easier then why not put up some towers on the edges of these walls so the few archers we have can shoot down on them?"

"Maybe work... But..." Jelani walked to the edge and looked both direction before scowling. "Not good view, need good view. Even above shooting down not good if not able to shoot at them from side. Shooting from side is best and hill not provide good place for that, need very, very tall tower."

"Lets walk and find some places for them if we have time, maybe include them in the second line of defence instead? Tendaji? We could use some fast runners to act as the enemy, see it from their perspective and ours."

Tendaji shrugged and send a local back to gather involuntary volunteers. "We put up walls and make very strong it make very hard to get those in field back. Still need way in and out of village for water, which they no allow us to have. You want big walls but already forget water, no water, we no last but few days then die. No wells here, all outside and low."

"He has a point captain." Altayih pointed to the north west and at the dots that were wells. "But... We now have all those extra pots yes? We can store water."

"No, no..." Tendaji shook his head. "Water not keep long, pot open, no seal. Dirt, bug, bad things get in water, make very sick. Have only few that can be sealed."

"How much cloth does the village have? Perchance you could convince your fellow villagers to... Part with it? Enough to cover the containers."

Tendaji gave Altayih an iffy look. "Have yes but most already gone... Wete not produce cloth things, what have is torn, very bad but maybe work. Still not save water."

"Boil it to kill the bacteria." They stared at Verik oddly as Tendaji quirked his head.

"We stock up on wood before they come, we need stakes anyway for the palisade so the twiddly bits that get lopped off can be used for fires."

"Disperse it in the huts then, everyone is required to keep a supply for boiling water only we do it communally. Nuru would be perfect for it, she is handling the injured and when the "balms" she has run out we will need to boil the bandages and so on anyway."

"Ever seen a wound fester?" Some nodded. "Despite being covered up? Good, that is why you boil the bandages and change them often, Nuru will probably be able to just "cure" the injured at first but as things get worse that will end, besides... I dont think she is going to just waste whatever supplies she has on minor injuries."

"No, I not." Nuru shook her head. "Last time Wete have many injury from raid I make them go home and wash. Say they not have bad enough hurt to make it worth it."

"No, for the water. I had an idea, does Wete have alcohol? Strong alcohol, not beer."

"Well that rules out that one... Alright, near as we know from Nuru they dont care about the granaries, I think?" Nuru shrugged. "Great, okay... Well Tendaji was right about getting stuck in the fields. We cant just seal everything up. We need to leave a few holes to get in and out of the village."

"That make walls weak, we no have gates but..." Tendaji hummed. "Raft, make raft into gate?"

"Good for this road then." Sefu pointed to the west road. "Many, many workers run up hill if they come in daylight and too fast. Need big hole to allow many in, raft side hole allow many to run in. We lift and slide into place, dig pit in road though, so bottom fit into ground, enemy no drag it away. Behind, we lock in place with two... Three logs. Not much, but enough to hold. Take out bridges we make to, that make for gate on south? No have gate on north or east though, just walls."

"One gate should do. So discourage them from attacking anywhere there are no gaps and pray they focus on "breaching" the gate in order to get inside?" Verik waited as Sefu nodded. "Alright, that might work... It would mean they will inevitably throw their focus on the gate though."

"First..." Tendaji pointed to the far hill. "You, take workers and bring all bricks here. Make big piles, here and there... You two, move dirt, use old basket, anything that work still and have teams begin making dirt wall, pile high, very high. Sefu show you where, rest go find wood, need lots." Verik watched the others leave but Tendaji waited until they were gone before looking at him. "And you, explain more."

"That danger to us as keep working, if they come in day some maybe panic and fall into pits."

"Not like the workers will not be warned. We need to cover as much of the open ground as possible with them, best would be to put them on the road leading in if we have the time and forewarning, but I doubt it. I also suggest putting some pits on that hill over yonder..."

"If we hold out from the initial attack I have a sneaking suspicion whoever is leading them will stand on that there hill and stare at us, its a high point. Maybe we can get lucky and they will fall into the pit and solve the problem for us but I doubt it, the pits are only about..." Verik motioned to Shahid's lower leg. "Just enough to let that bit fall in and get stabbed."

Nuru nodded "True, but how we stop selves from falling in? Many still live beyond wall you want."

"They will have to move here for now, abandon everything but this inner area as we work. The sooner the better to as they will have a chance to get settled while we work rather than it be a last minute shock."

"Be big shock soon when they find out what we doing." Shahid grunted. "Panic make this harder."

Tendaji shook his head. "If panic and run, less we have to protect. Ones who run not help anyway, sneak away first chance."

"And when they return once its all over?" Verik stared at the chieftain who stared back blank faced.

"They no help defend, run away and abandon to die? They no come back, Zuberi make list and they punish harshly then make leave."

"Well we agree on that then. Tar! We need tar. That should come next to last though."

"Yes but how much will be enough? We need water more than the tar but the tar will be an excellent deterrent."

Tendaji looked at Jelani and both shrugged. "Not know... Want to coat part of south road? Few jars, make many trip though but be enough."

"Well its not just that, I also want smaller, sealed jars to throw at them. A fireball will chase them off for a time but once it burns off they will come back and we need a new, nasty surprise for them, one we can make appear anywhere. We will have to see which is the most practical though as we work."

"Maybe we leave open top?" Shahid waited a moment. "Make easier to set fire, fill with tar-"

Verik piped up. "And a little chopped dry grass, it will help make the supply stretch a little."

"Dry grass, tar, leave top open and use torch to light then throw? Want it shatter and make tar stick to them yes? Then it no matter if top sealed."

"Yes but if you make "towers" then they throw from there? Not have many anyway so be careful, take time. Not have proper things and tools anyway so why worry about what not have? So long as it work then who care if not perfect?"

"Just dont spill any on yourself... Right. Your right, we need jars, lots of them."

"Broken ones to!" Altayih was smiling. "You have a significant little pile of broken jars in your village garbage pile, some of the bigger ones if thrown would make rather good bludgeons. Fill the bottom with a little tar, no fire mind you! But just to help... Spread it around? Even without a fire once they have seen the first few lot burn they will be more interested in running than figuring out why they are not burning. Well... Unless we have someone throw a torch at them."

"Granted captain, chief... That such would also be next to last as storing those half broken jars would be... Near impossible."

"Need more arrows." Jelani sat on the edge of the wall and stared out. "No enough arrow, some bow, but no enough arrow..."

Tendaji stared at her a moment before looking at the brush forest. "Take all who make arrow with you, collect all you can. Put in empty granary and let store, collect shaft and stone first, we make arrow later. Have enough for now, but no enough for later. Collect much flint, need it make more spear in hurry."

Jelani jumped to her hooves again and left quickly leaving an ever shrinking group on the wall, as they stared out Verik tried desperately to remember everything he had ever read about sieges but it was for naught. Everything required tools they did not have, time, skills, engineers, resources and labor that was drying up rather quickly. There was still so much more that could be done but their lack of tools was severely limiting their efforts before it had even begun. Wete had never in its history tried to withstand a siege and this was entirely new to them, but despite that some were already grasping the concepts rather quickly.

Asha stared at the huts before pointing. "Some huts become part of wall yes? Yes. Then what happen if they climb over hut?"

Everyone stopped a moment to look at her before glancing at the huts that ran along the road, Sefu was still visible as he walked his group along showing where the wall was to be built and sure enough huts would soon become part of the defensive line.

"In forest there bushes with big, big thorn, tree with sharp spines? Use them? Put on roof, weave into roof. They climb on roof and get stabbed. Maybe someone in hut with spear? Stab through roof?"

Altayih shrugged. "They will probably just set your huts on fire... Though I suspect at first it will be a most deep and unpleasant surprise for our uninvited guests."

Asha shook her head. "They burn hut, they burn. Then no climb on roof. No roof to climb on."

"If they try and chisel a hole in it will take time and if we have watchers they will be seen. I have an idea, what if we have the wood storage placed along the inside wall that faces out? If they decide to get sneaky they have to move a brush pile first? No... Bad idea, it will mask their efforts and they will just burn it to make a bigger breach... We will just have to keep a few moving from hut to hut checking at all times. Spikes! That will work along the road..."

"No, sharp spikes aiming out, so if they climb up they get stabbed, also those sharp thorn bushes Asha mentioned would be perfect, we dont need to build everything we need, just scavenge it and incorporate it into the wall."

"I know more about how they are supposed to fight than you and most likely Sefu, Altayih, Shahid, Raswan and Jelani are the only ones besides myself who have any idea how it works. It would be better to have them remain under the command of those who know than put them back into your tribalistic warfare routine."

"No. Sefu know how best they be placed, you outsider, not Wete, maybe give you few but not all."

"It is for the better if they stay as one or two large groups and not be dispersed, they are trained to fight as a cohesive unit and not stragglers!"

"Your brother already told me that over time your little "tribal training program" has more or less given instruction to no less than half the village to varying degrees. You are in no way without sentries or able bodies to hold the wall even if all they are armed with is sticks and stones. The power of what they have been taught resides in their ability to move together and take down a target as a whole! The enemy will most likely not attempt to just overwhelm everything from all sides but focus their might on just a few locations. Any sane military commander will focus everything on one or two key points and just hammer it to death until they break through, that is where your newly formed unit will stop them. By being there as a whole and if need be advancing at the same time while slamming into them with all the force they can bring to bear and shove them back. If you are worried about not having advanced warning just look around you, we can see for several miles in the direction from which they will be coming. Even if they came in the night the walls will slow them down drastically, assuming we have the time to put them up... Nuru?"

Nuru shook her head. "Not know, maybe they come tomorrow, maybe not... Maybe in weeks? Dream not clear, only know they come."

"We are only buying time anyway, whatever is coming wants US dead and will not back down. All the more reason to focus what little power we have rather than scatter it to the winds, we dont have enough to man the entire proposed wall anyway, that's impossible. Instead we need to keep an eye on them and then when they pop their heads up bring it all to bear and keep them out."

Tendaji stared at Verik with a cold judging stare before looking at both Jelani and Nuru, the first stared ahead without comment but Nuru shrugged before walking off.

Tendaji gave a quick nod and the conversation drifted off to other topics including a suggestion of digging as deep a pit as possible directly in front of the earthen wall to give it added height. Shahid then suggested lining that to with sharp objects and as things drifted on the plan slowly but steadily became more solid as the work teams began their laborious task of shifting earth and moon for a first in their tribal history for a unique purpose: fortifying the hill and holding out against a besieging army.

Tasid was unceremoniously hauled along the pier dressed in tattered rags before being dumped in front of the ships galley master who stared at his bloodied and bruised form blankly. Giving a nod to the guards he waited until they were gone before snapping his fingers at Tasid and pointing with his cane to the waiting ship. Two soldiers yanked Tasid upright quickly and once he was aboard they waited as the galley master walked down the length before stopping near one of the oars, after he tapped it with his cane they quickly hauled him over and chained him to his new position before leaving to carry on with their other duties. Sighing and shaking his head the stallion gave Tasid a solid thump on his back with the cane.

"Dont know who ye' are or who ye' pissed off but your my problem now till we reach Iuny, where you are gettin' off. That one in front of yah will show yer shaggy hide the proper way to row, match 'is pace and strokes or I will belt you with my cane. You get fed twice a day, watered thrice. If you have to piss or shit hold it in, you get one a day in the morning and evening but after that suck it up. Now, if you have a little "accident" then its ten lashings while tied to the mast. Oh, and... The captain and myself were told that if you failed to row we were to tie those two big rocks up there , see em? To your legs and dump you off the side. Questions?"

Looking up from his hunched position, the agony of his long, torturous night still thundering through his frayed nerves Tasid stared at the two large rocks. They were already prepared with strong ropes that would hold him fast and were beyond any ability to reasonably chew or cut through before first drowning. Nodding quietly he felt the cane touch to his poorly back again.

"Good. We be pushing off soon as the cargo is on, should be at Iuny in about a week if the wind holds, but slave, once we leave the Thriti and turn south it will be hard rowing against the current." He patted him on the head with the cane before walking away. "Should be fun to see how them dainty hands of yours hold out."

Staring blankly ahead Tasid stared at the slave ahead of him who began explaining how to row properly. Unsatisfied with his quiet demeanor the slave turned around and slapped him over the head.

The instructions drolled on and mimicking the motions of the galley slave Tasid obeyed quietly while screaming inside. "I only have to survive, survive and run- No, cant run! Have to make myself irreplaceable, important, useful! He is going to kill me, I saw it, have to make myself important somehow... How?"

Letting out a small yelp as the slave smacked him again Tasid glared and began imagining all the ways he could make them suffer but the shackles around his wrist were a constant reminder of where he now sat in the world.

"Revenge... Yes! Not against Fareed, against that bitch from Labrad... No, cant touch her, that is impossible, what about the other? No, he took her away, sold her... I will find another, many more..."

Tasid looked up quickly and realized the ship had begun moving, some of the crew had already cast off the mooring rope and using long poles were helping ease the ship at a snails pace into the river. Time ticked by slowly as they slipped further into the river and gripping his oar Tasid waited, there was no point arguing or resisting, it was over. Survival is all that mattered and at this moment that meant keeping his head down and doing as Fareed had ordered him to do: row for his life.

Following the motion of the slave in front of him Tasid heaved the nightmarishly heavy oar out its hole and tried to hold it level but his strength was not up to it. The other slaves had no issues holding them almost perfectly level and as he sat hunched over the oar with all his weight thrown against it the galley master walked past and shook his head.

Anger burning but tongue held he waited as the commands continued and with sloppy movements began rowing. It only took a few strokes before his back and muscles were screaming but he tried to focus, the alternative still sitting in a pile not far away, waiting.

A crack rang out and the blow made his vision blurr heavily as the galley master walked past him.

Nawra watched as a ship slowly rowed away from its distant berth before looking back to Fareed who stared after it with no small degree of satisfaction and hostility.

"Princess Nawra, I hope the punishment that has been meted out is proof of my sincerity."

"My offer stands if you would but stay a day or two, I shall make it worth your while. This has been a most grievous incident and I sincerely hope it will not tarnish the good image of my kingdom."

"The reputation of your kingdom is not for a moment in question, you have proven that beyond doubt great lord."

The look Fareed gave her would appear blank to any except a few who were trained in such matters but Nawra could see a dangerous glare hidden in his eyes. "Then all is as it should be, but again I make the offer-"

Nawra bowed quickly. "My great sultan, you flatter me with your offers but I must unfortunately decline them as my yatche is not as grand nor glamorous as your own. There is but only so much space."

"As you wish princess Nawra, you have my leave then and I wish you a smooth voyage home." Fareed snapped his fingers and then stared at the colt Nawra had chosen. "You are now the sole property of princess Nawra, do you understand?" Aaarabisk nodded quickly. "Good. Princess Nawra, farewell and my regards to your family."

Smiling at Fareed she motioned the colt onto the boat before bowing again. "Thank you sultan Fareed. Captain? It is time for us to return home."

Walking onto her yacht Nawra took her position under the canopy and sat down on the cushions prepared by Pijasiros. Watching the crew go about their tasks quickly as they pushed off and into the river she held her breath as Fareed continued to watch her from the pier, but when he suddenly turned away and walked back towards his palace she let her breath out and calmed down.

"What luck that fool speaks aloud, had it not been for him I would have to suffer several more days of this madness! Whatever Fareed was planning matters not now, the other two are gone and..." Nawra looked at Aaarabisk as he stood to one side staring off into space, she felt nothing but pity for the colt. "And this one is now safe, but I can not keep him, not after what Fareed did to him... No, he will be given to the orphanage and with any luck they will make him a colt again and not a... Sex toy. How could anyone do this to a foal?"

"A drink princess? To celebrate your escape from his clutches?" Pijasiros held a tray and stood by her side.

"Yes, but not in celebration, not until we have left this cursed place behind us."

"That will do." Nawra accepted a glass from Pijasiros, it was worth quite a sum with its decorations and the profit from selling it would feed a family well for a time. Sipping from it she watched Fareed disappear from sight before smiling a little. "At least one of them is safe and will no longer be tortured." Staring at the colt for a moment Nawra began to think of home again.

"I wonder how many times my brother has tried to dethrone me while I have been gone, and how many more before I have even taken it..."

Zebrican Warlord

by Arelak

Chapter 77: Defence Plans