“Well?” said Ludwig.
“I have done all I can,” said Herzog. “Once again, I must remind you I am an Earth Mage, not a healer. Now come, let us step outside. I need some fresh air.”
“I will stay,” said Cyn, her voice convincing them there could be no argument.
Ludwig stepped outside. The rain had ceased for now, but the dark clouds promised more on the morrow. He turned to his companion. “I thought Earth Mages were nature experts?”
“Earth Magic is a complex subject,” replied Herzog. “Would you say all warriors can use an axe?”
“No, I suppose not.”
“It's the same way with us. While it's true some Earth Mages tend to the ways of the living world, that is not my calling. Instead, I favour the magic of earth and stone.”
“But doesn’t that limit your magic?”
“My dear fellow, we all face limitations to what we can do. Take yourself, for example. Have you a horse?”
“No,” said Ludwig, “though I had one. Quite a nice one it was too.”
“And while it was in your possession, would you have called yourself an expert at mounted warfare?”
“Possibly, when I first arrived in Torburg, but I have come to realize it's not my strength. I am, it seems, better suited to fight on foot.”
“And so you, in your own way, are realizing you're better working with swords, just as I am more comfortable working stone.”
Ludwig nodded his head. “I see now. I suppose I never honestly thought of magic that way.”
“Have you no mages back home?”
“No, at least none I’m aware of.”
“We are typically found at the courts of kings or princes,” noted Herzog. “Though some, like me, prefer to travel the Petty Kingdoms instead.”
“And do you prosper?” asked Ludwig.
“Not particularly, but at least it allows me to ply my trade.”
18
The Plan
Spring 1095 SR
* * *
Ludwig took a sip of ale and stared across at Linden Herzog. The mage was carefully sipping some wine, but suddenly he put down his goblet.
“I have an idea,” he announced.
“About what?” said Ludwig.
“How we might gain entrance to the keep.”
“I believe you might be a little late in that regard. The baron has already decided to starve the place out.”
Herzog chuckled. “We can’t, don’t you see? The baron has few enough troops as it is. There’s no way he could completely encircle the place.”
“Yet that’s what he intends to do.”
“I have another idea,” said the mage, “and I think it would work too.”
“You must tell me more,” pressed Ludwig. “Is it something to do with your magic?”
“It is, in fact. Of course, I’d need to get close to the wall, and that would require a frontal assault.”
“We tried that. It didn’t work.”
“No, wait. Hear me out. If I can get close enough to the wall, I can use my magic to create a doorway into the courtyard.”
“That doesn’t win us the keep,” said Ludwig.
“True, but if we can get even half a dozen men inside, maybe they can rush the gatehouse and open the doors.”
“And lower the drawbridge, don’t forget that.”
The mage looked at him with an inscrutable gaze. “What do you think? Could half a dozen men take the gatehouse?”
“It might work,” mused Ludwig, “but if you’re going to open up a hole in the wall, wouldn’t it be better to seize the courtyard?”
Herzog smiled. “Yes, I suppose it would, wouldn’t it? That’s a splendid idea. Now, how do we get me to the wall?”
“Under cover of darkness. We’ll send a small group to protect you with shields. How long would it take for your spell to work?”
“The spell itself would weaken the stone in no time, but then I’d have to use my hands to reshape the stone.”
“I assume that’s when you’d be at your most vulnerable?”
“It would indeed.”
Ludwig looked up towards the ceiling, going over things in his head. In answer, Linden leaned forward, craning his neck to see the object of his companion's fascination.
Ludwig’s eyes came back down. “What are you doing?”
“I was going to ask you the same thing. Is there something up there?”
“No, I was just thinking. Sometimes it helps to stare off into the distance to focus my mind.”
“That's a bizarre custom, my friend.”
“What do YOU do to think?”
“Thinking has never been a problem for me,” confided the mage. “To be honest, I have a harder problem trying NOT to think.”
“Why would you not want to think?”
“Sometimes my mind is too active, and then I lie awake at night, unable to sleep.”
“Have you tried ale?” said Ludwig, grinning.
“It doesn’t work.”
“Then maybe you need the warm embrace of a woman?”
“That would be a distraction of another kind,” remarked the mage. “And in any case, this camp has few on offer.”
“Few?” said Ludwig. “More like none, from what I’ve seen.”
“What about Cyn?”
“What about her?”
“Ever thought of trying your luck with her?”
“First of all,” said Ludwig, “she’s a friend, and she’s with Sigwulf. Also, when did this conversation become about me? You’re the one who said you had trouble sleeping?”
“So I did,” said the mage. “I’m sorry, I seem to have gotten us off topic. Let’s go back to my plan, shall we?”
“Good idea.”
“You were in the first assault, weren’t you?”
“I was,” said Ludwig. “What do you want to know?”
“What was the opposition like?”
“Deadly and well-prepared.”
Herzog frowned. “Can you be more specific?”
“What are you looking for?”
“What were their defences like?”
“They had bundles of oil-soaked hay ready to light and toss over the wall.”
“Hmmm,” said the mage. “Leaving no place to hide, I’d warrant.”
“Yes. They were also waiting on the wall and certainly didn’t seem to have a shortage of troops. I did manage to get to the top, you know, but then I was overwhelmed by their soldiers. I only escaped by leaping into the moat, and that’s not something I’d care to do again.”
“Could archers not keep them busy?”
“Perhaps,” said Ludwig, “but we attacked at night. Any daytime attack would leave us vulnerable during the advance, not to mention getting across the moat.”
“You can swim, surely?”
“In armour? I think you underestimate the challenge. You’re the Earth Mage. Couldn’t you fill the moat with dirt?”
“Possibly, but it would take some time.”
“Time,” said Ludwig, “is the one thing we seem to have in abundance.”
Herzog took a sip of wine. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”
“Oh? Why?”
“Magic is a rare gift,” the mage continued. “Its use in battle should be saved for the moment where it can be most effective. Any use of magic to fill in the moat would alert our enemies to my presence.”
“What if it does?”
“Well, for one, you can forget about me getting us through the wall.”
“I’m not sure I follow,” said Ludwig.
“Let me explain. If Lord Wulfram or any of his people have heard of Earth Mages, they’ll know that coming through the wall is a distinct possibility.”
“But your type are rare, aren't they?”
“They are, but we must not underestimate our enemy. Should they get wind I’m present, they might have people watching for just such an attack.”
“So what are you su
ggesting?” said Ludwig.
“Merely that we may only get one chance at this. The objective here should be to make the most of that opportunity.”
“In that case, we have to assault the wall again. Only a direct attack will keep them busy enough to ignore you.”
“You could try using a siege tower,” suggested Herzog. “I hear they’re extremely effective against prepared defences.”
“And how, pray tell, would we get them across the moat?”
The mage frowned. “A valid point, I think. It’s looking more and more like a nighttime attack.”
“I suppose we could try a bluff?”
“What do you mean, a bluff?”
“It’s quite simple, really,” said Ludwig. “We stage a pretend assault against another section of wall. Then, while that attack is underway, we make our way to wherever it is that you can get us through.”
“I like it,” said the Earth Mage. “How many men do you believe you can spare for the diversion?”
“We’d need to send the bulk of our troops,” said Ludwig. “Otherwise they’ll see it as a ruse, and for that, I’ll have to speak with my captain.”
“Do you suppose he’ll be amenable to the idea?”
“He did task me with coming up with a plan.”
“And if he approves?”
“Then he’ll likely have to broach the subject with the baron. After all, it’s Lord Gebhard who hired us.”
“We should go and see him,” said Herzog. “Maybe together we can convince him it’s a good plan.”
“Sounds like a good idea. When would you like to go?”
“How about right now? It’s not as if we’re doing anything else important.”
In answer, Ludwig lifted his goblet, downing the rest of his wine, then nodded towards the door. “All right, then. Let’s go, shall we, before I lose my nerve.”
* * *
Captain Ecke proved highly receptive to the idea, so much so that he insisted they accompany him to visit the baron. Lord Gebhard Stein sat at a table when they entered, pulling apart a roast chicken with his bare hands. He tucked a morsel of meat into his mouth, looking up as his visitors entered.
“What’s this, now?” he asked.
The captain bowed his head. “My lord, we believe we may have found a way in.”
“Another assault?”
“In part,” said Ecke, “but only as a diversion.”
The baron swallowed his food, then wiped his hands on his kerchief. “You have me intrigued. Tell me more.”
“The plan was hatched by Sergeant Ludwig here, with the assistance of your Earth Mage, Linden Herzog.”
Stein frowned. “Oh, it uses magic. I must say that’s a bit disappointing.”
“What does it matter,” said Ecke, “as long as you're victorious?”
“I suppose you have a point. Very well, tell me of this plan.”
“I shall let the sergeant explain.” The captain turned to Ludwig who, caught by surprise, was at a loss for words. Linden, on the other hand, was ready with an explanation.
“As you know, my lord,” the mage began, “I can manipulate stone. It is our intention to get a small group of warriors past the curtain wall. From there, they could seize the gate, or clear the walls, depending on what they find once they’re in.”
“And how, exactly, would you ‘manipulate stone’?”
“I anticipated your request,” said Herzog. “I thought a little demonstration might be in order.” He reached into his shirt, producing a flat stone approximately half his palm in size. “Would you examine this, my lord?” He handed the stone to Lord Gebhard.
The baron held it up but could see nothing of interest.
“You will note,” said the mage, “it's an ordinary stone, unremarkable in any way.”
Stein frowned, but then Herzog took it back and held it before him, uttering strange words. The room seemed to buzz as if a swarm of bees had entered, and then the mage's hands began to glow ever so slightly.
The words ceased, and the mage grasped the stone with both hands, twisting it. To Ludwig’s amazement, it did nothing to resist the effort, moving as if it were made of clay.
His task complete, Herzog held out the stone in one hand. “Would you care to examine it, my lord?”
Stein looked pale. “Hagan?” he called out. “Get in here!”
The door behind him opened, revealing the baron’s son.
“Is something wrong, Father?”
“Take that stone,” the baron ordered.
Hagan, unaware of what had transpired, crossed the room, taking the strange object in hand.
“What do you make of it?” snapped the baron.
“It's a strange rock, to be sure. Where did you find it?”
Linden Herzog merely smiled. With no answer forthcoming, Hagan Stein looked at Ludwig.
“Master Herzog used his magic on it,” he explained.
Hagan smiled. “Remarkable. Tell me, can he do this with any stone?”
“Stone, brick, or mortar,” said Herzog. “The material matters not.”
“Yes,” agreed Ludwig. “You might say it’s immaterial.”
Herzog let out a laugh, then looked at Ludwig. “I must say that was quite clever.”
The baron was not at all amused. Instead, he was turning red, a sure sign he was upset.
Ludwig cleared his throat. “You can see, my lord, how easily Master Herzog can manipulate stone. This same technique can be used to get through Regnitz's walls.”
The tactic worked, and the baron's attention returned to the task at hand. “And how many men can you get inside?”
“That largely depends on how many are on the other side,” said the mage. “I can open up a man-sized breach, but the first people through must secure the other side.”
“I estimate a dozen,” said Ludwig, “maybe a few more, then the defenders will realize what’s happened. Of course, we could increase our chances by a diversion.”
“What sort of diversion?”
“Another attack against a wall.”
Stein frowned. Ludwig couldn’t help but notice it reinforced the wrinkles on the man's face, leading him to conclude it was a common occurrence.
“The first assault cost us dearly,” said Stein. “And you want to repeat that fiasco?”
Ludwig was incensed, for it was the Grim Defenders who had taken the losses, while the baron’s men had been left unscathed. He wanted to argue the point, but realized a more diplomatic approach was needed here.
“The attack is a ruse,” he finally said, “and as such, it's only being staged to attract attention. The plan would call for an advance on the western wall, but to halt shy of actually scaling it.”
“And this would give you enough time to get inside?”
“It should,” said Ludwig.
“I’m afraid that would be difficult. The weather is turning, and the clouds will smother the moonlight.”
“Then we attack during the day,” said Ludwig.
“But won't they see us coming?”
“That’s precisely what we want, my lord.”
Hagan interrupted. “But won’t they see your group getting into position?”
“No,” said Ludwig. “We’d already be in place by the time the sun comes up.”
“Yes,” agreed Herzog. “But the diversion must begin at first light. We need to keep them occupied.”
Stein turned to his son. “What do you think?”
“It’s a courageous plan,” said Hagan, looking at Ludwig. “Are you sure your men are up to it?”
“He is,” added Captain Ecke, “as am I. We have a chance to bring this conflict to an end, my lord.”
“We’ll try it," said the baron. "Who knows, if it works on the curtain wall, we might be able to use it on the inner keep as well.”
“We shan’t disappoint you,” promised Ludwig.
Captain Ecke led them from the room. He paused as they closed the door behind them. “Asse
mble your team,” he said, “and choose wisely. We won’t get a second chance at this.”
* * *
Ludwig poked his head inside the tent. “How's he doing?”
Cyn looked up, wearing a glazed expression. “His fever still rages.”
“It will likely take some time for the warriors moss to work,” offered Linden Herzog. “Is he conscious?”
“Not at the moment, but his ramblings are becoming less chaotic.”
“A good sign. It means his mind is still working.”
Ludwig crawled into the cramped confines of the tent. “Go and get some sleep, Cyn. You’ll be no good to Sig in your current condition.”
“My place is here!”
“No, you need to be strong for him. You can’t do that when you haven’t slept. Besides, when was the last time you ate?”
“I can’t remember.”
“Go,” Ludwig commanded. “At least get some food into you. I’ll sit with Sigwulf.”
He noticed the hesitation in her face. “GO!”
“Come,” said Herzog, “let’s get you fed.” He reached out, taking her hand and leading her away like a small child.
Ludwig made himself as comfortable as he could in the tiny space. He looked down at his friend. Sigwulf lay still, his breath rasping, and Ludwig reached out, feeling the clamminess of the skin.
“Come on, Sig,” he said. “You’ve got to pull through. We’re all counting on you.”
He sat for a while, and then he found his thoughts drifting to matters divine. Did the Saints truly watch over them? Ludwig had never considered himself a religious man, but now, facing death in the form of his dear friend lying before him, he had to wonder. He considered praying, but to whom? If anyone had asked him before this, he might have prayed to Saint Cunar, but he was the patron saint of warriors, not the sick. To whom, then, should he pray for the life of his comrade who lay dying?
A gentle breeze swept through the tent, bringing the fresh scent of grass. It reminded him of home, and he was suddenly struck by the image of Prior Yannick sitting at the dinner table at Verfeld. Was this a sign?
He took Sigwulf’s hand, cold as it was, and placed it between his own. Closing his eyes, he said a silent prayer to Saint Mathew. It felt as if time stood still. Ludwig had no idea how long he sat thus, but then Sigwulf shifted, breaking his concentration.
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