Paladin - the path north volume one

Chapter 14

Sah'rah stood beside the ranging stone and watched on as the defenders of the castle hastily threw out caltrops and pitch, ready for the impending attack. A moment later and a barrage of large stone swept several defenders from the walls and destroying many of the traps they'd thrown out. She looked back to see the catapults reloading once more. The Huufain, Kikkan, and Veska had already arrived, she only now waited on Tar'vid and the Jakken.

"You know I'd come with you," Sah'eca said unhappily.

She'd been forbidden from joining the attack, her size would make her too tempting a target being the reason given, Sah'eca's impeccable ability to record history and skill with numbers the real reasoning.

"I know, but we all have our orders."

Sah'eca sighed. "Why do you have to lead the attack? Surely Tar'mon should do it."

"Would you really have Tar'mon lead an attack?" she replied, looking back to Kendral's walls.

Even with the rubble ramp, it would be a huge ask to take the fortress on the first attack. She began to hear drums in the distance, the familiar noise announcing the arrival of the Jakken. There seemed then to be the first signs of panic from the walls as shields were seen making a solid wall along the ramparts.

"Do they fear the Jakken?" she asked aloud.

"Perhaps... but then again, there's now four tribes and the Paladin army against them now," Sah'eca ventured, after all the Jakken didn't seem that much fiercer from the others she thought.

Sah'rah left Tar'mon to greet Tar'vid and the Jakken, going instead to find Feyer, the chieftain of the Veska. Sah'eca followed her, still feeling dejected at being left out of the attack.

"Ah! Sah'rah, welcome to my humble abode," cried out the tall chieftain of the Veska, the massive woman's height closer to Sah'eca's than her own, a disfiguring scar marring what should have been a beautiful face.

"My thanks Feyer, are your warriors prepared?" she asked politely, though she knew the Veska warriors were more prepared than any others.

"My women are, the men are shitting themselves. Puny like my husbands!" she laughed, slapping one of her guards on the back, probably one of her husbands from the humiliated look on his face.

"I'm an inch taller than you woman," he muttered before she punched him playfully on the shoulder.

"Don't you worry tiny Paladin, the Veska will show up all others. Especially the Jakken, I sent my most puny daughter as an envoy, I expect that weakling chieftain will want to marry her too!" she laughed again.

"Who will have the honour of leading the charge?" Feyer asked, her face suddenly deadly serious.

"Lead the charge?" Sah'rah repeated confused.

"Aye, lead the charge. I want the honour of being first to break the walls!" she declared, Sah'rah hadn't thought about such things, simply believing they'd all go together.

"If you want the honour, it's yours I guess."

Feyer grinned broadly, standing slowly and letting out a great cry of victory. Her warriors joining in as the noise echoed throughout the camp.

A short time later Tar'vid appeared with his Jakken warriors and Ludvan of the Huufain with his warriors, the chieftain had a long dark beard and a wiry frame, though his wicked looking axe belied his true strength.

"From the racket, you're making, I can only assume you have the vanguard," Ludvan said irritably, obviously feeling slighted.

"Aye, that I have you cur. The glory of the day will be mine, for the Veska!" she shouted in triumph, a roar rising from her warriors.