Chapter Five: Siege of Ardenafast

Arendafast was a fort by every sense of the word its intimidating Curtin walls towered over the surrounding grasslands the towers at the center of the keep soared above the walls threatening to piece the heavens themselves. A second smaller wooden wall surrounded the first stone wall as another improvised barricaded to keep out their would be conquerors. The camp below the fortress was abuzz with activity as the camp followers and conscripted men rushed to set up the camp before nightfall. On the only hill tall enough to get a decent view of the whole keep stood Prince August heir to the throne of Orpheus. The victor of the fording of Elliesburgh River and the massacre at plain Arendawood opening. Flanked by the hulking Sir Adonis of Bexly also know as the beast of Orpheus, Sir Nikolas the newly anointed knight who the nobles have taken to calling Sir Nikolas the novice and lastly Lord Simon Drake the lord of Mansfield county a likable and competent noble.

"So my good people. What are your thoughts." I spoke first not taking my eyes off of the castle.

"It will be a tough nut to crack that's for sure." It was Nikolas Adamos the tone in his voice made him seem excited for the trouble to come.

"Agreed." The deep and dry voice of Adonis kept his sentence as short as always.

"I do have to agree with Sir Nikolas. Unless the garrison turns out to be a measly dozen or so we may very well get bogged down here in a long siege." Lord Simon was logical in his views. It was a good thing but also stunted his creativity.

I turned to Simon "Lord Simon gather whatever engineers we have and start the construction of trebuchets, siege ramps, and mantlets for cover. I need them done as soon as possible so offer bonus's for teams that finish fast." Simon nodded and road off on his horse.

"Nikolas take a detachment of calvary to the nearby villages and gather extra food supplies. Make sure you offer them a fair market value for any food do not take any if they do not wish to give it. Adonis I want you to pick out the calvary that will go with him send around fifty and make sure they are all honorable. Make it clear that any injustice on the common folk will be meet with severe punishment. Aside from the food offer any peasants who will accept a job as a laborer in our camp for the duration of the siege inform them they will all be paid well." I turn back to examine the castle planning my siege.

"But sire. I am supposed to be your bodyguard I can't protect you if I'm not here. And Im not sure I'm the right person for such an important task." Nikolas evidently had doubts about himself.

"In all honestly the only reason I made you my bodyguard was so I could keep you in my employ after the war without backlash from the emperor or any of the nobles. Consider yourself more of my lieutenant than a bodyguard. Besides Adonis here will be with me." Nikolas has no good response so he nodes and heads off with Adonis to gather their retinue.

The siege was going to be hard fought if my plan didn't work. Those dwarves and laborers were vital if my plan was to work and in decent time. We had supplies to last us four months and enough money on hand to pay half a year worth of wages for the troops. It was a lot better position than it first seemed until one looks at the bigger picture. If they got bogged down in a long siege it gave the Rich country of Valburgh time to hire a large amount of mercenaries and fortify their already very defensible positions. If given enough time it was very likely they could counter attack our army while it was in the middle of the siege. It was also possible a neighboring country like the expansionist Kingdom of Dalhurst would take advantage of our army being away from the empire to Invade.

However the situation wasn't to desperate. If I got my reinforcements and enough laborers are hired we could take this castle within a month or two if everything goes well. With all our engineers it would take close to twenty days to build the three trebuchets. We wouldn't assault the castle until we had time to soften up the defenses so any infantry assault would probably take place a few days after the artillery was built. My plan was set in my mind all that I needed to do was wait. I wasn't content to do nothing while I waited so I rode back to the camp to examine the progress of the encampment.

The camp was being set up at a good pace it would only take maybe two days for the camp to be fully entrenched and defended. I had to order servants to dig latrines to keep any diseases away and a separate group go dig water works to make it easier for the army to stay hydrated. Disease could devastate any army during a siege both attackers and defenders it was something to be avoided at all cost. Dehydration was something many didn't full understand the importance of. Most armies would ensure they had a good supply for their men and beasts of burden but wouldn't commit to making full water works. Thankfully I was taught by some of the best scholars of the world about the effects it could have on even a nonlethal level.

With much of my work done I turn in for the night. Tomorrow I will parley with the castellan of the castle.