ebookland #681 - Sora Fort, a candle in the wind
#681 - Sora Fort, a candle in the wind
Sola Keep, located on the lower reaches of the Moan River.
The sky was filled with white-gray clouds, and the oppressive humidity weighed on the heads of the Fran guards, making it difficult for them to even lift their heads.
These Fran soldiers, recruited or hired from the Lilac Corridor, had thin clothes clinging damply to their skin, shaking their heads in discomfort to avoid flies and mosquitoes.
Occasionally, they would look up at the dark castle in the distance, their eyes alternating between helplessness and hatred.
On the dark cyan arrow tower, the bright red banner of the phoenix still fluttered in the hot wind. Looking over the city wall, one could always see the heads of Black Serpent Bay warriors and wizards moving behind the battlements.
Almost two months had passed, and the castle still hadn't fallen.
Compared to the past, only traces of fire and smoke remained on the black bricks.
It must be said that the Southern Covenant wizards were not exaggerating when they said that every brick of Sola Keep was soaked in blood and sweat.
The entire castle was built of black rock bricks, bonded with a massive amount of mortar, and was a full 4.5 meters thick, even thicker than the Temple of Avis.
There were even witches guarding the city, along with red dragon breath and various wizards.
If the Duke of Podosar hadn't used a surprise tactic to capture the Temple of Avis from the rear, this siege might have lasted until the rainy season.
However, the situation was now different. After the fall of the Temple of Avis, Sola Keep was cut off from supplies and surrounded on all sides by the aristocratic allied forces of the Lilac Corridor.
The frequency of red dragon breath appearing on the city wall had decreased rapidly in recent days. It was estimated that they would be able to break through the castle before May and return home as soon as possible.
Thinking of this, they chewed on their hummus and black bread with more force.
“Clatter, clatter, clatter—”
Just as the soldiers were getting up, preparing for the next round of attack, they saw a lightly armed knight with blue feathers riding swiftly from the distance.
The horse's hooves splashed mud, and the guards quickly made way, curiously watching the knight's hurried figure until the whips of the supervising team struck their backs.
Pushing forward shield carts covered in crocodile skin and siege vehicles, the guards cursed the damned supervising team while silently praying for the mercy of the Holy Father, hoping they wouldn't die from red dragon breath.
The knight dismounted, quickly walked a few steps into Duke Podosar's tent, and handed the urgent letter, painted red, to the Duke.
The Duke, who was drinking red wine with his vest open, first wiped the sweat from his palms on his pants before suspiciously opening the red envelope. After a few quick glances, his face turned several shades redder.
Holding the letter in his left hand, he clenched his right fist and slammed it heavily on the armrest of his expensive chestnut wood chair, even the pearl decorations hanging on the chair jumped: “Is it so difficult to defend a temple for a week? The field battles are fought like shit, and now they can't even defend a city. How are we supposed to support them?”
The surrounding male servants secretly tiptoed, trying to peek at the contents of the letter, but were blocked by Count Kazik, who stepped forward.
“Please don't be angry, anger is not pious.”
“My dear Kazik, take a look at the letter he wrote, how can I not be angry.” Slamming the letter on the table, Duke Podosar's thick fingers pounded frantically on the thin paper like a rainstorm.
Reluctantly wiping the grease from his hands with a handkerchief, Count Kazik read the short plea for help by the light of the sky.
To summarize it simply in one word: “Save me!”
“Catapults with a range of 2 leagues, how did he even think of that.” Standing with his hands behind his back in front of the incense silver furnace, Duke Podosar sulked for a while, but couldn't help but turn back to the table, “Even if we had them, there are still so many strongholds outside the city. Even if we wanted to eliminate those strongholds, it would take two or three days, right?
He's so good, first avoiding battle and giving away the strongholds outside the city for free, and then requesting reinforcements after being bombarded by catapults for a day. Am I his nanny?”
Black Serpent Bay had many mosquitoes and diseases, and Duke Podosar didn't want to stay any longer. Sola Keep had been under siege for a long time, and they had finally cut off the supply line.
Seeing that the Sola Keep garrison was on the verge of collapse, it was at the most critical moment.
He was counting on Urshion to hold off the Thousand River Valley army, but it had only been a few days, and the pleas for help kept coming, actually wanting him to divert troops north at this time.
“Reinforcements, I'll reinforce his ass… I won't even reinforce that ass!”
If they couldn't break through Sola Keep before the Thousand River Valley army arrived, the situation would probably be deadlocked for a long time.
The Spice and Sugar War would cost so many resources and manpower that it would take an unknown amount of time to earn them back.
But these nobles of the Lilac Corridor had no choice but to fight.
Although the people of Thousand River Valley had proposed the idea of exchanging bonds for trade volume, in the eyes of Podosar and a group of border nobles, it was just nonsense.
What Holy Monarch State, what Holy Axis of Thousand River Valley, it all smelled like a makeshift team. Just because you can issue bonds doesn't mean you have the ability to repay them.
This kind of scam was common in the financially and commercially developed Kingdom of Fran. In the end, that holy grandson might just run away with the money.
The Leia civil war was already coming to an end.
After the Battle of Khan Gold Mountain, the two dukes were repeatedly defeated and even had infighting, splitting up and returning to their fiefs with part of their troops.
Seeing the two royal dukes lose power, the previously neutral nobles all stood fairly by the new king's side.
The new Pope Puliano of the Northern Church even publicly declared his recognition of Ginigis's throne.
If it weren't for Duke Osla of the Thorns Garden in the north secretly causing trouble, this war would probably be over by the end of the year.
Next year, at the latest the year after, the Kingdom of Leia would attack this small Thousand River Valley.
At this time, you issue a five-year bond, isn't that just playing with people? Except for those old wealthy families who have the resources to be idle, ordinary local nobles don't have this strength.
Especially since these spices and sugar are the lifeblood of the Lilac Corridor nobles, everyone relies on them for food, and they absolutely cannot be handed over to the Thousand River Valley Trading Company.
Podosar breathed out a mouthful of stale air: “Kazik, do you have any good ideas? I really don't know what to do with this coward.”
“Since the port hasn't been captured, let's send two hundred transcendent knights over there.” Count Kazik spread out a roll of yellowed parchment map, “Then tell them that Sola Keep has been captured, this is the vanguard, and the second batch of reinforcements will arrive soon. That should allow them to hold on for a few more days.”
“Good idea.” Duke Podosar picked up a pen, “...You say it's difficult, I also have difficulties, let's just reluctantly do difficult things. No matter how difficult, can't we hold on for five days? After the first batch of reinforcements arrives, continue to hold on, I will never let you down…”
Putting down the pen, Podosar handed the letter to the messenger.
In any case, the Sola Keep in front of him was already a flickering candle, and it wouldn't be long before it could be taken down.
At that time, whether Urshion surrendered or didn't hold on, the Thousand River Valley army wouldn't have time to arrive.
As long as they break through Sola Keep and lock the northern army's southward path, then this war will be a success.
Duke Podosar sat down again, thinking of those tenacious soldiers on the city wall who had repeatedly repelled the attacks, and shook his head with pity: “Their courage is commendable.”
Thinking again of the tired and lazy soldiers of his own army, Duke Podosar was furious. He pondered for a moment and ordered: “Tell the company commanders and knight captains to enforce military discipline, examine the soldiers in their spare time, and train while fighting.”