102 Assaul (1/2)

After hearing that the Tulosans were assaulting, Benedict mobilized all of his soldiers. He then hurried to his room with Bernie for his armor.

Bernie's hands were as fast as the wind in a stormy night. The squire's face was squinched. Looking at Bernie's perturbed expression made him remember the face of a certain merchant whose merchandise he confiscated many years ago.

”Does you face normally look like that or are you distorting your figure on purpose?” he asked.

”Sire?”

”Your face Bernie, your face. You look so grim that you're sucking the light from this room.” He pulled both of Bernie's cheeks. ”Smile a little would ya? It's not the end of the world.”

He released his hold and Bernie's fat cheeks bounced back to its normal shape.

”May I remind you that we are under attack sire?” Bernie said as he went back to work. The squire adjusted the mail doublet on Benedicts shoulder and pulled the dangling end near his waist.

The mail doublet fitted perfectly to his body. He tried to move his joints to test the mobility of the armor and found it to be passable.

”We are. Thirty thousand Tulosans are currently trying to seize the castle from our hands. They are attacking form the north, the south and the west. They are utilizing siege towers, ladders, battering rams, tunnels and I think they have catapults. But there's no point in worrying. Worry only makes people act dumb.” he paused and pointed at the breastplate. He then gestured for the thing to be next. ”Besides, I don't think the castle will fall today. It might fall tomorrow or the next day, but not today Bernie. I'm certain.”

Bernie took the breastplate and fastened it on Benedict's chest. ”If I remember correctly, you are panicking the other day because of the tunnels. But now that they are finally assaulting us, you are acting like it doesn't matter anymore. I really don't get it sire.”

”You heard the man right? The Tulosan who gave us the useless warning? Even though his warning came too late, I am delighted by it. It just shows that General Rickard's men are not completely loyal”

”And that gives you courage?”

”Yes Bernie. At first I thought that our enemies are united, they have a good General after all. That's why I was so afraid of the tunnels. But now I just discovered that some of them are not completely loyal to General Rickard. If we hit them hard enough, they'll rout.”

”I hope you're right sire” Bernie said and pulled the last strap of Benedict's armor.

”What are you talking about?” Benedict smiled. ”We will repel them today”

The two then hurried outside. Bernie was carrying the flag while Benedict was clad in armor.

The castle was now alive and bustling with activities. The crossbowmen on top of the walls were firing bolts without rest. The Tulosans were scaling the walls with ladders and siege towers. Big flaming stones would sometimes come out of nowhere, confirming the existence of catapults. The gates were also being pounded by battering rams. It was truly a castle assault.

But Benedict was certain the walls and the gates would hold. Even though Knightsend's defenses were not impressive, it would probably take a miracle for the Tulosans to make a breach with one try.

So he turned his attention to the part of the fighting that he believes needed his attention– the northern part of the castle where the Tulosans tunneled underneath.

When they arrived, the fighting was fierce. Hundreds of Tulosans were already inside the castle and many more were coming out of the holes in the ground.

The Castonians were surrounding the Tulosans with a weak cordon, trying to keep the enemies from the gates. Although the Castonians were fighting bitterly, it was obvious that the Tulosans were winning. The Castonian circle was crumbling.

”They are being pushed back sire!” Bernie said with a worried tone.

Benedict on the other hand was not worried at all. He was already expecting that his men will be put into a disadvantage with this surprise attack.

He grabbed the flag from Bernie's hands and went closer to the fighting. When his soldiers noticed him carrying the flag, their hopeless faces lit up.