The Sultanah Ch. 07

The village was suddenly filled with new noises. The awful screams of dying men and horses rang out even over the din of hooves. I turned quickly and saw that the same result had occurred everywhere. The horses had dropped. I smiled. The plan had worked.

As soon as I had told the villagers about the attack, I had put them to work implementing my plan. I set crews of broad-shouldered peasant men to work digging massive, three-foot-deep holes at the very edge of each road leading into the main square. While they dug, their wives and children were encouraged to gather every fencepost or wooden stake they could find and hone both ends into spikes. As the spikes were completed, they were sunk deeply into the muddy holes dug by their husbands. When each hole was filled with spikes, a blanket (usually several blankets) was to cover it. This blanket was then covered in mud. A quick moving horseman would never notice the difference. While the villagers worked, my remaining troopers loudly maneuvered in the fields outside of town, ensuring that prying eyes did not notice. The peasants were used to work and worked quickly and, at around 3:00 p.m., each hole was finished and the troopers were brought back to town and (carefully) helped into the square with everyone else. We then prayed that we had done enough.

Now it seemed that, as usual, Gunes was good. Our enemies were tumbling into the pits we had dug, moving at full speed. Men and horses were pierced by spike and then crushed as more men and horses fell in after them. Even after the front ranks of raiders realized the trap, their attempts to stop moving were in vain. The men behind them pushed them forward, toppling them into the pits. After the initial shock wore off, resourceful raiders tried to jump the pits and reach the town square. Most were unable to clear the growing piles of their dead brethren or could not cross the entire distance of the pit and fell in anyway. Occasionally, a single man would make it across but such a man would be no match for our massed numbers. Each man who came across piecemeal was quickly swarmed and killed.

The raiders had not been expecting any real resistance. They knew we had only a fraction of the troopers they possessed and expect the rabble to break instantly when they entered the square. Now faced with determined, deadly resistance, the men in the rear ranks turned and fled. They were confused and scared, something they had never expected.

I anticipated that the enemy would regroup quickly and attempt to take us again. Therefore, I had no men to spare for the holding of prisoners. I ordered my peasants and troopers into the pits to finish off any men and horses still alive and ordered that their weapons be taken for our use. This bloody order was rapidly heeded. However, once it was done I looked down the road toward the fields outside of town. I saw no enemy troops. Their fear and confusion had been complete, they had routed entirely. The battle had lasted a mere half hour. And we had won.

"Victory!" I called out in my loudest voice and heard my loyal troopers and my loyal peasants scream out the word as well, swelling loudly (and no doubt scaring any enemy soldiers who remained close enough to hear). We would later learn that 75 enemy soldiers lay dead in the pits, crushed by their horses. Among their number were two high ranking Dusman lords who had led the charge. This represented nearly a quarter of the total troops and roughly half of the senior leadership of the raiders. Upon hearing reports of the battle, King Sican was stung by the fact that his elite troops were killed primarily by peasants. More importantly, he realized that he could afford the risk of losing so many men in what was, essentially, tactically unimportant raiding. He quickly called his troops back, ending for that time the deprivations of the raiders.

But we did not know that then. All we knew was that through our strength and ingenuity we had defeated an enemy far more organized and disciplined. Their arrogance and certainty of victory had allowed us to outwit them. We had survived (losing not a single man, woman, or child) and preserved the town.

"To Sultanah Varis," Mülteci cried now as we stood in the town square, "The People's Empress!"

"Huzzah!" was the reply. Once again, Mülteci's words triggered an idea. This was one I had been playing with since at least the night before. But now, it seemed, was the correct time to put that idea into action. I raised my hands in victory and walked over to the town hall. I climbed up onto the Mayor's chair and held my hands aloft until the crowd grew silent.

"The People's Empress is right!" I called and the people cheered again, "Because this is an Empire of the people." More cheering followed. I paused for a second to collect my thoughts. I had not prepared for what I was going to say next. But once I began speaking, it came naturally, "Every inch of ground that Bütün Dünya gained through the centuries was taken by the legions. By citizen-soldiers. When this proud Empire ceased to rely on its farmers and its merchants and its artisans as soldiers, it began to wither. I, Sultanah Varis, am no longer content with this atrophy and this rot. This Empire is glory and will always remain glorious. It will only fail if we fail to live up to the glory of its name. Fulfilling this responsibility to the Empire is the right, the duty, and the privilege of all who dwell within its borders. It is not only for me. And it is certainly not only for the Peers. So this I say: Any man who finds that life in this village is too small or that life lacks adventure follow me to Şehir and take an honored place in the renewed legions of Bütün Dünya! And see all our enemies join these. Dead and buried!" The cheers were deafening. I looked around at the people around me and I felt the strength of the empire in their faces, none more so than in the face of Mülteci, who cheered loudest of all.

When we returned to Şehir (to the shock of the deserters, who had brought news of our imminent death the day before) we came with 25 new soldiers, the core of a new imperial citizen-army. Mülteci was not among them, she went on to live her life.

End Chapter 7 - End First Half!

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YKN

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YKN