Fantasy fiction; Imaginary wars and battles -- Fiction
Now it is to be said of Zigg that he failed not to fulfil Spitfire’s
behest, but gathered hastily an army of more than fifteen hundred
horse and foot out of the northern dales and the habitations about
Shalgreth Heath and the pasture-lands of Kelialand and Switchwater
Way and the region of Rammerick, and came in haste over the Stile.
But when Corinius knew of this faring from the west, he marched three
thousand strong to meet them above Moonmere Head, to deny them the way
to Galing. But Zigg, being yet in the upper defiles of Breakingdale,
now for the first time had advertisement of the great slaughter at
Thremnir’s Heugh, and how the forces of Spitfire and Volle were broken
and scattered and themselves fled up into the mountains; and so deeming
it small gain with so little an army to give battle to Corinius, he
turned back without more ado and returned hastily over the Stile whence
he came. Corinius sent light forces to harry his retreat, but being not
minded as then to follow them into the west country, let build a burg
in the throat of the pass in a place of vantage, and stationed there
sufficient men to ward it, and so came again to Owlswick.
They that were with Corinius in Demonland numbered now more than five
thousand fighting men: a great and redoubtable army. With these, the
weather being fine and open, he in a short time laid under him all
eastern Demonland, save Galing alone. Bremery of Shaws with but
seventy men held Galing for Lord Juss against all assaults. So that
Corinius, thinking this fruit should ripen later and drop into his hand
when the rest had been gathered, resolved at winter’s end to march with
his main army into the west country, leaving a small force to hold down
the eastlands and contain Bremery in Galing. To this determination he
was led by all arguments of sound soldiership, most happily seconding
his own inclinations. For besides this of warlike policy two scarce
weaker lodestones drew him westward: first the old cankered malice he
bare in his heart against the Lord Brandoch Daha, that made Krothering
his dearest prey; and next, his own lustful desires most outrageously
burning for the Lady Mevrian. And this only for the sight of her
picture, found by him in Spitfire’s closet among his pens and inkstands
and other trinkets, which once looked on he swore that with Heaven’s
will (ay, or without if so it must be) she should be his paramour.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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