Chapter 14
Arn’s army was camped outside the city. They had besieging it for weeks now, but still the crumbled old walls held them out. The general however had time on his side and preferred not to assault the city.
He looked at the siege spread out before him. All his men were seasoned veterans by now, and he couldn’t even remember the last time he had gotten reinforcements. It had to have been when they left the city all those months ago.
The down side was a vulnerability to a larger opponent, the good part was that he didn’t have to worry so much about attrition, with only a bare minimum he could weather most diseases, and get supplies without too much effort.
The young general looked out across the low buildings of the city, a provincial capital in nothing but name, but it had still managed to keep his men out. Of course he had spared his men from an assault on the walls, but still.
He was about to order the siege to commence the firing of catapults when a messenger rode up.
“From the City Sir.”
Arn looked up in surprise, “The City? By boat then?”
“No Sir the Turks have been chased away.”
Arn started grinning as he broke the courier seal. Inside was two messages, one bearing the Imperial War Office seal, the other his father’s personal one.
The message from the Emperor was simply and to the core of things. Arn looked at his closest advisors,
“The siege have been lifted, we are to make all haste in securing this province, and to aid us we get another regiment or two from the new Marshal’s army. They should be here with in the month.”
The two senior officers nodded in appreciation. Arn read on,
“It says the main army is to wait out the winter in Thrace to help rebuild and secure the city and add supplies and reinforcements, we will get additional supplies when the regiments arrive, some thousand men in all.”
He read on for a few moments in silence, with Angelo and Alexios waiting patiently.
“Once this city falls we are to move post haste to the sea, where we will be supplied by the Venetians, the securing of the province will be the task of the new marshal,” he paused and read the second part again, “yes, the Imperial army will move in behind us and secure the province once the city falls, we are to move on into Smyrna.”
He heard more than saw the disbelief from the other two, Angelo caught his wits first, “Smyrna?”
“Yes, Smyrna, apparently we are to act as scouting army for he Marshal who will follow us and besiege the province.”
Angelo nodded, “That makes more sense, for a moment there I thought your father had lost control of the council and they wanted us to take on the Ottomans by ourselves, either in delusions of grandeur or in an attempt to get us killed.”
Arn grinned, “well my father’s letter will likely explain if it is any of those.”
Angelo nodded and waved for an orderly to fetch wine, “this will require a bit of thinking, if we are to move out too soon the Imperial main army will not get here in time, too late and a rebellion or the Ottomans may easy undo our work here.”
Arn nodded, “Go ahead and make up a provisionary set of orders based on the Council’s letter, I’ll read this and return shortly. He withdrew to a corner to read his father’s letter.
Dear Arn,
Time flies, I cannot believe its been so many months since I’ve seen you.
First things first, I am fine as is your mother and your siblings, all is well in the city, now that the young Marshal have lifted the Turkish Siege.
He struck down the Sultan himself, did you know that? He may be more worthy of his title than we assumed.
Sif asked me to tell you that your youngest son is now nearing two years, she didn’t know when you left, but he was born about nine months after your battle on the plain.
Arn blushed slightly, he knew very well then when that boy had been conceived, he looked back down, oblivious to the planning at the table.
I guess you have read the orders from the Imperial Council by now? They will make more sense when I tell you what is to take part.
The Venetians have aided us in the war. They have helped destroy the Ottoman fleet and helped blockade the province of Macedonia.
They have also send an expeditionary force to aid us. Remember that Teke follow their liege into battle?
Ever wondered what had happened to them?
Arn could hear the smile in his father’s voice as he had written the letter, always the teacher. He smiled and closed his eyes, the Venetians, what could they do to Teke with an expeditionary force?
The leader of the force was our friend Carmagnola, he quickly managed to slip into the province right behind the local Sultan as he left for the war, and when the Sultan turned back to relive his people Carmagnola ambushed them and send them fleeing into Smyrna.
It is the Teke Cavalry that awaits you there, unable to return home, not being able to join the siege, and with the Ottomans unwilling to let them go anywhere else in their Empire.
And our Italian friend have so far in his almost eighteen months there been able to take the city, his navy has been assigned to patrolling outside Macedonia, and without it he cannot stop supplies. He claims not to have enough men left after the battle to take the province by storm, and that might be true.
Again Arn smiled, he could easily imagine that his father did not believe that any more than he did. Carmagnola could have taken that city within a few months had he wanted to.
As it is however the Venetians have returned their fleet to blockade the harbour and is supplying Caramgnola from there. It is therefore important that you reach the siege before the city falls, the Emperor would be greatly displeased with Venice controlling Teke, directly or through vassalizing.
Hope to have you home by next summer, should all go well.
Your Father
Svend.
Arn leaned back and closed his eyes, his mind spinning with a mixture of emotions from being gone for so long, and the tactical implications. He opened his eyes and told his two friends the things they needed to know, the Teke army, and confirmation that their marching order was sound, but the true nature of the Venetian commander, and the possible double play of his, he kept to himself.
